Red Sox vs. Rays, ALCS Game 3
THE BITTER END (8:02, END 9, 9-1 RAYS)
Kotsay, Varitek, and Cora went down in order. Jackson, the Rays' fifth starter, was humming 95-mph heaters by hitters. The onus is now on Wakefield tomorrow in an enormous game for the Sox. All the pressure is on them, for sure. The Rays have retaken home field and have a monopoly on momentum.
The result is surprising enough, but the atmosphere at the park today may have been more stunning. There was little noise, buzz, or energy. It felt like a July game. The stands were probably half-full by the end. Not surprising given the score, but would that have happened in 2003 or 2004?
DERBY CONTINUES (7:54, TOP 9, 9-1 RAYS)
Pena clobbered the first pitch he saw from Byrd over the Green Monster toward center field. Tampa Bay's four home runs tie an ALCS record, which the Red Sox also tied on Saturday.
Byrd retired the rest of the side. Edwin Jackson is coming on to pitch the ninth.
THREE OUTS LEFT (7:50, END 8, 8-1 RAYS)
The Red Sox did not score in eighth, which Ortiz led off with a ground ball to first. He is 0 for 4 today, 0 for 10 in the series with four walks. He and Ellsbury, both heroes from Octobers past, are a combined 0 for 24 this series.
NEVERMIND ABOUT STRIKING DISTANCE (7:36, TOP 8, 8-1 RAYS)
That great play by Pedroia and Varitek is a footnote at best now. Baldelli crushed a 2-1 fastball from Byrd over the Green Monster, denting the Sports Authority billboard over the Monster seats. It was just destroyed. The Sox have entered Mike Timlin Territory, it seems.
PEDROIA, VARITEK SAVE A RUN (7:34, TOP 8, 5-1 RAYS)
After the Rays put men on first and third with singles by Crawford and Aybar, Navarro hit a grounder to second. Rather than try for two, Pedroia fired home, slighlty to the third base side of home plate. Varitek lunged, caught the ball, and braced himself as Crawford plowed him over. Varitek held on, and the Sox stayed within striking distance.
SOX ON BOARD, RALLY ENDS (7:25, END 7, 5-1 RAYS)
Ellsbury sort of broke free of his slump, hitting the ball well to right field, a deep enough fly ball to bring home Varitek from third. But Pedroia followed by grounding into a 5-4-3 double play, ending what had a chance to be a big inning. Frankly, the Red Sox need those, not one-run innings, at this point.
GARZA OUT, HOWELL IN (7:21, BOT 7, 5-0 RAYS)
The Red Sox are rallying after a Varitek walk and a single by Cora that sent him to third. The base runners chased Garza, who threw about 115 pitches today in a money performance. Ellsbury is due up to face Howell in a big spot. He's currently 0 for his last 20,
IWAMURA STRANDED (7:11, MID 7, 5-0 RAYS)
Upton couldn't move Iwamura over, and Pena's weak grounder to second pushed him to third. Longoria ripped a line drive, but right at Youkilis to end the inning. Big escape for Byrd, but it won't mean anything if the Sox can't get going offensively.
LOPEZ WARMING (7:07, TOP 7, 5-0 RAYS)
Even before Iwamura led off with another opposite-field double off the Monster, Javier Lopez began throwing in the Red Sox bullpen.
NOTHING DOING (7:03, END 6, 5-0 RAYS)
Garza dominated again, allowing Bay to reach first but getting out of another inning with no damage. He's been what the Sox needed Lester to be. J.P. Howell was warming up at the end of the inning, and Garza has thrown 107 pitches.
The Sox are down to nine outs and have some serious work to do if they want to avoid a very damaging loss. On paper -- and that's just paper, because knuckleballs are unpredictable -- Andy Sonnanstine has the edge on Tim Wakefield tomorrow.
ONE UP, ONE DOWN (6:47, MID 6, 5-0 RAYS)
Bartlett, the first batter Byrd faced, line to Cora at short to end the inning. The Red Sox have 12 to score at least five runs.
Lester threw 96 pitches, 60 strikes.
LESTER DONE, BYRD IN (6:44, TOP 6, 5-0 RAYS)
Lester just walked off the field to a standing ovation, the sound surely not soothing the pain he felt from his outing. Lester got two quick outs in the fifth, but Terry Francona decided he was done when he walked Rocco Baldelli.
Byrd is pitching, making his first relief appearance since 2004 with the Atlanta Braves.
ORTIZ, ELLSBURY STILL STRUGGLING (6:39, END 5, 5-0 RAYS)
Garza is beginning to look like a right-handed, ALDS Lester. He shook trouble in first few innings, and now, with his mid-90s fastball and big curveball, he is dominated. The Sox went hitless, although Pedroia did draw a two-out walk. Cora grounded to second, Ellsbury flied to center, and Ortiz popped up to shallow center.
