5/21-5/23 Red Sox vs Yankees... or, is this still an important series?

AutomatedTeller · 05-21-2007, 02:15 PM

I have to admit, the drama is a little out on this one. It's pretty important to the Yankees, but if the Sox lost 2 out of 3, I dunno that it matters. A sweep would be bad.

Pitching matchups:

Wakefield vs. Wang
Tavarez vs Mussina
Schilling vs. Pettitte.

(Can someone check me on those? I dont' know I have games 2 and 3 correct)

Zen653 · 05-21-2007, 05:10 PM

These are big games only if we lose all three. Win at least one, and we're okay because we'd still be at least 9 1/2 up on Thursday. Lose all three and we'd be in mild trouble because (1) it brings the Yankees within 7 1/2 and (2) it energizes their team.

We've gotten off to great starts before, but we haven't sustained them well. As recently as 2002, we got off to an even better start yet still managed to miss the playoffs that year despite Cy Young-caliber seasons out of Pedro Martinez, Derek Lowe and Tim Wakefield.

Let's just clobber the Yankees in all three games, or at least two out of the three, and keep them out of contention. Don't even give them a scintilla of hope.

Drury77 · 05-21-2007, 05:34 PM

I think this series is huge for the Sox and probably even bigger for the Yanks. If we can win the series, you really put the Yanks in a miserable position, which could cost Torre his job, though I think that Cashman should pay the price first.

AutomatedTeller · 05-21-2007, 06:31 PM

Game #1:

Red Sox:
SS Julio Lugo
1B Kevin Youkilis
DH David Ortiz
LF Manny Ramirez
RF J.D. Drew
3B Mike Lowell
CF Coco Crisp
C Doug Mirabelli
2B Alex Cora

SP Tim Wakefield

Yankees:
CF Johnny Damon
SS Derek Jeter
LF Hideki Matsui
3B Alex Rodriguez
C Jorge Posada
RF Bobby Abreu
DH JasonGiambi
2B Robinson Cano
1B Doug Mientkiewicz

SP Chien-Ming Wang

AutomatedTeller · 05-21-2007, 06:35 PM

Thinking about this....

If the Sox can take 2 out of 3, in a series where the Yankees have their best and we are throwing Tavarez... I don't see how the Yankees can recover from that.

Wouldn't it be incredibly disheartening to lose the first 3 series? To know that even with your best pitchers, you coulnd't match up to the Sox's... not best?

Zen653 · 05-21-2007, 11:31 PM

The first game was terrible. Wakefield seems to be regressing, just as all those Yankees fans told us that he would, and the offense sputtered against a mediocre Chien Ming Wang. This series is starting to look like it could be a Yankees sweep. Mussina is obviously favored in Game 2 and Pettitte has pitched significantly better than Schilling. I'd be happy stealing just one of these two games. I want to avoid the sweep.

AutomatedTeller · 05-22-2007, 12:29 AM

well, of course Wake wasn't going to end the season with an ERA in the two's.

Wang wasn't great, no, but that happens.

Could be a sweep, but it's not really like. If you assume that Mussina is 75% likely to win that game (which is a huge advantage) and Pettitte is 60% likely to win (again, a large advantage), the Sox have a 55% chance of winning one of those.

Zen653 · 05-22-2007, 11:40 AM

Game MVP:

Game LVP:

AutomatedTeller · 05-22-2007, 08:36 PM

4-1 Sox now, on HR by Manny and lowell. Good to see Manny crush a ball.

Drew still can't do anything important.

AutomatedTeller · 05-22-2007, 08:39 PM

Papi gave one a ride there though...

Does Damon always look... I dunno - odd? I dunno what it is - he doens't look like a ballplayer, though he's clearly a hell of a one. He looks like he's shortarming every throw, and he sort of looks like he's doing the same thing when he catches the ball.

He looks like a slap hitter at the plate, but slap hitters dont hit 20 HR.

Tough guy.

AutomatedTeller · 05-22-2007, 09:52 PM

7-2 now. Julian was pretty good, for a bad pitcher against a great lineup.
Yankees have to be kicking themselves - they cannot win with Mussina pitching like this. they can win the series with pettitte, but it's got to be discouraging fo r them to beat wake, who often gives them fits, then get shut down by tavarez. If they lose tomorrow, I think it's over for them. Assuming that the Sox win tonight, of course.

AutomatedTeller · 05-23-2007, 03:03 PM

Good win last night. Not great and the pen made it more interesting than the final score indicates, but it puts the yankees up against it. they pretty much have to win tonight

Zen653 · 05-23-2007, 03:33 PM

Ramirez only had one hit in this game but it was a big one that set the tone for the rest of the night. And Tavarez, despite feeling sick, held a strong Yankees offense to just 2 runs over 5 2/3 innings, so he's my other MVP choice. He pitched himself out of several jams in the 4th, 5th and 6th innings. Mussina (7 ER in 6+ innings) clearly picks up the LVP.

Co-MVPs:

LVP:

Blader · 05-23-2007, 06:27 PM

All over NY radio about ARods dirty elbow/slide....and he wonders why he's disliked.

