Boston Red Sox Vs Tampa Bay Rays Game 3 ALCS Live Thread [2008 MLB Playoffs] | MLB | Boston Red Sox

0	For the title.

10/13/08

0	Lester has been magic this year, and i think everyone will feed off of each other in this home game. We'll see how the pace of the game goes. If they start pounding on Garza to start the game, and everyone feeds off of the crowd and adrenaline, the Sox could run away with this game. I'm sticking with 7-2 BOS, but let's check back after the first two innings.

10/13/08

0	5 pitches and three outs. Averaging in the mid 90s for fastball speed, GREAT start for Lester and the Red Sox. 1-2-3.

10/13/08

0	DEEP TO LEFT! Crap, so close... That ball was crushed!

10/13/08

0	Rays 5, Red Sox 4 Garza will reign supreme!!!!!!!

10/13/08

0	only if that wind carried out to left field, it would be a different inning... oh well. 0-0.

10/13/08

0	I've watched very close to none of Lester this year...but thats a sweet breaking ball.

10/13/08

0	first and second one out!!!!!

10/13/08

0	wait that is second and third

10/13/08

0	(Edited by losthope13) there is one

10/13/08

0	hopefully that passed ball allowing the run won't get to anyone's heads...

10/13/08

0	that would have been amazing if he made that play, but Bay is way too fast.

10/13/08

0	UH--OH! HERE WE GO! KOTSAY DOUBLE!

10/13/08

0	Damn, Tek... geez

10/13/08

0	Chris wrote: UH--OH! HERE WE GO! KOTSAY DOUBLE! Too soon? Too soon.

10/13/08

0	need to score RISP guys... cripe sakes.

10/13/08

0	what a joke... c'mon. Don't give them freaking momentum.

10/13/08

0	What the hell is wrong with Lester? Freaking hell. Get the bullpen ready to go in the 4th or early 5th... this is ridiculous. 4-0.

10/13/08

0	Fenway is quiet as church...........He was being careful with Upton...and then...challenged him.....OOOPS!

10/13/08

0	5-0 RAYS!

10/13/08

0	Shhhhhhhhhhhh. Now kinda bummed I picked the Sawks...

10/13/08

0	Guess the Rays are tougher than even Chuck Norris!!!! Bring on Bruce Lee....Oh well 5-0 Rays must be due to that veteran "experience".....Who would have thought the Rays would be supermans kryptonite??? Byrd will just keep the balls flying...Go Rays

10/13/08

0	Bring in the next victim of the bay city brawlers

10/13/08

1	This is one confounding series....... Who knows Wakefield might come back tomorrow and baffle the Rays.....crazy series

10/13/08

0	It has vibes of last year. Winning game one in a fight, losing the next few... then the rest is history.

10/13/08

0	The Red Sox love to be in a hole. Down 0-3 and 1-3, they win it all... makes no sense... hmmm

10/13/08

1	I have a feeling Chip Caray has never seen an episode of Tyler Perry's House of Payne..

10/13/08

0	(Edited by Chief_aka_James) That BoSox fan is pissed 1) With Craig Sager in the way in his ugly ass suit, then 2) he gets a nice 20oz bottle of coke fall right on his leg.

10/13/08

0	A single for that?? Geez....

10/13/08

0	Maybe Garza will allow some runs... [please]

10/13/08

0	swung at ball 4.... Daviiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiid!

10/13/08

0	This is the best series in ages!!! Two great teams and excellent baseball!!!

10/13/08

0	maybe that is praising this series too high... best in ages? Its only game 3, and more baseball to come.

10/13/08

0	losthope13 wrote: This is the best series in ages!!! Two great teams and excellent baseball!!! Umm...only game 3, ya might want to hold off those comments a little longer..

10/13/08

0	gosh... not liking the looks of this...

10/13/08

1

End of the 4th and I'm working on a really nice ulcer. I think I'm going to name it Troy Percival.

