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The Official 2011 Boston Red Sox Thread

Discussion in 'Other Sports Forum' started by Ray Finkle, Nov 10, 2010.

  1. Mainge

    Mainge Season Ticket Holder

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    It absolutely is a crapshoot. It's a 5 or 7 game sample size.
     
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  2. padre31

    padre31 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    What hell hath Selig wrought?
     
  3. finyank13

    finyank13 Reality Check

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    Just because they have had the highest payroll in forever that doesnt always translate into the best team (Jets, Redskins), and just because they have had the ebst record in the regular season, that doesnt always translate into the best team either(Pats multiple years).....

    and absolutely in a 5 game series you do sometimes get some upsets, sometimes, but the best teams in a vast majority of times often win the series, especially 7 games...but we can agree to disagree on that...
     
  4. Mainge

    Mainge Season Ticket Holder

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    I disagree.

    Hell, my own Marlins are a great example of how random the playoffs can be.
     
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  5. finyank13

    finyank13 Reality Check

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    I know you like him, and to an extent I like him to Fink, but Beane is a blowhard and his method stinks, what has it produced? I am not elitest, and surely some teams (majority) of them HAVE to operate this way I get that.....but ultimately baseabll would do well with a cap....Now under the current system, I have no problem with my team, your team, etc blowing a boatload of cash, if you make it, you should be able to spend it the way you feel....if everybody where on the same playing field it might make people come back to the game...because there is only one reason the best place to live (arguably) in San Diego draws crap to the games...

    Halas and Rooney (owners of big market teams) said a long time ago when the survivability of the league was at stake.......in order for the NFL to survive everybody needs to share in the money....not that I think MLB is barely surviving, but it can do alot better IMO....
     
  6. finyank13

    finyank13 Reality Check

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    that team was no joke, Cabrera, Brown, Beckett, Pavano, Renteria, Lowell, Gonzo, Ivan....who else? Burnett, Penny right? Hell I think they even had A-Gone that year (not sure though)......
     
  7. Mainge

    Mainge Season Ticket Holder

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    Take out Brown and Renteria. Cabrera was a 20 year old rookie who struggled all year. Pavano was a journeyman at that point. Penny was about average. Burnett was injured all year. Gonzalez was in AA that year but we traded him to Texas for bullpen help.

    They all got hot at the right time and still needed a mini-miracle to get past the Cubs (lol cubs). They weren't close to the best team in that playoffs but I'll take it.
     
  8. Skeet84

    Skeet84 New Member

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    I am a Huge Marlins fan as a Red Sox fan and remember that team quite well.

    Jeff Conine (He was clutch when we got him midway thru the year), Juan Pierre CF (Literally the most important part of our offense), Mike Lowell 3B, SS Alex Gonzalez (Played for Red Sox too), 2B Louis Castillo (Batted 2nd behind Pierre and they were dangerous on bases), 1B Derek Lee (We traded him after we won World Series for nothing), LF Miggy, RF Encarnacion.

    SP was nasty Beckett, Burnett, Brad Penny, Dontrelle Willis (Rookie), and Carl Pavano.

    The Marlins trade Gonzalez for Ugeth Urbina who helped out a lot as Set up man/Closer.
     
  9. Ray Finkle

    Ray Finkle Member

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    I never said a thing about payroll, so I'm not sure why you brought it up. But seriously the Yankees from 1996 to present day (excluding 2008) have probably been at worst a top 3 team each year in baseball. But since 2001 they only won 1 title, why is that? Because the playoffs are a crap shoot. Sometimes the best team doesn't always win in a short series. Hell you can take the worst team in baseball against the best team in baseball and put them head to head against each other in a 5 or 7 game series and the best team won't always win. It's just the way it works.

    I mean do you truly believe the 2002 Angels, 2003 Marlins, 2005 Angels, 2006 Tigers, 2007 Indians and 2010 Rangers were better teams than the Yankees? One or two of them might have been but the majority of those teams weren't.

    Like him or not but Beane changed the way baseball front offices are run. It's easy to knock the guy because his teams never won a WS but his franchise had a very good string of success in the late 90s/early 2000s. Unfortunately for them they met some good teams (Red Sox, Yankees) and lost those series. Again the playoffs are crap shoots but just getting into the playoffs is a good accomplishment. Red Sox or Yankees fans might not think so because they feel like they should be in the playoffs every year but Oakland and Beane have had success. Especially when again you look at the payroll he's given and the market he's in.
     
  10. Ray Finkle

    Ray Finkle Member

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    Exactly. Perfect example of playoff crapshoots. No offense to Marlin fans but they were probably the worst team in the playoffs that year. They just got hot at the right time and Beckett was unreal in the WS. If the Marlins played the Yankees head to head in a 162 game series there's no way they win more than they lose.

    Again that's taking nothing away from Florida, because they have the rings but they just happened to get hot at the right times.

    Hell you could even make the case that the Red Sox and Cubs were the best 2 teams that year and deserved to be in the World Series just based on talent alone. And if Grady Little and Dusty Baker were around it probably would have happened.
     
  11. Mainge

    Mainge Season Ticket Holder

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    It is what it is man. Doesn't make me enjoy it any less.
     
  12. Ray Finkle

    Ray Finkle Member

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    I'd feel the same way. Who cares if they were the worst team in the history of bad teams. Bottom line is they're the 2003 World Series Champions. No one can take that away from them.
     
  13. Ray Finkle

    Ray Finkle Member

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    Matsuzaka on the DL, Michael Bowden who had been pitching lights out in Triple A is up. I'm hoping for a rain out tonight just so I don't have to see Aceves pitch on Saturday when I go to Fenway for the 1st time this year. I'd much rather see Jon Lester. So I'm praying to the baseball gods.
     
  14. Skeet84

    Skeet84 New Member

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    I strongly disagree.
     
  15. Skeet84

    Skeet84 New Member

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    With the way Lester has been pitching you might be better off seeing Aceves lol

    This was just a joke and I am only Kidding. Lester is great and we all know that. Don't kill me please
     
  16. Ray Finkle

    Ray Finkle Member

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    Either way they weren't the best team going into the 2003 playoffs and them winning it all was a big shock, especially against the Yankees. But it just helps prove the whole playoff crap shoot point.
     
  17. Ray Finkle

    Ray Finkle Member

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    Unfortunately I'm going to have to root for a 2nd rain out, looking at the forecast, it's in my favor. And yeah Lester has had 2 rocky starts, hopefully he snaps out of it and soon.
     
  18. Skeet84

    Skeet84 New Member

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    I won't say they were the strongest but they were by no means the weakest. Marlins were a great team and that team was full of all stars and very talented players.
     
  19. Skeet84

    Skeet84 New Member

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    Lester usually has a horrible April and starts to get better around the start of June. Maybe this start Is when he will turn it on a pitch like the All star we all know he is.
     
  20. Ray Finkle

    Ray Finkle Member

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    He made 2 bad pitches to Andruw Jones and Curtis Granderson on flat cutters that they hammered but other than that he doesn't bad against the Yankees. He pitched poorly vs. Toronto though, pitchers are allowed one or two bad starts though. I'm not worried.
     
  21. finyank13

    finyank13 Reality Check

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    yes the Yankees had absolutely NO pitching those years besides Moose....they finally smartened up and got some, and won a championship....again regular season wins doesnt equally best team....in the ned we disagree its cool.....

    thanks for passing Britton onto us tonight ahhhhhhhhh!!!
     
  22. Skeet84

    Skeet84 New Member

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    You guys still won so your welcome.

    Yankees and Red Sox both had some low scoring games.
     
  23. Skeet84

    Skeet84 New Member

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    Salt comes thru with the Game winning hit. Congrats to you sir as I have been giving you a ton of crap.

    Crawford with the game winning run as well.

    Clay pitched great but was a little shocked to see the 127 pitches. Didn't think they would let him get that high.
     
