Lester's Amazing Ride Continues
By ANDREW JOHNSON,
AOL
Posted: 2008-05-20 11:35:10
Sports Commentary
With these Boston Red Sox, the ones that win World Series and throw no-hitters every few months, nothing seems like an accident.
Another No-No
At Fenway Park
Can life get any better for Boston sports fans? Cancer survivor Jon Lester no-hits the Royals at Fenway Park, joining Clay Buchholz as the second Red Sox pitcher to accomplish the feat in the last nine months.
That’s not to say these Red Sox haven’t had their share of luck in the last four years. Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz are both talented pitchers, but no-hitters are by their very nature fluke events. As for the championships, well you don’t win those in the era of three-tiered playoffs without at least a little bit of good fortune.
But as the great general manager of the Dodgers, Branch Rickey, once said, “luck is the residue of design.” No franchise in the game better exemplifies that mantra than these championship-winning Red Sox of the 21st century.
It was wonderful to see Jon Lester, a cancer survivor, pitch a no-hitter Monday night, but it wasn’t all that surprising. Not with this Boston team and not with so many other Red Sox youngsters besides Lester succeeding in the majors.
Walk into the Boston clubhouse at any moment before a game and you may find the loose atmosphere that inspired Johnny Damon to call the Red Sox “idiots” back in 2004. You might hear Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz humming along to a salsa or reggaeton tune. You might also hear the brash Dustin Pedroia being egged on by his teammates after getting pelted with a pine tar rag by catcher Jason Varitek.
Bruce Snyder, who has coached football at Arizona State, California and Utah State, admits he has cancer. Find out other athletes who have battled cancer.
Stephen Dunn, Getty Images
Bobby Murcer, who was one of the most popular figures in Yankees history, died of brain cancer on July 12. He had been diagnosed with the disease on Christmas Eve of 2006.
Julie Jacobson, AP
Swimmer Eric Shanteau found out he had testicular cancer a week before qualifying for the Olympic team, but will put off treatment so he can compete in Bejing.
Donald Miralle, Getty Images
Connecticut hoops coach Jim Calhoun plans to keep coaching this season despite being stricken with skin cancer. Calhoun had successful prostate cancer surgery back in 2003.
Ned Dishman, Getty Images
Less than two months after his surgery for thyroid cancer, Diamondbacks pitcher Doug Davis made a triumphant return to the mound on May 23, giving up only one run in seven innings.
John Bazemore, AP
Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester survived a treatable form of large cell lymphoma in late 2006, which is now in remission. Lester, who also won the deciding game of the 2007 World Series, hurled the first no-hitter of 2008 against the Royals on May 19.
Charles Krupa, AP
Former Tennessee star Chris Lofton said he underwent treatment for testicular cancer after a random drug test at the 2007 NCAA Tournament revealed he potentially had a tumor.
Streeter Lecka, Getty Images
Lance Armstrong survived his bout with testicular cancer and went on to win seven consecutive Tour de France titles.
Peter Dejong, AP
Former Olympic figure skater Dorothy Hamill announced in January that she was undergoing treatment for breast cancer.
Frazer Harrison, Getty Images
Minnesota defensive end Kenechi Udeze was diagnosed with leukemia in February. Udeze's cancer is now in remission.
Craig Lassig, AP
Look closer, though, and you’ll see that, for the most part, the “idiots” are a thing of the past. Damon is gone, so are Kevin Millar, Trot Nixon, Pedro Martinez and Derek Lowe -- all members of the 2004 World Series team. In their place are homegrown talents like Lester, Buchholz, Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis and Jacoby Ellsbury.
Stay a little longer in the Boston clubhouse and you will see Varitek, Lester and pitching coach John Farrell poring over scouting reports for the day’s opponent in one corner -- flipping through pages in a binder which display the hot and cold zones of each hitter in the lineup. In another corner, you’ll see Youkilis and Manny Ramirez studying video of that day’s opposing pitcher.
The Red Sox thrive on information and information fuels their relentless preparation. General manager Theo Epstein is sabermetrically inclined, but Boston also does extensive scouting work and things like character and makeup. Even intangibles are a big reason why it selected players like Ellsbury and Pedroia in the amateur draft. Epstein and his cohorts want the most information possible because that’s the way to make the best decision possible.
And that’s why the Red Sox have become a baseball juggernaut and find themselves on the cusp of becoming the first dynasty of this millennium.
They have a dominant offense, one that, to the surprise of everyone but Pedroia, is leading the American League in runs, hits, doubles, batting average, on-base percentage and slugging and is even more shockingly third in stolen bases.
“There’s a lot of good offensive players on this team,” says Pedroia. “There’s no philosophy to it. It’s not like we’re going up there trying to take pitches or draw walks or anything like that. We’re going up there and trying to get a good pitch to hit and if we don’t get it we won’t swing.”
Pitcher: Anibal Sanchez, Marlins
Date: Sept. 6, 2006
Pitching Line: Six strikeouts, four walks
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