10/5 ALDS Game 2 vs Devil Rays

[Beaneater]

As a Little League pitcher, I once dominated the best team in the league (the Yankees, naturally, with a roster stuffed full of "12-year-olds" who shaved and had driver's licenses) for 5 innings until my coach yanked me for the final inning and the reliever blew our lead. I doubt Price can match that. I got a trophy for Most Improved Hitter one time, too. Boo yah!

 

Look, I can understand not having anything gracious to say. Price knows that in all likelihood his "effort" on the mound just ended the Rays' season. It's not easy to swallow, especially the part where Ortiz says "I'm going to hit 2 HRs tonight" and then goes and hits 2 HRs. Or the part where his defense lets him down more than a couple times. Or the part where, honestly, the Sox benefitted from quite a bit of luck throughout the night. So, fine, you've got nothing good to say. So shut your yap, say something like, "I tip my cap to the other team; no further questions," and for heaven's sake don't get on Twitter.

 

TedWilliams101, you need to change your sig. Just add "rid of" after the word "Get" twice, and it'll be cool.

 

Brennan, I'm feeling the same way you are. I love Ellsbury, and I can't stand the thought of him dropping Texas-league doubles on us.

[Jasonbay44]

Honestly, its gotten to the point where I almost hate the Orioles more than the Yankees, just due to the way they ended our season and celebrated like a bunch of f***ing retards all over Baltimore. I was unfortunately at the game and it weirdest thing I've ever seen, like what the f***? You missed playoffs too, dipshits. That and I live in Maryland and honestly, Orioles fans can be pretty f***ing retarded too, almost just as bad as Yankees fans, I cannot stand that team.

[Navafan29]

Showalter doesn't bother me but Joe Madden bothers me to death. During his interviews there's always hidden undertones of some sort.

 

I don't believe this... nobody has written a summary for our game 2 of the ALDS on the 2013 ALDS Wikipedia article yet. Guess I'll have to put something down myself.

[User Name]

*Maddon.

 

And i get the Ellsbury love, but i'd still be weary of letting a good playoff performance cloud my judgement about him. This is a guy who's had exactly one fully healthy season since 2009. One.

[Beaneater]

And i get the Ellsbury love, but i'd still be weary of letting a good playoff performance cloud my judgement about him. This is a guy who's had exactly one fully healthy season since 2009. One.

 

UN, it's a really tough one for me. I know that 2011 is not happening again; that's a given. I can also see that giving him a huge contract à la Crawford is not a winner. My head knows that he's not worth what he/Boras are probably going to be looking for.

 

But I definitely get attached to guys. I know, I know, you root for the name on the front of the uniform and not the back, blah blah blah. But there are some players for whom it would just be wrong to see them wearing a different jersey. Pedroia, obviously. Papi, obviously. Lester. Ellsbury is getting close to that territory for me.

 

On the other hand, I got used to seeing Damon, Nomar, Manny, Mo, etc. in different jerseys.

 

On the other other hand, a guy who consistently gets it done in the postseason is worth something, too. Uh oh, now I've opened myself up for the dreaded SSS beatdown...

[RedSoxNC84]

uhhhh who can say sweep today?

[User Name]

UN, it's a really tough one for me. I know that 2011 is not happening again; that's a given. I can also see that giving him a huge contract à la Crawford is not a winner. My head knows that he's not worth what he/Boras are probably going to be looking for.

 

But I definitely get attached to guys. I know, I know, you root for the name on the front of the uniform and not the back, blah blah blah. But there are some players for whom it would just be wrong to see them wearing a different jersey. Pedroia, obviously. Papi, obviously. Lester. Ellsbury is getting close to that territory for me.

 

On the other hand, I got used to seeing Damon, Nomar, Manny, Mo, etc. in different jerseys.

 

On the other other hand, a guy who consistently gets it done in the postseason is worth something, too. Uh oh, now I've opened myself up for the dreaded SSS beatdown...

 

The problem is that 84 postseason AB's of .764 OPS is not "consistently getting it done" and it a SSS.

 

The good thing for the Sox regarding Ellsbury is that if we can identify his problems (health, skillset prone to sudden decline) so can other GM's. He may end up staying in Boston if no one is willing to massively overpay for him, and that is a very real possibility given his health issues.

[redsoxrules]

A lot poeple fail to realize that Ellsbury's game is based on speed and he's 30. Once his speed goes then it's all downhill. Look at crawford, he's allready lost a step and he's going downhill fast.