I love all these new Rays fans that have just signed up to the Q in the last 24 hours.

Where is Dr. Trollmento?

I have no excuse for our lackluster performance. Varitek is hitting .136 for the series and .175 with RISP and he wonders why he's being pinch hit for late in games. Thanks for all you've done, My Captain, but you're done. It's time for some other team to overpay for you.

We need to stop leaving runners on base and get some runs in. Soon.

10/13/08

0

snbslugger wrote:

End of the 4th and I'm working on a really nice ulcer. I think I'm going to name it Troy Percival.

I love all these new Rays fans that have just signed up to the Q in the last 24 hours.

Where is Dr. Trollmento?

I have no excuse for our lackluster performance. Varitek is hitting .136 for the series and .175 with RISP and he wonders why he's being pinch hit for late in games. Thanks for all you've done, My Captain, but you're done. It's time for some other team to overpay for you.

We need to stop leaving runners on base and get some runs in. Soon.

4 runners left in scoring position. Crazy.

10/13/08

0	Boston needs a miracle on the bats to comeback in this one. Lets start it in the 5th. [please.]

10/13/08

0	Chris wrote: What the hell is wrong with Lester? Freaking hell. Get the bullpen ready to go in the 4th or early 5th... this is ridiculous. 4-0. Aren't you glad you're not the manager...smart SMART move by Francona to hang in there with Lester...for multiple reasons: He's still better than anything in the bullpen (Byrd!? GOO!) and it's a long series, save what ya got.

10/13/08

0	Can't even buy a hit.

10/13/08

0	"BE ALERT- Foul balls and bats hurt" the sign says. lol

10/13/08

0

MarkTheShark wrote:

Aren't you glad you're not the manager...smart SMART move by Francona to hang in there with Lester...for multiple reasons: He's still better than anything in the bullpen (Byrd!? GOO!) and it's a long series, save what ya got.

Lester has settled in decently the last 2 innings. It's not his fault our leadoff hitters aren't getting on base and those who are getting on are being left there. Ellsbury has been putrid in this series....and he just got out again.

It might be time for Tito to shake up the batting order a little. Mike Lowell's bat is sorely missed as well.

10/13/08

0	a nice huge-crushing pop from Papi will ease the pressure.

10/13/08

0	Pedroia walks. Papi needs to lose one here. We're running out of outs.

10/13/08

0

snbslugger wrote:

Lester has settled in decently the last 2 innings. It's not his fault our leadoff hitters aren't getting on base and those who are getting on are being left there. Ellsbury has been putrid in this series....and he just got out again.

It might be time for Tito to shake up the batting order a little. Mike Lowell's bat is sorely missed as well.

i think no hits with RISP is killing the Sox more.

10/13/08

Anthonyg7575

0	(Edited by Anthonyg7575) Chris wrote: Boston needs a miracle on the bats to comeback in this one. Lets start it in the 5th. [please.] No thanks, their bats are doing just fine....

10/13/08

0	A pop-up. this is exactly how this game is going. These damn bats. Argh.

10/13/08

1	Paul Byrd is coming in. We have officially conceded this game.

10/13/08

1	Surprised that Lester struggled in his start, but if the Red Sox can't score it won't matter. This series is going to be good to the end.

10/13/08

1

Chris wrote:

A pop-up. this is exactly how this game is going. These damn bats. Argh.

..uh...Matt Garza's not chopped liver....he actually IS a very GOOD major league pitcher:

W	L	ERA	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	SVO	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO
2008	11	9	3.70	30	30	3	2	0	0	184.2	170	83	76	19	59	128

note: the two shutouts and three complete games...He threw not one but TWO ONE-HITTERS.....this is not meant to bring down Lester whom I fully expected to win today...but I also knew Garza was very capable.

