In a Word, Confidence

BOOK REVIEW: "Big Papi: My Story of Big Dreams and Big Hits"

The new book by David Ortiz (with Boston Herald writer Tony Massarotti) is a window into the heart of a man most Red Sox fans already know very well. Papi is one of those rare athletes whose performance and personality are equally stellar. You would love him if he hit .250 with 15 home runs; you worship him because he does so much more. The book is a fascinating look at Ortiz's rise from tough circumstances in his native Dominican Republic to the pinnacle of superstardom in the Major Leagues.

And, more than anything else, he attributes this to a simple word: confidence. At one point he offers this advice to his readers young and old, "If you set your mind to it, you can accomplish almost anything. You need the confidence and you need the support, but you can do it. Trust me." He cites this inner confidence as the pivotal factor at every critical juncture in his life. Battling through adversity to keep that confidence high is what has made the man we see today. The book also explores his thoughts during scores of memorable moments he has delivered to the Nation, with the ever present "Bro" thrown into his prose for what seems like five times per page. But you don't mind it, because you know it's real. As real as the man who has given back so much to so many people both in the Boston area and back in his home country.

If you think Big Papi can't possibly be any more endearing, read this book. You will be convinced. I'm confident. Five out of Five Stars.

National Delusion

As I write this, the Red Sox sit atop the baseball universe with the best record this side of the Seibu Lions. We are eight "gongs" (thank you, Eddie Andleman) ahead of the dreaded Empire, and possess (arguably) the best starting pitching in the game. So, why am I so upset with the Pollyanna attitude that pervades most of the Nation? Because it's May 17th for God Sakes!

Has the haze of 2004 clouded over our Calvinistic pessimism so much that we have forgotten history? Don't we recall that the Red Sox were in first place as late as last August 2nd? Then, a tad later, the Yankees came to town for five. How did that work out for us? I can't escape the feeling that—like the little guy in the above graphic—we are setting ourselves up for a big bump on the collective head.

Do you really think that the Empire's offense and pitching will be out of sync for the rest of the season? Do you really think that our juggernaut to Championship #7 will be unblemished by a serious injury or two to a key player? Hey, wake up and smell Matt Clement!

I, for one, will continue to agonize over every pitch, every hit, every out, every run until we mathematically eliminate the vile ones from the south. Think otherwise at your own risk.

He Is Dead To Us Now

We can never forget the great things he did for us. The Cy Young and MVP in 1986 (and 2 more Cys for us before he left), the two 20 strikeout games. But we will also never forgive what he has just done to us. It's bad enough that he joined forces with the Empire once (winning two tainted rings). But to join them again, when finishing his career where it started was the right thing to do—that's just too much.

Spurn us once—good for you. Spurn us twice—may you fail ignominiously on the grandest stage. May you make no difference to the $200,000,000 frauds that wear the pinstriped laundry. May you finish your career a loser. May you regret the day you stood before the front-running fans of Gotham and lowered yourself during that 7th-inning stretch charade. You and Steinbrenner deserve each other, Roger. You blew it. Now, when we beat you, it will be even sweeter.