Talkin' Baseball: Game 7. The ultimate.
The Rays let the Red Sox back into the ALCS, and now Boston is on the verge of coming back for a third time since 2004 from a 3-to-1 deficit to advance to the World Series.
Whatever happens tonight, history will get made. Hope you join us tonight.
I remember Francona being run out of Philly. Couldn’t inspire they said. Its amazing what the same guy can do with talented and motivated players.
There’s a buzz here tonight – the place is already rocking.
Nice play Rocco… hope to see you in Flushing next year.
Bryan (3): Would like that. He’s worth taking a shot on.-JD
I had to back track on my post. I still think “hope to see you at Shea next year.” I wonder how many times Gary and the crew mess that up next year after so long at one place?
Probably none, since they’re professionals!
Top second/Garza seems comfortable now.-JD
rays need to even it up quickly
cant see the rays coming back from more than 2 down
Even though he can’t hit anymore, how many of you would like to have Varitek on the Mets?
I’d love to see the Mets get a player with a linebacker’s attitude. The Red Sox have several such players including Varitek, Youkilis, Pedroia, and (arguably) Lowell. The Phillies have a number of those guys as well. I doubt it’s a coincidence that one of those teams has reached the World Series and the other is one game away from doing so.
definitely agree patrick…not about Tek specifically but guys like that.
JD- read this tody
Castillo (and 6 mill +)
for
Jose GUillen from KC
i know u didnt like the idea of m. bradley and guillen is a hot head to but he has a cannon and a RH power bat
Cmon Patrick – we already have too many players that don’t hit anymore….
#10. As long as we don’t re-sign Pedro. Isn’t he the one who had a problem with Pedro when he was with the Nats?
Ah, how the brainwashing of Minaya spreads to Mets fandom. Yes, Varitek is on a quick downward slope, just the kind of player Mianya likes to ring to town. What you think, another bad 4 year deal.. I’m sure that would get him here, don’t you.
I think we have to re-sign Pedro – even Ron Darling said so last night.
Guillen for Castillo would work for me…
what u guys think of guillen
why do we have to resign pedro
Baldelli can only play around three days a week…
Lowe has clarified himself to Rosenthal would prefer to pitch on the east coast Boston first choice but at the east
Bottom third/They aren’t touching Lester. This has a chance to get ugly real soon.-JD
One thing I remember about Varitek is sitting right behind the Sox bullpen pregame at Yankee Stadium ( yeah yeah I know…my teenage son is a Yankee fan….where’d I go wrong?…..I hope it’s just a stage he’ll grow out of) prior to the game Varitek was warming up Matsusaka. Matsusaka finished his warmup and headed across the field to the dugout. Varitek, remains in the bullpen, drops to his knees and prays. He then paces around looking down at the ground as if he was getting himself psyched up. By then, Matsusaka is in the dugout. Finally Varitek runs out of the bullpen back to Boston’s dugout. I thought that was kinda weird because the starting catcher usually walks in with the starting pitcher and the pitching coach. But Varitek seemed to take extra time to psych himself up. I remember thinking to myself……..wow…….this guy really takes this stuff seriously.
We have a linebacker mentality player, the question is finding a spot on the field for him….Dan Murphy
More I think about it I’d extend and trade Dalgado for relief help, put Murph at 1B with a parachute behind him like Wes Helms, Ty Wiggs, A. Huff
22…..I like that idea as long as the vet we get’s ego can handle playing second string to a rookie.
I love all these Jeter ads. “Hi this is Derek Jeter, you’re watching my two division rivals in the ALCS while I play golf. Only on TBS. Very funny.”
Guy would have to be a 3b/1b player if theres a full time LF, it could be Tatis i think they need to start giving Wright/Reyes more days off a season some of sept. might be fatigue not choke….
Annie (11):
I hear ya, Annie, but it’s not like Schneider tears the cover off the ball.
Plus, it would be really cool to say, “My catcher can beat up your catcher.”
the bench has been mis-constructed for two years—-
they’ve had a solid fourth outfielder and Catcher but not a true 3b/1b or 2B with SS back-up… delgado and Reyes have been without a net and Wright had Tatis who they never used before he became a LF… really they carried three catchers and three 2B most of last year…
Patrick – actually I was thinking of Ramon Castro……
I don’t want to see Boston win.
My roommates are Red Sox fans…and they think they’re so entitled. I don’t want to hear them gloat again.
Harry (13):
Some team will surely offer Varitek an outrageous contract during his twilight years. I hope it’s not the Mets, but he’s the type of guy I’d like to have on my team.
Clutch double by Longoria Clutch again.
E-Long.
Hudson Valley Renegade Alum!
Patrick (30): I can’t see the Mets offering Varitek a contract. I don’t see where Schneider was the problem last summer.-JD
ed (25): I think you made an excellent point on Reyes and Wright needing more rest. Neither Randolph nor Manuel was good at that. … Their comments that “they’re both young and don’t need rest,” were idiotic.-JD
John, you should look into CoverItLive.com for live chats.
