January 5
The following picture is a shot taken during the four alarm fire at Fenway Park on January 5th, 1934. The fire destroyed much of the new renovation work that had been done by new owner Thomas Yawkey, but the park was still able to open in time for the season opener, renovations complete.
It’s time for a fresh start. With the departure of Francona and Epstein, Ortiz’s contract expiration, and a handful of big money free agent failures, it’s time to reboot. It was a good run - the best run the Sox have ever seen from a GM/Manager combo. Tito and Theo are first ballot hall of famers and will be missed dearly. But life goes on and spring training is only a few months away, so it’s back to the drawing board. First off, I love Ortiz, Wakefield, and Varitek. They are members of the memorable Sox team of ‘04 - to forever be remembered as the greatest Red Sox team in history. I want them in a Sox uniform until the day they die, whether it be as a player, coach, or manager. But if they go the player route, no multi-year million dollar contracts. They’re old, past their prime, and injury prone. Limit risk, but respect their contribution to Red Sox lore. Now for the flops - Matsuzaka, Lackey, Drew, and Crawford. Eat their contracts. Yes, eat them. Trade those guys, take the hit, chalk it up as a loss. Bring up some guys from Pawtucket that are young, athletic, hungry, and cheap. Pedroia, Ellsbury, Youkilis, and Lester - all of them are all-star, home-grown talent. Lavarnway, Kalish, Nava, and Reddick are the stars of the future. No need to go out and buy big ticket free agents, that except for Adrian Gonzalez, have all proven to be money down the drain. Let’s reboot the 2012 team with younger talent, a new manager, a new GM, and say good bye to a worn-out, egocentric, group of over paid flops. The best part is, it’s simple, saves money, and makes perfect sense.
And on my way there I think I passed at least 800 Dunkin’ Donuts between Manchester and Boston. In Florida we have to fill our gas tank and bring a mp3 player for the trek to the nearest DD. New England folks sure love their donuts!
20+ years of watching the Sox finish 2nd to the Yankees builds up a little frustration… So I pretty much cry like a little girl every time I watch this.
Fenway Park, Home of the Boston Red Sox….AND highest ticket prices.
Remember when the Boston Red Sox were those lovable losers, all quaint and nostalgic, if only they could get that elusive championship? Me neither. The Red Sox have become the one entity they have sworn to defeat….the evil Empire. Asking not only the most money for tickets, but offering the smallest and most uncomfortable seats in all of baseball.
Two World Series wins in the last seven years and a national memorabilia-wearing mass that makes the Red Sox hat like this decade’s cargo shorts will do that. It will also help make Fenway Park in Boston the most expensive park experience in the country on average. It may be a sad time for fans watching their wallets, but nearly every game sells out none the less.
Beer: $7.25
Hot dog: $4.50
Baseball hat: $20
Nostalgia certainly plays a major role as well, as that is something Fenway will arguably always lead the majors in. It is the oldest park in the big leagues and will mark its 100th birthday next season.
The average admission into this baseball shrine is $53.38, and a fun game to play during a slow inning is figuring out exactly how much you paid per inch of leg room (hint: a lot). The real kicker is the Fan Cost Index for Fenway, which leads the league at just more than $339 and is probably a bit more than you were planning on spending for your “Field of Dreams” re-enactment tour.
According to Team Marketing Report, Fenway also leads the league in beer and cap prices and is second in parking — $27.
Once the cost is stomached, there is something very surreal about looking out at the Green Monster for the first time and feeling how intimate a baseball game can feel in a down-home park filled with the faithful, new or old. It’s not cheap, but for fans of any team and baseball purists, many would argue that it’s worth every penny. Or Benjamin.
Tip: Hit the bars before game time, with highest average beer price in the majors — $7.25.
