ThePresence
Elite Member
- Nov 19, 2001
- 27,727
- 16
- 81
ThePresence
Elite Member
- Nov 19, 2001
- 27,727
- 16
- 81
BTW, we don't need Beltran. We need pitching.Originally posted by: BostonRedSox
Originally posted by: ThePresence
:laugh:
I can't root against the Sox anymore?
Sure you can.
I think Pedro will come on strong, as he usually does on extended (5+ days) rest. But I don't think our offense will do much on Tues. Either way, low scoring game, if we can pull it out, thats great.
Game 1 was an absolute steal for the sox. We played horrible ball and still won.
Ortiz has played at first this year when Trot was out and Millar in right. When Manny was struggling with the hamstring injury he DH'd a few games, leaving Ortiz at first. He's a big target and is about equal to other BIG first basemen. The big worry is how rusty is he? Also we can't do the normal defensive replacements.
Pedro played for the Expos and Cornrows played with the pirates so we have some NL experience there. On the up side either Nixon or Millar will be the best PH in the series.
With Youk on the roster we'll have another 1-shot threat batting.With Pedro pitching the Cards will have to earn it. If he doesn't win game 3 hopefully the Cards will have to use their pen heavily. I'm hoping to win 1 of 3 and take it back to Fenway. If Pedro wins it may be too much and a sweep wouldn't be far fetched. (crosses fingers...)
It's been great so far. Pujols is just plain good. Boston needs to keep the pressure on and not allow the big hitters extra chances. Sooner or later they will score big, they're way too good to keep down.
I'd like to see Pedro step in to the box and take some swings with the bat, never saw him pitch when he was with the dogdger/expos. Millar, Youkilis should be the main bats for the double switch scenario. Nixon should keep starting in right field.
Nixon doesn't have the numbers but he's always in the mix. He's a lefty who can hit for power or the single, much like Damon. He's odd in the ability to be an early count hitter, yet gets his fair share of walks and long at bats. The injury seems to no longer slow him down in the field where he has an absolute cannon for an arm. Right now he's like Manny; without great numbers, often on base, and causing general chaos when a pitcher gets in a groove.
If you hadn't noticed yet Trot is my favorite player on Boston by far. His effort in last year's playoffs was nothing short of amazing. (game winning HR on my B-Day
) This year Bellhorn's making the claim to biggest surprise player. In St. Louis I expect Trot and Manny to really turn it up a notch. They're the type of hitters who can win games by themselves away from home. With red hot Ortiz in the middle, Trot and Manny could/should bust it open.Low scoring with these clubs could be 6-5. What has been the over/under so far? The line in Vegas has been impacted by crazed Red Sox fans or there would be no favorite.
cardinals are batting .311 at home during the post season and have 13 home runs at Busch.
they are UNBEATEN at home. NOBODY has beat them at Busch in the post season.
This could EASILY go back to boston with a 3-2 cards lead.
We played like shit!! and big hitters didn't really come through except Walker in Game 1 and Pujols in game 2. Boston has proven that they can lose at home and allow like 19 runs? or was it 17? Either way they can be beat at home. So if the card take 3 games at Busch then WATCH OUT.
Were only down 0-2. If any fans should know its NOT OVER YET, it should be the Red Sox fans.
Oh and Schilling wouldn't have pitched like that in Busch. He is just damnn lucky our Offense was struggling. Had nothing to do with him having great stuff. ** But I do give him props for making the effort.
they are UNBEATEN at home. NOBODY has beat them at Busch in the post season.
This could EASILY go back to boston with a 3-2 cards lead.
We played like shit!! and big hitters didn't really come through except Walker in Game 1 and Pujols in game 2. Boston has proven that they can lose at home and allow like 19 runs? or was it 17? Either way they can be beat at home. So if the card take 3 games at Busch then WATCH OUT.
Were only down 0-2. If any fans should know its NOT OVER YET, it should be the Red Sox fans.
