[tws]

First things first. If you're around Howard County on Friday night, google map and check out this show. Basement comedy son!!! I will never use the colloquial word "son" again.



As promised, here are my three favorite players on the roster of my favorite team, the 1999 Boston Red Sox.


#3 TROT NIXON - RF
One of my most interesting memories of the summers of my youth was heading up to check out New Britain Red Sox games. One player who I particularly enjoyed watching, even at the age of 10 was a gritty right-fielder named Trot Nixon. By 1999, Trot was a rising star in the Boston organization, and enough to renew one's faith in the farm system, which for those of you who don't know, its the foundation of minor league affiliates that George Steinbrenner hacked to death in the early 1980's. Anyway, I'll never forget seeing the heads on ESPN talking about how ironic it was that a guy named Nixon was winning over one of two states that Richard Nixon didn't take in the 1972 election. WACKY HILARITY from the ESPN INTERNS! Seriously, though, Trot was probably my favorite player on the Sox for a long time. I miss him now that he's playing over in Cleveland, but best of luck to him, he deserves it.

#2 TROY O'LEARY - LF
Troy was the ultimate vestige of the 1990's and validation for anyone who thinks of that decade as a bygone era. We're talking about a black guy with an authentically Irish name, playing for the Red Sox on top of that! I also noticed when I was little that they didn't have many lefties in their lineup, which I found odd. O'Leary changed that. And, of course, I'll never forget the single greatest game of the entire 1999 season or postseason on October 11th versus the Indians at Jacob's Field. Twice did the Indians pitching staff (weary from getting their asses handed to them 23-7 at Fenway in Game 4) intentionally walk Nomar Garciaparra, and twice did Troy O'Leary hit the first pitch he saw into the stands, once for a grand slam, and the other time for a 3-run homer. The Tribe learned, among other things, never to mess with the eternally underrated, humble guy from left field.

Time wasn't kind to Troy, though. When the Red Sox signed Manny Ramirez, he was no longer a featured part of the line-up, and by 2003 he'd retire to much less fanfare than he deserved. At least he'll always have the 1999 ALDS and Jacob's Field.

#1 RICH 'EL GUAPO' GARCES - RP
Goddamnit, I loved this guy. He was everything you wanted in a middle reliever- a fun character, likeable, and of course, nearly untouchable to set the stage for Derek Lowe (a near candidate for this list). He faded fairly fast after the 1999 season, but in that year it was his time to shine, and he did. I remember going to see the Red Sox play at Yankee Stadium sometime in June of 2000 (it was that game where some dumbass jumped onto the netting from the upper deck and delayed the game for 15 minutes). I was still coming down off of my 1999 high at that point, and so were all of the Yankees fans still reveling in their deal with the devil that gave them the World Championship. Anyway, Ramon pitched an amazing game, but left after 7 2/3 with runners on 1st and 2nd and perennial fan favorite Bernie Williams coming to the plate. El Guapo came jogging in as fast as he could, set up, and, amongst the jeering of the ever-so-snide Yankees Nation, struck Williams out, almost effortlessly, on four pitches. Hell yes.

I remember one great, surprisingly civil conversation I had with my New York superfan friend Andrew sometime after the 1999 season ended. I ceded that the Yankees did have quite a bit of talent, and he was talking about how great Pedro was, despite how much he hated the little guy, for obvious reasons. "The one the Red Sox really need to hold onto, though, is that relief pitcher..the fat guy!" "Oh, Rich Garces!" I exclaimed. "Yeah," he replied, "he shut the Yankees down."

I'll forever associate that sensation of not having a sensation in the back of my throat when Garces was on the mound. I never worried that the other team was going to rally when he was on the mound, and he's one of very few pitchers I can say that about.