Baseball Playoffs Start Today!

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Oh Slappy, you sound angry. I'm jealous. I wish I could get by grief and into anger. Perhaps tomorrow.

Roberta: Of course we cannot know for sure what would have happened had Grady made the logical move, but it's a safe bet the Sox would have won. Timlin's ERA in the series was 0.0; Embree's was 0.0; Williamson's was 1.05. I'll take my chances with those numbers any day. Our bullpen had come into its own just at the right time, and they owned the Yankee lineup.

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It is indeed a tough day here in Boston
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Sports is pretty much the only venue that brings all people in a region together regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, politics, etc. It's more than just the game. It's that unmatched feeling of being a part of something special. Last night, Grady the Idiot single-handedly ripped that feeling from our collective heart and guts. And as always with the Sox, it's the devastation of how they lose.

People are genuinely mourning. The grief is real. The pain will be lasting.

It IS odd that the Boston GM didn't pull the starting pitcher. Weird loyalty or was he sleeping in the dugout? If he'd only listened to Mr.P who was yelling at him (through the tv set) to "pull the pitcher" right after the first falter. Sad to watch games lost that way.

(That eBay item is funny but I'll bet it won't be staying up for long.)

............. perhaps he (Theo Epstein) felt it was worth losing a shot at the Series in order to get rid of the Idiot Manager.

Grady, had in his head, some fairy tale that Pedro was going to go the distance, or at least finish the 8th unscathed. Pedro pitched GREAT for the 6-7 innings. Couldn't ask for anything more, after his shaky start on Sat.
It wasn't the GM's call...it was Grady's, by the way. He's the manager. GM is different.

Okay, the manager... Grady. He screwed up by letting a tired pitcher (who seemed to be faltering) continue to lose ground for the team. Too bad, it's a shame except for Roberta and Co. who will still have a team to root for in the series.

The Mariners almost got into the World Series twice in the last few years. It was painful to see them come close and then miss. Hard on the fans, especially when the future team doesn't look as strong.

Such fire and passion - I thought Dusty made the same mistake the night before with Wood. Of course, for you Bostonians - that means little. It is funny that in playoffs (especially 7th games) the call is that the coach pulled the starter to early.

Gees Slappy, there has to be next year cause this year is no more...........

I'm not sure that Grady had any choice. I believe he is the medium through whom The Babe is channeling his curse.

The pick of the moment - the best to control the event; reality is cruel sometimes...............

I watched the game at my fave pub, and it was packed with folks rooting for the Red Sox. Interesting, in that I live in Seattle, but there were very few people rooting for the Yankees. I suspect most of us were motivated by anti-NYY feelings, but whatever...

What a bummer. I agree with everyone who is scratching his and her head today over Pedro still pitching in the 8th. Makes no sense at all, which I thought last night when he came out to pitch that inning. And I knew it was over when the score was tied. Downed five pints and woke up with a bad hangover this a.m. Then I remembered how the game ended, and I felt worse...

What say we keep this thread going through the World Series?

Angie, Slappy, et al., I am truly sympathetic. But I'm going to slink off into the night. I don't want to be thought of as a sore winner.

But I'll be back to suffer the slings and arrows of Yankee bashing during the Series.

Far from a sore winner.

Maybe some Marlins fans will join this thread. Any out there? It might liven things up to have some positive energy at this stage. Yankee fans welcome, too, of course. Some of us snarl a bit, but we don't bite...

I don't know much about the Marlins. I've been reading about them in the paper, but I've gotten only a general sense of the kind of team they are. Good defense. Lots of speed. Good hitting. What else should I know about? I'm noivous.

Last night, hubby and I were playing, who's going to the Hall of Fame?, since I'm at a point where I don't think I care too much who wins (I'm also still in the grief stage, angie) and it's something to talk about between pitches.

Jeter - probably a shoe-in
Clemens - definitely a shoe-in
Wells - has to do better, but has a shot
Mariano Rivera - possible

After that, we were stuck, and we certainly didn't know of anyone on the Marlins who'd be even a possibility. Yet they're one win into the World Series.

Who the heck are these guys???

I watched the Marlins a number of times last season, because they're in the same division as Atlanta, and those games are on WTBS. If you watched last night's game, you got a good taste of the Marlins at their best. Young, fast and scientific.

Re future Marlin Hall of Famers: The name Pudge Rodriguez suggests itself. The best catcher of his generation...

Jes, I think Bernie Williams has a chance. And I agree that Pudge is Hall of Fame caliber. My only other comment on your list--Rivera. I'd change that from possible to probable.

My guys are emotionally exhausted. And the Marlins are a good team. Looks like I'll be watching the games through my fingers again.

:-)

Jeter: still has too many years left before becoming a shoe-in. The fact he's on the Yankees helps his cause alot. I think he's overated. If he was on a crap team, it would be a whole different scenario.
Wells? No shot.
Clemens: 100% shoe in.
Mariano? I don't think a shoe in. It's harder for a closer...he's gotta be dominant for many more years too. You guys have to realize, 6-7 good years doesn't constitute making the Hall. You have to be great throughout your whole carreer, and have some impact on the game+your position.
Look at Mattingly. For a while, people considered him a shoe in, then he started getting injured, and couldn't put up his usual numbers.
I think they should be a little stricter in voting people in.

I agree re Jeter as not yet a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame. The modern supertstar shortstop hits with power, in addition to fielding well and hitting for average. A-Rod is the protoype. No way Jeter can compare--and getting into the Hall of Fame has nothing to do with how well your team did while you played...

I think Rivera has a good shot, but as Slappy says, too soon to engrave his shrine in Cooperstown.