Red Sox, As of Today.

[MRM]

On March 23 I wrote this:

The Sox are never eliminated until at least August. That's when they go into their late season swoon and hand the penant to the dreaded Yankees. The longer the wait, the greater the anguish.

In response someone wrote:

Quote:
Originally posted by MRM
The Sox are never eliminated until at least August. That's when they go into their late season swoon and hand the penant to the dreaded Yankees. The longer the wait, the greater the anguish.

Ummmm not even close. 2003, 2004, and 2005 the red sox made the playoffs, and have a WS championship to show for it. This might have been true before 03, but that was 5 years or more ago.

I am a huge Red Sox fan, but I think it's fair to say I called it correctly. My heart has been broken every year but one. It's just a given that the Sox will go into an August swoon, the Dodgers will have great pitching and no hitting, the Cubs will have to wait until next year, and the sun will rise again.

Rooting against the inevitable is part of the fun. Hey, maybe this is the year the Sox will hold on to their lead to win the division and will beat the Yankees in the playoffs and will win the World Series in the same year. Just because they haven't done it before doesn't mean it won't happen.

[CJFusco]

Don't get me wrong, I am incredibly disappointed in how poorly the Red Sox have been playing over the past two weeks or so. What I am saying is simply that it is a little premature to hold a mermorial service for their season. I'm not saying they won't tank, rather that they haven't tanked completely yet. Disappointed? Yes. Panicked? No.

[Sonic dB]

The Tigers have been the biggest disappointment this season... with that pitching staff
and powerful lineup, they should have beaten Cleveland or at least won the wild card.

Yes, injuries took their toll on the starting pitching and bullpen....but the team has had
a fragile mindset, since the World Series of last year. Without Kenny Rogers, they crumbled
except for Verlander and a few of the no named kids in the starting rotation.

Joel Zumaya was hurt most of the year, and when he is healthy seems to be more interested
in hitting 100 on the gun...then in becoming a great reliever.

the bullpen dropped far too many late inning games this year, blowing large leads and were
generally unreliable.

Gary Sheffield was a bust, hurt for the most important part of the season... and mouthing off
playing the Race Card in interviews for the other part of the year....
Sheffield has a great, quick bat and is a good overall player...but he is his own worst enemy
and shoots himself in the foot with his stupid comments and actions.... after he is done
in Detroit...I doubt whether he will be given much of a shot elsewhere in baseball, since Leyland
is one of the few managers left that will tolerate his antics and stick up for him.

All of this contributed to the Tigers downfall this year....they are still very very talented but
need to pull out of the mental midget state, as well as be healthier physically next year in order
to contend.

The Tigers should be right up there with the Red Sox and Yankees....

Anyway, the Red Sox will still make the playoffs so don't fret too much guys...

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by MRM

...I am a huge Red Sox fan, but... It's just a given that the Sox will go into an August swoon, the Dodgers will have great pitching and no hitting, the Cubs will have to wait until next year, and the sun will rise again.

Oh man, as a Dodgers fan you're killing me....but it's true.

This year we had a reasonable expectation of some decent pitching with Schmidt, Penny, Lowe, Billingsley. I ALWAYS felt the wheels would fall off of Tomko and sure enough it didn't take long. What took long was getting rid of him. I thought Hendrickson might pick up the slack as a No. 5 ...uh...no. Who'd a thunk it that we'd get what? 4 or 5 wins out of a gasping, running-on-fumes David Wells? We had SO many injuries on our pitching staff and then we had NO power coming in but a reasonable expectation of some emergence from the new kids, Kemp, Ethier, Loney, Martin and LaRoche. Well, we got it alright (except LaRoche). We were hanging in there, at one point 12 games above
.500. Nomar largely did nothing this year compared to last year but Gonzo produced nicely. Then comes mid August, a 3-13 record and we are toast. Man, this stuff kills me every year.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by Sonic dB

........Gary Sheffield was a bust, hurt for the most important part of the season... and mouthing off
playing the Race Card in interviews for the other part of the year....
Sheffield has a great, quick bat and is a good overall player...but he is his own worst enemy
and shoots himself in the foot with his stupid comments and actions.... after he is done
in Detroit...I doubt whether he will be given much of a shot elsewhere in baseball, since Leyland
is one of the few managers left that will tolerate his antics and stick up for him.

