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1. Vin Middle
Posted: October 07, 2007 at 11:29 PM (#2566061)
Biggest thing for me: Manuel Ramirez is back and locked in. That was a classic Manny blast to center field...also classic Manny walk and stare up the 1st base line watching it fly.
Was Schilling really that good? I watched a bit and his stuff looked okay but nothing special. At least when Beckett shut them out he had disgusting stuff.
Is there any doubt now the Red Sox are going to the world series?
Is there any doubt now the Red Sox are going to the world series?
Is this some kind of reverse jinx? At some point they'll have to give Gagne some meaningful innings.
Seriously, though, the remaining teams all seem quite capable of beating them. The Rockies even took 2 of 3 in Fenway long before their season-end hot streak.
I like the combined batting line of Big Papi and Manny.
533/731/1333, 4 HRs and 11 BB
I've never seen them both completely locked in at the same time like they have been in this series. Beautiful to watch, though it doesn't create many chances for a close-fought series, I guess.
5. bibigon
Posted: October 07, 2007 at 11:58 PM (#2566202)
Is there any doubt now the Red Sox are going to the world series?
The fact that Schilling gutted out seven innings on 10 days rest, and that Matsuzaka almost made it through five innings doesn't fill me with certainty.
6. Darren
Posted: October 07, 2007 at 11:58 PM (#2566203)
Kyle,
Schilling did not look good early on. They were hitting the ball hard off of him, but at people. Later, he seemed to hit his stride a bit. Not a dominant performance (and not close to Beckett's) but a pretty good one.
7. 1k5v3L
Posted: October 08, 2007 at 12:05 AM (#2566239)
I really cannot imagine how any team out there will beat the Red Sox in a best of seven series. They are the overwhelming favorites to win the world series. Congrats to the Sox for bouncing back from last year's disaster, and congrats to their fans.
Schilling got his career postseason ERA down to 1.93, bumped his record to 9-2. That's incredible.
I doubt he'll be able to keep the ERA under 2 this postseason - his fastball / split / slider combo is so susceptible to the long ball. But that he pulled it off again in the postseason, and with such marginal stuff, that's pretty incredible.
9. Mike Emeigh
Posted: October 08, 2007 at 12:06 AM (#2566248)
Is there any doubt now the Red Sox are going to the world series?
Sure there is. Sabathia and Carmona are good pitchers who had solid outings against the Red Sox this year. Dice-K did not fare well against the Indians his first time out against them, although he was outstanding the second time. The Red Sox won five of seven against the Tribe, but most of the games were close and hard-fought (including two 1-0 affairs, one each way). I think that series will be tough.
I don't see the Red Sox as particular favorites against either the Yankees or Indians. Home field adds a few percentage points, but those are both really good teams, and the Indians are particularly well-built for the postseason.
I don't see the Red Sox as particular favorites against either the Yankees or Indians. Home field adds a few percentage points, but those are both really good teams, and the Indians are particularly well-built for the postseason.
My thoughts exactly - the Red Sox are the favorite, but only inasmuch as they have home field.
Was Schilling really that good? I watched a bit and his stuff looked okay but nothing special. At least when Beckett shut them out he had disgusting stuff.
Schilling doesn't have great stuff anymore, but when he has his A command he is a very good bet for a quality start. He had his A command today, and the results while probably better than you would expect from him, it's not a lot more than you would expect. 6 innings 2 runs, would have been my guess if I knew what kind of command he would have.
14. Phil Coorey.
Posted: October 08, 2007 at 12:21 AM (#2566323)
Nice try Levski. :)
Indians scare me and if the Yankees come back,they will be on a frigging huge roll.
Congratulations to the Sox, management and their fans. Good luck in the next round.
16. Hugh Jorgan
Posted: October 08, 2007 at 02:32 AM (#2566811)
"Is there any doubt now the Red Sox are going to the world series?"
Sure, there's always some doubt. However at this stage we are clear favourites as NY starting pitching is average at best and Cleveland can be taken in 6 games. The Rockies, who the heck mentioned the Rockies? They are a great story, but I'd love to take them on in the series, I see us taking that in 5.
17. tfbg9
Posted: October 08, 2007 at 02:53 AM (#2566836)
If the Sox face the NYY's in the 2007 ALCS, I'm not so sure they'll be favored.
18. bibigon
Posted: October 08, 2007 at 03:17 AM (#2566869)
If the Sox face the NYY's in the 2007 ALCS, I'm not so sure they'll be favored.