10/13/08

0	Why wasn't JD's hit fair?? Can't we get a run in? Geez

10/13/08

0

MarkTheShark wrote:

..uh...Matt Garza's not chopped liver....he actually IS a very GOOD major league pitcher:

W	L	ERA	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	SVO	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO
2008	11	9	3.70	30	30	3	2	0	0	184.2	170	83	76	19	59	128

note: the two shutouts and three complete games...He threw not one but TWO ONE-HITTERS.....this is not meant to bring down Lester whom I fully expected to win today...but I also knew Garza was very capable.

Garza was good in Minnesota too. I had commented when TB acquired him that it was a nice pickup. I just thought between the home field and our hitters the Red Sox would have shown up a little more.

The game isn't over yet, but I haven't seen anything inspiring the last 5 2/3 innings

10/13/08

SoxandCards39

0	That title is pure old-fashioned New England arrogance :)

10/13/08

0	Red Sox have a lot of work ahead of them in this series.

10/13/08

0	c'mon make Garza make a boo-boo so we can get runs aboard.

10/13/08

0	Chris wrote: c'mon make Garza make a boo-boo so we can get runs aboard. I still don't understand why Sean Casey isn't playing 1B. Did I miss an injury report somewhere? He's a pretty good hitter.

10/13/08

Pat

3	SoxandCards39 wrote: That title is pure old-fashioned New England arrogance :) Guilty.

10/13/08

0	Pat wrote: Guilty. If being a Sox fan is wrong, I don't wanna be right. Paul Byrd is the Eddie Harris of Major League Baseball. Nine outs left.

10/13/08

2	I'm probably going to get ripped for saying this, but I really don't think singing God Bless America during the 7th inning stretch is at all needed.

10/13/08

1

MrNFL wrote:

I'm probably going to get ripped for saying this, but I really don't think singing God Bless America during the 7th inning stretch is at all needed.

I think it was symbolic for the rest of the 2001 season but it's a little excessive now. If it's a July 4 game or a Memorial Day game, okay, but I hear ya.

Then again, I think the Ray Charles version of America the Beautiful should be the National Anthem, so I'm probably some unpatriotic pinko commie in someone's eyes.

10/13/08

0	Wow, Rays got lucky there, Baldelli's throw was pathetic.

10/13/08

0	(Edited by snbslugger) Alright, the first run is the hardest and now it's in. TIme for the Bite-Sized Terror Dustin Pedroia and Big Papi to put up a crooked number. EDIT: 5-4-3 Double Play. $#!%^@

10/13/08

0	Wow, HUGE double play there.

10/13/08

0	I've tried to propose to J.P. Howell but I can't get his number or e-mail address....not to mention he probably doesn't swing that way...

10/13/08

0	Well done Varitek

10/13/08

0	Well that's the game. Nice hit Rocco.

10/13/08

0	Well, that's it. Rhode Island's own Rocco Baldelli just took care of business. Drive home safely.

10/13/08

0	wuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!!!!!!!!

10/13/08

0	Dr. Commento comes out of his troll lair in 3.....2.....1.....

10/13/08

0	rOCCO BROKE HIS nEW eNGLAND CURSE..... He has wanted so badly to show up big here near his home..and heretofore been AWFUL...Good for Rocco. On a day where Lester was touted for his comeback from cancer(as well he should) Rocco has struggled with his own body failing him with his mitochondria based illness. GOOD FOR THIS NEW ENGLAND FAVORITE SON!

10/13/08

1	Rocco! There wasn't enough talk about what this guy came back from. Mitochondrial Disease is a huge thing to come back from, one I'm familiar with pretty well also, and for him to not only be healthy enough to play the game of baseball healthy, but to still play in the Majors, be in the playoffs, AND hit a homerun in the LCS... That's equal if not greater than what Lester did in my eyes.

10/13/08

0

Chief_aka_James wrote:

Rocco!

There wasn't enough talk about what this guy came back from. Mitochondrial Disease is a huge thing to come back from, one I'm familiar with pretty well also, and for him to not only be healthy enough to play the game of baseball healthy, but to still play in the Majors, be in the playoffs, AND hit a homerun in the LCS...

