Who can forget Bay's 2 run homer in Game 1.
Or his 2 run homer in Game 2, with a 3rd RBI that game.
Overall Bay just played phenomenal ball for the Red Sox and left many to wonder, Manny who?
I know I'm a little late on posting this, but hey, it's up before tonight's start of the AlCS!!!!
I'm still recovering from the excitement of the game.
This is another instance where I thought the Cape League Alumni Player of the Game was going to be easy to choose. Varitek. But then I started reading around the bloggernauts and everyone seems to be cheering for Kotsay. So once again, I leave it up to you.
I can't wait to watch the game again on TIVO, listen to interviews and just soak it all in some more.
Here are some pictures I took of the celebration. I didn't have my camera on the correct setting (d'oh - I'm TRYING not to be upset that they are all blurry) they'll just have to do! The party was "subdued" on the field - not at all like previous ones we've all seen on TV ;o)
P.S. Why oh WHY are some of the players wearing Crocs? Yeah, I'm talking about you Drew and Timlin!!!
I talked to my dad about it. We just cannot come up with a Cape Cod League Alumni Player of the Game for last night. By virtue of their win, it should have been an Angels player. The only one eligible is Teixeira. While he rocked it in Game 2, last night he went 2 for 6, Left 5 men on base and didn't score a single run or RBI - so really, does that constitute a POG?
We then started looking at the Sox Alumni, who honestly, didn't fare any better last night. Is it possible to have NO player of the game? Leaving it to you, once again, to decide.
Discuss.
I'm tired.
You're tired.
We're all tired.
I have not been able to put together comprehensible thoughts on last night yet.
Instead I decided to catch up on my blog reads for the past few days, and came across this in a post from Joy of Sox:
Quite honestly I cannot stop laughing. Today just got a bit better. Thanks Erick Aybar.
Hat's of (again) to Jason Bay!The winner was clear to me...until it became a little blurry.
Jason Bay!
Jacoby Ellsbury!
So I made my *official* polling call to my dad and my brother (b/c there cannot be a tie between the three of us). Dad said "Bay, no questions!" Brother said "Ellsbury for overall player, Bay for play of the game" - Does that work? Hmmm....So I need your help. This is just too close for me to call. My brother said Bay would be the less "controversial" pick...but do I just want to play it safe? No, instead I'll pass the buck to you.
As far as I can tell there are 13 Cape Cod League Alumni playing in this years ALDS between the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Jason Bay, Chatham 1999
Sean Casey, Brewster 1994
Kevin Cash, Falmouth 1999
Jacoby Ellsbury, Falmouth 2004
Mark Kotsay, Bourne 1994
Mike Lowell, Chatham 1994
Javier Lopez, Falmouh 1997
Justin Masterson, Wareham 2005
Robb Quinlan, Cotuit 1997
David Ross, Brewster 1996
Mark Teixeira, Orleans 1999
Jason Varitek, Hyannis 1991-1993
Kevin Youkilis, Bourne 2000
I'll be tracking their progress and naming a Cape League player of the game.
Oh yes, yes he DID!!!!!!!
The night started out great - the weather was a comfortable 63 degrees and the Standells did an Amazing rendition of the National Anthem, followed by a flag being draped over the Monster and a flyover. Then they broke into their (one) hit - DIRTY WATER!
A lot of stats have been thrown around today about Lackey's pitching (in)ability against the Red Sox. I can't find any two stats which agree, so I thought I'd do my own analysis.
This season Lackey has won 19 games for the Angels with a 3.01 ERA and 179 Ks.
This season Beckett has won 20 games for the Sox with a 3.27 ERA and 194 Ks.
W L G GS CG SHO GF SV IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA HBP WP BK
+--+--+---+--+--+---+--+--+-----+---+---+---+---+---+--+------+---+--+--+
0 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 9.2 20 10 9 1 9 2 8.38 1 0 0
W L G GS CG SHO GF SV IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA HBP WP BK2007 - Red Sox Batters against John Lackey
+--+--+---+--+--+---+--+--+-----+---+---+---+---+---+--+------+---+--+--+
1 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 13 11 3 2 2 13 1 1.38 1 0 0
**PA** AB H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS SH SF IBB HBP GDP G_miss YR_miss
+-----------------+-------+---+---+--+--+--+---+---+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+---+---+---+---+---+------+-------+
J.D. Drew 6 5 4 0 1 0 1 1 1 .800 .833 1.200 2.033 0 0 0 0 0
Mike Lowell 6 6 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 .333 .333 .333 .666 0 0 0 0 0
David Ortiz 6 6 3 0 0 1 3 0 2 .500 .500 1.000 1.500 0 0 0 0 0
Dustin Pedroia 6 6 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 .333 .333 .500 .833 0
0 0 0 0So what does this mean? Is Coco going to be sitting (0-5) in favor of Ellsbury who might light this guy up? I doubt it. Crip's lifetime BA against Lackey is .182, not exactly great, eh? Will Tek be sitting (0-1) in favor of Mirabelli (3-4) - is this why we have so many catchers in our ALDS roster? I doubt it. Varitek's lifetime BA against Lackey is .278, that's a bit better.
