Red Sox season is over

[Gander]

At the hands of the White Sox. This is it. They had to go on a run now and they failed. Put a fork in em. Next year.

I'm sick, from their miserable early collapse and from just finishing my 3rd Chipwich of the evening.

[timmgirvan]

Gander: why would you foul up ice cream with a cookie? I'm shocked!!

[Gander]

A chipwich is vanilla ice cream sandwiched in between 2 chocolate chip cookies. I stupidly had 3 last night, thats 6 cookies and almost a pint of ice cream.

Originally Posted by Gander

A chipwich is vanilla ice cream sandwiched in between 2 chocolate chip cookies. I stupidly had 3 last night, thats 6 cookies and almost a pint of ice cream.

Tim that Yankee sweep would take the heart out of anyone. I realize that those who follow one certain team will always know more than guys who don't, but if you look at my posts even back in early July I said the Yankees would win the division by 8-10 games, and I'm not redboarding here.
Yankees had lineups in June and July that had Guile, Phillips, Cairo, Green all playing at the same time. How they hung in there like that was really a shock.
Cano is the best 2nd baseman alive, and its not even close. The plays he makes in the field are amazing and the way he hits is like an old pro all star. He can slap the ball but already has mastered going to the opposite field which makes him deadly against rightys and leftys alike.
Red Sox have some young guns who need a bit more time to come around and will have a solid base for the future.
It will be kind of strange that both teams won't be in the playoffs together. This will be the first time since I don't even know when!! Does anyone know the last time that the Yanks and Sox both weren't in the postseason at the same time?

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by oracle80

Tim that Yankee sweep would take the heart out of anyone. I realize that those who follow one certain team will always know more than guys who don't, but if you look at my posts even back in early July I said the Yankees would win the division by 8-10 games, and I'm not redboarding here.
Yankees had lineups in June and July that had Guile, Phillips, Cairo, Green all playing at the same time. How they hung in there like that was really a shock.
Cano is the best 2nd baseman alive, and its not even close. The plays he makes in the field are amazing and the way he hits is like an old pro all star. He can slap the ball but already has mastered going to the opposite field which makes him deadly against rightys and leftys alike.
Red Sox have some young guns who need a bit more time to come around and will have a solid base for the future.
It will be kind of strange that both teams won't be in the playoffs together. This will be the first time since I don't even know when!! Does anyone know the last time that the Yanks and Sox both weren't in the postseason at the same time?

2002 i believe

[Gander]

2002, thats correct. That was the year the Angels beat the Yankees in the playoffs and went on to stage a miraculous comeback in the WS and win it over the Giants.

Couldnt agree more Mike. That 5 game sweep killed the Sox. It may have been different if it was 4 of 5 but a sweep just took the wind out of any sails they may have had.

[Gander]

It really sucks that there is 1 whole month left in this season. 1 month of meaningless games for me as a Red Sox fan. I just want the playoffs to get here so I can watch baseball again. Theres nothing like that first playoff game, usually played at 1pm during the week, on a day when theres a game on at 1,4 and 8. Even though my Sox wont be there, the playoffs are always great entertainment.

Wake me up the first week of Oct. These next 30 days are going to be long.

[SCUDSBROTHER]

Originally Posted by Gander

2002, thats correct. That was the year the Angels beat the Yankees in the playoffs and went on to stage a miraculous comeback in the WS and win it over the Giants.

Couldnt agree more Mike. That 5 game sweep killed the Sox. It may have been different if it was 4 of 5 but a sweep just took the wind out of any sails they may have had.

This is just not true.They still had life when they came to Anaheim for 3.They fought us like wild animals in those 3 games,and took 2 of them.They gave up on Monday afternoon(before playing Oakland for 3 games.)That is when they called the season off.They put Wells,Manny,Ortiz,Pena etc. on a plane back to Boston.Ortiz,Manny,and Pena could of all atleast pinch hit against Oakland that Monday,Tuesday,and Wednesday,but Francona gave it up like a woman on Monday afternoon.There has never been an outright quit so obvious before.(well maybe ..the no mas against Sugar Ray.) Tell me why they didn't try Del Carmen or somebody half decent to pitch for Lester.No,they put that PAWTUCKET TRASH ON THE MOUND,AND HE WALKED ABOUT 5 IN 3 INNINGS.Halos could use a game ,or half a game right now.I will never forgive or forget what those Boston whores did. F THE BOSOX.Suffer all winter.

