2008 Playoff Thread

Redsoxfan

It starts tonight (with a 1 game playoff)

Minnesota (Blackburn) @ Chicago (Danks)

I take Minnesota, despite not seeing much of either team. After Guillen's inane comments about tonight's starter last week, I hope Minnesota does for the White Sox amd sets up what could be an exciting and unexpected ALDS with the Rays. The enterprising Twins will find a way around the limited White Sox and go on to Tampa.

ALDS

Boston v. LA Angels of Anaheim

Red Sox: 1-8 v. LAA this year. But Boston owns LA in the playoffs lately. Boson has injuries to key players (Drew, Lowell,....Beckett???) and is the away team. Dicey-Ks luck to run out at some stage.

Still. Johnny Lester to win on the road, and then Beckett to turn into his usual October self and put the Angels in a 2-1 hole, with Wake, Byrd, Materson and whoever else to seal the series 3-1 for the Red Sox. None of LAAs SPs scare me in the playoffs. I saw Scott Shields cough up some big games this year (anyone see that Yankee Stadium game?), and K-Rod gave it up big time at Fenway last October (even if it was to Manny).

On the other hand, this feels a little like 2005 when the Sox were defending champs and were swept by the White Sox in the first round. If Beckett isn't healthy, all bets are off.

Minnesota v. Tampa Bay

Due to the fact that the Sox games this week are on the West Coast and start at stupid o'clock, I could end up watching more of this series. The Rays have the pitching and the hitting. Neither team really has any experience (the Twins probably have the edge with Mauer, Morneau and Nathan in that respect) while the Rays can only really counter with Percival. The Rays were neither too hot or too cold in September, both teams played really well in key series against the Red and White Sox respectively, but I have to give it to the Rays in 5.

NLDS

Milwaukee v. Philadelphia

I like the Phillies to sweep, based on experience, bats and the fact that CC can't pitch every day (or can he?) or that the Phillies will make him throw as many pitches as possible. Gallardo in Game 1 is an intriguing prospect, but I think the Brew Crew may have expended too much emotion and energy to get them this far-but then again I probably said the same thing about the Rockies last year...

LA Dodgers v. Chicago Cubs

Ho-hum. The Dodgers have the best manager in the NL playoffs, the most clutch pitcher and the most dangerous hitter. But that can't compensate for the fact that the Cubs have been outstanding all year and have a look of 'destiny' about them this year and have more talent in more positions than LA. Will be interesting to see if the Cubs pitch to Manny at all. I like the Cubs in 4, with D-Lowe to get the win for LA .

Redsoxfan

Oh darn. ChiSox beat Minny.

I stick with the Rays in the ALDS.

wyk

I'll be cheering them on since I have mvp tickets to the playoff game tomorrow

Weather's nice here in Huntington Beach, too.

WYK

juvenal

Angels - Red Sox; as much as I hate to say it, I think the Angels in perhaps four, due to the regular season match-ups, K-rod, and the injury issue to some Red Sox key personnel. Boston can still field an excellent team, but I think the Angels are stronger at the moment.

White Sox - Rays; Despite perhaps their momentum slowing a touch, I think the Rays will shade this.

Brewers - Phillies; I'll go for the Brewers, as I feel Sabathia is worth at least one win, and they're strong enough to take the Phillies, despite their recent resurgence

Dodgers - Cubs; Despite Torre's experience, and Manny's slugging of late, I think it is the Cubs year, and I would love to see them going the distance on the 100th anniversary of their last World Series!

Redsoxfan

Mike Cameron just fluffed a tricky enough catch there-could be a turning point in Game 1. Live on NASN which is good and good to get an early game. Gallardo just after loading the bases....

juvenal

Phillies take the early initiative with a 3-1 win.

Game two tomorrow at 11pm Irish.

Dodgers @ Cubs starts at 11.30pm tonight Irish.

christeb

What a superb performance from Lester tonight - Lackey wasn't bad either! Greatr game - its worth the tiredness I currently feel! Now to make arrangements for Sat @ 3AM....

juvenal

Very surprised the BoSox pulled it off, especially away from home!

Great result; I went to bed at the bottom of the second as I had to go to the airport at 6am, but when I got up I watched Papelbon close out the game after the two insurance runs in top 9.

Roll on game 2.

