Sep
29
Open Thread: Calm before the storm
By
No more fooling around, time to get serious. (J. Meric/Getty Images)
The regular season is over, and the madness officially starts tomorrow. Obsessing over every pitch, leaning to the side to help every line drive go fair or foul, not looking when Boone Logan enters the games … we have all this and more to look forward to in the postseason. After all those meaningless games over the last week, the increased stress level might come as a huge shock at first. I suggest taking tonight to just chill out and relax, prepare yourself mentally and emotionally for what we’re about to go through. Use this thread to talk about whatever you like in the meantime though, anything goes.
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I definitely needed today to recover. I watched SportsCenter until 5am this morning after all. Last night felt like Game 7 of the World Series, except I was watching 3 different versions of it.
Tonight is all about catching up on some homework, grabbing some grub with friends, and watching the Yankees Playoff Preview
the increased stress level might come as a huge shock at first. I suggest taking tonight to just chill out and relax, prepare yourself mentally and emotionally for what we’re about to go through.
This little note reads like a doctor giving a suddenly-pregnant woman advice.
That said, tonight is about the last night I can guarantee I’ll be useful for, hopefully, the next month. Better do something worthwhile.
Here are your announcers for the LDS
http://awfulannouncing.com/201.....edule.html
1. We got Ron Darling as a color guy, so that’s good.
2. Look who’s doing play by play for the Rangers Rays series. God I love Irony.
Put 4 (overpaid) guys in the booth and it becomes a variety show, with a baseball background. They talk themselves silly, they do interviews, they get into recondite debates about inside-baseball matters that turn off large portions of the audience. I fully expect to be turning off the sound and tuning into Ma and Pa Pinstripe.
I’m glad there’s no Ernie Johnson. that is all.
Still gotta suffer with Smoltz, though. Darling I don’t mind, I think he’s good.
But I’m glad no Johnson either. He proved last year he’s a terrible baseball announcer.
As bad as Ernie was last year, at least it’s understandable why he’s not with TBS. I wish his son the best of recovery.
+ 1
Oh, and we won’t have to deal with whatever crazy suits Craig Sager decides to wear.
I probably would have smashed every tv within a 5 mile radius if the Yankees got Buck Martinez. Some people were meant to announce, some people were meant to be mute, and he is the latter.
Holy shit! Orsillo!!!!
Ok in honesty, Orsillo is by far the most balanced Red Sox announcer of the bunch (yes, that is a lot like the smartest kid with an ITT Tech Degree)…. It could be interesting.
(I would like to apologize at this time to anyone reading this that in fact did go to ITT, but you know….)
Orsillo is a complete homer.
He always JIHP for a Pedroia home run and when someone on the other team hits one, he acts like it’s a popout to short.
How about if TBS hired Michael Kay? wouldn’t that be something? as long as he doesn’t try to talk about baseball strategies, he’s better than Orsillo.
That’s what your supposed to do as a teams play by play guy, don’t judge him for playing to the crowd…
try Joe Castiglione (their radio color guy), he’s like a Charlestown version of Hawk Harrelson, just brutal
Darling is a friggin idiot. i’d listen to Smoltz all day before him.
Darling can’t go two sentences without mentioning either: 1.) the yanks payroll or 2.) A-Rods past PED use (regardless if the current topic calls for such a reference)
he brings these 2 topics up in awkward unrelated moments just to take potshots….and he does so incessantly
at least Smoltz dissects pitching grips and mechanical flaws.
Smoltz was also passively rooting against the Yankees both series last year. Saying stuff like “You would hope that (whatever Rangers pitcher it was) will find his good stuff…”
Man tomorrow is going to start the first (and hopefully) of many stressful, stomach turning, lots of cursing at the TV set, leaning on every play and pitch and just going OD nuts. Lets hope my bad heart can handle all this.
After scanning the Tigers fangraphs page, Miguel Cabrera is an absolute beast. I’m going to be biting nails whenever he is up.
It appears the last couple post-seasons with the yankees, the key to winning the series is all in containing the other teams ‘superstars’. Mauer, Morneau, Howard, Morales (remember him?), all were contained. Hamilton, for the rangers, wasn’t, and that REALLY hurt us. If Cabrera can be limited to a .300ish average with <2 homeruns, I feel good about our chances.
