Poll: Pick your preferred post-season path to posterity. Pain or Pleasure?

Which post-season path would you like to see for our Sox?


  • Total voters
    227

bankshot1

Member
SoSH Member
Feb 12, 2003
24,651
where I was last at
We've got a few days (or maybe a few hours) to kill as the Astros and other Sox settle their LDS squabble. But of those two teams, who would you like to see the Crimson Hose, or whatever color sox they're selling that day, play in the ALCS?

And to further complicate matters lets call it premature prognostication, if our Sox get by (whomever) who would you like to see the Red Sox play in the World Series?

Do we opt for what might be an easier Chicago and then Atlanta or Milwaukee path, or does the challenge of bang the trash can slowly in Houston against a powerhouse Astros team followed by this year's super teams both led by '04 Sox alums, (post curse Red Sox influenced managers has to be a theme-maybe Cashman should pay attention) Dodgers or Giants, inflame your competitive juices?

We did the Astros and LADs in '18.

But do we really want to see old grand dad Yaz root against us?

There are decent story lines no matter who gets in, right now I'm leaning Astros and then Giants, but Mookie in Fenway...

Pick your path or poison.

Expand in the thread as desired

Votes are public and you can change your mind, as I may do several times.
 

mikeford

woolwich!
SoSH Member
Aug 6, 2006
29,517
St John's, NL
I think the objectively easiest path is White Sox and then Brewers, so I voted for that. I don't need any more insurmountable climbs where we overcome every odd. We did all that in 2004 already. Give me the cake walk instead.
 

jayhoz

Ronald Bartel
SoSH Member
Jul 19, 2005
17,363
I cast an emotional rather than rational vote.

Astros: so we can crush their cheating asses.
Giants: so I don't have to root against Mookie.
 

Koufax

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
5,936
I'd like to see them play the best teams available. Beating Houston would have a special meaning for us all and for Alex Cora especially. Beating the Dodgers might expunge the bitter feeling of having traded away a generational talent.
 

Brianish

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 11, 2008
5,556
The White Sox and Brewers are the teams besides us that I would be least upset to see go all the way, so I chose them.
 

wiffleballhero

Member
SoSH Member
Mar 28, 2009
4,529
In the simulacrum
The Red Sox and Astros have faced off a couple times in the playoffs recently, but more than feeling like this is a developing rivalry, I'm just ready to move on. 'Revenge' for Tony Graffanino's error seems like an equally compelling storyline.

And in complete contradiction to my feelings about the Astros, I like the idea of a rematch against the Dodgers. Worth adversary.
 

nighthob

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
12,678
The White Sox as I think they’re an easier out, and then the Giants in the series as they’re my other team and that way even if Boston loses I’ll still be somewhat happy.
 

54thMA

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 15, 2012
10,154
Westwood MA
Houston and the Giants.

To be the best you have to beat the best; taking down the Yankees, the 100 win Tampa Bay Devil Rays, the Astros and the Giants would be incredible.

Also, the Giants have always been my favorite NL team since I was a little kid, so it would not crush me to lose to them.

Losing to the Dodgers would not crush me, it would infuriate me.

Don't make it happen Theo.
 

joe dokes

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 18, 2005
30,236
White Sox because theyre probably an easier out than Houston and because there will be fewer dumb "storylines."**
Giants, because I don't dislike them, but mostly fewer dunmb "storylines."

**And, win or lose, TLR might be seen wandering shirtless through the back bay.:eek:
 

tims4wins

PN23's replacement
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
37,054
Hingham, MA
White Sox because theyre probably an easier out than Houston and because there will be fewer dumb "storylines."**
Giants, because I don't dislike them, but mostly fewer dunmb "storylines."

**And, win or lose, TLR might be seen wandering shirtless through the back bay.:eek:
Ditto on the WS.

Voted Atlanta to keep it on the east coast.
 

Sam Ray Not

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 19, 2005
8,848
NYC
Sox v Giants would be…

1. A first-time-in-109-years rematch of the 1912 battle considered one of the greatest WS of all-time (Christy Mathewson v Smoky Joe Wood, etc.)

2. A battle for Team of the 21st Century bragging rights (or at least co-ownership of them)

Yes, please!
 

nighthob

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
12,678
Sox v Giants would be…

1. A first-time-in-109-years rematch of the 1912 battle considered one of the greatest WS of all-time (Christy Mathewson v Smoky Joe Wood, etc.)

