Before we get started, wanted to pass along some excellent video from Red Sox Monster of the Indians' mascot Slider swinging from the Jacobs Field roof onto the infield.
8:03 According to my little system, if the Indians win G2, they have a 42.6% chance of winning the series. If they lose, it's down to 14.1%.
I am nervous.
8:08 The DiaTribe tells the story of Game 1 in pictures.
I'm pretty sure the FOX studio guys have been talking about the game, but I'm not listening.
8:13 David Ortiz's OBP so far in the postseason? .882. Promising.
8:21 I think "Baby Omar" is a great nickname for Asdrubal.
"The Man" for Peralta? Not so much.
8:22 By the way, I am ignoring the fact that Ryan Garko is apparently a big Brady Quinn fan.
8:23 Prediction, Hermano? I'll go 4-1 Tribe.
8:25 Grady leads it off with a double. Quite different from last night, when Beckett made him look quite foolish in the first. I hate Josh Beckett.
8:27 No...Asdrubal...damn it.
8:29 Apparently Francona pulled Beckett last night because he "tightened up". I take back the credit I gave Francona for planning ahead.
8:31 I'm well aware that "clutch" does not exist. But when you watch like 70% of a team's innings over the course of the season, and a guy hits .400 w/ two outs and RISP, it sure seems like he's better in those spots.
Victor doubles off the monster. Brady Quinn's #1 fan grounds out. 1-0 Tribe after 0.5.
8:35 If this isn't proof that these celebrity lineup intros need to end, I don't know what is.
8:37 Both Gameday and FOX say Carmona is throwing 98. These are sinkers, mind you. Is that even possible? Pedroia goes down harmlessly.
8:39 Fox's numbers for Carmona as a starter last year: "7 starts". That's it.
8:43 Papi's updated October OBP: .889. Two on, one out for Manny.
8:46 The Ortiz/Manny on base streak ends at 11, as Manny makes two outs simultaneously. Ha-yuge.
8:48 Denzel is my favorite actor. Jay-Z is my favorite rapper. You could say I'm somewhat excited about this whole American Gangster situation. November 2nd.
8:50 "Curt Schilling is pitching for money tonight." As opposed to most nights, when he is unpaid.
8:52 You have to love Kenny's enthusiasm, at least. He won't be using that bat again.
8:53 The idea that Schilling has to prove that he's a "big game pitcher" makes no sense to me. If it existed, wouldn't that just be a trait you had or you didn't? Can't we just establish that Schilling is trying to add another impressive performance in a big game to his resume?
Trot Nixon looks like Josh Beckett.
9:01 Peralta makes a nice play in the hole. Wait, what?
9:02 I question FOX's decision to not have a flame for pitches that are 95mph. That seems deserving to me.
9:04 A 1-2-3 inning for Fausto, but he needs to stop getting into these 2-1 counts. That could have easily been two on with one out.
9:09 If Casey Blake starts more than 80 games for this team next year, I will be unhappy. (That is not at all based on that AB, which was decent until the last swing. Just a general observation. More Peralta to third. Please.)
9:10 Someone pointed out last night how unbelievably obnoxious it is when Buck and McCarver immediately say the answer to these trivia questions. They are meant for the viewers, rather than broadcasters. This concept is lost on these two.
9:15 Falling behind on every hitter isn't going to work for much longer.
9:17 Bunt. Please. Do it.
9:21 Good thing they have Lugo locked up for three more years.
A good point in the comments by Schaefer. It's almost as if the sinker has too much movement tonight, and he's finishing out of the zone. He's also not getting the low strike.
9:22 That's what you want to do against this lineup, walk Dustin Pedroia.
Please hit a GB, Youk.
9:23 Yes, the 2-0 pitch to Pedroia was a strike. Gameday says so. FOX's pitch tracker thing is garbage.
9:26 Ball 1 to Youk was Fausto's 57th pitch. Not good.
9:27 And Youkilis almost falls over striking out on a 95mph sinker that was six inches inside.
Now it gets serious.
9:29 I had the same thought about the Youkilis K, T-Bone (from The DiaTribe, I'm assuming). I saw a video somewhere of that Jeter K on loop, but can't find it.
Infield single for Ortiz. Manny time.
9:31 This series is the first time I can ever remember rooting against Manny Ramirez. It's not fun.
9:32 Manny walks. 1-1. Lowell up.
