MLB Playoffs

[Still MIGHTY]

Ugh... Can't the Red Sox find some rock to crawl under, roll over, and die?

Tampa, I need you to win Saturday so I can watch ESPN again...

Just shut the rest of the national/northeastern-biased media up... oy...

And on that note, Chip Caray did a fine job last night. He went with the emotions of the game. He said what the casual fan would feel. In the beginning it was "omg... the Rays are giving it to the Sox Again?!?! They are BLASTING them!" Then When Boston came back it was, "OH MY GOD! Is this really happening?!?" and when it ended, reminiscent of what happen 20 years ago yesterday in the famous words of Jack Buck, "I DON'T BELIEVE WHAT I JUST SAW! WOW!"

It depends on what side you're on and how intently you're actually listening.

But seriously... Boston... Just die... please

[Brass]

Ugh... Can't the Red Sox find some rock to crawl under, roll over, and die?

Tampa, I need you to win Saturday so I can watch ESPN again...

Just shut the rest of the national/northeastern-biased media up... oy...

And on that note, Chip Caray did a fine job last night. He went with the emotions of the game. He said what the casual fan would feel. In the beginning it was "omg... the Rays are giving it to the Sox Again?!?! They are BLASTING them!" Then When Boston came back it was, "OH MY GOD! Is this really happening?!?" and when it ended, reminiscent of what happen 20 years ago yesterday in the famous words of Jack Buck, "I DON'T BELIEVE WHAT I JUST SAW! WOW!"

It depends on what side you're on and how intently you're actually listening.

But seriously... Boston... Just die... please

So....uh....still upset over the ALDS?

[Still MIGHTY]

Ugh... Can't the Red Sox find some rock to crawl under, roll over, and die?

Tampa, I need you to win Saturday so I can watch ESPN again...

Just shut the rest of the national/northeastern-biased media up... oy...

And on that note, Chip Caray did a fine job last night. He went with the emotions of the game. He said what the casual fan would feel. In the beginning it was "omg... the Rays are giving it to the Sox Again?!?! They are BLASTING them!" Then When Boston came back it was, "OH MY GOD! Is this really happening?!?" and when it ended, reminiscent of what happen 20 years ago yesterday in the famous words of Jack Buck, "I DON'T BELIEVE WHAT I JUST SAW! WOW!"

It depends on what side you're on and how intently you're actually listening.

But seriously... Boston... Just die... please

So....uh....still upset over the ALDS?

Partly

This year's ALDS... Last Year's ALDS... the 2004 ALDS... and my grandpa's own recollections of the 1986 ALCS (He was at the Big A for Game 5 when Donnie Moore gave up the home-run to Dave Henderson). Also as a Laker fan and regarding the 2008 NBA Finals and stories of the glory days in the 80s... Also as a Colts fan and regarding Tom Brady's first start in 2001, that goalline stand in 2003, 2003 AFC Championship, Mike Vandershank missing the GW-FG at the Pats banner raising Week 1 in 2004, 2004 AFC Divisional Round, finally breaking through in 2005, 2006 and in 2007 AFC Championship game, then the epic meeting of undefeateds last year in 2007... Also every personal encounter I've had with Boston fans, like face-to-face... the arrogant, drunk, retarded Bawstohn Sawx, Pahts, Celts fans... not necessarily the ones on the board.. but the stereotype that has be constructed... In my experiences, it held true

Trust me it's not just the Red Sox

[TFoA]

[off topic]Reminds me of the beef that I have with the Cowboys as a Falcons fan. It's only resurrected whenever someone says 1980 or ESPN runs that playoff game from 1980...That game right there. Best Falcons team in franchise history (yes, even including the 98 team. If that team hadn't choked away that game, Super Bowl Champs. I guarantee it.) [off topic]

[slapshot]

I spent the evening with Mockba and a friend at a sports bar across from the Metrodome watching the game. Didn't really hear any of the commentary, but WOW! what a game!