Gee, where have I heard THIS before? Oh I remember...from EVERYWHERE Gary has ever played. Note to Gary, SHUT YOUR STUPID MOUTH! He did the exact same crap when he was here in L.A. The guy is/was talented as hell and apparently about as stupid.

[CJFusco]

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

What a f*cking choke.

See, didn't I tell you that it wasn't over yet.

As of 5 mins ago, the Sox are the 2007 AL East Champs. Yes, I should be out having a drink... but my night at Fenway LAST NIGHT - standing in the rain - put me under the weather and shut-in for the night.

Go Sox!

[lendaddy]

Originally Posted by CJFusco

See, didn't I tell you that it wasn't over yet.

As of 5 mins ago, the Sox are the 2007 AL East Champs. Yes, I should be out having a drink... but my night at Fenway LAST NIGHT - standing in the rain - put me under the weather and shut-in for the night.

Go Sox!

2 up, 2 to play????

[lendaddy]

Never mind, I see the Yankees stepped on it in the 10th tonight. See you in the ALCS

[CJFusco]

I admit it: Yanks are gonna be tough to beat in a playoff series. Let's hope Anaheim eliminates them like usual

[lendaddy]

They do have the Yanks number for some reason....

But I don't see it this time. Again I state: "Joba Chamberlain is the boy king"

He will be the talk of the playoffs, bank it.

[gassy]

Damn Yankees...wait. That'd be a good band name...I'll call Ted.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Good on the Sox. It would have been nice if it didn't have to turn into such a nail-biter because they SUCKED for the second half of the season, but maybe - just maybe - they'll pull it together when it counts.

I'd love to see the Angels win and the ALCS be between BOS and ANA. . . oh, excuse me, the "Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim" (pffft! LOL! That still cracks me up with how stupid it sounds)

It'd be a great series in any case and I'd probably feel obligated to attend at least one game out here.

[Stutzdriver]

Can anyone say CLEVELAND INDIANS.

I think they can take down the mighty yanks in a 5 game series as will happen very soon after yesterday's games.

GO TRIBE!!!

[lendaddy]

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

Good on the Sox. It would have been nice if it didn't have to turn into such a nail-biter because they SUCKED for the second half of the season, but maybe - just maybe - they'll pull it together when it counts.

I'd love to see the Angels win and the ALCS be between BOS and ANA. . . oh, excuse me, the "Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim" (pffft! LOL! That still cracks me up with how stupid it sounds)

It'd be a great series in any case and I'd probably feel obligated to attend at least one game out here.

Yep, I guess it's Cleveland/New York / Sox/Angels????

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Cool, I'll take seeing 'em for the Division series, that's fine too.

They just better get their "A" games together and damn quick. The Angels sure do.

[MRM]

I am hoping the Sox and Yankees meet so the Sox can finally win the division, beat the Yanks in the playoffs, and win the World Series in one year. Then they'll have the monkey off their backs and maybe Yankees fans will spend the next 85 years moaning about how they can't get past the wild card spot in the playoffs because the Sox are in their division.

[JCF]

OK I admit it - I was wrong about the Red Sox - They are not such losers after all.
I plead temporary insanity - a result of the watching too many of their games this season.

Now how 'bout those Mets though - now them are REEEEEAAAAAALLLLL losers.

Yankees - winners, not so much.
THE CURSE OF A ROD - the choke monkey.

Way to hang in there CJ

[CJFusco]

Hah, thanks... I wasn't gonna rub it in

In all seriousness, with a lot of rest and a full contingent, the Red Sox are going to be tough to beat. Although I do admit that Cleaveland looked VERY good against the Yankees' pitching staff...

Beckett-Schilling-Matsuzaka looks quite a bit better than Wang-Pettite-Clemens/Mussina in 2007, though....