World Series

[sparkyND]

I watched the Red Sox play in the playoffs for the first time yesterday. What's with the beards?

 

[GowerND11]

I personally love Fenway. I took a class in college called the Geography of Sports and it really opened my eyes to the structure and setting of all major sports. Of the big sports of the world (Football, baseball, basketball, soccer, hockey, cricket) baseball is the only sport that is still considered "pre-modern." This is due to the fact that, despite some demension regulations (90 foot base paths and pitchers mound distance) the field is completely unregulated. You can decide to have no fence, a short (height) fence, a tall fence, a fence far way, or a fence closer to the plate. The demensions of the fence don't matter either. Heck look at old Yankees Stadium having Monument Park in the playing field for a long time. The Houston Astros have a hill with a light pole in center field. All these quirks make baseball unique. So someone who complains about Fenway, in my opinion, is complaining about one of the best parts of baseball, the fact that the field can look however you want it to.

I would love to see more ballparks go back to fences of different heights, depths, little nooks and crannies all over the park. 500 foot depth in center field like the Polo Grounds.

 

[Irishman77]

Miniature golf is cool too

 

[wizards8507]

Cards had 3 really bad plays that allowed the game to get out of hand.

They also got absolutely shut down by Jon Lester. Even if the Cardinals had played lights-out defense and the game never got "out of hand," the Red Sox would still have won and probably even gotten a shutout. The garbage homerun off of Dempster in the 9th wouldn't have happened if the game were closer and Koji was pitching.

 

[wizards8507]

I personally love Fenway. I took a class in college called the Geography of Sports and it really opened my eyes to the structure and setting of all major sports. Of the big sports of the world (Football, baseball, basketball, soccer, hockey, cricket) baseball is the only sport that is still considered "pre-modern." This is due to the fact that, despite some demension regulations (90 foot base paths and pitchers mound distance) the field is completely unregulated. You can decide to have no fence, a short (height) fence, a tall fence, a fence far way, or a fence closer to the plate. The demensions of the fence don't matter either. Heck look at old Yankees Stadium having Monument Park in the playing field for a long time. The Houston Astros have a hill with a light pole in center field. All these quirks make baseball unique. So someone who complains about Fenway, in my opinion, is complaining about one of the best parts of baseball, the fact that the field can look however you want it to.

I would love to see more ballparks go back to fences of different heights, depths, little nooks and crannies all over the park. 500 foot depth in center field like the Polo Grounds.

Reps.

 

[palinurus]

Just so we're clear..

Dimensions of Fenway for the Red Sox

Dimensions of Fenway for everyone else

Also, incase anyone else needs to love Jaylon

@JaeeSmiff9ENT: Boston 1-0 let's go #BostonStrong #BostonFan since 04�� goodnight

Hes even keeps it real with admitting he became a fan in 04.

Yes, but the Sox play 81 games there, so can tailor their team to having a bunch of crap hitters who hit pop ups to left, and dead pull pop ups to right, and so get a season-long advantage in terms of wins and losses. A fire in which no one dies would be delightful serendipity.

Btw, this is just baseball, and I hate the Sox, but I'm cool with you and Sox fans in general, though they, as a rule, are particularly delusional.

 

[Irishman77]

Yes, but the Sox play 81 games there, so can tailor their team to having a bunch of crap hitters who hit pop ups to left, and dead pull pop ups to right, and so get a season-long advantage in terms of wins and losses. A fire in which no one dies would be delightful serendipity.

Btw, this is just baseball, and I hate the Sox, but I'm cool with you and Sox fans in general, though they, as a rule, are particularly delusional.

My sentiments exactly...reps

 

[palinurus]

Of course, the Green Monster sometimes bites back.

Video: BB Moments: 10/2/78: Bucky Dent Shocks the Sox | MLB.com

 

[wizards8507]

I watched the Red Sox play in the playoffs for the first time yesterday. What's with the beards?

