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AL East
Sept 28, 2011 22:52:24 GMT -5
Post by Hiram on Sept 28, 2011 22:52:24 GMT -5
The Cardinals put up a 5-spot in the first inning and never looked back, 8-0 in Houston. The Phillies dropped the Braves in 13 innings, 4-3. The Cardinals have climbed all the way back into the postseason. August 25 St. Louis was 10 1/2 games behind the Braves in the wild card race. They then went 23-9 to earn a right to enter the post-season. The Redbirds did it when it mattered the most. Nicely done.
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AL East
Sept 28, 2011 23:37:01 GMT -5
Post by Allen Wiener on Sept 28, 2011 23:37:01 GMT -5
I'm speechless! Simply one of the greatest nights of baseball I've ever witnessed; unprecedented! Congrats to all the winners, especially Tampa Bay and St. Louis, which fought hard all month to get here. For the Red Sox, it's a real puzzle; once again, many hits and few runs; once again a shaky bullpen; once again a big game blown by Paplebon; another key loss to a really poor team, although the Orioles looked like anything but losers tonight. That's more noise than we've had in Baltimore since 1983!
Now -- on to the postseason!!
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AL East
Sept 29, 2011 4:14:12 GMT -5
Post by Paul Sylvain on Sept 29, 2011 4:14:12 GMT -5
"Many hits and few runs" indeed. Do the math from their sole win in this series where the Sox scored eight runs to beat the O's 8-7. Take out the homers and the Sox lose 7-1! I've said it so many times this season, but especially this past month: the Sox can't play "small ball". They rely exclusively on the long ball. Result -- tons of people left on base in scoring position.
Last night's finish was so fitting. I spared myself the agony and went to bed at a point where the Sox were ahead and the Rays seemed to be going down big-time to the Yankees. When I saw the results this morning, I could only laugh and say, "Divine justice." The Rays deserve to go to the Show. The Red Sox deserved only what it got -- a long ride back to Boston.
So many games were squandered and lost by bad decisions by Francona. He has been more lucky than talented. Could a pink slip be far behind? He'll probably stay, but he really needs to be shown the door.
I have only three words to say:
Let's Go Rangers!
Paul
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AL East
Sept 29, 2011 9:28:20 GMT -5
Post by Allen Wiener on Sept 29, 2011 9:28:20 GMT -5
Ditto, Paul. Aside from Ellsbury's base stealing, I've seen little of that kind of strategy. I'm not sure who made what decisions, or what the overall injury picture was regarding the pitching staff, but it was lame all year. The bullpen did well most of the year, but fell badly in September along with the rest of the team (Poppi: 1 homer in September; Ellsbury: 3 stolen bases in September; Sox: few wins and many blown chances in September). Earl Weaver used to say that games are won with good pitching, sound defense, and 3-run homers. The Sox had the homers, but often with no one on base and, as you say, no small-ball to get men on base and move them along. I believe the pitching has been their most serious problem for 2 years at least. Take that 8-7 win over Baltimore the other night; it should have been a blowout, but the Sox let it nearly get away.
I'd say "Wait 'till next year," but unless some big decisions are made, especially re: pitching, I'm not convinced the result will be any different.
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AL East
Sept 29, 2011 10:35:22 GMT -5
Post by markpatrus on Sept 29, 2011 10:35:22 GMT -5
Well, the Braves blew it, AGAIN!
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AL East
Sept 29, 2011 11:09:06 GMT -5
Post by Allen Wiener on Sept 29, 2011 11:09:06 GMT -5
They were in good company with the Dead Sox! But, one team's collapse is another team's triumph. You really have to hand it to Tampa Bay for that miraculous comeback last night. Otherwise, the Red Sox loss wouldn't mean as much; they'd be heading for one game playoff with T.B (and would have then blown THAT game!). Same with St. Louis; they did their part with the 8-0 win over horrid Houston, while the Braves really did "brave" it out over 13 innings against the best team in baseball this year; the only team with 100+ wins, so no shame in that.
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AL East
Sept 29, 2011 15:32:17 GMT -5
Post by loucapitano on Sept 29, 2011 15:32:17 GMT -5
It was worth staying up til midnight to see those awsome endings. Just one more out and the Sox and Rays would be battling again this evening. As a Yankee fan I have a love/hate relationship with Boston. I respect and admire a number of their players and don't hold their collapse against Francona. But you Boston fans may know different. However, my entire family has never liked Paplebon, so it gave us a great feeling of satisfaction to watch him blow the game. What I especially liked about last night's games was the way each team fought hard and didn't give away a win even though it was meaningless. Baltimore played hard, and so did the Yanks. Hopefully we learned once and for all, never rely on Scott Proctor to save a game. He gave us two good innings, but you knew the Rays were just waiting for the "real" Proctor to show up. He didn't let them down. Now comes the Playoffs! Best wishes and Good luck to all the Fans. I expect this thread will get some spectacular use over the next few weeks.
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AL East
Sept 29, 2011 23:58:15 GMT -5
Post by Allen Wiener on Sept 29, 2011 23:58:15 GMT -5
I completely agree about last night Lou; I just loved it! Don't know how much is laid at Francona's door, but I think he's been a little slow on the trigger pulling bad pitchers and showed little imagination when the team was going down the tubes all month. How about shaking up the pitching rotation, at least for a while, by pulling dud starters like Lackey and Wakefield, sending them to the bullpen, and using some middle relievers as spot starters, starters who give you 3-4 innings and then bring in someone else. You can't do it forever, but at least it would have been a way to try to break out of the slump. Aside from that, a key problem was failing to execute with men on base. The bases loaded with one out dud in last night's 9th inning was a classic case. Also, the Sox got all the breaks last night; the balk call on the O's pitcher; the reversed "out" call at first on Elsbury's 9th inning hit, etc.