That's equal if not greater than what Lester did in my eyes.

If that's the way the Rays are going to win this game. I can't really complain.

10/13/08

0	Perfect Storm today..........plenty of work still to be done. The Red Sox are some grand evil entity. Right now, it's only stunned badly, the Rays must take it completely down and then cut it's head off.

10/13/08

Pat

2	Anyone have any idea why they announcers felt the need to mention Tim Wakefield's 19-5 career record against the Rays? I'm pretty sure that it's quite obvious... the 2008 Rays are incredibly different than any other team in franchise history.

10/13/08

0	Chief_aka_James wrote: Umm...only game 3, ya might want to hold off those comments a little longer.. no way, its just a continuation of the season series!! every game they play is full of greatness!! this is the new rivalry for years to come

10/13/08

0	this game was like deja vu of 2007. Sox won game 1 in a tight one, lost the next three, then won the next three...

10/14/08

0	losthope13 wrote: no way, its just a continuation of the season series!! every game they play is full of greatness!! this is the new rivalry for years to come Until those young players become UFA's and sign with the larger market teams who will pay them accordingly, you mean.

10/14/08

Anthonyg7575

0	(Edited by Anthonyg7575) Chris wrote: this game was like deja vu of 2007. Sox won game 1 in a tight one, lost the next three, then won the next three... Too bad this isn't 2007.....

10/14/08

1

snbslugger wrote:

Until those young players become UFA's and sign with the larger market teams who will pay them accordingly, you mean.

Oooops! I forgive you since you are probably more of a football fan like me, but let me drop some knowledge on you that supports what the enthusiatic fan above stated:
Longoria signed a NINE year deal in April that would keep him a Ray through 2016...lol....What? this ain't the Royals or the Twins..lol..., Kazmir signed a FIVE year deal in March, Pena signed a THREE year deal in Jan., Shields signed a SEVEN year deal in Jan., David Price signed a SIX year deal last Aug, Iwamura is signed THROUGH next season with a reasonable club option in 2010, Crawford has only club options in '09 and '10...pretty steep ones (close to $10 mil) but I think the Rays will resign him ......at the expense of.......B.J. Upton, who is done and a SUPER TWO.
The only two that I'm truly worried about (only a little) are All-Star Navarro and Bartlett and both are only Arb eligible, so I'd say there is a 90% chance both will be back next season, just depends on HOW their contact staus' are handled.
.....so, in summation: WRONG!
In addition, the Rays have good young pitching coming out of their ears in the minors and did the Rays win this year when at times they were without EVERY single one of their supposed "starters"? and sometimes multiple ones? YES! Why? because of management and chemistry.
Get used to it: A three and maybe four team race in the AL East for the near future.

10/14/08

Anthonyg7575

0

MarkTheShark wrote:

Oooops! I forgive you since you are probably more of a football fan like me, but let me drop some knowledge on you that supports what the enthusiatic fan above stated:
Longoria signed a NINE year deal in April that would keep him a Ray through 2016...lol....What? this ain't the Royals or the Twins..lol..., Kazmir signed a FIVE year deal in March, Pena signed a THREE year deal in Jan., Shields signed a SEVEN year deal in Jan., David Price signed a SIX year deal last Aug, Iwamura is signed THROUGH next season with a reasonable club option in 2010, Crawford has only club options in '09 and '10...pretty steep ones (close to $10 mil) but I think the Rays will resign him ......at the expense of.......B.J. Upton, who is done and a SUPER TWO.
The only two that I'm truly worried about (only a little) are All-Star Navarro and Bartlett and both are only Arb eligible, so I'd say there is a 90% chance both will be back next season, just depends on HOW their contact staus' are handled.
.....so, in summation: WRONG!
In addition, the Rays have good young pitching coming out of their ears in the minors and did the Rays win this year when at times they were without EVERY single one of their supposed "starters"? and sometimes multiple ones? YES! Why? because of management and chemistry.
Get used to it: A three and maybe four team race in the AL East for the near future.