In this series, Ortiz and Ellsbury are now a combined 0 for 24.
YOUKILIS HEADS UP (6:26, MID 5, 5-0 RAYS)
Lester escaped the second without falling further behind thanks mostly to a great play by Youkilis. Upton led off with an infield single off Lester's glove. Pena followed and bunted toward third, taking an easy single out of the shift, but the Sox still found an out.
Youkilis, despite the lopsided score and sullen mood in Fenway, made a fantastic heads-up play. He faked to first, and when Upton scampered just a few steps off second base, he rifled to Cora, who tagged out Upton. Pena stole second, though, thanks to a wicked jump; the infielders didn't even bother covering.
Lester struck out Longoria, then got Crawford to fly to Bay on a 3-2, 94-mph fastball. Lester is giving the Red Sox a chance, but time will start running out if they can't get to Garza. Also, the bullpen will soon become a factor; Lester has thrown about 90 pitches.
BOOS FROM FENWAY (6:14, END 4, 5-0 RAYS)
Hard to tell if the jeers were for Varitek or the Sox in general, but either would make sense. Garza cruised through another inning, the only blemish a single by Kotsay, who is swinging great right now. Drew struck out, Bay grounded to first, and Varitek popped about 10 feet down the first base line, where Pena snared it.
LESTER SETTLES (6:07, MID 4, 5-0 RAYS)
Lester allowed a leadoff single to Navarro, but Lester held the Rays scoreless for the first time since his four-pitch fourth. Baldelli hit into a fielder's choice, Barlett grounded to Youkilis at third, and Lester struck out Iwamura on a 77-mph curveball. The Rays are still making Lester work, though, and his pinch coutn is roughly 70 already.
GARZA SHUTS DOWN SOX (5:52, END 3, 5-0 RAYS)
Pedroia stayed hot, crushing a liner so hard off the Monster he could only make first base. Garza threw three fastballs around the outside of the strike zone, and Ortiz spit at all of them. Garza snuck a 95-mph heater inside for strike one. Ortiz fouled of a 93-mph fastball for strike two. Ortiz popped another Garza offering into the stands just past third base.
The fans, for the first time, stood and cheered. The life couldn't help Ortiz; he flared a 78-mph curveball to shallow right, where Bartlett, playing the shift, easily caught out No. 2. Youkilis failed to check his swing twice and struck out an 89-mph cutter, low and away. Youkilis threw down his helmet and tossed his bat; Garza slapped his glove as he walked off the mound.
Pedroia has two of the Red Sox four hits and is now 5 for his last 8. That playoff slump is over. Now what about some of his teammates?
DAVID M. BRINGS IT (5:41, BOT 3, 5-0 RAYS)
Prolific commenter David M. makes a great point I wanted to make sure everyone saw: Through just two innings, the Red Sox were already 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position.
Also, Ellsbury led off with a fly to right. He's now 0 for his last 19 and 0 for 13 this series.
INNING FINALLY OVER (5:37, MID 3, 5-0 RAYS)
Aybar flew to center to the the third, the first bad inning of Lester's 2008 postseason and an extremely damaging one to the Red Sox' chances. He threw 29 pitches that inning and has thrown overall 54 overall.
Garza has been sharp, but certainly not unhittable. What chance do you think the Red Sox stand of coming back?
BOMBS AWAY (5:32, TOP 3, 5-0)
Longoria joined Upton with another home run, a laser into the centerield portion of the Monster. Lester had struck out Pena and seemed possibly back on track, but no.
Did you in a million think you'd see Paul Byrd warming today in the third inning? He is.
Longoria hit his fourth homer of the postseason, tying a rookie record. Upton's shot was his fifth, the most in these playoffs.
UPTON STUNS LESTER (5:29, TOP 3, 4-0 RAYS)
Upton crushed a 2-1, chest-high fastball over the Green Monster and out of Fenway Park to give the Rays a stunning 4-0 lead. This is shocking given Lester's dominance in the postseason so far. The Red Sox needed a huge performance out of Lester after Josh Beckett's flop, and they're getting anything but. If the Red Sox can't storm back, do they have any life left in the series?
Lester had pitched 16 innings without an earned run in these playoffs, and 24 2/3 straight overall in the postseason without allowing an earned run before Upton's blast.
RAYS RALLYING (5:24, TOP 3, 1-0 RAYS)
Jason Barlett led off with a single, and Iwamura followed with a double off the Monster. Lester's first run was unearned; this could lead to Lester's first earned run allowed in 24 2/3 playoff innings.
SOX, VARITEK SQUANDER CHANCE (5:20, END 2, 1-0 RAYS)
The Red Sox, thanks to an infield single by red-hot Jason Bay and a double by Mark Kotsay, put men on second and third with one out. They could not score, largely because of Varitek's second pockmark this game.