9:35 Huge two-run single for Lowell. Could have had Ortiz at the plate if the throw was decent. It wasn't. 3-1.
They do have FRAA for pitchers, Schaef. Fausto was +3 this year, Garland was +1. I'm assuming +3 is towards the upper end of the spectrum.
9:37 74 pitches for Carmona after three. No way he gets through the middle of this lineup again. Lewis will come in for the 5th or 6th.
9:40 3-4-5 up against Schilling. Would be nice to get one back here.
9:42 Pronk flies out. Foods here. Back in a minute.
9:49 I missed, Victor, Garko, and Peralta. I'm not kidding.
YES.
9:50 So, apparently, Victor singled to
4-3 Tribe after 3.5. 7-8-9 coming up for the Sox in what may be Fausto's last inning.
9:52 BTW, I would pay good money to watch McCarver on "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader".
9:55 Yes, Schaef, Gameday says Victor's single was to right. Apparently I can't read.
10:00 Walk #5. What is going on?
10:04 Fausto Ks Pedroia. 95 pitches, I would imagine he's done. I guess it would make sense to try to have Perez pitch 5-6, Lewis 7, Betancourt 8, and then (ugh) Borowski 9. And have Betancourt ready to come in in the 7th if Lewis falters. Make sense?
10:07 Apparently this post "disappeared" for a couple minutes? No idea how that happened. My fault.
10:09 He's got nothing to show for it, but Blake has had two pretty good ABs.
Why do they have two male field reporters?
10:11 Grady smacks a FB on the outside corner over the fence in right-center. 5-3. Awesome.
10:12 Agreed, Schaef, Sabathia has seemed "lose" at no point over the last two weeks.
10:16 See how Manny played that Hafner single? Awesome.
10:17 They're leaving Schilling in. Excellent.
10:19 That's it for Schilling. In comes Delcarmen. I haven't seen too much of him, but based on numbers, I'm not sold on him. A lot of walks. We shall see.
10:21 I don't care if he's right, Buck shouldn't be allowed to use the term "plus-plus fastball".
10:22 Garko grounds out to third, 5-3 mid 5. 4.5 innings in two hours. Welcome to American League playoff baseball.
10:25 Carmona comes back out. Surprising. Doubt that would have happened without the insurance run. He'll be on a very, very short leash. Perez and Lewis warming, to match up with the big two.
10:26 If Fausto Carmona getting the win even entered into Wedge's mind in making this decision, I'm furious.
He's not really gonna leave Fausto in to pitch to Ortiz, is he?
10:27 He is not. Thank God. Of course this is the right move, McCarver.
10:32 Unless Perez gets shelled, we better not see Lewis in the fifth. That would be so dumb.
10:33 Ortiz beats out the relay at first. Now they can leave Perez in and not completely waste him.
10:36 5-5. Freaking Ramirez.
I still agree with leaving Perez in to pitch to him though.
10:38 23rd career postseason homer for Manny, which means he's now got the most playoff HR all time.
Jesus. Lowell homers over the monster. 6-5. Jensen Lewis time.
10:40 One batter too late, Wedge. Terrible job.
10:44 Mickey Mantle played in 65 World Series games. That's insane.
10:45 What a ridiculous turn by Asdrubal. He better be playing SS next year.
Varitek is slow. 6-5 Sox after 5.
10:47 Final lines on the SPs:
Carmona: 4IP, 4H, 4R, 4ER, 5BB, 5K, 0HR, 100 pitches, 51 strikes
Schilling: 5.2 IP, 9H, 5R, 5ER, 0BB, 3K, 2HR, 85 pitches, 58 strikes
10:49 Doesn't "17" seem like a weird number for a relief pitcher?
10:50 Good time to bunt? Are you serious, McCarver? Playing for one run in this game, with these two offenses, with the bullpens needing to give you this many innings? He better not bunt.
10:52 Lofton singles to left, and man, Peralta is slow. "Good baserunning". I mean, I guess. You really have to get to third on that though.
10:55 OK, I'll take that. 6-6, guy on second, one out, Blake coming up. Okajima coming in. The rest of this game is going to be a mess for both managers to get through. Somebody is going to screw up royally. Most likely Mr. Wedge.
10:58 This game is more than two and a half hours old, and there's one out in the top of the sixth.