Sea Devils

Would love to see a Dodgers-Angels World Series although I don't know about the Angels after last night

zuutroy

Great defense in the 8th to keep Boston in command. Actually found myself cheering for them for some bizarre reason. Vladdy looked like a pensioner chasing a bus heading to 3rd...Long gone are the days of 40 stolen bases!

Redsoxfan

Dan Wheeler is sure making the 9th interesting for the Rays.

No Percvial for the ALDS could be big.

Fair play to the Rays though-they get their first ever postseason win.

tolosenc

Redsoxfan wrote: »

Dan Wheeler is sure making the 9th interesting for the Rays.

No Percvial for the ALDS could be big.

Fair play to the Rays though-they get their first ever postseason win.

That and Evan Longoria is bound to pull something big, given the season he's had.

If the Sox take it tonight, it's goodnight Disneyland!

GO SOX!

lee_arama

I'd be a Rays fan insofar as they're the team I made the most money off during the season past.

I was generally happy with the odds I was being offered compared to what might have been the expected outcome of each match.

Just wish I had a roll big enough to take longer positions on leagues because I would have had a 100+ on the Rays for the World Series at 8-1 a few months back.

wyk

Here's the view we had from the mvp section for the first game. Now that I am back in Ireland, I'll have to settle for nasn:

eagle eye

Super Red Sox. Roll on Fenway.

Redsoxfan

wyk wrote: »

Here's the view we had from the mvp section for the first game. Now that I am back in Ireland, I'll have to settle for nasn:

Nice. Is that Masterson on the mound?

Roll On Sox-let's go for the sweep (again). The Angels can play the Cubbies for the choke championship.

juvenal

Redsoxfan wrote: »

Nice. Is that Masterson on the mound?

Roll On Sox-let's go for the sweep (again). The Angels can play the Cubbies for the choke championship.

It does indeed look like Masterson with the high socks - nice photo!

I have to say I'm looking at 1-3 with my divisional series predictions although I'm delighted with the Red Sox , I feel sorry for the Cubs as I'd love to see them win the WS 100 years on. Unless they're going to go BoSox 2004 from here, I think they'll be swept.

Fastastic game last night in Anaheim. I stayed up until the 4th, and then caught from end 6 onwards this morning. JD Drew stepping up to the plate, what a bomb and especially coming off so few at-bats. Back to Fenway now for perhaps a sweep. That's the Angels 0-12 I think in their last twelve postseason games against the Red Sox.:eek:

califano

Come on Cubbies!. 2-0 down is a bit of a jam but i fully expect ace Rich Harden help get them on the board.

Cubbies going all the way this year etc etc.............:pac:

zuutroy

juvenal wrote: »

Fastastic game last night in Anaheim. I stayed up until the 4th, and then caught from end 6 onwards this morning. JD Drew stepping up to the plate, what a bomb and especially coming off so few at-bats. Back to Fenway now for perhaps a sweep. That's the Angels 0-12 I think in their last twelve postseason games against the Red Sox.:eek:

I just watched the condensed game this morning. Anyone who says baseball is boring needs to watch that game...Fantastic entertainment. Sucks not being able to watch them live. Thats a great pic wyk..Very jealous. Hope I can get to some games next year..been far too long

Sea Devils

Think the Phillies are under the radar just a little. Even though they lost last night they should finish off the Brewers and advance. And they'll have home field advantage against the Dodgers.

zuutroy

Cubs were so bad....

mickger

zuutroy wrote: »

Cubs were so bad....

Really awful in the 3 games. Look at all the guys they got on base last night and could only manage 1 run. Hopefully a Red Sox v Dodgers series with Manny going back to Fenway.

zuutroy

Rain delay in one of the few games on early enough to watch

tolosenc

NASN Freeview died just before the Sox game.

Freaked!

christeb

Got up at 1.30AM to catch the Sox game, from the 3rd inning onwards. It was painful watching Beckett, he was all over the place.

Went to bed at 5.30AM just after Aybar stroked the eventual game-winning single to score Mike Napoli, top of the 12th. Really think Lester needs to come up big again tonight, I don't fancy our chances back in Anaheim in a decider.

Also a good win for the White Sox, would like to see them beat the Rays but still don't see in happening.

christeb

Redsoxfan wrote: »

Nice. Is that Masterson on the mound?

