Last day of the regular season. Who do you want to see in post season?
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Don't ever lose a game in April and say "don't worry, it's a long season."
Game 163 would be very exciting but not if it's your team playing!
Game 163 would be very exciting but not if it's your team playing!
RED Sox..... Don't want to see Shields again!
GED10DaD
GED10DaD
I honestly thought that I'd be pulling for the Rays, and for the most part I am. But I was watching the Sox/Orioles game last night and rooting for Papelbon to close that game out...Markakus and Jones had two great AB's, and they still pulled it out. We'll see after tonight, but I'm thinking ONE game playoff!?
So the Red Sox have this nice catcher who hit two home runs last night. I'm assuming he was called up in September to back up Varitek who's just about done and Salta...whatever who is horrible.
Tell me, if he's a Sept call up, he's not eligible for the post season is he? What if Salty is injured (he got hurt the other night). Can the call up fill that roster spot?
Tell me, if he's a Sept call up, he's not eligible for the post season is he? What if Salty is injured (he got hurt the other night). Can the call up fill that roster spot?
yes; bsbl247 those last 2 at bats were amazing...
that being said; Go Rays or Red Sox; just somebody, beat the Yankees
that being said; Go Rays or Red Sox; just somebody, beat the Yankees
As Mike Lupica said in his column back in April.
"Do you know which team lost the frist 10 games of the season and went on to win the World Series...
No one, thats who."
"Do you know which team lost the frist 10 games of the season and went on to win the World Series...
No one, thats who."
Girardi is starting Dellin Betances tonight! Now this will be even more interesting.
quote:Originally posted by Texas1836:
Girardi is starting Dellin Betances tonight! Now this will be even more interesting.
Yankees are laying down for the Rays. This was Dellin Betances at last night's game:
Even the most loyal Red Sox fan shouldn't be pinning what has happened this September in the wild card race on the Yankees...
In my opinion, the best thing that can happen from a baseball purist perspective tonight is both Red Sox and Rays win, and they settle it on the field one more time. I am pulling for both teams for one night because I just don't want to hear any excuses from either side. Play ball.
In my opinion, the best thing that can happen from a baseball purist perspective tonight is both Red Sox and Rays win, and they settle it on the field one more time. I am pulling for both teams for one night because I just don't want to hear any excuses from either side. Play ball.
Who said the Rays aren't for real?
WOW....What an amazing night for baseball!!! Longoria Walk Off solo shot to beat the Yankees in extra innings, just a few minutes after the Orioles came back and beat Papelbon and the Redsox in the bottom of the 9th...Great Stuff!!!
On the NL side, Carpenter and the Cards took care of business...and the Phillies knocked the Braves out of the playoffs in extra innings...Amazing!!!
On the NL side, Carpenter and the Cards took care of business...and the Phillies knocked the Braves out of the playoffs in extra innings...Amazing!!!
Unbelievable evening all the way around. All I can say is wow.
Very exciting night!
We were following all the games, but I just have to share this little AL tidbit about the slightly upbeat ending to a painfully bad season for my beloved Minnesota Twins:
The Twins narrowly avoided a 100-loss season when Carl Pavano pitched a complete game shutout tonight. Score 0-0 in the bottom of the 9th and the Twins scored to win. Nice sentimental part was that it was the last game for retiring Twins announcer John Gordon (since 1987). So Gordo's very last call of his career was the winning run in the bottom of the 9th.
Good luck to your favorite team in the playoffs! My dear Twins, please look like yourselves again next season!!!
Julie
We were following all the games, but I just have to share this little AL tidbit about the slightly upbeat ending to a painfully bad season for my beloved Minnesota Twins:
The Twins narrowly avoided a 100-loss season when Carl Pavano pitched a complete game shutout tonight. Score 0-0 in the bottom of the 9th and the Twins scored to win. Nice sentimental part was that it was the last game for retiring Twins announcer John Gordon (since 1987). So Gordo's very last call of his career was the winning run in the bottom of the 9th.
Good luck to your favorite team in the playoffs! My dear Twins, please look like yourselves again next season!!!
Julie
The thing that impressed me the most is how much the O's celebrated the win against the Red Sox. The O's were out of it weeks ago but here they were celebrating like they just won a game to get them into the playoffs. I realize playing spoiler to a team you hate is pretty good motivation but they could have easily phoned it in. You see this in the first month of the season as well.
I don't care what level it is - I love watching teams celebrate because it matters to them.