I would be content if we IBB’d Cabrera a few times in the series. Rather have his slow ass on first than trotting around the bases in a big spot.
IIRC Hamilton went like 3-15 with 2 home runs or something like that? That is relatively contained… They just hit us hard and ran all over us.
7-20 with 4 HRs, 7 RBIs & 3 SBs. All that despite being walked 8 times, 5 of them intentional.
wow, i didn’t remember it being that bad.
yeah, fuck Miggy
YCPB aside, what are everyone’s playoff predictions? mine are:
Yankees over Tigers in 4
Rays over Rangers in 5 (probably a some bias there…)
Brewers over DBacks in 5
Phillies over Cards in 4
Yankees over Rays in 6
Brewers over Phillies in 7
Yankees over Brewers in 6
Certainly a best-case scenario.
I’d prefer to beat Texas in the ALCS and anyone other than the Brewers in the WS.
For revenge/gloating purposes only, mind you.
Had this in the OT thread, but fits here.
It would be cool if this turned out to be the “Yankees Retribution Tour 2011?
Detroit for 2006
Texas for 2010
Arizona for 2001
h/t Patd (I think) for idea
Yea, I posted that last night. Thanks for the hat tip!
I would love to face Arizona in the WS if for no other reason to shut the naysayers up when Granderson hits 3 bombs off IPK…
\traderedemption’d
I have a hunch Arizona beats Milwaukee.
I have a hunch too.
If I make a prediction I’ll be crucified. I hope yours comes true.
Greatest.Front.Page.Evah.
http://cdn3.sbnation.com/impor.....medium.jpg
/facebookpicture’d
Gonzalez looks noticeably slimmer in that photo than the end of year version. Not the only one. In Beckett’s last start, Sox fans were commenting that his mound presence, as it were, had noticeably expanded.
These guys are still young. What are they eating?
“Gonzalez looks noticeably slimmer in that photo than the end of year version.”
———————————–
It must of been God’s plan for AGon to get bloated.
Seriously, last night AGon whined that it was God’s and ESPN’s fault for the collapse.
To his credit, Pete Abe ripped AGon’s nonsense.
http://www.boston.com/sports/b.....ord_a.html
“We play too many night games on getaway days and get into places at 4 in the morning,” Gonzalez said. “This has been my toughest season physically because of that. We play a lot of night games on Sunday for television and that those things take a lot out of you.”
Wow, he whines and bitches like he’s been in Boston his whole career… Yawkey would be proud. Fucking crybaby. No class what so ever.
He has more class than those Yankees who are about to get TROUNCED by the Tigers!
/0407pesky’d
Thanks for that! I need to be trolled, put in my place by a real fan rather….
I’d actually trade all the Hester derivatives and Teddy for 0407pesky. He was a blast.
The following is infuriating:
“On Tuesday, when I asked him about the collapse of the team, Gonzalez blamed the schedule, not the Almighty.
‘We play too many night games on getaway days and get into places at 4 in the morning,’ Gonzalez said. ‘This has been my toughest season physically because of that. We play a lot of night games on Sunday for television and that those things take a lot out of you.’
I told Gonzalez that teams like the Red Sox and Yankees have long had those challenges, it’s part of playing for a high-profile team.
‘Why does it have to be?’ he said. ‘They can put the Padres on ESPN, too. The schedule really hurt us. Nobody is really reporting that.’
For a seemingly intelligent player to take the chickenshit road to explain the team’s struggles is absolutely ludicrous. He has first-hand knowledge of why the Padres and teams of their ilk are not on Sunday Night Baseball.
Wow. What a whiner.
He can acknowledge it’s been a tough season physically without coming across like a whiny entitled brat.
First time I’ve heard one of these really Christian athletes use that defense.
Well, actually, Mo might have done that after the 2001 World Series.
Tito Francona is a gonner. Epstein is a gonner. The Red Sox are in turmoil right now and we couldn’t be happier.
still don’t get how it’s Francona’s fault they went 7-20 in September.
