2008 Playoff Thread

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.

tolosenc

MLB Gameday sucks ASS!

Redsoxfan

Oh dear. The Sox start badly-giving up an early run and leaving men on base.

Then, in the 3rd inning, BJ Upton makes a further claim for playoff MVP (if it existed).

Lester, the Great White Hope, is having an off day.

And so go the WS hopes I fear...

zuutroy

Strange to see Lester being knocked around....

chicoben

I'm almost near tears here. Rocco Baldelli can't even throw the ball right with his illness and all and even he's thumping it out. Ugh.

wyk

zuutroy wrote: »

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

You see the last game? THAT was some good pitching! I laughed my ass off when I saw Victorino vehemently state something along the lines of "I know the beaner is coming, but please plug me in the middle! Ya don't need to kill me!"

I won't be surprised if Martin is a bit shy at bat in the next game.

http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200810133614819

And here I was disappointed at the play from the Japanese constituents in the playoffs so far...

WYK

wyk

Dear Lord! I am a HUGE fan of Wakefield, and especially knuckle ball pitchers. That last display is not gonna help their cause in the least! Yeouch! 13-4?

WYK

christeb

I know, strong possibility it'll be his last outing with the Sox too...

tolosenc

NOT GOOD.

The Sox don't have it in them to take the next one at Fenway as well as both of the games in St. Petersburg. It may go to 7, but my money's on 6.

Phillies to clinch tonight.

Redsoxfan

I predicted Rays in 7, but agree with the previous poster-hard to see this going all the way now.

Not surprised that Wake got knocked around-it happens-when he is good he is very very good, when he is bad etc. But Lester and to a certain extent Beckett were surprisingly bad as well. No hitting either.

Rays have put Kazmir in for the next game at Fenway-Shields has a horrible record at Fenway, and Kazmir had a run-in with the umpire for Game 6 earlier this year. Shrewd management? Maybe. But maybe a ray of light for the Sox...Matsuzaka should be favoured to win Game 5, and sure we'll see after that.

Hard to see past a Rays WS win at this point-only Shane Victorino can stop them!

juvenal

The Sox look lethargic, and in fairness to the Rays, they're playing some outstanding baseball at the moment. Not enough of Boston's go-to men are performing, Big Papi, Pedroia, the pitching staff.

I wouldn't be surprised to see the Rays take the series in Fenway tomorrow night tbh.