The Bitter Rivals Thread

[Mattingly]

Re: BoSox fans AWOL!

Originally posted by YankeeMan
Well, you know they have to stop at a bar and drink first. Wait, the game was in Baltimore -- they're already at the bar!

PS -- I think they show up here but hide in the shadows... Until they think everyone's left for the night.

Maybe they visited the Babe Ruth Birthplace Museum. Couldn't have been that bad, enlightening even!

[VTSoxFan]

Originally posted by Mattingly
Your "#8 hitter" was Bill Mueller, the *only* MLB player to hit a granny from both sides of the plate in the same game, who's leading in the bat race with a .327 to Jeter's .325. He also has a .930+ OPS and went 4 for 5 today. C'mon, he was the #2 hitter on Sunday, as he was a few games before this, and I don't think his stats change because Little changed the BO. I've seen Tek in the #8 spot, and I don't think he's a weak hitter either, unlike last season's Tony Clark.

IMO, a #8 hitter has a .250 BA and a .700 OPS, about 5-10 HRs all season, but can at least field. In the NL, they call them "Rey Ordonez", since they bat before the pitcher.

Yeah, fielding was pretty sloppy. Even Kim got an E1, which saved his ERA I guess.

Told you Rodrigo Lopez stunk. Now if only Burkett and the Williamson/Kim combo could've kept a few more in the park.

Well, yeah, I know, but it sounded better if I said "#8 hitter" than "Mueller."

Kin's "error" was actually runner's intereference, as the runner was clearly INSIDE the baseline. But the Umps were so damn fired up by that time that they weren't going to listen to any more protest. I think the runner could have crossed the infield and taken second and the umps wouldn't have called it. Their emotinal involvement in the game -- or perhaps their collective anger at and impatience with both teams -- was just... I can't think of a word for it. Well, I can, but I can't use it here. What a rotten game. I'm not blaming the loss on them -- the Sox bullpen quite competently blew this one on their own, with an unhelping hand from 4 errors -- but they didn't help matters by getting so fired up.

I take comfort in that this game was a fluke, and everyone knows the Sox are better than this, and this sort of train wreck won't happen every day.

GO SOX! GO TIGERS!

[RedSoxFanAtic]

Discouraging

How discouraging...

RedSox win first 2 in NY to close to within 1.5 games of the hated, obnoxious Yank-me's

so can they win the third to complete the sweep, in NY, and close to within a half game - and really start to apply the pressure and make things interesting?

no. they have to lose the third, dropping back to 2.5 out, then lose to the orioles to drop back to the 3.5 out they were entering the NY series. Is there some unwritten rule that they have to constantly reach the doorstep of success, only to lose in the end?

why couldn't they have just beaten Wells in the third game and have the yanks start choking because of it?

The Sox may still come back and win it yet, but they sure are a frustrating team to root for. Luckily, I was to busy with work to see any of the games, so I didn't have to feel all that anxiety!

The Sox do at least have a good shot to make the playoffs, even if they can't pull out the division. It's not like the yanks look that good that anyone should fear them in the playoffs.

[YankeeMan]

Re: Discouraging

Originally posted by RedSoxFanAtic
Is there some unwritten rule that they have to constantly reach the doorstep of success, only to lose in the end?

Yes, there is...

[BC498]

Don't know how you could leave yourself that open RSFA.

[Mattingly]

Originally posted by VTSoxFan
Well, yeah, I know, but it sounded better if I said "#8 hitter" than "Mueller."

Kin's "error" was actually runner's intereference, as the runner was clearly INSIDE the baseline. But the Umps were so damn fired up by that time that they weren't going to listen to any more protest. I think the runner could have crossed the infield and taken second and the umps wouldn't have called it. Their emotinal involvement in the game -- or perhaps their collective anger at and impatience with both teams -- was just... I can't think of a word for it. Well, I can, but I can't use it here. What a rotten game. I'm not blaming the loss on them -- the Sox bullpen quite competently blew this one on their own, with an unhelping hand from 4 errors -- but they didn't help matters by getting so fired up.

I take comfort in that this game was a fluke, and everyone knows the Sox are better than this, and this sort of train wreck won't happen every day.

GO SOX! GO TIGERS!

You're lucky I was tired, or I would've said, "Grady, Grady, you so Shady!" which was a favorite Redd Foxx line from "Sanford & Sons". Anyway, I was following the game online and Mueller is a very prolific hitter who came dirt cheap, only 2-3x the price of a decent utility guy. I'm wondering who's more dangerous: him or Nomar?