I don’t know if you’ve used it before, but it’s free, simple, and very quick. I use it for live blogs / chats on my own site.
Just a suggestion.
Andrew (35): I never heard of it. Just clicked on. I’ll look into it tomorrow. Thanks.-JD
Andrew (35): Could you email me a number? I’d like to pick your brain if you don’t mind. jdelcos@yahoo.com. Thanks.
One great story pitching to another great story.-JD
Base hit Baldelli. What was Aybar thinking slowing up?
Fifth inning/Baldelli: A hit like that couldn’t happen to a better guy. Reporters root for good stories, and he’s a good story.-JD
Aybar wasn’t paying attention to Tom Foley… when he looked up and saw he was being waved in he kicked it into gear again.
JD, good point about Lester and Baldelli’s stories. I really never knew about Baldelli’s physical problems and the road he took back to the majors until I read about it the other day. I love watching playoff baseball but I think learning more about some of the players on other teams that I may not pay a ton of attention to during the regular season is one of the things I enjoy most about watching these playoff series.
GREAT job by Lester to limit it there. Long way to go in this one…
Ed R (42): Lester is a great story, too. Good job by him to minimize the damage. The way that inning started it could have been a whole lot worse.-JD
Go Rays.
This game is far from over. Love the Baldelli hit. Great story right there. Hope he can keep playing.
Ed (42) There’s a lot to like about post-season even if “your team” is out of it. You get to know some of the players in another league, see some different ball parks etc. And, it is all still baseball.
Also, with computers now, you can read the sports pages in the teams’ home town – for this post season match, I learned a lot about The Tampa Rays from their home town paper. I live in New England, so I’ve always read the Boston papers.
Top sixth/I’m buying Pedroia as AL MVP.-JD
Have there been any details covered about how well/not well Baldelli is managing his health issues since returning? It seems like he did not play many games in the field. It looks like they primarily gave him a day off a week at least. He had a good August but a bad September.
TJ (48): He’s still weak and rusty. It’s difficult for him to play consecutive games and he gets tired easily.-JD
More Baldelli: Even so. He’s worth taking a risk on, that he’d regain his strength in the offseason. I don’t know what the Rays’ plans are, but I would believe they’d like to keep him.-JD
Sox putting together some great AB’s in the 6th.
Definitely Annie, it’s easier than ever to really feel like you can follow these teams and feel personally invested in the series. I’m really torn tonight because I have family in Tampa and its a great story but I always root for John Lester because his story is one that hits home with me so I’ve always felt connected to him in that way. Either way we’re seeing a very good baseball game. There’s nothing like a Game 7.
Beauty!
Top sixth/A lot of pitches this inning by Garza. Wonder how much it will take away from him. He needed that DP.-JD
Huge DP by the Rays.
Garza better buy Navarro some dinner.
Is he a free agent? If so he’s certainly an intriguing possibility. Especially if medication makes his condition managable.
Bottom sixth/He needs to take some pitches here. Give Garza a chance to catch his breath.-JD
Baldelli?
Yes, he’s a FA. Limited time in the field though. He’d be a bench guy, at best. It would be hard for him to play everyday if there was an injury.
Garza needs to buy Ortiz dinner thanking him for that swingthrough ball 4.
Sam G. (59): Hahah very true. Maybe just send him some Omaha steaks.
Baldelli can only play three times a week
What happened to Jonny Gommes
TJ (56): He’s a free agent, and worth the risk. … Rays didn’t do Garza any favors in the sixth. Real quick inning.-JD
Bad job by the Rays there. Someone needed to work a count and give their pitcher a breather. He probably barely had time to take a sip of water.
Top seventh/Just want to let everybody know I’ll do a Mets Chat Room tomorrow at 7. Hope you’ll stop by.-JD
Let’s stop with the pitch counts here in the post season. This game belongs to each starter for as long as they wish. Just ask Mr. Johan Santana.
Balfour warming for the Rays. He’s not been good lately. … Garza wanted no part of Drew.-JD
Annie speaks (66) and Maddon should listen. Too bad he didn’t give Kazmir more rope in Game 5. No telling what would have happened if he had.-JD
Why everytime I hear Balfour i think of hockey
Why Balfour again? It’s like Willie continually going back to Mota all over again.
The problem with throwing pitch counts out the window pitchers drop off so quick these days it could get ugly fast. You’ve really got to micromanage these days.
Sam G (71): Exactly. If you’re not used to throwing over 100 pitches, once you get there it’s like swimming out too deep and you get in trouble. … Now, whether the Rays score or not here in the bottom of the seventh, they need to give Garza a breather.-JD
Wow, he got out of it. Gotta feel good to be Maddon when you chose to stick with a pitcher and he rewards you.
Gutsy… Varitek may not be the hitter he used to be but he’s a wiley hitter. Garza really stood in there.