Garza struck out Varitek with an inside fastball on 2-2. Varitek barked at the umpire, but the pitch appeared to catch the inside corner, and it was probbaly too close to look at with two strikes. Alex Cora couldn't bail him out, popping up to center. But the onus was on Varitek to at least hit a ground to the infielders, who were playing back. Not a good day for the captain so far.
The relative silence inside Fenway continues to stun. Fans didn't even stand for the two-runners-in-scoring-position-with-one-out moment. Is complaceny setting in?
RAYS MANUFACTURE RUN, LEAD (5:07, MID 2, 1-0 RAYS)
The Rays forced Lester to work, and he helped give them a run. Dioner Navarro scored Evan Longoria with a groundball, a hit set up by a passed ball by Jason Varitek, and Lester fired 21 pitches that inning, making up for his four-pitch breeze in the first.
Longoria first made Lester work, going to 3-1, swining at a 92-mph cutter for strike two, and then walking on a low fastball to give Tampa Bay its first base runner. Carl Crawford followed with another seven pitch at-bat, but Lester struck him out. Willy Aybar lined a soft single to center, putting men on first and second.
They moved to second and third when Lester threw an outside that bounced off Varitek's mitt and rolled to the backstop. With Varitek's insistence that he focuses on defense first, he's got to be better than that. Navarro's grounder gave the Rays the lead, and Lester stopped it there, striking out Rocco Baldelli on a 79-mph curve in the dirt.
ORTIZ, ELLSBURY STAY COOL (4:56, END 1, 0-0)
Matt Garza didn't match Lester for efficiency, but he got out of the first inning with the same result -- a zero on the scoreboard. Jacoby Ellsbury led off with a flare to left field, sending him to 0 for his last 18.
Dustin Pedroia scraped the Monster with a high fly that would likely have been an out anywhere else for a double, but he stayed at second. David Ortiz, who entered batting .217 in the playoffs, struck out looking at a pitch TBS showed to be a bit outside. Kevin Youkilis ended the inning by grounded to short despite getting ahead, 3-0.
AWAY WE GO (4:42, MID 1, 0-0)
Jon Lester threw the game's first pitch, a 95-mph fastball, by Iwamura. The second pitch. Iwamura grounded to Alex Cora at shortstop for out No. 1. B.J. Upton grounded the third pitch to first. Carlos Pena lined the fourth to center field, where Jacoby Ellsbury squeezed it easily.
So, apparently, patience is not a large part of the Rays' gameplan today. There's a surprising lacking buzz in the park today. Maybe it's because of the unusual 4:38 p.m. start time. Even pregame introductions lacked the noise and energy the ALDS games here had. Even pre-game in the concourses was strange: the TVs were playing "Family Guy."
That lack of notice / buzz must be really noticeable. The "talking heads" made mention of Fenway being a quiet park vis-a-vie others.
it was lucky for v-tek that it was only the 2nd inning, other wise, there would have been a pinch hitter. How do you take a called 3rd strike like that. As the catcher, he knows this umpire is erratic. Doesn't he?
pLEASEget rid of Varitek--HOW many times with less than one out.. does this LAME hitter NOT get the run in... how dare he complain about being pinch hit for... GET RID OF HIM
What is up with Tek. First a passed ball that leads to a run and then kills another rally at the plate. He's like 0 for 2008 with runners in scoring position,
Why in the world does Varitek not bat 9th in the order??? I don't care who else is in the lineup, Varitek should always bat 9th.
Type your comment here...
How did Lester "give" them a run? Varitek was charged with a pass ball. I hope this is Tek's last year with Boston. His defensive skills are failing and his hitting is painful to watch.
I'm tired of people saying he is so good with the pitchers. If that's true, then make him a coach and have him call the game from the bench. And please take that C off his uniform. This season the C stands for Choke.
FROM ADAM: Fair point, Gregg. Lester did walk Longoria; that's what I was mainly referring to when I said he "helped" give them a run. Varitek, obviously, had a hand. Which was covered by a shaky mitt.
Just reading this makes me sick. Lack of noise? That is even more frusterating than Varitek's contribution so far. This is a must win for the Red Sox, considering how Lester is our new ace. I dont have a good vibe for this one. I hope I am wrong.
Varitek is absolutely the most horrific player in Baseball. Get rid of him. He is absolutely worthless
Varitek is the worst catcher in baseball. He can't catch, he can't throw, and he can't hit.
What a disappointing start. I'm still at work and we're already getting blown out. So now we're down 2-1 going into a Wakefield start. I'm very nervous...if it weren't for our comebacks in 2004 and 2007, I would already say the series is over. I still have SOME confidence for the series even after today's debacle.
We need runs. Ortiz needs to start hitting and stop reading his past press clippings. He hasn't done anything since the first game of the Angels series.
