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ALCS Game Four: Becks to the Wall

Source: Getty Images
A bobble and a drop. Last one. I swear.

I'm not quite sure what to write here.

The Red Sox just couldn't hit any Indians pitching tonight. Yes, they hit Paul Byrd hard (hard) but it was only twice. Manny Ramirez then hit Jensen Lewis hard (hard) but it wasn't enough.

Three home runs sounds like a lot. Sounds great, actually. If you told me the Sox hit three home runs tonight before the game started, I'd probably tell you the series is tied 2-2. But home runs don't win a game. It's the hits and walks before the home run that win the game.

I'm not really happy with Terry Francona's decision to yank Tim Wakefield when he did. Wake was certainly struggling, but I really think he would have been able to get the next out. I think starters work harder than relievers (in this case Manny Delcarmen) to get the outs when it's a big jam. I'm not saying Manny D didn't try hard, I just think it's natural for a pitcher like Wake to really bare down and get the outs.

You can throw the old line at me about pulling starters when they start to struggle in the playoffs, but I just don't agree with that. Four runs is four runs, but I'd rather see Wakefield get himself out of the jam then waste a guy out of the bullpen. I honestly think Wake would have stopped the bleeding and maybe pitched another inning if Francona allowed him to go.

It doesn't matter now though. All that matters is one game. Game five. Another showdown between the 2007 Cy Young winner and the runner-up. The "do-or-die game" for the Red Sox. If the Red Sox win this game, then all that matters is the next game. Game six. Rinse. Rather. Repeat.

It's up to you, Mr. Josh Beckett. We need our ace to win this game and we're not going to look anywhere else. We can't look anywhere else. You need to bring that flaming fastball and crooked curveball. We need the stopper to bring us back into this series.

Here's another thing we need: key hits. That hasn't happened for days. Dustin Pedroia, Julio Lugo, and JD Drew, to name a few, need to start getting on-base. Everyone else I didn't note: just hit the ball.

And one more message, this one to all of Red Sox Nation: keep the faith. This series is not over.

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Re: ALCS Game Four: Becks to the Wall
May I just say, that after the loss, I am extremely impressed with our community's optimism at the end of the game thread.

YOU (those optimists, which was pretty much everyone) are the reason I allow Randy to control my free time.

Spank em, Beckett, and bring us home.

by Allen Chace on Oct 17, 2007 1:03 AM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: ALCS Game Four: Becks to the Wall
Another positive thought: The Jon Lester show of the 6th-8th innings, if that guy shows up to ST next season, he could win 20.

by Allen Chace on Oct 17, 2007 1:07 AM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: ALCS Game Four: Becks to the Wall
Bottom 9th B:1 S:0 O:0 With Bill Mueller batting, Dave Roberts steals (1) 2nd base.

by britsoxfan on Oct 17, 2007 3:50 AM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: ALCS Game Four: Becks to the Wall
We didn't give up when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor!

Honestly, I'd almost like to see Lester start ahead of Matsuzaka when we get further into the series after the Beckett start!

by brianzen on Oct 17, 2007 8:39 AM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: ALCS Game Four: Becks to the Wall
He did look great last night, which, if nothing else, has really helped him regain his confidence after the 11th inning debacle ...

I'm really happy we have a day off to regroup.  I think it will do us a world of good, and then tomorrow we start from scratch and win one game at a time.  We've got our best pitchers going for us.

And hey, Francona might even sub Kielty for Drew when we face Sabathia!!  There is hope!

by dave in CT on Oct 17, 2007 9:15 AM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: ALCS Game Four: Becks to the Wall
Papelbon as John 'Bluto' Blutarksy:

What? "Over"?

Did you say "over"?

Nothing's over until we decide it is!

Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?

Hell, no!

-Germans?
-Forget it, he's rolling.

And it ain't over now.

'Cause when the going gets tough...

(Patriotic instrumental music)

the tough get going! Who's with me?

Let's go! Come on!

(Papelbon screaming)

(Tense instrumental music)

What the f*** happened
to the Red Sox I used to know?

Where's the spirit?  

Where's the guts?

This could be the greatest night
of our lives...   but you're gonna let it be the worst.

"We're afraid to go with you, Pap,we might get in trouble."

(Shouting) Just kiss my ass from now on.

Not me! l won't take this!
C.C. is a dead man!

-Peralta: dead! Martinez --
-Dead.

Papelbon's right.

Psychotic... but absolutely right.

We have got to take these bastards.

We could fight them with conventional weapons.

That could take years...cost millions of lives.

In this case...I think we have to go all out.

I think this situation absolutely requires...
a really futile and stupid gesture...be done on somebody's part.

We're just the guys to do it.

Let's do it.

BC14

by BC14 on Oct 17, 2007 11:28 AM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: ALCS Game Four: Becks to the Wall
Wow ... in a case of synchronicity, it turns out that the Sox players are, today, watching "Animal House" ... according to Extra Bases.  see http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/

by dave in CT on Oct 17, 2007 3:16 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: ALCS Game Four: Becks to the Wall
Oh, that is beautiful...
Bottom 9th B:1 S:0 O:0 With Bill Mueller batting, Dave Roberts steals (1) 2nd base.

by britsoxfan on Oct 17, 2007 3:57 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: ALCS Game Four: Becks to the Wall
I'm stunned.

I am truly stunned.

"Always look on the bright side of life..."

(from Monty Python's "Life of Brian")

BC14

by BC14 on Oct 17, 2007 4:11 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: ALCS Game Four: Becks to the Wall

RSN KARMA!

