Postseason Happenings 2016

[Hugh2]

Like we say here on Talksox, the playoffs are a crap shoot.

 

As far as I'm concerned the season completely resets this Thursday.

[Slasher9]

So, I haven't been around very much, and it doesn't quite feel right to start a playoff GT after missing 98% of the season. But, at the same time, the Sox somehow played well when I was starting the threads. All this to say, I wanted to get everyone's thoughts. Do you want me to start the playoff game thread?

 

This freakin guy!!

(that's a yes)

[mvp 78]

https://theringer.com/the-red-sox-are-secretly-almost-as-good-as-the-cubs-818c07b011bf#.a42ro6rhq

 

The Sox, meanwhile, have had the American League’s best offense, led by a likely MVP winner (Mookie Betts), the best 40-something hitter ever, and two other veterans, Dustin Pedroia and a revamped Hanley Ramírez, who’ve spent the second half hitting about as well as they ever have. They’ve led the league in performance versus finesse pitchers, and they’ve led by much more against power pitchers, who become more common in October. Successful comebacks from injury (Craig Kimbrel, Koji Uehara), trade additions (Brad Ziegler), and long-awaited conversions (Joe Kelly) gave them one of the game’s most unhittable bullpens down the stretch. They lead AL playoff teams in Defensive Runs Saved, and they’re the league’s second-best base runners. Their rotation, which is widely seen as their weakness, ranks sixth in the majors in both Deserved Run Average and park-adjusted ERA, and while it suffers from the absence of breakout star Steven Wright and midseason trade acquisition Drew Pomeranz, it’s not so thin without them that the rest of the starters can’t keep the offense in games.

 

I guess this team is alright...

[Slasher9]

#Koji4Kloser

[sk7326]

Ideally, I think I'd manage it this way

 

* No starter will face more than 27 hitters.

* Buchholz and Rodriguez on short leashes, especially after the 2nd time through the order

 

Pomeranz and Kelly if we have not gotten to the 7th yet. Ziegler-Uehara-Kimbrel to finish

Robbie Ross as a LOOGY and able to burn some innings if we are behind

Tazawa as the extra guy.

[SinceYaz]

1. The 2013 Red Sox lost 3 of their last 5 games.

 

 

2. How a team finishes the season has no correlation to their postseason success. In other words, there is little truth to the notion of 'momentum' or lack thereof carrying into the playoffs.

 

 

3. I've said it a hundred times and I'll say it again. Winning by scores like 13-1 and losing by one or two runs is a sign of a good team.

 

1. And Farrell played all sorts of odd lineups in the last few games ... in no way was he trying to win at all costs.

2. As a matter of fact, the team was taking the time to line up the starting pitching ... (so I'm agreeing with you).

 

3. All weather, all terrain, all situations! Best when you can hit or pitch, or hit and pitch! The game is never over with the Red Sox.

Edited October 5, 2016 by SinceYaz
realigned my typing

[Kimmi]

1. And Farrell played all sorts of odd lineups in the last few games ... in no way was he trying to win at all costs.

2. As a matter of fact, the team was taking the time to line up the starting pitching ... (so I'm agreeing with you).

 

3. All weather, all terrain, all situations! Best when you can hit or pitch, or hit and pitch! The game is never over with the Red Sox.

 

The playoffs are largely a crapshoot. The Sox have as good a chance to win it all as any of the other teams in the playoffs. We have the talent. Hopefully, we'll have the 'luck' as well.

 

As Rick James would say, I feel good! Let's go!

[TylerD]

As far as I'm concerned the season completely resets this Thursday.

 

Amen! I don't know enough about the Guardians to say confidentially that we can beat them. They have outstanding pitching. Going to be a tought series!

 

I'm going to miss the game Friday because I'll be at work and my boss is an *******and likely won't let me listen to it on my phone Grrrr!!!!!

[d-money]

I think the season will be a failure if we are not in the ALCS. Papi's last year and this offense has been the best in baseball.

[sk7326]

I think the season will be a failure if we are not in the ALCS. Papi's last year and this offense has been the best in baseball.

 

It would be a bummer. But it has been a resoundingly succesful season. Sox could win it all - Sox could lose in the ALDS. Playoffs are genuinely flukey.

[moonslav59]

Anything goes once the playoffs arrive.

 

All you can do is try to build the best team and be set up for the first game (series).

 

I like our chances.