10:59 Grady is on deck; he's been much better vs. LHP this year, .284/.384/.428. Loses a little power, but the OBP is still excellent.
11:00 It obviously depends on how things play out, but is Francona trying to do Okajima for five outs, then Papelbon for six? I think that's what I would do, not that I know nearly enough about their pen to make an intelligent decision.
11:03 So, apparently, Papelbon hasn't gotten six outs all year. And he's only gone more than in inning four times. I guess we'll be seeing Gagne? Lopez?
11:04 It is weird that they're pitching around Grady, and now walking him. But I think that's what I would do.
I'm agreeing with McCarver. I'm gonna stop now.
11:05 "1st player in MLB history named 'Asdrubal'". Now that is a good stat.
11:06 Well not a good job there by Lugo. That could be an enormous play in this game. Hafner up.
11:07 Well, can't ask for more than that from Hafner. That's a two-run single against a normal defense, but of course that's why they have the shift.
I would assume/hope that Lewis comes out for the sixth, then if he gets through that you try to get two innings out of Betancourt.
11:12 "Dusty Baker gets three-year deal to manage Reds"
Hilarious. How do we feel about Dunn in terms of "clogging the bases"? Does he not clog the bases, because of all the Ks, or does he, because of all the walks? I am torn.
11:14 "Justin Lewis". Probably friends with "Brandon Arroyo".
11:16 "Dustin Pedroia = David Eckstein". Right, except three times as good.
11:17 Who, exactly, was saying "Who's this Dustin Pedroia guy" at the beginning of the year? I was not aware of this sentiment.
6-6 after 6. On pace for a 4.5 hour game. Unless it goes into extras...
11:18 Good job by Lewis. Betancourt will come out for the seventh (I hope). Youk-Papi-Manny due up for the Sox.
But first, Victor-Garko-Peralta up for the Tribe. Still Okajima, I'm assuming. And then Papelbon for two? You have to, right?
11:22 Is the fact that nobody is really warming up really indicative of how much the Red Sox love Okajima, or just the fact the fact that Schilling got knocked out in the fifth and they don't really have many options right now?
"This is turning into a battle between the two closers, Borowski and Papelbon". It is? Really?
Victor swings at ball four. One out. Garko.
11:26 "Graduated from high school with a four point average". You clearly did not have a "four point average" in HS, Tim.
11:29 Okajima was pretty impressive there. Now Betancourt against the middle of the Boston order. This should be
11:31 Okajima is at 30 pitches. He threw more than this a couple times during the regular season; 2.1 IP, 38 pitches once, and 2IP, 32 pitches once.
Wow, Lewis again? I guess?
11:35 Well, this worked out so far. Wedge gets two more outs from Lewis (seven total), and now Betancourt in to face Manny. There's a reason he's going to win Manager of the Year! (Beyond the fact that, you know, they underperformed their Pythag so much last year that it looked like they made a big improvement this year.)
11:38 "Played three years in the minor leagues as a SS, his arm was too good." I doubt that was the reason...
Joe Buck has clearly never seen Rafael Betancourt pitch before.
11:43 Awesome job by Betancourt.
Are the Sox really gonna bring in Timlin here, rather than Papelbon? Why not go to Papelbon for two innings, then figure something out if this goes into extras?
11:44 If Betancourt can set them down 1-2-3 in the 8th, and the Indians somehow push a run across in T8 orT9, Borowski will only have to face Crisp-Lugo-Pedroia in the 9th. Not that he'll get those three out, and I'm sure Ortiz will end up coming up as the winning run. But in theory, that would work well.
11:47 How, exactly, would Ramirez see the shadow of Victor's target.
Timlin is in. First pitch goes to the backstop. Nice.
11:50 Papelbon and Lopez warming up.
11:52 "The Reds were looking for a high profile manager." I really like to think that that was their #1 criteria. Quality was secondary.
11:53 Timlin gets the job done. It'll be Papelbon vs. Sizemore-Asdrubal-Hafner in the 9th. Hopefully in a tie game. Betancourt will come out for the 8th, I'm sure.
11:57 " and homer bailey immediately calls his agent and demands a trade." -T-Bone.
Well done.
11:58 FJM picks up on the Pedroia-Eckstein comparison as well.
12:02 Lowell has fouled off five two-strike pitches. This is the problem with Betancourt- he doesn't really have an out pitch (besides his fastball). Not that there's really a problem with Betancourt.
