BOSTON -- Win one for Papi?
How about just win one?
Last Sunday, on the occasion of the regular-season finale, the Boston Red Sox staged an emotional 40-minute pregame tribute to David Ortiz. It signaled the impending end of Big Papi's career, but also felt like the beginning of what promised to be one last long playoff run for the iconic slugger and greatest winner in franchise history.
Six days later, though, the Sox returned to Fenway Park, their season teetering on a cliff. For six months, they played fast-break baseball, scoring early, often and sprinting away from opponents.