The Yankees are heading to Boston this weekend for the first of 18 delicious games they'll play against the demons BoSox this season, and they're going into the series with some seriously good mojo. Injuries and pitching deficiencies can dampen any team's spirits, but the Yanks' collective optimism is running high thanks to a kid from New York by the name of Alex Rodriguez (heard of him?). Our dear A-Rod has been on quite the tear this April - - - in just 14 games, the boy has knocked in 26 runs and has racked up 10 homers, 2 of which were walk-off shots that came when there were 2 outs, and he's had at least 1 hit in each of the 14 games. These are impressive feats for any player, but for A-Rod, whose internalization of the disdain so publicly displayed by New York has prevented him from focusing 100% on the game for most of his time with the team, the performance is altogether heart-warming.

Watching A-Rod smack 2-strike pitches and hit game-winning homers is exciting, but what really brings a smile to my face is the difference in his attitude this year. In years past, we watched A-Rod's composure disintegrate every time he struck out or misplayed a ball, and it seemed that each game that didn't make him a hero compounded his stress tenfold. This year, though, his demeanor has taken a 180: we've seen him laughing with the rest of the crew (including, but not limited to, his friend-but-not-best-friend-but-still-friends-seriously-stop-pestering-us Jeter) and he hasn't let one bad at-bat prevent him from dominating the next time. Since it is just April, I hesitiate to proclaim that all of A-Rod's woes are a thing of the past, but he has certainly made a case for the cessation of the boo-ers. The good cheer and demand for curtain-calls will likely not be following A-Rod to Boston this weekend, but here's to hoping that he can handle the wrath of Boston's most obnoxious fans!!