Only 2 times at-bat. The Sox are 0-4 with RISP and have left 3 men out there NOT scoring. The Rays on the other hand are making their runners count.
Looks like the Rays want this one alot more than the Sox. Dissapointing to say the least.
Lester is getting squeezed big time. That ump is giving the outside strike to the Rays and can't call one for lester. It's a crime. I have been watching the MLB cameras on MLB.com and they show the strike zone for every pitch.
And what is with Ellsbury hitting everything in the air. Is he a big power hitter all of a sudden?
Look, the Red Sox already won two world series. Why does anyone care if they lose this one? We have enough World Series wins to last a lifetime. The Rays are a better team. And I agree that Varitek's poor hitting has gotten to the point where the Sox need to find a replacement for him. The Season is over. Time to start watching the Celtics...
I love the Sox like y'all but face facts which I said at the start of the playoffs. The Rays are having a year that is meant to be, meaning winning it all!! They have better pitching and hitting then we do, the bottom of our order is poor and theirs is better, Ortiz cannot hit which we need him to, Ellsbury cannot adjust to the inside pitches they keep throwing and frankly we are getting outcoached, see Game 2 with Beckett in the 5th!!! We had a good year and the only thing that I hate is the fans in Tampa/St. Pete did not support the team all year up until now and I dislike fairweather fans!!!! Next year folks we need a new catcher!!!
Nice at bat by Big Popup
We never shd have let Manny go. We have no power and no clutch hitting. And Lester is a total choke job, what a joke.
that game 2 loss was huge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ortiz varitek ellsbury where the _ _ _ _ are they
it's not over yet retard.
You gotta be kidding me this is the Devil Rays for cryin out loud. I got it they had a great season, but the sox are the better team and need to start playing like it.
Wonder how much of this is a hangover from Timlin's implosion? Working your butt off for 11 innings only to have a guy who should know better blow it for you must really hurt.
Let's not heap too much blame on VTek- the entire team other than Bay, Pedroia and Youk has not been good at the plate. Also, losing a hitter like Lowell really put s hole in the lineup that can't be patched by a role player like Kotsay.
Wow Fred...insert foot in mouth. I sure hope this team has a better mentality that you have right now. I guess you would love to have another 86 years to think about that. Not me, no thanks. They will fight back.
Wonder how much of this is a hangover from Timlin's implosion? Working your butt off for 11 innings only to have a guy who should know better blow it for you must really hurt.
Let's not heap too much blame on VTek- the entire team other than Bay, Pedroia and Youk has not been good at the plate. Also, losing a hitter like Lowell really put s hole in the lineup that can't be patched by a role player like Kotsay.
LOL for "Big Popup."
Fancona needs to get Papi out of the 3 hole move Youk up and Bay to 4. Put Papi at 5 or 6. Screw the lefty , righty thing.
"Lester is a total choke job, what a joke."
Do you have decency at all? Any?
Also, as far as the crowd being quiet- Let's blame national TV for that one. Who can afford to take a day off of work AND drop hundreds on the ticket to go to an afternoon game on a Monday? Only rich people, or even worse, retired rich people. Who makes more noise at a game: Grampa Jack, or Scully from Southie after 5 beers?
This team is showing absolutely no life. Have we become the Yankees. Just a bunch of high priced primadonnas?
Absolutely can't place all of the blame on vtek, but he is the captain, and he is expected to be the field leader. Others (Jacoby, and Ortiz) are not rising to the occasion.
but, let's not quit just because we are down 5 run early in the game. Let's not quit, because the series is tied 1-1 or maybe even worse by end of day.
We are BOSTON fans, the luckiest fans in the sports world. Exceot the dry spell of the B's, we have been very fortunate. Go Sox.....
N
Big Papi is not the same without Manny. He looks a lot like the guy ho was playing in Minnesota before joining the Sox,
Remember-we should be up 2-0 except that numbskull Francona put in Timlin in the 11th because Timlin's in laws live in Tampa. Red Sox win in spite of Tito.
PS, Fenway is way too quiet. Maybe today's fans just got back on the Red Eye from San Diego. Wake-up people!.
This will be a HUGE loss if the score holds up. Tomorrow's game in my opinion would be a must win. In that must win, Wakefield would be pitching. What are his chances......50/50 at best? To think that this team will come back from behind in every post-season series is just not being realistic. Sorry. I may sound like a downer but I am just trying to be honest. The Sox are in deep, deep trouble.
Another clutch AB for the Captain. Blazing bat speed. It went what-10 feet?
Bad managing as usual. How do you not pitch Lester in Game 2, normal 5 day rest. So you pitch Beckett and leave him in long enough to lose the game and also screw up a hot Lester.
Don't worry Jason will get back that run he gave up with his big bat! He has been so freakin clutch this year.How many runs batted in could Pedroia have this series if Ellsbury could ever get on base.