Don’t forget the start of the season as well. No, not his fault, but he’ll be scapegoated. It’s a shame, since he’s consistently been one of the more likable people in that gang of morons.
Nope scapegoat of the season will be Papelbon, and it will be used as an excuse to not bring him back. The Angels thank you in advance. Although Papelbon had very little to do with the starting rotations HORRID ERA in Sept or that the team was grossly underachieving…
Squeaky wheel gets replaced baby, enjoy K Rod in 2012, Red Sox Nation!
The Sox already started the media hit job on Tito: http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/.....qMBs0vCw8J
Go down to the third item
Their locker room had a lot of problems that were not handled by the men in charge. You don’t hear about that stuff with the Yanks. Epstein signed Crawford- bust. Lackey- bust. Dice K- bust. They have all that money tied up in Crawford and now they have to pony up for Ellsbury. Tito Francona- gone. Theo Epstein- gone. One goes to the Cubs, the other to the White Sox.
Epstein is not going anywhere. Like Mike said not to long ago, Epstein might have the most secured job of any GM in baseball right now.
Not that he deserves it.
Theo is a good GM, but he’s vastly overrated by the media because they’re blinded by the Red Sox love.
And it’s always a one way street. He gets lauded when they win and when he makes a good move, but he never gets any heat when they lose or when he makes an atrocious deal.
Theo is a good GM in that the Red Sox have absolutely no depth and missed the playoffs because they have no depth.
This series feels ominous.
Really? Because I can’t fucking wait.
Do I think it’s going to be easy? No. Even with CC on the hill, it is going to be hard work to top Verlander. I’m also a big fan of Fister (chuckle). Yanks are going to have to be at the top of their game here to get to the ALCS.
Clearly we got the more difficult team, but if the Yankees play the way the played until clinching, I feel good about our chances.
I’m also a big fan of Fister (chuckle).
TWSS!!!!!!
Gotta love the Fister/Furbush trade of 2011. Also, Nathan Adcock. Not in the trade, but…you know. Adcock.
*snicker*
Don’t forget Yeicock!!
Is anybody nervous about facing the tigers? i’m nervous about our pitching after CC it good get ugly or it could go shockingly well
Anything can happen in a short series.
That said, the Tigers are over rated.
They were 50-22 within their weak division.
The Tigers got fat feasting weak division opponents: 14-4 vs Twins; 13-5 vs Chicago; 12-6 vs Cleveland; and 11-7 vs Royals.
Every other team in the Central had losing record. BUT, outside of their division, the Tigers were 45-47 – a losing record.
In contrast, the Yankees were a staggering 58-32 outside of the AL East.
And let’s put that in context: the mighty Rangers were only 7 games above .500 outside of their division and the Rays were 8 games above .500 outside of the East.
I’ll say I’m nervous! I just don’t trust that Yankee pitching, after CC–and against Verlander it’s 50-50 for CC. Also, it bothers me that ARod was swinging so poorly these past few days and that Posada seems to be getting too much face time in this series. I know, experience and all that. But I just don’t see him posing much of a threat to Verlander.
A shutout from either Fister or Scherzer wouldn’t surprise me.
Neither would 4 IP, 5 runs, though.
I am a bit worried about this run Fister has been on — 8-1 with Detroit, ERA of 1.79? 70 1/3 IP, 57 K, 5 (yes, five) BB?
look at his game log, all but 2 of his starts with Detroit have been against crap teams.
http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/.....oug-fister
As Jesus Freak and others have said, anything can happen in a short series.
I don’t have a strong opinion.
But I have to think that the Yankees’ chances of winning would have been higher if Colon were pitching like he did earlier this year. And I have to think that odds of Colon pitching like he did earlier this year would have been greater had he been babied more, used less, etc.
Thank you Yankees, for giving me what I want, more Yankees baseball to watch.
I know the WS trophy is the ultimate goal for the Yankees, but for me that’s icing.
The cake for me is the entertainment, excitement, and tension of 3 to 19 playoff games, actual “reality TV”.
