World Series thread

**raysnbran** · 10-29-2008, 04:32 PM

Already selling World Series Champion shirts? A tad premature, don't you think?

http://www.cbssportsstore.com/produc...ductId=3362440

**zengator** · 10-29-2008, 04:58 PM

Originally Posted by PhilliesPhan22

Just a little good natured banter. TBH, I don;t want this series to go back to Tampa, it would not be good for us.

I agree.

Tonight is going to be bizarre. As soon as you settle into the game, it'll be over.

But the way things have gone, I wouldn't be surprised if they have to play some extra innings. And it starts to thundersnow. And an easy pop fly strikes a lost albatross and falls for an infield triple. And the umpires blow an obvious and crucial call... wait, they've done that in every WS game so far.

Honestly, I have no idea how things will play out tonight. Best to just sit back, enjoy, and hope for the best.

**zengator** · 10-29-2008, 05:00 PM

Originally Posted by raysnbran

Already selling World Series Champion shirts? A tad premature, don't you think?

http://www.cbssportsstore.com/produc...ductId=3362440

They have a mystery championship t-shirt for the Rays as well: http://www.cbssportsstore.com/produc...715323.1452368

**efin98** · 10-29-2008, 05:12 PM

Originally Posted by raysnbran

He's a Mariners fan, so don't blame us...

And it's pot calling the kettle black...especially after the whole Erik Bedard situation there

**efin98** · 10-29-2008, 05:15 PM

Originally Posted by zengator

They have a mystery championship t-shirt for the Rays as well: http://www.cbssportsstore.com/produc...715323.1452368

Commonplace for all the championships, one template for each team is pre-made based on the same general design. Probably just change the outline color and name to get one or the other(red for Phillies, blue for Rays)

**raysnbran** · 10-29-2008, 06:58 PM

Congrats to the Phillies for winning game 5 and the World Series. You got the clutch pitching and hitting tonight, well done. I hope we can recapture the magic in 2009, we should still have the hunger and some unfinished business to take care of. 4 months till spring training

**Imgran** · 10-29-2008, 07:00 PM

See you guys next year!

It was a great run. I won't be surprised if you're a little disappointed, but you did well and have plenty to look forward to next year.

**zengator** · 10-29-2008, 07:04 PM

Originally Posted by raysnbran

Congrats to the Phillies for winning game 5 and the World Series. You got the clutch pitching and hitting tonight, well done. I hope we can recapture the magic in 2009, we should still have the hunger and some unfinished business to take care of. 4 months till spring training

No doubt. While I'm disappointed right now, I woulda taken 97 wins and a pennant in a heartbeat in spring training. Hell, I woulda taken it at the all-star break... or in the middle of the ALCS. So this season was a fantastic ride, by far the best in a lifetime of watching baseball.

And the best thing? The Rays should be more talented next year.

**Astros** · 10-29-2008, 07:09 PM

The Rays have a great team and have more experience and with that comes more confidence. I was hoping the Rays would win, but you are still AL Champions. The AL Championship rings they'll get sometime next year will only remind the team of the great season they had. Be proud!

**tbng** · 10-29-2008, 07:35 PM

It was a great year for Tampa Bay, and they will be back next season. But the Phillies, as I predicted, prevailed in five because the Rays just couldn't hit. and the Phillies played better defense. It was, without doubt, the strangest World Series in history thanks to old mother nature and the Phils' penchant for letting runners on base. It's time for MLB to shorten the regular season and hold playoff games in the day time. They darn near played baseball in November this post-season.

**disgrig** · 10-29-2008, 07:36 PM

Congratulations to the Rays on one heck of a run! I think this is a team that will be back in Octobers to come.

**mrakbaseball** · 10-29-2008, 10:59 PM

Originally Posted by Judway

Scum? Why the name calling?

Myers assaulted his wife in public, in Boston. I have zero tolerance for that behavior.

