MLB Chatter 2008

[Scout101]

Having a hard time feeling bad. The Sox just didn't quite have it this year. No jinx, no big collapse, just gritted it out and didn't have enough. Watching Kotsay kill us at the plate, though, wonder how much different things would have been with Lowell standing up there. Might have been just enough. Or without the corpse of Jason Varitek at the plate going 1 for the series. Oh well, most of the team is back again next year, so time to heal up, shore up the problem spots, and make another run next year...

Go Rays! (phuck Philly )

 

[Neroon]

That's very good to hear from you, Scout. I know well how passionate Red Sox fans are, so to hear you accept defest this graciously and positively is a good thing. Not to soudn patronizing, but it's good to know when such dedicated fans keep a good sense of perspective. You have won much recently, but you lost to a team where lighting hit just right.

 

[Scout101]

Well, just hard to feel bad about the 08 Red Sox. Look at their year: missed huge chunks of time from Ortiz, Lowell, Drew, Beckett, and the list goes on. Lost Manny (or ditched Manny, depending on perspective). Even when people came back, Beckett and Ortiz just weren't themselves at the end of the season, trying to play through too much. And they still pushed it to 7 games in the ALCS against one of the hottest teams all season. Hard to feel bad about that, especially without some big "collapse" moment to point to. Despite other cities' fans trying to paint Boston as a bunch of idiots, we're fully capable of having some perspective...

Plus, having won 2 out of the past 4, it's not QUITE as desperate this year that they get it done. That's an important part to look at as well. With the 2003 or 2004 teams, they were an aging group with a bunch of contracts expiring, so there was a definite "win now or you'll have to rebuild and try again in a few years". With the current team, everyone is pretty much locked up going forward, and it's a good, young team. There's no reason to believe that they can't be fighting for it again next year. The core of the Sox right now is pretty young, and pretty good. Add in the ability to have a high payroll, you can bring in a good FA every now and then to supplement the young core. Theo has put the Sox in a spot to be good for quite a while. Baseball is a fickle sport, so you can't ever say anything for sure, but they'll be back in it soon.

Plus Tampa is just a feel-good story. It's definitely strange to be rooting for the team that knocked you out of the playoffs, though. For us, it's usually the Yankees, so no real cheering there. With Tampa/Philly, well like I said, phuck Philly! If I can't enjoy a Sox win, watching the miserable city of Philly tear itself and its team apart will be almost as much fun

Pretty disappointing that the Sox won't be playing there, though. Would be a LOT more fun to watch Drew light up Philly. Imagine him standing on the field with the MVP trophy after the Sox clinched with Game 4 or 5 in Philly!

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I honestly don't know who to root for in the World Series! I cheered for Philly in the NLCS, and of course for the Rays in the ALCS. I think I will stick with the Rays, though; if they win the Series, maybe (as I said in another thread) it'll give them the extra boost they need to get a new park.

On a side note, there are only three teams left who have never been to the World Series.

Which ones?

 

[Neroon]

How much of an affect did the age of the Sox players come into play in the results this season, especially in the post-season? Obviously, they don't exactly have one foot in the grave, but Lowell seems to be getting beaten up more and more theses days.

 

[Neroon]

I honestly don't know who to root for in the World Series! I cheered for Philly in the NLCS, and of course for the Rays in the ALCS. I think I will stick with the Rays, though; if they win the Series, maybe (as I said in another thread) it'll give them the extra boost they need to get a new park.

On a side note, there are only three teams left who have never been to the World Series.

Which ones?

The Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers leap to mind, but I'm drawing a blank on that third one.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

The Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers leap to mind, but I'm drawing a blank on that third one.

Washington Nationals?

 

[Scout101]

How much of an affect did the age of the Sox players come into play in the results this season, especially in the post-season? Obviously, they don't exactly have one foot in the grave, but Lowell seems to be getting beaten up more and more theses days.

I'd argue that the answer is: not a whole lot. Lowell missed time at the beginning because he fell on his thumb while diving. Age isn't really a factor there. You could try and blame his hip injury on age, but it wasn't something weak on degenerating, he overstressed a ligament and it tore. SHOULD be as good as new after the surgery. Manny was faking his to get out of town, so a non-issue. Drew's injuries are just part of Drew's reputation. He gets hurt, and takes a while coming back. He also carried the team during June, and was healthy for the playoffs, so non-issue. Certainly can't blame any of Beckett's injuries (back or oblique, with sore elbow thrown in) on age, as he's not exactly old.

Ortiz is the only one that really appears to be wearing down a bit. Age is a factor, as is just playing through injuries because he's needed. Hopefully with rest and time off, he'll be back to being Big Papi.

Varitek is just cooked at this point. Great game caller, good defensively, can't hit a tee ball at this point. Not gonna get much better, although he can hopefully bounce back into the .260s or so, .220 is a bit on the low side for him.

So yeah, age really doesn't seem to be a factor here. Especially considering that the team really isn't that old. Pitchers are all fairly young (minus Wakefield and Timlin). Ortiz, 'Tek, and Lowell are really the only "old" players in the field. There's a lot of youth in both fielding and pitching, so the Sox are in a pretty good spot going forward. Power is hurting a bit in the minors, but with such a wealth of good pitching in the minors, you can trade them away for parts, or buy a slugger to go with the cheap pitching...

