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The first month of the season is in the books. There have been homestands and road trips. New faces don’t look quite as new and old faces...well, some are fading away but others are still popping up. The Red Sox didn’t lose too many players this winter but the transformation from the 2004 team into 2007 into 2013 into 2017? It’s been a series of dramatic shifts. A lot of Red Sox who we watched every day are slowly becoming players we think of in terms of another uniform.
Jon Lester really likes that ball-in-mid-air pose doesn’t he?
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The Sox were lucky not to see their former ace on the mound but Lester made sure to reacquaint himself with his manager and the city while he was in town.
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A class act all the way. Pedro style.
Admittedly a little weird at first, I can't tell y'all how great it is being back at Fenway, and in the city we called home for so long.
— Jon Lester (@JLester34) April 29, 2017
This is the John Lackey we all remember from Boston. Smiling, happy. Possibly slightly terrified that the camera is capturing his essence...wait that’s not the guy we remember at all!
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No, this is the Lackey we know and love. The game didn’t go so well for him but that intensity was nice to have in 2013.
John Lackey pic.twitter.com/lXoHjND90e
— Kevin Marchina (@kg_holler) April 29, 2017
When he’s not handing out high fives, Koji Uehara is probably animated in some way or another. His presence on the mound (and his actual pitching) is a package the Red Sox may never see again.
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OK. You deserve a highlight. We all do. I miss this. Just look at those high fives! We had Orlando Cabrera handshakes in 2004 and Uehara high fives in 2013. Next time there’s a new celebration, World Series in the picture???
Watch out for high-five attacker Koji Uehara, Skipper! #Cubs pic.twitter.com/hq1euT1uU2
— Michael Liu (@liuchiahow) April 29, 2017
Travis Shaw didn’t have the same kind of impact during his Boston days but the Red Sox will be in Milwaukee for three games against the Brewers from May 9-11 so the reunion won’t take long. That’s next week!
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Why so serious Junichi Tazawa? That Marlins hat should inspire...well, ownership by Derek Jeter? We’ll always have those at bats against Miguel Cabrera.
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This is Clay Buchholz pitching in a Philadelphia Phillies uniform. He is now on the disabled list.
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Mike Napoli faced the Sox last October with the Cleveland Indians and returned to the Texas Rangers this winter. His beard also returned.
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Buchholz isn’t the only former Red Sox on the Phillies: Daniel Nava is there too!
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That’s right. This Daniel Nava. Oh what fun! He started his career with a grand slam and brought a great attitude to the ballpark every day. Sometimes you have to remember it’s a game and games should be fun.
@megrowler @LookoutLanding pic.twitter.com/nM1pecxZxd
— Joon Lee (@iamjoonlee) May 3, 2016
David Ortiz is, of course, retired. But he traded his street clothes for a cap and gown over the weekend speaking at the New England Tech commencement and receiving an honorary doctorate. Dr. Papi.
Who are you excited to welcome back to Fenway Park? Who do you wish was still wearing a Boston uniform?