I posted on the last thread that it's all up to Aaron Small tonight. As I see it, win tonight and we are virtually guaranteed a one game playoff on our home field at the worst. No way the Sox sweep us in Fenway.

I also posted Matt Clement's awful numbers against the Jays this year(8+ ERA), and his poor showing in September thus far(5+ ERA). Two weeks ago he gave up 6 runs in 6 innings to the Blue Jays and we can only hope he duplicates that feat. A Yanks win and a Sox loss ends their season effectively.

Think about this. Chacon, Small, and Wang get consecutive starts in the waning days of September in a pennant race where the Yanks and Sox are separated by a game going into Fenway to close things out. Chacon did his part. If Small does his we're on the brink, and if Wang can keep the line moving, we get Randy Johnson in an elimination game.

Three guys who weren't on any team's radar this year, and they are about to impact baseball history. Good luck fellas. We got your backs.

Bernie was out. He just missed the plate when he slid in - his foot was six inches off the plate towards the pitcher's mound. I thought that was one of the few calls that the home plate ump got correct last night, as much as I wanted Bernie to score. Check the replay from behind the plate - you can see Bernie's left foot carve a divot in the dirt as it misses the plate.

Bernie is, in my opinion, one of the worst baserunners that I've ever seen in my life, and this was another bad play by him. He's still one of my all-time favorite Yankees (behind Donnie Baseball, Reggie Jackson & DJ), but baserunning is something he's never been good at.

Chucksax,
We'll have to agree to disagree on that one. I'd have to look at it again, but from every replay I saw last night, Hunter blew the call.

Bernie has never been a good baserunner but surely he's a lot better than our boy Jorge who is a true menace on the bases.

Bernie may not be a top baserunner, but I will give him this:

Bernie busts it down the line on ground balls harder than ANY player I have ever seen at any level. He also goes 1st to 3rd, and 1st to home, better than most players. At least he used to when his knees were still good.

He makes some bonehead decisions sometimes, but he busts it as good as anyone. Jorge is just plain dumb on the bases. I groan when I see his thick coconut running around out there. I love Jorge, but Ty Cobb he ain't.

Anyone know who the umpiring crew is in Fenway this weekend?

"No way the Sox sweep us in Fenway."

And no way the Sox can win 4 in a row in the ALDS. ;)
This weekend is gonna be brutal on my nerves...

I really don't know what replay you saw, Chucksax, but every replay I saw (even on BBTN) they had Bernie safe at home.

KJC,

I know it's going to be brutal, but I honestly can't see the Sox beating us 3 times at this point in the season. Last year was clearly a different Red Sox team.

Schilling was pitching well. Pedro knew we were his daddy, but he was still Pedro. Lowe was having a career year. Arroyo was fresh and confident. Foulke was totally lights out.

This year Schilling is a shadow of his former self. Pedro is a Met. Lowe is a Dodger. Foulke was ineffective and is finished. Arroyo is shaky at best. Wells is mediocre. Clement has turned into a pumpkin. The pen is in a total shambles.

On the flip, the Yankee pitchers are on a major roll. The pen is shaky but we have Gordon and Mariano.

Chucksax, you blew the call too!

Was it Gene Michael that recommended Chacon? If so, I don't see how even the idiots in Tampa could rationalize pushing Gene out of the organization.

"Last year was clearly a different Red Sox team."

Absolutely -- I'm not expecting a Sox sweep with these pitchers at all. Then again, all 3 games are pretty good pitching matchups -- it could really go either way in any game.

I'm just doing my best to stay positive. Like Lloyd Christmas said: "So you're telling me there's a chance..."

Agreed KJC. I'm with you.

My favorite victory would be against Wells. I'd love to see him grasp his lower back in the first inning and take himself out of the game, a la 2001 World Series against the Marlins. I hated him from that moment and I hope we shell him.

"Lowe was having a career year"

That's pretty funny.

Yeah 22Ryan....I gotta laugh at myself on that one too. In retrospect, Lowe's career year was 2002, and 2003 wasn't all that bad. 2004 was only big because he won the clinching game of each post-season series. Aside from that he was pretty hideous.