 

I'd love to see Papi go out on top of the world in front of Theo and the Cubs.

[User Name]

I think the season will be a failure if we are not in the ALCS. Papi's last year and this offense has been the best in baseball.

 

Annoyingly entitled much?

[TylerD]

I think the season will be a failure if we are not in the ALCS. Papi's last year and this offense has been the best in baseball.

 

The problem is its the playoffs and anything can happen! San Fran just won tonight and call me crazy..... I could see them giving the Cubs a hell of a series!!! Anything goes now. The Guardians have some damn good pitching and know how to shut good offenses down. I think last game we played against them we only put up 2 or 3 runs? Regardless our pitching will have to be nearly perfect to compete. This sure as hell won't be an easy series. This is the first time the Guardians have made it to the playoffs (outside of a wild card ) in 9 years. They will have a lot of energy.

[User Name]

The Guardians had great pitching, but then Salazar and Carrasco, two of their big three pitchers got injured. Bauer and Tomlin do not comprise part of a "great" postseason rotation. Anything can happen, but those injuries greatly increase the chances of success for the Red Sox.

[Jack Flap]

Were those two amazing wild card games, or what? Goddamn.

[Bellhorn04]

Were those two amazing wild card games, or what? Goddamn.

 

And a testament to Earl Weaver's adage about 'pitching and 3-run homers'.

[greenwell]

And a testament to Earl Weaver's adage about 'pitching and 3-run homers'.

 

3 run homers are big, although in those games a single was all that was needed (or a sac fly in the blue jays case)

[Slasher9]

how's this for mind effing....

showalter does not bring his closer into a tie game and loses

Mets manager does bring his closer into a tie game and loses

 

freakin' baseball......

[illinoisredsox]

I just saw a great description of the Giants on another forum: the Giants in the postseason are like cockroaches in a nuclear war. They always find a way to survive.

[sk7326]

how's this for mind effing....

showalter does not bring his closer into a tie game and loses

Mets manager does bring his closer into a tie game and loses

 

freakin' baseball......

 

It shows that the right decision can have the wrong results anyway ...

[mvp 78]

It shows that the right decision can have the wrong results anyway ...

 

Or it shows that there are no "right" decisions and that it's all just luck. Goodbye to my worldview.

 

[georom4]

Where was this Francona when he was leaving the Sox starters in until they got their brains bashed? He was the absolute worst at managing the relievers back in the day. Looks like he has finally developed a sense of urgency. No more fran-coma I guess. He deserves serious props for his pitching moves yesterday. On a minor note, I thought Price was a better choice for the first game. We were lucky that AP gave up three homers and we were still in the game. It looks like an evenly matched series....

[User Name]

What the hell are you talking about? Francona has always managed with a sense of urgency in the postseason. You don't manage the sprint the same way you manage the marathon.

[mvp 78]

Francona was the greatest manager the Sox ever had. Anyone that continues to tear him down for his years year has a serious grudge. In the lost season of 2010, they still won 89 games.

 

HE AVERAGED 93 WINS A SEASON WHILE MANAGING THE SOX...

[User Name]

.....won two world series titles, and went to the postseason five times.

[mvp 78]

The only complaint I have about this ownership group is how they treated Tito as they were kicking him out the door.

 

SHAME... SHAME... SHAME...

[User Name]

Common practice for them. It's the only thing I honestly dislike about them. They did the same thing to Grady, Nomar, O-Cab (kind of deserved it) among others.

[mvp 78]

Common practice for them. It's the only thing I honestly dislike about them. They did the same thing to Grady, Nomar, O-Cab (kind of deserved it) among others.

 

Nomar deserved it tho.

[Wade Boggs]

The only complaint I have about this ownership group is how they treated Tito as they were kicking him out the door.

 

SHAME... SHAME... SHAME...

 

 

I thought he lost the clubhouse that year. Now with saying that, I would have not fired him. I would have not let Theo go as well. Beckett was the bad seed. Lackey and Lester where followers. One top of it replacing him with Bobby V was one more mistake to the list.

[mvp 78]

I thought he lost the clubhouse that year. Now with saying that, I would have not fired him. I would have not let Theo go as well. Beckett was the bad seed. Lackey and Lester where followers. One top of it replacing him with Bobby V was one more mistake to the list.

 

He didn't lose the clubhouse. He lost his starting rotation due to injury and ineffectiveness.