Oh and Schilling wouldn't have pitched like that in Busch. He is just damnn lucky our Offense was struggling. Had nothing to do with him having great stuff. ** But I do give him props for making the effort.
I'm not gonna argue the Cardinal's effectiveness at home but you cannot take credit away from schilling. He didn't have his best stuff, yet he made the pitches he needed to make to get the strikeouts in key situations. I honestly believe the first two games are a get-to-know-you type of games where both teams weren't too familiar with each other and the pitchers. Boston just has the better bullpen and came through with clutch hits. The next three should be interesting. See Ortiz trying to play 1st is gonna give me a heartattack. But everytime he steps in the box, he makes things happen.
The ONLY way your team has a chance in this series is by sweeping the Sox at home, which is very unlikey. Boston can be beaten at home? Your team really proved they can do that in the first two games, huh? LaRussa already hit the panic button when he started Morris on three days rest, and that blew up in his face.
As far as Pedro goes, when two teams (Sox/Yanks) play each other 50+ times in a two year span, of course the two teams will figure each other out, such as the Yankees did with Pedro. Seeing as how the Cards have never faced Pedro, I wouldn't be so quick to say "we're unbeaten at home, so we're coming back to Boston up 3-2."
How can you possibly say "Schilling wouldn't have pitched like that in Busch"???? Did you see ANY of his starts all season, or his starts in games 1 and 6 at Yankee Stadium??? Your offense is struggling because Schilling had them baffled!!!
The Sox defense has been atrocious, and yet we're STILL up 2-0. The only reason you had so many runs in Game 1 was because of the errors, and they still lost. I'm not worried about Tizzle starting at first, he platooned there last year for most of the season with Millar, so it's not like he's going into it blind. Good luck Cards, you're going to need it.
SP33Demon
Lifer
- Jun 22, 2001
- 27,928
- 143
- 106
Why is everyone making a big deal about Ortiz at first? So he may miss a scoop in the dirt, big fvcking deal. Boston only allowed 1 run last night with 4 errors, the battle will not be won at one position. No, it will be won by the pitching. And for the Cards fan above who said "He [Schilling] is just damnn lucky our Offense was struggling", you need to stop the crack. Just because Schilling at 75% is 5X better than any St.L pitcher, don't be a hater. His splitter is one of the toughest pitches to hit in baseball, just ask Larry Walker and Rolen... But enough of the chit chat, Sox need to take 1 of 3 in St.L and finish this badboy out at Fenway. Boston in 6 or 7, "Still We Believe!"
More than anything I hope Ortiz's defense will be a non factor in the next three games. It is just that I can't help but remember that Buckneresque ground ball that went right through his glove against the Yankees towards the end of the regular season. If I remember correctly, the Yankees had man 1st and 3rd with two outs when Ortiz missed that ball and it cost the Sox dearly. I'd hold my breath when a similar situation comes up and the ball is hit towards Ortiz. I'm hoping for Pedro to have a huge game, but the cynic inside me tells me that Pedro is probably gonna go 5-6 inning allowing 3-4 runs. I followed every game of the regular season with the sox and noticed a disturbing trend that Pedro dominates bad teams and is average against good teams. I hope speed is right that the unfamiliarity the cardinals have towards pedro will work in his favor, but don't underestimate the power of the Cardinals bats.
Anubis
No Lifer
SP33Demon
Lifer
- Jun 22, 2001
- 27,928
- 143
- 106
Well, Pedro should pitch well since it will be warmer out (60's) and he loves warm weather. Not to mention he was hitting 96 on the radar w/ 2 days rest in Game 7 of ALCS. The problem with St.L is that they don't have a power pitcher like a Schill or Santana or Moose. Boston feasts on mediocre pitchers like Morris, Williams, Marquis, and Suppan. Hell, Suppan was let go by Boston after he couldn't hack it, so Varitek knows him like the back of his hand. All Boston has to do is take 1 of 3 in St.L, then it's Schilling and Pedro for Games 6 and 7 back at Fenway. Those are some pretty big odds for a team without pitchers named "Foulke" (who I think is the MVP so far of the WS) or "Curt".
