rician blast

s***...I was hoping to learn that his power outage was exactly BECAUSE he needed surgery and that a successful surgery/rehab would have him poised to put up big numbers in '09. This get the hand stronger s*** scares the hell outta me.

The overall all record is a bit deceiving since the worst a team can do in elimination games in a particular year is 0-1. The Sox record in being able to stave off elimination, or in other words, come back to win the series after being in an elimination position is 5-3 in the years you've mentioned. Still pretty damn good and highlights the Sox tenacity in such games.

Scioscia? Since 2002 what has Scioscia done with all of the talent he's been blessed with? You gotta do more than just get there.

Last night on NESN Bob RYan was making the following comparison: Pedroia + Ellsbury vs. Upton + Longoria Whether he was just being a good Sox soldier or not I am not sure...but in his opinion the Sox had the better combo. Despite saying that Longoria would likely be a 35-40 HR guy...and the new Mike Schmidt...he says he still thinks Ellsbury will become a very good hitter and steal 60-70 bases per year and that he and Pedrioa are more valuable than the TB tandem. Hmmm....not sure about that one, Bobby.

Same thing, all over again...you're right. Once again you're forgetting the other side of the equation which was the cost of signing Mr. Santana. While the Sox are anything but poor, salary/# of year commitments are part of the formula. We've been over this and while I totally understand and respect your view, you fail to make this connection.

It does sound like he has an agenda. This article is a cheap shot from a gutless puke especially since he never clearly says his opinion is that they're too white, but chooses the wimpy tact of saying "one could suspect them of being to white". Funny thing is in May, he said something quite the opposite of what he's saying now: What a ****.

I'm quite happy that the LA Red Sox didn't win.

Along the lines of what Dojji has said, perhaps the feeling is that an extra day of rest is not going to matter with Beckett, yet it WILL matter with Lester, therefore they roll the dice in a game 6, if we get there, and feel very confident in a game 7 where the pressure, really, shifts somewhat back to TB. I can understand everyone's confusion on this, I feel the same, but stepping back there HAS to be some rationale....doesn't there? As for the series as a whole, yes Tito's made some quesationable moves, but he's done so in the past too, and they've worked out. Let us not forget that in game 2 there many chances to win, the PLAYERS failed to come through.

One thing about Francona...he doesn't play "just to get there," he looks ahead and chooses a path that he thinks gives the Sox the best chance to win the series. In other words he won't be satisfied with winning game 6 and losing game 7, so in some way he must think that this approach gives the Sox the best chance to win the series...I'd love to hear exactly what the thought process is behind the move.

As I watched Beckett last time out, even before he got tagged, his delivery looked different...very deliberate, wasn't extending his glove arm as much, less torque in his finish...looked hurt to me.

Hmmm. Peculiar, but... Perhaps he figures Beckett needs to win one of those games anyway, why does it matter if its 6 or 7? Maybe the fact that Lester also sucked is coming into play too. Or, crazier thought: does game 6 get played such that if Beckett falters early, but the Sox are still in it, they go to Lester to pitch quality innings and get to the late relievers, then take their chances with whomever is available for game 7? (Kinda like 2003, Mussina in relief in the 4th inning for the Yanks). As a game 7 strategy that is more acceptable, but for game 6? Just a thought.

I can't stand Bowa. It's only a matter of time before someone grabs him by the head and whips him down a la Don Zimmer. See him and Lopes jawing the other night? Lopes waved his hand at him and walked away like "whatever" and Bowa kept jawing. Christ, this f***er is still bitter over a call in the 1977 NLCS, and of course it just happened to involve Davey Lopes, which explains a bit about the other night. In 19977 his team lost the series 3-1, but all he focuses on is one play in game 3...Bowa is a douchebag. here's a short article on the play in question: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081008&content_id=3604462&vkey=ps2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

'stagina' is a jumbled up 'against' or a male deer that's undergone a sex change

While Rosenthal is a douche, I will admit, very recently, I've started to notice the Sox lack of, shall we say, "color" (and I don't mean specifically blacks), as compared to their opponents. To myself I was wondering if there was something behind it, and I'm left with the thinking that racism is not at play, it's, as some of you have mentioned, an effort to establish a professional, clean-cut, corporate-type of baseball team. Looking back: -I recall once a teammate was alleged to have stated that Jim Rice was one of the few black players loved in Boston because "he thought he was white." -Ellis Burks struggled here in Boston, thinking that Boston had little concern for the special needs of black ballplayers, that he always felt alone and alienated. Jim Rice had reportedly told Burks "Get your 6 years and get the hell out of Boston." There's a good book, Shut Out, which focuses on the race and baseball in Boston...some mention is made of the Yanks too, who weren't much better about integrating than were the Sox. At any rate, I do remain concerned that perceived lack of diversity in Boston could be a deterrent to certain players signing here in the future, and we don't need a Ken Rosenthal to flame the way he's dome here. If there is truly a problem, and a valid story, report it...but this article is supposition and opinion.

I'd hate to see it...not good for the image of the team, its fans and the FO...could potentially lead to Papi being just one in a long line of "underappreciated" players, further tarnishing the Sox reputation with players. I know I'm looking way down the line, but one can imagine a situation like that coming about.

We watched Game 2 at my house with approx. 20 adults and teens since it was my 13 yr olds B-Day. (BTW, Sam-Octoberfest os pretty good, but the Beck's Dark is still king in my house...luckily my buddies and relatives like Corona and Bud Light). Anyway, as fate would have it there were a couple of Yankee fans there, vocally rooting against the Sox...I can take it it was a lot of fun, and their $200+m payroll bought 'em nothing this year, I didn't need to say a word, they knew it, I knew it. But my brother in law? Holy f*** I thought he'd clock this 15 yr old kid who was pushing his buttons all night. It was hilarious to watch, but also served as a reminder that alcohol plus an irrational view of what these games really mean are a bad combination. My point is that it's fkn entertainment, folks. These guys don't pay your salary, they don't police your streets, they don't babysit or drive your kids to school, they don't provide you medical treatment...they're just very talented and fortunate athletes who provide us with a diversion from the important things in life...how things turn out, good or bad, has to be kept in perspective.

Last night's game didn't bother me much, Garza pitched well, the offense is struggling, that stuff happens. Game 2 is the game they shoulda won...if Becks pitches even "fair" the Red Sox win...and if the Red Sox took advantage of some late game guys on, they win. I really think this team is just a bit too banged up to play as well as they're capable...but ya still can't count them out here, Wake could pitch well, the O could light up Sonnentits, and then it's a new series. Not counting on it, but ya never know.

Rocco's HR trot was ridiculously slow...IMO the next TB player shoulda took one in the ear.

Personally I hate when fans try and BECOME the entertainment or event instead of enjoying the event...seems to me they are self-serving and can often diminish the experience for others. However I will say this in Cowbell's defense: If I were a fan of a team where home games saw more opposing team's fans than our own I'd be frustrated and pissed off. We saw this to a lesser extent in Bruins playoff action last year with way too many Habs jerseys in the crowd and Canadian fans booing Chara every time he touched the puck. They coulda used a cowbell dinging in their ear...our shoved up their hairy french asses. Nananana good bye in our building? Go f*** yourself. In the old Garden there'd have been mayhem. So I guess I'm starting to understand Mr. Cow a little better...still think he's seeking a bit too much attention, though.

Was he honest enough to admit WHY he was banned? It certainly was not because he was a TB fan. It was the content of his posts, the unabashed pedalling of his video blog and his outright trollish behavior. I'm guessing he said somethign to the contrary. BTW, what station were you on? I'd like to check into it.