SB Nation User Blog: BoSox415

Matzusaka to pitch for Japan in 2009 World Classic

BoSox415 — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 03:56:17 -0000

Matzusaka to pitch for Japan in 2009 World Classic

Daisuke Matzusaka has said that, if asked, he will pitch in the 2009 Baseball World Classic for Japan, if asked. Thoughts?

Pedroia only Red Sox to win Silver Slugger

BoSox415 — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:54:14 -0000

Pedroia only Red Sox to win Silver Slugger

Dustin Pedroia wins the Silver Slugger award at 2B. This will go with his Gold Glove, and hopefully, MVP award. MVPs will be announced Tuesday.

Great job, guys

BoSox415 — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 01:01:48 -0000

You guys deserved it. You guys played hard, and did something the MFY of 2004 couldn't: stop a Red Sox rally. It is very hard, and you guys did it. Congratulations.

The ALCS is what everybody wanted. 7 games, an almost completed comeback. A Rays-Philly series. I'd go for the Rays here, as I would for all World Series, I go for the American League team, except for the MFY.

We feel for you guys. Sure, Matt Garza beat us, and we are still wondering how, but i have to admit that all-around, the Rays starting rotation is better than ours. I mean, maybe Lester or Beckett when he is on is better, but you guys seem to have a pretty consistent four in Kazmir, Shields, Garza, and Sonny.

Your line-up... BJ really showed up for the playoffs. Evan was doing well, despite being a bit ahead of himself. You guys just out-hit us, out-pitched us (for the most part) and out-played us. Congratulations.

Even more thoughts flyin' around my head

BoSox415 — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 19:34:12 -0000

Helluva season.

First of all... Hat tip to the Rays. They played their hearts out. They deserved to win. Beat the crap outta Philly in the World Series.

And now... what? Our season has ended prematurely (no, not like that) and we should start to plan ahead for next year. I see britsoxfan has already written a blog about trading, free agents, ect.

Random thoughts:

Will Josh Beckett need off-season surgery?
Who will be the starting shortstop next year?
What free agents should we sign- wait, already ongoing discussion.
Will Lowell skip out on next year, either because Lars the Impaler will be called up, or will he have surgery? If he skips at all?
If Lars is called up, will Youk move to third, or will Anderson be molded into a third baseman?
Who will be the starting center fielder? Probably Jacoby, but Crisp really showed up during the playoffs.

And now team superlatives:

MVP: Dustin Pedroia, or Kevin Youkilis?

Cy Young: Jon Lester, I think we can pretty much agree. Playoffs don't matter.

Gold Glover: Youks. Maybe D-Ped.

Savior: JD Drew, in June.

Manny gets nothing.

My to-do list:

Dump Varitek.
Dump Wake.
Fill in that spot in the rotation.
Trade Cora and Casey for a catcher.
If Lowell is not playing next year, dump him and call up Lars/ train Kotsay at third. Youk is too valuable at first. If Cora is the everyday third basemen I will shoot myself.
RE-SIGN PEDROIA!! And the possible MVP is only making $480,000.

Discussing on britsoxfans blog about Ryan Doumit. The more I look, the more I like. Lowell and Tek for him.

Poll

What is the Sox main priority in the off-season?

Re-sign Pedroia.

6 votes

Go after a free-agent (see britsoxfans blog.)

4 votes

Sulk from losing.

6 votes

16 votes | Poll has closed

Pre-game thread: How does it feel?

BoSox415 — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 22:19:15 -0000

No, this is not trying to provoke trolls. So go away now if you were looking for a fight.

The question I am asking...

Does anyone feel less secure now that the Series is even? For some strange reason, I feel a little more vulnerable. Anyone else feeling this way?

Some possible reasons:

Garza seemed to have our number.
I have stopped my superstitions, and was on the brink of feeling like an idiot.
Lester may collapse under pressure because he is so young, and the bullpen will lose the ability to throw strikes.
The Rays youth may make them oblivious to being in such pressure.
I'M SO NERVOUS!!

