Foulke Hero

The news out of Cleveland last Friday that Keith Foulke has retired due to injuries and will not be reporting to the Indians was greeted by Sox Nation with general apathy and more than a few healthy shots of "Good Riddance."

That's unfortunate.

Yes, in his last two years in Boston, Foulke managed to make himself more hated than a Republican at a Hillary Clinton rally. But we shouldn't lose sight of one thing: The Sox would be approaching 90 years without a World Championship if not for the cantankerous closer.

His 2004 regular season was impressive enough with 61 games finished, 32 saves, 83 innings pitched and a 2.17 ERA but the real payoff came in the posteaseaon. In 14 innings against the Angels, Yankmees and Cardinals, Foulke allowed only one run, a sparkling 0.64 ERA. He appeared in 11 of the 14 postseason games including all four World Series contests.

With his assortment of soft stuff and pinpoint location - so anti-Paplebon's fire and lightning- you always came away from one of his saves asking yourself how he did it. However there was no questioning his results. And as long as he continued to get people out, no one cared that his personality was as warm and fuzzy as a porcupine's.

Then came 2005 and 2006 and the injuries. His fall from grace began when he said he enjoyed being the closer on the first and fiftheenth of the month (paydays) and that he would do interviews with anyone if they game him a free truck (a reference to his compensation for his weekly gig on WEEI). He slid further down the slippery slope with his now-infamous remark after being booed lustily that he didn't care what "Johnny from Burger King" thought. But in hindsight, I think the thing that ulitmately killed his relationship with the fan base was his admission that he really didn't like baseball and wouldn't watch it if he wasn't playing. In a time and place where people live for the next baseball game and the Red Sox have become 24/7/365, that was the unforgivable sin. Not like baseball? Heresy.

No, Foulke will never evoke fond words when his name comes up in future conversations regarding the Sox. Ironically, though, he will be forever linked to our ultimate joyous memory whenever we again watch the replay of number 29 fielding that grounder in St. Louis, underhanding to Mientkiewicz and turning to catch a leaping Tek.

I think we would all be well served to remember him that way.