BELIEVE!

(I just sent a note off to my friend who works in the front office at Fenway).  Karma!  

BC14

by BC14 on Oct 17, 2007 4:19 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: ALCS Game Four: Becks to the Wall
though re-reading the article, it's not clear if Francona is referring to now or 2004 ... either way, it's pretty cool!

by dave in CT on Oct 17, 2007 4:50 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: ALCS Game Four: Becks to the Wall
Nah, it was clear to me that he was referring back to 2004, but applying that same approach to today, and calling it "appropriate", in that the Sox are overall pretty calm.

I'd never heard that bit from 2004, but it's funny and KARMIC - BELIEVE! - that it appears in a story today as we're carrying on about Animal House.

BC14

by BC14 on Oct 17, 2007 5:43 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: ALCS Game Four: Becks to the Wall
I think we got unlucky last night. If that come-backer to Wake had stuck, rather than rolling into no-mans-land between the mound and second, that inning would have been over for 1 run.

To win a series you have to be much better or a bit lucky. So far, the big plays (save for Lowell's 2-run single in game 2) have gone Cleveland's way. Will it change in time? I hope so.

Day off to break Cleveland's rhythm and I'd still take Beckett / Schilling over Sabathia / Carmona. Look out game 7 ...

Go Sox!

Jez

by CountyJez on Oct 17, 2007 11:42 AM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: ALCS Game Four: Becks to the Wall
If your first baseman who hadn't made an error all year and your ROY second baseman hadn't tag team muffed that foul popup earlier in the at bat, there never would have been a soft liner up the middle for Wakefield to deflect instead of catch.

by woodsmeisterLGT on Oct 17, 2007 4:25 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: ALCS Game Four: Becks to the Wall
When is Jacoby gonna play????  we need the spark plug back in..., he may have even caught that Kenny Lofton HR 2 nites back...

oh well dreaming here again.

Lets go Beck's!  Lets go!!!!!!

by dumhic on Oct 17, 2007 11:46 AM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: ALCS Game Four: Becks to the Wall
I wish there was some way to email Francona, barrage him with requests (no, orders) to put Ellsbury in rf ... maybe the Sox have a suggestion box?

by dave in CT on Oct 17, 2007 12:06 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: Red Sox Hitting
Looking back over the year, it was obvious early on that the Red Sox had some great bats, but many of the players were anemic at the plate. Between Lugo, J.D Drew, Coco Crisp, Willie Mo Pena, Hinske,Varitek and Mirabelli we have had weak hitting on the downside of the lineup. Red Sox management had time to try to improve the team but did nothing except to add Royce Clayton and Keilty, both weak hitters.

We brought Ellsbury up fairly early and promptly sent him right back down, even though he looked good. When he came up again in August, he essentially saved our season with his solid contribution to the team.Francona is stubborn and has stuck with his weak hitters in the ALCS. In game 2, one or two good at bats would have saved us. Tomorrow night, we will see a tough lefty, so Ellsbury won't get in for another and possibly last night of the series. Ellsbury has the potential to really help the team so why does Francona sit him out? Francona's reluctance to try something that could work, will be thhe topic of many a hot stove league.

by Longsuffering on Oct 17, 2007 1:43 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: ALCS Game Four: Becks to the Wall
I agree that Wake should have been left in.  Just as fast as he can lose it, he can get it back.  At that point, it's just one out and I had faith he could get it.  And if he did, who knows how long he could have gone.

Lester showed Francona he made a VERY bad mistake in game 2.  

John

by sportingchinwag on Oct 17, 2007 1:04 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: ALCS Game Four: Becks to the Wall
It's interesting that you posted that picture of Youk's bobble of the ball because that may have been the play of the game.  When he bobbled that (mainly due to Pedroia running into him) Cleveland was up 1-0, there was one out and Guiterrez was on 3rd.  If he'd caught it Guiterrez would have scored, but there would have been two outs with Hafner up to bat.  Hafner ended up striking out (for the 3rd time), and that would have been the end of the inning with Cleveland only having scored twice.

But as you said, that's neither here nor there at this point.  Beckett in Game 5 gives me great confidence that this is going back to Fenway.  These last three games have been decided by such close plays with all the breaks going the Indians way, but sooner or later they've got to go the other way too.  Being down the way the Sox are right now is a better position than the Sox were in after Game 4 back in 2004, and I still believe.

by WildYams on Oct 17, 2007 2:13 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: ALCS Game Four: Becks to the Wall
I don't see Gutierrez scoring on that foul pop.  He might have some speed, but Youk was only about 20 feet beyond the bag.  He'd have nailed Gutz easily, I think.

The other play was "Wake's Mistake" on the bouncer up the middle - Pedroia is right behind him, ready for it.  

At that point, it's like you say, just 1-0.

Breaks are favoring the Indians.  Sox day is Thursday.

BC14

by BC14 on Oct 17, 2007 2:33 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: ALCS Game Four: Becks to the Wall
I was at the game, and if you would have seen how fast gutierrez got down that line, you would agree that he would have scored.........not that it matters

by The Animal on Oct 17, 2007 11:46 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: ALCS Game Four: Becks to the Wall
Well, wait now... the ball wasn't caught.  How does he get down the line so fast BEFORE it's caught?

He'd have to tag and move 90 feet.  As I saw it, Youk was at most 110 feet away from the same point, (home) and all he has to do is throw home.

Not that it matters...

BC14

by BC14 on Oct 18, 2007 4:33 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

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