I have literally no idea why. Probably just nerves....

And now we play: The Waiting Game!

Feel free to comment about how you feel, up until gametime.

Poll

How confident do you feel about Game 7 tonight?

Extremely confident. Lester is on the mound, and all of our hitters are getting hot.

3 votes

Pretty confident. Lester got hit in his last start, but will recover to pitch a quality start.

4 votes

Neutral. I honestly don't feel like we are at an advantage or disadvantage.

4 votes

Not very. Garza seems to be strong against us, and I don't like the way Lester was hit.

2 votes

Series is over. Rays go on to the World Series. Good-bye cruel world.

8 votes

21 votes | Poll has closed

Random thoughts flyin' through my head

BoSox415 — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 02:06:31 -0000

Still in shock from the Sox comeback.

'Nuff said.

Actually, no. I have some more things to say.

JD Drew. Francona has GOT to keep him in the rest of the playoffs, he is on a hot streak. JD Drew on a hot streak = best hitter in majors at the time, hands down.

Start Lester. Play every game like its your last. Beckett needs more rest, and then after game 6 (and trust me, there will be an after game 6) make the decision to start either Beckett, depending on how he looks, or * gulp * Wakefield or Byrd. Maybe even Masterson.

I watched the first couple innings, saw Dice-k wasn't on his game, and eventually gave up. Beginning the seventh, though, I decided, oh well, might as well be a good fan.

Remember the rules:

No cursing, except for "damn". MerryGoByeBye, you are exempt. It's the thought that counts.
You may only use the bathroom in the bottom of every inning.
Keep your Sox hat on your head the whole time, and do not adjust it until the game is over or we need to rally in the ninth.
Do not itch any scratches.
I know, I'm superstitious. I will not be joining you guys for the game tomorrow, or for game 7.

Papi is back. Drew is back.

The Red Sox are back.

Bring it on, Tampa.

Please, somebody make a sig along the lines of "12:16 AM, 10-17-03, Aaron Boone hits a walk-off home run to end the Red Sox season. 12:16 AM, 10-17-08, JD Drew hits the walk-off double to force a Game 6."

Poll

Did you watch all of the Red Sox amazing Game 5 comeback? Be honest. Nobody is perfect.

I am a die hard fan and watched all 9 innings of it.

10 votes

I zoned out during some of it, figuring the Sox season was over. Shame on me.

6 votes

I skipped it. I was halfway considering going to a bar until my friend called me to say "It's over. 7-0."

1 votes

17 votes | Poll has closed

Funny T-shirt design. I search Barry Bonds and it comes up....

BoSox415 — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:40:07 -0000

Funny T-shirt design. I search Barry Bonds and it comes up....

New "Dream" ALCS

BoSox415 — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:07:36 -0000

The ALCS of the future: Red Sox vs. Rays. This will be like the Yankees Red Sox ALCS rivalry, but the Rays will take over the Yankees spot. This will almost certainly reoccur for a while, as both teams also have very good farm systems. There could not be a better series. The two best teams in the AL (probably in all of the MLB) going at it. Anyway, I just wanted to say, this will be a great series. I have never disliked the Rays, but I am not a fan. It is how I would feel, I don't know, for the Diamondbacks. I have nothing for them, and nothing against them.

IMO, that is how most Rays fans should feel about the Red Sox. Actually, feel free to dislike them a little more than that, as I would if I were a Rays fan rooting against the Red Sox. We are the next Yankees, except with a good farm system. Everyone loves to hate on that monster fast-food chain, McDonalds, or that even bigger super-store, Wal-Mart. So naturally, everyone hates on the team that wins title after title. I know, 2 titles in 4 years is nothing to go crazy about, but it's a good start.

So here's to a good, clean, long ALCS. I would rather see the series go 7 games, and of course, I would prefer if the Red Sox would win, but if they don't I would root for the Rays against whoever in the World Series. I hope you would do the same for us.

