10/13: ALCS Game 2 vs Tigers

[Brennan]

NAPOLI, CARP, and GOMES need to shave...especially Carp...his beard looks like it has vomit in it...terrible facial hair...

 

 

 

Hey man, why did you leave after we took the lead bro? Next time stick around for the party!

[Thunder]

And have jacko work some overtime too, my kid needs new shoes.

 

I could use a couple of things.

[a700hitter]

There's a story in this week's Sports Illustrated about clutch hitting. They argue that is is hard to define, which it is. In Papi's case, someone else could have gotten that hit. He just happened to be up in that situation. The whole team knows Benoit well. I have a feeling that Gomes, Nap or even Salty could have done the same thing had they been up at that time.

It is hard to define, but you know it when you see it. You don't have to be a great player to be a clutch player. I have seen great players that are not clutch. I have seen average players that are clutch. The clutch guy is the one you would want at the plate in a key spot and the one that the pitchers don't want to see. On the Tigers, Prince Fielder is a better hitter than VMart, but in a big clutch situation, I would rather be facing Fielder than VMart. He always seems to put up such tough ABs in big spots. Explaining what makes a guy a clutch hitter is like trying to explain why a little guy like Dustin Pedroia is so much better than other players with far superior skills. It's like trying to explain why a marginal major leaguer like Tommy Hutton owned a Hall of Fame pitcher like Tom Seaver. Seaver can't explain it, but he knows that it became a mental thing at some point. Statistics don't explain everything in the game. In the words of Yogi Berra, 90 percent of the game is half mental.

[Brennan]

I could use a couple of things.

 

 

 

Yeah you could. Look at you you bum, 14 years old and living with your parents.

[Thunder]

Yeah you could. Look at you you bum, 14 years old and living with your parents.

 

Less than 48 hours away from 15.

[Brennan]

It is hard to define, but you know it when you see it. You don't have to be a great player to be a clutch player. I have seen great players that are not clutch. I have seen average players that are clutch. The clutch guy is the one you would want at the plate in a key spot and the one that the pitchers don't want to see. On the Tigers, Prince Fielder is a better hitter than VMart, but in a big clutch situation, I would rather be facing Fielder than VMart. He always seems to put up such tough ABs in big spots. Explaining what makes a guy a clutch hitter is like trying to explain why a little guy like Dustin Pedroia is so much better than other players with far superior skills. It's like trying to explain why a marginal major leaguer like Tommy Hutton owned a Hall of Fame pitcher like Tom Seaver. Seaver can't explain it, but he knows that it became a mental thing at some point. Statistics don't explain everything in the game. In the words of Yogi Berra, 90 percent of the game is half mental.

 

 

 

The first year we got Salty I couldn't wait to get rid of him, I blamed the pitching problems on him. I know he has that typical catcher's BA, big dude that swings and misses a lot etc. I swear I have seen that guy come up clutch so many times. You all have.

[a700hitter]

OK. "There is no such thing as a clutch hitter." What so-called clutch hitters do (and Ortiz is one of them) in big moments is the SAME thing they do in all other situations. Ortiz is a .300 hitter. So about a third of the time he will get a hit, regardless of the situation. In the two games so far, he has succeeded far less than that; he had plenty of opportunities to tie the first game and failed miserably. So in a sense we agree: it's not that there are clutch hitters (statistics show there are not); but there ARE hitters who consistently choke in those situations. Ortiz isn't one of them. Even more remarkable was Manny, who didn't seem to give a rat's butt what the situation was, and consequently did as well in big moments as small ones.

Many choke under the bright spotlight-- more than you would think. The guys that remain calm and determined are able to perform to their skill levels in those situations. They don't get faster or stronger, but they conquer the situation mentally when many others cannot. Heck, Curt Schilling had nothing left in 2007 yet he still won in the big spots, because he was so accustomed to those big spots that he could exceute in those big games like it was a game in May. It took almost flawless execution to get by with the stuff he had in 2007. He could barely crack 90 on the gun. The hitters were all jacked up on adrenaline and chasing his pitches out of the zone. I guess the best definition of clutch is being able to perform to your talent level in big situations. Many can't

[jacksonianmarch]

Mods should significantly extend the length of the sig placement due to his breaking the gentleman's agreement regarding the sig bet. That said, he may have a legal loophole to exploit, since he's not a gentleman. Hell, he's barely a person considering he constantly moves boxes around and is a Yankees fan. U-Haul truck with an "I

 

I haven't changed anything. Seriously, what happened? I haven't logged in since yesterday

[mvp 78]

Less than 48 hours away from 15.

 

We know.