It's one thing to have faith, another to be a realist. Being down 7-0 to a hot team is very difficult to overcome, yet there it was.

If only all the games were this exciting instead of blowouts. I'd rather see the team go down trying instead of playing dead.

[Eye]

Ugh... Can't the Red Sox find some rock to crawl under, roll over, and die?

Tampa, I need you to win Saturday so I can watch ESPN again...

Just shut the rest of the national/northeastern-biased media up... oy...

And on that note, Chip Caray did a fine job last night. He went with the emotions of the game. He said what the casual fan would feel. In the beginning it was "omg... the Rays are giving it to the Sox Again?!?! They are BLASTING them!" Then When Boston came back it was, "OH MY GOD! Is this really happening?!?" and when it ended, reminiscent of what happen 20 years ago yesterday in the famous words of Jack Buck, "I DON'T BELIEVE WHAT I JUST SAW! WOW!"

It depends on what side you're on and how intently you're actually listening.

But seriously... Boston... Just die... please

Chip Caray is an awful announcer. That broadcasting team did a horrible job last night.

[HedleyLamarr]

I think Chip is a solid announcer...his knowledge of the game is impressive.

Chip is more animated than most announcers, which is a nice change of pace in comparison to Fox's and ESPN's top broadcasting tandems/groups. Even when he does radio broadcasts for the Braves, he makes a routine grounder to short a little more exciting. And best of all, he's successful while being nothing like Skip or Harry.....

I'll take Chip over Joe Buck and Jon Miller any day of the week.

[Still MIGHTY]

Ugh... Can't the Red Sox find some rock to crawl under, roll over, and die?

Tampa, I need you to win Saturday so I can watch ESPN again...

Just shut the rest of the national/northeastern-biased media up... oy...

And on that note, Chip Caray did a fine job last night. He went with the emotions of the game. He said what the casual fan would feel. In the beginning it was "omg... the Rays are giving it to the Sox Again?!?! They are BLASTING them!" Then When Boston came back it was, "OH MY GOD! Is this really happening?!?" and when it ended, reminiscent of what happen 20 years ago yesterday in the famous words of Jack Buck, "I DON'T BELIEVE WHAT I JUST SAW! WOW!"

It depends on what side you're on and how intently you're actually listening.

But seriously... Boston... Just die... please

Chip Caray is an awful announcer. That broadcasting team did a horrible job last night.

I meant it more in the context of the bias each side is claiming he had.

Not really a fan of his...

Doesn't he mostly do radio for the Braves?

[TFoA]

Ugh... Can't the Red Sox find some rock to crawl under, roll over, and die?

Tampa, I need you to win Saturday so I can watch ESPN again...

Just shut the rest of the national/northeastern-biased media up... oy...

And on that note, Chip Caray did a fine job last night. He went with the emotions of the game. He said what the casual fan would feel. In the beginning it was "omg... the Rays are giving it to the Sox Again?!?! They are BLASTING them!" Then When Boston came back it was, "OH MY GOD! Is this really happening?!?" and when it ended, reminiscent of what happen 20 years ago yesterday in the famous words of Jack Buck, "I DON'T BELIEVE WHAT I JUST SAW! WOW!"

It depends on what side you're on and how intently you're actually listening.

But seriously... Boston... Just die... please

Chip Caray is an awful announcer. That broadcasting team did a horrible job last night.

I meant it more in the context of the bias each side is claiming he had.

Not really a fan of his...

Doesn't he mostly do radio for the Braves?

He used to be the main Braves PBP guy when TBS did nothing but Braves games when Skip went into semi-retirement.

And Chip's great, btw. Like hedley said, it's better than Buck who basically sounds like a robot on the mic, and the ESPN guys who seem like they're nodding off at times. Chip has a good barometer on the emotions of the game, and it showed at each high and low point in the game.

[Still MIGHTY]

Ugh... Can't the Red Sox find some rock to crawl under, roll over, and die?

