It’s your thing. Do what you wanna do. I can’t tell you who to sock it to. -Isley Brothers
Public Service Announcement: Ok, here we go! First thing’s first. I’m a Manny fan. Like Neil Young always says: The king is gone but he’s not forgotten. But once you’re gone, you can never come back. When you’re out of the blue and into the black. No Manny Ramirez is not walking through that door, fans. But I like him still.
I don’t like the way he went out. Not one bit. I do like the two rings he brought to Boston. I did like having the best right handed hitter in baseball backing up Big Papi. Liked it a lot. But now he’s gone. That’s life, that’s what all the people say. You’re riding high in April. Shot down in May. But Manny changed that tune. Now that he’s back on top, back on top in June September.
Know this, Manny was brought to Tinseltown for one reason and one reason only. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, involves catching the Diamondbacks. As always, should any member of your team be caught or killed, the Secretary will disavow all knowledge of your actions. This message will sel####estruct in five seconds. Mission accomplished.
August 1st, the Dodgers were sitting two back of Arizona with a .500 record. Today, thanks to Mr. Ramirez, LA is four games over .500 enjoying a 3 1/2 game lead in the NL West. 3 1/2 games up because Manny rakes. Cleveland. Boston. LA. Manny rakes. Good times. Manny rakes. Bad times. Manny rakes. Business bad? #### you, pay me. Oh, you had a fire? #### you, pay me. Place got hit by lightning huh? #### you, pay me. That’s what Manny being Manny is really all about. You do the Hokey Pokey and you turn yourself around. That’s what it’s all about!
Check this out. Last night, Manny had two bombs and four RBIs in the Dodgers’ 7-2 win at San Diego. That brings Manny’s numbers up to fourteen bombs and forty RBIs in his thirty-eight games with the Dodgers. That makes him the first mid-season acquisition to put up such gaudy numbers in his first forty games with a new team since 1949. Since 1949. Since Hank Sauer. Since the Mayor of Wrigley Field. Da Mayor don’t bother nobody and nobody no bother da Mayor. Nobody bothered da Mayor back in ‘49. Da Mayor had fifteen dings and forty-seven RBIs in his first forty games with the Cubs after coming over in a mid-June trade from the Reds back in ‘49. But that’s only half the story. Half the story morning glory. You need a little time to wake up. Wake up and smell the Manny. Over the last eighty years or so only eight guys have ever had those kinds of stats in their forty games with a new team. Manny’s done it twice. Twice! Get the papers, get the papers.
So, say what you want bout Manny. The greatest right handed hitter to ever don a Red Sox uniform has done did it again. The greatest right handed hitter in the history of baseball has done did it again. Manny Ramirez has done did it again. Last night, his pair of two-run home runs crushed over the fence in right-center 400 feet away from home plate proved what a difference maker this guy truly is. MVP! MVP! MVP!
Public Acknowledgements: Rick Pitino, Frank Sinatra, Mission Impossible, Do the Right Thing, Oasis and Goodfellas
Johnny come lately, the new kid in town. Everybody loves you, so don’t let them down. -Eagles
Public Service Announcement: Ok, here we go! He’s gone, and we couldn’t do nothing about it. That’s that. There was nothing we could do about it. Real ########Manny’s a Dodger. Couldn’t they have gone into a room? Hashed this thing out. Hashed this thing out like men? Shake hands? Smoke cigars afterwards? Everybody’s happy? Nope. Not gonna do it. Not at this juncture. Yes, Manny’s a Dodger. Iknow it’s true, oh so true, ’cause I saw it on TV. I saw Linda Cohen on TV. Saw Linda Cohen on the News. ESPN News. Linda Cohen said, “It has now happened. Manny Ramirez. The deal is done.” Oh the humanity!