You don't give a massive contract for a speed player. With that being said If they can manage to sign for 5 for about 15 a year then do it as he should have 2-3 peak years left and that way they will only suffer on the last year or so of the contract

[jung]

I am not even going to comment on Price's remarks. We have seen entitled athletes time and again refuse to look in the mirror to assess blame when things don't go as they would like them to go. As much as I hate Maddon, I cannot even blame him for likely being an enabler here. This is just too much of the same thing we see more and more from supposed star players with million dollar talent and nickel brains. I am just not even surprised any longer.

 

But I really don't think luck played a big role in this game.

 

If you are looking at the Ells bloop hits, both came on poor pitches from Price. Granted Ells did not get much wood on either. But those hits have their genesis in lousy pitches from Price. Much of the Sox offense came out of modifying their norm at the plate and being a bit more aggressive than usual. Price was really making an effort to get ahead in the count. The Sox took advantage of that by being more aggressive, taking earlier hacks than we usually see from them this year. Frankly, Price pitched like s*** from innings 1 through 5 leaving too many pitches in bad locations. The Sox took advantage.

 

If looking at the plays made or not made in the field, DeJesus was lousy in LF. Not only was DeJesus lousy but nobody backed him up out there on either of those plays leaving him to track both balls down himself. Both balls were well hit and poorly played by DeJesus. So, I don't see luck coming into play there either. I don't have any idea why not a single Ray could be seen coming to his rescue, backing him up out there.

 

If anything, the Rays 1st run was a gift courtesy of the idiot ump behind home plate. In fact, Lackey was trying to sequence around those outer edge pitches that he could not get called for strikes. That really forced Lackey to throw plan A right out the window. If you want to talk about a bad break...now that is a bad break costing both a run and forcing Lackey to change off what he clearly thought was his best plan first time through the Rays lineup.

 

As for the 8th inning Ortiz HR, that was a terrible location for that pitch...just right were Ortiz and most LH power hitters want it. Ortiz did not just homer...he crushed that. You could say that Price was finally tiring if you want to. However I simply don't think Maddon had much of a choice at that point in the game choosing to stick with his ace instead of trusting his on again / way off again bullpen.

 

As for the starting pitching generally, while Lackey struggled and fought all day without his best stuff and at a bit of a disadvantage because of the home plate ump, Price just got flat beat early and often. Then Price got flat beat again by Ortiz in the 8th, ending his day on the mound and very likely taking the Rays season with him.

 

The Rays were soundly beaten in this game. In fact, they were beaten as badly in game 2 as they were in game 1 regardless of the relative scores. The Rays had their very best pitcher going, one of the best in the game and were still soundly beaten. So what have ya' got left Joe. You have tried penguins and salsa musicians in the locker room this year. Whats' next.....penguin salsa musicians?

[Brennan]

Jung don't forget that according to the media, we only crushed them the first game because of poor little Will Meyers and his mistake. Just like Papi's 8th inning moonshot yesterday, not like any other pitches were s*****. price himself said that he thought he pitched a good game, guy must be on some intense crack.

[Youk Of The Nation]

uhhhh who can say sweep today?

 

No one, because there is no game today.

[marklmw]

A lot poeple fail to realize that Ellsbury's game is based on speed and he's 30. Once his speed goes then it's all downhill. Look at crawford, he's allready lost a step and he's going downhill fast.

You don't give a massive contract for a speed player. With that being said If they can manage to sign for 5 for about 15 a year then do it as he should have 2-3 peak years left and that way they will only suffer on the last year or so of the contract

 

Who fails to see that Ellsbury's game is based on speed. You have to be on crack not to know this basic fact. I really doubt that Ellsbury will be washed up in 3 years as you point to. That being said there is no need to overpay for Ellsbury with JBJ in the wings and management will take this into account.

[User Name]

Who fails to see that Ellsbury's game is based on speed. You have to be on crack not to know this basic fact. I really doubt that Ellsbury will be washed up in 3 years as you point to. That being said there is no need to overpay for Ellsbury with JBJ in the wings and management will take this into account.

 

But if he's willing to stay on a reasonable deal, then an OF of JBJ-Ellsbury-Victorino would be nothing short of amazing.

[Beaneater]

But I really don't think luck played a big role in this game.

 

I don't get to watch the games, alas. I do happen to be somewhere where the internet is semi-fast enough that I can watch (a few) highlights afterwards. So certainly I don't have anything like a full idea of how the game went. I rely on Talksox to let me know some of the fine details, and I appreciate your analysis of Lackey's battle with the ump.

