P-P-P-Playoffs!!

Koodauw said:

Yanks vs. Twins.
Yanks here, although a tougher series than most think. Minn just not enough offense or pitching.

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funny, because if i was to use "not enough pitching" to describe any of the 8 teams in the playoffs, i'd use it on yankees.

i must add, though, what saved the twins last night was the defense. phenomenal. considering how santana wasn't at his best, twins practically stole that game.

tough luck continues for mussina - he's been so close to everything: playoff opener victory, 20-wins, cy young, world championship, perfect game...

It's beginning to look like the Dodgers over the Cards wasn't my best pick! Not that I'm shedding any tears over what is looking like a early exit for the bums. I just thought they would have put up more of a fight than this.

Now, on the other hand, the Red Sox are looking great! Boston is playing like a team unconcerned with any ghosts. I just hope they get a chance to wipe some of the smirks off the faces of the Yanks on their way to the Series.

I would put a paycheck on the braves losing as usual

and another on the yankees winning

2 words, Babe Ruth.

If you think the Yankees need the curse to beat the Red Sox you don't have much faith in your team. The Sox are bringing the Angels into Fenway today to slap them around, then they'll be sitting pretty waiting for the Twins to finish off the Yankees.

I think this is one of the best Red Sox Teams, I just wish there was more solid pitchng after Schilling (I like martinez and arroyo but they seem to be just over 50/50 chance to win).

At least we have Foulke this year and that is good. And Jayson Stark had this to Say for him:

Sayson Stark said:

A year later, Keith Foulke is a far more reliable option, even if he did blow saves to the Orioles on back-to-back nights in September. But before that, he hadn't blown ANY saves since July 19. And he has actually held opposing hitters to a lower batting average (.206) and on-base percentage (.252) this year than Mariano Rivera (.225, .285). That's a true fact.

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So this year we should be able to close out games.

yankees really are in trouble. their offense is atrociously one-dimensional. HR or bust. and in game 2, they got HRs alright, but then, rivera blew a save.

granted, if gardenhire keeps on pulling grady, yanks will win (a closer going 2+ innings with NO ONE warming up in the 'pen? come on...) but they are living and dying by homers - never a good strategy in the playoffs when the pitching quality goes up a notch.

ugh, only if jacque jones was awake and actually tried to throw home, minn. would be up 2-0...

sox did what they had to do, two aces won their games. now the soft part of their rotation is coming up, but i think they will be able to pull one game out of the next two...

cards dominating dodgers, no surprise there...

astros/braves is interesting because i thought ridge wouldn't blow a save like that. i'm personally pulling for the astros, but i'm not as interested in the NL...

i love october!

MacNut said:

2 words, Babe Ruth.

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Ruth hasn't always been the greatest thing for the Yankees either, in 61 they all thought he was pushing back Roger Maris' homeruns. And I agree with Counterfit, what curse? Onwards to the ALCS!

Counterfit said:

2 more words: What curse?

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One year: 1918.

Yeah That F'in curse.

And its funny how NY gets beat up for the pitching all the time.

Yes. Boston has the big names. Atlanta used to, but name the starters now. And seriously, who on the twins is there other than Santana. Angels got anyone? How about the Cards past Matt Morris.

I think there is a bit of biased when it comes to the fact that NY doesn't have the "big name" pitchers.

also. Kevin Brown had a good year..... When he was healthy.


And this really bugs me... Whats with Terry F. not wearing a uniform? That turtle-neck thing is god-awefull.

Its the same argument every year, this is out year we aren't cursed, and it seems that they always find a way to choke. Hey the Angels almost took game 3. How can the Sox blow a 5 run lead. The yankees would of made them pay for that mistake, so yes I still think the curse exists and until you can win the WS it will still remain.

decksnap said:

If you think the Yankees need the curse to beat the Red Sox you don't have much faith in your team. The Sox are bringing the Angels into Fenway today to slap them around, then they'll be sitting pretty waiting for the Twins to finish off the Yankees.

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The Yankees are one win away from a rematch with the Sox, and even the Boston Globe wants the Yankees to win.

Fun stat I heard today: The last time the Red Sox got into back-to-back ALCS was in 1914, and they won the World Series. So that's an interesting omen, if you're superstitious... which I'm not. I wish them the best, assuming the Dodgers don't play them, which seems unlikely at this point.