  24. Ray Finkle

    Ray Finkle Member

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    Haha about Saltalamacchia. I don't think he's going to be a star but I think he deserves to get a shot and not be shipped out of town after a month and a half. Looking at the catchers in baseball, especially the AL and there's just not a lot of good hitting catchers out there it's amazing. But it's definitely good to see him start to finally get some hits.

    Crawford had a pretty good at bat in the 8th after looking like crap in his first two ABs so that's at least a positive with him. I thought he was going to break out a week ago but his bat has been pretty silent lately. I still think he's going to break out just hope its sooner than later.

    I think the pitch count thing is a little overrated/misused etc. Obviously I'm not saying a pitcher should consistently throw 130 to 150 pitches each outing and sometimes it's not even the pitch count itself but those stressful pitches that matter. Of course Clay has a rubber arm unlike someone like Pedro where at 100 pitches you knew he was finished.

    This team is on a roll right now and tonight looks like a great pitchers game with Verlander vs. Beckett. Hopefully the Sox can steal a W and move on to the Cubs this weekend.
     
  25. finyank13

    finyank13 Reality Check

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    I love when Fenway looks the way it did last night.....grimey.....not many ballparks in America achieve this....Wrigley being the other...
     
  26. finyank13

    finyank13 Reality Check

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    They scored one run off him....that kid is going to be good...
     
  27. Ray Finkle

    Ray Finkle Member

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    Looks like Matsuzaka is going to be out for at least a month, possible 2, possibly Tommy John surgery. Suddenly with Lackey and Matsuzaka out the Sox don't have a lot of SP depth especially with Doubront out. Other FA options include Kevin Millwood (who was released by the Yankees last week and hasn't even hitting 88 in Triple A), Armando Galarraga who was just released by Arizona and possibly Jeremy Bonderman (although word is he wants to sit out the year to get healthier).

    Andrew Miller is in Triple A and is throwing hard and has been having mixed results with his control issues. But he could be an option in another month or so as the Sox want him to stay in Triple A and learn to repeat his delivery.

    Not good right now, especially with the lack of good pitchers that will be available at the trading deadline. One name that I forget if it was Gammons or Heyman said on the radio but John Danks, if the White Sox fall out of the race, might be an interesting name that could possibly be available since he's not looking to sign a long term deal and wants to head into free agency. He won't be a FA until after the 2012 season so Chicago might not be in a rush to move him.
     
  28. finyank13

    finyank13 Reality Check

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    I have been saying Danks as well for the Yankees.....

    Fink what am I missing, I thought Dice-K went on the DL cuz he got hit in the arm on a comebacker?? Tommy John? Somebody told be he has an injury that could lead to it??
     
  29. Ray Finkle

    Ray Finkle Member

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    The comebacker had nothing to do with his injury. He has a sprained ulnar collateral ligament, which if that ligament snaps leads to TJ surgery. He started to feel elbow stiffness in his April 29th start when he was pulled in the 5th and since then hasn't been able to get velocity or command of his fastball.
     
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  30. finyank13

    finyank13 Reality Check

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    I had assumed because NESN was showing that comebacker against Baltimore on the TV in the gym, and I knew he was on the DL....
     
  31. finyank13

    finyank13 Reality Check

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    I know they are hurting for the time being, but this would be bad....they dont need Millwood, just start a prospect for a few....

     
  32. finyank13

    finyank13 Reality Check

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    This looks to be the answer.....

    http://twitter.com/#!/PeteAbe/status/71403697187454976
     
  33. Ray Finkle

    Ray Finkle Member

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    Busy night for the Sox on and off the field with a great win, 6 in a row and now 1.5 games out of first, imagine that. Crawford with another game winning hit. Beckett continuing to pitch well. Only negative is Bard.