2. A battle for Team of the 21st Century bragging rights (or at least co-ownership of them)

Yes, please!
And don’t forget that the 1904 Giants chickened out of playing the series for fear of losing to the mighty Boston Americans (which should totally count as a Boston victory :D ).
 

Deweys New Stance

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 8, 2001
2,888
Here to Eternity
I went White Sox / Giants. Chisox because they're likely the easier opponent than Houston, and I'm also just sick of the Astros like everybody else. I like Dusty Baker and feel a little bad for him never winning it all, but not enough to want to see the Stros succeed. Giants because of the history cited by Sam Ray Not, along with the fact that they're a very good and likeable team (always really liked Crawford and Posey) that plays in a great ballpark. And for the Baby Yaz factor as well.

Really don't get why anyone is voting for the Dodgers. Aside from them being the toughest NL opponent, I really don't need the media (national, Fox, and of course the local Shank/Mazz contingent) doing wall-to-wall "why did the cheapskate Sox trade Mookie anyway?" pieces through the WS. There was enough of that crap last October.
 

Zososoxfan

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 30, 2009
9,209
South of North
Chose Astros and Braves.

I want to beat the trash can cheaters and for Cora to get to hold that over them, and then I want a team in the eastern time zone for the WS, so I don't have to stay up late.
 

joe dokes

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 18, 2005
30,236
Chose Astros and Braves.

I want to beat the trash can cheaters and for Cora to get to hold that over them, and then I want a team in the eastern time zone for the WS, so I don't have to stay up late.
You dont have to worry about time zones. The world series seems always top be on Eastern time. I would be shocked if any but Game 1 had a first pitch later than 805 . IOW, the starting times wont be dependent at all on the time zones involved.
 

ehaz

Member
SoSH Member
Sep 30, 2007
4,948
Astros then Giants.

Beat the best. Make it epic. I want to be the ones to send the Astros home.
 

NoXInNixon

Member
SoSH Member
Mar 24, 2008
5,297
I don't honestly see much difference between Houston and Chicago in terms of difficulty. Houston is slightly better, but it's pretty close. I voted Chicago just because it's a matchup we haven't seen in a while, and maybe facing his old team would fire up Chris Sale. As far as the World Series, Atlanta or Milwaukee are equally interesting to me.
 

absintheofmalaise

too many flowers
Dope
SoSH Member
Mar 16, 2005
23,329
The gran facenda
White Sox - Braves. Being in Atlanta, I'd like for the Sox to beat the hometown team even more.
CWS because a friend of mine in the office is a big White Sox fan.
 

Al Zarilla

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 8, 2005
58,867
San Andreas Fault
First, the Giants are my "second team", but still nowhere near the Sox as my favorite. I'd rather beat the Dodgers, but I want SF to beat LA. So, Sox vs. SF. ALCS opponent? White Sox, not for much of a reason except it's a change from Houston.
 

E5 Yaz

Transcends message boarding
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Apr 25, 2002
90,014
Oregon
White Sox-Giants

I'd be thrilled if both Houston and Los Angeles are eliminated as soon as possible, because I'm just so sick of that storyline.

Plus, I've become a fan of this Giants team.
 

The_Dali

New Member
Jul 2, 2021
130
Give me the White Sox and the Giants please. Ok, I'll take the Astros and Braves too. I could do the White Sox and Brewers. Or the Astros and Dodgers. Ok, I guess I'm just happy to be included.

But, seriously, love to see the Sox play at the Giants.
 

shaggydog2000

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 5, 2007
11,482
White Sox and Giants would be nice just to have some fresh story lines and play teams we haven't seen in the playoffs recently.
 

Phil Plantier

Member
SoSH Member
Mar 7, 2002
3,419
I have zero memories of the 2005 ALDS. Hopefully there are more memories this time from a Sox-Sox matchup.

And, as many have said, I'd really love to read a bunch of stories about 1912.
 

pokey_reese

Member
SoSH Member
Jun 25, 2008
16,247
Boston, MA
I voted Sox-Braves, but not for the obvious reasons. I met my wife while living in Chicago, and she (and many of her friends) prefer the Sox to the Cubs, so it would be way more fun (and easier for me to justify spending the money) to go to an ALCS game at Fenway against the Sox. Then one of my best baseball fan friends from my years in Oregon is a Braves fan, so I might be able to also swing a trip to a WS game if he can fly out.
 

Doc Zero

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 6, 2007
12,435
Absolutely blown away by the amount of people whose ideal scenario involves facing the best possible opponents. You folks are a different breed.
 