Oh wow, and right after I say that he strikes out looking on a slider. Nice.
12:05 Six up, six down for Betancourt. 22 pitches. He should come out for the ninth. I'm guessing he will if it's still tied, but Borowski if the Indians have the lead.
Sizemore, Asdrubal, Hafner, against Papelbon. Victor if anyone gets on.
This is fun.
12:10 Borowski warming up. Ugh.
12:16 Asdrubal pops up to end an 8 pitch AB. Pronk up.
It's not half prospect half donkey, Joe. You are wrong. Stop saying this.
12:18 Pronk singles up the middle. Now Victor can put the Indians in the lead with an XBH. Maybe. Barfield pinch runs for Hafner. Not sure how I feel about this.
12:20 Wow, Barfield steals second without a throw. Now they'll walk Victor to get to Garko. That's fine. Now just need a single.
12:21 "What makes this compelling is this is the first intentional walk given up by Papelbon this year."
There are like thirty things that make this situation compelling. That is not one of them.
12:23 " if there's ever a time for jim rome's jungle karma to come through, this is it..." -T-Bone
I have no idea what that means. But go Garko.
12:24 Nice cut by Garko there on a 1-2 pitch. Jeez. Still alive though.
12:25 Garko hits it somewhat hard, but right at Lowell.
Who's coming in? The season rests in the balance. And Buck is cut off in mid sentence as they go to commercials. Appropriate.
12:28 Betancourt!!!!!!!!!
12:31 Raffy R blows one by Coco. One out.
12:32 Lugo pops out. Two dead.
12:33 Pedroia singles. Ellsbury pinch runs. And running he will be.
12:35 Unbelievable- another uncontested SB. This is the winning run!
12:37 Betancourt gets the check swing call. That's huge. 2-2 rather than 3-1. With Papi on deck.
12:39 My heart skips a beat every time Youk swings. Still 2-2.
12:41 A great effort by Victor. Almost had that. STILL 2-2. That was pitch #8. Or 9. Or something.
12:42 OK, that's nine pitches. Five straight foul balls.
12:43 Ten and six. Informative updates, I know.
12:44 Oh man, I thought that was the end.
Extra innings!
I'm going to take a quick walk around the apartment. This is absurd. The bottom of the tenth is going to be a mess.
12:47 I cannot possibly say enough about the performances of Jensen Lewis and Rafael Betancourt. Combined: 4.2 IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 4Ks. Unbelievable.
But Betancourt has now thrown 42 pitches. Now Mastny is getting loose. Well that's a terrible idea. Why is Aaron Laffey on this roster again?
Prediction: Peralta Ks.
12:49 I really went out on a limb on that one. Maybe Gutierrez runs into an FB and makes it 7-6. Well, Lofton is up first. I'm an idiot.
12:50 Now Gutierrez. 13 HR in 271 ABs this year.
Trying not to think about the bottom half of this inning. Ortiz, Ramirez, Lowell due up.
12:51 Cal lost also? What the hell? OSU #1, BC #2. A strange world we live in.
12:54 Youkilis awkwardly makes the catch on a routine popup, and Papelbon goes nuts, of course (not that I blame him).
I just want to say that this has been an unbelievable game, and I've really enjoyed this.
I say this now because I don't see this game going past the bottom of the tenth.
12:57 Tom Mastny is coming in.
12:57 I hate this move.
12:59 T-Bone, how could you feel good about this? Mastny walked 32 in 57.2 IP.
Well done, Jhonny. I guess.
Manny Ramirez is about to hit a baseball 500 feet. I'm not even going to be mad, to be honest.
1:01 Screw it. Walk Manny. Whatever.
1:01 Manny pops out to right. What is going on!?!??!? I'm assuming Lowell will end it now.
Intelligent analysis has come to a halt for the moment. Sorry.
1:02 Gagne getting loose. Good.
1:03 Tom Mastny sets the heart of the BoSox lineup down 1-2-3 in the 10th.
That sentence makes no sense. None. I don't understand.
Instant analysis from T-Bone: "gagne!!!!". My sentiments exactly.
1:04 Blake, Sizemore, Asdrubal.
1:06 Do remember (I momentarily forgot) that Josh Barfield is due up fourth this inning. So it would be either Michaels or Shoppach (or Trot, I guess). Probably Michaels.