A +5 ERA and very bloated stats. Forget I mentioned him. Call it Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

I love the determination on the Yankees faces. It was the same look the '98 Yankees had. Even if they were down by 5, they always felt they would win. It felt good when Torre validated my sentimentsin yesterday's pregame with Sterling saying that going into the 8th even though they were down, going into the bottom of the 8th down 13 - 9 they still felt they were going to win. It's great when a team has that attitude. Then when they lose, and come back the next day and get a great pitching performance.

14

Totally agreed there, I thought the same thing.

Last year, we lost mentally in a battle of attrition to a very good team that peaked at the right time, and had the breaks going their way.

Forgive me, but no matter who they were facing, the New York Yankee baseball team circa 2004 should not have lost 4 in a row to the same team. And they should not lose 3 or 4 in a row to the same team this year as well. Doesn't really matter who we are playing, this isn't a team full of dummies.

That said, rare occurrences happen in baaseball as in many other uncertain situations in life. No need to put any spin on them when they happen.

mikeplugh, I think you mean 2003 World Series. He ruined my fucking birthday, the fat bastard.

I'd like to take this opportunity to give a big Shout Out to our nothern brothers, the Toronto Blue Jays. They went up to Fenway and, at worst, split the 4 games. And remember, gentlemen, win tonight, and sweep the lowly Royals this weekend, and you finish over .500! Now go out there tonite and whip some American ass!

Good piece, sums it all up nicely:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nypost/20050929/sp_nypost/erraticbutfantastic

Needless to say, I'm still in total nail-biting mode. I have tickets to Friday night's game, and get nervous just thinking about it!

Paul, I think that, as Tom Petty once sang, the waiting is the hardest part. And I'm sure that goes for all fans whose teams are in it right now. The days are very long. All we can do is wait, kibbitz, and wait some more before game time. The anxiety is almost palpable.

I'm still nervous, though I felt a bit more relief after last night's game because 1) we gained a game, giving us a cushion 2) we're one day closer to the weekend series 3) it was a crisp victory that highlighted our best blueprint for winning -- great starting pitching followed by great relief, and clutch, late game hitting.

I'd prefer more offense, but last night's win was nice.

However, I'm on pins and needles with Aaron Small these days wondering when midnight is going to strike. I love him out of the pen, but I still have a hard time envisioning him going undefeated for 2005, which is why tonight makes me nervous. A loss tonight and we're looking at a split with the O's.

I'll settle for a one game lead going into Fenway, though any help from the Jays is much welcome in case we falter.

Am I the only one who doesn't feel nervous or anxious heading into tonight? Maybe I'm just numb from the emotional overload of the last few days. It was nice to get a decent night's sleep for a change.

Boston peeps, what's the weather forecast for this evening? There's a big system moving across the east coast today, I'm thinking it will clear Baltimore by game time, but might just be getting to Beantown at that point. Any insight from the locals?

A brief rant about C-M Wang being dressed up as a cheerleader by his teammates:
http://rosenschale.blogspot.com/2005/09/storied-ny-yankees-or-frat-boys.html

Weather Channel says 70% chance of rain during the day, 30% chance of showers at night.

I also saw dark clouds looming towards Boston. What would happen in a rainout?

Do they play a DH Friday. Morning v. the O's and afternoon v. Yanks.

Let's all start doing the rain dance. C'mon Tlaloc don't let us down!

For now, the sun's shining a bit with many, many clouds in the sky - the puffy white kind nearby, darker and more storm-looking to the west and south. VERY windy, moreso than usual.

The last weather report I heard says good chance of severe T-storms tonight, with lots of wind. If they are smart - they have to be watching the weather reports, right? - I'd think they'd move the game up to this afternoon.

OK, move it to early afternoon, if the weather channel has it right. How could they pull off a DH tomorrow? I'm sure a two-team in one day double header has been done before, but boy, I can just hear the complaints now.

"I also saw dark clouds looming towards Boston."

Is that a weather report or a prophesy...?

A rain out in Beantown? That would be sweet. Probably they'd play the game on Monday, if necessary. Yankees would then be going into the weekend, I hope, one up in the loss column. Man, that could totally screwup any sort of tie-breaking playoff scenario.
Don't worry about Boston, we've got to win tonight. One game up really helps with the lack of homefield advantage, but Yankees still need to win 2. Unless, of course, Yankees win tonight and Boston loses. . .

KJC, both.

Right on KJC!