FisksFinger

New Member
Oct 23, 2013
1,070
Seattle, WA
I went Houston-Dodgers.

For me, it's more enjoyable to beat the teams that I dislike the most. Crush Houston (again) then let's take it to LA (again).
 

TapeAndPosts

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 21, 2006
580
White Sox then Giants.

For ALCS, I'm just a little tired of the Astros, the team and all the storylines that go with them. On the other hand, while we've gotten revenge on many of the teams that have beaten us in the postseason, we still haven't settled up on 2005.

For WS, I am similarly tired of the Dodgers, and just don't want to hear all the Mookie bellyaching that would accompany it. Giants are a fun team and a fun story, two storied franchises that I believe have not played each other in the postseason since 1912. Sign me up for that.
 

JimD

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 29, 2001
8,681
In 1986, I sort-of rooted for the Mets to win the NLCS because I thought a Boston-NY World Series would be neat.

I don't do that stuff any more. Whoever our opponent is, that's who it is. The 2007 title was no less sweet because it came at the expense of the Colorado Rockies rather than the bigger-name teams the Sox vanquished in '04, '13 and '18.
 

Old Fart Tree

the maven of meat
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jan 10, 2001
14,025
Boulder, CO
Shortest flights was my vote, so Chicago/Milwaukee. (Atlanta looks to be almost exactly as far as MIL but whatever).

If I still lived in SF, I'd have voted Giants because I could probably have scored a ticket. But with that gone, I'd prefer the easiest path.
 

ookami7m

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
5,657
Mobile, AL
If it ends with the Braves I'd have to find a way to get tickets and make the drive up from the coast. Not sure if that's a positive or not. I'd love to see the White Sox in the ALCS though.
 

nvalvo

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 16, 2005
21,478
Rogers Park
Just a weird thing, reflecting on all of this.

We really haven't lost that many playoff series. Like, since the new ownership:

2003: 1-1
2004: 3-0
2005: 0-1
2007: 3-0
2008: 1-1
2009: 0-1
2013: 3-0
2016: 0-1
2017: 0-1
2018: 3-0
2021: 2-0 (I guess? so far)

Add that up, and it's 16-6. I'm guessing that isn't what most teams' winning percentages look like with that many series — maybe San Francisco's is better for the last few decades — but maybe I'm wrong about that.

edit: NYY 24-19 in postseason series since 1995, if I counted right. SF since 1997: only 10-6, and ahead in their 18th. I think those kinds of numbers are closer to the normal range for successful franchises.
 
Last edited:

Mugsy's Jock

Eli apologist
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 28, 2000
15,069
UWS, NYC
White Sox -- because they're a much cooler and more entertaining team than the Astros, and Obama roots for them, and fuck the Astros. [Plus the Astros kind of owned the Red Sox this year.]

Dodgers -- mostly because I have a better shot of getting World Series tickets if it goes through LA.
 

Leskanic's Thread

lost underscore
Silver Supporter
SoSH Member
Jul 16, 2005
2,774
Los Angeles
Went with White Sox (a fading option) because, as noted early in the thread, they seem the easier opponent.

But instead of going with the easier match up for the WS, I selfishly went with the Dodgers, since I'm less than three miles from the stadium and would try to get tickets again.

edit: was typing and hadn't refreshed; basically the same answer as Mugsy.
 

Yelling At Clouds

Post-darwinian
SoSH Member
Jul 19, 2005
3,405
I think it’s too late, but I vote White Sox because I hate the Astros and want to see them flushed down the toilet. I don’t like the Giants either because of the “even-year” dynasty, so I guess anyone but them?
 

TapeAndPosts

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 21, 2006
580
Just a weird thing, reflecting on all of this.

We really haven't lost that many playoff series. Like, since the new ownership:

[snip]

Add that up, and it's 16-6. I'm guessing that isn't what most teams' winning percentages look like with that many series — maybe San Francisco's is better for the last few decades — but maybe I'm wrong about that.

edit: NYY 24-19 in postseason series since 1995, if I counted right. SF since 1997: only 10-6, and ahead in their 18th. I think those kinds of numbers are closer to the normal range for successful franchises.
I think SF is 11-6 in that time (winning three WS is 9, and 2 more for losing the WS in 2002). If you somewhat arbitrarily start in 2001, they go to 11-4, which is a similar winning percentage to 16-6.

It's all a little skewed by the fact that when you lose a series you go home, so you can't lose more than one series in a year; you can win three series in one year, but to lose three series takes three years. For this stat it's better to only make thee postseason in years you'll go far. The Sox and the Giants have been good at going all the way repeatedly in relatively fewer opportunities.
 

