First the Angels, Next the Rays

by bubbaboy5 on Oct 7, 2008 3:12 PM EDT

The Angels were suppose to be the best team that the Redsox could've faced in the playoffs, but the Angels just are so ineffective against us that we were able to once again slide right by them. Although, our next oppenent, the Rays, will not be an easy one. In 18 total games in the regualr season against the rays, we are 8-10. Which isn't all that bad, things are prett yeven between us but playing in Tropicana field, we are 1-8 which is not acceptable for us. Also, as a team we hit .253 against them , which is a little below average. With Pedroia hopefully starting to rise from his 0-14 slump, things will look promising for us, also bay leading the team in the playofs, hitting an outstanding .412 batting average with 2 HR's and 5 RBI's. With our young all stars, Lowrie(.364) and Jacoby (.333) hitting well, we seem to be getting confident again with our hitting. Our pitching has been phenomenal, with a team ERA of 2.54 and Papelbon and Delcarmen haven't allowed a run yet. Although startes Dice-K and Beckett struggling, we will need them to step up if we are going to win, because Lester has been the only starting pitcher that seems to be untoucable this far. With that being said, The Red Sox are only one round away from entering a familiar place in the last 4 years......The World Series. Keep it up SOX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Lester is good at throwing baseballs

Welcome to the real World Series gents and ladies. I hope it is a good series and we ultimately prevail. I hope no one gets hurt and both teams are able to get their best players on the field so that their is no excuses later from either side. Win or lose I will be loving every minute.

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.

by Sandy Kazmir on Oct 7, 2008 4:33 PM EDT 0 recs

Lowell won't be taking the field.

Which is just as well, considering the state of his injury. Still the Sox won’t be 100% out there.

"It's just a tiny little nick, but it hurts when I get champagne in there."
- Jason Bay, on getting spiked scoring the winning run in ALDS Game Four.

by 0157H7 on Oct 7, 2008 5:32 PM EDT up 0 recs

Until Manny got traded

I was looking forward to this series all year. Unlike the Angels, the Rays understand that the way to get respect is to beat the best teams and even though there was a few “scuffles” this season, I think both teams wanted this match up.

This truly is the World Series just like 07 with the Indians, whomever wins this gets a WS ring.

IMO this series is pretty even. the lineups are basically the same 1-9, with the Sox having advantages at some positions and the Rays having their advantages at other positions. The Sox have a better closer, but the Rays have better middle relief.

So, the series, IMO, comes down to starting pitching and what the Rays get out of Garza and Kazmir v. what the Sox get out of Dice-k and Beckett.

Very excited about this series, its going to be fun to watch.

by SoxAcumen on Oct 7, 2008 5:51 PM EDT up 0 recs

"This truly is the World Series just like 07 with the Indians, whomever wins this gets a WS ring."

Unfortunately, that’s also what people said about the ’97 ALCS.

Hopefully it’s a good series. It has all the makings of a good one.

With respect to the initial poster, the Angels really weren’t the best team the Red Sox could have faced. Lookout Landing has a pretty good post on it, but it should be fairly obvious that the Red Sox are a much better team than the Angels, both when you look at run differential and quality of opposition. It’s a little closer between the Red Sox and the Rays, and I hope that it’s close enough that the Rays can still pull out a victory in a 7-game series.

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Oct 8, 2008 12:17 PM EDT up 0 recs

Mixed message?

http://www.draysbay.com/2008/10/7/630374/new-dream-alcs

Well, I'll appreciate for you to keep my zingers outta your mouth!

by BoSox415 on Oct 7, 2008 6:41 PM EDT up 0 recs

Lester is better at throwing baseballs than Kazmir

Come on, you so know it’s true. :)

I don’t think it is the real WS. The Phillies and the Dodgers are fair enough teams, any shit can happen in a 7 game series. But indeed, the winner here is likely the WS winner.