Roll On Sox-let's go for the sweep (again). The Angels can play the Cubbies for the choke championship.

Brilliant photo :-)

Redsoxfan

Wow. BJ Upton sending the Pale Hose to the brink with his second HR of the game.

Worrying stuff from the Red Sox last night-especially Beckett. Lester needs to get it done tonight as I just don't like the thought of it all riding on Dicey K-even if he has been our luckiest pitcher all year.

wyk

christeb wrote: »

Brilliant photo :-)

Thanks. Here's Chone Figgins up at bat.


WYK

juvenal

YOU FECKING BEAUTY!!!:D

Huge play by Varitek in top 9 to tag Willits on the squeeze play, and not let the Angels get in front. I thought for definite once they drew level that they'd beat us in extras and bring it back to LA.

Jason Bay is showing his worth to this team time and time again, if that ball had remained in the park on Willits diving attempt, it could easily have been an inside the park homer. Then the huge jump he got off second on Lowrie's single made sure he had the time to dive into home plate.

Great game, especially considering the low scoring, but fantastic cat-and-mouse.

Bring on the Rays, should be a great series, although I'm still playing the underdog and wouldn't bet against the Rays based on regular season and the series against the White Sox. Coco will be raring to go after the ruckus earlier in the season!

wyk

mickger wrote: »

Really awful in the 3 games. Look at all the guys they got on base last night and could only manage 1 run. Hopefully a Red Sox v Dodgers series with Manny going back to Fenway.

I was really hoping the Cubs would do well, actually. But when yer playing like it's spring training, it's hard to get behind em:

http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200810033586736

I can't find the one play where the 2nd baseman banked the ball off the runner's hand trying for 2. Anyone know?

WYK

zuutroy

I really don't like the squeeze attempt. Just take your chances of gettin some air under the ball. Exciting stuff though

tolosenc

Varitek had him. If he didn't think so, he'd of thrown it. In that position, I probably would have thrown to 3rd and tried to catch him in a run down.

wyk

zuutroy wrote: »

I really don't like the squeeze attempt. Just take your chances of gettin some air under the ball. Exciting stuff though

Aybar is purdy good at bunting, tho. The chances were good. He just..uh...missed.

WYK

zuutroy

wyk wrote: »

Aybar is purdy good at bunting, tho. The chances were good. He just..uh...missed.

WYK

Well the Red Sox infield is pretty sharp, so I think the squeeze is sorta putting your head in the lion's mouth. I think if you squeezed 100 times and tried to hit a fly ball 100 times you'd score the run more often with the fly.

Redsoxfan

FFS-NASN goes on the blink just as the 9th was being shown again. And instead of seeing the analysis on Around The Horn, they are now showing something narrated by Powers Boothe

"Look at this Ted, shoddy workmanship! Cowboys I tell ya, cowboys!"

wyk

zuutroy wrote: »

Well the Red Sox infield is pretty sharp, so I think the squeeze is sorta putting your head in the lion's mouth. I think if you squeezed 100 times and tried to hit a fly ball 100 times you'd score the run more often with the fly.

Sharp uh? Varitek only barely tagged the guy out... and then he dropped the ball. Had the bunt been made, they woulda scored, and maybe even had a guy on first with that sort of fielding.

I know the Phillies and Rays can beat the Reds, but I think it would be much more enjoyable to see Manny and the Dodgers hammer em. We'll have to wait... stranger things have happened...

WYK

Redsoxfan

wyk wrote: »

I know the Phillies and Rays can beat the Reds, but I think it would be much more enjoyable to see Manny and the Dodgers hammer em. We'll have to wait... stranger things have happened...

Cincinatti you mean?

LOL-Beckett to throw at Manny in Game 1 of the WS and then he'll pull a hammy running to first given how much of an effort he makes now that he has got out of Boston.

And the Phillies? When 50% of your starting rotation in the NLDS was Joe Blanton and Jamie Moyer, then I predict bad things sooner rather than later.

Anyway....

Los Angeles v. Philadephia

Given how easily the Dodgers disposed of those lovable losers, you would think they should have no trouble with the pitching challenged Phillies (see above). However, Cole Hamels and Brett Myers were pretty impressive in their 2 starts, they may have the better hitters (well, in the near past if not the here and now), and you could argue that the Cubs were so awful in the DS that the Nationals could have beaten them, but I like LA (Manny, D-Lowe, Torre etc.) LA in 6.

