Playoffs

[Duran Is The Man]

I was so much older then, I'm younger than that, now.

 

The trifecta of the '75, '78 and '86 losses broke my heart and soul.

 

The wins in '04, '07, '13 and '18 mended it all and brought the kid back in me.

 

 

i remember the '75 series but it didn't hurt anything like '78. and yeah, Buckner's Blunder crushed my soul as well. 2004 was the Greatest Day Ever.

[moonslav59]

i remember the '75 series but it didn't hurt anything like '78. and yeah, Buckner's Blunder crushed my soul as well. 2004 was the Greatest Day Ever.

 

I try to think of the play at 1B as a McNamara blunder. All season, he took Buckner out, late in games.

 

The game that counts the most, he got sentimental and "wanted Buckner on the field for the celebration."

 

Instead, he crushed Buck's reputation to many.

[Duran Is The Man]

I try to think of the play at 1B as a McNamara blunder. All season, he took Buckner out, late in games.

 

The game that counts the most, he got sentimental and "wanted Buckner on the field for the celebration."

 

Instead, he crushed Buck's reputation to many.

 

i never held any animosity towards Buckner. it's a shame what the fans and media did to him. same with Donnie Moore of the Angels.

[sk7326]

I am 45, so 1986 was my first.

 

Now, Buckner did not crush me - I fell asleep. I was 8. My dad said he'd let me know what happened if I passed out. Famous last words. But I was crushed by Game 7, where the Sox had a 3 run lead! That is what is wild sometimes. Like in 1975, the Reds lose one of the all time stomach punch games and still won the next road game.

 

I was in business school in 2003. We had a happy hour on the Thursday night, and me and a few buds went. They had Game 7 on the big screen. I was the only Red Sox fan in the group - but Yankees losing can unite lots of neutral fans. I was going to drive somebody home afterwards - but when Boone's homerun went over the fence, Todd (the guy I had to drive) looked at my face and said "I'll figure out how to get home." I nodded, "Thanks". I went home and stared. My mom called saying "I'm so sorry". I've never had my car stolen, but I felt what I imagine how someone feels walking up and down past the empty parking spot where the car was taken from. It was also the first time I felt like I was going to be another one of those "Sully from Revee-ah" guys who never saw his Sox win it all.

 

Of course 2004 happens - and indeed the way it happened was such that I am almost grateful for 2003 as its place in the two year dramatic arc. The other titles are great - I am certainly not going to pooh pooh them ... but no team's fan base anywhere (short of something like Leicester City winning the Premier League) will have as sweet a championship as 2004. All of the circumstances together are nearly impossible to find.

 

That said, if Texas wins it all - I will be happy for them. They were on the losing end of either the greatest (or IMO 2nd greatest) game of this century - one of the real stomach punch losses in baseball history - so it would be nice for their fans. And of course, I am happy for Nate. It is also worth remembering that Texas is doing this after losing their ace after just 6 starts this season.

[Bellhorn04]

That said, if Texas wins it all - I will be happy for them. They were on the losing end of either the greatest (or IMO 2nd greatest) game of this century - one of the real stomach punch losses in baseball history - so it would be nice for their fans. And of course, I am happy for Nate. It is also worth remembering that Texas is doing this after losing their ace after just 6 starts this season.

 

I think the Texas front office should get some credit for really going for it in a year they had a shot. They lost deGrom as you say, then at the deadline they get Scherzer(also lost for the rest of the WS) and Montgomery.

 

That is some serious going for it.

[sk7326]

I think the Texas front office should get some credit for really going for it in a year they had a shot. They lost deGrom as you say, then at the deadline they get Scherzer(also lost for the rest of the WS) and Montgomery.

 

That is some serious going for it.

 

10000000000000%

[Bellhorn04]

Needless to say this WS ain't over yet.

 

I'd love to see Nate get the win tonight.

[sk7326]

Needless to say this WS ain't over yet.

 

I'd love to see Nate get the win tonight.

 

Oh of course. Baseball is the consummate "life comes at you fast" playoffs.

 

Honestly, the Red Sox in 2018 being the best team wire to wire and having a fairly comprehensive playoff run is quite the exception. Even recently:

 

2014- Giants won a road Game 7

2015 - Royals came back from 2-1 down in the ALDS

2016 - Cubs had to come back from 3-1 down, won a road Game 7

2017 - Astros had to win a road Game 7

2019 - Nationals won a road Game 7

2020 - Pandemic season, whatever

2021 - 88-win Braves stun the Astros

2022 - Astros romped

[mvp 78]

I think the Texas front office should get some credit for really going for it in a year they had a shot. They lost deGrom as you say, then at the deadline they get Scherzer(also lost for the rest of the WS) and Montgomery.