[Brennan]

I haven't changed anything. Seriously, what happened? I haven't logged in since yesterday

 

 

 

Probably just an oversight when you switched screen names. You put it in there before, you can just put it back now. No problems.

[RedSoxNC84]

Less than 48 hours away from 15.

 

Don't worry. Before you even blink you'll be 30 something.

[SoxSport]

Amazing. Though what was more amazing is their lack of hitting for most of the 1st 2 games in this series. They have the best record in Baseball (along with Cards), and they should win. But Papi's heroics and the timely hitting have put some fear into the Tigers. Their BP is vulnerable to big hits from a big hit team.

 

I'm thinking maybe Lackey should have pitched game 2 at home, since he pitches better at Fenway than on the road. But he is a competitor, and he's capable of a good effort in Detroit.

[RedSoxNC84]

Amazing. Though what was more amazing is their lack of hitting for most of the 1st 2 games in this series. They have the best record in Baseball (along with Cards), and they should win. But Papi's heroics and the timely hitting have put some fear into the Tigers. Their BP is vulnerable to big hits from a big hit team.

 

I'm thinking maybe Lackey should have pitched game 2 at home, since he pitches better at Fenway than on the road. But he is a competitor, and he's capable of a good effort in Detroit.

 

I agree with Lackey pitching game 2. I also feel that maybe Peavy should pitch ahead of Buch.. Then again Peavy may be better in a shutdown game to close the series out.

[Palodios]

Less than 48 hours away from 15.

 

Hey Talksox. I'm only a few days from turning 20-something. I'm going to hold Talksox ransom, mentioning my birthday every single post until someone buys me an ALCS Game 6 ticket.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

'his D league closer to face Papi'

 

Benoit had a 2.01 ERA this year, 1.73 ERA in save situations.

 

Do you watch baseball?

 

Put your sig back up, bitch.

Copy-paste this in response to jacko from now on.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

I'll be sleeping through game 3.

 

Sleep mojo seems to be effective though.

[Palodios]

So, my birthday is coming up soon. I would really like to go to the ALCS in Boston this year. *hint hint*

[SoxFanForsyth]

As Game Thread Creator, I demand that NOBODY CHANGE ANYTHING from last night.

 

This includes sigs (other than Jacko) and avatars.

 

Don't even change your underwear.

[Thunder]

So, my birthday is coming up soon. I would really like to go to the ALCS in Boston this year. *hint hint*

 

So would I.

[Thunder]

As Game Thread Creator, I demand that NOBODY CHANGE ANYTHING from last night.

 

This includes sigs (other than Jacko) and avatars.

 

Don't even change your underwear.

 

Why would anyone change anything?

[RedSoxNC84]

As Game Thread Creator, I demand that NOBODY CHANGE ANYTHING from last night.

 

This includes sigs (other than Jacko) and avatars.

 

Don't even change your underwear.

 

I changed both last night :\

 

 

Actually all 3. I had to change my underwear after that grand slam.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

As Game Thread Creator, I demand that NOBODY CHANGE ANYTHING from last night.

 

This includes sigs (other than Jacko) and avatars.

 

Don't even change your underwear.

But I never change my underwear...

[kapsis21]

So would I.

me 3

[kapsis21]

I still cant believe it.. what a f***ing game

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

So, my birthday is coming up soon. I would really like to go to the ALCS in Boston this year. *hint hint*

 

#GetPalodiostotheALCScampaign

 

I'll start at 50 bucks. We need about lets say about 200? So 150 from eeryone else, lets do it. When is your birthday?

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

I'll be sleeping through game 3.

 

Sleep mojo seems to be effective though.

 

The game starts at 4, I doubt it. Trying to pick up a 6 am shift instead of 2 pm so I can catch the game.

[SoxFanForsyth]

#GetPalodiostotheALCScampaign

 

I'll start at 50 bucks. We need about lets say about 200? So 150 from eeryone else, lets do it. When is your birthday?

 

Not necessarily.

 

Last night, I saw tickets for the Pavillion Box (really good seats, actually my favorite seats at Fenway) starting at $69.

[Thunder]

The game starts at 4, I doubt it. Trying to pick up a 6 am shift instead of 2 pm so I can catch the game.

 

Oh what a relief. I can't stand these late nights.

[Palodios]

#GetPalodiostotheALCScampaign

 

I'll start at 50 bucks. We need about lets say about 200? So 150 from eeryone else, lets do it. When is your birthday?

 

Thanks! I'm really just kidding -- my girlfriend says she is buying me tickets. I am a bit concerned though... the Red Sox lost on my birthday in a game 7 not too long ago, and it was a bit of a bummer.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

Thanks! I'm really just kidding -- my girlfriend says she is buying me tickets.

I said no such thing!