MLB Season Discussion - 2013

[Use of Time]

I have no problem with the rule. Middlebrooks can't do anything there but he is still obstructing the basepath whether its his fault or not. You can't really blame the runner for being a little inside. On the replay you see him watch the ball and then turn around to run where he immediately trips over Middlebrooks before he completes his first step. It's not like he deliberately veered off the basepaths. The rule does have merit because you know that without it there would be some schenanigans on the basepaths.

Crazy week for Boston sports fans though.

 

[Scout101]

Eh, watch again. He stumbled, THEN tripped over Middlebrooks. He was already going down first. And it's not just a little inside, his first step was towards the mound, probably 3' off of the chalk line.

He should have to own at least some effort to not run into the guy if the guy isn't there intentionally, but making a play on the ball.

Just needs a look later, because there's just nothing Middlebrooks could do to NOT obstruct him (very likely ) during the play.

Not arguing that it was basically right as called, just a shitty way to end what had been a VERY good game. And I don't want to see Salty again this series. 2 stupid errors trying to get people at 3rd, and not hitting for shit. Sit him down and stay with Ross for the rest of the series, I'm done with him. We had a fairly crappy hitter up next with 2 outs and Koji on the mound, just get the 3rd out there and move on...

 

[Use of Time]

Well a runner generally would run through the bag and angle out towards the coaches box but since Craig slid he stood up on the inside of the bag. On the replay there is no where for Middlebrooks or Craig to go at that point. Craig has to go in a straight line towards the plate which is where Middlebrooks legs happen to be. Craig is facing away from the plate watching the ball and as soon as he turns towards the plate and makes his first step it is too late to avoid colliding with Middlebrooks, his momentum was carrying him. Middlebrooks actually appeared to help him out by just flattening out.

That rule isn't going anywhere though, if you impede the runner whether or not it is your fault it is going to get called. Not saying you don't know that but my facebook page was blowing up over this thing being a travesty. To me it wasn't even a controversial call but I'm also a Braves fan that defended the "infamous" infield fly call last year.

 

[bigdaddy]

As a Red Sox fan, it was the right call. I have never seen anyone try to get up by throwing their feet in the air.

If other people have a problem with the call than maybe next time the Red Sox should have better pitching and not let o many people on base in the bottom of the 9th. The Red Sox team is just falling apart, the whole second half of the line up should be replaced, the pitchers can't stand up to the great young Cards' pitchers. If the Red Sox continue to play this way (And I sadly feel they will.) than they deserve to lose.

 

[Yanks]

We'll see if the Sox turn into the Cubs of 2003.

 

[R. Star]

We'll see if the Sox turn into the Cubs of 2003.

That still hurts.

 

[Yanks]

We'll see if the Sox turn into the Cubs of 2003.

That still hurts.

That's OK, I'm still hurting from when the Yankees were up 3-0 and lost to the Red Sox.

 

[bigdaddy]

The Red Sox have already lost it. This isn't the 2004 team, not even close. They have too much going against them, and the Cards
are the better team.

If the Red Sox somehow win this I don't see it being that both teams played great baseball and the Sox came back. I'll see it more as the Cards' completely fell apart. I don't see that happening with them at home for two more games and tonight's Red Sox pitcher going "I think I can pitch... maybe... I hope I can" attitude.

 

[comsol]

I wouldn't be so sure. I think your team has been playing very well, and I've been impressed by the pitching (also tonight's pitcher may just be playing mind games with the Cardinals). Sure there has been a couple of bad plays, but the Cardinals have done that as well, so I wouldn't count your team out at all, and I expect it to be a very close series in the end - although being from St. Louis I hope that the Cards win, no matter how much the organization has pissed me off.

 

[Scout101]

Eh, not done yet, as frustrating as it is to watch. If they manage to pull this one out tonight, it's a tied series. Lester has been great, maybe they go back to Boston 3-2. Then just gotta win 1 out of 2, at home. And Lackey has looked great as well.

Not exactly planning a duck boat parade just yet, but it's not over yet.

 

[Scout101]

And there you go, tied series. Lester's been great, still alive here...

 

[bigdaddy]

The Red Sox are not playing their best, not even close, and the Cards' pitching is so much better than the Sox, and their hitting is better / more consistent.

What a weird, and yet again, stupid way to end a game. Why steal the base? Let the guy hit a home run and tie it.

David Ortiz is the nicest coolest guy, so glad he is still with the team.

 

[Scout101]

Ortiz is a friggin' machine out there right now. Batting .727 so far in the World Series, 2 HRs, 2.115 OPS And all those numbers are considering that he was robbed of a Grand Slam in Game 1, so would be even higher otherwise...

Would be nice if they could get a few other guys going to go with him, though!

Lester's been big so far in the postseason, hoping he goes all-in tonight and they can come back to Fenway up 3-2. After feeling pretty crushed at the end of Game 3 (due to 2 nights in a row of sucking out loud at the end of games), starting to feel better here. Long way to go, but have 2 strong pitchers coming up and feels like a little momentum again.

 

[Tom Hendricks]

Why would you throw a Fastball to Ortiz at this point is beyond me.

 

[Scout101]

With the stats he's putting up, why would you throw to him at all? He's seeing the ball about as big as a beach ball, really just not missing anything right now. 3 for 3 with a walk last night, just on fire.

Getting pretty close to the 'automatic walk' territory at this point. If you had bases-loaded, gotta take a hard look at whether you pitch to him even then. At this point, conceding the run may be the least painful thing you can do

This can't be doing anything but help his HOF chances. Just on sheer moments and presence, Ortiz should always have been a contender (you can take the PED argument however you like it). Guy's definitely been one of the more feared hitters in the league for a decade, face of a big franchise, good numbers, and is filling his resume with the big clutch moments. The more of these sorts of things he can pile in, the stronger the case to be made. If he can will them into a World Series ring by hitting .750 with HRs everywhere in full Beast Mode, might be time to start talking about DH being a valid HOF spot. Plus, he's not looked too shabby out at 1B the past couple days...

 

[bigdaddy]

It;s to the point if the Red Sox win the seres they should really only award Ortiz, rename the damn team after him.

He's pretty much the only one on the team doing anything, which is why I don't believe the Sox can win it all.

I think the Red Sox blew it in the 7th. They could have had bases loaded two outs with Ortiz coming up. He could have scored 1+ with his eyes closed and his legs missing.

 

[Scout101]

He's having the kind of series where he's gotta have a decent chance at winning MVP even if the Sox don't end up winning! And yes, it has happened once (1960) where the MVP was from the losing team. Anyone else on either team even in the running so far? Holiday seems like the only guy that hasn't completely turtled here...

And while Ortiz is by far leading it for the Sox, Pedroia is doing just fine as well (.300 for the series, give or take?). After that, it starts to drop off pretty fast. Only reason that's not killing them is that the Cards aren't really doing any better. Pitching-wise, this has been a pretty special series to watch.

 

[bigdaddy]

The pitching tonight was amazing. A joy to watch. And the red Sox got on base a little more, which is nice.

And if they win on Wednesday it will be on my birthday.

 

[R. Star]

Ortiz has always been a real streaky hitter, but always seems to have a knack of getting hot when it matters. Three, four years ago people were saying he was done too.

Still think he's the poster boy on what's wrong with the DH considering how poorly he fields first the few times a year he has to.

 

[tomalak301]

When he's batting .733 in the world series, how he fields doesn't really matter, does it?