Congrats to the Rays - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

Slipknot · 10-19-2008, 10:42 PM

Tampa had more than the Sox and deserve to go to the WS
good luck

The Sox should be proud of what they accomplished with so many injuries, we'll gettum next year

rexhamer · 10-19-2008, 10:50 PM

I agree. Congrats to the Rays. We should all understand the excitement that their fans are feeling now.

And thanks to the Sox for another great year. They just couldn't get that key base hit tonight.

Anybody that wants to criticize the Sox or Francona for what transpired this year or this series is way off base (pun intended!).

JohnR · 10-19-2008, 10:53 PM

Yep - got a lot out of the Sox this season considering they were less capable than previous years. Becket, Ortiz hurting, no Lowell, they did great to get this far.

fishbones · 10-19-2008, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnR

Yep - got a lot out of the Sox this season considering they were less capable than previous years. Becket, Ortiz hurting, no Lowell, they did great to get this far.

You hit the nail on the head. Add to that having to play 4 games in that dump of a stadium and the Sox did pretty well to make it to the 7th game. I'm already looking forward to hot stove talk.

As for the WS, I think Tampa has a good shot, but I'll be rooting for the Phils.

Clogston29 · 10-20-2008, 06:39 AM

Tampa has some stud young pitchers. Price looks unhittable. Hopefully the sox' young pitching continues to develop, and hopefully they don't give a bunch of it awy for Pevey.

I can't route for a team with Johny Gohms or Brett Myers, so I'm out on baseball this year.

When do the Celts start the regular season?

BigFish · 10-20-2008, 06:45 AM

Congrats to the Rays! Sox had a great year! Now I can't wait to kick back and watch a Phillies/Rays World Series.

JohnR · 10-20-2008, 06:45 AM

Price was teetering on the choking collapse last night, almost looked as if he would walk the Sox to victory (one could hope).

I'm all for the Rays winning so the players can ca-ching elsewhere and break up the team

afterhours · 10-20-2008, 06:46 AM

...and i'm not going to piss and moan about those critical called third strikes that missed the plate by a foot...no i won't

.

BigFish · 10-20-2008, 06:48 AM

Couple of them were called on the check swing Don....not pitch location.

afterhours · 10-20-2008, 06:57 AM

kotsay and drew were called on pitch location larry- one was low and outside and the other missed by a foot- notice they did.nt show the strike box on them. and one of ortiz's was very low...

BigFish · 10-20-2008, 07:01 AM

I saw the replay....they both went around.

afterhours · 10-20-2008, 07:03 AM

the ones i'm refereing to were'nt check swings- just poorly called third strikes. i saw the check swings and those calls were correct. did you see the whole game?

BigFish · 10-20-2008, 07:05 AM

Bases loaded? Drew? He swung. Kotsay.....looked like he broke the plane too. They had their opportunites.....and they could not produce. Saw every pitch....some of them 8 times by replay.

The Dad Fisherman · 10-20-2008, 07:44 AM

I have to agree with you Larry, I thought the Umps called a fair game last night. The strike zone was consistent for both Pitchers and thats all you can ask for. There was a lot of check swinging last night by the Sox, the Rays pitchers kept them off-balance all night

Sox had their Chances and just couldn't get the Big Hit. Can't get upset with Drew either, We got a hell of a lot more than expected out of him being injured the whole last month of the season. Lester pitched well last night also....we just had no answer to their pitching.

Good luck to the Rays and I hope they win it all.....They played a great series with us and Earned the trip to it.

ProfessorM · 10-20-2008, 09:28 AM

Tip of the hat to the Rays.

Pete_G · 10-20-2008, 09:34 AM

Since I probably won't watch the WS, at least I don't have to listen to cowbells clanking incessantly in the background anymore until next year.

Normally "more cowbell" is a good thing but I think Tampa has ruined it for me.

Chris in Mass · 10-20-2008, 10:34 AM

Don't worry, their stadium will proabably go back to being empty again next year if what JohnR says comes true.

The Dad Fisherman · 10-20-2008, 10:40 AM

A Series victory doesn't necessarily guarantee a Large Fan base...ask the Marlins.

late-start · 10-20-2008, 11:03 AM

great game but didn't like the outcome

Go Tampa!!

EarnedStripes44 · 10-20-2008, 03:49 PM

Clog,
Celtics opening 10/28 against Cleveland. I am expecting big things from the celtic bench, they have been playing well.

