***OFFICIAL Yankees/Red Sox SERIES THREAD***

[mattlear]

Come on Sox fans, don't be ridiculous. Winning the division is NOT irrelevant. If the sox won the division last year, Game 7 would have been played at Fenway. Do you think the Sox might have taken that game if they had home field? They almost won the game as it was in Yankee Stadium...

Geez, I don't understand you guys. Your team played great today, and really good yesterday as well. You took it to Vasquez, Brown, and the yankee bullpen. My hat's off to you! Don't cheapen it by making ridiculous statements that winning the division is irrelevant - just because barring a total yankee collapse, it's not a reachable goal now.

Yep, you are going to get the wild card. You should be rightfully happy. But it really sounds like sour grapes about the division.

Now, as far as my Yankees are concerned... I wonder what the playoff rotation is going to look like. I would imagine with Mussina and Lieber havened straightened themselves out the last few weeks, they are probably a lock, as is El Duque. I'm not sure I would run Vazquez out there, as he hasn't really shown me anything for the better part of the year. Brown is coming back from injury and judging from today's performance, it doesn't look like he's all there. I'm curious as to what Torre is going to do. Maybe he'll piece together a start using multiple long guys in the bullpen (Sturtze, Halsey, etc).

Sox fans, what do you think your rotation is going to be? I'm curious as to who you guys have confidence in based on recent performances... I would imagine It's Schilling, Wakefield, Martinez, and Lowe, right?

Anyways, great series, and some great games! Lets hope they both meet in the ALCS and play another!

-Matt

 

[ThePresence]

Originally posted by: mattlear
Come on Sox fans, don't be ridiculous. Winning the division is NOT irrelevant. If the sox won the division last year, Game 7 would have been played at Fenway. Do you think the Sox might have taken that game if they had home field? They almost won the game as it was in Yankee Stadium...

Geez, I don't understand you guys. Your team played great today, and really good yesterday as well. You took it to Vasquez, Brown, and the yankee bullpen. My hat's off to you! Don't cheapen it by making ridiculous statements that winning the division is irrelevant - just because barring a total yankee collapse, it's not a reachable goal now.

Yep, you are going to get the wild card. You should be rightfully happy. But it really sounds like sour grapes about the division.

Now, as far as my Yankees are concerned... I wonder what the playoff rotation is going to look like. I would imagine with Mussina and Lieber havened straightened themselves out the last few weeks, they are probably a lock, as is El Duque. I'm not sure I would run Vazquez out there, as he hasn't really shown me anything for the better part of the year. Brown is coming back from injury and judging from today's performance, it doesn't look like he's all there. I'm curious as to what Torre is going to do. Maybe he'll piece together a start using multiple long guys in the bullpen (Sturtze, Halsey, etc).

Sox fans, what do you think your rotation is going to be? I'm curious as to who you guys have confidence in based on recent performances... I would imagine It's Schilling, Wakefield, Martinez, and Lowe, right?

Anyways, great series, and some great games! Lets hope they both meet in the ALCS and play another!

-Matt

Good post.
I am hearing rumours that Torre might start Vazquez over Lieber? Sounds crazy.
Also, I can't imagine the Sox starting Lowe over Arroyo.

 

[lordtyranus]

Come on Sox fans, don't be ridiculous. Winning the division is NOT irrelevant. If the sox won the division last year, Game 7 would have been played at Fenway. Do you think the Sox might have taken that game if they had home field? They almost won the game as it was in Yankee Stadium...

They might have. They might not have. Consider this

We beat Oakland on the road game 5. The only game that you lost in the ALDS was game 1 at home (it wasn't just because of santana, he pitched only 4 innings). Last year in the playoffs, we took 2 out of 4 at yankee stadium. We lost 2 out of 3 at fenway. The Marlins took all 3 out of 4 games in chicago in the NLCS, and were beaten 2 out of 3 at home. Atlanta lost game 5 at home to the Cubs.

Your team was 4-5 at home in the playoffs, and 5-3 on the road.

Convinced home field doesn't mean a whole lot? Or do you want more?

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/schedule/ps_03.jsp

Geez, I don't understand you guys. Your team played great today, and really good yesterday as well. You took it to Vasquez, Brown, and the yankee bullpen. My hat's off to you! Don't cheapen it by making ridiculous statements that winning the division is irrelevant - just because barring a total yankee collapse, it's not a reachable goal now.

If you do a search for my previous posts, I have said for a while now that facing Santana twice in the first round is NOT a good thing, and that the wild card team will have an easier road.

Also, I can't imagine the Sox starting Lowe over Arroyo.

I can't either. It's sad that Pedro and Lowe can't revert to what they were 2 years ago.

 

[mattlear]

Originally posted by: lordtyranus
They might have. They might not have. Consider this

We beat Oakland on the road game 5. The only game that you lost in the ALDS was game 1 at home (it wasn't just because of santana, he pitched only 4 innings). Last year in the playoffs, we took 2 out of 4 at yankee stadium. We lost 2 out of 3 at fenway. The Marlins took all 3 out of 4 games in chicago in the NLCS, and were beaten 2 out of 3 at home. Atlanta lost game 5 at home to the Cubs.

Your team was 4-5 at home in the playoffs, and 5-3 on the road.

Convinced home field doesn't mean a whole lot? Or do you want more?

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/schedule/ps_03.jsp

Hrmm, for last year, that's true. And since I did bring up last year's series... fooey on me. Still, the yankees DID win that game 7 in Yankee Stadium. Do you REALLY think the Sox would have had less of a chance at home? I'm trying to be nice about this, but you can't be serious.

I would imagine for a much larger cross-section of games, that generally, the home team has a BETTER winning percentage than the visitor. I'm trying to find some baseball almanac facts to back this up, but I really find it hard to believe that home field is not advantageous.

If you do a search for my previous posts, I have said for a while now that facing Santana twice in the first round is NOT a good thing, and that the wild card team will have an easier road.

Ya, it certainly isn't going to be a picnic facing that dude... I'm curious though... The current standings are:
1. New York 97W 59L
2. Minnesota 90W 66L
3. Oakland 88W 67L

Wildcard:
Boston 93W 62L
Anaheim 87W 68L
Texas 86W 69L

I thought the way the wildcard worked, that 1 plays the wildcard, unless they are in the same division. If they are, then 1 plays 3. So, wouldn't Boston get Minny in the 1st round?

I can't either. It's sad that Pedro and Lowe can't revert to what they were 2 years ago.

I hear ya. Pitching is definitely the key, and as you can tell by the last few years, POWER pitching has really lead the way.


-Matt

 

[lordtyranus]

Hrmm, for last year, that's true. And since I did bring up last year's series... fooey on me. Still, the yankees DID win that game 7 in Yankee Stadium. Do you REALLY think the Sox would have had less of a chance at home? I'm trying to be nice about this, but you can't be serious.

No, I don't think it would have mattered.

I would imagine for a much larger cross-section of games, that generally, the home team has a BETTER winning percentage than the visitor. I'm trying to find some baseball almanac facts to back this up, but I really find it hard to believe that home field is not advantageous.

Here's an interesting fact: Wild card teams, which play on the road more often than not, are 85-79 in the postseason, with 3 championships in 9 years I believe.

http://www.baseballprospectus....cle.php?articleid=3448

I thought the way the wildcard worked, that 1 plays the wildcard, unless they are in the same division. If they are, then 1 plays 3. So, wouldn't Boston get Minny in the 1st round?

Hmm. I'm not sure exactly how it works. I just assumed since it's the same 4 teams, that they would fall under the same layout.

Edit: googled it, I think you are right. Meh. Oakland is 1.5 games behind now. Hopefully, Minnesota will lay off the final few games in preparation for the playoffs.

 

[SP33Demon]

Originally posted by: lordtyranus
I can't either. It's sad that Pedro and Lowe can't revert to what they were 2 years ago.

You claim to be a Boston fan and then say that Pedro can't revert to 2 years ago? Pedro is having a GREAT season, no injuries, he's been solid every game except for when he's left in there too long. He's been just as, if not more dominant than his 2002 season. Boston would not be where they are w/out Pedro, that's a fact. You should show some respect to one of the best pitchers in baseball, Lowe is just as sucky this year as 2002, the only diff was that in 2002 he was getting 7 runs a game in run support.

 

[lordtyranus]

Lowe's 2002 ERA was 2.58. His ERA now is 5.25. For Martinez, its 2.26 and 3.68, respectively.

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: lordtyranus
Lowe's 2002 ERA was 2.58. His ERA now is 5.25. For Martinez, its 2.26 and 3.68, respectively.

And to think there are idiots out there who have the audacity to say that Petey was as good as Koufax!