This may well be true about the finances, I've not kept enough tabs to know who is really to blame there. Regardless, I tip my cap to their player development and baseball ops people; whoever's fault it is that they have no money to play with, I'm impressed with their ability to overcome it. I'm a softer disagree on the second point-- aesthetically pleasing it may not be, but, as a child of the moneyball era I am inclined to be impressed with teams that find a new way to win. If you can find strategies that have eluded everyone else for 150 years, that's impressive even if it is ugly or they only have themselves to blame for the need for innovation. But that's maybe just my personality, I love disruptors and those unafraid to challenge conventional wisdom.A thought about this… the “gigantic competitive disadvantage” that Tampa faces is entirely of their own making. Tampa is a top 15 media market with a fast growing population and substantial corporate presence. Their lack of financial resources are largely because they draw flies to a horrible stadium, a situation that has persisted for two decades yet has been overcome by the other two pro teams in the market.
They have “changed the way the game is played”, but IMHO, not a all in a way that makes watching their brand of ball enjoyable. That’s personal preference, of course, but to me they are the poster child of maximizing on-field success at the expense of fan satisfaction. I don’t blame them for doing that, but I also don’t have to like it.
So yeah, I hope they lose and will delight in it if they do.
The bullpen is trash, so while I'd like them to win since come-from-behind losses are brutal, they exceeded my hopes by getting past the MFY.Every inning, I move the goal posts forward. Is that wrong?
My man GW Locks it down thoughThe bullpen is trash, so while I'd like them to win since come-from-behind losses are brutal, they exceeded my hopes by getting past the MFY.
That was a huge performance by Whitlock. Cora clearly wanted to avoid using him for 2 innings tonight, hence going to Brasier (a move I agreed with). So not only did he get the Sox out of a critical situation in the 8th, but then shut down the Rays in the 9th. If he'd given up a run and the Sox had lost, he'd probably have been unavailable for Game 5. Just the highest of leverage situations and he excelled.My man GW Locks it down though
If there's ever a wrong time, it's with 2 outs and making the final out at third. Which is what happened. (There was one out when the play started, but two once the ball was caught.) It was a baserunning mistake, good throw and all.If there is ever a right time to try to tag up at second, it's when there's one out. Plus it took a perfect throw and tag to get Alex out. I cannot really get on Alex Verdugo for that.
As for the Hunter Renfroe throw, I think he has been much better in his decision making lately. I actually think that the Sox have been playing smarter baseball and cleaner baseball too.
As for your last point that seems more old man get off my lawn attitude to me
I just went to look at the final standings and giggled.Nice job winning the AL East in 2021 after all.
I'm sure there is plenty of room on the wagon for those dozens and dozens of fans.I hope the fans who abandoned the team when they traded Mookie and then didn’t do anything to improve at the deadline have reconsidered and are enjoying this.
Nah, I hope they're still wallowing in their misery and sticking to their "principles." They don't deserve this team.I hope the fans who abandoned the team when they traded Mookie and then didn’t do anything to improve at the deadline have reconsidered and are enjoying this.
Mookie and his Dodgers teammates have an even longer way to go now after last night's game.As someone who was sad but never disappointed with that trade, I’m beginning to feel like I won’t be satisfied unless the Sox are in the WS playing against Mookie. Obviously a long way to go still. But I mean, what a goddamn storyline …
I was also flat out wrong. You and I had the same questions surrounding this team. Even when they were at their best during the first half of of the season I never felt that they had the make up of a championship caliber team. I thought they were going to lose to the Yankees. Nope. I thought they were going to lose to the Rays. Nope. I don’t know what’s going to happen to this team over the next few weeks. They’ve exceeded all expectations. This is the first day that I’ve truly believed that they could win it all. The regular season doesn’t matter anymore, you just have to find a way into the playoffs at the end. After that it’s is a crapshoot. Why not us?!?This team has exceeded any expectation I had for it. At times, I questioned their talent, desire, and even likability.
I was FLAT OUT WRONG and am happily eating a plateful of crow this AM.
8 more wins. Let’s do this!
And if all this juxtaposition between the little and big things is giving you whiplash, just know that it’s possible to write an entire book about them as it relates to the Giants of the early 2010s. A little thing is Ian Kinsler’s fly ball hitting the top of the center-field wall. A little thing is Grégor Blanco’s bunt staying fair, and you don’t even know which bunt I’m referring to. A little thing is Barry Zito, and a big thing was his contract.
These are how championships are won. One part nonsense, two parts brilliance. Or three parts nonsense, three parts brilliance. The exact ratio changes every year, but there has to be some of each.
But before you get cocky, remember how many times the little and big things hosed the Giants. Think about Francisco Rodríguez making the 2002 Angels roster on a technicality. Think about the Giants leaving Eric Young off the 2003 NLDS roster. Think about a literal Gold Glove right fielder clanking an easy fly ball in that same series. If you’ve got time, I’ve got time, and we can go all night. The Dodgers could benefit from a dozen extra little things in Games 4 or 5. The Braves or Brewers could do the same if the Giants are lucky enough to advance, and you know the Astros could have a Baker’s dozen in store.
