Sox Sweep!!!

Not much else to say, other than this season was great. That much is obvious. Capping off the year with a World Series sweep and second championship in four years will make any of the pitfalls or down points of the season seem trivial in the face of so much joy.

I'll admit I was skeptical about the Sox taking this series so 'easily.' With Colorado playing as well as they had down the stretch, how could you really bet against them? If short term history was any indicator (ahem, 2006 St. Louis Cardinals) you started to think the team that came in hot was on a fast track to taking it all. Fortunately for the Boston Red Sox, they caught their own momentum by coming back from being down three games to one against the Cleveland Indians in the ALCS and the best team this season won it all.

Tonight a poll and query was posed to America on the Fox broadcast asking the nation which team was better. The 2004 history makers, or the 2007 Sox? This is dumb question. On field talent is of course is no question. The '07 team won more games, took the division and relied on more than just an overpowering offense. That being said, you cannot discredit the '04 team for what they accomplished. If there are such things as curses, they broke it and blazed the trail for this year's darlings.

Speaking of offense, the Sox got sparks from more than just the old reliable fat of their lineup. Rookies Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury got things rolling each and every night. Pitchers like Jonathan Papelbon and even Jon Lester tonight showed the world that even though Boston has the dollars to land huge talent they also know a thing or three about developing talent as well. Make no mistake, the future of this team will rely heavily on the aforementioned players.

What can I say? If I had a choice between Mike Lowell and A-Rod, I'd go with the World Series MVP. Here's the thing...does anyone else besides me remember A-Rod before the Yankees? He's a goddamn shortstop! You don't have to decide between the two. All you have to do is decide between A-Rod and Lugo or Alex Cora. Keeping "Throw-In" Lowell should be a priority for the Boston front office, and I'm confident that it will be. Lowell loves playing there and Red Sox Nation loves Mike Lowell. It would be unconscionable to let him go at this point. Downright stupid.

You can't ask too much more from this team. They made moves on and off the field when they needed to, Manager Terry Francona was nothing short of genius (how big of balls do you have when you bench a red-hot Kevin Youkilis and put Big Papi on first for Games 3 and 4?)and General Manager Theo Epstein brought in players as needed as the season went forward. One of whom was the deciding factor tonight. It will probably be a footnote, but Bobby Kielty's eighth inning home run brought the Sox lead to 4-1 saving extra innings when Garret Atkins blasted a two run shot off of All-Star Hideki Okajima in the bottom of the same inning to bring the Rockies within one run. The score after the dinger ended up being the final, 4-3.

Everything just seemed to come together at the right time for this team. Sometimes that's what it takes to make it all the way to the top. And with all the talent coming up through the organization (and on the field now), the free agent spending power and winning standard it's not hard to imagine Boston contending for years to come. The Sox are now the standard, and that hasn't happened in almost 100 years.

For now, I'll take this. Again.