10/8- ALDS Game 1 BOS @ LAA

[Gom]

The only thing good about losing for you guys is you come right back tomorrow. The worst is losing game 1 and then waiting two days for the next game.

[a700hitter]

If we lose tonight, it will be a sweep. I hate to say it but without Manny and with a declining Ortiz, this team has lost the X Factor. Those two guys were so intimidating to pitchers that they altered the way they pitched to the rest of the lineup. They made everyone around them better in the process. This lineup is strong 1 thru 8, but it is nowhere near as intimidating. On the road, most of them are barely average. I miss Manny. I miss Schilling. No one has yet stepped into to fill the void they left. I am hoping someone does. If we go out in the first round, it will be interesting to see what they do in the offseason, because the core of this team is fairly young and they are very good, but they are not great. Will they build around the core or will they bring in players to lead that core?

[Dipre]

If we lose tonight' date=' it will be a sweep. I hate to say it but without Manny and with a declining Ortiz, this team has lost the X Factor. Those two guys were so intimidating to pitchers that they altered the way they pitched to the rest of the lineup. They made everyone around them better in the process. This lineup is strong 1 thru 8, but it is nowhere near as intimidating. On the road, most of them are barely average. I miss Manny. I miss Schilling. No one has yet stepped into to fill the void they left. I am hoping someone does. If we go out in the first round, it will be interesting to see what they do in the offseason, because the core of this team is fairly young and they are very good, but they are not great. Will they build around the core or will they bring in players to lead that core?[/quote']

 

This team needs a thumper. A true cleanup hitter.

[Jacobysgirl729]

Damn' date=' I just realized the game starts at 3:30am here.... it's going to be a long night lol.[/quote']

 

WOW...and i thought a 9:30 PM start was late:blink:

[Jacobysgirl729]

The only thing good about losing for you guys is you come right back tomorrow. The worst is losing game 1 and then waiting two days for the next game.

 

Aint that the truth!!<_>

[redsoxrules]

Our best hitter in the lineup since the break shouldn't be batting 8th

[example1]

If we lose tonight' date=' it will be a sweep. I hate to say it but without Manny and with a declining Ortiz, this team has lost the X Factor. Those two guys were so intimidating to pitchers that they altered the way they pitched to the rest of the lineup. They made everyone around them better in the process. This lineup is strong 1 thru 8, but it is nowhere near as intimidating. On the road, most of them are barely average. I miss Manny. I miss Schilling. No one has yet stepped into to fill the void they left. I am hoping someone does. If we go out in the first round, it will be interesting to see what they do in the offseason, because the core of this team is fairly young and they are very good, but they are not great. Will they build around the core or will they bring in players to lead that core?[/quote']

 

This team needs a thumper. A true cleanup hitter.

 

This is absolutely the case. With Victor Martinez they added a good #3 hitter or a good #5 hitter, not a true thumper. They have a lot of those guys already (Youkilis, Bay, Drew, Ortiz in particular) but they don't have anyone who just smashes the ball with regularity like Manny and Ortiz did, and like Teixeira and A-Rod often do.

 

Granted, a lot of other teams don't have that guy either (LAA, LAD, COL, MIN, all lack that masher currently), but that might be what keeps them as contenders rather than champs.

 

Adrian Gonzalez and Prince Fielder seem like the only obvious chances out there to get that type of player and I'm not sure either is truly available. I'm also not sure if either truly fits the billing of a true cleanup hitter. Prince Fielder has really put up some great numbers the past few years, so I'm most curious about him. I don't think Hollliday does.

 

The other option is to go get a 3rd dynamite starter. As much as I too miss the presence of Manny and Schilling, a700, I also think this team is better constructed than the 2004 team was. Better pen, better rotation moving forward, more power and balance throughout the order. It's close, but I'd rather have this crew, position for position.

[rhet]

Yes, a juiced Manny and a juiced Ortiz would give us the thump we used to have.

