The Official 2021 ALDS Thread

[moonslav59]

I think the White Sox would be easier to beat than the Astros.

 

Me2, and who wants the Astros to make the ALCS for the 5th straight year?

 

(Never done B4)

[Kimmi]

I'll take the Red Sox in 4 in this series.

[MADSTORK]

Just regular old stupidity.

 

Stupidity is exactly why you will not get passed TB. Front Office stupidity for not trading for a legit starting arm at the deadline. ERod starting game 1 is laughable. ERod on any other Playoff team would be regulated to the pen or left off the Roster.

 

Game 1 tonight is perfect example of the lack of command and inconsistency that he brings to any start. The player should have been traded 2 years ago

[Maxbialystock]

I'll take the Red Sox in 4 in this series.

 

Gutsy call, but I'm inclined to agree with you. ERod choked but no one else. Kike was not charged with an error. Sox have K'd but also hit the ball hard. Rays have had the breaks and the Sox absolutely none.

[Maxbialystock]

Two good and tough at bats and singles by two lefty Sox hitters. Three of the four hits by the Sox are by the three lefty hitters.

[Maxbialystock]

That right there was the perfect image of this game. Two on, two out, and Dalbec nails it--straight to the thirdbaseman.

[moonslav59]

That right there was the perfect image of this game. Two on, two out, and Dalbec nails it--straight to the thirdbaseman.

 

"The Pattern"

[YastrzemskI]

The SOX have to right the ship in game two. Have I mentioned that I hate Tropicana field?!? Every other flippin’ pop fly gets lost in the lights. The SOX had their moments hitting the ball hard but not much with RISP. You simply cannot expect to win when you have two men on with nobody out and you don’t score.

[notin]

Stupidity is exactly why you will not get passed TB. Front Office stupidity for not trading for a legit starting arm at the deadline. ERod starting game 1 is laughable. ERod on any other Playoff team would be regulated to the pen or left off the Roster.

 

Game 1 tonight is perfect example of the lack of command and inconsistency that he brings to any start. The player should have been traded 2 years ago

 

Hey we knocked off your team…

[moonslav59]

We have to break the pattern.

 

Last night, we out hit them 9-6 and they even committed an error.

 

Walks and key hits by them, and the lack of walks and key hits by us, hard hit outs by us and soft hits by them (not all of them) has been something we seem to fall into for long stretches.

 

We need to break the pattern- starting tonight.

[Larry33]

I'll take the Red Sox in 4 in this series.

 

We know you've already got that one wrong. The reality is that the Rays could easily flip your prediction watching last night game the Rays have solid good pitching with a strong BP and good defense and some pop all the right combination to go far in the playoffs they didn't fluke out their divisional title this season the won it fair and square. We keep overlooking what they accomplish with a low budget and young talent with no superstar. They got another good young fireballer going today in Shane Baz could be another tough day for the Red Sox hitter today. They very well could be in WS as the AL Champions.

[Bellhorn04]

Stupidity is exactly why you will not get passed TB. Front Office stupidity for not trading for a legit starting arm at the deadline. ERod starting game 1 is laughable. ERod on any other Playoff team would be regulated to the pen or left off the Roster.

 

Game 1 tonight is perfect example of the lack of command and inconsistency that he brings to any start. The player should have been traded 2 years ago

 

Who's YOUR team, STORK?

 

Stop being such a pussy and fess up.

[notin]

We know you've already got that one wrong. The reality is that the Rays could easily flip your prediction watching last night game the Rays have solid good pitching with a strong BP and good defense and some pop all the right combination to go far in the playoffs they didn't fluke out their divisional title this season the won it fair and square. We keep overlooking what they accomplish with a low budget and young talent with no superstar. They got another good young fireballer going today in Shane Baz could be another tough day for the Red Sox hitter today. They very well could be in WS as the AL Champions.

