Pedro returns

I must admit to some watery eyes tonight as I watched Pedro take the hill for the first time back at Fenway Park. I was also a bit surprised that the Fenway crowd gave him such a nice ovation. Sure, he was superhuman as a pitcher for the Red Sox for many years, and the reception was certainly deserved. But I thought the way he left, and some of the comments he made about the organization on the way out, might have turned some folks against him. I am happy to be wrong, and I was proud of the reception given to the opposing pitcher in tonight's game vs. the Mets (meanwhile A-Rod gets booed at Yankee Stadium during every at-bat lately, at least until his walk-off homer today vs. the Braves). Go figure.

I was equally happy with the way the Red Sox greeted Pedro, as they touched him for 4 runs early and went to an 8-0 lead before he hit the showers. Not exactly vintage Pedro, but given the uniform he's wearing now, I'll take it. My daughter still says that Pedro is her favorite player (how do you explain free agency to an 8-year-old???), so tonight was a little weird. She said she was definitely rooting for the Red Sox, though, because "Pedro is just one guy, and the Red Sox are a whole team." Like the way that little one thinks.