2007 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP TRIBUTE
Congratulations to the Boston Red Sox, 2007 World Series Champions!
The Boston Red Sox completed a sweep of the Colorado Rockies on Sunday night to become World Champions once again. With their backs to the wall in the American League Championship Series, the Red Sox fought back from a 3-1 deficit to move on to the World Series, and Boston won its last seven playoff games to take home the trophy. Former Spinners Jacoby Ellsbury, Kevin Youkilis and Jonathan Papelbon had huge post-seasons while one-time Spinners Clay Buchholz and Brandon Moss will take home rings in their first Major League seasons. From Lowell to Boston, we congratulate the entire Red Sox crew for an incredible season! Continue below for a tribute to each of our championship-winning alumni!
Jonathan Papelbon, 2003 Lowell Spinner
From the Lowell Spinners to a two-time All-Star and now World Series Champion, Jonathan Papelbon burst onto the professional scene with a stunning debut in Lowell, a game in which struck out the side on just nine pitches in one of his innings. Papelbon's 6.34 ERA with the Spinners in 2003 didn't tell the whole story. The flame-thrower also struck out over a batter per inning and has since been converted to a closer and has failed to record an ERA under 3.00 at any other Minor or Major League level. Papelbon has been a huge hit for the Red Sox, both on the field and on the dance floor, but Spinners fans knew him first!
Kevin Youkilis, 2001 Lowell Spinner
It wasn't too long ago that Kevin Youkilis was in Lowell enjoying one of the best seasons ever for a Spinners hitter and setting franchise records that still stand today, like a .512 on-base percentage, 70 walks and 46 consecutive games reaching safely. No wonder he was named the Greek God of Walks. LeLacheur Park was also the birthplace of the "Youk" chant, and the 2001 Spinner made a return trip to Lowell on rehab in 2004. Youkilis has become a mainstay in the Red Sox lineup -- he hit. 388 in the playoffs this year -- one of the best fielding first basemen in the league -- no errors during the regular season -- and a Red Sox Nation fan-favorite.
Luis Alicea, 2004-2005 Lowell Spinner
The Spinners are especially proud of Luis Alicea, our manager of two years, who won his first World Championship as the Red Sox first base coach this season. Alicea led the Spinners to a franchise-best 42-33 record in 2005 before working his way up the ladder to Boston. An playoff hero in 1995 with the Red Sox, Alicea was back at it for Boston in 2007, and even saw some stellar performances by two of the players he managed at LeLacheur Park, Clay Buchholz and Jacoby Ellsbury, in their Major League Baseball debuts. Here's to you, Skip!
Jacoby Ellsbury, 2005 Lowell Spinner
Is there a ballplayer on the Red Sox more exciting than Jacoby Ellsbury? He opened eyes during a brief call-ups before cementing himself as a member of the Red Sox for years to come with a fantastic September, in which he batted .361 and collected hits in 13 consecutive games after his recall. In Lowell in 2005, where he hit .317 with 23 stolen bases in 35 games, we witnessed Ellsbury gliding from base to base on the diamond and playing the stellar centerfield that he demonstrated late in the season at Fenway Park. After taking over as the Red Sox centerfielder in the playoffs, it could be awhile before someone else mans the position.
Clay Buchholz, 2005 Lowell Spinner
In just his second Major League start, Clay Buchholz lived up to all of the hype, and then some, by pitching a no-hitter on September 1. Although the Red Sox chose to keep him off of the playoff roster for health reasons, Buchholz finished the year with a 1.59 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 22.2 Major League innings after dominating the Minor Leagues for two years, which began with a 2.61 ERA and more than a strikeout per inning as a Spinner in 2005. The electric right-hander could be a mainstay in Boston's rotation for years to come.
Brandon Moss, 2003 Lowell Spinner
What a better way to make your Major League debut than replacing a player ejected by the umpire? That's exactly how Brandon Moss introduced himself to Red Sox faithful on August 6 this summer. Moss finished the season strong as Boston's fourth outfielder, batting .333 in September and finishing the year with a .280 batting average. The 2003 Spinner seems to have put it all together after batting over .280 with double-digit home runs in the minors over the past two seasons.
Former Spinner Makes Headlines, Tacos
Former Spinner Jacoby Ellsbury has been making headlines all throughout Red Sox Nation during his brief Major League career in which he is already the Red Sox starting centerfielder in the World Series. Jacoby ensured that everyone in America would know his name when he won free tacos for the entire country by stealing a base in the World Series. Click below for more details, and thanks to boston.com for the graphic.