I have no idea why your guys and you fans worry so much about Baltimore. They're in 4th place, so beating them should likely require playing the same way you play any other team: calmness, taking advantage of opportunities, letting batters chase pitches, work the opposing pitcher. Stuff like that.

I don't happen to have the game log in front of me, but Williamson and Kim didn't exactly show me they were the guys that Theo traded for. I'm not sure if that pitch coach has returned yet or not, but I guess it's been long enough that he
has.

As to an encore, who knows? I think Baltimore has done damage to Boston before and at season's end, more reason to improve their record, I figure they're thinking. Hope you guys enjoy your stay in YS South and Baltimore, birthplace of a team which eventually became the NY Yanks, and one notable LHP/corner OF.

[Mattingly]

[darth vader voice]

RSFA, you were forewarned by myself that I dragged you back here when you jumped off the burning ship, since I needed opposing fans to deal with the misery. I needed someone who wanted their hopes up way high, only to see things lost at the end.

That was my message, now that's my promise, that things will get very ugly in Red Sox baseball very soon.

The doom is just starting, and things haven't even begun to get ugly. You have been forewarned, my friend. The end is near!

[/darth vader voice]

[drillerman]

Originally posted by Mattingly
[darth vader voice]

RSFA, you were forewarned by myself that I dragged you back here when you jumped off the burning ship, since I needed opposing fans to deal with the misery. I needed someone who wanted their hopes up way high, only to see things lost at the end.

That was my message, now that's my promise, that things will get very ugly in Red Sox baseball very soon.

The doom is just starting, and things haven't even begun to get ugly. You have been forewarned, my friend. The end is near!

[/darth vader voice]

[Luke Skywalker voice]

Ah yes but only a West Coast Force team can win this year. So the gloom will be spread to Yankee Stadium this fall.

[/Luke Skywaler voice]

[Mattingly]

Originally posted by drillerman
[Luke Skywalker voice]

Ah yes but only a West Coast Force team can win this year. So the gloom will be spread to Yankee Stadium this fall.

[/Luke Skywaler voice]

Great. Gives me one more cheap excuse to raid the west coast about now!

[drillerman]

well as long as you leave okiehoma alone you can do what ever you want.

[Mattingly]

Originally posted by drillerman
well as long as you leave okiehoma alone you can do what ever you want.

What's in Oklahoma? Other than the birthplaces of Mantle and Bench?

[drillerman]

The Drillers and The Oklahoma Redhawks. and the birthplace of the drunk AKA Mantle and bench. Tornado every once and a while.

[YankeeMan]

We won 4-2 but played badly...

Yanks are lucky they were playing Detroit tonight -- just about any other team would have crushed us. We played terribly -- in just about every aspect of the game.

[racosun]

Re: We won 4-2 but played badly...

Originally posted by YankeeMan
Yanks are lucky they were playing Detroit tonight -- just about any other team would have crushed us. We played terribly -- in just about every aspect of the game.

Agreed.

[VTSoxFan]

Originally posted by Mattingly
You're lucky I was tired, or I would've said, "Grady, Grady, you so Shady!" which was a favorite Redd Foxx line from "Sanford & Sons". Anyway, I was following the game online and Mueller is a very prolific hitter who came dirt cheap, only 2-3x the price of a decent utility guy. I'm wondering who's more dangerous: him or Nomar?

I have no idea why your guys and you fans worry so much about Baltimore. They're in 4th place, so beating them should likely require playing the same way you play any other team: calmness, taking advantage of opportunities, letting batters chase pitches, work the opposing pitcher. Stuff like that.

Well, Mueller has gone 7-8 in the last 2 games with 2 HRs. Nomar has gone 1-9 or something like that with 1HR; his BA has fallen to about .312 and he's hitting about .250 on the road. Seems all he can do away from Fenway is hit pop-ups and lazy fly balls. At this moment, Mueller is leading the AL in hitting and just hits everything he sees.

I don't know what it is about Baltimore either! Their pitching is the pits and their hitting is almost laughable, but they play like the '01 Mariners v. the Sox. It's VERY frustrating. We should be able to go in there and wipe the floor with them but more often end up as the mop-rags. Grrrr.

Not tonight, though. A nice win. See, I knew last night's disaster wouldn't happen again. Lowe wasn't great, but plenty good enough; Jones was great for 1.2 innings, then got all wobbly and gave up a run before getting that last out. Then Mendoza came in and gave up a couple loud outs before striking out the final batter. We're shattering team records for HRs and extra-base hits; if Mueller hits 2 more HRs he'll be the 7th guy on the team with at least 20. Not too shabby for a #8 hitter! Plus Manny scored from 1st on a SINGLE. And people say he doesn't hustle!