Still a reason to fear these Sox

by reversecursing on Oct 1, 2008 12:54 AM EDT Comment 11 comments

The 2007 Red Sox were nearly invincible, they possessed the ingredients to a championship. They were stockloaded with a deep lineup which featured the terrorizing duo of Papi and Manny along with other key tablesetters like Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury. The 2007 Postseason Red Sox also had Josh Beckett, the second coming of Bob Gibson. Don't forget about their bullpen, because it too was anchored by clutch pitchers like Hideki Okajima and Jonathan Papelbon.

Yes, those Red Sox were the real deal. They fought back from a 3-1 ALCS hole to the Cleveland Indians. But suddenly, these 2008 Red Sox are considered dead and are pronounced underdogs against a "superior" Angels team, which the Sox swept last year on their way to their second world series title in four years.

Sure these 2008 Red Sox have had their troubles with injuries and the trade with Manny Ramirez, but they're here aren't they? Remind me, but I believe the Red Sox will be playing October baseball tomorrow.

The Red Sox have dealt with adversity all year long. In March, their season started in Japan after they almost didn't make the trip due to a conflict with a payment for their coaches and other team officials.

In April they were hit with Josh Beckett's ailing back. Halfway through the month, the Sox were hit with the flu bug.

In May, David Ortiz fractured the sheath around his tendon and he was forced to miss more than two months of baseball, but how were these Sox to respond? Who was going to make up for the lost production?

Enter J.D. Drew. Drew became Ortiz, showing incredible amounts of power. In late June, the Red Sox started encountering some problems.

Manny Ramirez decided to go gangster on us and decided to push the Assistant to the Traveling Secretary. It is speculation, but not confirmed, that he also took three straight pitches against Mariano Rivera and the New York Yankees with the winning run on third base.

In late July, the 31st to be exact, the Red Sox made their second trade deadline deal that sent a star out of Boston in the past decade (Nomar Garciaparra).

The Sox had a path split into two directions: either they could limp into September and watch the playoffs at home or they could roar back into contention and prove to their fans that they are still the Defending World Series Champions.

The Red Sox, thankfully, chose the latter. With Jason Bay, the key player the Red Sox got back in the Ramirez deal, the Red Sox had a .642 winning percentage.

On their quest towards a playoff spot, though, the Red Sox suffered key injuries to their team. Their depth, like earlier in the year, was questioned. Josh Beckett, Mike Lowell (WS MVP), and J.D. Drew went down with different assortments of injuries.

Again the question was asked: Who is going to step up and help this team make it to the postseason? Newly acquired players like Paul Byrd and Mark Kotsay filled the holes and other players like Jed Lowrie and Coco Crisp made huge offensive and defensive contributions to get the team where it stands now: in the Playoffs.

Tomorrow night the Red Sox will face off against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Jon Lester (16-6) will get the ball in Game 1 and even though its not Josh Beckett, who will get the ball in Game 3, its still a damn good pitcher. Jon Lester pitches with heart and he has made an 180 degree turn around from a couple of years ago.

Don't fear Red Sox Nation, these Angels may flash their guns, but you are still the Champs.

These Sox have something that the other playoff teams don't have: they have the tools and experience to come up huge in the postseason.

The Red Sox have experienced adversity, injuries and yet still find themselves in great position to repeat as World Champions.

PREDICTION: Red Sox in Four Games.

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IT IS CALLED GENERATING AND KEEPING MOMENTUM,

pure and simple! Anyone that disputes the meaning of momentum in baseball (and all sports) is blind to the happenings of the Red Sox in 2007 and especially 2004. You just cannot explain the sweeping of the WS contest in any other meaningful way.

This year’s version of the Sox need:

(1) a spark to ignite that momentum before it is too late and,

(2) (VERY IMPORTANT) they need to minimize the notorious momentum killers on this team from doing their thing! You should know by now who these characters are!

by NG on Oct 1, 2008 8:21 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

10 PRINT “Momentum killer”;
20 GOTO 10

"no1 has time to read your long comments, are you writing a book?"

by britsoxfan on Oct 1, 2008 9:21 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

We had plenty of momentum when down 3-1 right? There is a momentum factor, it just isn’t as significant as you think. If momentum played that much of a role, every series would be decided by the first game and would result in a sweep.

The 2004/2007 happenings completely work AGAINST your argument. In both seasons, they were down in the ALCS. Where did the momentum come from? Where did the Yankees/Indians momentum go? They went on to sweep in the world series because the National League is an inferior league.

by Charger567 on Oct 1, 2008 8:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Momentum comes from

a spark or great effort that allows a team to rally to meet a big, big challenge, thus proving to themselves that they can do something big and important. Once they have this confidence, that translates into momentum to keep going to the goal!

by NG on Oct 1, 2008 8:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Really? So the key to winning in the playoffs is to rely on some improbable rally and ride on that? How often do you expect these amazing rallies to happen? Every post season?

by Charger567 on Oct 1, 2008 8:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Exactly! Just think a bit on a larger scale, and

you will have it.