[example1]

Yes' date=' a juiced Manny and a juiced Ortiz would give us the thump we used to have.[/quote']

 

Or any impact bat who excells on the big stage. No juice required.

 

I'm not trying to get over reactive after one game. This has been a concern of mine for awhile now.

[Dojji]

The only positions where you want to give the 2004 squad a clean advantage are C, DH and LF. The 2009 version has clear edges at 2B, 1B, and RF.

 

Call me a homer but considering what both guys actually provided over their tenure here I'll call OCab and AGon a wash, and the aging third basemen with burgeoning lower body problems are a wash as well.

 

I'm not even sure where to rate Ellsbury and Damon in comparison with each other. I have no idea how to handle the speed vs. OPS question and Damon had a career season in '04.

[TheKilo]

Tori Hunter is starting to get on my nerves. I liked him much better when he was rolling on the ground in CF in Fenway grabbing his ankle.

 

Hilarious.

 

My point about Lackey pitching into the 7th held true.

[Dipre]

The only positions where you want to give the 2004 squad a clean advantage are C, DH and LF. The 2009 version has clear edges at 2B, 1B, and RF.

 

Call me a homer but considering what both guys actually provided over their tenure here I'll call OCab and AGon a wash, and the aging third basemen with burgeoning lower body problems are a wash as well.

 

I'm not even sure where to rate Ellsbury and Damon in comparison with each other. I have no idea how to handle the speed vs. OPS question and Damon had a career season in '04.

 

Simple, give the edge to the player who clearly outperformed the other: Damon.

[Dipre]

Hilarious.

 

My point about Lackey pitching into the 7th held true.

 

I was about to post that in the GT and forgot.

[TheKilo]

I'm so tired of hearing about the loss of Manny with evey postseason game. It'd be awesome if we could all just move on from it.

 

I also have a tough time taking anyone whos says Jason Bay is't a true midle of the order hitter seriously. He hit 36 and drove in 115 this season. What more could you possibly want from him?

 

I'll also go on record and say this lineup is better than the 2004 version. Go ahead and look at the lineup we ran outthere if you don't believe me.

[Dipre]

I'm so tired of hearing about the loss of Manny with evey postseason game. It'd be awesome if we could all just move on from it.

 

I also have a tough time taking anyone whos says Jason Bay is't a true midle of the order hitter seriously. He hit 36 and drove in 115 this season. What more could you possibly want from him?

 

I'll also go on record and say this lineup is better than the 2004 version. Go ahead and look at the lineup we ran outthere if you don't believe me.

 

That's obviously not what i meant.

 

When i say a "True thumper" i mean a guy who can drive the ball but isn't as vulnerable as Bay.

 

f*** Manny, he shouldn't even be mentioned in the conversation.

[rhet]

Top to bottom, this lineup is probably better. What distinguished the 04 lineup was the two thumpers back-to-back. Getting .304/84/269 out of the 3/4 holes was nice.

[example1]

I also have a tough time taking anyone whos says Jason Bay is't a true midle of the order hitter seriously. He hit 36 and drove in 115 this season. What more could you possibly want from him?

 

I actually agree with you here--at least in terms of not complaining about Bay. I think Dipre said it right, he has vulnerabilities that a lot of the game's marquee hitters don't have. Of course, the grass is always greener and I really can't complain about the results that Bay has had since getting to Boston.

 

I'll also go on record and say this lineup is better than the 2004 version. Go ahead and look at the lineup we ran outthere if you don't believe me.

 

I think this is a younger, more complete team than the 2004 club was. Manny and Ortiz were more formidable than any hitter currently in the Sox lineup, but 1-9 the 2009 club is better and I don't think it is very close. Bellhorn or Pedroia? Nixon or Drew? Victor or Varitek? Youkilis or Millar? It doesn't seem that hard to pick this club.

 

I still think they need to acquire one more above average offensive piece, either for 1B/3B, SS or CF.