Top 10 Red Sox Moments of the Year -- suggestion box!

by Randy Booth on Nov 22, 2008 1:04 PM EST Comment 26 comments

Where will this moment rank in 2008's best moments? (via digitalderek.typepad.com)

Just like we did last year, we here at Over The Monster are compiling the top 10 best moments of the 2008 Boston Red Sox season. But, like always, we really need your help to help us conjure up the best moments (or better yet, the moments that were great but may slip our minds).

Before we go any further, let me rehash everyone's memory on last year's top 10:

Who could forget last year's No. 1? That was Clay Buchholz's no-hitter. I can still see Nick Markakis' knees bend on that curveball to end the game.
This memory was an early one of 2007, but we all agreed that this was huge: Mother's Day Miracle. I haven't said this much, but thank you, Julio Lugo.
The emergence of Hideki Okajima slotted in at No. 3. That was the moment in the season when we knew: "Yup, this guy is good."
Pure domination -- Josh Beckett style (in the playoffs, nonetheless).
In hindsight, maybe this moment should have been a little higher. But still, Jon Lester's first game back after defeating cancer. What an amazing story.
Did anyone say, "back-to-back-to-back-to-back"? This one still feels good.
Yup, the Red Sox won a World Series in 2007 but still game four only hits No. 7 on our countdown. (And, as Allen will tell you, I lobbied for this to be much higher. I remember telling Allen something along the lines of "This is when Lester became the pitcher we know he can be." Oh, and look. What happened this year, Allen? Huh. That's right. Winner, winner chicken dinner).
Just like the moment above, this one was sort of a "hey, look what I can do!" kind of moment. Can you guess what it is? JD Drew's grand slam in the ALCS vs. the Indians. That's when all of Red Sox Nation rejoiced and forgot about Drew's struggles at the plate in '07. Look at him now...
The almost no-no clocks in at No. 9. Damn those, A's...
We can't have a top 10 list from 2007 without the name "Manny" popping up. And here's his moment, in walk off fashion.

I highly suggest to click through those links and just look at the pictures. You don't even have to read anything -- just look at it and get that feeling back. It's a good feeling isn't it? That's what we are striving to achieve for our 2008 moments.

So throw 'em at us. The obvious and the not-so obvious. Jon Lester's no hitter? You bet it will be on there. The seven-run comeback in the ALCS against the Rays? That'll be high. Manny's departure? Yeah, I'm voting for that one to be high on the list.

Leave a comment and let us know. We don't want to miss a single great moment!

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Comments

Well, obviously this:

http://www.overthemonster.com/2008/8/13/592871/mlb-com-highlights-on-8-11#comments

Clutch: A measurement of how much better or worse a player does in high leverage situations than he would have done in a context neutral environment. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/glossary/

by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Nov 22, 2008 1:14 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

That is easy one. Julio Lugo going down with a season ending injury has got to be

the highlight, or one of the very best ones anyway. This is so because it got Lugo’s terrible performance off the field finally for the rest of the season, despite the managers inability to do this on his own up to that point, and gave others (Lowrie) a chance to do well.

(See I ended it in a period despite an almost overwhelming desire to end it in an exclamation point. Ahhh group pressure.)

by NG on Nov 22, 2008 1:17 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

And this:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/games/standings.cgi?date=2008-03-25
I had to wake up an hour earlier than usual, and then only saw the first inning before my bus came. Then a bunch of my baseball friends and I followed the game through various electronic devices, leading to some awkward stare downs with teachers after a slight cheer escaped one of us.

by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Nov 22, 2008 1:18 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

That game pretty much ended the Yankees playoff hopes...

i think that game showed that the Yankees need to do some major overhauling if they want to compete against the Sox and <gasp!> the Rays in 2009. Forget Starting pitching, they need middle relief, and a bridge for 7-8th innings..

by superferret on Nov 25, 2008 3:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Jason Bay first game as a Red Sox

Not the top momment, but a great one. His triple in extras is hard to forget.

Mother---- him and John Wayne!

by MerryGoByeBye on Nov 22, 2008 1:23 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

True.

Especially his first AB.

by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Nov 22, 2008 1:27 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Tek's HR in Game 6?

by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Nov 22, 2008 1:35 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

That was big.

OverTheMonster.com

by Randy Booth on Nov 22, 2008 1:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Stating the obvious here,

But Crisp’s 10 pitch at-bat in game 4 would be in the top five, as would JD Drew’s walk-off. Do those count as different moments, or do we lump them in to one super-moment? If they are the same, that has to be number one in my book.

by Schulz on Nov 22, 2008 3:23 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

+1

by drabidea on Nov 22, 2008 6:27 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The obvious would be Jon Lester’s no-hitter and J.D. Drew’s walk-off hit in Game 5.

Also:
Pedroia going 4-for-4 in back to back games against the White Sox.
Papi hitting two three-run homers in one inning. (Or the entire 19-17 game, in general.)
Bay’s first game as a Red Sox.
Lowrie’s walk-off hit in Game 4 of the ALDS.

by walkoff baltimore chop on Nov 22, 2008 3:52 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

And also Youk’s bizarre triple at Yankee Stadium.

by walkoff baltimore chop on Nov 25, 2008 7:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

With or without the pick of the blind kid with his mouth agape?

by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Nov 26, 2008 12:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

With

That pic is priceless and epic.

by walkoff baltimore chop on Nov 26, 2008 6:00 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Ugh

Close those legs!

Well, I will appreciate for you to keep my zingers out of your mouth!

by BoSox415 on Nov 27, 2008 2:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

My top 10 games, not moments:

10. Jason Bay’s first game as a Sox.
9. Lugo getting hurt (tribute to NG.)
8. The Manny trade.
7. Pedroia’s post-season, if I can do that. Three different awards.
6. Pedroia’s slam against the Yanks.
5. Lowrie’s walk-off Game 4 hit.
4. Pedroia’s two 4-4 games.
3. The super-crazy-insane 19-17 win over the Rangers.
2. Jon Lester’s no-no.
1. The Game 5 comeback in the ALCS.

Well, I'll appreciate for you to keep my zingers outta your mouth!

by BoSox415 on Nov 22, 2008 6:48 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Varitek’s run down in the ALDS, this was huge and goes forgotten.
Varitek’s game 6 ALCS HR
Bay’s first HR in a Sox uniform
Lowrie’s walk off hit
Lester’s no-no
The Manny trade

by matzushocka45 on Nov 22, 2008 8:48 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Lester shutting out the Yanks in New York...

"Are you a real doctor, or a doctor like Dr. Pepper is a doctor?"

by Allen Chace on Nov 23, 2008 5:01 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Hmm

I’d have to add for consideration:

— Manny’s high-five antics (home and away editions)
— Bay’s double in KC that rolled across the top of the outfield wall
— Casey’s crawl back to second against the Yankees

by lone1c on Nov 25, 2008 8:23 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

What about Coco Crisp vs. the Tampa Bay Rays on June 5th?

"You know you're having a bad day when the fifth inning rolls around and they drag the warning track." - Mike Flanagan, Baltimore Orioles pitcher, 1992.

by SoxDevil on Nov 25, 2008 1:40 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

If only he hadn't been tackled.

Then we could have had a good brawl, instead of the coward Gomes punching Coco in the ribs while he’s on the ground. I hope the Royals try to find a way to put Coco up anytime they play the Rays.

by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Nov 26, 2008 1:00 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs