mstar1

Are you ready Geisha?

what?? you think this is over??? there is No sense in reliving the glory of days gone by --Geisha-- THESE are the Glory Days--right now What would this all be worth if it were easy? You dont remeber being down in the fourth game in the 9th inning afew short years ago? Daisuke is going tomorrow "Daisuke" means "divine wind", like a zen master, like Yoda he has been weaving in to and miraculously out of trouble all year long "The wind blows where it will, and though you hear the sound of it, you neither know whence it comes or where it goes" Daisuke is like that --- nobody knows how he does it. I dont have any idea what the wind will bring tomorrow, but having someone named Divine Wind on the mound is a really good start. When you least expect it these winds can reek havoc on a peaceful seaside town like Tampa Bay Its not over---its not over at all. Chin up---Keep The Faith Geisha This is just when it really starts to get good

High(low)light reel of the last two games:

O yea they're good--Im not suggesting that they arent a great team--Incredibly good pitching and great defense, i am surprised a little by the offensive numbers theyve put up in this series---I knew they had it in them---but didnt think that Id see it over and over in one series like this----Ive said before and have experienced with the Red Sox that the playoffs seem to go to the good team that all jells together at just the right time--and the Rays definitely are... At this moment they are definitely looking like the team to beat-and the team of destiny for this year. This would be incredibly deflating if the past few years hadnt been so good to me baseball wise.. it is a little disappointing, but if the Red Sox end up losing this series--even though to me they look terrible at least they lost to a very good team. Next years AL East is going to be mind boggling tough-as yknow the Yanks and RedSox will be out to improve themselves and the Rays are all very young and solid.. of course at 1-3 we have them just where we want them

Well I got my first wish --- a new lineup tonight-- Looks like Playoff Francona wokeup this mornin! I like this line up! 1. J.D. Drew, RF 2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B 3. David Ortiz, DH 4. Kevin Youkilis, 3B 5. Jason Bay, LF 6. Mark Kotsay, 1B 7. Coco Crisp, CF 8. Kevin Cash, C 9. Jed Lowrie, SS Another good article on Francona from ESPN HERE

Yea thats a big one--Winning is always fun and no doubt Tampa is very talented and hungry--- These series take so much out of me its like the emotional rollercoaster of an entire season condensed into one week..its emotionally brutal... I dont know what the heck it is with the Red Sox and the ALCS =--its just never ever ever comes easy 1986 - Win first game, but go down 3-1 to the Angels before coming back and winning in 7 1988 - Swept 1990 - Swept 1999 - Down 2-0 to the Yanks, out in five 2003 - Win first game, but never lead the series again, lose 7th game in 11th 2004 - Not be outdone by '86, decide to go down 3-0 before coming back 2007 - Down 3-1 to Cleveland , win in 7 2008 - Um, haven't I seen this movie before? I mean, jeez, they can't stand being up more than a game.

Glad you got to go. There is nothing like playoff baseball--The highs are higher and the lows are lower---and being in that atmosphere--where everybody knows exactly what is going on at every pitch is something that is incredibly exhilirating........after the disappointing meltdown on this side of the country earlier in the day and being awake late for the better part of two weeks I wasnt in much of a mood to stay through to the end of your game...I was very surprised when I woke up expecting the series to be tied out there. We both have some uphill battles to go through now.. Its happened before but I dont see it happening out here again this year unless lightening strikes a third time and that better be in a hurry. The Sox are playing listlessly with way way too many gaping holes and TampaBay is hot and hungry. I knew they were good....I wonder what even $20 on them to go to the WS in March would bring you today. 10k? probably more... Its not quite over.... First they have to get through our 435 year old knuckleballer Tim Wakefield who hasnt thrown a pitch in about a month, Francona has to shake up the lineup tonight--Last year Ellsbury came in in Game 5 and injected life in a dead lineup--they gotta get him out now or drop him to ninth--put Crisp and Lowrie back in and hope Varitek and Ortiz wake up, maybe move Bay up Yup its going to be an interesting winter----

...hmm... well--- the only good news is in a few days I may never ever have to hear Chip Caray or Buck Martinez ever announce another game

:eusa_clap: Bravo!! Enjoy! these things just dont come everyday. Ive been tempted to drive over to Fenway just to hang outside, but Im opting for home and TV this afternoon Im full up on game food/ munchies/ things to drink/ comfy chairs...and...plenty of room to pace

Good Luck out there today Hiway Whats the LA perspective? I would think that the city is humming right about now and that Lowe better have his good sinker today