Blake never had a chance. Time for Grady.
1:08 Grady singles to right. Now it's up to Asdrubal.
Trot is on deck. Trot Nixon is going to get the game winning (/go ahead) hit. This is going to happen. This would follow the pattern of nothing making sense.
1:11 Asdrubal walks.
Trot Nixon, people. Now this is happening.
1:12 Oh screw this. They're bringing in Lopez? Time for Jason Michaels, I would think.
1:13 My SiteMeter is hysterical right now, BTW. Since midnight: 15 visits, 207 page views. That's quite a ratio.
1:14 Javier Lopez has weird platoon splits; lefties have been better against him this year.
1:15 Yes, I said that before Buck. 04-06 his splits were about even.
Trot singles to center. This was obvious, no?
1:16 We need more runs. Do not stop now. Victor!
1:17 Wild pitch. Asdrubal comes in from third. 8-6. More runs!
1:18 Jason Michaels comes in to pinch run.
That sentence makes no sense. Seeing a trend here?
1:18 Victor getting intentionally walked again. This is frustrating. Here comes Garko.
1:20 "Mastny is in line for the victory..." WHO CARES?
1:21 Garko singles up the middle. Michaels scores. 9-6! Still not confident. Need more runs. Peralta up. Lester coming in?
1:25 Peralta rips one down the LF line, fair! Victor scores, Garko to third, double for Peralta.
10-6. Not done yet. Needs to be 12-6. Lofton up.
1:27 Not sending Garko there? Really? Whatever.
T-Bone, coming up huge as always, with the definition of "Jungle Karma" in the comments.
Oh boy. Gutierrez just hit a ball very, very far. The score is now 13-6.
This is insane.
1:29 Blake goes down looking. Just called my brother. Both of us are confused, to say the least.
1:32 Seven runs, JoeBo. Seven runs.
Frank the Tank, indeed, T-Bone.
1:33 Leadoff man on. Tying run on quintuple deck.
1:34 Varitek goes down swinging. Two more outs.
"Don't forget that Wednesday is an off day, between games four and five."
Hmm, I wonder why. This couldn't have anything to do with FOX.
If the Sox are down 2-1, they have to go to Beckett in G4, don't they? Only threw 80 pithces last night.
Crisp singles to right. Tying run on quadruple deck.
1:37 6-4-3.
Game!
1:38 "Player of the game" or whatever is Nixon, but the key to this game was the Lewis-Betancourt-Mastny combo, 5.2 IP, one hit. They were amazing.
1:40 Brian is very much on point in the comments:
"Mastny with the win. Trot with the game-winning hit. I might read those two sentences another fifty times and do a double-take every single time."
1:41 So, 5.5 hours and 3500 words later, the Indians win 13-6.
A five hour, fourteen minute game, says Joe Buck. Ridiculous in all senses of the word.
Game 3 in Cleveland, Monday night at 7. Matsuzaka vs. Westbrook. I guess I have to do another live-blog. Looking forward to it.
1:44 Thanks to everyone who chimed in in the comments, especially T-Bone (The DiaTribe), Hermano (WSAS), NSchaef, and Brian.
That's it for me. Hope you check back in for G3 on Monday. The rest of this series is going to be fun.
Prediction?
ReplyDeleteJames Taylor having a tough time. He doesn't do well with RISP.
ReplyDeleteWow, Pedroia pulled a vintage Casey Blake from game 2 ALDS.
ReplyDeleteWhy does it make me really sick when Crisp makes a good play. He revolts me.
ReplyDeleteGutierrez has been really struggling with his bat, this entire post season. But his glove is more than worth it over anything that Trot does.
ReplyDeleteYou underestimate the fact that Trot Nixon personally has Jesus Christ on his side. He once claimed Jesus even swung the bat for him.
ReplyDeleteAndy Marte was their "hot young" third baseman. I realize what he's trying to say but it just sounds really...fabulous.
ReplyDeleteI guess I do. If it's anything like John Kitna throwing the ball for Jesus Christ, we're in good hands.
ReplyDeleteThis is weird. McCarver isn't blowing me away, but he hasn't said anything offensively stupid yet.
ReplyDeleteSure, six guys with 18 home runs in the lineup isn't really insightful, but it gives people unfamiliar with the team some sort of idea of their hitting.