Poll

Who will win the ALCS?

Rays sweep.

12 votes

Rays in 5.

7 votes

Rays in 6.

32 votes

Rays in 7.

17 votes

Red Sox in 7.

4 votes

Red Sox in 6.

4 votes

Red Sox in 5.

2 votes

Red Sox sweep.

1 votes

79 votes | Poll has closed

These tough old Sox

BoSox415 — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:56:57 -0000

Schilling out with a shoulder. Papi out with the wrist. The bad news kept coming and coming.

Name one team that would have withstood these injuries, and still make the playoffs. The 2006 Red Sox? Nah.

It all started with Schilling. Out for the year. Already, before the season even starts, a big gash is put in the balloon of the hope of returning to the playoffs. Schilling may have thrown his last pitch in the Major Leagues.

Next came Ortiz. Wrist problems on a power hitter, that's like a soccer player having his leg amputated. So who stepped in? J.D. Drew. Great month of July, keeping the Sox in contention.

Lugo, perhaps the best injury because it let Lowrie get some playing time. <Insert negative NG comment about Lugo here>.

Colon, a on/off starter who never seems to be on the roster, is gone to the 60-day DL.

That is a small fraction of the number of injuries. A fifth, actually, not including day-to-day injuries.

The Manny annual trade talk finally paid off, I guess you could say, getting his wish and being traded to LA, whcih brought hard-working Jason Bay to Boston.

These guys never give up. They go down with a number of injuries. They are reduced to putting the 5'7 Pedroia at clean-up (not saying thats a bad thing, it actually worked out quite well.) They perservered, and deserve to win the World Series.

Terry Francona: Manager of the year. He finds ways to make a powerful lineup. You put Mike Scioscia in Terry's cleats, he would run the team into the ground (pun intended.)

The Red Sox: relentless, perservering, World Series-worthy.

Have any other players you think are worthy? Comment below and I'll add them.

Poll

Who deserves the most credit for the success of the Red Sox this season, despite all the injuries and Manny leaving?

Dustin Pedroia. MVP candidate, has carried the team on his 5'7 body since JD cooled down.

6 votes

JD Drew. He kept the Sox in playoff contention in June, when Ortiz went down with an injury and the Rays were surging.

3 votes

Terry Francona. The only manager in baseball who could have guided ths team through controversial trades, injuries and slides.

2 votes

Jason Bay. Acquired in the Manny trade, Jason has been key in the Sox quest for the playoffs and beyond.

1 votes

Jon Lester. Unexpected young ace who tossed a no-hitter, he looks to help Josh Beckett in the Red Sox World Series run.

13 votes

All of the above. We are ONE TEAM, WITH ONE GOAL!

6 votes

31 votes | Poll has closed

Toss in the towel?

BoSox415 — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:35:32 -0000

Well, as of 9-18-08, the Red Sox are 2 games back of the Rays. With the Rays, unless they have an extreme skid, gaining 2 games is as likely as Sean Casey hitting an inside-the-park home run.

The Red Sox have two options:

Bring out all the big guns (meaning, no resting for the playoffs.)

Rest, conserve and take the Wild Card.

The two advantages of winning the division:

The momentum (this team seems to be all about momentum)

Not playing the Angels

This means probably playing Chicago, and their only ability seems to be htting home runs. As opposed to, the Angels, who have an excellent running game, as well as timely hitting and good pitching.

The risk of going for the division title is that a star player might get hurt (Pedroia breaking a finger on a headfirst slide, Ortiz re-injuring his wrist.)

Is it worth the risk?

Poll

Is it time for the Red Sox to settle in for the Wild Card?

Double or nothing! WATCH OUT TAMPA BAY!

16 votes

Better not risk it. We almost are guarenteed a playoff spot, and we do well against the Angels in the playoffs.

21 votes

37 votes | Poll has closed