 

I just want to say that I'm not suggesting that the Sox won because of luck. They did get some breaks, but the Rays played like crap and created a lot of their own bad luck. Maybe they win by 1 or 2 instead of three if the breaks turned out differently. Who knows?

 

I'll take this opportunity to mention an article I saw a week or so ago on espn.com or si.com (too lazy to look it up again). The author gave a potential Achilles heel for each playoff team. For the Red Sox, it was team defense. I was stunned. The Sox have better-than-average defenders at most positions, and way-better-than-average at some positions. It's the Rays who have been looking like the Astros out in the field.

 

Anyway, all that to say that we're currently smacking the Rays in all aspects of the game, so I'm not trying to say that we're winning through luck. I'm looking forward to the Sox trashing the visiting locker room at the Trop so badly that it will still smell like beer and awesome at the beginning of next season.

[Northern Star]

But if he's willing to stay on a reasonable deal, then an OF of JBJ-Ellsbury-Victorino would be nothing short of amazing.

 

Assuming Ellsbury can stay on the field, which seems more and more questionable as the seasons roll by.

[Beaneater]

No one, because there is no game today.

 

Oh ho, that won't stop me! SWEEP TODAY!!! YAAAAAAHHHH!!!!

[seabeachfred]

Yeah, it must be because they had to scrap for the last month unlike every other team that had a chance at the playoffs and they're dead. Had to play two, count them, two more games than everyone else as well. It had nothing to do with the Red Sox being the best team in baseball or anything like that.

 

Just thought I'd add the possibility that the Pittsburgh Pirates could actually topple the Cardinals in that series. I mean it is possible---and while I think the Dodgers will prevail against the Braves (damn it), that series could go the other way too. We all know by now that most anything goes in these playoffs. We've seen these kinds of upsets before.

[Brennan]

Just thought I'd add the possibility that the Pittsburgh Pirates could actually topple the Cardinals in that series. I mean it is possible---and while I think the Dodgers will prevail against the Braves (damn it), that series could go the other way too. We all know by now that most anything goes in these playoffs. We've seen these kinds of upsets before.

 

 

True, anything can happen but you kind of re-iterated my point, the Sox aren't where they are today because everyone else is tired from trying harder. Ah hell you get it Fred. Sox could go down but from opening day till today they have not dissapointed.

[marklmw]

But if he's willing to stay on a reasonable deal, then an OF of JBJ-Ellsbury-Victorino would be nothing short of amazing.

 

An outfield of Ellsbury, Victorino and JBJ will be any Sox pitchers wet dream. I have seen Victorino and Ellsbury track down balls that were destined to be gap doubles ... not only are runs saved on these types of plays but the play itself puts a charge into the pitcher like a shot of adrenaline which keeps the pitcher on task.

[SoxSport]

An outfield of Ellsbury, Victorino and JBJ will be any Sox pitchers wet dream. I have seen Victorino and Ellsbury track down balls that were destined to be gap doubles ... not only are runs saved on these types of plays but the play itself puts a charge into the pitcher like a shot of adrenaline which keeps the pitcher on task.

 

OK, but right now there's a logjam with Gomes, Nava and Carp added to the mix. Carp is mainly a 1B platoon guy right now, but he can play the OF. I don't know where that leaves Bradley, except they take a hit defensively when Ells or Vic go down--which is not uncommon. Bradley is more defensive insurance, and he has speed on the bases. Plus he could be a 5 tool player--better than all of them.

[Bellhorn04]

OK, but right now there's a logjam with Gomes, Nava and Carp added to the mix. Carp is mainly a 1B platoon guy right now, but he can play the OF. I don't know where that leaves Bradley, except they take a hit defensively when Ells or Vic go down--which is not uncommon. Bradley is more defensive insurance, and he has speed on the bases. Plus he could be a 5 tool player--better than all of them.

 

Sure, in 2015. This is 2013.

[SoxSport]

You can't do it with 1 or 2 starters. You need 3 solid starters to win the playoffs--some depth. The Red Sox have 4 good starters--assuming they pitch to their potential. That's as good as any team.

[SoxFanForsyth]

Buchholz going to embarrass the Rays tonight.

 

8 IP, 1 ER, 7 K's, 2 BB.

 

Red Sox win, 6-1.

 

Koji slams the door in the 9th even though it's a 5 run game because the Sox won't play again until Saturday.

[RedSoxNC84]

No one, because there is no game today.

 

Exactly why no one would expect it.