Originally Posted by efin98

And it's pot calling the kettle black...especially after the whole Erik Bedard situation there

Erik Bedard? That doesn't even apply to any previous statements.

Congratulations to the Rays on their fine 2008 campaign!

They may have lost to the Phillies, but the Rays' franchise turnaround was baseball's top story.

**efin98** · 10-30-2008, 12:30 AM

Originally Posted by mrakbaseball

Myers assaulted his wife. I have zero tolerance for that scum.

We all forgot about that situation...lucky he got off easy and people have short memories when you are a good athlete.

Erik Bedard? That doesn't even apply to any previous statements

Actually it did until you stated why you thought he was scum and I apologize as you are dead on calling him that...Being a clubhouse cancer like Bedard is nowhere near as bad as a domestic violence performer...

**DownUnderDodger** · 10-30-2008, 02:16 AM

Originally Posted by disgrig

Congratulations to the Rays on one heck of a run! I think this is a team that will be back in Octobers to come.

Hear hear!! Well done on reaching the big stage and I hope your team gains some valuable experience which they can use next year and years to come. Keep the AL East monopoly away from the Yanks and Red Sox.

Thanks for the entertainment you provided me on my televison during all the playoffs.

**Imgran** · 10-30-2008, 04:14 AM

Originally Posted by efin98

Actually it did until you stated why you thought he was scum and I apologize as you are dead on calling him that...Being a clubhouse cancer like Bedard is nowhere near as bad as a domestic violence performer...

Another reason we'll all be glad when the Sox move Julio Lugo.

**PhilliesPhan22** · 10-30-2008, 01:16 PM

Congratz to the Rays on a great season. You guy WILL be back, soon!

**raysnbran** · 10-30-2008, 04:07 PM

The thing that will stick in my craw the most after it's all said and done now, is the Phillies and the casual baseball fan who just turns on the World Series, did not get to see the real Rays. The team that won 97 games, took on the Red Sox, Yankees and Blue Jays best shots (sorry O's) and fought them off to win the division by 2. The team that won 3 of 4 vs Chicago in the first round. That went toe to toe with the defending WS Champions in 7 hard fought games.

The team that was stellar on defense, hugely improved in relief pitching, 29-18 in one run games in the regular season, nearly 10 walk off wins and many other clutch performances down the stretch (Dan Johnson anyone?).

The team that the world saw for the last 10 days batted .212, made errors in their last 8 games (4 games was their longest stretch in the regular season), made many mental errors, whose starters didn't go past 6 innings, lost 3 games by 1 run, whose bullpen reverted to 2007 levels, whose best 2 hitters were 0 for 31 at one point...I could go on, but.

Was it that the Rays ran out of gas after an emotional 7 game series with a rival, facing the Red Sox a whopping 25 times this season, and had nothing left in the tank for the Phillies? Or were the Phillies simply the hottest team coming down the stretch of September and thru the playoffs, and no matter what the Rays did, Philly always had a counter measure to beat it? You have to think the Rays full body of work meant they do have a good team and just picked a bad time to have a team slump, but the Phillies had a lot to do with it too.

Again, congrats to the Phillies for beating us. It certainly could have been a sweep had you gotten more of those RISP to score. You had our number this year, and we would like nothing better than for a rematch in 2009.

**mtortolero** · 10-30-2008, 08:25 PM

Is Maddon really a good manager?
His gaffes last night left him looking as someone who takes desicions challenging his odds all the time: he gave up two times the platoon advantage with his pitchers against Jenkins and Burrell)and both times Philladelphia scored.
He kept the pitcher hitting instead a pinch-hitter putting the inning in two outs and closing the door for other tactic than a hit. He stole second base with Fernando Perez in the ninth but not with Carl Crawford in the eight.
Really was not the best night for Maddon.