If you know me at all, you know I love Manny. You know what I think of him. I think he’s meant more to the Red Sox than anyone. Anyone. Past or present. Anyone. The Red Sox will sorely miss this cat. They will miss his 312 batting average. They will miss his 274 bombs. His 868 RBIs. And the two World Series titles he done brung ‘em. Know this sports fans, only six players in Major League history can match Manny’s Red Sox numbers in the Triple Crown categories while also winning at least two rings during their tenure with one club. Only six. Only Babe, the Iron Horse, Joltin’ Joe, Jimmie “the Beast” Foxx, Hank Greenberg and Stan the Man. That’s it. That’s the list. Pretty good company if you ask me. Hall of Fame company if you ask me. Immortal company if you ask me.
Yes folks, the Red Sox will sorely miss this cat, and so will I. Like I missed Freddy Lynn. Like I missed Pudge. Petey. Nomah. The Hit Dog. Like those guys there. Only more so. Those guys there don’t got no rings on their fingers. Those guys don’t got no bells on their toes. Petey does. One. But still. He’s close. He’s not Manny. And now, Manny’s gone. I’ll say one thing. I’ll say, if anybody besides Tito can manage Manny, it’s Joe Torre. But Joe Torre or no Joe Torre, Manny will continue to rake. He will continue to rake because he’s still the best right-handed hitter we’ve ever seen. The best there’s ever been. A big bad baseball machine.
The Red Sox had, had, a window of opportunity. You shouldn’t grab me, Johnny. My mother grabbed me once…Once! Had a window of opportunity to grab a couple of rings here. Pick a pocket or two boys here. Not now. They ain’t pretty no more. Not now. I don’t care what you think about Manny’s antics. The Red Sox just went down a peg. Down a peg closer to the masses. Closer to the Rays. Closer to the Bombers. Closer to the teams they need to beat. Closer to what we used to be. Lovable losers. No matter how you slice it. No matter how you dice it. Julienne it. The Red Sox yesterday, with Manny, nonsense and all, were better than they are today without him. Just win baby! When you win, nothing hurts. Like my main John Madden always says, “The only yardstick for success our society has is being a champion. No one remembers anything else.” They’ll remember Manny.
This is where we get to see how good Theo and company really are. We get to see if the system truly is greater than the player. Bill Belichick baseball. But even Bill Belichick sometimes goes with a Corey Dillon. Even Bill Belichick sometimes goes with a Randy Moss. Because sometimes, talent makes up for the other stuff. Hall of fame talent makes up for a lot. Championship talent makes up for a lot. It don’t mean a thing if you don’t get them rings. Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.
Now, here’s the rub. The hard part. The Longest Yard part. I’m still a proud member of Red Sox Nation. I pledge allegiance. I’m a company man. I meant what I said, and I said what I meant. An elephant’s faithful one hundred percent. All that. If tonight, Jason Bay is roaming left field in Fenway Park against the Oakland Athletics, Jason Bay will be my favorite left fielder in the game of baseball. Period. No questions asked. He’s gone, and we couldn’t do nothing about it. That’s that. There was nothing we could do about it. That’s just the way it goes. And so it goes and so it goes and so it goes. But where it’s goin’, no one knows. Roll Sox, roll!
Public Acknowledgements: Goodfellas, Dana Carvey, John Fogerty, Herbert Morrison, Gypsy Rose, Oliver, Johnny Dangerously, Raging Bull, Veg-O-Matic, Al Davis, Joe Namath, Vince Lombardi, Horton and Nick Lowe
The Red Sox have won two rings in the last four years. Two rings thanks in large part to Mr. Manny Ramirez. Maybe people have gotten complacent. Maybe people are resting on their laurels. Maybe people have forgotten. Forgotten how miserable those 1918 chants actually were. How they made us feel. Made us feel a lot more miserable than Manny’s current rumblings, I can tell you that.
Maybe they forgot. Forgot Manny won MVP of the World Series. The first World Series Championship in eighty-six years. Maybe they forgot last year his walk-off three-run bomb run in Game Two of the ALDS against the California Angels. Maybe they forgot he leads everybody all-time in postseason home runs. Manny has incredible numbers. Ridiculous numbers. Hall of Fame numbers. As the kids like to say these days, he sure can rake. All this guy does is rake. Sox winning, Manny rakes. Sox losing, Manny rakes. Big games, Manny rakes. Small games, Manny rakes. Business bad? #### you, pay me. Oh, you had a fire? #### you, pay me. Place got hit by lightning, huh? #### you, pay me. That’s Manny. I haven’t forgotten. An elephant never forgets. I meant what I said, and I said what I meant. An elephant’s faithful one hundred percent.
