The steal that started it all :: Dave Roberts in Game Four of the 2004 ALCS

Baseball fans remember the Red Sox winning 4 straight against New York to make the world series, but few remember the 22 wins in 25 games that saw the side finish within three games of their arch-rivals at the end of the 2004 regular season.

the 2012 Red Sox and their 2004 brothers aren’t that far apart, and signs are starting to show that it could be heading for a similar outcome.

After a terrible 4-9 start to the season this year, the Red Sox have scored the most runs in the Major Leagues and before the 20th of July game against the Toronto Blue Jays, they find themselves one game out of the wildcard, the same route they took to the 2004 title.

With a bit of luck the Sox are going to be able to make a run at the playoffs. Ortiz, Ellsbury and Pedroia have all spent time on the Disabled List, while the likes of Beckett and Matsuzaka have one or two poor innings that cost their team a game, often in tight scenarios.

While the 2004 outfit were not as overrun with injuries, the signs for the current crop have come through the unexpected performances, namely Will Middlebrooks, Cody Ross and Kelly Shoppach who have  all had better than expected seasons, with Ross having hit three home runs in the last two days.

Then of course their is the trade of a much loved player, a trade which many fans think has crippled the chances of the outfit rather than increasing them, as was the case with Nomar Garciaparra being traded to the Cubs on deadline day in 04.

Who came across in that trade ?

The Sox picked up several valuable pieces, including someone by the name of Dave Roberts, who, if memory serves me well stole second and started the greatest comeback in the history of sports in Game Four of the ALCS.

Then we have Carl Crawford, somewhat of an X Factor in his tenure with Boston. While he was often feared while with the Rays, he has struggled to return to those glory days, although he has been decimated by injury. Yet again the signs are there with Crawford stealing three bases in his return to the lineup during the 10-1 win over the White Sox.

The walk off blast from Cody Ross on Thursday night has something special about it, much like Ortiz walking off with the series in the 2004 ALDS against the Angels and Manny blasting one into the coke bottle at the same point three years later.

There is a hunch in pockets of Red Sox Nation that says “Maybe this year won’t be so bad after all.”

The last two remaining members of the 2004 Red Sox – Kevin Youkilis and David Ortiz.

When Kevin Youkilis hit a three run homer at Fenway yesterday, I felt as if I had entered the twilight zone. The cheer of YOOOOUUUUUK echoing as he rounded the bases added some comfort to the fact that he had just hit what would turn out to be the game winning bomb for the Chicago White Sox.

After being traded on June 24, Red Sox fans were left wondering where did it all go wrong ?

Youkilis was the second last member of the 2004 Red Sox drought breaking outfit, every indication suggesting he would finish his career in Beantown.

I don’t think it is fair that we look to place blame on either Youk or Bobby V for what happened, and while I wasn’t impressed with the decision to trade away the heart and soul of the last decade, I know deep down it was our only option.

With Will Middlebrooks progressing at a much quicker rate than expected and Gonzo having settled at first after his move from the Padres at the beginning of last season, there was just nowhere left for Youkilis as  the Sox looked to the future.

With the issues of the pitching staff being well documented over the last few months, especially in the spectacular collapse of September 2011 (7-20 to miss the playoffs on the last day in case you had forgotten), the trade presented itself as a chance to pull together the defence in what had been a shaky season to date.

Zach Stewart and Brent Lillibridge were the two pieces of the puzzle received in exchange for one of the most successful third baseman of the last decade, yet I believe that the action should not have stopped there.

With Daisuke Matsuzaka struggling and Daniel Bard having been sent back to AAA, these would make two great bullpen acquisitions (with Bard having been bumped up from the bullpen into a “permanent” starting role before opening day).

The pitching woes are another story for another day, so getting back to the matter at hand, there is no reason for Sox fans not to want every success for Youk with the White Sox and possibly beyond.

All too often Boston fans are described as rude and abrupt, but the reception that has been given over the last few nights in Boston shows that providing you leave us on good terms (Youk style, not what Johnny Damon decided to do), then you are going to be welcomed back with open arms, especially when you were part of a group that made history.

Sure Kevin cost us a game that may ultimately cost us a playoff spot, but that doesn’t really matter to me, simply because he’s one of the greatest people in baseball.

Rinks such as this would be a dream come true for the AIHL.

The Australian Ice Hockey League have come a long way in such a short time and all involved need to be congratulated for the countless hours of unpaid and often  unrewarded work they are putting into the league.