I don't care what level it is - I love watching teams celebrate because it matters to them.
quote:Originally posted by MN-Mom:
My dear Twins, please look like yourselves again next season!!!
Unfortunately for you Twins fans, I think they looked like themselves this season.
quote:Originally posted by bsbl247:
WOW....What an amazing night for baseball!!! Longoria Walk Off solo shot to beat the Yankees in extra innings, just a few minutes after the Orioles came back and beat Papelbon and the Redsox in the bottom of the 9th...Great Stuff!!!
On the NL side, Carpenter and the Cards took care of business...and the Phillies knocked the Braves out of the playoffs in extra innings...Amazing!!!
So I go to bed with the Yankees up 7-0 in the 7th. Red Sox up 3-2 in the 7th with an expected 2-hour rain delay.
And this is what I wake up to?!?!?!?!
Arrrrrggggggggghhhhhhhhhh.
quote:Originally posted by coach2709:
The thing that impressed me the most is how much the O's celebrated the win against the Red Sox. The O's were out of it weeks ago but here they were celebrating like they just won a game to get them into the playoffs. I realize playing spoiler to a team you hate is pretty good motivation but they could have easily phoned it in. You see this in the first month of the season as well.
I don't care what level it is - I love watching teams celebrate because it matters to them.
O's actually competed hard against the contending teams in the last month. The last 2 weeks they were really a pleasure to watch. They took 5 of 7 from the Red Sox in the last 10 days. Red sox and Papplebon barely escaped Tuesday night. Watching the games this week, the noticable difference between the O's and Red sox was remarkable to see. The Orioles looked like a team playing all out to win, while the Red Sox looked like a team just hanging on for dear life and trying not to lose. If you didn't know any better, you would have sworn that the O's were the playoff contender and not the Red Sox.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If you can't get in the playoffs, nailing the Evil Empire North is the next best thing!
Gosh that was a lot of fun!
What a great sport!
If you can't get in the playoffs, nailing the Evil Empire North is the next best thing!
Gosh that was a lot of fun!
What a great sport!
Yogi was right. It is never over until it is over.
Tampa Bay was down to their last out when Joe Maddon made the move to PH Johnson, and it was a very good move. They were then down to their last strike. On a 2-2 pitch he hits it into the right field stands for a homer to tie the game. [b] Contrast that with Red Sox up 3-2, two outs and I believe Papelbon had the batter with a 1-2 count then he gives up a single RBI that ties the game. He then proceeds to give up the go ahead run which should have been caught by Crawford. At their very core, the Red Sox were not contenders. They were pretenders.
Tampa Bay was down to their last out when Joe Maddon made the move to PH Johnson, and it was a very good move. They were then down to their last strike. On a 2-2 pitch he hits it into the right field stands for a homer to tie the game. [b] Contrast that with Red Sox up 3-2, two outs and I believe Papelbon had the batter with a 1-2 count then he gives up a single RBI that ties the game. He then proceeds to give up the go ahead run which should have been caught by Crawford. At their very core, the Red Sox were not contenders. They were pretenders.
I went to bed last night with the Red Sox losing 3-2 and the Rays losing 7-0. I figured there was going to be a one game playoff, or maybe the Sox would rally...
Wow! That's about all I have to say.
Wow! That's about all I have to say.
quote:Originally posted by fenwaysouth:
Yogi was right. It is never over until it is over.
Tampa Bay was down to their last out when Joe Maddon made the move to PH Johnson, and it was a very good move. They were then down to their last strike. On a 2-2 pitch he hits it into the right field stands for a homer to tie the game. [b] Contrast that with Red Sox up 3-2, two outs and I believe Papelbon had the batter with a 1-2 count then he gives up a single RBI that ties the game. He then proceeds to give up the go ahead run which should have been caught by Crawford. At their very core, the Red Sox were not contenders. They were pretenders.
Abner Doubleday is a genius. He invented the perfect game. No game builds up drama like baseball and no game delivers such unexpected twists and turns. Adding the wild card was one of the best things baseball ever did to improve the game as well. Ironically, Carl Crawford was with the Rays last year. Very satisfying day in baseball yesterday.
Last night was by far the absolute best baseball night anyone could dream about let alone watch. Two wildcard races, being decided or possibly matching up to be one game playoffs for those teams. Three games that were nail biters with everything imaginable playing out, HR's, (Longoria,Johnson), double plays (Boston in the 8th), the poor base running (NY with runners on 1st & 3rd no outs), just great baseball.
