2007 MLB Playoffs (Predictions and Discussion) (2 Viewers)

[Mike Frezon]

Schilling has been known to be able to come up big in Game 6.

Wonder if Cooperstown would give him a one-day loan of the bloody sock?

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

Did that bloody sock belong to Big Train?

 

[Haggai]

That would be on only two days rest, so the only way it even theoretically happens is if the bullpen has to work lots of innings, they go through almost every other pitcher on the staff, and it comes down to a choice between him and Gagne. Is that the scenario you had in mind?

 

[Jeff Gatie]

The sock in Cooperstown is the one from the WS. The ALDS game six sock is in the possesion of the guy who cleans the visitor's locker at Yankee stadium. For the last 3 years he has spent his life savings taking it from CSI lab to CSI lab trying to find an analyst who will say the stain is really red paint.

 

[LewB]

While I respect Manny's talent as a hitter, I can't take the 'Manny being Manny'. I was hoping that his only getting to 1st base on the almost HR would somehow cost the Sox the game and the series.
Ortiz scored from 1st base on the play, there is no excuse for Manny to only be on first.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Beckett should be perfectly rested to pitch in Game #1.

 

[Marvin]

Yep. He'll have the whole winter to get ready for opening day 2008.

 

[Jason Seaver]

Well, common sense seemed to dictate that he should have gone all the way around - if the ball bounces up, that means it his the top of the wall, which is usually a home run. Cleveland appears to have some funky ground rules.

Oddly, it seems the reason he ended up on first was not that he assumed it was a home run, but that he assumed it was a fly out. He seemed as surprised as anyone that it actually went that far.

 

[Mike Frezon]

And that is why you put your head down and always runs hard...until the umpire tells you to stop.

You know, when I was a kid I always used to hate Pete Rose for hustling the way he did (okay...maybe there were other reasons, too!). But, I have a newfound appreciation for it today. Rose used to run on bases-on-balls.

And I thought Manny's hit shoulda been a HR, too. It was OVER-the-wall.

 

[Marvin]

I didn't understand that either. If it hits over the wall but on the yellow line, it's in play? How is anyone supposed to be able to make that call (without instant replay)?

 

[Jason Seaver]

I guess if you see the padding move, it's in play; if it just hits the rigid material behind it, it's a home run. Manny's hit both, and because the padding was more elastic, bounced backward as well as up, and was in play.

As to how someone's supposed to be able to call it without instant replay, that's probably it - a ball that hits the concrete will keep its forward momentum and bounce into the stands, whereas one that hits the padding will bounce back toward the field of play.

Bizarre play; it made everybody look bad - Manny, the umps, the people who designed Jacobs Field.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Agreed. But I'll keep harping on Manny. You can't argue a play until it has stopped. Remember back on David Cone and Chuck Knoblauch arguing with umpires while opponents were running around bases and scoring.

 

[Jason Seaver]

Knock yourself out. Although I have to think that if that moment is what you remember about Manny during the playoffs this year, you're really not seeing the forest for the trees.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Not at all. And I've tried to make that clear.

I love what Manny does to help the Red Sox win...especially his preparation. I have no problem when he blunders in the field or on the basepaths.

In fact, I just said a few posts ago that I hope the Sox keep him until the end of his tremendous career.

But to not push yourself on the field (run hard, etc.) is inexcusable. To be at first base on that hit (coupled with a throw home) is flat out embarrassing and rather infuriating in a household with a young ballplayer.

I still love Manny. But he frustrates. Francona has a tough job.

 

[Shane Martin]

I swore it hit the corner at an angle meaning it never hit the top of the wall. I know the Fox guys saw that too and agreed it was not a HR.

I'm curious if other non-red sox fans actually felt it was a HR or not(no bias in all that).

 

[Kirk Tsai]

Mike, if the Cy Young voting included the playoffs, I think we can give Beckett the award right now. His career performance in the postseason, albeit always a small sample size, is on his way to the greats of Koufax and Gibson.

As a non-Sox fan, I thought it was a homer watching the replay.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Ain't that the truth, Kirk (although I don't know if you should be using Koufax' name YET in the same sentence with Beckett's!).

It's something how some pitchers/players seem to rise to the occasion in the post-season.

 

[Kirk Tsai]

Okay, maybe not Koufax, but on his way to Gibson, and perhaps surpassing Smoltz, Schilling, the Big Unit, and Whitey Ford.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Still quite an elite list.

Wow. Bob Gibson. That guy was something.

Ya know, I've heard talk maybe Fox will jump on Joe Torre to do a little both work during the World Series. The speculation was based on the fact that he's in tight with both McCarver and Buck and would add a nice touch to the broadcasts. I would agree. Maybe with him & McCarver we'd get a Gibson story or two...or three!

 

[Mike Frezon]

Woohoo! On to Game 7 in the ALCS!

Schilling sure came up big tonight.

I had almost forgotten the Sox had acquired JD Drew this year.

Something tells me we'll see Ellsbury back in CF tomorrow night. Watching him score from first on a hit to left field was pretty amazing...not something you see often at Fenway Park (by the home team!).