photo by Kelly O'Connor, used with permission
For a baseball-obsessed area of the planet, New England doesn't produce many professional ballplayers, even fewer Major-Leaguers, and a scant few greats of the game. Warmer climes are usually looked upon as the cradles of the sport: Florida, Georgia, Arizona, California, and, of course, Texas.
The comparative rarity of a native New Englander reaching the Show means most Boston fans have always had a soft spot in their hearts for Rocco Baldelli, The Boy from Rhode Island Made Good, even if he spent all but one year of his career in a Tampa Bay Rays uniform (and will remain with that team's front office, now that his playing days are done).