But if Beckham comes through as the prospect he's hyped up to be, Bartlett (sad to say because he is one of my favorite Rays) will be gone like the wind....Beckham though still, I think, has 1-2 more years in the Minors. He's still only 18.

10/14/08

0

MarkTheShark wrote:

Oooops! I forgive you since you are probably more of a football fan like me, but let me drop some knowledge on you that supports what the enthusiatic fan above stated:
Longoria signed a NINE year deal in April that would keep him a Ray through 2016...lol....What? this ain't the Royals or the Twins..lol..., Kazmir signed a FIVE year deal in March, Pena signed a THREE year deal in Jan., Shields signed a SEVEN year deal in Jan., David Price signed a SIX year deal last Aug, Iwamura is signed THROUGH next season with a reasonable club option in 2010, Crawford has only club options in '09 and '10...pretty steep ones (close to $10 mil) but I think the Rays will resign him ......at the expense of.......B.J. Upton, who is done and a SUPER TWO.
The only two that I'm truly worried about (only a little) are All-Star Navarro and Bartlett and both are only Arb eligible, so I'd say there is a 90% chance both will be back next season, just depends on HOW their contact staus' are handled.
.....so, in summation: WRONG!
In addition, the Rays have good young pitching coming out of their ears in the minors and did the Rays win this year when at times they were without EVERY single one of their supposed "starters"? and sometimes multiple ones? YES! Why? because of management and chemistry.
Get used to it: A three and maybe four team race in the AL East for the near future.

Thanks for the easy out, but no, I'm just as much a baseball fan as I am a football fan, but that's alright. I'm secure enough to admit my ignorance as I only knew of the nine year deal with Longoria and not so much about the others. Signing Kazmir was a smart call, otherwise he'd be in Yankee pinstripes by now.

I went down to Tampa and watched this team in 2006. You could definitely see the beginning of something there. My biggest concern is that the pitching rotation was Kazmir and 4 other mediocre guys. Now they have the pitching and all of those #1 draft picks are bearing fruit, plus getting GREAT value for Delmon Young in the Garza trade, it's all coming together. Sustaining that success will be the question, as it is with any other talented team.

Anyway, glad you're feeling strong. It's been a nice season for the Rays. If they get past the Red Sox, I will be cheering for them regardless of the NL opponent.

We enjoyed Florida so much when we went down two years ago we plan to go again. Maybe I'll pick up tickets for 2-3 games like I did last time.

10/14/08

pritchxox8

2	the red sox are going to have to step their game up a lot more if they want to win this.. GO RAYS!

10/14/08

1

snbslugger wrote:

Until those young players become UFA's and sign with the larger market teams who will pay them accordingly, you mean.

Living in Tampa for 8 years up untill this year, I watched this team make long term investments in young talent. This is not the Red Sox or Yankees disease of buying players to reach the playoffs. This was a well calculated plan that started with the "under construction" advertising that was seen on every other billboard on 275 and Dale Mabry. Being there and watching this team progress and grow through the 5,000 attendance games let me see that the time was soon that they would become contenders.......I thought it would be another couple of years but with Longoria doing more than most rookies and the rest of the team becoming a unit, The time is now and I dont think much will get in the way of this run, and the next several years of competitiveness. Just think about it BJ Upton and Longoria both could break the previous homerun totals for a single series and they are in their early twenties. Not to add the two pitchers on the bench are Price and Jackson. These are quality starters that must wait behind the dominance of Garza, Shields, Kazmir and Sonnastine......Now that screams of future potential can you remember a team this young, mostly under contract, excited, and so dominant against the big spending teams of baseball? This team is unreal and deserves the credit they worked for.

10/14/08