***The OFFICIAL Last Week of the Baseball Season Thread (AL)*** - Page 17

andyfox · #**161** 09-29-2005, 11:35 PM

So a guy on ESPN said the Red Sox have given up 6.5 games in the standings since August 10, if they hadn't won the World Series last year, we'd be talking about one of the greatest collapses of all time.

What a moron. The Sox were 66-47 on August 10. They've gone 27-19 since then. Their winning percentage on August 10 was .584. Tonight it's .585.

What collapse? It so happens the Yankees have gone 34-13 and the Indians 31-14 since August 10. And the Sox are still in it; not just in it, if they win tomorrow, they're in the driver's seat.

kyro · #**162** 09-29-2005, 11:38 PM

[ QUOTE ]
So a guy on ESPN said the Red Sox have given up 6.5 games in the standings since August 10, if they hadn't won the World Series last year, we'd be talking about one of the greatest collapses of all time.

What a moron. The Sox were 66-47 on August 10. They've gone 27-19 since then. Their winning percentage on August 10 was .584. Tonight it's .585.

What collapse? It so happens the Yankees have gone 34-13 and the Indians 31-14 since August 10. And the Sox are still in it; not just in it, if they win tomorrow, they're in the driver's seat.

[/ QUOTE ]

When a Yankee fan uses reason to discuss baseball, it makes me mad. It is so much more difficult to hate you.

sublime · #**163** 09-29-2005, 11:39 PM

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and small ball hitting.

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This is the key. Home runs might get you into the playoffs, but once the playoffs start it takes smart ball to win games. Moving runners over and stealing bases become much more important in the postseason.

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LMAO

Joe, I hope you die. Please take Ozzie Guillen with you.

Huskiez · #**164** 09-29-2005, 11:39 PM

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For the past ten years, the World Series champions have generally had excellent pitching, solid defense, and small ball hitting.

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Boston last year? Small ball hitting?

I guess the ball looked pretty small when it was 430 feet away in the stands.

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That's why I said generally. Boston has been an exception.

The Yankees teams of the late 90s, Arizona, Anaheim and Florida all fit the bill.

sublime · #**165** 09-29-2005, 11:40 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
So a guy on ESPN said the Red Sox have given up 6.5 games in the standings since August 10, if they hadn't won the World Series last year, we'd be talking about one of the greatest collapses of all time.

What a moron. The Sox were 66-47 on August 10. They've gone 27-19 since then. Their winning percentage on August 10 was .584. Tonight it's .585.

What collapse? It so happens the Yankees have gone 34-13 and the Indians 31-14 since August 10. And the Sox are still in it; not just in it, if they win tomorrow, they're in the driver's seat.

[/ QUOTE ]

When a Yankee fan uses reason to discuss baseball, it makes me mad. It is so much more difficult to hate you.

[/ QUOTE ]

dont worry, im sure there is a moron typing as we speak.

sublime · #**166** 09-29-2005, 11:42 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
For the past ten years, the World Series champions have generally had excellent pitching, solid defense, and small ball hitting.

[/ QUOTE ]

Boston last year? Small ball hitting?

I guess the ball looked pretty small when it was 430 feet away in the stands.

[/ QUOTE ]
That's why I said generally. Boston has been an exception.

The Yankees teams of the late 90s, Arizona, Anaheim and Florida all fit the bill.

[/ QUOTE ]

just because a team happens to prevent runs better than it creates them, doesnt make them 'small ball'.

Huskiez · #**167** 09-29-2005, 11:49 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
For the past ten years, the World Series champions have generally had excellent pitching, solid defense, and small ball hitting.

[/ QUOTE ]

Boston last year? Small ball hitting?

I guess the ball looked pretty small when it was 430 feet away in the stands.

[/ QUOTE ]
That's why I said generally. Boston has been an exception.

The Yankees teams of the late 90s, Arizona, Anaheim and Florida all fit the bill.

[/ QUOTE ]

just because a team happens to prevent runs better than it creates them, doesnt make them 'small ball'.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well I think the most important part of the equation is the great pitching. I just wanted to respond to the poster who said Oswalt, Pettitte, and Clemens won't be enough to win the World Series. I think Houston has a great shot to do it.

Also, none of the recent World Series teams (other than Boston) really was known for hammering home run after home run. The Yankees recently have developed that type of lineup, and with it came the end of their championship run and several collapses because their great offense couldn't overcome great pitching from Randy, Schilling, Beckett, Pedro, etc. in the postseason.

Those types of pitchers (e.g. Oswalt, Pettitte, and Clemens) usually come up huge in postseason play.

Dynasty · #**168** 09-30-2005, 12:21 AM

Can anybody provide insight into this part of the ESPN.com story about tonight's Red Sox win?

Instead, the Red Sox enter their season-ending three-game series with the Yankees at Fenway Park trailing New York by one game, and they would leapfrog their rival to win the AL East by taking two of three.

If the Sox take 2 of 3, they win the East with no one-game playoff? How does that work out?

Huskiez · #**169** 09-30-2005, 12:32 AM

It's false.

If the Bosox take two of three, there's a one game playoff at the Stadium.

From MLB.com

What if the Yankees tie the Red Sox in the AL East?
Next Monday, the Yankees would host the Red Sox, unless those two teams finish with the best records in the AL. In that case, there wouldn't be a playoff game. Both teams would make the playoffs and the first-place team is determined by the two teams' head-to-head record. As of Tuesday, the Yankees led the season series, 9-7.

Because the Yankees can't be tied with the Red Sox and have the best record in the AL, there would be a playoff game.

andyfox · #**170** 09-30-2005, 12:38 AM

Maybe it's my advancing years, but I don't hate any Red Sox fans. Or any fans period. Look at the thrills our teams have given us the last two years. 2003 must have been as painful for you as 2004 was for me. You sweat your team's trials and tribulations all year and it all comes down to one game or one pitch and it's all over, a crushing defeat. I see great guys, classy guys, like Wakefield and Varitek, on your team, and I see jerks on my team (RJ and Sheff come immediately to mind.) I see the respect Damon and Jeter have for each other. And when I hear that Jeter has received death threats unless he stops dating white women, it makes the games themselves seem much less meaningful.

Should be a helluva weekend. However, it turns out, I won't hate anybody.