BOSTON -- For those who waltz onto the field at Fenway Park wearing road uniforms, there is no greater curse than a two-syllable name. It is an invitation for women and men, young and old, drunk and sober to unite in song, and that intonation, during the first inning of the American League Wild Card Game, sounded something like this: "Geeeerrrr-rrrriiiitttt, Geeeerrrr-rrrriiiitttt, Geeeerrrr-rrrriiiitttt."
It was clear, at that point, that baseball this October is going to be nothing like baseball last October, and thank goodness for that. At its best, there is something different about a baseball game in October.