ALCS chat schedule

What? No Amalie? Bummer :(

Could Manny's resent super success be attributed to steroids and/or HGH?

The "high" and the following surge in production following his trade, can't last this long without some type of help.

Manny's numbers at 36/37 years old, are better than anything he has ever done including his years with the Indians. At 36, Bonds and Clemens numbers picked up substantially, also.

Can we all now finally agree that while Francona is a great clubhouse/players manager, he is a terrible "in game" manger. How he could leave an obviously ineffective Beckett in the game to face the heart of their order after not only taking the lead with an incredible offensive inning but with also the fact that Becket sat in the digout for 30min! It was moronic to send him out again! Lopez was ready to face Pena and Delcarmen Longoria! Just terrible. This is October, not May. From a strategic standpoint Francona is awful...and as much as I like him as person, he is not a great manager. He has had the luxury of managing great teams.

All of this can be made even clearer with his choice to insert Mike Timlin to blow the game on Sat and his Game 4 choice to start Tim Wakfield, who's last start against TB lasted 2.1 innings after he gave up 6 runs to post a 23.14 ERA. Great move Terry. Why do we have Paul Byrd? Sean Casey? How about putting a guy in RF that can throw like hmm ...Kotsay? I mean he's only a Gold Glove Caliber OF so the logical choice is put him at 1B right.

two questions
why isn't Sean Casey pinch hitting ?

Why didn't lester start game 2 ?

pitching defense power well 2 out of 3 aint bad. Change the lineup for game 4 Please

OK - enough already - we all know that it was 9-1 and the pitching was less than stellar again...BUT..... for the umteenth time this year, it all starts to come apart with our so-called catcher.

Inning #1 runners on 1st and 2nd - one out
outside pitch - Varitek ole's it to the dugout - runners move up AGAIN
next batter - double play ball to 2nd base- but no, run scores - only one out recorded...1-0 Tampa Bay

Inning #1 - bottom....Red Sox have runners on 2nd and 3rd - one out - Varitek up AND...........stands there to watch strike three go by

losing after one inning- should have been up 1-0 or 2-0.........

He is a joke - everyone apologizes for him - now he's bitching that the Sox are pinch hitting for him.....he's one for october - everyone else sits, why not the 'captain"?

Don't want to hear about how he handles the pitchers - how's he doin' so far?????

Next year - we have Manny's 20mil., Varitek's 12 mil., Timlin's 2 mil and Schilling's 6-8 mil....we only have to pay Bay out of that (9.5mil)...can we find a catcher for 33 million or so??????

Francona gave him his excuse for leaving - the Sox don't want me any more - they're hitting for me...no duh!!!! - is he the last one to find out........

Can't hit, can't hit with power, can't run, can't throw and can't catch......a perfect no tool player
batting behind all those stars - 43 RBIS - be serious..............
I'll drive the bus to get him out....just get him out !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Ellsbury's not getting on base. He would have scored on Pedroia's double last night if he'd been on in front, and has the speed to upset a pitcher which can get guys like Ortiz better looks at the plate, or a mistake pitch he can drive. Why not leadoff with Pedroia, Youk, Ortiz, Bay, Drew and drop Ellsbury to the ninth spot as a second leadoff? Or put Coco in! He's been hitting the ball pretty well!

As big papi's play and physical condition continues to deteriorate, what do you see the sox doing with him in the future? Not keeping him right?

JP is dead on about Francona's poor in-game managerial skills; continuing to put Beckett out there was stupid, plain and simple; so was putting Timlin in: he said he wanted to go to Byrd after he used up the short guys in case the game went on forever, but that makes no sense because what's one more inning? And PS is right on about the first inning and Varitek, much as I love the guy he's done and hurting the team.

WOW! The 2 most important reasons the Sox struggle when they normally struggle are Francona's terrible field management and Varitek's terrible game. Tek may have been a very good catcher with some pop a few years ago, but the this year, especially, he has been awful. When he stood there for a called 3rd strike early in the game yesterday on a pitch that was barely, if at all, inside it made me want to shut the TV off. Francona's allowing Beckett to even come out and pitch in game 2 for the 5th inning with the next day off was "Grady Little like", at best. Also, Francona brought Matsusaka out to pitch the 8th inning of the first
game because he thought he could get the 2nd hitter out. What about hitter number 1 while you are leading by only one run. This guy wins in spite of himself.

I totally agree with comment#3! Francona has no clue how to manage on the field.Stays with Becket toooo long, and starts with Wakefield.(His best days have passed him by).He is no longer a major force. WHAT IS PAUL BIRD doing on the bench? He can give you a guarantee solid 5-6 innings! Francona is to loyal ,and will go down the ship with his kind of thinking.See ya next year!

I was at game 2 in the Trop. Francona made the final mistake of leaving Beckett in for not 1 extra batter, but 2, and ultimately cost us the game. What is Timlin doing on the ALCS roster? When I saw him come into the game in the 11th I went to the restroom. When I came back the bases were walked loaded. Time to let the 'glory boys' go, grow some nads Francona and manage the game like you want to win the game and not a popularity contest. And Beckett. If you can't pitch, DON'T. It starts with Managers and ends with palyers. Both are failing.

FEEL THE HEAT!!!!!! RAYS!!!!!! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!!!!!!

TO ALL YOU BOSTON LOVING, CLAM CHOWDER EATING, BIG PAPI PETER HEADS HOW DOES IT FEEL TO GET YOUR BUTT WHIPPED BY A 40 MILLION DOLLAR PAYROLL? NOT ONCE, NOT TWICE, NOT THREE TIMES, BUT FOUR TIMES IN A ROW IN YOUR OWN HOME PARK.

Wow, what a surprise, someone bringing up payroll. It's only that low because many of the kids on that team aren't eligible for free agency. We'll see what kind of payroll TB has once they have to open their wallets to keep the talent they have.

That is, IF they open their wallets. We'll see how many stay and how many go to other teams who are willing to pay them.

A 40 million dollar payroll because you have had the number 1 draft pick for the last 10 years that you have sucked...You should have won long ago but don't worry...All those picks will be gone when their contracts are up and they'll be going to the Sox and Yanks and you will be back to normal again soon...At least we are in the running every year...