Boston Red Sox World Series triumph was all about Big Papi and Little Koji.
Six-foot-4, 250-pound David Ortiz, who goes by Big Papi, showed off an incredible display of clutch hitting and Koji Uehara, the 195-pound Sox reliever, capped an unbelievably stingy 2013 season by perfecting the art of closing a game. If the Red Sox were up in the ninth inning, a victory was almost guaranteed once the 38-year-old Japanese hurler was handed the ball.
In the end, the Red Sox rebounded from a last-place division finish in 2012 to win the tough A.L. East and then ride the Ortiz-Uehara tandem, with occasional brilliance from Shane Victorino and the reliable Dustin Pedroia, to dump St. Louis four games to two and win their third World Series title in the last 10 years. When they won the title Oct. 30 at Fenway Park, it was the first home-field Series triumph for the Red Sox since 1918.
While the veteran Ortiz, who has been linked to past steroid use, batted .688 in the World Series and .385 overall in the post season, it was Uehara who put up the most amazing stats. Signed as a free agent to a one-year contract, Uehara became the Red Sox closer in June and befuddled opposing hitters with pinpoint control and a darting sinker. How pinpoint? He didn't walk a single batter in the post-season (13 2/3 innings), but that's nothing special. He walked only one batter since the all-star break, back on Aug. 3. For the season, Uehara walked only nine and struck out 101 in 74 innings. Opposing batters hit .130 against him. It was without a doubt one of the greatest pitching seasons by a reliever in MLB history.
Uehara won't win the Cy Young Award as the best pitcher in the A.L. (likely winner Max Scherzer of Detroit was 21-3) but it's a safe bet Red Sox management will be talking to Uehara's agent on the first day of free agency, waving a lucrative contract.
Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times: "The Houston Texans released three players who were caught smoking marijuana during the team's trip to Kansas City. Guess you could say they weeded themselves out."
RJ Currie of sportsdeke.com: "A sure sign the Houston Texans PR department is in full spin mode? The three players released for smoking marijuana are listed as "out indefinitely with joint problems."
Janice Hough of leftcoastsportsbabe.com: "Roger Goodell says he wants NFL teams in both London and L.A. 'but it doesn't matter which one is first.' And London and L.A. are thinking 'You take the Jaguars, no, after you, no, after you. . .' "
Greg Cote of the Miami Herald: The Rams inquired unsuccessfully about luring Brett Favre, 44, out of retirement. Somewhere, Joe Namath is loosening up."
Another one from Cote: "A neighbour of Redskins owner Dan Snyder registered the name "Washington Bravehearts," fueling speculation of a possible name change. I'm not sure which is more embarrassing. Your team's nickname demeaning American Indians, or your team being named after a Mel Gibson movie."
Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle: "Penn State will pay $59.7 million to victims of Jerry Sandusky. That's on top of the $50 million in other costs related to the scandal. At least the school is saving money by not having to polish the Joe Paterno statue."
Ostler again: "Here's the best way to explain the 49ers-Jaguars mismatch to the British: The Jaguars are this year's NFL version of Eddie the Eagle."
Blogger Torben Rolfsen, on Boston Celtics great Bill Russell being arrested at an airport after a loaded gun was found in his carry-on bag: "I guess that finally settles the debate over whether Russell would fit in today's NBA."
Comedy writer Jim Barach: "Paul Quinn College in Texas has dropped their football program and turned their football field into a farm. Which isn't a bad idea for Jacksonville where they could probably get more people into the stadium to watch citrus trees grow than sit through a Jaguars game."
RJ Currie again: "Rex Ryan told Jets players not to do anything for their wives leading up to the Patriots game. Trust me, no matter how big your Thursday men's curling match is, don't try that at home."
Another one from Currie: "Hawaiian scientists say of new-found planet PSOJ318.5-22 they 'have never before seen an object just floating like this.' I'm guessing they never saw Randy Moss play."
ABC's Jimmy Kimmel, on the NBA season opener: "It's the special time when we have baseball, football, and basketball at the same time - the holy trinity of ignoring our families."
Headline at SportsPickle.com: "Foreign leaders upset at U.S. tapping phones, giving them Jaguars."
Janice Hough of leftcoastsportsbabe.com: "Jacksonville Jaguars WR Justin Blackmon has been suspended indefinitely for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. This could really put a damper on the 0-8 team's season."