Tony, explain something to me: if Varitek is so great with the pitchers, then why are they getting bombed? My idea of a catcher that works well with pitchers is when he helps them GET OUTS, not give up hits, never mind HRs. Also, he should be able to tell the manager when the pitcher should not be out there, like Beckett the other night, and the pitcher should have enough respect for him that he doesn't get shook off, once again like Beckett did the other night, over and over again. And if it turns out this stuff about Varitek being so great with pitchers isn't true, then it's time for him to go, because with his awful hitting that would be his only saving grace.
I cannot watch the pop ups any more.
This team has major problems. Ortiz, Ellsbury, Tek - the list goes on. Does anyone really think Ortiz will serve out the rest of his contract? Ellsbury is probably the most overrated player in baseball. Tek needs to retire.
In Ortiz's defense, he had a wrist injury. If you ever played baseball with an injury to your wrist you would know it effects everything in your swing and takes time to get it back. Tek needs to be benched. Elsbury is in a slump, that happens too in baseball. But Francona needs to stir things up. Change the order or something.
Fenway has been pathetic today. It's sad when you see more people mugging for the TV cameras then actually being intensely into the game. Let's put this into perspective: the Tampa fans (who recently have emerged from the woodwork) were louder at the Tropicana Dome then we have been tonight.
One thing to consider: Projected hitters for the 8th today: Cora, Ellisbury, Pedroia Projected hitters for the 9th today, Ortiz, Youk and JD Drew are guaranteed at-bats.
A couple oddities about the Sox's last 4 ALCSs (2003, 2004, 2007, 2008):
- Including games 1 and 2 from this year, the Sox are 3-1 in game 1s; 0-4 in game 2s; 0-3 in game 3s; 1-2 in game 4s; 2-1 in game 5s; 3-0 in game 6s and 2-1 in game 7s.
- The Sox over the past 3 ALCSs (2003, 2004, 2007) have never led the ALCS after 3 games. They were down 1-2 twice (2003, 2007) and down 0-3 once (2004).
- The Sox over the past 3 ALCSs have never led after 5 games, always being down 3-2. They never, however, were eliminated in 5 games.
So as much as we're screwing up right now, remember the series is first to 4 wins. Hopefully, Varitek can be another Bellhorn, Ortiz can become Big Papi and Ellisbury can start getting on base. Or is that too much to ask?
OK so would now be an evil time to point out that it's good Francona went with Timlin last game, because otherwise the Sox would be up 2-0, but Byrd would be too tired to have come in today...
Look on the bright side guys! 1-2 and Wakefield in a mist win game...What's the weather report for game 5? Any chance of a rain out? Hail? Meteor showers?
Looking ahead to Game 4....
Wakefield has started 2 times in the past 3 ALCSs (2003, 2004, 2007) in game 4.
In 2003, Wakefield evened the series with the Yankees, winning his start at Fenway, 3-2.
In 2007, Wakefield lost his start to the Indians 7-3, dropping the Sox behind the Indians, 3 games to 1.
Wakefield:
2003 ALCS Game 4: 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 8 K, 0 HR ALLOWED (W)
2007 ALCS Game 4: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 7 K, 1 HR ALLOWED (L)
I'm sick of this team ... Francoma screwed this game up ... Just look at the lineup ... Put your best lineup out there ... Alex Cora??? Is he that much better than Lowrie???? No. If he had put Lowrie in the lineup then 'Tek would not have been at bat in the 2nd ...
This team is riddled with injuries and our real ace, Beckett, is hurt. You think we deserve to win? I'm just glad we beat the Angels. We have holes at #1, #3, #6, #8, #9 are guaranteed outs. I think we're asking a little too much from this team. Injuries killed us but we made it farther than most.
Paint the green monsta BLUE!!!!!!!!!
where is the crowd tonight in game 4?
THis home plate ump sucks. He wants TB to win.
This is torture.
Watching Tek bat has been painful all season (and most of last). Sorry to say, but he's done. They should let the pitcher hit and DH for him.
Ellsbury delivered in 07, he just got cold at the wrong time.
Papi should not be batting 3rd right now. He looks horribly out of it.
Baldellli just homered to make it 8-1. Time to watch somethimg more cheerful. Maybe there's a funeral on somewhere.
It comes down to clutch hitting especially with risp. Ellsbury is the cog to this offense and he is 0 for his last 20. Besides Pedrioa Youk and Bay noone else is getting any hits. Varitek is a perfect example. His lack of situational hitting has cost us at least 3 runs this series. Especially today he strike out looking on a pitch too close to take especially with two strikes. Looking at tampa (as i write this Baldelli hits a bomb off of byrd) everyone in their lineup has at least one hit. They are getting production from 1-9. Tampa is looking like the better team right now. Tomorrow is a must win hopefully Wakefield can get it done if not hey at least we the celtics.
