Bad loss in Game 2 and a big let down, especially with the way they lost and how poorly Breslow pitched and how good Lackey pitched. Sox had Wacha on the ropes on 3 or 4 of the 6 innings and couldn't get the big hit. Saltalamacchia and Drew are pretty much an automatic out at this point, but at least Drew has been playing awesome defensive, but man I have zero faith in the bottom of the order after Napoli until Bogaerts. Sox need to beat up Kelly and Lynn in Games 3 and 4. The hitters have done a great job making the starters work only problem is that Cardinals pen.
You think Red Sox fans know? Its pretty strange but Farrell did say Nava would play in St. Louis so let's wait and see. I love Gomes but he has no business playing against RHPers in the playoffs unless there are injuries. Nava should play, he hits RHPers and is a better defender too. Hopefully it happens now that the Sox finally lost a game he started in and realize he doesn't have extra magic.
Farrell has been quoted as saying something to the effect that "The team just acts and reacts different when he is in there" I have read he is well liked in the clubhouse and all the players look up to him etc.....solid clubhouse leader.... That being said to me you have to play %'s and Nava is a better hitter..... Lastly I guess though you cant 2nd guess Farrell that was the FIRST game in the playoffs they lost with him starting I believe... Wacha is a badass huh? Batting and grinded just as much as the Boston lineup does.....not bad for a draft pick for Albert....
Yeah I know what Farrell said but it still really didn't make any sense. Like you said Nava is simply the better hitter and even defender. And again like you said the move to putting in Gomes over Nava hasn't really hurt the team since they won all the games he played in up until last night. I just hope moving forward Nava plays. Wacha, I thought was good, but he didn't scare me the way Price, Scherzer and Verlander do. I think the Sox can and will get to him in a Game 6 if it gets that far. Don't get me wrong, I think he's a good pitcher and obviously has pitched great this post season but I think he's getting overrated a bit due to a handful of starts (which happens all the time in October).
I was more or less directing that towards Nappy, as he probably with work, and locality isn't reading every article.... However the fact that he was drafted in June and did this well in the regular season and the playoffs is pretty impressive Fink you got to admit, regardless if people think he is overrated or not. Now could it be that teams dont have a book on him yet? That could and probably is the reason....
Oh it definitely is impressive. I'm not trying to take anything away from him. It's very possible that teams just don't have a good look or feel for his game plan, although you saw the Sox in the 2nd and 3rd time through the order start to hit him and draw walks they just didn't capitalize on any mistakes. The reason why he dropped so much in the draft was because he didn't have a 3rd pitch and even now he rarely uses his curveball, he's simply a FB/change up guy. I think he even gained a few MPH too since he's been in pro ball. Bottom line is whether he's overrated, underrated or properly rated he's making big pitches in big spots and in October that's all that matters.
I have no clue why Farrell let Salty hit in the 9th. I would have hit Nava for Salty and Middlebrooks for Drew. The bottom of the Sox lineup has been a black hole of production. Sign me up again for Ross in game 3.
I love Wacha. You see some young pitchers like Wacha come in baseball and dominate with 2 pitches. Price is a prime example of that. Price used his 2nd and 3rd pitch more this year then any year of his career. and he was fantastic. I am sure Wacha will develop it and slowly add it in. 2 pitch pitcher doesnt mean much now a days IMO.
I definitely would have batted Nava for Gomes and then go from there. If Nava got on I would have let Salty bat due to his potential HR power but then would have pinch hit Carp for Drew.
I think to be a successful MLB pitcher you need a 3rd pitch just to keep the hitters honest, even if it's just to throw a few times a game, especially if those two pitches you throw aren't both plus pitches (which Price has).
Ugh terrible way for any game, especially a WS game to end but rules are rules. I think Saltalamacchia should have held onto the ball with Kozma coming up and 2 outs in the 9th. I do think Ross should probably start in place of Salty because he's better defensively and has been just as bad as Drew at the plate. Time to see if the Sox show some toughness tonight, hopefully they're pissed and come out swinging tonight.