Some look at Manny’s antics and flippantly remark, “Manny thinks he’s bigger that the game.” Know this sports fans, Manny is the hardest working man in show business. He’s the first one in the weight room. He’s the first one at the ballpark. He’s endlessly watching film. He works tirelessly at his craft. Manny talking about the off-season: “I know this might sound funny, but I play baseball. Me and Varitek play in the training field. Can’t get our minds off of it.” So pack up your criticisms. Pack up your lollygag the ball around the outfield. Pack up your lollygag your way down to first. Just pack up your troubles in your old kit bag and smile, smile, smile. Smile at the best right handed hitter you ever did see. The most important Red Sox of all time.
Public Acknowledgements: Goodfellas, Dr. Seuss, Bull Durham and George Asaf
When the cat took your tongue, I say you took it right back. Your mouth is so big, one bite would kill a Big Mac. -Run DMC
Public Service Announcement: Ok, here we go. I said it before, I’ll say it again. No one likes a big mouth. I liked Manny better when he wasn’t talking to the press. A lot better. Manny just may be the most important player in Red Sox history. Two rings will do that. Two rings in four years with a team that has won bupkus for eighty-six years prior, will do that. But this current escapade, or series of escapades is undoing all of that. Peeing in the Green Monster was funny. Listening to his IPod in the outfield was funny. The home run poses are funny. This stuff ain’t funny. It’s disturbing. And if it’s disturbing me, a blatant Manny supporter, I can only imagine how the rest of Red Sox Nation feels. Hello, this is Chuck to remind Bill to SHUT UP! Shut up! Be like Crash Davis. “I’m just happy to be here and hope I can help the ballclub…I just wanna give it my best shot and, Good Lord willing, things’ll work out.” You’re probably right. When it comes to making a deal, the Sox are probably not going to pull the trigger. The Sox do know what they got here. The Red Sox got one of the best right-handed hitters in the bigs. The Red Sox got a player who was instrumental in helping them win two World Series in the last four seasons. I do not want to see Manny in a Mets uniform. I do not want to see Manny is Dodgers or Phillies uniform. I do not even want to see Manny in an Iraqi uniform. Not in a box. Not with a fox. Not in a house. Not with a mouse. Last night, Manny Ramirez hit home run number twenty. Manny Ramirez has now reached the 20-homer mark in eight straight seasons for Boston. Only one other player in team history had eight consecutive seasons with at least 20 home runs: Dwight Evans. I never got used to Dewey in an Orioles uniform. And Dewey never won a World Series. So Manny, think of what you're saying. You can get it wrong and still you think that it's all right. Think of what I'm saying. We can work it out and get it straight; I don't want to say good night.
Public Acknowledgements: Night Shift, The New York Times, Bull Durham and Dr. Seuss and The Beatles
Josh Q. Public:Well I’ve been thinking ’bout all the places we’ve surfed and danced and all the places we’ve missed, so let’s get back together and do it again. -Beach Boys
Public Service Announcement: Ok, here we go! The greatest right handed hitter to ever don a Red Sox uniform has done did it again. The greatest right handed hitter in the history of baseball has done did it again. Manny Ramirez has done did it again. Manny Ramirez’s two-run bomb off the Bayonne Bleeder, Joe Borowski, in the top of the ninth was the winner winner chicken dinner. The ninth winner winner chicken dinner in Manny’s career. The third winner winner chicken dinner as a Red Sox. And when I say winner winner chicken dinner, you know what I’m talking about boyyyyyy. I’m talking about a go-ahead homer in the ninth inning or later. No such thing as clutch. Bill James can eat my shorts. I’m more of a Siwoffian statistician anyway. Big Papi ain’t right. That much is clear. Manny is right. Right as rain. Well, that’s all right, mama. That’s all right for you. That’s all right mama, just anyway you do. Manny did in the top of the ninth. Two outs. One on. All tied up. Manny saunters up. You knew it. I knew it. Bill James knew it. Gone! Connectamundo. Power pose. Why pitch to this cat? Eck tried it. Wow! Joe Girardi tried it over the week-end. See what happens? Manny makes you pay. That’s what happens. That’s the way it is with a wiseguy partner. He gets his money no matter what. You got no business? #### you, pay me. You had a fire? #### you, pay me. The place got hit by lightning and World War Three started in the lounge? #### you, pay me. Hold it now, hold it now, hit it. Manny is the greatest hitter in baseball today. He hits with power. He hits to the opposite field. He hits with two strikes. He hits and he hits and he hits. Roll Sox roll!