Tampa, I need you to win Saturday so I can watch ESPN again...

Just shut the rest of the national/northeastern-biased media up... oy...

And on that note, Chip Caray did a fine job last night. He went with the emotions of the game. He said what the casual fan would feel. In the beginning it was "omg... the Rays are giving it to the Sox Again?!?! They are BLASTING them!" Then When Boston came back it was, "OH MY GOD! Is this really happening?!?" and when it ended, reminiscent of what happen 20 years ago yesterday in the famous words of Jack Buck, "I DON'T BELIEVE WHAT I JUST SAW! WOW!"

It depends on what side you're on and how intently you're actually listening.

But seriously... Boston... Just die... please

Chip Caray is an awful announcer. That broadcasting team did a horrible job last night.

I meant it more in the context of the bias each side is claiming he had.

Not really a fan of his...

Doesn't he mostly do radio for the Braves?

He used to be the main Braves PBP guy when TBS did nothing but Braves games when Skip went into semi-retirement.

And Chip's great, btw. Like hedley said, it's better than Buck who basically sounds like a robot on the mic, and the ESPN guys who seem like they're nodding off at times. Chip has a good barometer on the emotions of the game, and it showed at each high and low point in the game.

Ugh... amen to that

"...and the new york giants.... have defeated the 18-0....new england....patriots... [understated]wow[/understated]..."

"and..... its..... gone.... a home run.... for the phillies... Tim?" (NO NO NO! Dont go to TIM!)

Imagine him as a baby delivery doctor

"congratulations mrs..... jones..... its a... boy...."

Or (god forbid) having sex

"oh.... yes... there it is.... yeah.... wow..." (sorry for the visual)

[TFoA]

Ugh... Can't the Red Sox find some rock to crawl under, roll over, and die?

Tampa, I need you to win Saturday so I can watch ESPN again...

Just shut the rest of the national/northeastern-biased media up... oy...

And on that note, Chip Caray did a fine job last night. He went with the emotions of the game. He said what the casual fan would feel. In the beginning it was "omg... the Rays are giving it to the Sox Again?!?! They are BLASTING them!" Then When Boston came back it was, "OH MY GOD! Is this really happening?!?" and when it ended, reminiscent of what happen 20 years ago yesterday in the famous words of Jack Buck, "I DON'T BELIEVE WHAT I JUST SAW! WOW!"

It depends on what side you're on and how intently you're actually listening.

But seriously... Boston... Just die... please

Chip Caray is an awful announcer. That broadcasting team did a horrible job last night.

I meant it more in the context of the bias each side is claiming he had.

Not really a fan of his...

Doesn't he mostly do radio for the Braves?

He used to be the main Braves PBP guy when TBS did nothing but Braves games when Skip went into semi-retirement.

And Chip's great, btw. Like hedley said, it's better than Buck who basically sounds like a robot on the mic, and the ESPN guys who seem like they're nodding off at times. Chip has a good barometer on the emotions of the game, and it showed at each high and low point in the game.

Ugh... amen to that

"...and the new york giants.... have defeated the 18-0....new england....patriots... [understated]wow[/understated]..."

"and..... its..... gone.... a home run.... for the phillies... Tim?" (NO NO NO! Dont go to TIM!)

I still can't believe that that man kept his cool during the Eli Escape play. Wow.

Or for that matter, when the Sox finally won their first title since 1918. "And the Boston Red Sox...are the 2004 World Series Champions." IIRC. That was it!

[HedleyLamarr]

Doesn't he mostly do radio for the Braves?

He does TV when the Braves are on Peachtree TV (essetially what TBS used to be, at least locally/regionally), and radio if the Braves are on SportSouth/FSN. Of course, on Saturdays, he's travelling to wherever TBS is doing their Sunday game, then re-joins the Braves on Monday.