For now, though, it’s the little things that allowed the Giants to win a game in Dodger Stadium in which they scored a single run. Every 1-0 game comes with a pinch of little things. Some more than others.
As usual, I'm late to the party here, but also noticed they didn't give the Giants any votes at allhttps://blogs.fangraphs.com/fangraphs-2021-staff-predictions/
Oh I'm sorry Fangraphs writers, only a single vote for the Red Sox to even make the playoffs? With 31 voting for the Yankees to win the division??
On that note, I just want a shot in game 7. Show a little more life, don't die with a whimper. If it ends like 2008, so be it. But get it to game 7 and let the chips fall where they may.It's been a raging success already. 100%. Of course getting this close, we all want more.
It will be a little painful to think that after Bogaerts' homer in game 4 that put the Sox up 2-1 in the first, coming off a near win in game 1 and two blowout wins in games 2-3, the Sox' bats completely disappeared, and then the entire season changed on one pitch to Altuve, a godawful call by Laz Diaz, and then a hanging splitter a moment later.
This team was *thisclose* to being up 3-1 on the Astros.
Bregman's adroit snatch of Renfroe's 111 mph rocket after Verdugo and JD got on was a real turning point. Let's turn it again!It's been a raging success already. 100%. Of course getting this close, we all want more.
It will be a little painful to think that after Bogaerts' homer in game 4 that put the Sox up 2-1 in the first, coming off a near win in game 1 and two blowout wins in games 2-3, the Sox' bats completely disappeared, and then the entire season changed on one pitch to Altuve, a godawful call by Laz Diaz, and then a hanging splitter a moment later.
This team was *thisclose* to being up 3-1 on the Astros.
This is where I am too. If the Sox fall tomorrow night, that's what I predicted Astros in six. But there's a difference between being up 2-1 and six outs away from being up 3-1, then being down 2-0, winning one, being down 3-1, winning another and then losing in six.I know that, no matter what happens this week, I should be happy that this flawed Red Sox team has made it to Game 6 of the ALCS after ending the MFY's season and knocking out the AL's best team ... but, damn, a lot of the residual good feelings from the past two weeks are going to dissipate quickly if they go down meekly in Houston. Even as an underdog, when you've gone up two games to one, with the next two in your home park that has been rocking all postseason, to go from that high to getting shut down so completely is going to take a while to get over, no matter how fun the ride was for a while. Hopefully they respond on Friday and Saturday and punch the Astros right back and show everyone that their season is not ready to end.
Agreed 100%.It's been a raging success already. 100%. Of course getting this close, we all want more.
It will be a little painful to think that after Bogaerts' homer in game 4 that put the Sox up 2-1 in the first, coming off a near win in game 1 and two blowout wins in games 2-3, the Sox' bats completely disappeared, and then the entire season changed on one pitch to Altuve, a godawful call by Laz Diaz, and then a hanging splitter a moment later.
This team was *thisclose* to being up 3-1 on the Astros.
Not having an actual closer is a killer, the Astros have two, we don't have one thanks to Barnes melting down, imagine he did not even get on the ALCS roster.In case anyone is feeling down in the mouth today, this team has one reliable starter, two trustworthy bullpen arms (both rookies, and one of whom should be starting), a first baseman who never played the position before September or so, and were riding one of the all-time playoff hitting hot streaks to get to this spot. They have so much room for improvement next year and STILL made it this far. And the fat lady has not sung yet -- playoff Eovaldi may not have emptied his bag of tricks.
I really haven't been able to see much post season baseball this year and practically nothing concerning the National League. Have Atlanta or LA's pitching staffs been as bad as Houston and Tampa's?I’m happy and this run has exceeded my expectations for this team but expectations shift.
This is still a winnable series. And if they make it to the World Series, I’m convinced from what I've seen in the NL series that Atlanta/LAD would be a relative cakewalk compared to Houston and Tampa. That's what will make this unquestionable success of a season feel a bit like a let down for me. That, and I'm incredibly selfish and want another title.
Atlanta's pitching has been pretty good. Same with LAD, but their best guys have struggled recently. But the Dodgers lineup looks awful and they're pretty beat up (Muncy/Turner). Atlanta just doesn't have many guys that really scare me offensively besides Freeman. It's just guys who are clicking at the right time.I really haven't been able to see much post season baseball this year and practically nothing concerning the National League. Have Atlanta or LA's pitching staffs been as bad as Houston and Tampa's?
Riley is a legit MVP candidate.Atlanta's pitching has been pretty good. Same with LAD, but their best guys have struggled recently. But the Dodgers lineup looks awful and they're pretty beat up (Muncy/Turner). Atlanta just doesn't have many guys that really scare me offensively besides Freeman. It's just guys who are clicking at the right time.
ATL and LAD both have good pitching, but the Sox can put a crooked inning on anyone when they're clicking. And neither team's lineup scares me like Houston's does.