Not sure they should be favored, or not sure they will be?
I'm almost certain they will be - whether they should be is an open question.
19. Hugh Jorgan
Posted: October 08, 2007 at 03:41 AM (#2566889)
"I'm almost certain they will be - whether they should be is an open question"
I was thinking the other way. The bookies may not like us, but I'd rather have our team in a 7 game series. No-one can match Beckett and I think Shilling's performance today is more indicative of what to expect then the regular season. So that's 2 starters where we have a big advantage. For once we have them in the closer department and I'd rather have Oki and Delcarmen then Joba and whoever else they are throwing out there in middle relief. Besides they've taken one game off of Cleveland and their power source right now is....Damon?! Ortiz and Manny are dialed in and the supporting cast is doing its job.
20. Chip
Posted: October 08, 2007 at 03:52 AM (#2566896)
Pitch-to-contact Schilling is fine against an already sucky, depleted Angels lineup that lost its cleanup hitter after his first AB. Junkballing pitch-to-contact Schilling against the Cleveland or New York lineups? I'm scared.
21. PJ Martinez
Posted: October 08, 2007 at 04:01 AM (#2566905)
"I'd rather have Oki and Delcarmen then Joba and whoever else they are throwing out there in middle relief."
This is where you lost me.
I expect Boston will get favored by Vegas no matter what, given that they just swept their opponent. But I'm not a betting man, and don't know much about these things.
23. bibigon
Posted: October 08, 2007 at 04:35 AM (#2566926)
I expect Boston will get favored by Vegas no matter what, given that they just swept their opponent. But I'm not a betting man, and don't know much about these things.
The Red Sox are currently heavy favorites to win the World Series (38.5% - more than double any other team), and about 59% to take the pennant.
Now that 59% might be coming almost entirely from the times when Boston faces Cleveland, but I doubt it. The Red Sox will open as favorites against New York, and probably strong favorites against Cleveland.
In the World Series, the Red Sox seem could possibly lose the first game, and still be favored to win, given the kinds of odds I'm seeing. The NL is being given even less shot than I'd have expected.
As usual, I'd tend to bet against the Red Sox and the Yankees here, given the odds being offered.
24. bibigon
Posted: October 08, 2007 at 04:39 AM (#2566927)
That series was closer than it appeared
This I agree with as well. The game was in doubt for 7 innings today, and for 9 innings yesterday. Beckett's game was a nail biter for me for the first eight innings, but they did take a 4-0 lead after three, so that may have been an overreaction.
25. Dan
Posted: October 08, 2007 at 04:56 AM (#2566935)
Obviously there's nothing given, but after watching this team all year, it really seemed like a crazy good team. They "only" got 96 wins, but their pythag was 101 wins, and they underscored their component stats anyway. Looking at a team with this kind of OPS and ERA, etc, you really would expect a team to win 105 or so games. And so to me, I've felt since pretty early in the season that I wanted to see this team win it all. Obviously game to game and even series to series anything can happen, and with baseball the favored team is still only percentage points over 50% to win a given series with teams of the quality of NY and Cleveland. But this team is the best team I've ever rooted for, and it's not even close. Hopefully the results will bear that out.
26. Phil Coorey.
Posted: October 08, 2007 at 05:27 AM (#2566949)
The series was closer than it appeared
27. Dave Bell
Posted: October 08, 2007 at 05:36 AM (#2566950)
Hey Phil - How is Lu doing? How long till the big day?
28. Phil Coorey.
Posted: October 08, 2007 at 05:57 AM (#2566953)
Hey Phil - How is Lu doing? How long till the big day?
We are ready to go now, but hopefully it will be a couple of weeks.
I think she almost went onto labor after Manny's HR on Saturday, but who didn't!
How you been? Been watching the games on FOX 3?? It keeps me away from chatter, but I can't pass up baseball on the plasma, because it hardly ever happens!!!
29. Dave Bell
Posted: October 08, 2007 at 06:10 AM (#2566956)
Nice one! I've been mainly following on the play by play sites, because I can't really watch at work, but I'll take a couple of days off during the division series. Just hope the yankees get ko'd tomorrow... might make up for the worst world cup ever...
30. Phil Coorey.
Posted: October 08, 2007 at 06:16 AM (#2566958)
Games One and Two are on Saturday and Sunday Mornings coming up - sweet!!!
We are having a party and you are invited, though the plane and two hour trip inland could be a problem....
