Sox, Birds and the color Red

IMO post season is a whole other animal, and I do think that you have to sometimes over look some of the stats.

This is the time of the year when just about everyone is hurting, but not complaining and they live off of the adrenal that is created each game.  It's that way for both teams.

I expected that the Sox would win, they showed a kind of determination and they also seemed to have better chemistry, which I believe is the x factor in winning championships.

I think that a big mistake made by the Redbirds was that while they had very talented young players, they lacked the experience that was needed.  Not sure why an experienced Jack Westbrook was not of the roster and why Mujica was not seen in the post season. There is speculation he is hurt due to misuse.   

 

Wacha looked like a deer lost in the headlights last night, and for goodness sakes who uses a pitch one hadn't relied on (cb). 

 

Congrats to the Sox and to all of RSN!!!

They could have folded up several times.Their new closer Joel Hanrahan sported an 11 ERA before finally succumbing to Tommy John. He yielded to Andrew Bailey, traded from Oakland in 2012, who also imploded. Daniel Bard imploded in a fit of mediocrity, then the rock solid set up guy Andrew Miller blew out his elbow.

 

They kept calm and simply carried on with a new guy picking up the rest each game, until no opponents remained. A special season indeed and hte future looks just as bright with lots of young guys stepping up. Boegarts is really special and they have a bunch of young arms ready to break through. 

 

Wacha was a victim of increased familiarity by the Red Sox and hostile territory. Lester and Lackey were the old pros with superior skill sets. Wainwright is not the same guy he was before TJ.

Big Herd fan, and I got a kick out of his interview with Dan Shauhnessy as well as Cowherd's comment about Cherington and Farrell.   While I'm not a big Shauhnessy fan, his insight into whether the Red Sox are lightining in a bottle or sustainable team got me thinking.  http://espn.go.com/espnradio/play?id=9907850

 

I've looked at the contract side of this team (last night), and Sox are losing Ellsbury and Drew to expired contracts.  While I hope they sign Drew, I doubt they can sign Ellsbury at his price.   Signing Ellsbury at their price is another matter.   Starting pitching is back if they take a club option on Lester ( I assume they will).  So, all starting pitching is back and a lot of youth position players.   I like Cherrington's low key approach and he has made great decisions for the team.   So, why can't this be sustainable and the Sox challenge every year?  I see this very differently than Shauhnessy.

Think about how bad 2013 appeared a year ago. The future looked bright. But the present looked like a long year. With C, 1b and Cf or Rf question marks until free agency and trades are over who can tell about 2014? How good will Boegarts be next year? How will Middlebrooks rebound? Is Nava a .300 hitter or was it a career year? Is Bradley ready to start? They do have the pitching returning. And the minors is loaded with pitching. I've never cared for Shaughnessey. I feel he writes articles to gain reaction rather then being strait forward.

As one who remembers listening to every game of the 1967 World Series on a transistor radio at 8 years old (the pennant is hanging in JP's bedroom upstairs), all I can say is, congratulations Boston.

 

And to all you HSBBW Red Sox fans, I'm sincerely happy for you.

 

HOWEVER ....

 

Even though I'm in a good mood, handing out candy to all these cute trick-or-treaters, TPM: It's GO TIME!

 

I think that a big mistake made by the Redbirds was that while they had very talented young players, they lacked the experience that was needed.

OK, no doubt they were young, but come on ... they had enough talent to get to the WS for goodness' sake! Clearly there were no big mistakes. There may have been missed opportunities. But that dog won't hunt.

 

Not sure why an experienced Jack Westbrook was not of the roster and why Mujica was not seen in the post season. There is speculation he is hurt due to misuse.

Since I'm from Missouri, I'll ask you to show me published speculation that Mujica is "hurt due to misuse." And rumors from folks you happen to know don't count. There was no misuse. They used him as a closer. He lost it.

 

Wacha looked like a deer lost in the headlights last night, and for goodness sakes who uses a pitch one hadn't relied on (cb).

Agree he shouldn't have gone to the curve (as does he, today) ... but deer in the headlights? No way.

 

Congrats to the Sox and to all of RSN!!!

RSN? Wow, and ouch.

In the P-D today it says Mujica is suffering from shoulder fatigue and a groin injury. It"s also believed he will ask for more than the team is willing to pay as a free agent.

The cards also have a very bright future.....their pitching staff has all of those young arms and the farm system is loaded with even more young arms. They had enough talent to win it all but might have been a bit short on experience. This experience will serve them well in the years to come.

 

The cards farm system is the one that other teams are compared to----

 

 

http://bleacherreport.com/arti...-like-impact-in-2014

 

But does it say his condition results from misuse? That's just one heck of an accusation against any organization.

RSN is red sox nation.
No inside info jp read the post dispatch.

Matheny let mujica sit too long between games. Almost a week at one point then he pitches him  more than one inning in outings.
That's misuse.  He was wrong and he knew it. Who lets a fatigued closer sit on the bench when you need bats?
You can have all of the talent on the team if you don't know how to manage you will definetly have missed opportunities.
Wacha was new to the teams he played in the post season. As Dad04 suggest the second time around to the sox he wasn't new anymore.  He should have been replaced with a less familiar arm.  Why not use shelby miller?   He sat too long to be effective.  A waste of
a roster space wouldn't you agree?  They told people they shut him down but he was pitching in practice!
These players were my sons teammates we know them we rooted for them be careful of what you accuse. 
Most of all educate yourself on game management!
Misuse and mis management.

Win and your a hero. Lose and your a bum. 

 

Wacha pitched twice in the series that got the Cardinals there.  Dominated both times.  He was the Cardinals best pitcher in the post season.  Wonder what people would be saying had they decided not to use him again in the series?

 

Kind of a poorly played World Series.  Especially the mental mistakes.  Though the Cardinals won the game, the biggest disappointment was dogging it to first base on the dropped pop up and then getting thrown out rounding first base. You just don't expect a player to loaf in the World Series.

 

Red Sox deserved to win.  They got more clutch hits and more clutch pitching.  Big Papi had quite a run! Two teams, someone wins, the other loses. There's always a reason.