BassDawg · 10-20-2008, 05:00 PM

Don is absolutely RIGHT, Big Larr!

youse guys are talking about two different times at the plate.
Kotsay was completely ROBBED with no outs and nobody on
in the ninth. Drew got squoze with location and a questionable
check called strike!! while they did swing/check swing at many pitches~~

sometimes the umps just wanna get the bleep outta there,
just HATE to see that manifest itself when the game is on the line.

that being said, the SOX did MORE with MUCH less than in previous WSChampionship runs,
and i am very pleased with their valiant efforts. i am also extremely HAPPY that we didn't go down to the Rays at Fenway!!

they looked to be overswinging a bit towards the end of Game 7, ya know, trying to get it all done with
one swing of the bat instead of stringing together several hits.

i only have a couple of questions from a managerial standpoint and let it be known that i believe
that Francona IS the best skipper in MLB. some of his moves still leave me scratchin' the old noggin', though.

ONE, how the HELL do ya send Dustin with one out in the 7th down by two runs??
it would've been better if Big Papi hadn't swung at ball four, but Pedey isn't the fleetest of feets on our team.
TWO, if Lowrie is good enuff to pinch in your last at bat with one on and your whole season in his hands, he couldn't have played the whole game?? and i absolutely think that Jed would've made the play that Cora didn't and he would've gunned down ~~whoever!!

subtle differences i know, but they gave Tampa that little extra sumthin' they needed at those exact moments and it revealed some weaknesses on our part. don't get me wrong,,,,,,,,,,,,,i applaud ALL of the SOX' efforts and must give a HUGE tip of the hat to Tito for his incredible job THIS year.

we should have a whole new look next year fellas,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Tek is gonzo from the playing field anywho,
Timlin, Wake, Lugo, GONE ~we can only hope~
Lowell, Crisp, Kotsay, probable sianoras.

the bright side is,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
we have a slugger catcher in the farm system,
Texeira is available and would look GREAT at first,
Masterson gets moved to 4th or 5th starter,
Pevey would complete a stellar rotation, and IF Tampa is
DUMB enuff to blow their team up, then we sign Navarro and Penya inna heartbeat.
i don't see that happenin' anytime sooon. they've waited too long for this team to gel
and have positioned themselves nicely for a run at multiple champeenships.

welcome to the new AL East rivalry~~
The SOX versus The Rays???

somehow it just doesn't seem to fit,
where are those Stankees when ya need them??

The Dad Fisherman · 10-20-2008, 05:28 PM

Pedroia stole 20 bases for us this year and does have OK speed. Nothing wrong with sending the runner and trying to make something happen. If Ortiz walks no biggie, if he gets a hit then we may tie the game up on it (because it was only a 1 run game then)....striking out was the worst case scenario and, Well you know what happened

Lowrie was 2 for 18 in the series so far and didn't have a hit the past 2 games, and I think Lowrie is 0 for tropicana field in his career. Cora on the other hand handles a fastball well, has previous playoff experience, and always seems to be around when something good happens. I had no problem with that move.

And we have Lowell for 2 more years if i'm not mistaken.....he just signed a contract at the end of last season.

Managers don't win Playoff games for you, They sure as hell can lose them for you, but they don't win'em. Garza pitched a great game last night and nothing Tito could have done would have changed that.

BassDawg · 10-20-2008, 07:42 PM

CONGRATS to the Deserving Rays!

Rays in 5, the NL is still no match for
the Beasts from the AL East,,,,,,,,,,,,,
whether they be the SOX or Tamper.

AND Pete G is dead awn,
the Trop is killing the Cowbell for me.
what a sheethole of a stadium, imho!!

GO RAYS!!!
the feel good story of the '08 Season.

BassDawg · 10-20-2008, 08:08 PM

i know that we have Lowell,
i'm conjecturing that he may be all done!
retirement is not out of the question, is it??

hip troubles at his age and he's got loads of miles and
battles on his body, maybe he's the answer at first??

who knows,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,????

just my opinion, but if Ortiz walks he walks
just doan help them by sending someone with OK speed.
and down by one Run is ALL the more reason to be more patient.

it was a momentum swinger,
games have been changed on much less,,,,,,,,,,,
for me the reward was not worth the risk.

funny thing is i called the pinch of Lowrie for Cora,
and my earlier querrie simply extends the logic of the situation
Tito placed Lowrie into. if he thinks Jed is good enuff for the pressure cooker he placed him into, why wouldn't he be good enough for the whole game and have been able to get into the rythm of the game instead of stepping up to the plate so Cold?? and Lowrie definitely guns down that guy at first instead of hanging onto the ball. also was Sean Casey still hurt? he could've pinched for Tek last night,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Tito and the Fenway 25 did very well for themselves and i am very
hopeful looking ahead,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,now if we can just get Bellicheck

to start o'Connell the rest of the PATS season should be salvageable.