Australia lost the rugby - meh
31. Hugh Jorgan
Posted: October 08, 2007 at 06:27 AM (#2566960)
Phil,
we lost the rugby because we hung on too long to players that overachieved at the last world cup...and our scrum was sh-t. The kiwis on the other hand just choked.
32. Phil Coorey.
Posted: October 08, 2007 at 06:34 AM (#2566964)
Phil,
we lost the rugby because we hung on too long to players that overachieved at the last world cup...and our scrum was sh-t. The kiwis on the other hand just choked.
Trust me - I am not upset about losing in the rugby. I stopped being serious when they signed Lote, Sailor and Rogers. We never needed them...
The last French try was off a forward pass by a good metre. Pretty unfair, but they had their chance to win it as well towards the end.
33. Dave Bell
Posted: October 08, 2007 at 06:34 AM (#2566965)
Love to come up for the party but I blew all my frequent flyers taking the girl to melbourne a month or so ago. Saving all our pennies for a move to newcastle in the new year at the moment.
34. Dave Bell
Posted: October 08, 2007 at 06:37 AM (#2566966)
Agreed Hugh. I was so angry on sat night, but I'm over it now. It was an absolutely terrible game of rugby. Now i have to resort to backing the Argies...
35. baudib
Posted: October 08, 2007 at 07:24 AM (#2566972)
Just give them the trophy NOW!
36. Phil Coorey.
Posted: October 08, 2007 at 09:19 AM (#2566981)
Agreed Hugh. I was so angry on sat night, but I'm over it now. It was an absolutely terrible game of rugby. Now i have to resort to backing the Argies...
I think the point isn't that the two teams, overall, played at a similar level, but that the games themselves were close for quite a while. Even though the Red Sox outscored the Angels 19-4, Game 2 was a toss-up until the 9th, and Game 3 was close, with Schilling walking right up to the edge of the cliff for seven innings, but never missing location when it really mattered.
The Angels really should have won Game 2. Coco (That stupid notJacoby) made that giant F!@#up on the bases, and if Anderson doesn't make that baserunning error (Daisuke gets knocked out earlier), the kid doens't catch that ball (we dont' score that 3rd run), K-Rod holds the line (either Angels win outright or goes to extras), Gagne then comes out... it's 1-1 going back to Anaheim. Completely differnet story.
In game 3... the Angels get a couple of scratch runs, tie game, and then if Scosia uses Saunders instead of Oliver, the bleeding stops, and then all of a sudden it's 4-2, the top of the order against Hideki (who didn't have much today either).
The Angels failed to score in 25 of 27 innings. Make that 25 out of 26 innings that mattered. That was the story. Period.
42. villageidiom
Posted: October 08, 2007 at 02:02 PM (#2567070)
I don't see the Red Sox as particular favorites against either the Yankees or Indians. Home field adds a few percentage points, but those are both really good teams, and the Indians are particularly well-built for the postseason.
Had their series ended yesterday I'd agree. If it ends tonight, I might still agree. But if they go 5 games the Indians are pretty likely to be using Sabathia, and the Yankees likely to use Wang. In that case those pitchers only go twice in the ALCS if it goes 7 games, or if they pitch on short rest.
And I don't think they can get it to go 7 games if those pitchers don't start twice on normal rest before Game 7. They'll be able to throw their other good pitcher out there against Beckett twice, and possibly win one of those two. Sabathia/Wang would go against Schilling. And they'd have to put their soft underbelly of starters up against some combo of Matsuzaka (well-rested) and maybe Lester/Wakefield. Despite the occasional struggles of those pitchers I like that matchup* for Boston. I think Boston wins in 6, at most.
*Unless it's the Yankees, and they've replaced Clemens with Hughes. Then all bets are off.
43. Rough Carrigan
Posted: October 08, 2007 at 02:47 PM (#2567134)
I wasn't in the game thread, so I don't know if this was commented on there, but did anyone else think that Runge's strike zone in game 3 was flat out bizarre?
For the first 7 innings, Runge called the old late 90's Maddux-Glavine 30 inch wide plate zone. Then, when Okajima came into the game it totally changed. Oki threw a curve that bisected the zone and got called a ball. He threw a few fastballs easily as good as some that got calls for Weaver and Schilling. Nope. Balls. Then Runge squeezed Gagne too.
I've never seen a strike zone that big for 7 innings suddenly become that small in the 8th and 9th.