Also, how do you address the Card's bullpen? They only have one lefty, the rest are right handed. Damon, Nixon, Varitek, Mueller, Bellhorn, and Ortiz are all left handed. It was painfully obvious when Bellhorn touched Tavarez for the Pesky shot. Overall, it just seems like St.L isn't built for the playoffs, because Boston's power pitching and lights out closer are just too tough for the big bats of St.L... "Good pitching beats good hitting". Combine that with the fact that the team with the most wins in the reg season has only won the WS once in the past 10-20 years (NY Yankees 125 win season), usually the pressure is too much.
Gamingphreek
Lifer
- Mar 31, 2003
- 11,679
- 0
- 81
Its not that they aren't meant for the playoffs its they dont have a good bullpen or should i say as deep of one as Boston. And also take a look at Bostons Salary compared to St. Louis' think about it.
I think St. Louis main problem is is pitching, there offense needs time to work and not play catchup.
-Kevin
I think St. Louis main problem is is pitching, there offense needs time to work and not play catchup.
-Kevin
If last night's game was at Busch Bellhorn and Varitek both would have had HR's. The 420 spot in Fenway and swirling winds were the only things preventing them.
Boston lost 1 when the Yankees were red hot.
Not easily, but certainly possible. If Boston takes just 1 game away it will be hard to come back at Fenway.
Again they lost 1 game when the Yankees put on maybe the best game of postseason hitting of our time. Matsui was golf swinging balls out of the park. St. Louis had a recently turned pitcher throwing a no hitter against them 1 home game, so I guess we could throw McCarty on the mound and shut the Cards down. :roll:
We know, more than anyone can imagine.
Wow, Schilling must be the luckiest man on earth then. Somehow he won the most games this season and would have a Cy Young if Santana hadn't pitched so well. Schilling pitched that well at Yankee stadium this postseason as well. It's tunnel vision to claim your offense is struggling and not look across at the other team. When Boston lost 3 it wasn't just their offense struggling, it was also the result of some amazing pitching by Moose and Lieber.
For the Cards to win they'll certainly have to come alive offensively. More importantly the pitching has to improve or it could be over quick. In games 1 & 2 they pitched around the big two, only to let guys like Bellhorn come alive. Looking back at the season, that's not a good tatic with Boston's depth and has absolutely killed some teams.
Finally, don't overlook Pedro or Lowe. Lowe has been on fire in his 2 big outings. Pedro has been very stingy in his starts, even against the team that best knows him. Now they get to throw against a pitcher in the 9 spot and could be even better, while the Sox have Millar and Youk to PH.
If salary determined championships the Yankees would win easily every year over the Mets. Bellhorn is making $450,000 a year and has been the WS MVP so far. Look at the player stats and their salaries and see if they match up. Manny takes a big chunk of Boston's payroll ($25 million) yet hasn't been dominating. (he's playing better than most realize though)
Dead on with the pitching needing to improve. Last night's game consisted of Boston's early lead changing the game completely. Schilling could throw more strikes and high fastballs, knowing a solo shot wouldn't be enough. It also took small-ball out of the equation. It's still surprising there were no bunts to test out Curt's ankle. Mueller was playing in most of the game. His being out of position and worried about the bunt didn't help on his errors as he's an above average 3rd baseman. (brought in for defense initially)
Bottom line: You'd rather be up 2-0 than down 2-0. And we have a very well rested ace on the mound in game 3.
^ agreed. Did anybody else see the ESPN Sportscenter clip about Pujols? I just saw it tonight and can't help but think professional sports these days could use more people like Pujols. He's hitting HRs and bidding on Disney World vacations for kids with Down Syndrome Foundations. I'm a Red Sox fan but other than my Red Sox, I gotta say I admire Pujols and the Cardinals. Classy orginazation and players. Compared to cocky, full of ego major leaguers like Sheffield, Bonds, and Arod, I'll take Rolen, Edmonds, and Pujols over those guys any day. Red Sox in 6 :beer:
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