Manny Ramirez 6 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .200 .333 .200 .533 0 0 0 1 0
Kevin Youkilis 6 6 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 .333 .333 .333 .666 0 0 0 0 0
Coco Crisp 5 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0
Doug Mirabelli 4 4 3 1 0 1 3 0 1 .750 .750 1.750 2.500 0 0 0 0 0
Julio Lugo 3 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 .667 .667 1.000 1.667 0 0 0 0 0
Alex Cora 2 2 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 .500 .500 1.000 1.500 0 0 0 0 0
Jason Varitek 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0
+-----------------+-------+---+---+--+--+--+---+---+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+---+---+---+---+---+------+-------+
**PA** AB H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS SH SF IBB HBP GDP G_miss YR_miss
+-----------------+-------+---+---+--+--+--+---+---+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+---+---+---+---+---+------+-------+
Orlando Cabrera 7 6 2 0 0 1 1 1 2 .333 .429 .833 1.262 0 0 0 0 0
Garret Anderson 6 5 3 1 0 0 0 1 0 .600 .667 .800 1.467 0 0 0 0 0
Maicer Izturis 5 5 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 .200 .200 .200 .400 0 0 0 0 0
Chone Figgins 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0
Vladimir Guerrero 4 3 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 .333 .500 .667 1.167 0 0 0 1 0
Nathan Haynes 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 0
0 0 0 0All I can say is it LOOKS good on paper for the Sox, but we all know what can happen in this crazy game. GO SOX!!!!!!
Howie Kendrick 3 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 .333 .333 .666 0 0 0 0 0
Casey Kotchman 3 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .333 .333 .333 .666 0 0 0 0 0
Robb Quinlan 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0
Mike Napoli 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0
Reggie Willits 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0
+-----------------+-------+---+---+--+--+--+---+---+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+---+---+---+---+---+------+-------+
....I knew something looked strange on the Sox playoff roster (besides not seeing Wakefield's name on there). It wasn't that Buchholz wasn't there..we know about his "fatigue" and as much as it sucks, ya gotta baby the baby pitchers. I really couldn't figure it out. No Tavarez? Meh - nope.
Finally in the middle of the night it struck me (I was really slow)! Why in the world do we have THREE pitchers on the roster, including Dougie goes deep Mirabelli who is really only there to catch Wake.
Well, Amalie Benjamin from the Boston Globe tried to explain it:
On three catchers...
By Amalie Benjamin, Globe Staff
For those of you interested in the reasoning behind the Red Sox decision to add three catchers to the postseason roster for the third round, it's essentially about having the flexibility to run for people, and to pinch hit. More flexibility, certainly, than would be provided by someone like Brandon Moss."In the five-game series, I think we're comfortable going 10 pitchers as long as there was health," Terry Francona said. "So we try to maximize everybody on thre roster by having the third catcher. We want [Jacoby] Ellsbury to be able to impact the game, if needed, and that can mean running for a number of different people.
"Now we have a catcher that we're comfortable with. We actually have two catchers we're comfortable with, but they have a little bit different skill set, so hopefully we can use both and just maximize the strengths of our players."
Ummm...you want Dougie goes deep Mirabelli to run or pitch hit for someone? He ended the season with 0 stolen bases and a .202 BA with 114 ABs. Umm....I still don't get it. Anyone? Clue me in...please?
All teams have clinched their post-season playoff berth, except for either San Diego or Colorado (GO ROCKIES!) - as I write this, the score has ping-ponged back into the lead for the Rockies 6-5 in the 6th on a Matsui (not Hikeki) sac fly.
MLB has also announced the shit-tastic ALCS and ALDS playoff schedules:
| Series begins Wednesday | |||||
| Game | Matchup | Day | Date | Time ET | TV |
| Gm 1 | LAA @ BOS | Wed | Oct. 3 | 6:30 pm | TBS |
| Gm 2 | LAA @ BOS | Fri | Oct. 5 | 8:30 pm | TBS |
| Gm 3 | BOS @ LAA | Sun | Oct. 7 | 3 pm | TBS |
| Gm 4* | BOS @ LAA | Mon | Oct. 8 | 9:30 pm | TBS |
| Gm 5* | LAA @ BOS | Wed | Oct. 10 | 8:30 pm | TBS |
| | |||||
| Game | Matchup | Day | Date | Time ET | TV |
| Gm 1 | CHC @ ARI | Wed | Oct. 3 | 10 pm | TBS |
| Gm 2 | CHC @ ARI | Thu | Oct. 4 | 10 pm | TBS |
| Gm 3 | ARI @ CHC | Sat | Oct. 6 | 6 pm | TBS |
| Gm 4* | ARI @ CHC | Sun | Oct. 7 | 1 pm | TNT |
| Gm 5* | CHC @ ARI | Tue | Oct. 9 | 10 pm | TBS |
| Game | Matchup | Day | Date | Time ET | TV |
| Gm 1 | TBD @ PHI | Wed | Oct. 3 | 3 pm | TBS |
| Gm 2 | TBD @ PHI | Thu | Oct. 4 | 3 pm | TBS |
| Gm 3 | PHI @ TBD | Sat | Oct. 6 | 9:30 pm | TBS |
| Gm 4* | PHI @ TBD | Sun | Oct. 7 | 10 pm | TBS |
| Gm 5* | TBD @ PHI | Tue | Oct. 9 | 6:30 pm | TBS |
| Series begins Thursday | |||||
| Game | Matchup | Day | Date | Time ET | TV |
| Gm 1 | NYY @ CLE | Thu | Oct. 4 | 6:30 pm | TBS |
| Gm 2 | NYY @ CLE | Fri | Oct. 5 | 5 pm | TBS |
| Gm 3 | CLE @ NYY | Sun | Oct. 7 | 6:30 pm | TBS |
| Gm 4* | CLE @ NYY | Mon | Oct. 8 | 6 pm | TBS |
| Gm 5* | NYY @ CLE | Wed | Oct. 10 | 5 pm | TBS |
