Behindenemylines

Already the air smells fresher, the water taste better, and all is right in the world because we can say: Boston Red Sox 2013 World Series Champions!

Papi was MVP, but the pitching won the series.

Amazing team! Just think where the Sox were at this time last year.

I ordered the 2007 Boston Globe on line.

You gotta fear the breads!

Drew looks like a hitter that does not have a clue right know. That gives the Cards back to back sure outs at 8 and 9. I think you have to think long and hard about not starting him in game 4. This game has the makings of being a high scoring game with Buchholtz's issues and the weakest of the Cards starters. I think you go with what you think is your most offensive lineup. Plus a one game sit down might do Drew some good.

Who would have thought that the Sox would lose two WS games with bad defensive plays. From this point moving forward hold on to the ball and don't make that throw to 3B.

Nava had a couple of RBIs in game three and I would start him in left again. We also can't afford to keep Drew in the lineup, especially in NL park where the pitcher must hit. Drew has become a strikeout waiting to happen. Let the Bogaerts era at SS begin.

We need a new rule about banning posters. It doesn't matter what their INTENT is, if they are a troll they must go.

Agree! The union won't let the DH go away so it is hear to stay. With all the money spent on pitchers you would think the National League wouldn't want their investment exposed to injuries that can occur by being hit by a pitch or on the base path. The bottom line there needs to be one rule for every game. I don't know what is more stupid: that the two leagues play with different rules (DH), or the no intent rule of the obstruction rule. Baseball wonders why they are losing fans.

Contact occurred a good three feet inside the baseline. The runner Craig gets up and he is the one who makes contact with Middlebrooks. If he gets up and runs down the chalk line no contact is ever made. As a 3B this rule goes against everything you are taught. A ball is thrown to you and you don't make the catch, but feel the ball may be close by because it hit the runner. Your instinct is to get up and get the ball. Middlebrooks goes to do that and its obstruction. It kind of reminds me of the Fielder play in the ALCS. In that play it looked like Fielder was trying to make contact with a fielder to get an obstruction call. You could make a case that Craig with his bad foot got up and created the contact that would give him the obstruction call. I don't know how quick guys can think, but if you know the rule and intent doesn't matter then if you are on top of a guy you know is going to get up that there is a good chance obstruction will be called. The bottom line is the ball should never have been thrown to third. Just lost game 2 on a similar play. If Salty hangs on to ball (Need Ross to start tonight) you have Kozma coming up with two outs. Even though the Sox made a bad play MLB should be embarrassed that a World Series game ending because a bad rule. If intent doesn't matter all runner has to do is run into the fielder.

Something special about this team! Koji was the MVP, but if you take him out of the mix you are hard press to come up with another MVP. That is because they win as a team. If you look at some of the batting averages for the series you wonder how they did it. Go Sox!!!!!!!

The Sox were on life support and the plug was about to be pulled. As the priest came in to give them the last rites the Sox loaded the bases. For Papi to be the one coming up the baseball gods had to be looking down on Fenway. The homerun was like someone waking up from a 16 year comma (16 innings of just one run). Hopefully, this has waken up the Sox bats.

The Sox starters need to keep the Sox in the game so when they get to the Tiger's pen they are within striking distance. The Sox offense needs to do what they have done the whole season, get pitch counts up and get into the pen as soon as possible. Tigers starters going 8 innings or pitching complete games is not going to be good for the Sox.

Game One the Sox swung at too many pitches out of the strike zone. Sanchez walked six guys and a lot of his strikeouts were on pitches out of the zone. If they make him throw strike to get them out they will have more success the next time they see him. The one positive is that they got his pitch count up and him out of the game after 6. The Tigers pen was able to close it out, but I'd rather take my chances with them. Game Two Mad Max was nasty. The Sox did get the pitch count up and him out of the game after 7. This time the Sox where able to do some damage to the Tigers pen. I'm hoping the Sox figure out how the Tiger starters are pitching to them and as the series goes forward they have more success.

Both Ellsbury and Victorino have looked good so far with the bat and in the field. These are the two guys that were pretty banged up at the end of the season. Hopefully, they continue with the same two way production. Lackey looked a little off today, hopefully it was an off night and that he isn't running out of gas.

The Sox could never get that big inning against him like they did to Moore last night. Thus Madden could keep him the game because his pitch count was so low. Madden pushed his luck by sending him out in the eighth and Papi took him yard again.

Because the baseball season is a marathon and only a few teams make the playoffs I think you can safely say that the Sox are pretty good. Having the best record in the American League and being in the AL East (Had four teams with winning records) also are strong indictors that the Sox are pretty good. Now that they have reached the playoffs they must prove once again that they belong. So far the Sox have started out pretty good against the Rays. There is something about their building that gives me pause though. Hopefully, Buchholtz can take us home.

You know the old saying, your only as good as your starting pitcher that day. If the Sox continue to get SP I think they will be fine.

Pence resigning with Giants for 5 years at 90 million is going to hurt the Sox ability to resign Ellsbury. Boros is going to ask for more $$$$$ and more years which I can't see the Sox doing. I think at 18 million a year that the Giants over paid for Pence, but in doing so it has effected Ellsbury market.

I think his OBP will improve. Being stuck at the bottom of a good offensive team means he comes up a lot with runners on base and thus will see better pitches to hit. Also, being around good hitters all the time he has to pick up things that will improve his approach at the plate. Granted he is a streaky hitter now, but with his power at the bottom of the lineup as a threat every time he comes up I can live with it.

I agree. If they think that he would be an upgrade in the rotation you could trade from the depth they already have built up. Between what is on the current major league roster and the talent in the minors the SP depth is the best it has been in awhile. With other teams in great need of starters ($panks) it could get quite costly trying to land Tanaka.

Ellsbury started doing baseball activities yesterday so baring any set backs he should be back the final few regular season games. Even if he isn't the treat to steal that he was having him back at the top of the lineup and in center improves the Sox chances of going deep. Having both Ellsbury and Victorino in the outfield greatly improves the D.

Hopefully, moving Dempster to the pen for the playoffs will help the bridge between the SPs and Uehara. The 7th and 8th innings continue to be a concern and Uehara can't continue to pitch multiple innings or his effectiveness will start to decrease. As far as the rotation for the post season I'm hearing that it will be Lester - Lackey (Much better numbers at home) - Buchholtz in the first three games.

If he continues his hot streak into October I think giving him the last two years of the original contract at $13 million is in the cards. Nap has said several times he loves playing here. He has put up big numbers against the $panks as well so that is a plus.