Boston vs. Chicago Playoff Discussion

[yankeessuck013]

The problem in Game 1 is Clement. This guy has not had a good second half. He's been hanging his cutter and breaking balls and getting behind in counts with a ton of walks. Tito has to have a quick hook and be ready to bring in Arroyo for possible long relief.

 

yep, keep clement on a very short leash.

[riverside sluggers]

Buehrle Im not so concerned about, cuz sox have owned him this season witn a 6.23 ERA

[stocker323]

Wednesday's game will start at 7. Friday's will start at 4.

[yankeessuck013]

Wednesday's game will start at 7. Friday's will start at 4.

 

yep, heres the full sched

 

Game 1 at Chicago: Tuesday, Oct. 4 -- 4 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Game 2 at Chicago: Wednesday, Oct. 5 -- 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Game 3 at Boston: Friday, Oct. 7 -- 4 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

*Game 4 at Boston: Saturday, Oct. 8 -- time TBA

*Game 5 at Chicago: Sunday, Oct. 9 -- time TBA

 

No Fox!!!!

[User Name]

Why the 4 pm start?

[schillingouttheks]

Playoffs are always weird like that. I hate how they do it. I have school and football practice. Grrr...

[stocker323]

TV. They don't want to have all the games going on at the same time. Yankee fans are complaining that Game 2 of their series is at 10:00, well now they know how we felt the last 2 years.

[Cityofchampions33]

yeah, they definately need to get those times better. Not only are they disspleasing the fans but are probably losing ratings themselves.

[schillingouttheks]

Ok, so I've been wondering...

 

Our lineup is pretty much a given in terms of who will make the postseason roster...but I was wondering who from our bullpen, along with our 5 starters, do you think would make the postseason roster? What do you guys think about DiNardo? Hansen? Thoughts.....

[stocker323]

My thoughts:

 

The 5 members of our current starting rotation (Schilling, Wells, Clement, Wakefield, Arroyo(going to the pen))

 

Bullpen (locks)

Timlin

Papelbon

Myers

Bradford

 

I think Dinardo makes it for 2 reasons. He's a lefty and a long man, 2 valuable things in the playoffs.

 

That leaves the last spot down to 2 guys in my opinion Hansen and Gonzalez. My gut feeling says Hansen makes it because the Sox will be kicking themselves if they have a guy with that kind of stuff sitting on the bench.

[WestMassFan04]

I think that Hansen will make it as the last pitcher in front of Gonzalez because Jeremi has been struggling lately and hasn't pitched a lot, plus the Sox see so much in Hansen that they can't leave him off the roster.

[riverside sluggers]

side note: infielders/outfielders for playoffs rosters, note that youkilis is fully back with the team and able to make the roster easily

 

1st base: John Olerud

Kevin Millar

2nd base: Tony Graffanino

Alex Cora

3rd base: Bill Mueller

Kevin Youkilis

Shortstop: Edgar Renterria

catcher: Jason Varitek

Doug Mirabelli

outfield: Manny Ramirez

Johnny Damon

Trot Nixon

Alejandro Machado as backup- would give us good pinch runner when times call for one

[User Name]

I actually kind of like that start time. I get back from school, plop down in front of the TV, and enjoy playoff baseball.

[ORS]

Here's my two cents on the 3 pitchers for the final 2 spots discussion.

 

DiNardo should definitely be in. He's a potential long guy and a lefty to boot. He's been effective down the stretch and has earned a spot IMO.

 

I'd take Hansen over Gonzalez. I like what Gonzo has done for the team in the 2nd half, but the playoffs boil down to situations. Suppose we need to yank a starter in spot where you have 2nd and 3rd with less than 2 outs and it is before the 7th inning. Ideally you want a K in that situation, but it's a little too early for Papelbon, our only power arm in the BP. Hansen has the best stuff to get that done. Besides, Gonzo is more of a long guy than a situational guy, and with Arroyo and DiNardo I feel we will be OK in situations that call for long relief.

[Manny Goes Boom]

Playoffs are always weird like that. I hate how they do it. I have school and football practice. Grrr...

 

Yeah, I'm in that boat. I have school and basketball practice. I HATE this. It's irritating, but I'll figure out a way to see the games.