Every year and every series postseason is such a big challenge. Winning feeds on itself and builds the confidence needed to win again. On the other hand, any loss puts doubt in the teams mind and can end an otherwise successful series for a good team that has just lost the spirit/momentum. That is why getting rid of the momentum killers (the guys that never deliver in the clutch) is so important, especially in postseason play!

by NG on Oct 2, 2008 7:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Only it doesn’t go down that way. Where did momentum come from when down 0-3 in ‘04? Or when down 1-3 in ’07? Most of the time, you’re wrong. Sometimes teams will streak, and momentum may play a role, but typically that momentum isn’t enough to propel a team. Sometimes it is; usually it isn’t. A 3-1 comeback by the Sox wasn’t nearly as impressive as winning something like 24/25 or whatever from the Rockies. What happened to the momentum then?

by Charger567 on Oct 3, 2008 12:23 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Greatest comeback in the history of baseball

No team had ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in the playoffs in the history of baseball. I think that’s pretty impressive.

"You know you're having a bad day when the fifth inning rolls around and they drag the warning track." - Mike Flanagan, Baltimore Orioles pitcher, 1992.

by SoxDevil on Oct 3, 2008 2:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

I think alot of it comes down to Lowell and Drew. I have enough confidence in Lester, Beckett, and even Dice-K to pitch well this postseason.

As long as either Lowell or Drew comes out to play we will reduce the size of our lineup hole.

Jacoby has redeemed himself by hitting .340 in the past 22 games. DP is still DP. Papi has gotten his deep ball back. Youk has a .958 OPS this year. Bay has a .897 OPS with the Sox. Even Lowrie whos numbers aren’t amazing, but he plays a tough defensive position and hits when it matters. With RISP he has an OPS of .889.

If we have either Drew or Lowell in meaning we can leave out Bailey and/or Kotsay who don’t bring a whole lot to the table. If we can limit our hole in the lineup to Tek and one other player we will be in good shape. If we have Tek and two others which will be 3 easy outs, that is going to suck alot of momentum out of our lineup.

by drabidea on Oct 1, 2008 10:33 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Double Agreed

We have a strong lineup and one that, for the most part, is healthy and ready to roll. Bay and Ortiz will key be in offense, and, praying that Beckett’s leg doesn’t turn into anything major, we’ve got three ace starters in the forms of Dice-K, Lester and Beckett, respectively. To top it all up, Okajima, Delcarmen, and Papelbon will shut the door on the Halos when the game is on the line.

Red Sox win in 5.

Forever Red Sox, screw all those pink-hatted babes, 'got no family, 'got no friends, 'got no life--RED SOX I LIVE FOR THIS.

by RedSoxUltras on Oct 1, 2008 5:53 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm not sure I totally agree

The Sox’ line-up is decent. But, if Drew and Lowell aren’t effective due to injuries, there are some glaring holes in it. Here’s the way I see it:

Ellsbury is streaky. He got hot in September. However, he only drew 4 walks that month. He needs to get on base in this series because LA’s catchers don’t throw that well.

I have no worries about Pedroia, Ortiz, and Youk.

Bay is a decent hitter, who will be playing in his first playoff game. I hope he gets off to a fast start.

I don’t know what to expect from Lowell and Drew. Lowell’s lack of mobility at 3B may be a problem. I expect the Angels to test him by bunting a lot in the series. Drew didn’t look great in RF in the two games he played as a playoff tune up. If both can’t play, expect Casey, Cora, or Kotsay to get time—an offensive downgrade from a healthy Drew and Lowell.

Lowrie and Tek are both fairly useless against right-handed pitchers. Here are their splits this year:

Tek: .284 AVG/.378 OBP/.484 SLG v. lefties. .201 AVG/.293 OBP/.323 SLG v. righties
Lowrie: .338 AVG/.409 OBP/.525 SLG v. lefties. .222 AVG/.308 OBP/.344 SLG v. righties.

Only one Angel starter—Saunders—is left-handed. Both Lowrie and Tek struggled in September. The Sox as a team hit .266 AVG/.350 OBP/.446 SLG for the month.

While I feel the Angels can be beaten, I think the Sox need a few things to happen in order to win. They need their starters to pitch well and go deep (for Dice-K that means at least 6 innings). They need Lowell and Drew to contribute. And they need a big series from the middle of thei batting order: Papi, Youk, and Bay.

I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.

by Drugs Delaney on Oct 1, 2008 6:43 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs