MLB - Postseason

[Ming]

St Louis has taken a quick lead over San Diego... leading 4 - 0 in the fourth.

While this game got the worst time, The White/Red Sox game starts at 3pm. Which also sucks if you have to work for a living.

And of course, the Yankees are in prime time. Why doesn't this surprise me

[Imran Siddiqui]

Ming, you are in advertising... ratings!

[Ninot]

Peavy ain't as great as my friend is trying to tell me.

Go Red Sox!!

[Sava]

there were some good stats presented on the Score sports radio 670 AM today about the Red Sox/White Sox series...

everyone is saying the Red Sox is the stronger slugging team... but yet the White Sox had more home runs as a team than Boston.

but I'm under no illusions here... Boston is better offensively... they hit for better average as a team and scored more runs...

However, the White Sox are a better pitching team... the best of the American league playoff teams (ERA). And Boston over a full ERA point higher than the White Sox (4.76 to 3.63) in team ERA.

Also, there are some intangibles to think about. The Red Sox, in addition to being one of the worst base stealing teams in the league, are one of the worst base running teams in the league. John Dewan, from www.baseballinfosolutions.com is a weekly contributor on the Score sports radio 670AM in Chicago, and he reported that the Red Sox were 30th in MLB in baserunning.

This is in regards to singles, going from 1st to 3rd and scoring from 2nd on singles... also, scoring from 1st on doubles. Boston had the most opportunities, by far, more than any other team in the league, but was 30th in successfully moving runners over and scoring. The White Sox, however, were near the top.

Also, even though Boston had significantly more opportunities to score than the White Sox in these situations, Chicago scored more times than Boston in these types of situations. I forget the exact numbers. I will post them if I can find them.

All in all, it should be a good series.

GO WHITE SOX (for Chicago )

GO ANGELS (because I hate the Yankees)

GO PADRES (because I hate the Cardinals)

GO BRAVES (because I hate the Astros)

[Imran Siddiqui]

everyone is saying the Red Sox is the stronger slugging team...

Maybe because they are

BOS SLG: .453
ChW SLG: .425

There is more to slugging than HRs, Sava .

[Sava]

meh...

slugging was the wrong word

ESPN was talking specifically about homers this morning, not slugging percentage

[Ninot]

who won the season series between Chisox and Bosox?

edit - Ahh, Boston did, 4-3, 3 games in Boston, 4 in Chicago

[Sava]

Originally posted by Ninot
who won the season series between Chisox and Bosox?

I think Boston won 4-3...

however, in the 7 games they played against each other, each team scored 36 runs...

I am just looking at ESPN's schedule... I only see 7 games...

someone double check for me

[Ninot]

yeah, its 7. I checked Boston game notes

[Ming]

It's all but over for game one... with St Louis leading 8 - 2 in the top of the ninth.

The Sox game should start shortly.

[Ninot]

Red Sox-White Sox: Quick hits
By Michael Bauman / MLB.com

Three reasons the White Sox will win:

1. All of the White Sox playoff starters, who are the basic strength of this team, have pitched well recently. In their last eight combined starts, they have a collective 1.57 ERA. It's a perfect time for these pitchers to peak.

2. They have four late-game relievers performing well. Put this together with Reason No. 1, and why wouldn't there be success?

3. It's their turn, darn it. The White Sox haven't won a World Series since 1917. The White Sox haven't won a postseason series since 1917. The law of averages is on their side, and they don't even have a curse.

Achilles' heel: This is a group with very little collective playoff experience. The Sox had the best record in the American League, but it's a different game in October and many of the Sox haven't played it yet.

Key matchups: Jose Contreras vs. everybody in the Boston lineup. One of the reasons that the Yankees were willing to part with Contreras was the fact that he was clobbered with such regularity by Boston. He says he's a different pitcher now, Guillen says he's a different pitcher now, and his second-half numbers say that he is a different pitcher now. His quality of his performances could be a major factor in the outcome.

Darkhorse: Aaron Rowand. He has played brilliantly in the field at times, but badly at others. Which Rowand shows up here defensively for the Sox in center could have a much larger than expected impact on the outcome.

Why the Red Sox will win

1. Because David Ortiz won't let them lose. In Spanish, Big Papi means Big Daddy. In Baseball-ese, it means Fat Chance You Win. His C&L (close and late, seventh inning on in tight games) rating is off the charts.

2. They're relieved to have been able to slump into the postseason. Now they can relax and again play their best ball, which they haven't since August and which can still be lethal.

3. They don't believe the White Sox have a prayer of stopping them. They've handled their pitching aces pretty well, and totaled 12 homers in seven head-to-head meetings.

Achilles' heel: Overdependence on David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez. The pair is incredibly productive, with 90-plus homers and 290 RBIs. But they cannot be expected to continue carrying the load as they have all season. The Red Sox need someone else to get hot and give the opposition something else to worry about. Jason Varitek has shown signs of being able to be that person. If Boston has to keep out-hitting its pitching weaknesses, the whole lineup has to start clicking.

Scott Podsednik vs. Matt Clement. Let the tone be set early. Will Scotty Po get on base against Clement, use his speed, create distractions and generally rev up the White Sox offense? Or will Clement keep him in check, thus reducing the White Sox attack to something more like an all-or-nothing proposition?

Darkhorse: Bronson Arroyo, the odd man out in Terry Francona's series rotation, is almost certain to have the chance to pick up a faltering starter in the early innings of a game. How he handles the opportunity could be pivotal. After considerable late-season juggling, the Red Sox have the back end of their bullpen pretty well lined up. But there aren't any other long arms in the pen.

The Winner: The Sox.

I'm sorry about that, but it had to be done. Seriously, folks, playing in two hitter-friendly yards, the Red Sox could score 36 runs in three games and sweep. But the history of postseason baseball says that isn't the way this event will be decided. The team with the better pitching is supposed to win. There is absolutely no question about which team that is. White Sox in five.

Mike Bauman is a national columnist for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/NASApp/...=.jsp&c_id=bos

[Sava]

dammit, too bad Fox is carrying this game

I would rather listen to Hawk Harrelson (White Sox broadcaster)... his mannerisms, while slightly annoying, can be hilarious at times...

and FOX does not have a good announcer or commentator for any sport... NFL, MLB... everybody sucks...


ehhhh

wait a minute...

Fox was doing some baseball stuff... then it ended and COPS is on, wtf...

okay... now it is on WGN... but Chris Berman is on...

WTF is going on here?

Chris Berman is on WGN???

wait a minute, I see ESPN's logo in the lower right, but WGN's logo in the top right...



this is damned peculiar

[Ming]

Not weird at all... any playoff game appearing on cable has to also be shown on an over the air station in the teams markets, so everybody can watch it. So while ESPN is doing the games, WGN contracted to carry the over the air coverage for the Chicago market.

[Sava]

oh okay... that makes sense

I was confused because I saw the SD/STL game on ESPN... I didn't think to check ESPN2... DUH!

it's weird though, the volume on ESPN2 is lower for some reason...

and on WGN, I don't have the annoying sports ticker...

oh god, but Chris Berman is actually doing the game

I can't believe I have to listen to this douche.... BACK BACK BACK BACK BACK

I think I will mute it and listen to the SCORE instead!

[Sava]

wow, lots of gay sexual inuendo so far...

Chris Berman: "he fisted that one"

other guy (I think Mike Piazza): "yeah he threw his knob out there!"