Public Acknowledgements: Chuck Wepner, Jeff Gordon, Beastie Boys, Elvis and Goodfellas
Josh Q. Public: One more time. We’re gonna celebrate. Oh yeah, alright. Don’t stop the dancin’. One more time. -Daft Punk
Public Service Announcement: OK, here we go! First place baby! First place. First place thanks to Mr. Manny Ramirez. While you were sleeping, I was watching baseball. While you were sleeping, I was watching Boston Red Sox baseball. While you were sleeping, I was watching Manny Ramirez hit a two-run double in the top of the 10th inning to rally the Boston Red Sox over the Oakland Athletics. Woo doggy! What a way to the start the day. What a way to the start the season. Manny ####ed in four runs. Manny ####ed a two-out, two-strike pitch off the center field wall at the Tokyo Dome. Manny ####ed in Julio Lugo and Big Papi with the go-ahead runs. Ballgame! Make no mistake about it. This the Year of the Ram. The Man-Ram. Manny picked up where he left off in the post-season. Manny picked up where he left off in last year’s championship post-season. Last year’s championship post season where Manny tore it up. Hardcored it up. Katy bar the doored it up. Katy bar the doored it up with four bombs. Katy bar the doored it up with sixteen baseknocks. Sure last season wasn’t his best. Sure last season was the first season he didn’t receive any MVP votes. Sure last season his .493 slugging percentage was an all time low. This year will be different. He’s worked harder than ever in the off-season. And that’s saying something. That’s saying a lot. He’s spent two months working out in Arizona. He’s abandoned the split grip in his batting stance. He’s no longer resting his bat on his shoulder as the pitcher heads into his windup. Manny finished spring training at .300. He’s started the regular season with a ####. Expect more from Manny. Expect more from the greatest Red Sox of all time. Heresy you say? Blasphemy? Apostasy? I say, free your mind and the rest will follow. Be colorblind, don’t be so shallow. I’ve heard the criticisms. You lollygag the ball around the outfield. You lollygag your way down to first. You lollygag in and out of the dugout. You know what that makes you? A lollygagger! People take offense to his posing after titanic moon shots. People can shut the hell up. All I know is, for the second time in four years, the Sox snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Snatched victory from the jaws of defeat and played themselves into the World Series. Played themselves into the World Series thanks, in large part, to Mr. Ramirez. Took all the breath out of the Cleveland Indians. You’re every song I sing. You’re the music that I play. And you take my breath away. And that’s just it. Manny is the music the Red Sox play. So say what you will about Manny. Whatever gives you a thrill about Manny. Sing like the Barber of Seville about Manny. But know this, in this new era of Boston Red Sox baseball, this winning era of Boston Red Sox baseball, Manny is the straw that stirs the drink. Roll Sox roll!
