And no, I don’t mean the recent struggles of the Red Sox!

Sure, September down-to-the-wire pennant races are exciting… in theory.  In reality, they’re excruciating ulcer-provoking exercises in slow-motion surgical dissection of your hearts.  And I would say that even if we hadn’t just lost a heartbreaker and a heartstomper in Tampa Bay. 

So let’s take a look instead at a lighthearted rite of fall: rookie hazing!

I’d never had a chance to stake out the Red Sox before, and I suspect Cla Meredith

Josh Barfield

and Paul McAnulty

would be happy if I could say the same about the Padres!  (those from September 2006.)

But this year I was prepared to stake out the buses for the Red Sox as they headed out for their last road trip!  I expected, of course, to learn just a little more about our rookies–whether they could carry off spaghetti straps, for example.  But who knew I would learn so much about High School Musical?

Pitcher Chris Smith.  Really, if you went shopping for a dress for Chris I don’t think you could do better.  Fit perfectly and showed off his legs to perfection!

That’s Jeff Bailey back behind Chris.  Not sure the cheerleader outfit is what I would have chosen, but I always did like Jeff a little scruffy, so the hair works!

Blonde ringlets and hairy cleavage.  Does it get better?

I had high hopes for Justin Masterson–surely, surely he’d be in a wig, yes?–and have to confess some disappointment with his outfit.  I was greatly heartened when he expressed a similar sentiment–that the guys in skirts were having all the fun–to Dan Roche!

George Kottaras managed to hide behind security, but fortunately he couldn’t hide his face and his new chest at the same time!

Jonathan Van Every.  When we first met Jonathan back at the PawSox Hot Stove Party, I can’t say I was aware of hiw much I’d enjoy seeing him in a skirt.  Another tidbit from Dan Roche:  JV himself realized he’d look better in the ponytail!  I’m sure he’d have found better shoes if he’d been able, too.

Devern Hansack (and Dave Pauley, who had the same outfit) pretty much lucked out. On the other hand, Devern’s done this three times, so I think he earned the right to wear shorts!

Not so easy walking around with those things, huh, JV?

Jed Lowrie.  It’s amazing to me how different he looks in this wig!

Speaking of wigs… Chris Carter makes a rather striking dark-rooted blonde!

Check out my LiveJournal post if you want to know who’s who in the world of High School Musical, thanks to my readers! And check out WBZ for video! (You might need to poke around a bit, but there are at least three clips.)