The Bitter Rivals Thread

[Mattingly]

Of course, Biggerin, I could be convinced to swap avs for a week beginning Monday *if* you decided to convince me to do so in the appropriate thread before gametime.

[VTSoxFan]

If we're talking ideals as in Utopian ideals, it would be:

Pedro/Wells
Pedro/Mussina
Pedro/Weaver


However, since they haven't figured out how to clone him yet, we'll have to settle for Pedro only pitching 1 game. Bummer!

Wells doesn't like Fenway, and has had some pretty bad games here, (I know he's pitched some good ones recently -- last Sept. and this spring), and the Sox really had his number last time. Let's hope they haven't lost his number! Let it be Souvenir Night in the Monster Seats!

I suppose (grudgingly) the edge goes to Mussina tomorrow, but Burkett has pitched some surprisingly good games recently. If he can get backed up with some run support... hope springs eternal... and there's always the "reverse-lock" which worked when Mendoza faced Clemens. So maybe it'll work Saturday too.

And Lowe said he rediscovered his 2002 mechanics last time, and pitched well (except the 2 HRs). I'm looking for another 18-20 ground ball outs from him, and Weaver has been... shall I say, a little unreliable.

I say the Sox have the edge in 2 of the games. They're playing very well at home, and their offensive production has been just awe-inspiring; their team slugging % is at .500 right now. Since I am the bigest jinx in the world, I'm not betting anything, but I'm hoping, BOY am I hoping! 2 out of 3. Yup!

Here come the Sox!

[Mattingly]

VT, they did clone Pedro. Let him pitch all 3 games! Nothing like beating Pedro 3 times in one series, I always say.

Anyway, if Weaver has pitched a few games of his life, but then he's found his fastball. He curve stinks *bad*, and that should never be used. If Posada calls for this, I'll be threatened to take a bus north, then jump onto the field and chase both of them out of there myself. (joke)

Hey, I've seen bad games from Lowe also. Boomer and Weaver, I'll really cross my fingers for. Moose just has to be his usual self and not give us a bad game. It's possible we could have 2 of 3, but I'm not sure.

Even if Boomer doesn't like Fenway, I doubt Clemens likes it either, but he still won #299 there. It's now Yankee Stadium he doesn't seem to do as well at, unlike last season. I still say it's anybody's guess what the results will be.

[Biggerin]

I find that so often, in a situation like mussina vs burkett, a sure bet on mussina, it never seems to go down so easily like that.

For example, the last game before the all-star break. The sox were playing detroit and the yanks were playing toronto with weaver on the mound at the dome. This was a sure bet on the red sox gaining a game on the yanks.

However, the red sox were shut out 3-0 and weaver had an excelent start. The sox ended up losing a game. I can't say part of me didn't expect that, I had a gut feeling.

And I have this same gut feeling about burkett vs mussina.

What I really think is going to happen:

Pedro is in need of wins and run support. He's starting to get it again, and I highly expect him to win game one tonight, I don't think it will end in a save situation.

Burkett's going to have a pretty damn decent game for himself, but maybe a little back and forth in the first few innings. I think it will go down to the bullpen and be a save situation, but burkett will get the win. This is the most important game. We all know pedro can take wells, and lowe definately has the advantage over weaver, but if your number 5 starter can take out the ace, you've won a game you were supposed to lose. This is good all around. Burkett's a vet, he'll know what to do.


Sunday, I'm not positive about, but I'm desperately hoping for weaver to have a horrible start. Unfortunately, just like you can't rely on weaver to have a good start, we can't rely on him having a bad on either. I expect lowe to not have his best start ever, but probably will squeek out a win anyway. Maybe the bullpen will win it and we'll have another come-from-behinder.

of course, just as easily, all three can be reversed. The only certain thing is that it's going to be a hell of a series, and I won't be missing a game (if it's feasable)

[Mattingly]

Biggerin, I'm not sure that any of these games will get a win from the starter. On paper, Pedro does look much better than Boomer, but Boomer has gone scoreless CGs in the past. It's a flip of the coin to me.