Public Acknowledgements: Jed Clampett, Boston Herald, En Vogue, Bull Durham, Rex Smith and Reggie Jackson
Josh Q. Public: I got somethin’ that makes me wanna shout. I got somethin’ that tells me what it’s all about. Huh, I got soul and I’m super bad! -James Brown
Public Service Announcement: OK, here we go! The World Series. The World Series at Fenway Park. Like my main man Bart Giamatti always says: “As I grew up, I knew that as a building (Fenway Park) was on the level of Mount Olympus, the Pyramid at Giza, the nation’s capitol, the czar’s Winter Palace, and the Louvre — except, of course, that it is better than all those inconsequential places.” Cowabunga! As the oldest of all current Major League Baseball stadiums, Fenway has been home to many a legend. Home to Teddy Ballgame. The Kid. The greatest hitter who ever lived. Home to Yaz. Caaaaaarl Yastrzemski….Caaaaaarl Yastrzemski….Caaaaaarl Yastrzemski….The man we call Yaz. We love him! Home to Lynn and Rice. The Goldust Twins. Home to Joe Cronin. The original Mr. Clutch. He’s not your everyday-type prankster. He’s Joe C, the original gangster. Home to Carlton Fisk. There it goes! It’s a long drive…if it stays fair…home run! Home to Wade Boggs. Home to Pedro Martinez. As much as it makes me want to puke up in my mouth, home to Roger Clemens. And yes, Fenway Park is home to Manny Ramirez. So, where does Manny fit in all this? What is his place? If you ask me, he’s right at the top. A number one. Top of the list. King of the hill.
Heresy you say? Blasphemy? Apostasy? I say, free your mind and the rest will follow. Be colorblind, don’t be so shallow. I’ve heard the criticisms. You lollygag the ball around the outfield. You lollygag your way down to first. You lollygag in and out of the dugout. You know what that makes you? A lollygagger! People take offense to his posing after titanic moon shots. People can shut the hell up. All I know is, for the second time in four years, the Sox snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Snatched victory from the jaws of defeat and played themselves into the World Series. Played themselves into the World Series thanks in large part to Mr. Ramirez. Just look at game seven. Manny ####s in the first run with a hard grounder that left Indians shortstop Jhonny Peralta looking utterly foolish. He then made the defensive play of the game. Playing the Green Monster like nobody’s business. Takin’ care of business. Fielding a Kenny Lofton line drive off the wall and fires the ball so fast to second base that it fooled everybody. That play right there was the ballgame. It took all the breath out of the Cleveland Indians. You’re every song I sing. You’re the music that I play. And you take my breath away. And that’s just it. Manny is the music the Red Sox play. You can say he doesn’t care. But this Red Sox baseball team is a team that understands losing ain’t the be all end all. It’s nothing to be afraid of. It’s nothing that should get you down. I’ve been beat up, I’ve been thrown out but I’m not down, I’m not down. I’ve been shown up, but I’ve grown up, and I’m not down, I’m not down. And that is the Red Sox mantra. That is how they win. Hit me with your best shot! Why don’t you hit me with your best shot! Hit me with your best shot! Fire away! So say what you will about Manny. Whatever gives you a thrill about Manny. Sing like the Barber of Seville about Manny. But know this, in this new era of Boston Red Sox baseball, this winning era of Boston Red Sox baseball, Manny is the straw that stirs the drink. Roll Sox roll!
