Josh Beckett takes the ball Sunday night in the season-opener. Will he have a hefty new contract keeping him in a Sox uniform for the next four years? I think he will. Though the rumors of the 4-year, 68 million-dollar extension have quieted to the point it seems like it might be a poor April Fool’s joke, I think it will be a done deal by first pitch. In fact, I think the reason for the radio silence is that the Sox will announce it as part of the pre-game ceremony Sunday. Welcome to 2010 Red Sox baseball.
The Sox have already revealed some of the festivities…
Two-time Grammy nominee Keri Hilson will perform the national anthem at Fenway Park on Sunday night, before the Red Sox host the Yankees in Major League Baseball’s season opener.
Hilson won’t be the only star, though, as two F-16 fighter jets will provide a flyover. The Green Mountain Boys are from the 158th Fighter Wing of the Vermont Air National Guard. The flyover will take place before the anthem, due to aviation safety regulations which state the flyover must take place “before the end of civil twilight.”
I have no idea who Keri Hilson is, other than she is NOT Ronan Tynan. As far as I am concerned, that makes the ceremony a success. But think about this: Theo or Larry grabs the mic and announces the Beckett extension just before first pitch. Not that the crowd would need any help getting lathered up for Red Sox-Yankees, but that would be pretty sweet.
And it all happens tomorrow…