[oddball]

Has anyone been on a great team that had to make a great comeback to stay alive, only to get beat the next game and be eliminated because you exhausted yourself to just win that one game? I know I have, and I wonder if Boston used everything it had just to win game 5 and if they have anything left for game 6.

[Still MIGHTY]

Ugh... Can't the Red Sox find some rock to crawl under, roll over, and die?

Tampa, I need you to win Saturday so I can watch ESPN again...

Just shut the rest of the national/northeastern-biased media up... oy...

And on that note, Chip Caray did a fine job last night. He went with the emotions of the game. He said what the casual fan would feel. In the beginning it was "omg... the Rays are giving it to the Sox Again?!?! They are BLASTING them!" Then When Boston came back it was, "OH MY GOD! Is this really happening?!?" and when it ended, reminiscent of what happen 20 years ago yesterday in the famous words of Jack Buck, "I DON'T BELIEVE WHAT I JUST SAW! WOW!"

It depends on what side you're on and how intently you're actually listening.

But seriously... Boston... Just die... please

Chip Caray is an awful announcer. That broadcasting team did a horrible job last night.

I meant it more in the context of the bias each side is claiming he had.

Not really a fan of his...

Doesn't he mostly do radio for the Braves?

He used to be the main Braves PBP guy when TBS did nothing but Braves games when Skip went into semi-retirement.

And Chip's great, btw. Like hedley said, it's better than Buck who basically sounds like a robot on the mic, and the ESPN guys who seem like they're nodding off at times. Chip has a good barometer on the emotions of the game, and it showed at each high and low point in the game.

Ugh... amen to that

"...and the new york giants.... have defeated the 18-0....new england....patriots... [understated]wow[/understated]..."

"and..... its..... gone.... a home run.... for the phillies... Tim?" (NO NO NO! Dont go to TIM!)

I still can't believe that that man kept his cool during the Eli Escape play. Wow.

Or for that matter, when the Sox finally won their first title since 1918. "And the Boston Red Sox...are the 2004 World Series Champions." IIRC. That was it!

Haha

"pressure on the outside by thomas... eli... stays on his feet... airs it out down the field.... and... it... is... caught by tyree...."

[See Red]

Has anyone been on a great team that had to make a great comeback to stay alive, only to get beat the next game and be eliminated because you exhausted yourself to just win that one game? I know I have, and I wonder if Boston used everything it had just to win game 5 and if they have anything left for game 6.

But baseball's not really an exhausting game. Physically, hitting a Home Run isn't any more exhausting than hitting a ball to the rightfielder, aside from the extra trot around the bases. Mentally, I don't know -- but if that's an issue, they would've had a mental let down in their two World Series wins as opposed to two sweeps.

I think the experience this team has in situations where they've been down kind of makes the mental aspect of what they're trying to do right now a non-issue. Helps having a manager who's 8-1 all-time in elimination games.

[gingerbreadmann]

Imagine him as a baby delivery doctor

"congratulations mrs..... jones..... its a... boy...."

Or (god forbid) having sex

"oh.... yes... there it is.... yeah.... wow..." (sorry for the visual)

Holy hell, that right there, that'.. yea. just awful. morbidly puke-invoking. I just lost my appetite right there. My god. i think I just died, you got your wish.

WHERE DO YOU COME UP WITH THIS!! AAHHH!!!

Has anyone been on a great team that had to make a great comeback to stay alive, only to get beat the next game and be eliminated because you exhausted yourself to just win that one game? I know I have, and I wonder if Boston used everything it had just to win game 5 and if they have anything left for game 6.

But baseball's not really an exhausting game. Physically, hitting a Home Run isn't any more exhausting than hitting a ball to the rightfielder, aside from the extra trot around the bases. Mentally, I don't know -- but if that's an issue, they would've had a mental let down in their two World Series wins as opposed to two sweeps.

Aw come on, you know every time they get some outburst of runs we all think "Save some for tomorrow!!!!"

