Could it be curtains for the Red Sox tonight, as they face the Indians in game five of the American League Championship Series?
Well, Boston ace Josh Beckett faces the large, and in charge, C.C. Sabathia tonight at Jacobs Field in Cleveland.
Now, I predicted the Red Sox to takes the series; however, my prediction is not coming to fruition. The Sox have been battling with lack of clutch hitting, poor starting pitching (aside from Beckett) and a bullpen that was gone through the ringer.
According to some reports now, Josh Beckett is battling back issues, but should be able to make the start. Meanwhile, C.C. Sabathia has been ineffective, as he now has an ERA over 10 in the playoffs.
What will happen? We shall see? I think Boston may win tonight, but it is uncertain if they can take the series.
If Boston makes it to a game six or even seven, will they be able to rely on Curt Schilling and Daisuke Matsuzaka? Can Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youlikis, and the bottom of the order deliver? On the other hand, Cleveland is doing everything right and looks primed to take the series.
We shall see.
***
Well, on the NL side, will the layoff affect the Colorado Rockies? Right now, the Rockies still have an additional week to keep their focus and ready for the World Series.
From what has been said, it looks like they will stay in Denver and hold their workouts there. However, you've got think how the layoff will come into play considering their amazing hot streak.
Personally, I think it may not have the much of affect, but it is a concern when a team with a much momentum as the Rockies have to take time off. If you remember, in 2006, the Tigers had about a week off in between the NLCS and World Series; however, they just looked awful (especially, the pitchers) and that could have played a big role in their loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Well, the Boston Red Sox are in trouble as they are now down 3-1 to the Cleveland Indians.
Indians’ right hander, Paul Byrd, once again came through in the clutch; pitching five strong innings where only allowed two runs and struck out four. Once again, Cleveland had a huge inning, this time in the fifth, as Casey Blake started the fun with a home run.
They would soon knock Tim Wakefield out of the game and that coffin was nailed shut for the Red Sox by Jhonny Peralta’s three-run homer.
Peralta’s homer was the second for him in the series.
Despite an amazing display of back-to-back-to-back home runs by Boston’s Kevin Youkilis, David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez, they were done in Game 4.
The Red Sox season may come to an end tonight as Josh Beckett needs to have another amazing game, and the Tribe counters with C.C. Sabathia, who has struggled in the playoffs.
***
Meanhwile, what can you say about the Rockies?
Incredible.
Right now, they are the biggest story in sports and most of America is starting to get to know the team.
I don’t know how they have won; nor do I care, It’s an awesome story and we can be on the verge of history here. It looks like they have built up the team right and has players you can root for, starting with Todd Helton, Matt Holliday, to Troy Tulowitzki all that way down to Jamey Carroll.
It seems like they cannot do anything wrong and have a new hero, each and every day.
It’s too bad that TBS and MLB decided to put their games well after 10pm on the East Coast (where I live), making it near impossible for anyone to watch. Just a shame.
I have decided to join the bandwagon and root for Colorado, just because I want some new blood & I am starting to like that team a lot.
The Red Sox are great, but they have already won a World Series and frankly are closer to the Yankees than most would admit; the Indians, good team, great stars, but I have no emotional investment in them (nothing personal to fans of the Tribe).
It’s nice to see in that part of the world that the Rockies are now relevant in October, and for now, the Broncos may have a back seat.
If you have a moment, check out the Denver Post and some of their cool pictures of the celebration, their fans and of the games itself…
A little more than a month or so ago, the Colorado Rockies were not even an afterthought in terms of postseason play. Well, after a hot streak, they found themselves in a pennant chase and needed a 163rd game to get into the post-season.
Now, they are in the World Series.
Colorado shocked Arizona and the world with their 6-4 win last night, thanks their offense outburst in the sixth inning topped off by a three-run homer by series MVP, Matt Holliday. The Diamondbacks countered with a three-run homer by Chris Snyder in the 8th inning; however, the Rockies’ Manny Corpas kept the game in check and earned the save.