Public Acknowledgements: Charles Pierce, Ice-T, Frank Sinatra, En Vogue, Bull Durham, BTO, Rex Smith, Clash, Pat Benatar and Reggie Jackson
Josh Q. Public:You gotta roll, roll, roll. You gotta thrill my soul, alright. Roll, roll, roll, roll-a, thrill my soul. Let it roll, all night long.-Doors
Public Service Announcement: OK, here we go! The Boston Red Sox. I made a bet with my boy Nostradomus. Bet, bet bet…BEEEEEEETTTTTTTTTT! Fred Flintstone style. I had Tiger, he had the field. I lost. Now I have to write a post praising the Yankees. Egads man. Not today though. I gotta sha-la-la-la-la-la, live for today though. And don’t worry ’bout tomorrow, hey, hey, hey though. ‘Cause the Sox are rolling today. Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’. Though the streams are swollen. Keep them Bosox rollin’. Red Sox! How ’bout them Red Sox? Three in a row. Three, it’s the magic number. Five of their last six. Playing knick knack on some sticks. Seven of their last ten. Do it again. These old Sox are rolling home. How ’bout Josh Boom Boom Beckett? Another win yesterday. Three and oh after yesterday. 1.50 ERA and 18 Ks after yesterday. Yowza! Schilling’s back. Back on track. Back on track, leading the pack. I met him at the candy store. He turned around and smiled at me. You get the picture? Yes, we see. That’s when I fell for the leader of the pack. Matzuka, Matsuzaka Matsuzaka. The new king of ole Fenway Pahka. I think it’s fair to say he’s for real. The real deal. Hard as steel. Tim Wakefield is pitching better than I’ve seen in a while. Better than he’s ever been in a while. An inning machine in a while. With Wakefield pitching better than I’ve seen in a while and Jon Lester tearing it up for the Greenville Drive, the Sox may soon have the best staff in baseball. Woo doggie! This is getting good. Better than I thought it would. Better than you thought it should. And what about Papi? The man you just can’t stoppie. On the world, he is atoppie. On top of the world looking down on creation. Just on a tear. Two bombs and eight ribbies in the last two days. He’s on fire. Up in here, it’s burning hot. He’s on fire. Shorty, take it off, if it get to hot, up in this spot. He’s on fire. He’s not the only one. Not the only one getting it done. Having some fun. Julio Lugo’s having some fun. Having some fun with the glove. Oh, sweet darling, you get the best of my glove. The best of his glove darting out to center to make a grab that saved a run. The best of his glove down on his knees saying please, please. JD Drew’s having some fun. Having some fun on the run with a burger and a bun and a dish of applesauce on the siiiiiide. And just wait ’till Manny starts being Manny again. You know he will. You know he’ll thrill. This cat hits in bunches. The ball he crunches. Throwing knockout punches. The Sox can throw some knockout punches in these next couple of series. The Jays right now and the Yankees this week-end. Yup, sippin’ on coke and rum. I’m like so what im drunk. It’s the freakin’ weekend baby, I’m about to have me some fun. Have me some fun with this decimated Yankee pitching staff. Marco. Polo. Hahaha! Roll Red Sox, Roll!
Public Acknowledgements: Deadspin, Doors, Boston Globe, Boston Herald, Yahoo Sports, The Flintstones, The Grass Roots, Rawhide, Schoolhouse Rock, Shangri-las, Carpenters, Jed Clampett, Lloyd Banks, Eagles and R. Kelly
josh q. public. For the public, by The Public. Irreverent sports opinion from a Bostonian in New York. The one blog to read, when you’re reading more than one. Good to the last drop!
go-ahead homer in the ninth inning or later. No such thing as clutch. Bill James can eat my shorts. I’m more of a Siwoffian statistician anyway. Big Papi ain’t right. That much is clear. Manny is right. Right as rain. Well, that’s all right, mama. That’s all right for you. That’s all right mama, just anyway you do. Manny did in the top of the ninth. Two outs. One on. All tied up. Manny saunters up. You knew it. I knew it. Bill James knew it. Gone! Connectamundo. Power pose. Why pitch to this cat? Eck tried it. Wow! Joe Girardi tried it over the week-end. See what happens? Manny makes you pay. That’s what happens. That’s the way it is with a wiseguy partner. He gets his money no matter what. You got no business? 
Manny picked up where he left off in last year’s championship post-season. Last year’s championship post season where Manny tore it up. Hardcored it up. Katy bar the doored it up. Katy bar the doored it up with four bombs. Katy bar the doored it up with sixteen baseknocks. Sure last season wasn’t his best. Sure last season was the first season he didn’t receive any MVP votes. Sure last season his .493 slugging percentage was an all time low. This year will be different. He’s worked harder than ever in the off-season. And that’s saying something. That’s saying a lot. He’s spent two months working out in Arizona. He’s abandoned the split grip in his batting stance. He’s no 
longer resting his bat on his shoulder as the pitcher heads into his windup. Manny finished spring training at .300. He’s started the regular season with a 
jaws of defeat. Snatched victory from the jaws of defeat and played themselves into the World Series. Played themselves into the World Series thanks, in large part, to Mr. Ramirez. Took all the breath out of the Cleveland Indians. You’re every song I sing. You’re the music that I play. And you take my breath away. And that’s just it. Manny is the music the Red Sox play. So say what you will about Manny. Whatever gives you a thrill about Manny. Sing like the Barber of Seville about Manny. But know this, in this new era of Boston Red Sox baseball, this winning era of Boston Red Sox baseball, Manny is the straw that stirs the drink. Roll Sox roll! 
