These Rockies look...

lendaddy · 10-24-2007, 04:08 PM

like a good clean cut group, no Red Sox style thugs or ghetto rats.

Daddy is an instafan

gassy · 10-24-2007, 06:02 PM

I like thugs and ghetto rats. I'll give you that their infield is tight. 81 pitches thru the 4th is gonna get tough tho...

lendaddy · 10-24-2007, 06:05 PM

OK, riddle me this Batman:

Playing in Boston against Beckett is a game you've got almost no chance to win...so why not throw up your your worst/wildest/chanciest starter and pray for luck?

gassy · 10-24-2007, 06:15 PM

You gotta win these two in Boston cuz when they're in Colorado, Big Papi won't play and Wakefield is out for the season. CJ or POP correct me if I'm wrong....

gprsh924 · 10-24-2007, 06:19 PM

It depends on how Papi's knee is doing. If its good, he will play first and they will find somewhere else to play Youkilis

gassy · 10-24-2007, 06:22 PM

After seeing him run to third, who knows. Hope it works out tho

mattdavis11 · 10-24-2007, 06:32 PM

Baseball, America's favorite past-time. Too bad it couldn't stay that way.

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

Yea, I think they'll use Papi tactically, if at all. Possibly as a pinch hitter in a difficult situation or they'll have him be a "pitcher" in the #9 slot when it's time for a pitching change in order to put a solid bat in the lineup until the top of an inning is over. Clearly Francona has a lot of options.

Not too sure about Wakefield. I wouldn't be surprised to see him come in if necessary. Knuckleballers are generally pretty robust since they don't throw especially hard, but a lot depends on the outcome of tonight. If they head to Colorado with a 2-0 lead, Francona can be a little more conservative with the lineup, not necessarily have to fret about his lineup, etc.

FWIW, even though I was born and raised on a Red Sox diet, I've ALWAYS liked the NL rules better. Much more appealing to a tactician and keeps the game interesting. The AL "DH" rules bug me - it's simply a way of chucking more long balls and runs on the board, which appeals to the boorish and unsophisticated fan base in order to have them whoop it up and sell more overpriced cheap beer (or whatever). The NL rules are chess, the AL rules are "slapjack" or "go fish". . . fun, but not very intellectual. The NL rules foster more creative play and "small ball" wins (remember the Marlins from a few years ago? One of the best small ball teams I've seen in a long time. . .)

But (unfortunately for a person who likes the tactical game), it's pretty obvious that power hitting has been trumping good tactical ball for the last few years (All-Star game, WS results, interleague results, etc.) Or maybe the AL teams just have more money for whatever reason and attract the best players. A case could be made for that also.

lendaddy · 10-25-2007, 04:34 AM

Thugs and ghetto rats - 1

Wally and the Beaver - 0

onewhippedpuppy · 10-25-2007, 04:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lendaddy

OK, riddle me this Batman:

Playing in Boston against Beckett is a game you've got almost no chance to win...so why not throw up your your worst/wildest/chanciest starter and pray for luck?

Exactly my thought. Then the Sox throw up some runs early, game over. Save the quality starters for a winnable game.

cmccuist · 10-25-2007, 04:48 AM

Wakefield is inactive. They can't use him at all for the series.

CJFusco · CJFusco's Garage

They are pitching Lester for Game 4, with Tavarez and Snider ready to go if he gets into any trouble.

A few years ago, it was easy to figure out what to do with Ortiz in NL ballparks - Youk wasn't a factor, so they would start Papi at 1st and hope his defense doesn't hurt you. What to do in 2007, though, with Youkilis tearing the cover off the ball and playing gold-glove defense?

I am guessing they will look at split stats; whoever has better numbers against that starting pitcher, they get the start. I would expect Youk to start 2 of the 3 games, and Ortiz start 1 (but, man, how do you bench David Ortiz?!?); obviously Ortiz (or Youk) could come in to pinch-hit for the pitcher in late innings.

Then again, Youkilis HAS started a couple games in the outfield in the past... if Drew starts to flag again, that could be a possibility.

I can't imagine Francona benching either Youk or Ortiz for more than one game each.

lendaddy · 10-25-2007, 07:01 AM

Do they allow Oritiz in the field on his Little Rascal™?

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmccuist

Wakefield is inactive. They can't use him at all for the series.

You're right (I just checked the roster). Didn't realize that. I guess it'll be Lester (who is active).

Should be interesting tonight with Schilling.

MRM · 10-25-2007, 12:27 PM

Is Youklis the same player that was discussed in "Moneyball" where Billy Beene was dying to trade for the guy but no one would let him go once they realized Beene wanted him?

sammyg2 · 10-25-2007, 02:51 PM

There are way too many Thugs and ghetto rats in this world, I'm rooting for Wally and the Beaver.

Uh Oh a random thought:
How long before the ghetto rats start doing thier end zone dances in baseball? I can just see some clown prancing around like a clueless gang-tard after striking someone out, or a left fielder stopping to do his celebration dance while three baserunners tag up and score.
It'll happen, it's just a matter of when.

lendaddy · 10-25-2007, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sammyg2

There are way too many Thugs and ghetto rats in this world, I'm rooting for Wally and the Beaver.

Uh Oh a random thought:
How long before the ghetto rats start doing thier end zone dances in baseball? I can just see some clown prancing around like a clueless gang-tard after striking someone out, or a left fielder stopping to do his celebration dance while three baserunners tag up and score.
It'll happen, it's just a matter of when.

That's a good question, I hope it never happens but I wouldn't be surprised either. Manny may be a pioneer

gassy · 10-25-2007, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sammyg2

There are way too many Thugs and ghetto rats in this world, I'm rooting for Wally and the Beaver.

Uh Oh a random thought:
How long before the ghetto rats start doing thier end zone dances in baseball? I can just see some clown prancing around like a clueless gang-tard after striking someone out, or a left fielder stopping to do his celebration dance while three baserunners tag up and score.
It'll happen, it's just a matter of when.

mattdavis11 · 05:35 PM

Baseball and Basketball will be two of the same before much longer. Those type of actions are truely disrespectful to the game and the sportsmanship that should accompany it. Makes me want to puke. 1 bad apple ruins it for the whole bunch.

You could see it in Schilling in the first inning. His job was to throw the pitch, that's it, or so he thought. He was also supposed to cover third, but he just stood there like awe, my bad. Then he let the ball roll by him like the play was dead. The bad apple has already gotten him.

Noah930 · Noah930's Garage

Quote:

like a good clean cut group, no Red Sox style thugs or ghetto rats.

Maybe I'm missing something (not having TV right now, I think I've only watched one game of the playoffs), but why are the Red Sox considered to be a bunch of thugs? OK, I read about the showboating thing with Manny a few games ago. Manny is Manny. Definitely an oddball; does things his own way. But certainly not a mean guy--at least by what I've heard, having lived in Boston 7 of the last 8 years. He's just kinda a space cadet. But that's different than a jerk or a thug. And Schilling may be a blowhard. But that's about it. The rest of the guys are pretty likeable. Big Papi, Lowell, Pedroia, Papelbon & Dice-K seem to be particular fan-favorites and all-around nice guys.