Two years ago, the Red Sox had one of the worst late-season flops in MLB history. The collapse was punctuated by an "insider" article about miserable clubhouse chemistry, alleging that manager Terry Francona had lost control of his team. Josh Beckett and other were accused of playing video games, eating fried chicken, and drinking beer during games. Last year, the Red Sox finished in last place despite a huge payroll. The payroll was unloaded on the Dodgers and the Red Sox rebuilt with lower-profile "character" guys who had a great chemistry in the clubhouse. Guys like Napoli, Victorino, Gomes, Carp, and Ross. They weren't supposed to very good but the team unity element was there and the team came together big time. The beards (along with 617 Boston Strong) are a symbol of the "rebirth" of the team.

The Red Sox and Baseball Beards - Grantland

 

[Kanye West]

Hopefully St. Louis gets 4 more wins.

 

[wizards8507]

Yes, but the Sox play 81 games there, so can tailor their team to having a bunch of crap hitters who hit pop ups to left, and dead pull pop ups to right, and so get a season-long advantage in terms of wins and losses. A fire in which no one dies would be delightful serendipity.

Btw, this is just baseball, and I hate the Sox, but I'm cool with you and Sox fans in general, though they, as a rule, are particularly delusional.

Fenway 1:21 says, "The Wall giveth, and the Wall taketh away."

For every popup to left that becomes a wall-scraping double or a home run, there's a line drive to left that SHOULD be a homerun in other parks but ends up a hard single.

Also, the Cardinals had a better home record than the Red Sox this season, so your point is especially crappy as it relates to the World Series.

 

[palinurus]

Fenway 1:21 says, "The Wall giveth, and the Wall taketh away."

For every popup to left that becomes a wall-scraping double or a home run, there's a line drive to left that SHOULD be a homerun in other parks but ends up a hard single.

Also, the Cardinals had a better home record than the Red Sox this season, so your point is especially crappy as it relates to the World Series.

No, it actually proves my point. Cards had a better home record on a field of "baseball-normal" proportions, because they are a better "baseball-normal" team. with steadier players who can hit on a "baseball-normal" field. It shows that the Cards would likely outperform the Red Sox on most baseball fields, and Sox need to stack the deck at home.

What am I saying, anyway? I'm not a Cards fan! I would just like to see a good Series.

Anyway, I'm just glad to see some enthusiasm for baseball. And as much as I really hate the Sox, strangely, I have really liked every Red Sox fan I've ever gotten to know. It's almost bizarre.

 

[palinurus]

I watched the Red Sox play in the playoffs for the first time yesterday. What's with the beards?

Nava lost the Team Bar of Soap and the Team Razor in May and the Sox never bothered to replace them. There is also a rumor that the Sox have collectively enrolled in Rabbi School.

 

[Irishman77]

Ortiz said the whiskers feel funny on his taint...it really took off from there!

 

[Irishman77]

Vaseline ball?
Onswipe

Karma is a bitch!

 

[Ultimate Penn St. Hater]

Sox gotta win tonight.

 

[Me2SouthBend]

Are Cubs fans even allowed in a World Series thread?

Surprised they are able to find such a thread.

 

[rtrn2glory]

Sox gotta win tonight.

agreed...cards were close a couple times breaking open a big inning, but lester was able to make a big pitch to cool things down to keep the lead. lackey's pitched well this postseason, but i fear it's too much of a good thing to expect it to continue and this cards' rookie they're throwing out there tonight has been lights fricking out.

 

[Me2SouthBend]

Guy behing home plate in the blue jacket doesn't flinch at all when line drives are hit back at the screen. Becoming a legend for it.

Youre right, they showed one in slow mo and i saw that dude was a statue!

Dennis drinkwater.

First in HR celebrations, last in foul ball flinches.

