Card sharks

Sox on 3d straight wild ride to playoffs

October 03, 2005|Globe Staff

His business, the one that made him an opulent man capable of buying the Red Sox, is the futures market, so it was apropos that John Henry, in the bottom of the fifth inning yesterday, would be the one to tip off his team. Positioned in Row 1 next to the Sox dugout, the principal owner, at 4:06 p.m., leaned across his daughter in the seat next to him to convey Cleveland's loss -- and, by association, the Sox' clinching of the wild-card playoff spot -- to his club's manager.

But Terry Francona didn't need to listen. Even before coming into view the owner with a child's enthusiasm for baseball and fantasy leagues and slugging designated hitters had disclosed his glee in a most youthful manner.

''I heard him let out a little yelp, kind of," Francona said.

He pondered that statement for a moment, realizing that Henry is his employer, and added: ''Please say that respectfully."

Francona smiled a relaxed smile, the type he's been willing and able to reveal on all too few days this season. But, he could yesterday, as soon as the fifth inning, when the Sox qualified for the postseason for a third consecutive year (all as the wild card) for the first time in the organization's vaunted 105-year history.

The club's 10-1 beating of the Yankees? That was effectively a footnote, given that the Yankees clinched the American League East a day earlier, even though, with yesterday's win, the Sox finished at 95-67, same as the Yankees. The Yankees won the division by way of the tiebreaker, with a 10-9 advantage in the season series. That, however, didn't deter a stadium worker, who last night moved ''BOSTON" atop ''NEW YORK" on the manual metal scoreboard in left field.

And now, it's on to Chicago, for an American League Division Series vs. the White Sox, beginning tomorrow at 4 p.m.

''We went through so much, and it was sometimes so hard to be good," said Francona, now 201-137 as Red Sox manager, postseason included. ''You put so much into it. It sort of hits you at once, and it overwhelms you a little bit."

Was there a time when the Sox, deep down, didn't believe this -- postseason baseball in 2005 -- was even capable?

''After the break," acknowledged David Ortiz, who yesterday knocked in the 148th run of his benumbing season. ''We weren't playing well. We lost a lot of close games late."

If there was a seminal moment, it had to be the night of July 26, in Tampa Bay. The Sox were a 54-45 team, with a tenuous one-game lead in the AL East. That night, Matt Clement was felled by a lined shot that hit him in the head. His team won in extra innings, ripping off the first of eight consecutive wins, 14 in 16 games, and 41 of 63 to end the season.