Francona Smoking Some Strong Stuff

[UNHWildCats]

Manny Ramirez returns to the lineup tongiht.....

2B Dustin Pedroia
LF Manny Ramirez
DH David Ortiz
3B Mike Lowell
RF JD Drew
C Jason Varitek
CF Coco Crisp
1B Eric Hinske
SS Julio Lugo

Not sure why Manny is batting second... Its extremely puzzling.

[Reed Rothchild]

Why has Manny been out? I seriously don't know.

[UNHWildCats]

strained oblique

[YaleFootballFan]

Well whatever Tito was smoking, it sure worked. xlolx

Sox win 7-3; Manny goes 1 for 2 with a walk.

Magic Number is 4 for the East.

[UNHWildCats]

Make that 3. Yankees lose in Tampa

[furpal87]

I think the idea was to get him three plate appearances as quickly as possible, then get him out, so he didn't hurt himself in the outfield. Probably see that the rest of the week.

[YaleFootballFan]

Make that 3. Yankees lose in Tampa

Thank you Rays! xthumbsupx

[JoltinJoe]

It's pissing me off that Joe Torre is managing as if he's happy to take the wild card.

Doesn't he understand that my avatar is on the line? xnonono2x

[GannonFan]

It's pissing me off that Joe Torre is managing as if he's happy to take the wild card.

Doesn't he understand that my avatar is on the line? xnonono2x

I don't think Torre has bought in to your "winning it all" theory. xlolx

[JoltinJoe]

I don't think Torre has bought in to your "winning it all" theory. xlolx

What winning it all theory? ;)

[JoltinJoe]

Why has Manny been out? I seriously don't know.

He always takes a vacation this time of year. :)

[OxSoxUNH05]

Joe Torre is just happy to be coaching past september the way the season started for the yankees. Come next April he will be very lucky to still be coaching.

[yorkcountyUNHfan]

I think the idea was to get him three plate appearances as quickly as possible, then get him out, so he didn't hurt himself in the outfield. Probably see that the rest of the week.

We have a winner!

[UNHWildCats]

It's pissing me off that Joe Torre is managing as if he's happy to take the wild card.

Doesn't he understand that my avatar is on the line? xnonono2x

A sports writer made a interesting suggestion. Dont remember where but maybe CNNSI.

Add a second wild card in each league and the two wild cards play a play in game so that teams have more incentive to keep playing for the division title.

[JoltinJoe]

A sports writer made a interesting suggestion. Dont remember where but maybe CNNSI.

Add a second wild card in each league and the two wild cards play a play in game so that teams have more incentive to keep playing for the division title.

I think there are too many teams that make the post-season. But what the heck, if it would keep Brian Bruney xnonono2x xnonono2x xnonono2x out the games, I could go for it!

[UNHWildCats]

I think there are too many teams that make the post-season. But what the heck, if it would keep Brian Bruney xnonono2x xnonono2x xnonono2x out the games, I could go for it!


Karstens too :D

[UNHWildCats]

Manny went 3-3. Pedroia homered and went 3-5 and Boston rolled to another win and have put New York on the brink of wild cardness.

Boston lowered their magic number to 2. They have 4 games remaining this weekend at Fenway against Minnesota (Santana pitched tonite and wont be in the series), while New York has 2 at Tampa including the game in progress and 3 this weekend at Baltimore.

[YaleFootballFan]

Anaheim lost again today so it appears Boston will be playing the Angels in the ALDS, whether Sox finish with the best record or not. The Red Sox were 6-4 vs. the Halos in '07 and have never lost to the Angels in the post-season ('86 and '04).

New York is on the verge of clinching the Wild Card and will likely be heading to Cleveland. New York was 6-0 vs. the Tribe in '07.

[Cleets]

Joe Torre is just happy to be coaching past september the way the season started for the yankees. Come next April he will be very lucky to still be coaching.

there are about 20 teams that would promptly ***** can their coach to even have a shot a Torre.... xlolx

[furpal87]

Yankees were 6-0 vs Cleveland, but never saw Sabbathia. They'll see him twice in a five game series.

[UNHWildCats]

The Yankees clinched the Wildcard tonite. Cleveland appears to have a lock on second place in the AL If they hold on tonite against Seattle they will pull even with Boston for best record. Anaheim with 3 games remaining compared to 4 for Boston and Cleveland is 2.5 behind Boston and at the moment 2.0 behind Cleveland pending the outcome tonite.

Bostons magic number is now 1 a win or Yankee loss this weekend and its over for the AL East. The magic number for the Best record in the AL is 4 pending the Cleveland game.