For the first 7 innings, Runge called the old late 90's Maddux-Glavine 30 inch wide plate zone. Then, when Okajima came into the game it totally changed. Oki threw a curve that bisected the zone and got called a ball. He threw a few fastballs easily as good as some that got calls for Weaver and Schilling. Nope. Balls. Then Runge squeezed Gagne too.
I've never seen a strike zone that big for 7 innings suddenly become that small in the 8th and 9th.
Man I need to come up with a new gag, because i've got nothin' beyond "Strike zone is not the only thing OKajima has smaller"
The Angels really should have won Game 2. Coco (That stupid notJacoby) made that giant F!@#up on the bases, and if Anderson doesn't make that baserunning error (Daisuke gets knocked out earlier), the kid doens't catch that ball (we dont' score that 3rd run), K-Rod holds the line (either Angels win outright or goes to extras), Gagne then comes out... it's 1-1 going back to Anaheim. Completely differnet story.
Yes, that is a completely different story. ;)
Honestly, I thought the series was a rather low-pressure affair, one that I was fairly confident the Sox would win after Beckett's Game 1 mastery.
46. Phil Coorey.
Posted: October 09, 2007 at 12:45 AM (#2568218)
The Angels really should have won Game 2. Coco (That stupid notJacoby) made that giant F!@#up on the bases, and if Anderson doesn't make that baserunning error (Daisuke gets knocked out earlier), the kid doens't catch that ball (we dont' score that 3rd run), K-Rod holds the line (either Angels win outright or goes to extras), Gagne then comes out... it's 1-1 going back to Anaheim. Completely differnet story.
Wok, will you ever be happy??
I wasn't that upset after the Coco blunder, compared to the Lowell error in the 8th. I always thought we would break the 3-3 tie sooner or later.
47. Enrico Pallazzo
Posted: October 09, 2007 at 02:04 AM (#2568640)
6-1 Tribe with 12 outs to go. Perez, Betancourt, Borowski (*shudder*) should nail it down.
Reader Comments and Retorts
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Statements posted here are those of our readers and do not represent the BaseballThinkFactory. Names are provided by the poster and are not verified. We ask that posters follow our submission policy. Please report any inappropriate comments.
1. Vin Middle Posted: October 07, 2007 at 11:29 PM (#2566061)Bring on Carbathia!
Is there any doubt now the Red Sox are going to the world series?
Is this some kind of reverse jinx? At some point they'll have to give Gagne some meaningful innings.
Seriously, though, the remaining teams all seem quite capable of beating them. The Rockies even took 2 of 3 in Fenway long before their season-end hot streak.
533/731/1333, 4 HRs and 11 BB
I've never seen them both completely locked in at the same time like they have been in this series. Beautiful to watch, though it doesn't create many chances for a close-fought series, I guess.
The fact that Schilling gutted out seven innings on 10 days rest, and that Matsuzaka almost made it through five innings doesn't fill me with certainty.
Schilling did not look good early on. They were hitting the ball hard off of him, but at people. Later, he seemed to hit his stride a bit. Not a dominant performance (and not close to Beckett's) but a pretty good one.
I doubt he'll be able to keep the ERA under 2 this postseason - his fastball / split / slider combo is so susceptible to the long ball. But that he pulled it off again in the postseason, and with such marginal stuff, that's pretty incredible.
Sure there is. Sabathia and Carmona are good pitchers who had solid outings against the Red Sox this year. Dice-K did not fare well against the Indians his first time out against them, although he was outstanding the second time. The Red Sox won five of seven against the Tribe, but most of the games were close and hard-fought (including two 1-0 affairs, one each way). I think that series will be tough.
-- MWE
My thoughts exactly - the Red Sox are the favorite, but only inasmuch as they have home field.
Schilling doesn't have great stuff anymore, but when he has his A command he is a very good bet for a quality start. He had his A command today, and the results while probably better than you would expect from him, it's not a lot more than you would expect. 6 innings 2 runs, would have been my guess if I knew what kind of command he would have.
Indians scare me and if the Yankees come back,they will be on a frigging huge roll.
ALCS will be real tough.
Sure, there's always some doubt. However at this stage we are clear favourites as NY starting pitching is average at best and Cleveland can be taken in 6 games. The Rockies, who the heck mentioned the Rockies? They are a great story, but I'd love to take them on in the series, I see us taking that in 5.
Not sure they should be favored, or not sure they will be?
I'm almost certain they will be - whether they should be is an open question.
