Homeruns and perfect games get all the attention, but there isn't anything more fun in baseball than winning a game in the bottom of the ninth. Last night the Sox did just that thanks to Orlando Cabrera, who finally came through when it mattered most and won the game with a ninth inning double off the wall, scoring Johnny Damon from 1st.

I want nothing more than for Orlando Cabrera to succeed as a Sox shortstop, to become more than any of us hoped. I don't think anyone can fathom the enormous amount of pressure that comes with playing in front of the Boston fans after treading water in Montreal for years, as well as taking the place of one of the most beloved players in Boston history. I get irritated, like every other fan, when Cabrera grounds out with the bases loaded to end an inning, but then I read things like this:

"I wanted to do my job right away," said Cabrera, who the Sox said was brought in to upgrade the defense. "I wanted to make a good impression."

I feel for the guy, and hope that his newfound confidence boosts his BA a bit.


There's yet another article on Boston.com that touches Manny's relationships with his teammates and his positive effect on their performance. It's almost devastating at this point to think of what this team would be like had Manny been claimed off of waivers all those months ago. This new and improved Manny seems to be just as close to an MVP as Varitek, and I don't think that's something any of us could have predicted.

This quote needs no introduction.
"I just put my head down and ran and was paying attention to Dale [Sveum] over at third," said Damon. "I knew there was going to be a good chance that he'd wave me in."


Genius.


And here's a link to an amusing Gabe Kapler interview from earlier today. The words "my boyfriend would probably be Millar" actually came out of his mouth. There's a dig at Schilling, homosexual overtones in the Sox locker room, and yet another nickname for El Bencho. Thanks for this magic, Bob and Dan. You still haven't introduced me to Gabe, but I'm willing to forgive.

Part One

Part Two