The Rockies now obviously don’t know how to lose, and have won their 21st game in 22 chances. Seemingly everything has gone right for the Rockies, and now tenured veteran, Todd Helton is seeing his first World Series after being in the league for 12 years.
With their amazing momentum, they are primed to perhaps win their first World Series in franchise history.
More Video:
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Meanwhile, in Cleveland, the Indians took a 2-1 lead in the ALCS combined with the strong outing by Jake Westbrook and the contributions of the ageless Kenny Lofton.
Westbrook pitched a little under seven innings and kept the powerful Red Sox offense at bay; Lofton homered off rookie sensation Daisuke Matsuzaka and three double plays by Boston helped them the Tribe to victory. The only scoring Boston was able to muster was off a two-run, Jason Varitek homer in the seventh inning, but Cleveland made the plays and did the little things right.
With a 2-1 lead, the Indians are in control, but there’s still plenty of baseball to still be played and Boston is very powerful.
Greetings everyone! It’s so good to be back home in Maryland. Anyhow, I was up in Boston on Saturday to partake in the whole playoff experience as I caught Game Two of the American League Championship series as the Cleveland Indians took on the Boston Red Sox.
I decided to hop on a quick flight on Airtran from Baltimore-Washington International to Boston, since I really didn’t want to deal with traffic driving through the Northeast and I kind of wanted to be home on Sunday.
That was the smartest decision I could have ever made. I was in Boston in an hour, and on the trip, I met some wonderful people who came to the Washington area to house-hunt and we talked about baseball, life in Washington, and our jobs.
As I got off the plane and was about to head to train station en route to Fenway, the very same people whom I chatted with on the plane gave me a ride to the Green Line so I could see the game.
I greatly appreciated it and we exchanged info so we could keep in touch.
I got to Fenway early – real, real early, but up there the party started even earlier. Unlike the parks in the Washington and Baltimore area, you could feel like everyone was there for the moment and to be part of it all.
Well, after chatting with some fans and walking around taking pictures, I decided to wait in line to get in the park and while standing I see singer James Taylor getting into park ushered by Red Sox security.
Even though I am only 29, I recognized him immediately, said hello and he let me snap a quick picture of him.
We were allowed in the park at 6:15 or so and instantly went to the Indians dugout and started snapping away. What was amazing is that there was just a throng of media and photographers there for the game, thus you knew this was no ordinary ballgame. I got C.C. Sabathia to autograph a ball for me, and spoke a few moments with former Oriole Chris Gomez.
It was wonderful to be up that close for batting practice and hoping around to take pictures. Well, if you ever get to chance to see a ballgame at Fenway Park – do it.
As batting practice ended, I went to my seat along the first base grandstand and took it all in; however, there was one problem – the seat. Realize, I am 6’4” and basically I sat on a bench and the seats are separated by steel. Considering, I’d probably need a chiropractor by the time the game was over, I just decided to watch the from the Standing Room areas of the ballpark.
From the first inning to the eleventh (Ian from Sox and Dawgs would care not to talk about it), the game was awesome to take in. I am not a fan of either team, but it was a treat to see the two teams face off with one another and see the passion that Sox fans had towards the team.
It was cool to David Ortiz, Manny, and Mike Lowell rained down with love and desire from the Sox fans (very much missing here in the DC/Baltimore area). The game was a see-saw affair and with the long-ball abound.
I took a good walk around the ballpark and took pictures from every conceivable angle.
Fenway may be old and crackling; however, it is a baseball cathedral.
In the end, it was pathetic to see the Red Sox bullpen blow it to the Indians, but it was a well fought-out game, and it evened up the series. Fans of the Sox went home a little sad, but more frustrated than anything and it was best illustrated by numerous F-bombs that included reliever Eric Gagne’s name in a sentence.
I was going to get a hotel and get some rest; however, the game ended near 2 in the morning and my flight was at 6:30, so I just went straight to Logan airport and slept there for a few hours.
I slept on the flight home, landed back in Baltimore a little after 8 in the morning, and was home in time for church.
After service, I slept all day Sunday.
Baseball, what a game.