[pcgd]

Doesn't he mostly do radio for the Braves?

He does TV when the Braves are on Peachtree TV (essetially what TBS used to be, at least locally/regionally), and radio if the Braves are on SportSouth/FSN. Of course, on Saturdays, he's travelling to wherever TBS is doing their Sunday game, then re-joins the Braves on Monday.

He also was the TV guy for the Cubs way back when.

[infrared41]

Look above. Infrared is no fan of the Sox, but even he had more faith in your team than you did.

My only admissions of anything being over was a realistic look at game four when the Sox got behind and into the bullpen very early and when they got down 5-0 tonight... but then, who actually thought they would come back tonight?

Saying it's 'unlikely' they come back is nothing more than a realistic look at the series.

But whatever. If being an "actual fan" means blind faith that they undoubtedly will come back and bold, unrealistic predictions, then maybe I'm not one. Oh well.

Exactly... that's a completely unrealistic view of what an "actual" fan is and what "faith" is. I don't know how you expect people to truly believe in their heart that something nearly impossible would be pulled off and saying that if they don't they're not "real" fans is crazy talk. If so there are probably about 17 "actual" Red Sox fans in existence right now. I would think leaving the game in the 7th inning or going to bed when it was 7-0 are much worse "offenses," myself. Oh well. Still down by a game on the road. I think the fangraphs blog summed it up well in a completely objective sense. (link, more good analysis there)

All that being said, this loss obviously hurts the Rays deeply. They had seven outs to get and a six run buffer to clinch the AL pennant and lost. That will hurt. However, let us not act like Boston just won the series. All they did was stay their execution for now. Games six and seven are in Tampa, where the Red Sox were just 1-8 during the regular season and the Rays overall were 57-24. Boston has an injured Josh Beckett going in game six, while Tampa gets to counter with James Shields. This series still greatly favors the Rays, dramatic comeback or not.

A seven run lead in Fenway Park is more like a three run lead anywhere else. It had nothing to do with "faith" or unrealistic belief. It had a lot to do with knowing a little bit about the game of baseball, the type of hitters The Red Sox have, and the type of team they are. What we saw Thursday night wasn't a miracle. It was simply a performance that The Red Sox are capable of every time they take the field. It was The Rays, not The Sox, who were playing against type in that game.

If Boston had put up those 7 runs in the exact same fashion but they did it in the 4th, 7th, and 9th we aren't even having this discussion. That they did it in the consecutive innings is the "big story." What's so miraculous about The Red Sox scoring 4 runs in an inning at Fenway? Or three? Or one? Nothing. Like most things, baseball regresses to the mean. I stated in an earlier post during the game that The Rays were not "this much better" than The Red Sox. It was just a matter of time before The Red Sox performed at their usual level. I didn't have "faith" and I didn't "expect" it. All I was saying was don't be surprised if it happens. The odds weren't that heavily against it.

It's really simple. You need to have more runs than the other team after 27 outs. Faith has nothing to do with it.

[infrared41]

Has anyone been on a great team that had to make a great comeback to stay alive, only to get beat the next game and be eliminated because you exhausted yourself to just win that one game? I know I have, and I wonder if Boston used everything it had just to win game 5 and if they have anything left for game 6.

Yes I have and no it doesn't affect anything. When I was playing ball back in the dark ages (The 80's) we were in a tournament. We lost our first game and we're down 6 late in the second game. It was a double elimination tournament so we were in a must win situation after game one. We won the second game in 12 innings. We tied it in the 7th, went down a run again in the 8th, tied it again, and won it in the 12th. Then we won the next 4 games. We ended up facing the team that beat us in the first game. We beat them 17-2, won one more game and got to the championship game where we lost on an error filled 7th inning. I guess we had plenty left in the tank after our "big comeback."

[gingerbreadmann]

Look above. Infrared is no fan of the Sox, but even he had more faith in your team than you did.

