It's the Little Things: Reflections on October 17th-20th, 2004
Like any other respectable Red Sox fan, part of my COVID quarantine time has been spent reflecting on our great fortune over the past 16 years. Those of us who have been around long enough realize how different this run has been from the decades prior, when it seemed like every crucial moment was almost guaranteed to go against our beloved team. Most recently many of us have been re-living for the umpteenth time that incredible four-day stretch during the 2004 American League Championship Series (ALCS), when fate finally chose to smile upon us. This time around my focus settled on the subtle yet critical aspects of these games. The big plays are well-documented and etched in Red Sox history: Roberts’ steal, Papi’s walk-off heroics, Schilling’s sock, A-Rod’s slap, Damon’s slam, Foulke’s arm, the magical revival of Derek Lowe. But there are many other turning points that only careful examination illuminate as pivotal. These games never get old for the die-hard fan since, similar to