Three days. Three Red Sox games at Fenway, one PawSox game at McCoy. Three victories, one very sucky Canadian. Two Papyboo appearances, one save, at least 8 or 9 swoons. One Beckett outing, at least 6 more swoons. One shitty Youk call, two ejections. Two Jacoby appearances- one for big boy Sox, one for little brother Sox. One very big debut win by Clay Buchholz. Unending Manny & Papi hugs, one injured Dougie Fresh, and a freakin' grand slam. BIRTHDAY ON THE MONSTER, complete with Sam Horn, CHB, Doug Flutie & Bobby Doerr meetings, and as many pictures with the World Series trophy as I could take without getting arrested.

Yeah- it was a little bit fun.

I've got to sort through the thousands (no really) of photos I took from Friday through Sunday, and I'll be sure and post the best of those when I'm done -- but for now, here's my Top 5 Random Observations, plus a few photos to serve as placeholders.

1. Kyle Snyder has ADHD. I'm almost sure of it. He is physically incapable of sitting still. The Monster seats afforded me a bird's eye view of the bullpen, and every single time I looked over, Kyle was moving around or fidgeting in some manner. He had a stick he would roll around on his legs and/or use to paddle his legs (very lightly, I hope). He would pace back and forth from one length of the bullpen to the other. He would hang on the lip of the bullpen roof by his arms, with his long ol' legs tucked up behind him. Someone needs to get him a ball of yarn or other playtoy to occupy himself with.

2. Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz are addicted to hugs. On Saturday, we were one of the few lucky folks to get into the ballpark earlier than normal, 3 hours before the game, and so got to see all of the Sox pregame warmups and BP... and about 100 Manny/Papi sandwich hugs. Manny would grab someone (usually an Angels player), and Papi would sandwich him. Papi would grab someone, and then Manny would join in on the sandwich. One time, Papi grabbed ahold of someone (I'm 99% sure it was Izturis) and was trying to get Manny's attention to come over and hug with them, but Manny was standing a little bit aways talking and didn't notice... so Papi just picked Izturis up off the ground and hopped over to Manny with Izturis still in his big old bear hug.

3. Kevin Youkilis ain't nothing to mess with. I thought he was going to take the ump's head off at that bad call on Friday night- we were sitting about 10 feet away from that exchange, and it was not pretty.

4. Manny Delcarmen is Irish. That is the only logical explanation for what I witnessed Saturday night- when Papelbon went in to be awesome (like always), and his closer's music "Shipping Up To Boston" started playing, Manny stood up from the bullpen bench and did a full-on Irish jig. That went on for almost a minute. And even when he sat back down again, he kept kicking his legs out in front of him in a little jig. It was so very awesome- I just wish NESN would have gotten it on film (I'm not even sure the people sitting in the bleachers could see it, because he was standing up underneath the pen roof).

5. Jonathan Papelbon has a new job- bodyguard. When Papyboo made his normal stroll out to the pen in the middle of Saturday night's game, Eric "I Suck Ass, Canadian-Style" Gagne tagged along beside him, possibly in hopes of blending in to the background next to the blinding glow of Papyboo's awesomeness. It didn't work- Gagne got loudly booed.

View from my seat for Friday day game


Friday night seats- Joshie Beckett artfully blurry in the background


Moon over Fenway for my birthday on the Monster on Saturday


Rhode Island in the house


Ain't that just the purtiest thing?

Edited: Someone a lot more disciplined than me has some more in-depth firsthand thoughts from Friday night as well.

You can get an in-depth recap of yesterday's Red Sox-Devil Rays game anywhere - instead, I'm gonna give you five random snapshots from the game (all courtesy of FSN Florida's broacast).

Sleepy Papi


"I wonder how long he'll keep talking to me if I don't look at him?"


AFLAC Trivia Question: What Sox player's nickname is "Ronnie Mac"?


Manny Delcarmen digging for gold


Big wink from Mikey Lowell

Class is in session, folks- so pay attention to Professor Papyboo, the only living expert in the fascinating subject he calls "The Biomechanics of Jonathan Papelbon". (yes, he really calls it that) Today's subject? THE SLUTTER, which may or may not be named in honor of current or ex-girlfriends of certain other members of the pitching staff, but is in fact a brand new pitch invented by your Professor. That's right, he's not just a closer, a reporter, a lawn mower and a moose hunter, he's also an inventor. From the Providence Journal:

"It's a cross between a slider and a cutter," insisted Papelbon. "It's not a true slider. It's not a true cutter. When I throw it, I don't pronate (downward twisting motion with his fingers) when I let the ball go. I leave my palm (up). I kind of cut the ball. That's the angle it comes out."

Why the need for a new pitch? From the Boston Globe:

"I kind of turned the cutter, because it didn't work, into the slutter," said Papelbon. "I consider inventing a pitch a lot harder than saving 30 games back to back."

And what do his teammates think about the Professor's latest invention?