My only admissions of anything being over was a realistic look at game four when the Sox got behind and into the bullpen very early and when they got down 5-0 tonight... but then, who actually thought they would come back tonight?

Saying it's 'unlikely' they come back is nothing more than a realistic look at the series.

But whatever. If being an "actual fan" means blind faith that they undoubtedly will come back and bold, unrealistic predictions, then maybe I'm not one. Oh well.

Exactly... that's a completely unrealistic view of what an "actual" fan is and what "faith" is. I don't know how you expect people to truly believe in their heart that something nearly impossible would be pulled off and saying that if they don't they're not "real" fans is crazy talk. If so there are probably about 17 "actual" Red Sox fans in existence right now. I would think leaving the game in the 7th inning or going to bed when it was 7-0 are much worse "offenses," myself. Oh well. Still down by a game on the road. I think the fangraphs blog summed it up well in a completely objective sense. (link, more good analysis there)

All that being said, this loss obviously hurts the Rays deeply. They had seven outs to get and a six run buffer to clinch the AL pennant and lost. That will hurt. However, let us not act like Boston just won the series. All they did was stay their execution for now. Games six and seven are in Tampa, where the Red Sox were just 1-8 during the regular season and the Rays overall were 57-24. Boston has an injured Josh Beckett going in game six, while Tampa gets to counter with James Shields. This series still greatly favors the Rays, dramatic comeback or not.

A seven run lead in Fenway Park is more like a three run lead anywhere else. It had nothing to do with "faith" or unrealistic belief. It had a lot to do with knowing a little bit about the game of baseball, the type of hitters The Red Sox have, and the type of team they are. What we saw Thursday night wasn't a miracle. It was simply a performance that The Red Sox are capable of every time they take the field. It was The Rays, not The Sox, who were playing against type in that game.

If Boston had put up those 7 runs in the exact same fashion but they did it in the 4th, 7th, and 9th we aren't even having this discussion. That they did it in the consecutive innings is the "big story." What's so miraculous about The Red Sox scoring 4 runs in an inning at Fenway? Or three? Or one? Nothing. Like most things, baseball regresses to the mean. I stated in an earlier post during the game that The Rays were not "this much better" than The Red Sox. It was just a matter of time before The Red Sox performed at their usual level. I didn't have "faith" and I didn't "expect" it. All I was saying was don't be surprised if it happens. The odds weren't that heavily against it.

It's really simple. You need to have more runs than the other team after 27 outs. Faith has nothing to do with it.

We might be on the same page here, just a few things. I don't think that first statement is quite true. A 7 run lead is a 7 run lead anywhere. Second, it's 100% true anything can happen in baseball. And the Sox were vastly underperforming, yes. But you say if they did the same comeback in the 4th inning to start with we wouldn't be saying this, well yes but that's the whole point because it was the 7th. at this point they are getting 2-hit and h\are losing by 7 runs with 9 outs left and have not shown any signs of performing at their usual level for the last 26 innings. This is basically a matter of having confidence that they will snap back, in a sense, at this particular time. If the Red Sox were playing a 20-game series with the Rays I would agree, baseball regresses to the mean and at some point in the series they would play at a normal level. However, the playoffs are such a short period of time there isn't much regression. A player or team hits a 3-game funk all of a sudden, like what happens in the regular season, and all of a sudden they're done, and there's no more time to come back. That's why the playoffs are such a crapshoot, and fun to watch. But you point being that eventually they had a good chance of coming back is wrong I think because they had to turn it around in the middle of a game, had only 9 outs to do so (a miniscule timeframe), and even if a team gets on fire there is still a really low chance of scoring 7 (or 8) runs in any given 9 outs. I never said it was impossible but even given the difference in play they were almost due for because of the previous 26 innings, the odds were still so low that I would still call you crazy if you even partly saw this coming. And no, because of this, I don't think faith has anything to do with this (although I don't quite grasp the meaning of your last sentence).

Does that clear anything up at all?