[Gander]

I'm more pissed off than you Scuds, you are mad over a bet, this has been my favorite team since the time I learned how to walk. Angels werent getting in anyways. Crazy to think a team as dull and uninspired as the Red Sox had anything to do with that. The 4 best teams from the AL will be there:
A's, Yankees, White Sox and Tigers.

[SCUDSBROTHER]

Originally Posted by Gander

I'm more pissed off than you Scuds, you are mad over a bet, this has been my favorite team since the time I learned how to walk. Angels werent getting in anyways. Crazy to think a team as dull and uninspired as the Red Sox had anything to do with that. The 4 best teams from the AL will be there:
A's, Yankees, White Sox and Tigers.

I don't want to talk about with you.I will say something I don't really mean,but the BOSOX hurt the Halos morale going into Monday's series with Seattle.I know the BOSOX and their fans don't give a rip about that,but you played us very hard the Thursday before,and we just wanted you to do the same against the A's.I know you will never get it.I just hope we are in the position to pay that BOSOX organization back for laying down and helping the A's sweep them.I have always hated the Yanks,but atleast they try very hard,and don't tolerate somebody who quits.The owner of that team would never tolerate what the Bosox did the Monday before last....Never in a million years.The Halos are going to get around to paying you back for this.You will be in a dogfight with the Yanks.We will be either way ahead in our division,or way behind.The Yanks will come to town,and don't be surprised if we start a middle reliever like that Romero,or Orasco.Maybe a Triple A .500 TYPE PITCHER LIKE YOU GUYS STARTED IN THAT 1ST GAME IN OAKLAND ON MONDAY NIGHT.

[Suffolk Shippers]

I dont think you can say the Red Sox laid down for Oakland or anyone else. Lets look at the facts:

-Jon Lester diagnosed with cancer
-David Ortiz has heart issues
-Manny Ramirez has a bum knee
-Leader of the team, Varitek is out for a month with a bum knee
-only steady member of the bullpen is Jon Papelbon
-Curt Schilling pitched against Oakland with a pulled lat muscle
-Trot Nixon out with his injury
-Wakefield out 6 weeks

There is plenty of criticism for how the front office assembled the team (did they give up too much for Beckett? Why has Coco Crisp sucked?), and why they did a terrible job building a bullpen, but the above injuries cannot be pinned on anyone or anything.

I know the Yankees played without Sheffield and Matsui mostly the entire year, and deserve credit for staying in it. But that rash of Red Sox injuries far out weighs what the Yankees have faced. Thats not making any excuses for Boston or NY, its just the case. The Yankees are the better team in that division this year, no question about it.

Saying the Sox laid down though is wrong. I have watched quite a few of the games since all this happened, and the guys left are still out there battling every game and thats all you can ask.

Not to mention, that series against Oakland, the players were aware of Jon Lester's condition, where as the media/fans did not. To say that didnt weigh on any of them during those games would be lying. They are only human.

[Gander]

I'm sure the Red Sox didnt conspire to help the A's win their division by playing the Angels tough. What difference does it make anyways, the A's have proven themselves heads and tails better than the rest. Fact is the Yankees beat the Red Sox 5 straight in Fenway. Angels then lose 2 of 3 from the same ailing Red Sox in their own magic kingdom and you want to blame the Red Sox for dashing their playoff hopes?

Say what you want mean or friendly, I really could care less. This is about a bet.

[SCUDSBROTHER]

I know they sent David Wells back to Boston to get his sht packed,because they were giving up that Monday afternoon before playing that series in Oakland.They had called it a season.They decided to get what they could for Wells.Are any of you telling me that Manny couldn't pinch hit? He pinch hit the day after he was sat down for the knee.If they were fighting for anything (instead of giving up with 5 weeks to go,)they would have pinch hit with atleast one of their power hitters (Pena,Manny,and Ortiz.)See,after Manny got hurt,he was still well enough to almost hit one out of center field in Anaheim (off of KROD IN ANAHEIM.)Pena hit a blast off of Escobar in Anaheim.Yet,a few days later he can't even pinch hit??? Like I have said earlier,I think it is a pretty good possibility that the A's are giving them some "considerations" in future trade deals between the 2 teams.Look for an extra sweetener in some of these moves in the off season.

[Gander]

I dont know Scuds, I dont play for them or work for them, I just root for them. Not very happy either and I was pulling for the Angels to get in. I have no liking for any other American League team.