Ellsbury is not in a slump. He just sucks. He can run fast so everyone thinks he's an awesome player. He's most certainly not.
get use to it Boston, your rich pros are not pouring cheap booze on themselves this year. Beckett had is great year, and now back to earth, shave the goat tees, for your already cutting your throats. Glad to see your losing, about time you take the pipe
This looks a lot like the last two series between these teams where TB won 2 out of 3. If Wakefield is hot, TB in six. If not.....5.
TBS stopped showing pitchtrack early - musta got a memo from the umps
The worst thing is you have to listen to these morons from TBS rooting for the "devil rays" (they hate that) and making them sound like the Sox know they are whipped.
To all of those FANS leaving the park EARLY to go home and watch Manny, stay home. Leave your tickets to baseball fans.
And we wonder why TB has played before empty parks? same reason, their team didn't win very often and they are gun shy or the advanced sales went to visiting teams ala Red Sox Nation.
Support our team and be a true BASEBALL fan. Thanks for 20004, 2007, and 2008 is NOT over yet. Wakefield goes 7 or 8 innning in a win on Tuesday.
Wow!
David M,
You wanna share whatever it is you're drinking/smoking?
The rest of us could use some too!
If Lester and Beckett are not pitching "lights out" ball... we're screwed.
And why didn't Tito pinch hit for Tek & Cora??? It's great to want to go with "your guys" but jeez.... just to break up the monotony of Cora and Tek getting out would have been nice.
Let's hope the Rays can't solve Wake's knuckler tomorrow night.
I agree the Papi is flat and Ellsbury is in a funk.
Where is our explosive offense?!?!?
I see most of you just want to lay blame on anyone and everyone. Is it just possible Joe Maddon has developed a TEAM spirit NOT just a couple of high paid players to hopefully get you through. Hasn't been the same since you paid Manny to go play for the Dodgers. Get over yourselves. It is just a game at the end of the day.
Sox have the Rays where they want em...up 2-1... that ll put the pressure on the Rays to hold the lead,, Sox can now relax some more and hit the way they usually do for now but..next year, they ll get rid of Tek, Crisp, find a CF, C, !B n DH,, if Ortiz, Ellsbury dont prove themselves in Spring Training...Sox should study the blueprint the Rays have worked with.
I am confused!! For some reason I could her the announcers, yet Fenway Paaak was dead silent, damn HDTV's. Go Rays!!! Tame the Green Monsta!!
Dave, we actually are now the Rays. Stop calling us the Devil Rays or we will beat the devil out of you. Rays in 5
the game was a complete joke and to infer that the fans were in anyway responsible is an absolute joke!
The Sox busted their butts to get the home field back and have the support from their fans, but instead found themselves from the lst pitch in front of a dead crowd. The REAL fans couldn't get the tickets while all the big boys sat on their hands all night. Granted nothing to cheer for, but no atmosphere to shake the young Rays. Very disappointing. I expected much more from Red Sox fans.
Want me to call Joe M and see if he can give Tito some pointers?
Alright, I'm hoping bring some sanity here. I'm as frustrated as all of you by the gaping holes in the lineup including Varitek. Here's the lineup / batting order Tito should play tomorrow: 1. Crisp -CF 2. Pedroia -2B 3. Youk - 3B 4.J-Bay - LF 5. Drew- RF 6. Kotsay -1B 7 Ortiz (or Casey if he's active?) -DH 8. Cash -C 9. Cora- SS
Or some slight variation of this. These are the 9 nine guys who should play. Jacoby to the bench for good. Ortiz hits no higher than 7th if he's the DH. If they use Casey (again not sure he's even on the roster) then bat him 6th if you like but no higher. Keep Cora in the 9 spot to give you the second leadoff man effect. Thank god Cash is catching Wake tomorrow. Varitek looks like he belongs in A-ball right now.
There are new kids in town and its time for the Soxs to go down like the Patriots
There are new kids in town and its time for the Soxs to go down like the Patriots
Gotta win 4, not 2. Stil time for these guys to get hot...Titio has managed the Sox to two World Series titles in four years. He knows what he's doing, but he can't do it for them. Keep the faith.
What a joke. All the Boston fans filing out with their tails between their legs in the top of the eighth inning. Your paper say's we have no tradition in Tampa Bay. Well you are going to be a part of our new tradition. The best team in the AL East beating up on the Red Sox again. No wonder Manny wanted to leave Boston, and how about "Big Slopi" and Kevin "Useless" today both of them looked lost.
First of all, there were no blowouts at home in the playoffs in 2003. And yes Adam, even in the 2004 playoffs, the stands were half empty towards the end of a game in a blowout. Does 19-8 ring a bell? This is what happens when playoff tickets are limited to scalpers, season ticket holders and rich business men as opposed to the majority of Joe Six-Pack Red Nation.