I can't wait for Friday, if last night was a preview for the next few weeks of October, get ready!
I can't wait for Friday, if last night was a preview for the next few weeks of October, get ready!
I can't find a bigger collapse of a pitching staff than the 2011 Red Sox. John Lackey was horrible the entire year. The RS starters had an ERA over 7 this month.
Carl Crawford made $14 million this year and put up a .289 OBP and 11 HR, playing a pitiful LF. He gets a $5 million raise in 2012, with six years left on his contract. He is a brutally bad player in Boston. He needs some soft team like the Royals, Mariners or Twins to disappear on. No guts.
This is the biggest choke job in the history of organized athletics, maybe since the Persians were favored over the Spartans in Thermopoli. Edgar Renteria and Bruce Chen are thanking God they don't have the stink of this team on them this morning.
Ownership will take a flame thrower to the locker room and front office, hopefully before the end of the week. Without 2007, and especially 2004, RS fans would be out on a collective ledge today. Congrats to the Rays and Cards for NOT collapsing like a $3 umbrella.
I can't wait for Friday, since it is two days removed from yesterday.
Carl Crawford made $14 million this year and put up a .289 OBP and 11 HR, playing a pitiful LF. He gets a $5 million raise in 2012, with six years left on his contract. He is a brutally bad player in Boston. He needs some soft team like the Royals, Mariners or Twins to disappear on. No guts.
This is the biggest choke job in the history of organized athletics, maybe since the Persians were favored over the Spartans in Thermopoli. Edgar Renteria and Bruce Chen are thanking God they don't have the stink of this team on them this morning.
Ownership will take a flame thrower to the locker room and front office, hopefully before the end of the week. Without 2007, and especially 2004, RS fans would be out on a collective ledge today. Congrats to the Rays and Cards for NOT collapsing like a $3 umbrella.
I can't wait for Friday, since it is two days removed from yesterday.
quote:Originally posted by Dad04:
Carl Crawford made $14 million this year and put up a .289 OBP and 11 HR, playing a pitiful LF. He gets a $5 million raise in 2012, with six years left on his contract. He is a brutally bad player in Boston. He needs some soft team like the Royals, Mariners or Twins to disappear on. No guts.
I'd rather have Alfonso Soriano out there.
quote:Originally posted by Dad04:
This is the biggest choke job in the history of organized athletics....
Weren't the Braves were 10½ games ahead of St. Louis at the end of August. Statistically there's was probably worse but ours definitely hurts more.
quote:Originally posted by biggerpapi:quote:Originally posted by Dad04:
This is the biggest choke job in the history of organized athletics....
Weren't the Braves were 10½ games ahead of St. Louis at the end of August. Statistically there's was probably worse but ours definitely hurts more.
They are both colossal collapses. However, no team had higher expectations this year than the RS. Not nearly as many picked the Braves to make the playoffs. A lot of writers and baseball people picked the Red Sox to win the World Series. the Braves probably finished where they were supposed to finish. No team in the last 100 years underperformed like the 2011 Red Sox.
quote:Originally posted by biggerpapi:quote:Originally posted by Dad04:
Carl Crawford made $14 million this year and put up a .289 OBP and 11 HR, playing a pitiful LF. He gets a $5 million raise in 2012, with six years left on his contract. He is a brutally bad player in Boston. He needs some soft team like the Royals, Mariners or Twins to disappear on. No guts.
I'd rather have Alfonso Soriano out there.
I'd rather have some AAA guy out there batting .250, rather than Crawford making the front office look like a bunch of helpless Bernie Madoff victims.
quote:Originally posted by Dad04:quote:Originally posted by biggerpapi:quote:Originally posted by Dad04:
This is the biggest choke job in the history of organized athletics....
Weren't the Braves were 10½ games ahead of St. Louis at the end of August. Statistically there's was probably worse but ours definitely hurts more.
They are both colossal collapses. However, no team had higher expectations this year than the RS. Not nearly as many picked the Braves to make the playoffs. A lot of writers and baseball people picked the Red Sox to win the World Series. the Braves probably finished where they were supposed to finish. No team in the last 100 years underperformed like the 2011 Red Sox.
I don't blame Red Sox fans for being upset, Crawford is a perfect example of teams over spending when probably some first year AAA guy who is eager to set the world on fire can get the jobdone. Nothing beats youth enthusiasm. You may have to go through a tough adjustment period, but with experienced coaches selling their team philosophy, it can work....as it did for the Cardinals.
Not knowing enough about the business side of baseball, I have wondered something similar to this.