Kyle Snyder: "It's a slider," said Snyder, shaking his head with a bemused look on his face. And while Papelbon was talking to reporters about the pitch, Snyder stood behind him, mouthing the words, "Don't print that . . ."

Jason Varitek: "I let Pap talk about Pap. Pap's like Rickey (Henderson)." and "Whatever, Pap," said a smiling Varitek. "Just throw the ball, Pap."

Think you got it now? Check out the Professor in action as he demonstrates for the class his new invention-- the slutter makes its debut appearance in his very first pitch against Johnny Gomes. Watch and marvel.

Time for a second lesson with Professor Papyboo on the greatest innovation to come out of baseball since the slurve (and this new one is way more fun to say) -- the slutter. NESN spent approximately 70% of the pregame show tonight talking about it, and got Papelbon to weigh in on the subject during an on-field interview with Tina Cervasio:

I'm sorry, NESN, but despite your reticence to use its real name, we're never going to call the slutter a "slider-cutter combo". THE SLUTTER IS HERE TO STAY!

Also, Papyboo- don't be shy! Claim your rightful place as the esteemed innovator of the slutter.

For the first time, my Baseball Boyfriend of the Day is not to be found on the roster of the Cubs, Phillies or Red Sox. He's the former Brave with the longest name around, the 6'5" catcher/1B double threat who popped 2 homers and drove in 7 RBI for the Rangers tonight in their record-breaking THIRTY RUN game victory over the O's- and helped Kason Gabbard get his 6th W this year. And if I'm giving this to a guy with the stink of the Braves barely off his back, you know he has to be something special. Jarrod Saltalamacchia- come on down!

Cutest part of the night? Salty went out to bat with a lefty's batting helmet, when he was supposed to be hitting right- and sheepishly ran back to get the right helmet when he realized his mistake.

Honorable Mentions: Kason Gabbard, Dustin Pedroia, Jake Peavy.

So I was all geared up to see Becketty-Boo pitch tonight, and despite the TORNADOES all around Chicago today, and the GALE-FORCE WINDS that ripped up buildings all around Wrigleyville today (anyone remember that building next to Wrigley that used to be a car wash and bike check on game days? yep- that roof blew away and the building collapsed)... I was all about riding the El down to the South Side for the Red Sox- White Sox game. How could I not? It's Beckett!

But Mother Nature was not cooperative.

When I got to the Cell and the tarp was still on, that was not a good sign. We all chilled in the downpour, drinking beer and waiting for it to clear. At about 7:45, the Sox put a notice up on the scoreboard that the rain was supposed to clear within the hour. And since they kept serving beer, we kept hanging around. Even after one whole deck of lights went out, and the big gigundo lights on the top of the field flickered ominously a few times.

About 8:30-ish the rain magically stopped, and the first one on the field within SECONDS of it stopping was Beckett. He ran a few laps and started his stretches, all before another single soul got out on the grass- including the grounds crew. Tek came out about 15 minutes afterwards, and the two of them started their normal pregame ritual.

And then the rain started again. And then it turned into a downpour. And then the lightning and thunder returned. And then Ozzie walked around the White Sox dugout doing the old throat-slitting gesture that is universal for "it's over, baby."

So it's a doubleheader tomorrow for me- let's just hope the rain holds out long enough to get two games in. At least I hope we can get Beckett out on the mound.

Separated by about 65 miles or so, my two Baseball Boyfriends Of The Day were hard at work making some spectacular plays on the diamond. My first BBOTD is Aaron Rowand, who ran himself ragged in Philadelphia during the second inning against the Padres.

First was a pickoff attempt that necessitated a slide back into first base. Then a seemingly successful steal attempt, which was called back after the home plate ump (absolutely INcorrectly) ruled the batter had foul tipped the pitch. Then another dive back to 1st on another pickoff attempt. And then another pickoff attempt and jump back. Another steal attempt that was foiled when the batter fouled off the pitch. The batter finally gets a clean ball off the bat- only to be caught by the LF which sends Aaron scrambling back to first... but the Padres' first baseman misses the catch and Aaron has to turn right around and run back to 2B. By this time, he's doubled over in exhaustion- and gasping for breath in the humidity. But he's not done yet! Another fly ball, another tag up and sprint and slide- this time for third base. All his work for nothing, as the bats behind him leave him stranded on 3B at the end of the inning- but he ran enough to have scored 2 or 3 times over. And I'm pretty sure by the end of it almost every square inch of his uni was covered in dirt (and torn in at least one place).

That exhausted me just typing it. How about some video to relive the ordeal?

My second Baseball Boyfriend of the Day is Chase Utley- who made his second and final rehab appearance up the road in Reading for the R-Phils. He made a Web Gems-worthy diving catch in the OF (which looked for a moment like it caused him to fall weirdly on that injured wrist... before he hopped up from the ground). He's scheduled to be back in the lineup for the big boy Phillies on Monday... hooray!