I know it gets a little abrasive in there (not nearly as bad as it once was) but is that really a reason to delete the entire forum? I suspect that Im not the only one who, regardless of the conduct of the posters, still enjoys the free flow of information that i may not be exposed to if that forum didnt exist. It may not be for the timid but its a good public service--- Bring it back! or am I just blind and its hiding somewhere? EDIT: Well that was weird --it was gone from my list for about 35 minutes--I posted this thread and it reappeared

yea I know I cant bitch, I wanted to come out 1-1 and they did--It could have been different-- 8 runs should be enough to win any game---especially a playoff game---I like Francona, but that was frustrating--so far Playoff Francona, Playoff Beckett and Playoff Ortiz are all MIA---I can live (well not without some anxiety) without Beckett and Ortiz although its tough but Francona needs to be 'there' .... I wasnt the only one apparently-- I read around 25Sox blogs and news articles this AM calling it the worst managed game of the year I'll chalk it up to emotional intensity of these games and wont (cant) dwell on it-- gotta get em tomorrow afternoon. Its a best of 5 now with the first three at Fenway I wouldve liked it to have been different but thats still a pretty good place to be.... Just got in and the Dodgers are up 6-1--still early--did I miss a brawl? lets make this one a series

E-6 double clutch post

well yea good to watch----worst managed game of the year from a Red Sox standpoint though. No way Beckett should have been in there as long as he was while giving up 8 runs-- It was easy to see in the first inning that Playoff Beckett certainly wasnt there, Reg Season Beckett wasnt even there--That was injured Josh out there--and if he's hurtin he generally gives up 8 -Why stake 8 Runs before you make a move when you could come close to putting the series away? Theres a fifth starter (Paul Byrd) who isnt scheduled in the series who could have stepped in before it got out of hand... Francona also made the exact same bullpen moves in the 3rd game ALCS loss to the Angels--leaving extra innings to Mike Timlin who is about as old as me==who lost again.... ...bottom of the lineup was also terrible... It was a good game---but I'd feel a lot better being up 2-0 ---and the chance was there---the game wasnt tense enough I had to go through the torture of Chip Caray's incessant Rays cheering through the whole game which added to the whole thing and annoyed the hell out of me. Kotsay getting called out on a pitch 16 inches outside in the 9th and 400 Viva! Viagra! commercials didnt help either O well---just another day in October.... we got us a series---we get 'em tomorrow---

*******g r o a n********* If any of you see Terry Francona can you please tell him theres a ballgame he is supposed to be managing tonight in Tampa. It would be a big help if he shows up.

I was actually talking about the ALCS in that post :) but the NLCS looks pretty darn good too. These games are tense --Red Sox -Rays was 1-0 most of the way with both teams threatening many times and then getting shutdown over and over which makes for a lot of pacing, strange antics and superstition from me..and its only game ONE.... These teams are pretty evenly matched and although the Red Sox have a slight leg up at the moment --it could very well go 7-- I love love love the emotional intensity of playoff baseball, If I get charged and maybe go a little over the top during this period you'll know why. October baseball is like Christmas morning for me

OK---- I can breathe again--I think thats the first breath Ive taken in about 3 hours That was intense--- I cant believe I have to do this all over again tomorrow---- BUT I'll take it..... :) This is going to be a great tough series!!

Doctor Zen----no one knows how he does it----he just does top of the ninth---its still too early for me to breathe yet----

Sorry bout that Tom- moot point now DiceK worked out of the 7th-- Im gonna have to go run a marathon to calm down after this game........

shush you Im already ready to strangle Chip Caray for mentioning it over and over about 80 times

walks three in the first with no damage Dice being Dice this could be a long nerve fraying night for me

Well that got exciting in the ninth--I cant tell if Lidges drop off the table slider is really that good or if plate discipline needs to be improved --it seemed like Kemp and Nomar swung at way too many bad pitches when it counted--but still an exciting game... Dodgers have got some work to do....

I know --- i love the way playoff games s t r e t c h out time It seems like a month since the Red Sox played--Hopefully DiceK keeps his walks under 4 tonight and nothing has to be played off the ceilings and catwalks in Tampa but thats still an hour and a half away may as well be a day-- Manny pops out on a 2-0 high fastball as I type---FWIW he looks more emotionally engaged than Ive ever seen him before...

This game aint over yet-- Manny makes it 8-5 and its still only the fourth--Myers isnt looking that great --If the Dodgers bullpen can hold its still a game... Monday is a long ways away yet---Im still pickin the Dodgers

Yea uh oh I know you posted last night--but De Bums are in a hole now, and into the bullpen in the third and could go down 2-0- I dont know enough about Park but they cant afford to burn the whole bullpen this early in the series imo. Looks like Torre's got his work cut out for him 8-2 Phils in the third bummer