Best pic ever:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/310743_675457984864_24302324_34887353_1932623009_n.jpg
I think I first saw that after Paps blew Game 3 against the Angels back in 2009.
Similar fashion to last night as well. Pretty sure the Angels didn’t begin to rally until the first two batters were out.
I wonder if we had a poll on who should start at DH, Posada or Jesus, what the splits would be..
what do you think?
Aren’t their splits against righty pitching more relevant?
yes, they are, but Jesus doesn’t have a ton of mlb ab’s against righties (except for a few homeruns!!) to have a statistical significance.
Worth mentioning this is the second time in 3 seasons Papelbon singlehandedly shuts the lights out in Fenway… Nothing makes me happier. Seriously, it’s fan tas tic!
Wish I was relaxing tonight… On a conference call until 11pm local time. I was kinda wishing for a game 163 to entertain me during it. Oh well, themselves the breaks. Stuck with you clowns instead!
Incredible Gary Thorne call to bring an end to the Red Sox 2011 season.
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play......7&v=3
Has Mo always had twitter or is this like brand new?
http://twitter.com/#!/MarianoRivera
Whoa. Whoawhoawhoa. God has a Twitter?
And it’s verified?
I have to talk to some food about this.
Matt Moore is starting Game 1 tomorrow night. Talk about aggressive.
Ballsy
I like it. Not much tape on him for the Rangers to really see. Plus he could nullify Hamilton and Moreland
That’s Joe Maddon for you. The guy sure as hell has some balls.
I picture him in his office, leaning back in his chair, thinking “what’s the most random and batshit crazy move I could make?” and then making it. The scary thing is that they tend to work out a lot (such as pinch-hitting a guy with a .180 average when your season is literally on the line).
.180Make that .108.
Matt Moore starting game 1 for the rays, wow
Wtf
You know what I heard today brought up on ESPN radio? Probably not relevant but funny.
Red Sox have 9 game lead on September 2nd.
Bill Buckner appears on Curb Your Enthusiasm on September 4th.
Coincidence?
Just bear in mind, those who fear Detroit, that Texas is on a monster tear right now heading into the playoffs, just like Detroit.
There really was no “lesser evil” to hope for.
Oh Twins….we miss you.
Al Alburquerque hasn’t given up a HR all year. I’m thinking he gives up three this series.
Not gonna make a prediction for this series or any series. When I used my reverse psychology for the Sox being a “lock” to win 6 or 7 against Baltimore (FYI Joe Pawlikowski said he’d be “shocked” if Boston didn’t win 5 of 7) and I was wrong I get crucified. It’s funny how some people are, yet I’ve been right about a lot of other things, Ei, the game against the Twins with A.J starting being a lock for the Yankees, Bartolo not starting in the playoffs, etc. But, obviously hope the Yankees can win this series, and hopefully it’s in 3 or 4 games, I DO NOT want to see a game 5 between Verlander and Nova.
I’m glad you think that you were using reverse psychology about some of your ridiculous predictions as opposed to you thinking that you know what you are talking about,
I’m glad that you’ve NEVER been wrong in your entire life yet you feel better for calling people out on wrong predictions. I’m sure you have a lot going for you.
I’ve been wrong about plenty of things in my life and don’t deny it. I feel that you constantly make ridiculous subjective predictions (which always seem to benefit the Yankees) that is void of intellectual thought or reasoning. You have strong opinions which you are entitled to. I have my opinions also and one opinion I have is that when someone says the outcome of a baseball game is a lock (you actually said it about 7 games) that someone has much to learn.
I don’t mean to offend you and I maybe wrong, but I don’t believe in “locks”
And yet when I make a prediction it’s ridiculous. Nice. Of course it’s easy to say it’s ridiculous now. Plus I’m glad I’m wrong. I’ve been right about a lot of things. If that 6 out of 7 pick got you worked up, well then I feel sorry for you. It’s absolutely hilarious how some people on here get worked up over the smallest things.
I’m not getting worked up at all. When you made this “prediction” that the Sox would take 6 or 7 games from the Orioles I said back then that it’s not true. You said it was a lock and your reasoning was that the Red Sox were better than the Orioles.
