10/18 ALCS game 5

[Station 13]

I get chills already. It's only 35° this morning.

 

Price is going to deliver the pennant tonight.

[TylerD]

Please close this out.

 

Price is starting?

 

Please get a big enough lead we don’t have to see Kimbrels face in this game.

[d-money]

I get chills already. It's only 35° this morning.

 

Price is going to deliver the pennant tonight.

 

I hope you’re right but i have no confidence in him because time and time again he fails. Gonna have to hit verlander.

[TylerD]

I hope you’re right but i have no confidence in him because time and time again he fails. Gonna have to hit verlander.

On the plus Price was a lot better in his second start than he was game 1. If not for Xander taking his sweet time throwing that ball. Price would have went 5 innings giving up 2 runs. I think Price can give us 5 innings tonight.

[jung]

I wonder if Cora is going to plan to sink or swim with Price as he did for the most part with Porcello or if he will plan on having erod sub in. I have as little if not less faith in erod at the moment than I have in Price. I would sink or swim with Price if he is gutting it out the way Porcello gutted out his start. But does anybody think Price has those kinds of guts and can at least hold the Astros RH hitting lineup down to a dull roar in their own park?

 

Porcello had nothing and very likely knew he had nothing as he walked in from the bullpen for the 1st inning. But he did hang in their as long as he could with his butt hung out there in the breeze for everybody to see. Not sure Price can do that.

 

The whole pen and rotation is scrambled eggs except for Eo. Since most of these games have been pen games, Cora now probably ends up with Sale+ almost everybody in 6 and Eo in 7 on a full 4 days rest with everybody in support again.

 

I expect Verlander tonight to be much tougher than Morton was last night.

 

Hard to call what either of these managers is doing with his pitching "working". Its working as long as the ball is hit in the general vicinity of fielders capable of making great plays. Other than that, not working worth s***! Even with that, for my money Cora has been the better Manager so far.

[d-money]

I wonder if Cora is going to plan to sink or swim with Price as he did for the most part with Porcello or if he will plan on having erod sub in. I have as little if not less faith in erod at the moment than I have in Price. I would sink or swim with Price if he is gutting it out the way Porcello gutted out his start. But does anybody think Price has those kinds of guts and can at least hold the Astros RH hitting lineup down to a dull roar in their own park?

 

Porcello had nothing and very likely knew he had nothing as he walked in from the bullpen for the 1st inning. But he did hang in their as long as he could with his butt hung out there in the breeze for everybody to see. Not sure Price can do that.

 

The whole pen and rotation is scrambled eggs except for Eo. Since most of these games have been pen games, Cora now probably ends up with Sale+ almost everybody in 6 and Eo in 7 on a full 4 days rest with everybody in support again.

 

I expect Verlander tonight to be much tougher than Morton was last night.

 

Hard to call what either of these managers is doing with his pitching "working". Its working as long as the ball is hit in the general vicinity of fielders capable of making great plays. Other than that, not working worth s***! Even with that, for my money Cora has been the better Manager so far.

 

It seems like Cora went all in last night at the expense of this game. I would be ecstatic if price went 5 shutout innings but that would be a miracle. Gonna have to hit verlander. Going back home will still be nice but we just don’t know what sale will give us in a game 6.

[Bellhorn04]

Are you ready for some Heath Hembree action?

[OH FOY]

BP game, could be.

[mvp 78]

Are you ready for some Heath Hembree action?

 

Thursday is an alcohol free day for me. This could get rough.

[mvp 78]

@ByChrisMason

 

"To have that opportunity to punch our ticket to the World Series is very cool." — Game 5 starter David Price

 

7 innings, 0 ER.

[Slasher9]

[YastrzemskI]

I’ll forgive Price for his post season shortcomings if he goes 7 shut out innings tonight. I think we all would.

[Fan_since_Boggs]

I doubt Brasier is available tonight. I'm not sure about Barnes, but I would prefer saving Barnes for games 6 & 7. The Red Sox will likely go with their B bullpen today, relying on guys like Workman and Hembree.

 

Who knows, maybe Price will come up big and guys like Workman and Hembree will also get it done. And perhaps Verlander will be off his game. It could happen, but the Astros are the clear favorites going into tonight based on the SP matchup.

 

I'm giving Pearce a day off. He is 35 years old, not accustomed to regular playing time, and it doesn't look like Moreland is going to start again in this series.

Betts RF

Benintendi LF

Martinez DH

Bogaerts SS

Devers 3b

Holt 2b

Swihart 1b

Vazquez C

Bradly Jr. CF

[mvp 78]

At this point, rest is for the off season.

[mvp 78]

Also, Pearce had one of the two hits off of Verlander in game 1.

[Emp9]

Please close this out.

 

Price is starting?

 

Please get a big enough lead we don’t have to see Kimbrels face in this game.

 

Half of me wants Cora to keep going to Kimbrel (to work it out & find himself again) because if we make the WS we definitely gonna need him.

[Emp9]

What’s the expectation on Price if he does start? 5 Inn, 4 runs?

[TylerD]

What’s the expectation on Price if he does start? 5 Inn, 4 runs?

 

5 innings 2 outs. My prediction.

[FredLynn]

What’s the expectation on Price if he does start? 5 Inn, 4 runs?

 

Four innings. Four runs. Price v Verlander is a mismatch. But his is baseball; anything can happen.

[illinoisredsox]

Four innings. Four runs. Price v Verlander is a mismatch. But his is baseball; anything can happen.

 

So was Lackey v Verlander in 2013. Final was 1-0 Sox. You never know.

