''The whole clubhouse could be different," Damon said. ''Mike Timlin. Bill Mueller. Kevin Millar. Myself."
If this was curtains, Damon didn't want to go down like he did. Swinging, to end the sixth and down swinging in the ninth. The sixth inning promises to linger in the minds of all -- but especially Jason Varitek, Tony Graffanino, and Damon -- for days to come.
''It seemed to last forever," said general manager Theo Epstein, a free agent himself.
The sixth began with the game tied at 2-2 and the starting pitchers in relative control. By inning's end, the teams would combine to use seven pitchers, who combined to throw 61 pitches.
Tim Wakefield walked Jermaine Dye to begin the inning ahead of 40-homer hitter Paul Konerko. Konerko, a son of New England whose family phone number growing up in Rhode Island ended in ''1917" -- which happens to be the year the White Sox last won a World Series -- turned on an inside Tim Wakefield knuckleball, clearing everything in left.
Manny Ramirez, an intrigued spectator, turned immediately and stared up into the light tower, shielding the blinding light with his black glove. And he watched as the ball disappeared into the night.
''It was in," Wakefield said of the pitch. ''I thought he might hit it foul. But he's such a good hitter."
Konerko finished his swing with a flourish, exploding through the ball and then rapidly recoiling his bat. Ramirez, ever one for showmanship, equaled Konerko's display leading off the bottom of the inning.
Freddy Garcia left an 0-and-1 changeup over the plate and Ramirez, who'd homered earlier in the game, hammered it onto Landsdowne Street. Still in the box, he tore off the velcro straps on his batting gloves, then began to trot. Exit baseball. Exit Garcia.
Damaso Marte entered, and Trot Nixon singled. Bill Mueller walked. John Olerud walked. And Ozzie Guillen, who chose Orlando Hernandez over Brandon McCarthy for his postseason roster, summoned the veteran Cuban righthander.
Guillen's rationale?
''I know this kid is going to show up with cold blood," he said.
