Papi's heart, that of The Nation hurting

With Manny still Being Manny & the rest of the lineup already in shambles, Boston and its Nation of fans got the news that even the most diehard rooter knows the squad cannot recover from- Papi had to return to Boston with a recurrence of the irregular heartbeat problem that hospitalized him during the Stankee Massacre.
You've heard of things going from bad to worse? How 'bout real bad to downright morbid as this team continues to lose players at an alarming clip. And now the heart, soul & backbone of the squad, its MVP candidate and emotional leader is out indefinitely. MLB needs to check the lockers of disgruntled former Sox players for voodoo dolls; they should start with Ball Stealer Mientkiewicz, then work through Pedro, D-Lowe & Bron-Bron.

One thing you folks outside of The Nation need to realize is that we can handle heartbreak and disappointment when it comes to wins and losses- outside of 2004 we've been dealing with that on a yearly basis since the Titanic last sailed. But it is the pain, suffering, or premature demise of our heroes that throws us for a loop. We've been down this road too many times before, from Tony C. & Len Bias to Tedy Bruschi & Reggie Lewis, and we take the pain of our beloved icons to heart. And now that the driving force behind the Red Sox engine for the past 3+ years, its literal heart & soul, heads back home for tests on, of all things his heart, we sit back and say "f- the wins and losses, is Papi going to be alright?"

I know as I sit here this morning I cannot focus on the fact that Boston is currently on a losing skid of epic proportions, one that is dropping them in the standings quicker than a Mentos in a Diet Coke bottle. That they got flogged 9-0 by a sizzling A's team with a lineup that consisted of no players that were on last year's ALDS squad. No, I can only hope that Papi's tests come back negative, that it is only a minor issue that can be corrected with rest and/or medication. Because we all remember the Lewis situation and that tragic ending, and the Bruschi stroke scare is still fresh in all our memories. But if Big Papi were to have a serious health issue, well then you would see what it's like for an entire nation to feel pain.

Get well soon, Papi.