 

That is some serious going for it.

 

TX has smart baseball player (Princeton) turned GM.

 

Sox are trying to replicate that.

[mvp 78]

Oh of course. Baseball is the consummate "life comes at you fast" playoffs.

 

Honestly, the Red Sox in 2018 being the best team wire to wire and having a fairly comprehensive playoff run is quite the exception. Even recently:

 

2014- Giants won a road Game 7

2015 - Royals came back from 2-1 down in the ALDS

2016 - Cubs had to come back from 3-1 down, won a road Game 7

2017 - Astros had to win a road Game 7

2019 - Nationals won a road Game 7

2020 - Pandemic season, whatever

2021 - 88-win Braves stun the Astros

2022 - Astros romped

 

In 2018, the Sox didn't have the best record in the AL East from the beginning of the season on. There were 12 days when they weren't in 1st place, even as late as June 26th. On July 1, they were still tied with the Yanks for possession of 1st place.

[sk7326]

In 2018, the Sox didn't have the best record in the AL East from the beginning of the season on. There were 12 days when they weren't in 1st place, even as late as June 26th. On July 1, they were still tied with the Yanks for possession of 1st place.

 

Sure - why I used "best team". I'll let Yankees fans stand up for other teams.

[Bellhorn04]

Oh of course. Baseball is the consummate "life comes at you fast" playoffs.

 

Honestly, the Red Sox in 2018 being the best team wire to wire and having a fairly comprehensive playoff run is quite the exception. Even recently:

 

2014- Giants won a road Game 7

2015 - Royals came back from 2-1 down in the ALDS

2016 - Cubs had to come back from 3-1 down, won a road Game 7

2017 - Astros had to win a road Game 7

2019 - Nationals won a road Game 7

2020 - Pandemic season, whatever

2021 - 88-win Braves stun the Astros

2022 - Astros romped

 

Just to be a completist, in 2020 the Dodgers came back from down 3-1 in the NLCS.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I think the Texas front office should get some credit for really going for it in a year they had a shot. They lost deGrom as you say, then at the deadline they get Scherzer(also lost for the rest of the WS) and Montgomery.

 

That is some serious going for it.

 

Their front office made them the Overdogs.

 

Players must hate it when they lose Hall of Fame pitchers and MVP hitters, and all management can do is rely on rookie call-ups like Carter or replacement types like Jankowski, and either of their top two starters in innings pitched -- Dunning and Gray -- out of the bullpen every game.

[vegasbob]

So glad to see "Big Game" Nate perform well in the Series winner. Goes 5-0 in the playoffs/WS. This guy may not be able to go 32 starts or 190 innings but if you need a competitive pitcher out there in a must win game, Nate is one of the few to call on.

 

I doubt he could have self elevated the 2023 Red Sox to the WC#3 but it is worth noting that Yalie Bloom couldn't rationalize Eovaldi's value vs Kluber's, and still had lux tax room leftover. And to all the Stat Masterson's who would "prove" Nate isn't worth the price, just understand the difference between guys that can handle the pressure and those that fold like cheap circus tents. Players like Eovaldi are invaluable to teams who want to win.

[cp176]

So glad to see "Big Game" Nate perform well in the Series winner. Goes 5-0 in the playoffs/WS. This guy may not be able to go 32 starts or 190 innings but if you need a competitive pitcher out there in a must win game, Nate is one of the few to call on.

 

I doubt he could have self elevated the 2023 Red Sox to the WC#3 but it is worth noting that Yalie Bloom couldn't rationalize Eovaldi's value vs Kluber's, and still had lux tax room leftover. And to all the Stat Masterson's who would "prove" Nate isn't worth the price, just understand the difference between guys that can handle the pressure and those that fold like cheap circus tents. Players like Eovaldi are invaluable to teams who want to win.

 

Absolutely!

[jad]

Extremely painful to turn on to watch Papi, interviewing Mookie, pretty much the Face of Baseball, after having Nate on earlier, heaping both with well-deserved praise. I guess sometimes customers have to be proud to sacrifice for the businessman's bottom line.

[mvp 78]

The trophy case isn’t getting bigger, but the owner’s bank account is. Yay!

[Bellhorn04]

Storm the Bastille!

[mvp 78]

Storm the Bastille!

 

It doesn’t exist anymore! Mon dieu!

[Dipre]

It doesn’t exist anymore! Mon dieu!

 

Your french sucks.