 

[Pegaritaville]

Congrats to the Rays. Matt Garza pitched very well in the playoffs- too bad the Twins couldn't hang on to him. Anyway, I'll be rooting for the Rays in the World Series. I'd love to see a 200-1 long shot go all the way.

 

[tomalak301]

Having a hard time feeling bad. The Sox just didn't quite have it this year. No jinx, no big collapse, just gritted it out and didn't have enough. Watching Kotsay kill us at the plate, though, wonder how much different things would have been with Lowell standing up there. Might have been just enough. Or without the corpse of Jason Varitek at the plate going 1 for the series. Oh well, most of the team is back again next year, so time to heal up, shore up the problem spots, and make another run next year...

Go Rays! (phuck Philly )

I think what I really like this year more than any other year is that it is hard to feel bad about the outcome. I really enjoyed hearing from Francona when he said that it was a hell of a series, and that the American League will be represented really well. Francona is such a class act and both organizations should be applauded by how they dealt with this ALCS. I think it will be one for the ages. Like I said last night, what happened (And I admit I was rooting for the Rays but that was the underdog mentality and I've been rooting for them I think since the all-star break, but I'm just a baseball fan now) last night was great for the game. The ratings might suck, but I am so very excited for this series.

 

[Neroon]

Not only that, but the Sox/Rays series was the one several folks were joking about "bad blood" and the potential for some dust-ups, owing to the regular season. Was there anythign like that at all in any of these 7 games? I don't recall any

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Go Rays! (phuck Philly )

I'm sure I've asked this before, but what do you have against the Phillies? I understand the Flyers or Sixers (if you care about Basketball or Hockey) and I can sorta understand the Eagles. But there's no bad blood between the Phils and Sox.

 

[The Lady Eve]

The series was some really fine baseball no matter who you were for. Wow. I'm very glad I didn't bet on the 7th game because as a Yankees fan I always expect the Sox to be relentless and come back.

No idea who to root for in the WS. I'm just looking forward to more good baseball before winter closes in and we have to wait for spring training.

 

[Scout101]

Go Rays! (phuck Philly )

I'm sure I've asked this before, but what do you have against the Phillies? I understand the Flyers or Sixers (if you care about Basketball or Hockey) and I can sorta understand the Eagles. But there's no bad blood between the Phils and Sox.

No real reason, just spite. Philly just has a reputation as one of those towns (sports-wise) that hates itself, its teams, and its lot in life. In the few Boston vs Philly sporting events I've seen, the Philly fans seem just as excited to boo their own team as the opponents. Add in a long championship drought for ALL of the major sports teams, and if I can't have MY team win the ring, it'll add morbid interest to watch Philly lose. Again, don't really care either way, just amusing to root AGAINST the down-on-their-luck guy occasionally. Not a new thing, though. Admit it, it's kinda fun seeing the Cubs blow it, or the Mets choking up a big lead in late September, right? :P

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ Then again, Philly invented the cheesesteak.

I'm just sayin'.

 

[Aragorn]

Philadelphia -- where Santa Claus gets booed, a life-threatening injury on the opposing team gets cheered, and batteries are thrown at players.

 

[Scout101]

exactly. They booed SANTA!

That would have been the best part of the Sox-Phillies matchup: Drew holding up the MVP trophy after they won game 4 in Philly

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Almost makes me wish I'd gotten the chance to sit in the 700 Level.

 

[Tom Servo]

exactly. They booed SANTA!

That would have been the best part of the Sox-Phillies matchup: Drew holding up the MVP trophy after they won game 4 in Philly

They would have to hide him behind bullet proof glass.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Go Rays! (phuck Philly )

I'm sure I've asked this before, but what do you have against the Phillies? I understand the Flyers or Sixers (if you care about Basketball or Hockey) and I can sorta understand the Eagles. But there's no bad blood between the Phils and Sox.

No real reason, just spite. Philly just has a reputation as one of those towns (sports-wise) that hates itself, its teams, and its lot in life. In the few Boston vs Philly sporting events I've seen, the Philly fans seem just as excited to boo their own team as the opponents. Add in a long championship drought for ALL of the major sports teams, and if I can't have MY team win the ring, it'll add morbid interest to watch Philly lose. Again, don't really care either way, just amusing to root AGAINST the down-on-their-luck guy occasionally. Not a new thing, though. Admit it, it's kinda fun seeing the Cubs blow it, or the Mets choking up a big lead in late September, right? :P

Tell me Boston fans never booed the Sox when they lost to the Yankees in the 90s (or had people call into sports radio to complain about it). Philadelphia is like most east coast cities in that regard. We're not in a coma, so we actually get upset when our team does poorly.

I'll admit, I like the Cubs losing, but that's because their fans piss me off complaining about how they're cursed. I honestly don't think any so-called curse can be beaten until you stop believing in it. Typically, though, I reserve my hatred towards teams that have a reputation for winning. The Cowboys should never, ever win a game, I rooted for every team that played the Yankees in the 90s, when Kobe and Shaq were together, my motto for the finals was "Beat LA," in Hockey I root against the Red Wings, etc.

BTW, we may have booed and thrown snowballs at a skinny, drunk Santa, but we also did the same to Jimmy Johnson, so it balances it out.