Opening Day (Again!)

We need a Spaceman (courtesy Boston.com)

The dreaded All-Star Break is over. The Red Sox start the second half of the season at exactly 500 (43-43). It's like cleaning the slate (except they are spotting their archrival, the New York Yankees, 9 1/2 games).

The photo above comes from 1977, when the Sox finished with a record of 94-67, tied with the Orioles for 2nd place just 2 1/2 games behind the Yankees. Don Zimmer was the manager and Bill Lee one of the starting pitchers. According to Chad Finn on Boston.com, if you look closely at the picture you can see Ferguson Jenkins curled up in the backseat of the bullpen cart. Sleeping one off, according to Finn.

Tonight, Bobby Valentine will hand the ball to Franklin Morales to pitch against Tampa Bay. Go get 'em! Just for fun--by which I mean bittersweet nostalgia--here's the Sox starting line-up for (the real)  Opening Day in 1977. Wow!:

7	Rick Burleson	SS
5	Denny Doyle	2B
14	Jim Rice	LF
8	Carl Yastrzemski	RF
16	Rick Miller	CF
15	George Scott	1B
1	Bernie Carbo	DH
27	Carlton Fisk	C
4	Butch Hobson	3B
31	Ferguson Jenkins	P

This post goes out to Tina B. who still believes.