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Behind enemy lines

Email|Link|Comments (6) Posted by Chad Finn, Globe Staff October 2, 2008 11:55 AM

Our daily look at what others are saying about the Red Sox-Angels matchup.

Thinly-veiled finger-pointing in the Angels clubhouse? Already? After one well-played loss? Geez, sounds like the pre-'03 Red Sox.

But that certainly appears to be exactly what Los Angeles starter John Lackey was doing after he took the hard-luck loss in the Red Sox' 4-1 victory last night (make that early this morning) in Game 1 of the ALDS.

Wrote the LA Times' Bill Shaikin, in the aftermath of the franchise's 10th straight postseason loss to the Red Sox:

Lackey is a team player and clubhouse leader, but he basically called out the offense after [the loss]
He did not say he should have pitched better. He tipped his cap to Boston pitcher Jon Lester, but he wasn't putting this loss all on himself, not after he gave up a two-run home run and nothing else.

"We've got to find a way to score some runs," Lackey said. "It's pretty frustrating when one pitch [a two-run homer by Jason Bay] can lose the game for you."

And later:

"The fact we're talking about one pitch? Let's be honest," Lackey said.

Lackey obviously wasn't the only frustrated Angel. Vlad Guerrero's baserunning gaffe in the eighth inning, when he tried to go from first to third on Torii Hunter's one-out bloop single to right with the Angels trailing, 2-1, also left some of his befuddled teammates wondering what might have been:

"I was very surprised [he tried it]," Hunter said. "It was a bloop, and he didn't know whether they would catch it. I didn't think he would go first to third like that. Vladdy thought he could make it."

Hard to believe anyone was actually surprised, though. Guerrero has always run the bases like his cleats were on fire.

Orange County Register columnist Mark Whicker praises the Red Sox' new players (Bay) and young guns (Jacoby Ellsbury) for continuing the franchise's postseason dominance the Angels, and closes his piece with this kicker:

[Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia and Jon Lester are] too young to remember David Henderson and Donnie Moore.
Old enough to know that the Big A also stands for “Again.”

The headline on this column by the Register's Jeff Miller says it all: "Red Sox make this year's healthy Angels look sick."

Sounds like Angels owner Arte Moreno will at least try to meet slugger Mark Teixeira's free-agent asking price in the offseason. Teixeira is a client of Scott Boras.

Elsewhere: While praising Bay's performance, ESPN.com's Jorge Arangure Jr. has a fun anecdote about the Sox marveling at Manny Ramirez's homer earlier in the day . . . CNNSI's Lee Jenkins calls the Angels "reckless" . . . FOXSports.com's Mark Kriegel, on Guerrero's mood in the Angels' postgame clubhouse: "I'm not sure I ever saw a guy in a room full of people look so alone."

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6 comments so far...

Vlad is getting killed but Youk made ONE HELL of a play. I know convention won't allow it, but was anyone else thinking that Paplebon should have come in at the start of the 8th last night with Tex, Vlad and Hunter coming up? That's the ballgame and Masterson nearly blew it. Had Paplebon worked quickly, let him go the 9th as well. But if he threw 20 or more pitches, then go to Masterson or Delcarmen in the 9th against the bottom of the lineup that was 0 for 9 at that point. As it turned out, whoever pitched the 9th would have come in with a 3-run lead instead of only 1 run that Masterson had to deal with, against their biggest bats. Not saying Masterson can't handle it, just it was a lot to ask.
As I said, I know it won't happen, but it seems like a truly great way to win a playoff game.

Posted by Scott from San Fran October 2, 08 01:13 PM

Red Sox in no more than four, and they win the ALCS.

Posted by ndsmith October 2, 08 02:10 PM

"Red Sox in no more than four, and they win the ALCS."

Proclaim it all you want...it don't make it so. If you get by the Angels, you'll be coming to the Trop, and we Rays like our chances.

Posted by Da Rays October 2, 08 03:02 PM

Sox dominance over the playoff hapless A's continues! How about a first complete game from Dice-K? Plus, I've loved Jacoby Ellbury from the moment I first saw him come on the field last year, what a clutch playoff performer he's turning into, with both his glove and his bat. As to Jason Bay, Manny who?

Posted by Boston Ernie October 2, 08 03:08 PM

I agree with Scott. Not really fair to criticize Vlad for hustling - that's just second-guessing. Who besides Youk throws him out from short right field, on his back?

Masterson looked really nervous, but letting him work his way out of the inning was the right thing to do. The time to find out whether he can pitch in the postseason is now. Let him work out the kinks. You can't just plug in relievers you 'trust', you have to let guys prove themselves a little. Otherwise, when Papelbon has a bad night and blows it (and he will) or the game goes into extra innings (and they will), who ya gonna call?

Posted by Mister Snitch October 2, 08 03:21 PM

You're crazy, you put in Masterson because you NEED him to do exatly what he did, get the team out of the jam in the eighth, if he can't do that then you don't belong in the playoffs to begin with. Papelbon is the closer, that's what he does, close games, you need to go back to school and stop playing fantasy baseball, it doesn't make you a coach. And I'm tired of this " We're going to win in no more than four crap", stop predicting and watch the damn game, you guys are clueless.

Posted by varitek69 October 2, 08 04:11 PM