File this one under “good problems to have.”
Game 1 of the World Series is Tuesday at Fenway Park, and in the lead-up to the first pitch between the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers, we’ll break down anything and everything.
In these here digital pages, let’s toss around a very important question: Who should throw out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 1?
Given the Red Sox’s improbable run of three World Series titles in the last 14 years, there’s no shortage of past players who deserve the honor. We’ve already seen the likes of Trot Nixon and Kevin Youkilis throw out the first pitch this postseason.
If we’re talking recent Red Sox history, there are some obvious options for Game 1 or Game 2. It’s hard to go wrong with Pedro Martinez (maybe they could even give him an inning or two out of the bullpen) or recently retired playoff hero David Ortiz. How about Nomar Garciaparra? He played for the Red Sox and Dodgers, after all. You could even make the case for someone like Jason Varitek to do the honors.
(We’ll pass on the idea of Dodgers manager Dave Roberts throwing out the first pitch. Yes, he authored of one of the biggest Red Sox playoff moments of all time, but he’s managing the other team. No thanks.)
Digging into the past always works, too. Carl Yasztremski doesn’t make a lot of public appearances these days, but we imagine it would be tough for him to turn down the gig in the Fall Classic. He actually threw out the first pitch of Game 1 before the 2013 World Series, so we’re not sure whether that makes him more or less likely to do so this year.
Which brings us to our final suggestion: former Red Sox second baseman and NESN analyst Jerry Remy. Of course, this only goes down if the Rem Dawg is up for it. Remy is in the midst of another courageous battle with cancer, and if he’s not up for it, obviously we’d all understand.
But could you imagine the roar from the Fenway crowd if Remy skipped out of the dugout and delivered a strike prior to Game 1? It would be pretty cool. And it’s not unheard of for a TV broadcaster to throw out the first pitch. Longtime voice of the Dodgers Vin Scully did so last year in L.A. — sort of.
The good news is there’s no shortage of options for the Red Sox to choose from, and no matter who gets the call, it’s sure to be a memorable moment.