Yastrzemski….Caaaaaarl Yastrzemski….The man we call Yaz. We love him! Home to Lynn and Rice. The Goldust Twins. Home to Joe Cronin. The original Mr. Clutch. He’s not your everyday-type prankster. He’s Joe C, the original gangster. Home to Carlton Fisk. There it goes! It’s a long drive…if it stays fair…home run! Home to Wade Boggs. Home to Pedro Martinez. As much as it makes me want to puke up in my mouth, home to Roger Clemens. And yes, Fenway Park is home to Manny Ramirez. So, where does Manny fit in all this? What is his place? If you ask me, he’s right at the top. A number one. Top of the list. King of the hill.
the World Series. Played themselves into the World Series thanks in large part to Mr. Ramirez. Just look at game seven. Manny 
But this Red Sox baseball team is a team that understands losing ain’t the be all end all. It’s nothing to be afraid of. It’s nothing that should get you down. I’ve been beat up, I’ve been thrown out but I’m not down, I’m not down. I’ve been shown up, but I’ve grown up, and I’m not down, I’m not down. And that is the Red Sox mantra. That is how they win. Hit me with your best shot! Why don’t you hit me with your best shot! Hit me with your best shot! Fire away! So say what you will about Manny. Whatever gives you a thrill about Manny. Sing like the Barber of Seville about Manny. But know this, in this new era of Boston Red Sox baseball, this winning era of Boston Red Sox baseball, Manny is the straw that stirs the drink. Roll Sox roll! 
rolling home. How ’bout Josh Boom Boom Beckett? Another win yesterday. Three and oh after yesterday. 1.50 ERA and 18 Ks after yesterday. Yowza! Schilling’s back. Back on track. Back on track, leading the pack. I met him at the candy store. He turned around and smiled at me. You get the picture? Yes, we see. That’s when I fell for the leader of the pack. Matzuka, Matsuzaka Matsuzaka. The new king of ole Fenway Pahka. I think it’s fair to say he’s for real. The real deal. Hard as steel. Tim Wakefield is pitching better than I’ve seen in a while. Better than he’s ever been in a 
while. An inning machine in a while. With Wakefield pitching better than I’ve seen in a while and Jon Lester tearing it up for the Greenville Drive, the Sox may soon have the best staff in baseball. Woo doggie! This is getting good. Better than I thought it would. Better than you thought it 
should. And what about Papi? The man you just can’t stoppie. On the world, he is atoppie. On top of the world looking down on creation. Just on a tear. Two bombs and eight ribbies in the last two days. He’s on fire. Up in here, it’s burning hot. He’s on fire. Shorty, take it off, if it get to hot, up in this spot. He’s on fire. He’s not the only one. Not the only one getting it done. Having some fun. Julio Lugo’s having some fun. Having some fun with the glove. Oh, sweet darling, you get the best of my glove. The best of his glove darting out to center to make a grab that saved a run. The best of his glove down on his knees saying please, please. 
JD Drew’s having some fun. Having some fun on the run with a burger and a bun and a dish of applesauce on the siiiiiide. And just wait ’till Manny starts being Manny again. You know he will. You know he’ll thrill. This cat hits in bunches. The ball he crunches. Throwing knockout punches. The Sox can throw some knockout punches in these next couple of series. The Jays right now and the Yankees this week-end. Yup, sippin’ on coke and rum. I’m like so what im drunk. It’s the freakin’ weekend baby, I’m about to have me some fun. Have me some fun with this decimated Yankee pitching staff. Marco. Polo. Hahaha! Roll Red Sox, Roll!
