Verducci concludes his story by writing, "Before the last bottle of champagne had been emptied, the Red Sox began planning a World Series trophy tour. The team intends to cart the hardware not only around New England but also to other Red Sox Nation hot spots, such as a Santa Monica, Calif., bar where Red Sox fans convene, the team�s spring training complex in Fort Myers, Fla., and a training facility in the Dominican Republic. The Red Sox want to give their famously �long-suffering fans (SI's words, not ours, hate that term) a chance to share the world championship in a tactile way, one that heightens the euphoria or even provides some physical proof that they were not dreaming last week. That feeling will never be exactly the same again, and neither will the Red Sox roster."

In a sidebar, Verducci gives his take on the off-season, including the courtship of Carlos Beltran, the shortstop roulette, and big-name (and big-money) trade talk.

This week's issue of SI hits newsstands today.