Mother---- him and John Wayne!

by MerryGoByeBye on Oct 7, 2008 10:04 PM EDT up 0 recs

Have to disagree

The AL teams have the homefield and both teams have a significant advantage at home. Plus AL pitching is MUCH better than NL pitching.

There is no way either NL team can match the Rays or Sox in pitching. 1-5 in most lineups might be similar but 6-9 the AL teams are far better.

Rays or Sox will win in a sweep or 5 games. There is just a huge difference between the leagues and even with many top AL people moving the AL is still far better.

by SoxAcumen on Oct 7, 2008 10:54 PM EDT up 0 recs

Yeah, like I said

The winner of the ALCS is the ‘likely’ WS winner. But shit can happen in 7 games, man.

Mother---- him and John Wayne!

by MerryGoByeBye on Oct 7, 2008 11:27 PM EDT up 0 recs

See Cardinals-Tigers, 2006 World Series.

One of the best teams in the league lost to an 83 game winner.

"It's just a tiny little nick, but it hurts when I get champagne in there."
- Jason Bay, on getting spiked scoring the winning run in ALDS Game Four.

by 0157H7 on Oct 8, 2008 12:24 AM EDT up 0 recs

Regardless of who wins this series

The winner should be concerned about the LA Dodgers.

by kericr on Oct 8, 2008 9:39 AM EDT up 0 recs

Dodgers and Phillies

do not have the arms to go against either AL team.

there is a large difference between Dice-K + Matt Garza v. Kuroda and Moyer.

Pitching wins playoff games.

by SoxAcumen on Oct 8, 2008 11:36 AM EDT up 0 recs

But shit can happen in 7 games, man.

by kericr on Oct 8, 2008 1:34 PM EDT up 0 recs

Sure

Someone could get injured, but it would take Lester and Beckett going down and Kazmir + Shields going down for either NL team to win these series.

NL rosters are just not the same as AL rosters.

by SoxAcumen on Oct 8, 2008 2:22 PM EDT up 0 recs

I'm not arguing a player matchup

I know that either AL team has a distinct talent advantage over either NL team, but (and I’m sure you’ve heard this several times before) it’s not always the best team that wins a series; sometimes it’s the hottest. The Dodgers look like they’re on fire right now, and I wouldn’t be suprised if they bulldozed the Phillies out of the playoffs in 5 games.

I’m saying that the Dodgers right now, today, look like those 06 Cardinals. If the Red Sox take them as lightly as you do, expect them to get swept if the Sox make it to the WS.

by kericr on Oct 8, 2008 5:06 PM EDT up 0 recs

Why go there?

Kaz has thrown double the innings, triple the K’s, nearly double the W’s (on many terrible teams). Get back to me when Lester has had sustained success at the Major League level. By the way these guys are the same age. Get back to me in 4 years when Lester gets his 750th strikeout.

By real world series I meant that this will be the best matchup that could be left. This series will have more drama than any other.

As for Mixed Message I was trying to remain respectful as most of you guys over here know your shit and any fool can come in and run his mouth about this and that. I truly hope it is a good series with us taking home the hardware. I’d say good luck but it wouldn’t be meant.

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.

by Sandy Kazmir on Oct 8, 2008 2:48 PM EDT up 0 recs

Lester had health issues, you know

This is Jon’s first full season.

In 2006, when I saw Kazmir pitch, I used to think ‘this guy is fucking awesome’. Last season it was ‘this guy’s good’. This season it was ‘this guy is meh’. I think Kazmir is the 3rd best pitcher in your staff, behind both Garza and Shields. He’s still pretty good, however.

Yeah, I agree, this is will be an awesome series, and may end up being even better than the WS itself.

Mother---- him and John Wayne!

by MerryGoByeBye on Oct 8, 2008 2:58 PM EDT up 0 recs

Kazmir-for-Victor Zambrano was one of the great fleeces in baseball history, I think.

"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 8, 2008 5:15 PM EDT up 0 recs