First in celebrations because he owns or runs Giant Glass (1-800-54-GIANT) and when balls come down on Landsdowne they break windshields, and Giant Glass is there to replace them. True story, when I went down to game 2 of the ALCS I walked down Landsdowne pregame and there was a car there w a broken back windshield. It got broken during batting practice.

 

[wizards8507]

First in celebrations because he owns or runs Giant Glass (1-800-54-GIANT) and when balls come down on Landsdowne they break windshields, and Giant Glass is there to replace them. True story, when I went down to game 2 of the ALCS I walked down Landsdowne pregame and there was a car there w a broken back windshield. It got broken during batting practice.

That's the Giant Glass guy?

Who do you call when your windshield's busted?

 

[Me2SouthBend]

Yes, but the Sox play 81 games there, so can tailor their team to having a bunch of crap hitters who hit pop ups to left, and dead pull pop ups to right, and so get a season-long advantage in terms of wins and losses. A fire in which no one dies would be delightful serendipity.

Btw, this is just baseball, and I hate the Sox, but I'm cool with you and Sox fans in general, though they, as a rule, are particularly delusional.

So doesn't any good management tailor a team to it's home field? Do you think the Yankees saw extra value in CC Sabathia due to the joke of a short porch in right field (thus forcing teams to load up on righties when they play there)? The best hitter in baseball (Cabrera) just came into Fenway for a few games in the ALCS and couldn't do anything w the park dimensions to get his team onto the next round (1 HR in a loss). Too bad he didn't hit a few pop ups to left field. Dead pull pop ups to right? Do you know how few home runs get hit to right because they get pulled around the pole? Answer, it's not many. The catch that Torii Hunter made in the ALCS deep in the right field corner would have been a home run in every other park in baseball. Every single one. Elias Sports Bureau confirmed this. Sox fans are delusional? Why because they are making their 3rd appearance in the WS since 2004 and they swept the first 2? Cool story though.

 

[Me2SouthBend]

That's the Giant Glass guy?

Who do you call when your windshield's busted?

Bingo.

 

[wizards8507]

That's some nice pine tar Lester used last night.

****in Dick

You idiot. Adam Wainwright, the CARDINALS pitcher, does the exact same thing. He's admitted it!

Adam Wainwright acknowledged that he uses a mix of sunscreen and resin to help him grip the ball, stating: "There's a difference in pine tar from oil and grease, things that make the ball sink, cut or do different stuff. That's different than doctoring a ball."

 

[Irish2155]

I heard this morning Peavy is starting game three due to an injury to Clay. Dempster pitched last night. Anybody heard if the Sox are going to a three man rotation for this series? I'm not too sure about Lester and especially Lacky pitching on short rest.

Go Sox!!!

 

[tko]

Sad, I played baseball my entire life and just no longer like the game. I even got a scholarship to ND to play baseball. I'm not sure if it's because I have two daughters or the general decay of the game, i.e. steroids, money, umpires, etc.

 

[GreenSox04]

I heard this morning Peavy is starting game three due to an injury to Clay. Dempster pitched last night. Anybody heard if the Sox are going to a three man rotation for this series? I'm not too sure about Lester and especially Lacky pitching on short rest.

Go Sox!!!

buchholz needs rest, pretty sure hell get the bump in game 4.

 

[Me2SouthBend]

I heard this morning Peavy is starting game three due to an injury to Clay. Dempster pitched last night. Anybody heard if the Sox are going to a three man rotation for this series? I'm not too sure about Lester and especially Lacky pitching on short rest.

Go Sox!!!

It would be Felix Doubront getting the start in Bucholz' absence. He's actually pretty good. Had a string of 15 or 16 consecutive starts this season where he gave up 3 or fewer runs and pitched 6 or more innings.

 

[palinurus]

The Sox best argument against the vaseline allegation is that they are all so damn unwashed, dirty and greasy they don't need to carry vaseline to the mound with them.

 

[Ultimate Penn St. Hater]

Let's Go Sox!!

 

[Ultimate Penn St. Hater]

Great grab by Pedroia!