EDIT: I was a little uncomfortable with that barely-overheard stat, so I went and checked for myself. The Red Sox won back-to-back World Series in 1915 and 1916. It doesn't appear that they have been in contention to even get to the WS in back-to-back years ever since until this year, but it's hard to tell since the ALCS seems to be a fairly recent invention. Perhaps a better baseball historian than I can enlighten us.

Or maybe no one cares.

Koodauw said:

And its funny how NY gets beat up for the pitching all the time.

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yeah, because they replaced clemens, pettite and wells with lieber, injured brown (and it was his own stupidity ), tired el duque and vasquez that can't find his arm slot.

and for $190 million, they got an awfully thin bench, bullpen and starting rotation. that's why yanks get blasted.

from the first two games, i think you can say a bit more than just "sox got name pitchers." guess what, those "name" pitchers pitched like they deserve those names. and i'd take lowe, arroyo and wakefield as #3-#5 starters now over who yanks got for #2-#5, mentioned above.

the fact is, sox is through, yanks are not. let's talk trash once yanks are through, shall we?

Awimoway said:

Fun stat I heard today: The last time the Red Sox got into back-to-back ALCS was in 1914, and they won the World Series. So that's an interesting omen, if you're superstitious... which I'm not. I wish them the best, assuming the Dodgers don't play them, which seems unlikely at this point.


EDIT: I was a little uncomfortable with that barely-overheard stat, so I went and checked for myself. The Red Sox won back-to-back World Series in 1915 and 1916. It doesn't appear that they have been in contention to even get to the WS in back-to-back years ever since until this year, but it's hard to tell since the ALCS seems to be a fairly recent invention. Perhaps a better baseball historian than I can enlighten us.

Or maybe no one cares.

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Awimoway, the playoffs started in 1969, when the two leagues were divided into divisions. So the Red Sox could not have been in any championship series before then. The divisional playoff round was added in 1981. Since 1969, the Red Sox have not been in a ALCS back-to-back until this year. Other teams that have accomplished this feat are the Yankees, A's, Orioles, Blue Jays, Twins, Indians, Royals, and Mariners.

ALCS history

Also don't forget that the Wild Card was added in 1995 and the Red Sox were the wild card team the past 2 years.

jxyama said:

yeah, because they replaced clemens, pettite and wells with lieber, injured brown (and it was his own stupidity ), tired el duque and vasquez that can't find his arm slot.

and for $190 million, they got an awfully thin bench, bullpen and starting rotation. that's why yanks get blasted.

from the first two games, i think you can say a bit more than just "sox got name pitchers." guess what, those "name" pitchers pitched like they deserve those names. and i'd take lowe, arroyo and wakefield as #3-#5 starters now over who yanks got for #2-#5, mentioned above.

the fact is, sox is through, yanks are not. let's talk trash once yanks are through, shall we?

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The Yankees pitching does get beat up but they make up for it with a powerful bating order, Arod, Sheffield, Williams, Posada, Matsui.

jxyama said:

the fact is, sox is through, yanks are not. let's talk trash once yanks are through, shall we?

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I do Believe the 26 would series rings and 40 something pennants give me the right to talk trash whenever I like.

I agree, win the whole thing and then you can talk all you want, Than I will give you a little respect as I ignore everything you way.

Don't worry everyone, after the series is over, ESPN Classic will feature Yankee Stadium cheering due to a retake of the year before.

Koodauw said:

And its funny how NY gets beat up for the pitching all the time.

Yes. Boston has the big names. Atlanta used to, but name the starters now. And seriously, who on the twins is there other than Santana. Angels got anyone? How about the Cards past Matt Morris.

I think there is a bit of biased when it comes to the fact that NY doesn't have the "big name" pitchers.

also. Kevin Brown had a good year..... When he was healthy.

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well, twins had Radke, not that it matters now. He was one of the best in the AL this year, though it didn't show in his one playoff start. Angels had no one, and that's why they are gone now. Cards also have no one. They are hoping they can slug their way to the title... i don't think it will work.

I really believe the Sox are the better team this year. Better starting pitching, nearly as good a closer, and a better lineup with a deeper bench. Yes the Yankees had a better record, but the Sox scored more runs, allowed less runs, and won the season series 11-8. Do the Yankees make me nervous? Yes... but the Sox should make the Yanks very nervous as well because these are hands down the best two teams in the AL.

Koodauw said:

I do Believe the 26 would series rings and 40 something pennants give me the right to talk trash whenever I like.

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yep, and i think the failure for them to win the last three years, especially 2001 and 2003 when they even made the world series, also gives me the right to talk trash too.