[Thunder]

In my book this is a game 7. Letting them get one tonight and take it back to Fenway is the same as losing the series. The Astros live and die on confidence and momentum. Right now, they've lost it. The last two games, despite fighting back to tie (game 3) and take a lead multiple times (game 4), they've lost, which to them must be a morale killer. We need to step on their throats right now while we can. It's only a matter of time before they start getting the clutch hits they need, like the clutch hit Bregman thought he had last night. If they get their vibe back, the last 2 games at Fenway could be very dangerous. We also can't afford to lose this one because then we lose Sale for Game 1 of the World Series, unless Cora limits his pitch count in game 6, which I highly doubt, given it would be a closeout game and no holds barred.

 

With that being said, I am all in tonight. Unless I fall asleep watching the game (which has happened before), I have nothing until 1:30 tomorrow so I am good to watch this one with y'all after being criticized for going to bed early last night (I ended up going to bed at the end of the 2nd inning btw). I have an accounting exam scheduled from 6:30 to 7:30, but it's accounting, which is my major, so I expect to get out early and be back in time for the start. Win. Advance. Repeat. x4

[FredLynn]

So was Lackey v Verlander in 2013. Final was 1-0 Sox. You never know.

 

No, you don't (ever know). But if history teaches us anything about Price is that he is the consummate choke artist. If I were forced to bet on this game I would not bet that he would keep the game competitive. This is his chance for redemption. Lets see if he is up to the task.

[TylerD]

I have to take my hat off to Houston fans. Just browsing their forum they are still confident they can win this series. They believe they have the pitching matchup the next two days and then anything can happen in game 7. Although they definitely have the pitching match up tonight, this won't be easy for them. Then again they thought they would sweep us, then win in 5, now they think they will win in 7. Special breed of fans over there in Houston I tell you.

[TylerD]

No, you don't (ever know). But if history teaches us anything about Price is that he is the consummate choke artist. If I were forced to bet on this game I would not bet that he would keep the game competitive. This is his chance for redemption. Lets see if he is up to the task.

 

He was much more competitive in game 2 then meets the eye. Xander was one bad throw away from getting Price 5 innings with just 2 earned runs. I expect 5 innings (hopefully 6) with no more than 2 runs. The question is, can this offence get the bats swinging against Verlander unlike game 1.

[Thunder]

I have to take my hat off to Houston fans. Just browsing their forum they are still confident they can win this series. They believe they have the pitching matchup the next two days and then anything can happen in game 7. Although they definitely have the pitching match up tonight, this won't be easy for them. Then again they thought they would sweep us, then win in 5, now they think they will win in 7. Special breed of fans over there in Houston I tell you.

 

They were in our position this past NBA playoffs season. They were the #1 seed up against the odds on favorite reigning champs 3-2, and then squandered the series with a late collapse on their home floor in game 7. Maybe they're just learning from experience. I'm certainly not counting them out, and it's certainly fresh in their heads.

[S5Dewey]

8:09 game time tonight. This one may be over before 1:00!

[TylerD]

They were in our position this past NBA playoffs season. They were the #1 seed up against the odds on favorite reigning champs 3-2, and then squandered the series with a late collapse on their home floor in game 7. Maybe they're just learning from experience. I'm certainly not counting them out, and it's certainly fresh in their heads.

Good point. And I agree. They have the pitching matchup and build off of confidence. They take this one tonight I’m not so confident we take this series.

[mvp 78]

In my book this is a game 7. Letting them get one tonight and take it back to Fenway is the same as losing the series. The Astros live and die on confidence and momentum. Right now, they've lost it. The last two games, despite fighting back to tie (game 3) and take a lead multiple times (game 4), they've lost, which to them must be a morale killer. We need to step on their throats right now while we can. It's only a matter of time before they start getting the clutch hits they need, like the clutch hit Bregman thought he had last night. If they get their vibe back, the last 2 games at Fenway could be very dangerous. We also can't afford to lose this one because then we lose Sale for Game 1 of the World Series, unless Cora limits his pitch count in game 6, which I highly doubt, given it would be a closeout game and no holds barred.

 

With that being said, I am all in tonight. Unless I fall asleep watching the game (which has happened before), I have nothing until 1:30 tomorrow so I am good to watch this one with y'all after being criticized for going to bed early last night (I ended up going to bed at the end of the 2nd inning btw). I have an accounting exam scheduled from 6:30 to 7:30, but it's accounting, which is my major, so I expect to get out early and be back in time for the start. Win. Advance. Repeat. x4

 

My man!

[Thunder]

My man!

 

You should have already known that.... But, in any sense, that's your takeaway? That post took me 10 minutes to write

[greenwell]

I doubt Brasier is available tonight. I'm not sure about Barnes, but I would prefer saving Barnes for games 6 & 7. The Red Sox will likely go with their B bullpen today, relying on guys like Workman and Hembree.

 

Who knows, maybe Price will come up big and guys like Workman and Hembree will also get it done. And perhaps Verlander will be off his game. It could happen, but the Astros are the clear favorites going into tonight based on the SP matchup.

 

I'm giving Pearce a day off. He is 35 years old, not accustomed to regular playing time, and it doesn't look like Moreland is going to start again in this series.

Betts RF

Benintendi LF

Martinez DH

Bogaerts SS

Devers 3b

Holt 2b

Swihart 1b

Vazquez C

Bradly Jr. CF

 

Barnes will be needed tonight, off day tomorrow he'll be fine by game 6. Kelley can pitch an inning, maybe 1 or 2 batters for Brasier. Kimbrell is out.