It is a fact that is very rare for any team to win 6 out 7 from another major league team and it almost never happens when a team such as the Red Sox only has two major league level starting pitchers, they also had a weak bench and 3 of their key players were injured. All I’m saying is I thought your reasoning was ridiculous. Am I not entitled to an opinion? We are in the USA aren’t we? BTW I’m happy for you that you were right about all your other predictions. It was great how you knew AJ was going to win that game and how Bartolo was not going to start. You really nailed those two!!!!!!!
You’re overthinking this. Enjoy the series.
Nope. I actually have a strong prediction for this series. But if I say it I’ll get attacked.
I think you getting attacked has more to do with your general attitude than any specific predictions. If you didn’t come across as an agressive know-it-all highschooler, you probably wouldn’t have gotten any shit for the Boston/Orioles prediction.
I have no clue who is going to win this series. However I predict that if your prediction is accompanied by some rational thought nobody will attack you
What a novel idea! And yes, all sorts of this.
I will only enjoy it if the Yankee’s win it. Still pissed off over 2006. Losing Sucks!!!
Speaking of crosses, is the massive one you carry on Yankee message boards heavy?
Grow up, this world isn’t about you.
I agree. The world is definitely not about me. But I do hate it when the Yankees lose.
The comment I left wasn’t to you. But I think (and hope) we can all agree on your latter point.
All I can say about Verlander is that as absolutely great as he is, we really have no choice but to trust our own tremendous ace to try and out-duel him.
I feared Verlander in ’09, but for different reasons. That year, with the division series format, he would’ve been pitching in Game 2 and a potential Game 5, against AJ Burnett, not Sabathia. This year, at least he’s pitching against C.C. to open up, though not in a potential 5th game.
Verlander’s great. Tomorrow night, let’s hope C.C. is greater. I think tomorrow’s the key – no disrespect at all to Fister, who has been unbelievable for Detroit since the acquisition, but I still would be foolish enough to say that I think he can be had by the Yankees. Scherzer is boom-or-bust.
Hope for the best. Ideally, a week or so from now, we’re talking about the Rays or Rangers coming to the Bronx for the ALCS.
“Catching Hell” is re-airing now on ESPN2. Although advertised as a film about Bartman and the Cubs, it’s actually more a film about (surprise) the Red Sox. The filmmaker is a Boston fan and he uses the film to tell how he was traumatized by the Buckner incident and how he has found peace now that the Sox have won two WS. The “moral” of the story is that Cubs fans will get past Bartman when Cubs win a WS.
There’s nothing really new in the film about Bartman mostly because the filmmaker never talked to him. But there are new interviews with Buckner and, ultimately, clips of the Red Sox winning the WS and their victory parades.
I find the timing very sweet, given that the Sox have a new collapse on their hands. I doubt very much the fllmmaker is “at peace” now with “his” Red Sox. Such is the life of a fan, a lesson deeper than this superficial film.
Wonderful. I DVR’ed this expecting it to be just about that game and stuff. Now I don’t know if I’ll bother to watch it.
That’s funny because everyone that talks about the film barely mentions the Buckner stuff. They all talk about the Bartman portion of the film.
I saw the documentary when it first aired. Not sure what you watched.
He barely touched on Buckner incident, and it was only to contrast the Cubs curse with Boston’s at the time. they might’ve spent 10 minutes on that, as opposed to the other 1 hr and 50 minutes on Bartman and the Cubs choke.
Only thing I can say is I would not like the ball in any other humans hands then CC Sabathia. I feel very humble about 2morrow game and expect Tex to come up real big.
I’m gonna be bold and pck the Cards over the Phillies. Their lineup is solid and Albert is playing for a contract. Plus they just took 3 outta 4 in Philly.
Rosenthal reporting Francona is out tomorrow – A stupid move by a stupid organization.
Sometimes with managers you just need to change things up, even if that means firing someone who is a good manager. This was the case when the Yankees nudged Torre out, its not like he suddenly became an incompetent manager – sometimes you just need a change in personnel. I think replacing Torre was overall good for the Yankees, even though it wasn’t Torre’s fault that they lost in ’07. IF Francona gets fired, it isn’t because they are scapegoating him but because they feel its the fastest way to get the team moving forward once again. Of course, maybe you have better insight into the Sox clubhouse than those incharge of this decision but I doubt it.