I was at the game tonight and the crowd was noticeably flat. I've been to playoff games going back to 05 and I can't remember a quieter crowd. I think it has something to do with ticket prices. When postseason tickets are DOUBLE the price of regular season tickets(for season ticket holders) then something is wrong.
It's not like the Sox lost to a bad team. The Rays won their division and are supposed to be in the ALCS. Let's not forget that this same Red Sox team demolished anaheim a week ago. It's only one game folks.
poor poor pitiful me, I mean Red Sox.
THE CROWD SUCKED THE CROWD SUCKED THE CROWD SUCKED THE CROWD SUCKED THE CROWD SUCKED THE CROWD SUCKED THE CROWD SUCKED THE CROWD SUCKED THE CROWD SUCKED THE CROWD SUCKED THE CROWD SUCKED THE CROWD SUCKED THE CROWD SUCKED THE CROWD SUCKED THE CROWD SUCKED THE CROWD SUCKED THE CROWD SUCKED
PATHETIC. Almost as bad as the stupid Sox themselves... what a BS GAME Sox are dooonnneeee
You Sox fans are really something....all week all I heard was that the Rays had no chance against Lester. The reason all of you are saying there was "NO BUZZ" at YOUR sorry excuse of a ballpark is because you EXPECTED Lester to just handle the Rays with no problem...sorry guys, the Rays are way better than your team in every aspect......."We should have kept Manny", "Lester sucks", "Varatik sucks"...oh...big ol' Papie is hurt"....Gimmme a F@C#!N break. Your time is up.
GO RAYS
Bad game...Francona should really consider changing the batting order. Ortiz ( who I really wonder if he is done...bat speed is down besides hand) should be batting 6th. Know Francona loves L,R,L,R...but should sit Ellsbury for Crisp. Crisp should lead -off, Pedroia, BAY, Youkilis, Drew, Ortiz,Lowrie, Kotsay, Cash.No way Bay should bat 6th the way he has been hitting and the way Ortiz isn't....painful watching Varitek. Shell of what he once was...if Sox go back down 3-2, Lester should go game 6. If up 3-2, Beckett....don't count out this team. YOU ALL SHOULD KNOW BETTER !!! Posters are acting like Cubs' fans.
Did BJ Upton's ball come down yet? What are you all blaming the crowd for? It doesn't get any more pathetic than that. Let's blame the whole thing on the crowd. The Red Sox have a half way decent team, and most of their fans are sort of harmless. But the radical fringe who hang around here are going to have a nice quiet off season. Nursing that Narragansett tall boy. Maybe you can get lucky and find Tek hanging around the bus station men's room. Who knows? Anyhow, don't forget to spit it out. Errrrgggghhh!
1
Wow...so many excuses, "Tek sucks", "Papi's wrist"......geeezzzz; nice fan support tonite nation. It's over...bring on the knuckel baller. Ray's in 5.
So much for speculation that Francona should have pulled Becket for Byrd in Tampa.
Wow. For an entire "nation" of fans who call TB fans fairweather, there sure were a lot of empty seats towards the end of the game tonight. Come to think of it, there are a lot of "die hard" Sox fans who seem to have already moved on to Basketball season. How many of you who say you would have stayed all nine changed channels after Rocco Baldelli's thunderous shot over the Monstah in the 8th?
Oh, and look at a map. The Sox have more fans because they represent six states. Rays supporters come from two cities full of Boston and New York transplants. Look--say what you want about our team, they'll retort on the field, just don't criticize our small fan base for not coming out for 9 of the last 10 years to support a corrupt ownership and a losing team. You wouldn't have come out either, just like half the "nation" didn't care about the Sox until 2004.
Sox Fans-
Forgive some of us Rays fans on here. We're a little overzealous right now, even though some should know better (Razz! Come on!).
We Rays fans aren't jerks. A lot of this is a reaction to a select few completely obnoxious, ignorant and aggressive Sox fans who have been raiding our boards and are just completely exhausting. Like dealing with a group of three-year-olds all day, you know?
That said, great series so far! Not sure what happened with Lester, but wow, I was proud of my Rays today. Wakefield better be ACE tomorrow, for the Rays have definitely stolen all momentum. But then, it IS Wake I'm talking about, and there's every possibility that he will, in fact, be ace tomorrow.
See you guys tomorrow...
*note to Big Papi and Jacoby....There is nothing wrong with trying to go the other way once in awhile. Long fly ball outs and pop ups are non productive at bats. Start hitting the ball the other way and maybe you might start getiing different pitches to hit.
To Jhonny....
"Sox should study the blueprint the Rays have worked with."