    Off the field, Theo has signed Kevin Millwood to a minor league deal, traded cash or a PTBNL for LHRP Franklin Morales, and DFA'ed Hideki Okajima. Also Michael Bowden is being sent back to Triple A (Dan Wheeler is scheduled to come off the DL tomorrow) and word is Jose Iglesias is also being sent down too but no word on for who. It's possible the Sox will make a minor trade before tomorrow or they will put someone (Drew Sutton or Brent Dlugach) on the 40 man and call them up, of course if they do that they have to DFA someone from their current 40 man (my guess would be Nava).

    Anyway might as well take a flier on Millwood, he'll most likely give them nothing but what the hell right? As for Morales, it's an upside move as he was once a top prospect for the Rockies but he has some control issues that hopefully the Sox can straight out.

    Dumping Okajima was the right move, it was clear Rich Hill already passed him on the depth chart and he wasn't trusted in big spots (nor should he have been). He was great for the team in 2007 and 2008 but then the decline started. But he'll also be one of the 25 guys that helped bring a second title to the Sox in the 2000s.
     
  34. GreenMonster

    GreenMonster New Member

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    Great win tonight, although the only half inning I watched on TV was the Bard 2 HR in 4 pitches. Brutal. Beckett has been as good as he has ever been. When he throws hooks like he has, watchout.

    The MLB At Bat 2011 Android App. is essential for any displaced Red Sox fan. Listening to the games anywhere is awesome. I don't even buy the MLB TV anymore, I usually end up just listening to the game anyhow, it brings me back to listening when I grew up.
     
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  35. padre31

    padre31 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Baseball on the radio is really nice, the announcers have more time to tell stories and you can hear the background noises of the stadiums.
     
  36. Skeet84

    Skeet84 New Member

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    Crawford now has 3 walk offs in the month of may. Go figure as much as he has struggled he has been pretty clutch in Game winning situations. The night before he did not have game winning hit but got on base to be game winning run. So he has been in a total of 4 walk offs in the month. Congrats to him as he is def contributing to wins.

    Bard has been hot and cold this year and it's sad that Beckett got a stiff neck and couldn't finish. He deserved a win and in no way did Papelbon deserve the win.

    Millwood deal is very low risk. Hope Morales works out for us as he sounds like low risk high reward type of guy.

    Red Sox don't want Iglesias to sit on the bench too long and are sending him to Minors for INF Drew Sutton.
     
  37. finyank13

    finyank13 Reality Check

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    Thing is he got out of the Yankee contract because he wasnt called up by May 1st...obviously he wanted to play in the majors....so now he signs another minor league deal?? Don't get it.....anyway I hope he makes it to the majors as he will get bombed.....

    Also this weekend is going to be cool, 2 of the oldies going at it......I am going on Sunday, and the money I made on stubhub for tonight game, lets me go for free!!
     
  38. finyank13

    finyank13 Reality Check

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    IMO the best sport to listen to on the radio.....
     
  39. Ray Finkle

    Ray Finkle Member

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    No team is going to give him a major league deal at this point in time. His best, and only bet, is to head to the minors and perform well enough to get called up. I'm sure he has another opt out in his contract, so if that date comes and goes he'll probably be looking for a 3rd minor league deal this year with another team or just hang it up.

    As for interleague play, I hate it because of the unbalanced schedules and how certain teams play each other 6 times just because they're rivals. Case in point, interleague has been going on since what 1996? And the Cubs are playing at Fenway for the first time. That's 15 years of interleague play and they haven't been to Fenway yet. How is that even possible? Anyway I'd be all for interleague play if they got rid of the natural rivals and had the same teams in each division play the same teams in the other division. Plus I don't like how interleague games take away league games (i.e. the Red Sox might only play a AL Central or AL West team 5 or 6 games instead of the usual 9). Those league games could become important when teams are fighting for a Wild Card spot.
     
  40. finyank13

    finyank13 Reality Check

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    Yeah I am not into it either, BUT I will say when cool match-ups happen like this, or the Dodgers with Manny, or Sox out is SF....I like it.....playing the fluff comtempoary teams is ehhh to me.....but Red Sox/Cubs is just baseball to me regardless of records.....I tired to get tickets to see the Yanks out in Wrigley, I would have went in a heartbeat, but no dice...
     

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