OurF'ingCity

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 22, 2016
8,469
New York City
Absolutely blown away by the amount of people whose ideal scenario involves facing the best possible opponents. You folks are a different breed.
Seriously. If presented with the choice there are people here who would willingly reduce the Sox’ chances of winning a World Series so there could be better storylines?

White Sox, then Braves for me. White Sox appear to be the easiest AL opponent left standing (not that they’re not very good themselves), and Braves appear to be the easiest NL opponent (lots of people picking Brewers but they have a capability of getting super hot - kind of like the Sox do - whereas I feel like the Braves are just a solid but not spectacular team). Plus, there is the chance the Braves might be dealing with a Covid outbreak which could take away who knows how many of their best players.
 

dynomite

Member
SoSH Member
Absolutely blown away by the amount of people whose ideal scenario involves facing the best possible opponents. You folks are a different breed.
This is how I felt in 2004 — I didn’t need “revenge” against the Yankees I just needed to stop hearing about 1918 and fake curses, and would have happily played the Springfield Isotopes to make it happen.

And then especially after 2018, when we beat the 100-win Yankees, a defending World Series champion 103-win Astros team, and the defending World Series runner up Dodgers, I was all set with the “hardest” path.

Now? No preference. I’m just so thrilled they’re still playing. I think this team doesn’t match up all that well with the Astros (so many hard at bats up and down the lineup is tough for a team with maybe 1 reliable starter in a best of 7 series), but it’s hard to count them out against anyone right now.
 
Last edited:

pk1627

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
May 24, 2003
2,514
Boston
It would be a blast to play the Giants in the WS. They’ve won 3 and Sox have won 4.

Picked the Astros out of hate to balance the Giants joy.
 

Pozo the Clown

New Member
Sep 13, 2006
744
I voted White Sox then Braves. As sweet as beating the Astros would be - and the fact that a Bosox vs Stros ALCS makes that series unwatchable for MFY fans - losing to the Stros would suck. I voted Braves as I think they'd be the easiest to beat in the NL.
 

nvalvo

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 16, 2005
21,478
Rogers Park
I think SF is 11-6 in that time (winning three WS is 9, and 2 more for losing the WS in 2002). If you somewhat arbitrarily start in 2001, they go to 11-4, which is a similar winning percentage to 16-6.

It's all a little skewed by the fact that when you lose a series you go home, so you can't lose more than one series in a year; you can win three series in one year, but to lose three series takes three years. For this stat it's better to only make thee postseason in years you'll go far. The Sox and the Giants have been good at going all the way repeatedly in relatively fewer opportunities.
Yes, thanks for the correction. And that's just it. If the original Theo plan was to try to win 95 games every year, be in the postseason 8 years out of 10, and — because it was all a crapshoot — win a World Series every now and then, that is pretty pointedly not what Boston has actually done.
 

chawson

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2006
4,660
Just about moot but I voted White Sox-Brewers, which is the most interesting set of teams from a broader baseball perspective.

I have an intense dislike for the Astros and don’t fully understand how they’re still this good. If Marwin so much as singles in the ALCS I hope MLB launches a full-scale investigation.
 

azsoxpatsfan

Does not enjoy the go
SoSH Member
May 23, 2014
4,774
White Sox -- because they're a much cooler and more entertaining team than the Astros, and Obama roots for them, and fuck the Astros. [Plus the Astros kind of owned the Red Sox this year.]

Dodgers -- mostly because I have a better shot of getting World Series tickets if it goes through LA.
Went with White Sox (a fading option) because, as noted early in the thread, they seem the easier opponent.

But instead of going with the easier match up for the WS, I selfishly went with the Dodgers, since I'm less than three miles from the stadium and would try to get tickets again.

edit: was typing and hadn't refreshed; basically the same answer as Mugsy.
I’m 7 miles from dodger stadium. IF it comes to that, which section is SoSH taking over?
 

Hank Scorpio

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 1, 2013
6,914
Salem, NH
I voted White Sox/Braves, but it was close between that and White Sox/Giants.

Kind of tired of the Astros, but whatever. Let’s beat them silly.

I had this Red Sox team picked to win about 72-75 games. Beating the 107 win Giants would be fucking hilarious to me.
 

Sandy Leon Trotsky

Member
SoSH Member
Mar 11, 2007
6,346
White Sox-Brewers.
I’d be upset if we lost to either team but i dislike the Astros and the Dodgers and Giants are powerhouses.