Tonight, the Mets were at Fenway to take on the first place Red Sox. It was a perfect night for a celebration of a team that never really got its due: The 1986 American League Champion Boston Red Sox. Twenty years ago, this ballclub came within one strike of becoming World Champs. Tonight, they were back, to face the now much more forgiving Nation.

In a pre-game ceremony, the '86 squad gathered in the dugout, anxiously awaiting their chance to right what went wrong. As each player was introduced, he ran out to his old position. The crowd went wild for Rice and Evans as they trotted to their outfield positions. The pitching staff gathered around the mound. Oil Can Boyd sprinted out and took the victory lap he never got to make, high-fiving the Boston fans.

Gedman, Boggs, Barrett, and Spike Owen took their places around the infield to the cheers of the crowd. There were only two left, and everyone knew who they were.

Bob Stanley gritted his teeth and headed for the rubber, and tears came to his eyes as he was given a standing ovation.

The crowd then started to murmur. Was Bill Buckner in the house? If he was, did he have it in him to take the field?

He was, and he did. Billy Buck limped out of the dugout, to one of the loudest ovations in recent memory. He took his spot at first base.

That's when the fun started.

From out of the visiting dugout, a man in a Mookie Wilson jersey emerged. It wasn't Mookie, that was for sure. Current Sox reliever and 2004 World Series hero Keith Foulke had dressed as Wilson, and stepped into the left-handed batter's box.

The scoreboard set the scene: 10th inning. Red Sox up by one. Two outs. Two strikes.

Stanley deals. It's low and inside on purpose. Rich Gedman puts his whole body out in front of the ball, and blocks it. No wild pitch. Manny Ramirez, in Kevin Mitchell uniform, stays put at third, as does David Ortiz, doing his best Ray Knight impression, at first.

Now the Fenway crowd is on it's feet.

Steamer throws another pitch. Foulke swings, and promptly chops it back toward Big Foot. Stanley stabs it, runs halfway to Buckner, and pitches it underhanded...

Bill Buckner kept the ball. The team didn't even ask for it back.

And then everyone complained that Larry Lucchino did this just to make money.

(Note: Roger Clemens does not exist in this fantasy.)



What have we learned, people? That's right. The 1986 team needs to be honored in this the twentieth year since it's magic, tragic season.

Since this probably isn't going to happen, at least not in the way I described, I am offering up a Red Sox-Mets ticket for trade. While ordering tickets by phone a few weeks ago, I had another game to buy to reach my two-game maximum. I checked all the weekend games, but there were only singles available. I grabbed a single to the Mets game on Tuesday, June 27th, 2006. (I knew I wasn't going to the Mets series, anyway, since it's a mid-week, unless maybe I'd been able to get two.) So, this ticket is my Andy Marte. I'm looking for two tickets to any weekend game at Fenway. For these, you get one Mets-Sox ticket, infield grandstand, section 15, about halfway up the grandstand. Ticket is NOT marked obstructed view. Email me with your offer. Two2067@aol.com. Tickets to these Mets games are going for, like, 200 bucks, so don't be offerin' up any Devil Rays upper bleacher action. Actually, whatever, make me an offer. I'd also take two Sox-Dunbar at Dunbar Stadium to any of those games. Or, maybe a nice lunch with David Ortiz. Whatever you've got.

[Edit: Kirby Puckett has died. That is so weird to say. He was such a mainstay of baseball throughout my childhood. RIP Kirby.]