I also was VERY pleased that none of the teams who had nothing to really lose or gain, laid down or dogged it. The Phils battled all the way through 13 innings and that was only doing justice to St. Louis. Same for the Yanks and Os.
Now I'm looking forward to the playoffs and chatting about them here. Good luck to everyone and may the best team win!
My daugther lives in Boston and sees quite a few Sox players around from time to time, including Paplebon. She says he's a very nice, friendly guy and has no "star attitude." I have nothing personal against the guy, but I think he's been overrated and blown too many really important games. Paul may correct me here if I'm mistaken, but I think Pap has relied too much on his heat and has needed at least one (maybe two) other pitches to be really the stopper he thinks he is. Nonetheless, he was quite effective this year, for the most part, but there were too many 9th innings where he failed to come in and just get the 3 outs he needed; too many adventures where he allowed men on base and then escaped by the skin of his teeth.
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AL East
Oct 4, 2011 15:09:32 GMT -5
Post by Allen Wiener on Oct 4, 2011 15:09:32 GMT -5
Don't know how this game will turn out (but I bet I can guess), but Texas leads Tampa Bay 4-2 in the 8th; 3 of those 4 Texas runs came on 3 home runs by Adrian Beltre, the guy the Red Sox got rid of to make room for the overpaid, underachieving Mr. Crawford. This year, Beltre batted .296 with 32 homers and 105 RBI. Of course you'd get rid of a guy like that.
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AL East
Oct 5, 2011 15:57:30 GMT -5
Post by loucapitano on Oct 5, 2011 15:57:30 GMT -5
Yikes! Game 5 tomorrow night. All NY is buzzin today about AJ's amazing recovery and win last night. But the real heros are the defense, especially Granderson's game saving catches and some timely double-plays. Who knew the bats would finally wake up and actually hit with runners on base? Girardi fought for "home field advantage" in the last few days of the season and it might be the key factor should the Yanks win. I'll tell you one thing, it will be all hands on deck tomorrow, even if Rivera has to pitch more than two innings. But Texas in the ACDS will be a real meat grinder, and whichever team gets to the World Series will have truly earned it. I want to see Phili and Milwaukee in the ALDS, which I expect Philidelphia to win in six. Good luck to all you fans!
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AL East
Oct 5, 2011 16:34:53 GMT -5
Post by Allen Wiener on Oct 5, 2011 16:34:53 GMT -5
I'm still rooting for a Milwaukee-Detroit series, but I see that hope fading, now that the series has shifted back to NY. I'll still give the Phils an edge, but that game was mighty close and I'm sure not counting St. Louis out. And I wouldn't take a Milwaukee victory for granted either, although I still make them the favorite to beat out Arizona. Stay tuned!!
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Post by Paul Sylvain on Oct 6, 2011 8:12:16 GMT -5
LET'S GO, RANGERS!"
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AL East
Oct 6, 2011 11:42:27 GMT -5
Post by Allen Wiener on Oct 6, 2011 11:42:27 GMT -5
Paul - For the second year in a row, it looks like they will be our last hope to stop the Yankees. I don't envy Detroit tonight, but you never know. Too bad they didn't sew it up at home, but you have to give the danged Yanks credit. It ain't all money; there's something about that franchise; something nearly creepy! Anyway, yeah; go Rangers!
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AL East
Oct 6, 2011 23:01:04 GMT -5
Post by Hiram on Oct 6, 2011 23:01:04 GMT -5
We are now officially in the "Yankee-free post-season zone" and it feels great. While I respect the fans of the team, I don't care for the Yankee philosophy that AL pennants can be bought by spending over $200 million in payroll.
The Phillies have the second highest payroll in the bigs at $173 million, Tigers and Cardinals have a payroll of $105 million, the Brewers spent $85 million, and the D-Backs $53 million.
Two more decisive game fives tomorrow...should be some terrific baseball!
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Post by Allen Wiener on Oct 7, 2011 0:51:01 GMT -5
I have to say that this postseason, beginning really with that wild, final night of the regular season, has been terrific; maybe the best I can remember. I don't know how Detroit squeezed that victory out tonight, but it was one tense, nail-biting evening. The Yanks leaving 11 men on base boggles my mind, but anything's possible in postseason and in a 3-2 game. A teeny break here, a bit of strong breeze there and things might be different. The money does offend most fans, but it's a fact of life in all sports now. What I find a bit more objectionable about the Yankees is the Steinbrenner philosophy that, unless the team wins the World Series, the season is a failure. Can anyone honestly call the Yankees' season a failure? If I were a Yankees fan I'd find that objectionable and also a disservice to the players who played hard all year, accumulated the best record in the AL and the 2nd best in the Majors, had one player reach the 3,000 hit mark, while another became the all-time leader in saves. Ask the other teams - not a bad season at all. Now, it's on to the next round and we Yankee haters can bid them adieu for another year -- but perhaps with a tinge of regret, because somehow things just aren't the same without the Yankees.
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