What the hell is going on, Tim? Say something about Mark Wohlberg or something.
The Boston Red Sox. The CLEVELAND....INDIANS!!
ReplyDeleteThis "only one october" for the ALCS commercial is even worse than the others. "Fenway with all of that...emotion. Cleveland...the return to glory."
Whatever. It's a dumb concept anyways.
It's surprising that Serena Williams would be doing a commercial for a slim-anything.
ReplyDelete1) Of course Paul Byrd is in the dugout. Where the fuck else would he be?
ReplyDelete2) I'm fairly certain his thoughts on the double play by the other team will be something like, "There we go" or "Yes!"
Sorry, I was incorrect. His insight was "Carmona can get double plays."
ReplyDeleteIt almost looks like Carmona's stuff is TOO good today. Moving so much he can't keep it in the zone, and the Red Sox hitters know they can't hit it so they don't swing, and if they do they can't put it in play fair. == Lots of pitches thrown.
ReplyDeleteWhat the fuck...Now Buck AND McCarver are saying reasonable - albeit innocuous - things, based in fact.
ReplyDeleteI'm confused as hell right now.
Oh and that 2-0 to Pedroia should have been a strike.
Even Ortiz's foul balls are scary.
ReplyDeleteWow, that Youkilis strikeout was Jeter-esque!
ReplyDeleteThis is what girl see in the game with Ortiz up:
ReplyDelete"What is with that beard, it looks like he has a ballsack under his chin."
Jacob - Do they do UZR or FRAA or anything like that for pitchers? Obviously Fausto's better, but it's interesting they made the comparison to Garland, whom I consider to be an excellent fielding pitcher.
ReplyDeleteUhhh...Okay. How the fuck was that ball 3?
ReplyDeleteI thought the one inside was a strike too. I hope Carmona goes to the dugout to settle down a little bit.
ReplyDeleteGreat googily moogily.
ReplyDeleteCan we consider a three run inning limiting damage considering the circumstances?
ReplyDeleteDr. Robert Jarvik has the creepiest voice ever.
ReplyDeleteHope I'd find a live blog somewhere... YEEEEEEEAAAH!!!
ReplyDeleteRed Sox Monster
Welcome, Mr. T the Red Sox fan. Previous articles on this series are worth reading as well.
ReplyDeleteSure, Joe, Peralta hit only 13 homers last year, but it isn't exactly a shock. He hit 24 home runs in '05.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I'm crazy, I thought Victor singled to right. Either way it was solidy hit.
ReplyDeleteGarko's was a fastball up around the letters, which he grounded barely out of reach of the SS and 2B. So...that one not so much.
Franklin looks very bad the plate, he just doesn't look comfortable up there.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteBoy, Byrd sure does have some pretty good "I know I'm being mic-ed" speak going, eh?
ReplyDeleteI'm just wondering, since both CC and Fausto have been really tight, if Wedge has had an affect on them. It seemed like they were loosey goosey through most of the ALDS, but they've really clamped up now.
ReplyDeleteSabathia seemed tight to me in Game 1 against the Yanks, but then again, Bruce Froemming will do that.
ReplyDeleteGrady's Ladies will be pleased.
1 hitter too many?
ReplyDeleteOh dear. It was a weak grounder, but McCarver is correct on the next pitch.
Anybody know who this really is?
Does the fact that the Indians used the 'crappy' part of the bullpen yesterday help out today?
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure, Hermano.
ReplyDeleteI feel like you always want to have as many people available as possible - I.E. Sabathia should have gone deeper no matter what.
However, it probably helps that they didn't lose a close game and didn't use their best relievers.
Yeah, I mean under the circumstances. You always hope your starters go deep, but in this case where it is now up to the bullpen to do... whatever.
ReplyDeleteYikes.
ReplyDeleteCan't blame Wedge for that one. I remember the White Sox didn't beat the Red Sox by shutting down Ortiz and Ramirez. Far from it - I believe they were responsible for a good chunk of the runs with Solo Homers.
However, they didn't allow anything from anybody else. I guess this is the advantage of having arguably the two of the three best hitters in the league on the same team.
Manny. 23.
ReplyDeleteHAHAHAHAHA Joe Buck says that the home runs were caused by Ortiz HUSTLE.
It's never the simple explanation of "Ramirez and Lowell hit fucking bombs." No. Somebody hustled. God. As if people don't try...or something? The ground ball was hit really slowly.