[UNHWildCats]

Seattle ties the game in the bottom 9th

[UNHWildCats]

The day unfolded perfectly for Boston. The only thing that could have happened that didn't that would have shown up positively for the Sox was a Yankees loss, but withy Boston playing a 5:05 game and done much sooner then the Yankees the can wait another day and celebrate the AL East Championship at Fenway tomorrow night with the fans when Josh Beckett wins his 21st game to cement the AL CY Young award.

Boston lowered its magic number to 1 with its win, lowered its magic number for best record in baseball to 3 with Seattle's sweep of Cleveland tonight including a come from behind 3-2 walk off win.

By as early as Friday night Boston could be notifying MLB which ALDS schedule it wants the one with an extra day off or not, this prize goes along with the best record in the AL this season, next year the NL gets the choice.

Cleveland may have a tougher time with the decision should they get it. Get Sabathia and Carmona twice in a 5 game series on regular rest or force likely opponent New York to have less rest with its banged up, MIA rotation which will be without Ian Kennedy and likely Roger Clemens in the first round.

[Reed Rothchild]

Cleveland may have a tougher time with the decision should they get it. Get Sabathia and Carmona twice in a 5 game series on regular rest or force likely opponent New York to have less rest with its banged up, MIA rotation which will be without Ian Kennedy and likely Roger Clemens in the first round.

If the Yanks play Cleveland and the Indians chose the schedule they most likely will, Torre will probably go with Wang and Pettite twice. That will leave only 1 game for someone else to pitch. The schedule would almost benefit the Yanks more than Cleveland with the injuries right now.

[JoltinJoe]

Trav:

Not to rain on the Sox' parade but the magic number is 2.

[GannonFan]

If the Yanks play Cleveland and the Indians chose the schedule they most likely will, Torre will probably go with Wang and Pettite twice. That will leave only 1 game for someone else to pitch. The schedule would almost benefit the Yanks more than Cleveland with the injuries right now.

Wang pitching twice would be tough - has he even done it in a 5 game series before? Torre has also tried to pitch Wang at Yankee Stadium and not on the road in past playoffs. Odds are you see Wang pitch Game 3 and he tries to pitch Pettite twice (Game 1 and 5). Probably would see Clemens in Game 2.

[TheValleyRaider]

Wang pitching twice would be tough - has he even done it in a 5 game series before? Torre has also tried to pitch Wang at Yankee Stadium and not on the road in past playoffs. Odds are you see Wang pitch Game 3 and he tries to pitch Pettite twice (Game 1 and 5). Probably would see Clemens in Game 2.

That's been how I've pictured it going for a while now. Wang's a great guy, but his home/away splits suggest getting him on the hill at Yankee Stadium is the best option. I suppose then we'd see Mussina in Game 4. The only thing I don't like about this is that it takes away Pettite as the starter for Game 1 of the next series if they win in 5, and while that's probably getting too far ahead, it's worth pointing out as a potential weakness down the line. We shall see...

[GannonFan]

That's been how I've pictured it going for a while now. Wang's a great guy, but his home/away splits suggest getting him on the hill at Yankee Stadium is the best option. I suppose then we'd see Mussina in Game 4. The only thing I don't like about this is that it takes away Pettite as the starter for Game 1 of the next series if they win in 5, and while that's probably getting too far ahead, it's worth pointing out as a potential weakness down the line. We shall see...


Yeah, Mussina would look to be the Game 4 starter - I don't think they'll use Hughes in that spot - it would be like when they went with Wright against the Tigers last year - you can't throw a guy like that into the fire, on the road, down 2-1. Of course, I'm sure they hope they aren't in that situation again, but they'll likely go with experience over the rookie, especially as the rookie's only been ok second half of the season.

[UNHWildCats]

Trav:

Not to rain on the Sox' parade but the magic number is 2.


Yes laying in bed at 3 am doing math in my head I realized the media is wrong. With 4 games remaining and a 3 game lead and the tie breaker going to NY Bostons magic number is indeed 2.

[TheValleyRaider]

Yeah, Mussina would look to be the Game 4 starter - I don't think they'll use Hughes in that spot - it would be like when they went with Wright against the Tigers last year - you can't throw a guy like that into the fire, on the road, down 2-1. Of course, I'm sure they hope they aren't in that situation again, but they'll likely go with experience over the rookie, especially as the rookie's only been ok second half of the season.

Yeah, Moose is gonna be the 4th starter this season. He's still got the resume to fall back on, and has been much better since coming back from his demotion. Besides, Hughes (and Kennedy if he's not busy xsmiley_wix ) will be in the bullpen for long relief if need be.