I really think that it's all up to both staff's pens, since I expect tighter defense than from other series. If the starters all go about 7 innings (give or take an inning), then it's up to the mid relievers, setup men and closers.

For me, I only ask that our starters keep us in the game and that our hitters work the count. Whichever team works the count better will more likely get to the other's pen first, and that's where the real difference seems to be in this series.

I guess someone missed the part about where I could be convinced to bet an av for a week starting Monday. I wonder who that could be?

[trosmok]

Best rivalry in baseball

Just hope Pedro doesn't open the game by plunking Soriano, Jeter, and Giambi. Unless, of course, he then strikes out Williams, Matsui, and Posada.

[KenFougere]

Don't "WHIMP-OUT" now!!!!

Originally posted by Mattingly
Nope, no bets. That rainout killed us. Andy is out, and Moose is facing Burkett, not Pedro, so I'm not so sure.

To me, the game to watch is Sunday's, since Boomer may keep it close, unless he has one of the better game's he's had recently, I doubt he'd beat Pedro. Andy I'd give a better chance to, since his game on Wednesday was excellent.

Seriously, I don't think Burkett is expected to beat Moose (unless lightning strikes), and if Weaver is on his "A" game on Sunday, Lowe isn't, we may manage to pull this off.

Ideally, it would be:

Fri: Moose/Pedro
Sat: Boomer/Burkett
Sun: Pettitte/Lowe

Then I'd bet an av for a week, but you'd have to talk me into the sig.

 [B][I][SIZE=4][COLOR=red] 
Come on it's that time again!

             Same as last time ?  

                             Signature & Avatar...

.                                     ...of the winners choice 
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[Mattingly]

Av only, and post in the "wager" thread and you've got yourself a deal for 1 week.

Ken, your "code" thing makes everything wide. Just mentioning.

[LouGehrig]

Originally posted by Mattingly
I've heard something about the NY Giants not thinking Boston was worthy, so they refused to play them. Was this the case, or were they just scared? I never got the full story.

It's detailed in the HISTORY section.

[Mattingly]

Originally posted by LouGehrig
It's detailed in the HISTORY section.

Thanks. I was about to ask "which thread?" then realized I'd started it. Oh well, here's the link, in case anyone's curious:

http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?threadid=9926

[Mattingly]

Curse you, Varitek for tying up the game!

*Beats chest*

Ahhhh, that felt good.

[KenFougere]

Clutch

Veritek stepped up and delivered BIG time! What a season he's having...

[Mattingly]

Re: Clutch

Originally posted by KenFougere
Veritek stepped up and delivered BIG time! What a season he's having...

Who cares? BH Kim allowed a run (not unexpected), and Mo has become very unreliable this game.

They both allowed a run, but we were up by 1 so ... Just got in. Did Pedro smack us around a bit?

[Mattingly]

Boy, was that a great game or what? Sorry to have been so harsh earlier, Ken, but I was pooped.

Talk about a game having gone back and forth, anyone could've won?

Oh yeah, great baserunning and catching by Manny.

Seriously, you guys played great. Glad that Jeremy couldn't beat the Yanks. I still say he should've slid.

[VTSoxFan]

Damn damn damn! And Damn again!

I thought Questec was supposed to speed up the game, not add to walk totals. I think we should all band together as concerned citizens and beat the daylights out of every Questec camera in existence. And then feed the broken bits to the geniuses who decided to use it. I could just not belieeeeve some of those calls tonight. The strike zone (ok, Petey did have 10Ks, I know) was about the size of a box of kleenex, except for when Millar was called out on that shoulder-high fastball.

I have a headache.

Torre shoulda left Benitez in. He was just getting good.

Oh my god, we gotta listen to McCarver tomorrow. My headache just got worse.