Tough but correct call in every facet.....the key is the runner determines the baseline...(not the basepath)...as his line from point A to point B, and the closeness of the tag in relation to the obstruction and "cost steps" it was deemed - judgement wise" to have cost him, etc. Even with obstruction he is not guaranteed a free bag, he advances at this risk, but the judgement is on how close the obstruction cost him, etc. Both the 3rd base and home plate umps each had to judge that he was obstructed and it cost him steps, etc. Very interesting play. WATCH: Crazy play ends Game 3 (read official rule) Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/ml...-red-sox-cardinals-obstruction/#ixzz2ivbKYhyW
Count me in on thinking tonight is a must win however with all these reports on Buccholz make me incredibly nervous. Ugh.
Last night's game was pretty disappointing. Let's move on. From all reports Clay is still hurting. The only thing I take away from last night's game was that Farrell used both Doubrant and Workman. If Clay was really hurt, I guess it's Dempster right?
One Sox fan last night said to me "He in his first step went left and therefore should have touched 3rd base again because he went towards 2nd".....smh....sucks to lose like that......
I think Buchholz is going to pitch but who knows how good he'll even be. I think the Sox would love to get 5 or 6 innings from him and then hand it off to the pen. Best case is the Sox pound Lynn and Buchholz gives them 6 innings so the Sox can give Dempster an inning or 2 and save Taz, Breslow and Koji for Game 5. But yeah I think Dempster will be the first guy in if Buchholz struggles.
Yeah I've heard that from a few people too but no way the umps would ever call that nor would anyone even think he'd go back to 2nd for some reason. Bad way to lose but the Sox have no one to blame but themselves once again. They're simply shooting themselves in the foot the past 2 games. This series could easily be 3-0 Sox. Again tonight's game is the key. If they lose tonight I don't think there's another game at Fenway this year.
Have to go up against Wainwright and regardless of how he pitched in Game 1, he's a very good pitcher too.
Rush Boston? Jump Boston? Make Boston? Move Boston? Pass Boston? I give up what is ****? Sorry I've always been bad at hangman.
Wow what another way to end a WS game. I have to give major props to Buchholz, who clearly wasn't 100% but really gutted it out and gave them 4 fine innings. Also Doubront, he really came up big there too coming out of the pen. You got to love baseball, Victorino is hurt and can't play so of course Jonny Gomes who replaces him gets the big hit. And freaking Ortiz is on fire. Lester vs. Wainwright, ace vs. ace, should be a great game tonight. Hopefully the Sox head home to Boston up a game with 2 to play instead of the other way around.
I think 2008 was pretty bad as far as errors go and of course the weather. But yeah these haven't been real crisp baseball games. Heck the first 3 games were pretty much all decided by errors/misplays.
It's not even just errors. The mental errors are something you just rarely see at that level and especially that stage. Down by 2. 2 outs. Pinch runner. And you get picked off? That just can't happen. I mean, that was incredibly stupid and terrible.
Oh yeah I agree. For people tuning in to see great baseball, they're not seeing it, which you're right is surprising since these two teams "play the game the right way". They are however seeing some great entertainment and drama though.
Good news on Buchholz is that his injury isn't shoulder/elbow/arm related. http://fullcount.weei.com/sports/bo...s-lat-not-shoulder-has-been-issue-since-alcs/ Rest up Clay, we're going to need you in 2014.
1 more win! Jon Lester was outstanding last night. One bad pitch but other then that he dominated the Cardinals' line up and got the Sox into the 8th with the lead to pass it off to Koji. In 21 career WS innings, Lester has given up 1 run on 12 hits, 4 walks and 18 K's. The guy has been lights out in the playoffs. Ben, give this man an extension. Seriously another good game and another team win with this time David Ross being the hero, no doubt he's back behind the plate for Game 6. David Ortiz is playing out of his mind right now. I know it's only 5 games but how the hell do you hit .733/.750/1.267/2.017? Especially in the World Series and having to face the Cards pitching (and that's including getting a grand slam taken away from him). Can't wait for Wednesday, hopefully Lackey is able to pitch as well as he did in Game 2 and gets the Sox at least into the 7th with the lead, hopefully a big lead.
It is in the bag now...no way they lose 2 in Disneyland....nice turnaround in a year..... Lester is pretty much the same picture I always knew he was...kid was special this year.....If not for Ortiz being white hot right now, that's your MVP....
Not only are the Sox 1 win away from a WS title, Baseball America has named them as having the #1 farm system in baseball. Remember how much fun it was to be a Sox fan 1 year ago? Even 2 years ago?