 

Not yet, as the ALDS is a best of 5. So if Sale wins tonight and the Sox take both at Fenway. It’s not likely IMO but it is certainly possible…

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

We know you've already got that one wrong. The reality is that the Rays could easily flip your prediction watching last night game the Rays have solid good pitching with a strong BP and good defense and some pop all the right combination to go far in the playoffs they didn't fluke out their divisional title this season the won it fair and square. We keep overlooking what they accomplish with a low budget and young talent with no superstar. They got another good young fireballer going today in Shane Baz could be another tough day for the Red Sox hitter today. They very well could be in WS as the AL Champions.

 

Disagree: Arozarena and Franco are more dynamic players than any Red Socks. Keep them off the bases and deal with the rest of Tampa's .250 hitters who will hit a few homers, and always some bleeder that brings in a run because the batter hustled to beat the throw to first.

 

Boston outhit Tampa but had zero bases on balls (the opposite of the Sox' WC game), and also ripped hard outs. Hopefully, some of those will find gaps, like the line drive Franco hit that Arozarena scored from first on. The visitors have no one who can run like Randy, but have plenty of batters who can work walks (like when the ump blew two calls in his last AB).

 

Things could change quickly if Sale can shut them down.

[mvp 78]

Who's YOUR team, STORK?

 

Stop being such a pussy and fess up.

 

He's one of those guys who still thinks it was better being a fan prior to 2004.

[oldtimer]

We have to break the pattern.

 

Last night, we out hit them 9-6 and they even committed an error.

 

Walks and key hits by them, and the lack of walks and key hits by us, hard hit outs by us and soft hits by them (not all of them) has been something we seem to fall into for long stretches.

 

We need to break the pattern- starting tonight.

Going into last night we knew that it would be tough to score on the Rays. The have good young arms and generally play defense at the highest level. We also knew they challenge the battery by running and even one run given up to them that way creates a hurdle.

 

So last night the first disappointment was that the bad E-Rod showed up without good command and nibbling. Really, right away the walk to Arozarena and the hit by Franco set the tone, not helped by Kike's mishandling of the ball in center. Two runs later we were in trouble. In the second after another leadoff walk it became obvious that E-Rod was not right and he was removed putting a lot of pressure on the staff. Pivetta while he was in was not that sharp and was tagged for a couple of HR's.

 

The second disappointment to me was when we had the bases loaded with one out and Devers up. The Rays had made a rare error and we were in a position to put a lot of pressure on the Rays. Devers at bat was not smart. He swung from the heels twice and missed two fastballs down the middle. Finally he swung at one out of the zone. He looked bad on that at bat.

 

The third disappointment to me was when Taylor stupidly took a long time setting up to throw with Arozarena half way down the third base line. He essentially gave up the fifth run due to negligence. Perhaps shifting Devers so far from 3rd on that play was also a dumb tactic.

 

We outhit them but couldn't score. They just outplayed us.

Edited October 8, 2021 by oldtimer

[notin]

I might be alone here. But in hindsight and since the Sox got shut out, I’m at least glad Devers didn’t connect off Feyereisen in the 8th and hit the grand slam. I figure we’re going to be inundated with the Legend of Randy Arozarena enough as it is; can you imagine how many times we’d hear about that steal of home if it actually had turned out to be the winning run?

[Bellhorn04]

I might be alone here. But in hindsight and since the Sox got shut out, I’m at least glad Devers didn’t connect off Feyereisen in the 8th and hit the grand slam. I figure we’re going to be inundated with the Legend of Randy Arozarena enough as it is; can you imagine how many times we’d hear about that steal of home if it actually had turned out to be the winning run?

 

You trying to start a debate over whether 'winning run' or 'game-winning RBI' is a real thing?

 

I'm joking. But as real baseball nerds know, the 'game-winning RBI' stat did exist for a period of 10-15 years or so before it was deep-sixed again.