The most absurd thing posted on this board (right up there with Ortiz batting 7th and Wake going 7 or 8). You really mean to suggest that we should be the worst team in baseball (sorry KC) for 10 years straight so we can stock up on first round draft picks and finally build a good team? Here's the blueprint we need to follow:
-Starting pitchers go more than five innings +
-Ellsbury and Ortiz hit the ball=
Red Sox Win
Varitek needs to go. He looks so slow and old these days. I'd rather David Ross. Please don't resign the captain who can't hit anything faster than a Wakefield fastball. Also, Ellsbury needs to realize he's not a power hitter and stop popping everything up. Hit to the gaps. Papi has got to be hurt. I would like to see him try and drop a bunt down the 3rd base line.
Re comment 30: "Big Papi is not the same without Manny."
What a flying, flaming fool. Papi's body is breaking down. Lack of Manny has NOTHING to do with it. Papi would be popping up with Ted Williams behind him.
come ahhhn fella chowds ... Lestaaah got beat by a bettaah team t'day
the uriNation will prevail!
wicked pissa!!!
What a bunch of cry babies! After game 2 103 responses crying 1/2 your team sucks. Watching game 3 - booing your own team and as a bunch of you did in the Trop July 3 (a 3 game sweep of the 'Nation' I thoroughly enjoyed) you guys leaving between innings 7 & 8. Then more crying some more that Caray doesn't give you any love...please. We could not get our own announcers (or a neutral one for that matter) for the White Sox series. Hell we got your Orisillo from Boston NESN. Half the time he kept saying the Red Sox needed these last at bats to win or the game/series is over. Sheesh we were playing the White Sox...guess one of your own is a prophet. Keep ripping em polodogg1 and TB-Rays - Jazzitt
Burquesoxfan(atic)-
I thought you guys prided yourselves on being baseball geniuses?
"...so we can stock up on first round draft picks and finally build a good team?"
The Rays have exactly FOUR of their first round draft picks on the roster. One of those (David Price) has pitched an entire 14 innings the entire season after making his big league debut exactly one month ago today. Another, Rocco, has been on the DL for the majority of the past three years while battling a rare mitochondrial disease and has played in a whopping 28 games for the Rays this season after starting the season on the 60-day DL and being called up on August 12th.
You can't even TRY to say those two have had anything to do with the Rays' run this year. So that leaves you with two; Upton and Longoria. The Sox have Ellsbury. That gives the Rays ONE more first-round draft pick than the Sox that had anything to do with this season. Looks like you need to start trying to find a new excuse.
Does anyone agree with me that Francona lost game 2. He sent Beckett back in when he was being hit all over the place. Then didn't take him out until they scored 3 runs off him. And for icing on the cake he puts in Wakefield. All he does is sit in the dog out and spit.
Scotty...if you think Red Sox nation only came into being after 2004, you are truly a stone cold idiot. Please don't try a self righteous "Tampa is only 2 cities, but the S0x are 6 states" garbage. Your fans wre leaving in the ninth down 2-0. Fact it looked like an exodus. Perhaps your area will bandwagon your great young team and actually draw good crowds on average in 2009 to save your team from becoming the Las Vegas Rays. Sox fans have set a record for sell-outs. Don't compare your fan base to the Sox fans....you look like a true moron if you do. Go through what these people have endured and then you will have some credence. BTW...recent history should keep you cautious. The Sox have come back in 2004 and 2007 from worse deficits.
Amanda, you make a very good point. now if some one could just make the point to the announcers and national talking heads who keep saying the Rays have done it the right way by building from within. The Sox have exactly 2 high priced free agents they signed, JD Drew and Dice K (not including the waste of space Lugo). Everyone else the Sox signed to reasonable free agent deals originally, like Ortiz and Oki, or came up through the system (Youks, Pedroia, Masterson, Papelbon, Lester). Apparently re-signing your own players is buying championships though. And the Sox toss enough money into revenue sharing that other teams can sign the "unsignable" draft picks if they were willing to ante up their cut of revenue sharing money. All this "The Rays do it the right way" talk has been driving me nuts. Just had to get this off my chest.
Francona dummy blew game 2 , otherwise pressure is on rays in game three, COMA has no killer instinct and is what we thought he was.....A BAD MANAGER FROM PHILLY THAT USED TO GET BATTERIES THROWN AT HIM. He looks just like a mental patient in the dugout chewing 100 pieces of gum. Some leader, francona put on a Patriots cheerleader outfit and pom poms because that is all you are good for.
Well, as of ,October 14, 2008 the BoSox are down 3 games to none... AGAIN, do tou think they can possibly come back... AGAIN? I am a young 12 year old Sox fan in sunny San Diego, who is curious what other people (Sox fans) think about the situation (...AGAIN). So, if you have anything to say, e-mail me at ckothleitner@yahoo.com
P.S. (FOGET MANNY!!!!, GO BAY!)
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