Can you have a successful team with 24 $1 million players as opposed to giving one guy $24 million?
Can you have a successful team with 24 $1 million players as opposed to giving one guy $24 million?
I think the Rays payroll this year is around $ 40 million. And they have that kind of success playing in that division with the worst facility in MLB and a sleepy at best fan base. Simply amazing.
And talking about a successful organization, they manage to have 10 draft picks on the first day in this years draft.
It speaks overwhelmingly to the importance of pitching, particularly when viewed over the long regular season. If you can acquire excellent talent through the draft, develop and manage it properly you have a shot playing against the big market teams.
With what they have now and what they have coming up Tampa will be a force for years to come.
Maybe its time to sell.
And talking about a successful organization, they manage to have 10 draft picks on the first day in this years draft.
It speaks overwhelmingly to the importance of pitching, particularly when viewed over the long regular season. If you can acquire excellent talent through the draft, develop and manage it properly you have a shot playing against the big market teams.
With what they have now and what they have coming up Tampa will be a force for years to come.
Maybe its time to sell.
quote:Originally posted by biggerpapi:
Not knowing enough about the business side of baseball, I have wondered something similar to this.
Can you have a successful team with 24 $1 million players as opposed to giving one guy $24 million?
I think you can have a successful team without breaking the bank. Not necessarily all veterans and not necessarily all rookies. The difference maker would most likely come down to the skippers experience.
The big thing Red Sox management failed to calculate when putting the current team together is chemistry. Gonzalez may be a good hitter. But he's mentally weak. He blamed losing on God! Give me a freak'n break! How fitting he was a Padre. Crawford only excels in front of crowds of 15,000 or less. He'll be the biggest waste of money in baseball history this side of Lackey. Lackey is the biggest excuse maker on the planet. As a human being he's a pig. He had his wife served divorce papers while she's recovering from cancer surgery. He was detested by the fans before he walked on his wife. He can't show his face in public in Boston. His face belongs on a milk carton. I know someone who played with Lackey. He warned me Lackey won't be liked by the fans or his teammates. And thank God JD "sprained finger nail" Drew's contract is up. Red Sox fans don't want excuses. We don't want weenies like Crawford taking out full page apologies in newspapers. We want results!
It's officially football season now. We can start the pool on when Chad Choke-O-Cinco is waived by the Patriots. He was the biggest midget in the room on the Bengals, not a star. He's showing is true colors with the Patriots .... dropped passes, weak patterns, too dumb to learn the playbook.
Go Bruins!
It's officially football season now. We can start the pool on when Chad Choke-O-Cinco is waived by the Patriots. He was the biggest midget in the room on the Bengals, not a star. He's showing is true colors with the Patriots .... dropped passes, weak patterns, too dumb to learn the playbook.
Go Bruins!
quote:Originally posted by RJM:
The big thing Red Sox management failed to calculate when putting the current team together is chemistry. Gonzalez may be a good hitter. But he's mentally weak. He blamed losing on God! Give me a freak'n break! How fitting he was a Padre. Crawford only excels in front of crowds of 15,000 or less. He'll be the biggest waste of money in baseball history this side of Lackey. Lackey is the biggest excuse maker on the planet. As a human being he's a pig. He had his wife served divorce papers while she's recovering from cancer surgery. He was detested by the fans before he walked on his wife. He can't show his face in public in Boston. His face belongs on a milk carton. I know someone who played with Lackey. He warned me Lackey won't be liked by the fans or his teammates. And thank God JD "sprained finger nail" Drew's contract is up. Red Sox fans don't want excuses. We don't want weenies like Crawford taking out full page apologies in newspapers. We want results!
It's officially football season now. We can start the pool on when Chad Choke-O-Cinco is waived by the Patriots. He was the biggest midget in the room on the Bengals, not a star. He's showing is true colors with the Patriots .... dropped passes, weak patterns, too dumb to learn the playbook.
Go Bruins!
So........tell us how you really feel
That's right! Go Bruins!
quote:RJM said.....The big mistake Red Sox management failed to calculate when putting the current team together is chemistry
I agree with the chemistry observation. Certainly there are bright spots on this team, and there are "less than bright spots". Another aspect to the chemistry observation is LEADERSHIP. It is really not clear to me who was leading this team from a player perspective. It is true that I don't see or hear what happens in the locker room, but what happened on the field was inexcuseable. There are many veteran players on that team. The closest thing I saw to leadership was Pedrioa. He led by example, and had the will to win. I didn't see that will to win & fight in anyone else. What I saw was a team that was complacent and not hungry when it mattered most. Unfortunetly, some of those players will still be under contract. On a positive note, some of those players services will no longer be needed. I just hope and pray that the front office doesn't do anything stupid by firing Francona. That would be a huge mistake IMHO.