Too bad it will probably be my last baseball excursion of the year; alas, what a year it has been.
***
Well, if you are fan of the Diamondbacks, I have some bad news – your series and playoff experience is probably over.
After watching Eric Byrnes basically say the team is confident and whatever else in a press conference, they decided to go to play in chilly Denver and do absolutely nothing.
Colorado beat Arizona, 4-1, last night and hold a 3-0 edge in the NLCS. Pitcher Josh Fogg kept the snakes quiet, and Rockie catcher Yorvit Torrealba hit a tiebreaking three-run homer and was supplanted by Matt Holliday’s solo shot earlier.
Right now, it looks like the Rockies are a team of destiny, and much like the Tigers last year, it looks like they are a mission and the only thing that could stop them is if they decide to play lazy. The Diamondbacks, for all their success this season are not scoring runs nor are making the best of their opportunities.
Colorado will look to end everything tonight.
***
Meanwhile, in the American League, there’s now a series going on.
The Red Sox and Indians are tied 1-1, after Cleveland basically took advantage of a Boston bullpen that was less than effective in the 11th inning of Game Two.
Former Red Sox outfielder, Trot Nixon, now a reserve player on the Indians hit a tie-breaking single in the 11th inning broke a 6-6 tie, and then the Indians added six more runs topped off by a Franklin Gutierrez three-run homer.
Until the 11th inning, it was a see-saw affair dominated by the long-ball and timely hitting on both sides of the coin. Neither starters Curt Schilling nor Fausto Carmona effective; however, both bullpen aided their starters and the big bats kept everyone in the game.
Manny Ramirez hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning to break the all-time postseason home run record and David Ortiz had reached base in ten straight playoff games, also a record.
The series continues tonight, as Jake Westbrook faces Daisuke Matzusaka. I think this game will feature a lot of runs, as both pitchers have not been sharp at all as of late.
When it comes down to it, this series will come down to pitching, especially late in the game and as well, the series.
Well, good morning to everyone. It looks like fall has finally arrived in this part of the world, as it is now freezing out. I’m happy that it doesn’t feel like Miami out anymore; however, the change from summer to fall happened way too quickly.
Anyhow, the two teams no one would ever be in the NLCS, the Diamondbacks and the Rockies, played last night in the desert.
Colorado continued its onslaught and defeated the Diamondbacks, 5-1. Basically, in case you have may not noticed, the Rockies only have lost one game within the last month.
They jumped on Diamondbacks ace, Brandon Webb and they did it not with the long ball, but with singles, putting the ball in play and simple execution.
Long story short, the Rockies put on a clinic on how to play winning baseball last night.
The Diamondbacks had their chances, but didn’t make the most of it and the play that was indicative of that came in the seventh inning when Justin Upton tried to break up the double play slid into Kaz Matsui hard and almost like a lineman trying to roll-up the quarterback.
Upton, no doubt interfered in the play, and instead of they only getting one out, or perhaps the Rockies missing both second and first when attempting to make the double play, Colorado got the double play anyway due the umpire calling interference.
Then things got wild.
The Diamondback fans, who were widely criticized in the press for not supporting their team, went berserk with booing the Rockies and the umps (who were right) and decided to protest by throwing water bottles into the field and garbage. They chased the Rockies off the field for a few moments, and had another opportunity to score; however, it got wasted.
Jeff Francis won the game, and remained poised throughout the contest.
I think this series will still be close; however, the Rockies really impressed me last night and I would not be surprised if they end up in the World Series when all is said and done.
I expect this to be one of the better series I have seen in a while as both teams are evenly matched up.
***
Well, if postings are few and far between this weekend, I will be in Boston catching game two of the ALCS on Saturday night. I am debating whether to drive or take the train, but it should be a wonderful series to take in.
I have never been to playoff game in Fenway, so I am sure it will be nothing short of wild.
As for the series, I am picking the Sox in seven games. I surmise Cleveland will give them a run for their money, but Boston seems to just be too strong. However, if Sabathia and Carmona can win the first two games of the series, things will no doubt change.
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