There’s plenty of dead weight in that locker room. Ortiz, Drew, Varitek are a few that immediately come to mind.
Francona isn’t the problem. It certainly wasn’t his fault that Dice-K and Bucholtz were injured, nor that Lackey and Crawford didn’t pan out.
They missed the postseason because of the type of players they have, not because they were mismanaged.
You have to consider what that team is going through. Imagine what would have happened if this collapse was made by the Yankees this year. The calls for Girardi’s job would be worse than for Tito’s now.
Well it looks like the media outlets are reporting that Francona won’t be back with the sox in 2012. Rosenthal and the sun sential times are the first ones with this story.
Francona wants out of Boston?
http://www.suntimes.com/sports.....-spot.html
That would be colossally stupid. He actually brought sanity to that place, and got them 2 WS titles. This squarely falls on the players, not Francona.
But as a Yanks fan, I’m happy if it does happen. They will be reeling for years.
Who do think would be the possible replacement? Curt Schilling?
/sarcasmbutplzbereal
Man do I hope that the Sox fire Francona. It’s like nobody in Boston remembers what that franchise looked like before they finally found a manager who could deal with the media’s shit and keep a clubhouse together for more than 6 months.
I don’t necessarily think that anyone needs to take the fall in Boston. But if someone does, it should be Epstein.
Rotoworld reporting Francona and the Red Sox will part ways tomorrow. The site mentions possible job opening in DC and the current Cubs vacancy. If i were Francona i’d jump all over a job with the Nationals. That is the definition of a fresh start and with the talent that’s assembled and coming up, Francona could ride the ascent.
Just seems to me that Francona is getting blamed for the woeful performances from Crawford and Lackey. Ellsbury’s MVP caliber campaign is a mere whisper right now.
I could see Theo listening to the Cubs, if Francona goes.
Would he go? Possibly, if they allow him to spend a little and clean up the dead weight at any cost. The organization is a mess though.
Going on the record.
Yanks in 4 over Detroit.
Texas in 5 over Tampa.
Yanks in 6 over Texas
Philly in 4 over St. Louis.
Milwaukee in 3 over Arizona.
Milwaukee in 7 over Philly.
Yanks in 6 over Milwaukee.
OK i’ll have some fun with ya
Yanks in 3over DET
Texas in 4over Tam
Yanks in 7 over TEX
Philly in 5 over St Lou
Arizona in 5 over Brew Crew
Arizona in 7 over Philly
Yanks in 6 over Arizona
mark tiexera wins WS mvp
Yanks over Tigers in 4
Texas over Tampa in 5
Yanks over Texas in 7
Philly over St. Louis in 3
Milwaukee over Arizona in 4
Philly over Milwaukee in 5
Yanks over Philly in 7
Robbie Cano wins the WS MVP
Somewhere Francesa is destroying his endless supply of diet coke when he heard the news about Francona.
#mancrushontito
about a month and a half ago i wrote on here that David Robertson was having the best Setup Season of alltime and even better then mo in 1996 and most dissagreed I wonder what the take is on that now? I think he has clearly passed mo as the best SETUP season of alltime at least regular season
too bad that our first 3 games start pretty late, so I won’t be able to see them live
I am definitely worried about the Tigers. Could see us losing in 3,4 or 5 games. CC has been hit around alot of late. We are weaker from the left side and now facing two of the best righties in the game. Swish/Tex/Arod/Gardy/Grandy all need to pick it up. We really can’t grind out abs and get the pitch count up against Verlander. We have to hit with risp!
No expectations from Jorge.
See ya, Tito Francona. You let the team slip through your fingers. I said yesterday that Tito and Theo are gonners. One goes to the Cubs, the other to the White Sox. Girardi > Francona , although Francona I think is one of the better game managers out there.
I have no predictions. Just expectations that the guys will hit and pitch to their capabilities and bring home the LDS title so that we can continue the quest for #29. If they do as they can then we will win.