Josh Beckett: Making Me Daydream Since '06

A letter to Mother Nature.

Dear Mother Nature, after a long, cold, awful winter, we finally get to Opening Day... and it rains. Ha ha, Mother Nature. Very funny. But for real this time, don't pull that crap again, please. I've been daydreaming about opening day for months. I've been good this year, I deserve sunshine and green grass and a big angry Texan screaming obscenities from the mound.

Now, it may be nothing to you. Perhaps you don't care about baseball? I will refrain from accusing you of being completely un-American, because I'm pretty sure a character such as yourself is loyal to no country, never mind my country. Yes, in the same way I curse your name here in America, I'm sure there are plenty of Australians, and Guatemalans, and Japanese folks swearing you down every now and then. Since your allegiances, if any, are ambiguous, I want to let you in on a very poorly kept secret. Here in Boston, we live baseball... usually Red Sox baseball, but I have seen a few Yankee fans floating around, as well as the occasional A's fan. But to deprive us of baseball for even one more day? Well that's just not nice . It really made me sad. I mean, there I was... minding my own busines, straightening out the Red Sox pictures on my cubicle wall and eyeing the clock anxiously when I got the word that the game was postponed. And just for the record, that rain yesterday? That was a bitch to drive in, and I definitely did not appreciate it. Why is it that when it's pouring, trucks feel the need to speed up just enough to cut me off and spew road water all over my windshield, making it even HARDER to see? Anyway. Back to my point... where was I? Oh yeah.

Mother Nature, I beg you... look into that Red Sox dugout. Look straight at Munchkin. He's been waiting MONTHS to show someone up. Look at the way Jacoby is pacing around... those legs are dying to steal a base. Check out the look in Mikey and Papi's eyes. They're beyond anxious to get their bounce-back year into action already. They're both tired of the rumors that they can't cut it any more. Look at Varitek, flipping through his personal scouting reports on the Rays. His pride is still hurt, and nothing cures that better than a high batting average and a ton of runs batted in. Look at Rocco, who wants nothing more than to get his promising career on track now that he's got a new diagnosis and a little more hope for himself. He's home here in Boston. We want to welcome him right. Can you imagine the butterflies in poor George Kottaras' stomach? He's got to handle the knuckleball in front of 36,000 people. I know the rain delay doesn't really affect him, but the sooner we get the season started, the sooner he can get that first start out of the way. And JayBay! Despite that calm, cool exterior, he is itching to get his first full season with this team and city that embraced him so thoroughly just months ago underway. Check out Johnny Lester. He went from being a question mark to an ace, and he can't further solidify that status unless the season gets started. Now look at Joshua. That fire in his eyes is raging again. He's healthy, he's strong, and he's ready. Let them get it rolling again.

So, Mother Nature, please have a serious talk with your buddy Bud Selig, and plan Red Sox opening day a little bit better next year. As for this year, I am beyond ready for a rain-free game and those two magical words that make an entire cold off-season feel like a dream: play ball!

Thank you.

-

On a completely related side note, I'll be starting the season off right by getting to see Jon in my first game of '09. It's only proper, considering that he was practically the only pitcher I saw in '08. Good luck this afternoon, Joshua. You KNOW I'm rushing home after work to see the game (I TiVo'ed it just in case of traffic). I'll be cheering for you tomorrow, Johnny. Hopefully I'll have pictures.

Oh, and isn't it wonderful to see Sabathia lose? I don't know how many more times we'll be seeing that this season, but I'll cherish it now.