I was thinking the other way. The bookies may not like us, but I'd rather have our team in a 7 game series. No-one can match Beckett and I think Shilling's performance today is more indicative of what to expect then the regular season. So that's 2 starters where we have a big advantage. For once we have them in the closer department and I'd rather have Oki and Delcarmen then Joba and whoever else they are throwing out there in middle relief. Besides they've taken one game off of Cleveland and their power source right now is....Damon?! Ortiz and Manny are dialed in and the supporting cast is doing its job.
This is where you lost me.
I expect Boston will get favored by Vegas no matter what, given that they just swept their opponent. But I'm not a betting man, and don't know much about these things.
The Red Sox are currently heavy favorites to win the World Series (38.5% - more than double any other team), and about 59% to take the pennant.
Now that 59% might be coming almost entirely from the times when Boston faces Cleveland, but I doubt it. The Red Sox will open as favorites against New York, and probably strong favorites against Cleveland.
In the World Series, the Red Sox seem could possibly lose the first game, and still be favored to win, given the kinds of odds I'm seeing. The NL is being given even less shot than I'd have expected.
As usual, I'd tend to bet against the Red Sox and the Yankees here, given the odds being offered.
This I agree with as well. The game was in doubt for 7 innings today, and for 9 innings yesterday. Beckett's game was a nail biter for me for the first eight innings, but they did take a 4-0 lead after three, so that may have been an overreaction.
We are ready to go now, but hopefully it will be a couple of weeks.
I think she almost went onto labor after Manny's HR on Saturday, but who didn't!
How you been? Been watching the games on FOX 3?? It keeps me away from chatter, but I can't pass up baseball on the plasma, because it hardly ever happens!!!
We are having a party and you are invited, though the plane and two hour trip inland could be a problem....
Australia lost the rugby - meh
we lost the rugby because we hung on too long to players that overachieved at the last world cup...and our scrum was sh-t. The kiwis on the other hand just choked.
we lost the rugby because we hung on too long to players that overachieved at the last world cup...and our scrum was sh-t. The kiwis on the other hand just choked.
Trust me - I am not upset about losing in the rugby. I stopped being serious when they signed Lote, Sailor and Rogers. We never needed them...
The last French try was off a forward pass by a good metre. Pretty unfair, but they had their chance to win it as well towards the end.
That would be amazing if they won it.
For the series:
BOS: .269/.369/.495
LAA: .192/.250/.253
I think the point isn't that the two teams, overall, played at a similar level, but that the games themselves were close for quite a while. Even though the Red Sox outscored the Angels 19-4, Game 2 was a toss-up until the 9th, and Game 3 was close, with Schilling walking right up to the edge of the cliff for seven innings, but never missing location when it really mattered.
In game 3... the Angels get a couple of scratch runs, tie game, and then if Scosia uses Saunders instead of Oliver, the bleeding stops, and then all of a sudden it's 4-2, the top of the order against Hideki (who didn't have much today either).
And I don't think they can get it to go 7 games if those pitchers don't start twice on normal rest before Game 7. They'll be able to throw their other good pitcher out there against Beckett twice, and possibly win one of those two. Sabathia/Wang would go against Schilling. And they'd have to put their soft underbelly of starters up against some combo of Matsuzaka (well-rested) and maybe Lester/Wakefield. Despite the occasional struggles of those pitchers I like that matchup* for Boston. I think Boston wins in 6, at most.
*Unless it's the Yankees, and they've replaced Clemens with Hughes. Then all bets are off.
For the first 7 innings, Runge called the old late 90's Maddux-Glavine 30 inch wide plate zone. Then, when Okajima came into the game it totally changed. Oki threw a curve that bisected the zone and got called a ball. He threw a few fastballs easily as good as some that got calls for Weaver and Schilling. Nope. Balls. Then Runge squeezed Gagne too.
I've never seen a strike zone that big for 7 innings suddenly become that small in the 8th and 9th.
I've never seen a strike zone that big for 7 innings suddenly become that small in the 8th and 9th.
Man I need to come up with a new gag, because i've got nothin' beyond "Strike zone is not the only thing OKajima has smaller"
Yes, that is a completely different story. ;)
Honestly, I thought the series was a rather low-pressure affair, one that I was fairly confident the Sox would win after Beckett's Game 1 mastery.
Wok, will you ever be happy??
I wasn't that upset after the Coco blunder, compared to the Lowell error in the 8th. I always thought we would break the 3-3 tie sooner or later.
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