Originally Posted by oracle80

Tim that Yankee sweep would take the heart out of anyone. I realize that those who follow one certain team will always know more than guys who don't, but if you look at my posts even back in early July I said the Yankees would win the division by 8-10 games, and I'm not redboarding here.
Yankees had lineups in June and July that had Guile, Phillips, Cairo, Green all playing at the same time. How they hung in there like that was really a shock.
Cano is the best 2nd baseman alive, and its not even close. The plays he makes in the field are amazing and the way he hits is like an old pro all star. He can slap the ball but already has mastered going to the opposite field which makes him deadly against rightys and leftys alike.
Red Sox have some young guns who need a bit more time to come around and will have a solid base for the future.
It will be kind of strange that both teams won't be in the playoffs together. This will be the first time since I don't even know when!! Does anyone know the last time that the Yanks and Sox both weren't in the postseason at the same time?

I would say that Brandon Phillips is right there with Cano. Both are going to be fun to watch the next few years.

Tim as much as you want the Red Sox to just be out of it for once and all(so you can stop that little buzzing in your ear that says, can they come back?) the lousy central teams won't let it happen.
Boy you guys really blew it when you kinda gave up. Look at the standings this morning. Still many games left and the Sox are only 4 1/2 games out of the wild card.
And please!!! Don't try and tell me again about how good the White Sox are, after paying very close attention to them the last couple of weeks I have to say this, they are absolutely atrocious and a joke. Lose lose lose is all they do, and against bad teams who have already given up. Pathetic.

[Gander]

No Mike the Red Sox are 5.5 games back. And thats 5.5 games in back of 2 teams- White Sox and Twins. Thats a big difference of being 5.5 games back of 1 team, who you could make a case for to collapse.

But for the Red Sox to get in they need to win 18 of their final 20 games and hope for 2 teams who play each other a few times to both go like 10-10.

Thats too many ifs for me. Red Sox are done. I can live with it.

White Sox are struggling, thats true. But yet they still remain only 1/2 game back from getting in, where every team starts out 0-0. I still like their chances...a lot.

Originally Posted by Gander

No Mike the Red Sox are 5.5 games back. And thats 5.5 games in back of 2 teams- White Sox and Twins. Thats a big difference of being 5.5 games back of 1 team, who you could make a case for to collapse.

But for the Red Sox to get in they need to win 18 of their final 20 games and hope for 2 teams who play each other a few times to both go like 10-10.

Thats too many ifs for me. Red Sox are done. I can live with it.

White Sox are struggling, thats true. But yet they still remain only 1/2 game back from getting in, where every team starts out 0-0. I still like their chances...a lot.

So you think that one month from now that the White Sox will be magically transformed into a team that can pitch and hit? Geez, that would be some feat since they sure as hell can't do that now. And Tim, lets be honest, the White Sox are already in panic and desperation playoff mode. Every game that they play is like a playoff game and they can't beat the Indians or the Royals?
Their pitchers are being overworked, both the starters and relievers. The Yanks and A's have the luxury(and have had for the past two weeks) of resting pitchers and using guys brought up on the 40 man roster or guys who havent seen action.
Pitchers need live arms going to the playoffs, and the Yanks and A's will have them.
Yanks are now equal in the loss column with Detroit and 1 1/2 games out the lead for best record. I'm watching each game with intensity as I want them to gave home field.
They will have it in the first round where it means less. But in a 7 game series you wanna start that thing out after sleeping in your own bed and not traveling. Moreso when it might mean a trip to California.

[Gander]

Last year the White Sox "magically transformed" into a team who demolished everybody in their path in the playoffs. You cant tell me their team is that much different this year? Go back, check out how all their super pitchers tanked in August & September, nearly blowing the AL Central lead, which at one point was like 13 games!

I agree, home field would be a feather in NY's cap. Whether it will be enough remains to be seen, we'll find out. At least you have your team in there!

Originally Posted by Gander

Last year the White Sox "magically transformed" into a team who demolished everybody in their path in the playoffs. You cant tell me their team is that much different this year? Go back, check out how all their super pitchers tanked in August & September, nearly blowing the AL Central lead, which at one point was like 13 games!

I agree, home field would be a feather in NY's cap. Whether it will be enough remains to be seen, we'll find out. At least you have your team in there!

But Tim, they haven't played like that at all this year, not even for a month.