Boston v. Tampa Bay

You never know what you are going to get with Tim Wakefield, but I guess the reasons for using him over Byrd are fairly sound. Still, I have to believe that Tampa Bay would have to lose Games 2 and 4 rather than the Red Sox win them , if you know what I mean. And as for Game 1, well, I guess it comes down to whether Dice-K can avoid 'nibbling' and maintain his highly impressive road form. As long as the offense doesn't let him down, you'd have to like Lester and Games 2 and 5, especially if Kazmir's form continues along the same vein as recent starts (although he has killed the Sox in the past). Like the Dodgers, I think the Sox are here due in large part to the ineptness of their opponents on the DS, and with the questions around Beckett, the injury to Lowell, and the fact that the Rays have hardly put a foot wrong all year, makes me pick the Rays, in 7, with plenty of drama.

Sea Devils

Half of me wants to see ther Red Sox play the Dodgers in the WS because of the Manny factor but the other half of me wants the Rays to go on and finish the job and shut everyone up who said they'd fade come the all-star break, then in September, then in the 1st round of the play-offs........

zuutroy

Damn Dodger pitching...Do we really have to see the Phillies in the World Series....?

zuutroy

Wow Manny is impressive. Gamechanger! Some power to take one in on the fists like that.

eagle eye

An exhibition in pitching on both sides tonight but Matsuzaka only gave up two hits and the Red Sox finally end that hoodoo we had in Tampa all season. Hopefully Beckett and Lester finish the job early now.

juvenal

Fantastic performance by the Red Sox pitching staff tonight, with Dice-K going through a six-inning no-hitter, and getting out of a jam in the 7th before facing the first two batters in the 8th. The Sox shut out the Rays and held them to four hits in total through nine innings. Okajima, Masterson and Papelbon came in in 8.0, 8.1 and 9.0 respectively to retire all the batters they faced.

Lowrie and Youkilis RBI'ed Pedroia and Bay for the two runs.

Longoria will be kicking himself by grounding into a double-play with runners on the corners in the bottom of the eight to end the inning.

Red Sox 2 Rays 0

Tomorrow at 7.30pm ET (12.30am Irish) it's Game 2

Beckett v Kazmir.

lee_arama

TB had this locked up at so many occasions last night...

I too think they'll win out. Series has their name on it.

Redsoxfan

Fantastic win by the Sox. Real shift in momentum now, and if Beckett is on his game tonight, then it will be a long way back for the Rays. Francona sure took his chances leaving in Dice-K as long as he did, but who is to 2nd guess a guy with 2 rings? Sox experience could now be a factor.

juvenal

Just in from work, and the Home Run Derby is on in the Trop tonight.:D

5-5 in top fifth, with both Kazmir and Beckett giving up three home runs each! :eek:

juvenal

It was 5-3 to TB at bottom four when I came in, it's now 6-5 in top 5th with one out, after Pedroia, Youk and Bay all hit homers. Pedroia's second in two at bats - what a game!

christeb

Sox down 8-6 now, although getting through the bullpen (its deeeep)!

juvenal

Pedroia tied it up in the eight when he scored from third on a wild pitch/passed ball.

It's currently 8-8 in the top 11, and the gametime has just hit the 5hr mark :eek: I hope someone breaks the deadlock as it's 6.08am and I'm getting tired!

Monday's game in Fenway is at 4.37pm ET (9.37pm Irish), so hopefully a lot more can see it then.

juvenal

Thrilled that I stayed up for that :rolleyes:

Redsoxfan

Jeez that was complete crap. I couldn't believe my tired eyes when Beckett came back out after the 3HRs put the Sox up by 1. FFS-you have an off day, burn your bullpen-you would think that last night was the ideal time to use Byrd.

Francona really pulled a Grady.

If the Sox bring back Timlin next year I will lobby to have him euthanized.

Just as bad, where does last night leave the Sox re. a starter for Game 6 (if necessary)?

zuutroy

Pretty annoying that MLB.com can't manage to put together a condensed game when there's only one game played. Ended up watching the annoying recap thing where you know who won right at the start.