 

Those same nerds know that the way the 'game-winning RBI' was determined was mirrored on the way winning pitcher is determined. Ergo, the 'game winning RBI' in the 1978 playoff game was by Dent, not Reggie.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I might be alone here. But in hindsight and since the Sox got shut out, I’m at least glad Devers didn’t connect off Feyereisen in the 8th and hit the grand slam. I figure we’re going to be inundated with the Legend of Randy Arozarena enough as it is; can you imagine how many times we’d hear about that steal of home if it actually had turned out to be the winning run?

 

Doesn't matter; if Tampa goes on to win it all this year, for the next 43 years of meaningful games vs. the Red Sox, the Yankees TV channels will run replays of Arozarena stealing home... over and over and over again. Even if Boston wins the next four rings.

[mvp 78]

Doesn't matter; if Tampa goes on to win it all this year, for the next 43 years of meaningful games vs. the Red Sox, the Yankees TV channels will run replays of Arozarena stealing home... over and over and over again. Even if Boston wins the next four rings.

 

How about no?

[iortiz]

Rays are the best at clustering hits and runs when they have to. It's not random. They are mentally strong when they have to execute. The sample is not small.

[Bellhorn04]

Rays are the best at clustering hits and runs when they have to. It's not random. They are mentally strong when they have to execute. The sample is not small.

 

Kimmi's nostrils were made to quiver by this post.

[iortiz]

Kimmi's nostrils were made to quiver by this post.

 

LOL really?

 

Rays somehow very often hit at clutch. It is not coincidence or randomness.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

LOL really?

 

Rays somehow very often hit at clutch. It is not coincidence or randomness.

 

Their GM has deftly collected a sufficient amount of power bats from both side of the plate, and also an uncanny array of .250 guys skilled at beating out one-stitch infield grounders to key rallies in every game vs. the Red Sox this year.

[mvp 78]

Kimmi's nostrils were made to quiver by this post.

 

They are also able to cluster outs when you think about it. Is that because they use all their mental strength previously to cluster the hits. Their health/magicka/stamina needs time to recharge?

[YastrzemskI]

Doesn't matter; if Tampa goes on to win it all this year, for the next 43 years of meaningful games vs. the Red Sox, the Yankees TV channels will run replays of Arozarena stealing home... over and over and over again. Even if Boston wins the next four rings.

 

First off, who cares what the Yankee TV channels will be showing. Secondly, why would one team’s channel repeatedly show another teams highlights? Even if Boston wins the next four rings? You sound like a bitter Yankee fan since the Red Sox eliminated them.

[mvp 78]

First off, who cares what the Yankee TV channels will be showing. Secondly, why would one team’s channel repeatedly show another teams highlights? Even if Boston wins the next four rings? You sound like a bitter Yankee fan since the Red Sox eliminated them.

 

Yeah, I don't remember NESN showing the Luis Gonzalez walk off over and over again. This is such a weird thing to be upset over. I don't think one play in an ALDS game 1 where they got shutout has the same significance as the Bucky Dent HR, Ortiz sending Hunter into the pen, Tek smashing ARod with his glove, etc.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Geez, thanks for the concerns, guys. I'm ok, and just made a bad joke about ESPN and Fox by not naming them directly when calling them "Yankee" channels (which, anyone watching their constant ARod/Judge/Bucky features may possibly agree with). I'm actually content with anything that happens the rest of the postseason -- since the underdogs knocked off the overrateds in the WC.

[mvp 78]

Geez, thanks for the concerns, guys. I'm ok, and just made a bad joke about ESPN and Fox by not naming them directly when calling them "Yankee" channels (which, anyone watching their constant ARod/Judge/Bucky features may possibly agree with). I'm actually content with anything that happens the rest of the postseason -- since the underdogs knocked off the overrateds in the WC.

 

You should have put on the Statcast broadcast on ESPN2.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

You should have put on the Statcast broadcast on ESPN2.

 

We tried listening to the Sox radio announcers, but they were too far ahead of the TV delay, so we just hit the mute button. I've actually watched the end of a lot of games that way this year, especially with the Sox trailing, to avoid OB's contrivances.