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October 30, 2007

The Sox sweep

The curse is definitely reversed. With Sunday night's sweep, the Red Sox became the first team to win two championships in the 21st century.

Take that, Babe Ruth.

Just like in 2004, when the Sox swept away the St. Louis Cardinals in four games, they showed no mercy again. They won their first two games at home, absolutely crushing the Colorado Rockies in the first game, and then beat them twice at Coors Field in Denver.

We are particularly proud of those players who once graced LeLacheur Field in Lowell with their athletic prowess. Kevin Youkilis, Jonathan Papelbon and Jacoby Ellsbury all once played for the Lowell Spinners and were instrumental in the Sox winning the World Series in a four-game sweep. To date, more than 30 Spinners have gone on to play in the major leagues.

Papelbon pitched in Lowell in 2003, Youkilis was the Spinners' Player of the Year in 2001 and Ellsbury was here a mere two summers ago but is showing great maturity and focus at Fenway Park.

The Red Sox have made the minor-league team an integral part of its system, investing heavily in player development and spending more than $5 million a year in signing bonuses to top amateur players taken in the draft.
Clearly, John Henry's syndicate knows what it's doing.

And, of course, Mike Lowell was named the World Series Most Valuable Player. Lowell, a four-time All-Star, was considered by some to be a "throw-in" on the 2005 deal with Florida that brought ace pitcher Josh Beckett to the Red Sox. Lowell did have a disappointing season that year, but the third baseman has since proven that he's far more than a throw-in -- and what a great last name.

Adding poignancy to Sunday night's game and the overall Series, was seeing pitcher Jon Lester delivering a solid 5 2/3 innings in the fourth -- and final -- game of the series. At this time last year Lester, 23, was undergoing chemotherapy for lymphoma. After beating cancer, the young player had to fight his way back from the minors before helping the Sox to win the World Series for the second time in four years.

It seems long ago that Red Sox fans were wondering if they'd ever see a championship. They had come so close so many times, but for 86 years it was always snatched away.

That ended in 2004 and again in 2007.

The future looks bright for the team, and Red Sox Nation can rejoice.

Posted by Admin at October 30, 2007 12:53 PM