Sam G (74): Would you have been at all surprised had Varitek driven one in the gap?-JD
JD… not at all. I’ve seen him do it so many times.
John – I’ve gotten to the talking to the TV screen stage – that’s serious
These pitchers are fairly young and the adrenalin is flowing now. They will be fine -
Who would you rather have Varitek or Millar on the bench
After several years of ho hum playoffs, the Rays have definitely provided some unexpectedly well played games.
Ed.. Millar no question.
ed (78): Varitek.-JD
It’s the 7th inning and the Rays are ahead – we’ve been here before – this time they had better keep their eye on the prize – no more collapses, please.
Sam G (80): Explain Millar and I’ll explain Varitek.-JD
Top eighth/Rays defense has been terrible the last three games. Will it bite them in the butt again? … It wasn’t Garza’s fault the Red Sox have a guy on. Why pull him? I’d like Darling to explain Maddon’s reasoning.-JD
JD— Backup 1b.. he can mentor Evans and/or Murphy at first base. He’s been a proven commodity there. He can play any of the outfield positions if need be. They both had off years this year. Both hit about the same. All around numbers look more solid.
Varitek struck out more this past season that Millar did. Walked less.
Varitek just didn’t have as good a season as Millar.
If you look back at the last couple, while they have both slid, Varitek has slid more.
Sam G (85): I hear you. For me, Varitek is left-handed, clutch and can catch.-JD
Top eighth/When is Heilman coming in?-JD
Oh no, did Maddon study under Torre about how to replace pitchers every five minutes in the late innings???
If the Rays lose this game, the fault is Maddon’s.
JD- just read another site said they’ve herad Joey Cora to the staff if he doesn’t become Seattle mgr… and that Manuel was privately unhappy with several unnamed staff members
ed (89): My thinking is they’ll make a change with their hitting and third base coaches. Possibly in the bullpen and with Sandy Alomar.-JD
Ed… makes sense from the standpoint that Manuel has got to want to refresh the staff… not keep the staff that was essentially chosen for Willie by Omar.
Cora was a mets minor league coach and a Sox assistant ( after Manuel) was a utility player ( teach many positions) good clubhouse presence and good communcator
Sticky situation with Hojo
Jerry had a very good hitting coach that was fired in his second year in Chicago but went on to Boston and was their hitting coach 2004 – last name jackson
ok that Axe commercial was just creepy.
They may move Edwin Jackson to make room for this kid…. two years ago Omar tried to get jackson before he bloomed
might be game here…….
Top eighth/Rookie Price comes in to face JD Drew with the bases loaded and the World Series on the line. … Mets wouldn’t let Eddie Kunz pitch in a save situation vs. Washington in August. Tells you something.-JD
WOW
Terrible call. That hasn’t been a strike once all night long.
Ump got caught in the moment…
Mets could make coaching staff announcements Monday or Tuesday.-JD
Kunz just got lit for eight runs in the ninth of a tie game in the AFL
I think peterson will be a good instructional coach but on the major league level he was too inflexible….Pelfrey could have been used that way two years ago..
Bryan (100): I think the ump said the batter swung.
Bryan (100): I think it was a strike because he went too far.-JD
Yeah, it didn’t look like it from behind the mound but that camera view showed it.
Will he send Price out for the ninth?-JD
Looks that way.-JD
gutsy move no way Jerry sends out parnell, he was very gun shy with the rookies
So he is sending out David Price – the baby of the pitching staff. Is this a smart move?
Maddon’s got ice in his veins that’s for sure.
Ninth inning/The way I look at it, is if he’s on the team he should be able to pitch. … Bay went too far on that pitch.-JD
Was that the ump paying back for the mistake the other inning?
NICE!
Oh Boy – it’s gonna be a great Series
Wow, a Tampa Bay – Phillies Word Series — every TV executive’s dream.
… s n o o z e ….
See you in April.
I still get a kick out of the fact that Maddon has a mohawk to match a bunch of the players.
First impression: Not who you want, but who do you think will win: Tampa Bay or Philly?-JD
I would have said Tampa. I still do but worried that this series drained them. Will they be able to recharge by Wednesday?
I think Tampa Bay – you???
This is going to drive the Steinbrenner family crazy.
I think Tampa Bay is better off this way. I don’t think a long break before the start of the next series is good.
We’ll see how it goes. I’ve felt all along that the Red Sox/Rays are simply a higher level of competition than what the NL had to offer the Phillies. I could be wrong.
Tropicana Field!
This truly is OJ’s year.
Interesting that here in New England this morning the sports page headlines are “Boston Loses”, not “Tampa Wins”. I’m curious – is that just regionalism or is it the bigger story?
Let’s go Tampa Bay! I think they will win. The long layoff is going to hurt the Phillies.
Annie: What else do you expect the headlines to read?
I have to say…that game made me throw up and piss all over the floor…unfortunately I was forced to lick it up.