[MANNYHOF24]

This is going to be a interesting series, its to bad that wake cant go until game 4, but oh well, Arroyo should be warming at the start of game 1 in case Clement doesnt have it, which is very likely

[Sox Fan on Cape]

This is going to be a interesting series, its to bad that wake cant go until game 4, but oh well, Arroyo should be warming at the start of game 1 in case Clement doesnt have it, which is very likely

I think Wakefiekd is scheduled for game 3. Scilling in game 4.

[ksushi]

I hope delcarmen makes it instead of hansen because hansen is dropping his arm angle, and i want them to kind of baby him this season. Im afraid hes gonna get over worked and not be the same. Delcarmen for the playoffs!!!

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

Anyone know when the playoff roster is announced??? Obviously sometime today???

[riverside sluggers]

they probably made it last night during champagne celebrations just want us to wait in big anticipation

[Sox Fan on Cape]

Nothing official just some scribe's opinions : http://redsox.bostonherald.com/redSox/view.bg?articleid=105346

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

I think DiNardo should have the last spot...we could use another lefty

[riverside sluggers]

Dinardo, Hansen and Gonzalez--one of them will be picked for last pitcher pick in the playoffs roster. its just gotta be Dinardo. Since Sept 1 he's had a 0.69 ERA (1 ER in 13 innings). Gonzalez is streaky at best when long relieving, and its best to rest Hansen and greet him warmly at spring training, afterall he did just like 3 innings altogether in the majors

[Sox05]

Please don't underestimate this chisox team. A team just doesn't win 99 games for nothing. We beat them 4-3 this year but they made us look silly in the last game. That pitching staff is going to be tough. They don't hit much but I'm telling you this isn't going to be a cakewalk.

[Real Sox are White]

Hello Red Sawk fans, love your site and discussions. Here's looking forward to a great series, which I think will go five games. White Sox have to find a way to limit the damage of Manny and Ortiz which ain't easy. But I like our pitching vs. yours, so bring it!

 

Go Sox!

[ChiSoxFan2005]

Boston Red Sox fans, good luck in the playoffs. Since being a White Sox fan all my life I am looking very forward to this playoff series. You have a great team and this is going to be fun. White Sox fans have class, remember that when you play us this week. We aren't like Cub fans who think we own Chicago. Go White Sox!!!!!!!!!

[See Red]

Boston Red Sox fans, good luck in the playoffs. Since being a White Sox fan all my life I am looking very forward to this playoff series. You have a great team and this is going to be fun. White Sox fans have class, remember that when you play us this week. We aren't like Cub fans who think we own Chicago. Go White Sox!!!!!!!!!

 

Good luck to you and your team as well. Should be a fun series. I'm going to go out on a limb and guarentee that the Sox win. Yep... I did just guarentee it.

[podsednik20]

I don't think they have a big advantage in game one, the sox kill contreras, i think he'll get lit up, and i am optimistic about clement still.

that is true, but so has the twins last year they killed conreras and well hmm Contreras well lets say beat the snot out of them. and im not syaing he will pitch good against you again, but you never know. And Contreras did beat you guys this year.

[riverside sluggers]

our boy Paps, Jonathan Papelbon that is, is being listed as one of the possible unsung heroes that will emerge this October. course that was a given to us he did afterall have the lowest ERA of Set-Up pitchers in the month of September at 1.35.

 

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/4928110

[schillingouttheks]

that is true, but so has the twins last year they killed conreras and well hmm Contreras well lets say beat the snot out of them. and im not syaing he will pitch good against you again, but you never know. And Contreras did beat you guys this year.

Correct. Right now, Contreras is the hottest pitcher on that staff of incredibly talented arms. While his career numbers against the BoSox are ugly (2-4, 11.22), his fastball has been electrifying, the splitter devastating, and he is very unpredictable at this point. Contreras is a changed pitcher since when he was with the Skanks, and all the credit in the world to him for turning it around. If I HAD to choose a game that I think the ChiSox are gunna undoubtedly win, it's game 1 between Clement and Contreras. Contreras did make us look pretty bad earlier this season in Chicago, and Clement, ack, inconsistency can kill a team. We have proven superiority to Buehrle and Garland (a la the most recent series at Fenway, not that stupid 1 game series though).

 

It's gunna be tough, but I wouldn't be surprised to see either of these 2 teams in the ALCS. Rather, I won't be surprised a bit at who goes to the World Series from the AL. There is a TON of talent on every team, and each team deserves to go to the Series. Gunna be fun to watch. First pitch of this series in 17.5 hours!!