I first notice it when the soothing warmth of Summer transitions to the crisp cool of Fall. Suddenly, there's a subtle edge to the atmosphere. Leaves start dying on their branches. I believe that's where the smell originates: nature taking a sharp turn toward it's perennial period of decay. Yet, when I inhale and exhale that cool air, I feel more alive than I have for many warm, sluggish months. Nature's clock is winding down. Winter is coming. Anything you want to accomplish this year, it's now or never. It's do or die. There is a harmonic amplification between these vibrations and those of playoff baseball - one intensifies the other, and vice versa.
Baseball players returned to work over half a year ago at this point. Over the many summer months, the season has less of a smell and more of a hum. Day in, day out, the games tick by. There are certainly exciting moments during the season, but it's difficult to pinpoint when those moments occurred. The regular season is a marathon. Every step on that marathon technically matters, but you're more likely to remember the rhythm than the individual footfalls.
That all changes in October. Suddenly every pitch, swing, hit, and decision is scrutinized and memorable. As a Red Sox fan, what a memorable month it was, culminating in the team's 9th overall championship and the 4th of the 21st century. This team became the winningest in franchise history (108), eclipsing the team's previous record of 105 wins set in 1912 by a squad led by Tris Speaker and Smoky Joe Wood. More importantly, they are world champions.
How did this team succeed to such a remarkable degree in today's game, which has evolved so drastically since a century ago? Let's take a look at some of the biggest trends in baseball, and then put a spotlight on the players that comprised this latest championship team for Boston.