Crawford is an example of a player drafted and brought up through the Ray system who was an absolute stud for our team-- MVP last year. He won't stay down, but I can't imagine why he would want to play in such a hostile environment. One day Sox fans are going to figure out that all that hate doesn't breed better ballplayers-- just tightens them up. I'm hoping they don't though, cause it just helps the other "soft" (sarcasm)teams.
Perfect example of a great system though, we lose Crawford and don't miss a beat. Desmond Jennings comes in and proven his worth out there in LF. It just impresses me so how this team plays as a team and believes in each other. Can't imagine any parent not wanting their pitcher son to be drafted by the Rays. Their recent track record for drafting and developing pitchers is just incredible.
Perfect example of a great system though, we lose Crawford and don't miss a beat. Desmond Jennings comes in and proven his worth out there in LF. It just impresses me so how this team plays as a team and believes in each other. Can't imagine any parent not wanting their pitcher son to be drafted by the Rays. Their recent track record for drafting and developing pitchers is just incredible.
Three pleasant surprises were 1) Ellsbury putting up "Ricky Henderson in his prime" type numbers and 2) who would have thought the catchers would combined for 29 homers and 100 rbi's, and 3) Ortiz's numbers.
Starting position players you can't question their intensity are Pedroia and Scutaro. They have played hurt for two seasons. I love players who will bite the nails out of walls and spit them at the opposition to win. Youk is intense. But he seems to be injury prone in his thirties. It's one of the drawbacks to having a grinder's body. "He waddles like a duck. But he gets on base. He's a walking machine" - Moneyball
Starting position players you can't question their intensity are Pedroia and Scutaro. They have played hurt for two seasons. I love players who will bite the nails out of walls and spit them at the opposition to win. Youk is intense. But he seems to be injury prone in his thirties. It's one of the drawbacks to having a grinder's body. "He waddles like a duck. But he gets on base. He's a walking machine" - Moneyball
It's not hatred. After a guy signs a mega contract he's not supposed to hit .170 for the first third of the season and .255 overall. He played the entire seasoin like a deer in the headlights. He can't handle the pressure of the limelight. No one in Tampa cared if he failed. In Boston we care.quote:Originally posted by smalltownmom:
Crawford is an example of a player drafted and brought up through the Ray system who was an absolute stud for our team-- MVP last year. He won't stay down, but I can't imagine why he would want to play in such a hostile environment. One day Sox fans are going to figure out that all that hate doesn't breed better ballplayers-- just tightens them up. I'm hoping they don't though, cause it just helps the other "soft" (sarcasm)teams.
Perfect example of a great system though, we lose Crawford and don't miss a beat. Desmond Jennings comes in and proven his worth out there in LF. It just impresses me so how this team plays as a team and believes in each other. Can't imagine any parent not wanting their pitcher son to be drafted by the Rays. Their recent track record for drafting and developing pitchers is just incredible.
The worst thing Crawford did was apologize in the paper. The best apology would have been production down the stretch. When he placed the apology in the paper in early September it looked like he was giving up on the season.
The Rays should have a great track record in the draft. Until three years ago they had one of the top picks and a top pick in the second round every year forever.
Francona is one of the best managers of veteran players in baseball. He understands how to manage personalities. When he managed the Phillies he proved his style doesn't fit young teams with players who sometimes need a kick in the tail.quote:Originally posted by fenwaysouth:quote:RJM said.....The big mistake Red Sox management failed to calculate when putting the current team together is chemistry
I agree with the chemistry observation. Certainly there are bright spots on this team, and there are "less than bright spots". Another aspect to the chemistry observation is LEADERSHIP. It is really not clear to me who was leading this team from a player perspective. It is true that I don't see or hear what happens in the locker room, but what happened on the field was inexcuseable. There are many veteran players on that team. The closest thing I saw to leadership was Pedrioa. He led by example, and had the will to win. I didn't see that will to win & fight in anyone else. What I saw was a team that was complacent and not hungry when it mattered most. Unfortunetly, some of those players will still be under contract. On a positive note, some of those players services will no longer be needed. I just hope and pray that the front office doesn't do anything stupid by firing Francona. That would be a huge mistake IMHO.