Drury77 · 05-23-2007, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blader

All over NY radio about ARods dirty elbow/slide....and he wonders why he's disliked.

that was brutal, you take that and his B!tch slap of Arroyo in 04, it just continues to confirm why I wouldn't want the guy on my team

05-21-2007, 02:15 PM	#1 (permalink)
AutomatedTeller Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 544	5/21-5/23 Red Sox vs Yankees... or, is this still an important series? I have to admit, the drama is a little out on this one. It's pretty important to the Yankees, but if the Sox lost 2 out of 3, I dunno that it matters. A sweep would be bad. Pitching matchups: Wakefield vs. Wang Tavarez vs Mussina Schilling vs. Pettitte. (Can someone check me on those? I dont' know I have games 2 and 3 correct)

05-21-2007, 05:34 PM	#3 (permalink)
Drury77 Hockey Community Mod Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Clarksville, TN Posts: 891	I think this series is huge for the Sox and probably even bigger for the Yanks. If we can win the series, you really put the Yanks in a miserable position, which could cost Torre his job, though I think that Cashman should pay the price first. __________________ Visit Traci's Card Place \| Stop by the Bruins Forum \| Stop by the Predators Forum

05-21-2007, 05:10 PM	#2 (permalink)
Zen653 Hall of Famer Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 6,744	These are big games only if we lose all three. Win at least one, and we're okay because we'd still be at least 9 1/2 up on Thursday. Lose all three and we'd be in mild trouble because (1) it brings the Yankees within 7 1/2 and (2) it energizes their team. We've gotten off to great starts before, but we haven't sustained them well. As recently as 2002, we got off to an even better start yet still managed to miss the playoffs that year despite Cy Young-caliber seasons out of Pedro Martinez, Derek Lowe and Tim Wakefield. Let's just clobber the Yankees in all three games, or at least two out of the three, and keep them out of contention. Don't even give them a scintilla of hope.

05-21-2007, 06:31 PM	#4 (permalink)
AutomatedTeller Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 544	Game #1: Red Sox: SS Julio Lugo 1B Kevin Youkilis DH David Ortiz LF Manny Ramirez RF J.D. Drew 3B Mike Lowell CF Coco Crisp C Doug Mirabelli 2B Alex Cora SP Tim Wakefield Yankees: CF Johnny Damon SS Derek Jeter LF Hideki Matsui 3B Alex Rodriguez C Jorge Posada RF Bobby Abreu DH JasonGiambi 2B Robinson Cano 1B Doug Mientkiewicz SP Chien-Ming Wang

05-21-2007, 06:35 PM	#5 (permalink)
AutomatedTeller Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 544	Thinking about this.... If the Sox can take 2 out of 3, in a series where the Yankees have their best and we are throwing Tavarez... I don't see how the Yankees can recover from that. Wouldn't it be incredibly disheartening to lose the first 3 series? To know that even with your best pitchers, you coulnd't match up to the Sox's... not best?

05-21-2007, 11:31 PM	#6 (permalink)
Zen653 Hall of Famer Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 6,744	The first game was terrible. Wakefield seems to be regressing, just as all those Yankees fans told us that he would, and the offense sputtered against a mediocre Chien Ming Wang. This series is starting to look like it could be a Yankees sweep. Mussina is obviously favored in Game 2 and Pettitte has pitched significantly better than Schilling. I'd be happy stealing just one of these two games. I want to avoid the sweep.

05-22-2007, 12:29 AM	#7 (permalink)
AutomatedTeller Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 544	well, of course Wake wasn't going to end the season with an ERA in the two's. Wang wasn't great, no, but that happens. Could be a sweep, but it's not really like. If you assume that Mussina is 75% likely to win that game (which is a huge advantage) and Pettitte is 60% likely to win (again, a large advantage), the Sox have a 55% chance of winning one of those.

05-22-2007, 11:40 AM	#8 (permalink)
Zen653 Hall of Famer Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 6,744	Game MVP: Game LVP:

05-22-2007, 08:36 PM	#9 (permalink)
AutomatedTeller Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 544	4-1 Sox now, on HR by Manny and lowell. Good to see Manny crush a ball. Drew still can't do anything important.

05-22-2007, 08:39 PM	#10 (permalink)
AutomatedTeller Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 544	Papi gave one a ride there though... Does Damon always look... I dunno - odd? I dunno what it is - he doens't look like a ballplayer, though he's clearly a hell of a one. He looks like he's shortarming every throw, and he sort of looks like he's doing the same thing when he catches the ball. He looks like a slap hitter at the plate, but slap hitters dont hit 20 HR. Tough guy.

05-22-2007, 09:52 PM	#11 (permalink)
AutomatedTeller Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 544	7-2 now. Julian was pretty good, for a bad pitcher against a great lineup. Yankees have to be kicking themselves - they cannot win with Mussina pitching like this. they can win the series with pettitte, but it's got to be discouraging fo r them to beat wake, who often gives them fits, then get shut down by tavarez. If they lose tomorrow, I think it's over for them. Assuming that the Sox win tonight, of course.

05-23-2007, 03:03 PM	#12 (permalink)
AutomatedTeller Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 544	Good win last night. Not great and the pen made it more interesting than the final score indicates, but it puts the yankees up against it. they pretty much have to win tonight

05-23-2007, 03:33 PM	#13 (permalink)
Zen653 Hall of Famer Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 6,744	Ramirez only had one hit in this game but it was a big one that set the tone for the rest of the night. And Tavarez, despite feeling sick, held a strong Yankees offense to just 2 runs over 5 2/3 innings, so he's my other MVP choice. He pitched himself out of several jams in the 4th, 5th and 6th innings. Mussina (7 ER in 6+ innings) clearly picks up the LVP. Co-MVPs: LVP:

05-23-2007, 06:27 PM	#14 (permalink)
Blader Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: New York New York Posts: 270	All over NY radio about ARods dirty elbow/slide....and he wonders why he's disliked.