Crazy awesome double play.
ReplyDeleteSpeier's number is 23.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, in baseball I dont' really have any concept of the logic behind numbers for uniforms.
Football seems to have some sort of system (single digits for QBs, 50s for Linebackers, 80s for WRs, and 90s for Defensive Linemen). Is there anything like that in baseball?
Something in the air? All the pitchers are struggling with the strike zone.
ReplyDeleteHey guys, Okajima is good because he was an All-Star. Just like Mike Redman.
ReplyDeleteWalking a left handed hitter to get to a right handed hitter. Didn't they just remind everyone Cabrera is a switch hitter?
ReplyDeleteurgh, pronk. we needed something there.
ReplyDeleteThere have been some huge plays by the Boston defense so far. And at crucial times too - where runs would be put on the board.
ReplyDeleteI swear, that's Jerry Springer behind home plate.
ReplyDeleteOh, come on, that's a strike to Crisp.
Indians pitchers getting squeezed in this baseball game
ReplyDeletePedroia is 5'9"? Maybe with heels on. He looks like a little kid wearing his dad's uniform.
ReplyDeletewow. betancourt's got some brass ones there!
ReplyDeletethe shadow of the target or the big freakin' catchers mitt down and to his right? come on, mccarver!
ReplyDeleteI just closed my eyes for a little bit to test out a theory. There is so much dead air, it's unreal. Seriously, I had no idea what was going on. I know these guys are TV announcers, but they tell me nothing.
ReplyDeleteThese goggles, they do nothing!
and homer bailey immediately calls his agent and demands a trade.
ReplyDeleteif there's ever a time for jim rome's jungle karma to come through, this is it...
ReplyDeleteJust discovered this blog a couple of days ago, and this is by far the most entertaining and insightful live blog I've read in a long, long time. Great work, and I'll be around more. (Especially if the Tribe winds up winning!)
ReplyDeleteWho else did not expect Pedroia to be the one to get a hit off Betancourt?
ReplyDeletei hope mastny proves me wrong, but i dont have a good feeling about this either...
ReplyDeleteUh oh.
ReplyDeletegagne!!!!
ReplyDeleteWow, talk about coming up huge, Mastny comes out dry and gets the three biggest outs ever. He might as well retire now.
ReplyDelete"Tom Mastny sets the heart of the BoSox lineup down 1-2-3 in the 10th.
ReplyDeleteThat sentence makes no sense. None. I don't understand."
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while. Watch Coco end it with a bloop single in the 11th. I'm chalking the 10th up to beginner's luck.
How happy are the Red Sox that they traded three players for this guy, and gave him his entire bonus for closing games up front?
ReplyDeleteI'm speechless.
ReplyDelete"Trot Nixon is going to get the game winning (/go ahead) hit. This is going to happen."
ReplyDeleteGot the lotto numbers for tomorrow, while you're at it?
from wikipedia entry on the Jim Rome show:
ReplyDeleteJungle Karma - Rome maintains that an athlete's appearance on the show or failure to appear for whatever reason will create (respectively) good or bad "Jungle Karma," improving or diminishing the athlete's performance in an upcoming game. He points to the outcome of games after appearances on his show as "evidence." However unscientific it may be, anecdotal evidence seems to suggest the trend may be true. Rome has stated that "the Karma does not discriminate," referring to its effects being dissociated from whether Rome likes or dislikes an athlete. Additionally if an athlete is unable to fulfill his commitment to the show because of circumstances beyond his/her control, no bad Jungle Karma is unleashed upon his/her team.
garko has been on twice in the past month, once live in studio, and is one of Rome's favorite ballplayers. karma definitely came through tonight.
FRANK THE TANK!!! FRANK THE TANK!!!
ReplyDeleteyeah! great work tonight on the game blog! linking to it as soon as i find a picture of trot.
ReplyDeleteMastny with the win. Trot with the game-winning hit.
ReplyDeleteI might read those two sentences another fifty times and do a double-take every single time.
It's interesting, I had to leave after the 7th, and I didn't see what happened until like 3am. So I'm scrolling through the live blog/comments, and all of the Indians fans are CERTAIN they will lose.
ReplyDeleteOnce bitten, twice shy I suppose...?
Congrats, guys. Hell of a game. Split at Fenway.