**DownUnderDodger** · 10-31-2008, 06:37 AM

Originally Posted by mtortolero

Is Maddon really a good manager?
His gaffes last night left him looking as someone who takes desicions challenging his odds all the time: he gave up two times the platoon advantage with his pitchers against Jenkins and Burrell)and both times Philladelphia scored.
He kept the pitcher hitting instead a pinch-hitter putting the inning in two outs and closing the door for other tactic than a hit. He stole second base with Fernando Perez in the ninth but not with Carl Crawford in the eight.
Really was not the best night for Maddon.

Oh please......
He took a team that never previously had a + .500 season all the way to the World Series, a team full of youngsters who had never been on such abig stage before, and they fell at the very last hurdle. Surely he cannot be criticised for that. In my limited opinion I feel he must be a very good manager.

**zengator** · 10-31-2008, 12:00 PM

Joe Maddon is a good leader and a mediocre strategist as a manager. In my opinion.

The decision to let Howell bat and bunt with one out was crucial to the Rays losing game 5 1/2, especially since he later gave up that double to lead off the 8th. But of course, hindsight is 20/20...

As for the Rays' performance in the WS - yes, it was disappointing, and I agree that they seemed emotionally and physically drained after the ALCS. Not to take anything away from Philly, as they played very well and may have beaten the Rays anyway. But it wasn't very hard to beat up the (D)-Rays team that reappeared at a most inopportune time.

**raysnbran** · 10-31-2008, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by mtortolero

Is Maddon really a good manager?
His gaffes last night left him looking as someone who takes desicions challenging his odds all the time: he gave up two times the platoon advantage with his pitchers against Jenkins and Burrell)and both times Philladelphia scored.
He kept the pitcher hitting instead a pinch-hitter putting the inning in two outs and closing the door for other tactic than a hit. He stole second base with Fernando Perez in the ninth but not with Carl Crawford in the eight.
Really was not the best night for Maddon.

Maddon does rely on hunches and gut feeling a lot, and for the most part, they have worked out this season. He is being second guessed now because some of those hunches didn't work out on the biggest stage.

I too wondered out loud why Howell was batting with one out and a man on 1st. The bunt worked but the strategy Maddon employed did not result in a run. Crawford has a green light to go whenever he wants, so you can't blame Maddon for that one. Plus Upton didn't even give him a chance to run, swinging on the first pitch into a double play.

I would rather he have started the bottom of the 6th with Balfour, but when Jenkins was announced, bring in Miller to face him or make Manuel burn a bench player right off the bat. Balfour had been struggling his last few outings after a stellar season, and it put us in a hole right from jump street.

**efin98** · 10-31-2008, 06:42 PM

Originally Posted by DownUnderDodger

Oh please......
He took a team that never previously had a + .500 season all the way to the World Series, a team full of youngsters who had never been on such abig stage before, and they fell at the very last hurdle. Surely he cannot be criticised for that. In my limited opinion I feel he must be a very good manager.

Never been on such a big stage? A chunk of them had playoff experience and World Series experience already. The only ones who really had no experience were the home grown players, the ones brought in had that experience already. Heck Eric Hinske was in the World Series the year before!

About the only guy who had been around awhile who didn't have any experience in the playoffs whatsoever was the manager himself!

**raysnbran** · 11-01-2008, 04:41 AM

Originally Posted by efin98

About the only guy who had been around awhile who didn't have any experience in the playoffs whatsoever was the manager himself!

Maddon was the bench coach in Anaheim for many years with Mike Sciosia, and was in the playoffs numerous times. No experience as a manager in the playoffs, but as far as being part of the pressure and the strategy decisions, he was well versed in that aspect.

**efin98** · 11-01-2008, 08:59 PM

Originally Posted by raysnbran

Maddon was the bench coach in Anaheim for many years with Mike Sciosia, and was in the playoffs numerous times. No experience as a manager in the playoffs, but as far as being part of the pressure and the strategy decisions, he was well versed in that aspect.

Being the bench coach is differenet than actually being the manager, the experiences are two seperate things for two different positions...