As I entered the Melbourne Icehouse on Sunday afternoon before the clash between the Sydney Bears and Melbourne Mustangs I was struck by a sight that while not confronting,  was eye opening to say the least.

Less than an hour before the puck was due to drop in an AIHL game and the same rink was being used by a “learn to skate” class.

I understand that given the current state of the game in this country multiple use rinks are standard practice, but there is something about it that doesn’t sit well with me.

It isn’t the fact the ice was being used, it was how it was being used.

I love the idea of a club fixture acting as a curtain raiser to the big game, it gives me a chance to examine the sport at a slower pace and get in the right frame of mind for my call, but kids who can’t skate falling over ?

I could watch a video of myself trying to skate if I really wanted to see that.

One thing the league are going to need to consider when the time comes is having stadiums that are owned and operated by the clubs, so they are able to do what they please with them.

When this happens curtain raisers every week become a real option and as a result we are likely to see hockey pack in even more bang for their buck.

BMO Field – The home of Toronto FC

Despite being played in concurrent seasons, the A-League and Major League Soccer share many similarities, and as a result have many things that they can learn from each other.

With the MLS being having been established in 1993 and commencing in 1996, it’s to be expected they are further developed than the A-League, a competition that has only been run since August of 2005.

Since formation the MLS has gone from ten to nineteen teams, while the A-League have expanded from eight to ten.

Neither league has done this without their problems, with the leagues having lost two and three teams respectively.

This is where the way to success through expansion becomes cloudy, something that A-League new boys the Western Sydney Wanders should in particular take note of.

The A-League chose on one hand to expand rapidly, with both the North Queensland Fury and Gold Coast United being offered licenses in the 2009-10 season and leaving competition three years later.

Research has shown that North Queensland has one of the highest rates in Australia for junior participants in football, while the Gold Coast were backed by billionaire businessman Clive Palmer, giving both sides more than enough ammunition to succeed.

With a record crowd of 8,897 being drawn for their first ever league game against Sydney FC, the Fury were destined to fail as attendances were never going to supplement costs.

The Gold Coast, while having more on-field success than the Fury were not without their own problems, with fans and officials outraged when Clive Palmer stated he would cap crowds at five thousand partway through the 2010-11 season.

The move led to an exodus of fans, with their lowest attendance coming against the Fury in December 2010, when they drew just 1,714 in a disappointing 1-0 loss.

When you compare these crowd numbers to expansion teams in the MLS who have joined in the period since the A-League began, the numbers don’t flatter the Australian competition.

The eight MLS expansion franchises since 2006 drew average crowds of 22,933 in their first season, an average that only the Melbourne Victory have been able to better three times in their history.

It’s easy to sit back and say the A-League shouldn’t have gone to Townsville or the Gold Coast, and despite my involvement with the North Queensland Fury in their first season, I  agree. If the people of Townsville had shown their support for the team, it would have been a solution to a few of the problems, even though it may not have been enough to save the club.

So where have MLS gone right in their expansion?

One thing I admire MLS for is their research before launching a new team, with most franchises placed where football has a history, in essence breaking down the process of working their way into a new market, something that many teams across many codes will tell you is a tough task.

Let’s use Toronto FC as the example.

Toronto has long been the home of international football in Canada, with the Rogers Centre playing host to numerous international games and friendlies with AS Roma and Celtic drawing over 50 000 fans in 2004.

With such a rich history, the move to establish TFC in 2007 was one that made perfect sense. Playing out of BMO field with a capacity of 21,859 the Reds have not had the most on field success, but have found themselves making a profit every season and winning the Amway Canadian Championship on four occasions.

The Reds also have a knack for big name signings, with current captain Torsten Frings having represented Germany 79 times.

With the exception of Robbie Fowler, Dwight Yorke and Romário, there have been few names to draw fans through the gates.

With less than three months till their inaugural season the Western Sydney Wanderers need to lure a big name. Fabio Grosso has been linked to the league in the last month, with the 2006 World Cup winner stating he wants to finish his career here, not for the money but for the experience.

Regardless of if Grosso is the ideal big naming signing, it must be acknowledged he would have the ability to pull patrons through the door wherever he played and could create a domino effect for other big names.

Despite being a well recognised sport in Australia, football still seems to be lingering in the second tier when it comes to public opinion, something that is going to need to change if the A-League is to survive long-term.

Perhaps the ideal situation is for Ben Buckley to call his MLS counterpart Don Garber so the two leagues can work together, including a pre/post season tournament between the two leagues, which would not only enable officials to swap ideas, but also to compare the standards of the leagues.