RBJ, they're trying to keep Monday open for tie-breakers. The ALDS has to start on Tuesday. As for a day/night double header vs. Tor then vs. NY, the Blue Jays have a home game that night in Toronto against the Royals. That said, baseball would be wise to just cancel that Toronto game, which won't effect the standings, and force the double header. Not sure the Blue Jays would go for it, though, as they'd lose a lot of revenue from bagging a home game in favor of a road make-up.

Hopefully it won't come to all this.

A few days ago I predicted that the Yanks would take 3 of 4 from the O's and that the Sox would plit with the Jays.

So far so good...

I think our offense will give Small all the support he'll need tonight. Bedard won't be folling anyone.

With tonight's win, the Yanks wil come into Fenway confident yet very much aware of Boston's ability to sweep (see 2004 ALCS). Arod's already eluded to last yera's collapse in yesterday's post game interviews and I think the Yanks will come into Boston ready for whatever the Sox throw at them. Wells doesn't scare me, neither does Schilling...

I have a wedding to attend on Sunday afternoon. I am praying that I won't need to spend the day with my blackberry in hand, checking the score of a Yankee "must-win"...but my gut tells me that the Yanks will take the AL East crown on Satuirday vs. SHELLing.

A few days ago I predicted that the Yanks would take 3 of 4 from the O's and that the Sox would split with the Jays.

So far so good...

I think our offense will give Small all the support he'll need tonight. Bedard won't be fooling anyone.

With tonight's win, the Yanks wil come into Fenway confident yet very much aware of Boston's ability to sweep (see 2004 ALCS). Arod's already eluded to last year's collapse in yesterday's post game interviews and I think the Yanks will come into Boston ready for whatever the Sox throw at them. Wells doesn't scare me, neither does Schilling...plus, I have faith in Wang and The Unit to deliver some "W's"...

I have a wedding to attend on Sunday afternoon. I am praying that I won't need to spend the day with my blackberry in hand, checking the score of a Yankee "must-win"...but my gut tells me that the Yanks will take the AL East crown on Satuirday vs. SHELLing.

sorry for the repost. #36 is the correct post.

Just saw some numbers I liked, and thought I'd share them (from BPro's postseason odds report):

Team Division Wildcard Total
Yankees 64.54740 12.74468 77.29208
Red Sox 35.45260 17.47743 52.93003

Indians 13.34850 57.18272 70.53122

FWIW, coolstandings.com also has odds in our favor (61.7% chance of winning the East, 77.0% total chance of making the playoffs).

http://www.erh.noaa.gov/ifps/MapClick.php?CityName=Baltimore&state=MD&site=LWX
http://www.erh.noaa.gov/ifps/MapClick.php?CityName=Boston&state=MA&site=BOX

The weather is not looking good in beantown. Good.

If MLB has to cancel the Royals - Blue Jays game I doubt anyone would care if a game from that much heated rival was taken off the schedule. Plus how much money can the Jays make from that game anyway?

#25: Say what you will about the cheerleading hazing, but Cano and Wang had it easy compared to the Red Sox rookies.

http://bostondirtdogs.boston.com/Headline_Archives/2005/09/life_is_a_drag_1.html

Yeah, I figured it was probably worse elsewhere in baseball. Is this something football teams do? Soccer teams? Women's soccer teams?

In Wang's position I hope I would have said, You want me to pitch next week, don't mock me this week.

Dirt Dogs thinks Millar was the guy who made the "Pope" comment. Interesting.

#25, 41 - I think it doesn't happen in other sports, but I'm glad it happens in baseball. I think it's why so many younger players in baseball (think Jeter when he came up, David Wright on the Mets now, Brian Roberts, but many many others) come into the league as good guys with respect for the veterans, the coaches, and the game. In other sports like the NFL and NBA, 1st and 2nd year players are already causing problems, mouthing off, feuding, etc. That doesn't happen much in baseball, and I think a little hazing and the idea that rookies have to pay their dues is a big part of that. I for one support it and am glad that younger MLB players usually have such great attitudes. Now if only the veterans would...

I'd be really surprised if MLB cancelled an scheduled game to accomodate another. You have to hold up the sanctity of the 162 game season, and can't cancel a game because it's inconvenient. Then again, it was Bud who tied the ASG to home field advantage, so apparently nothing's beneath him if it serves his bottom line.

#43 that's nonsense, you're picking out a couple of good guys and saying they are that way because they were forced to dress up like girls when they were rookies?

That's one of the most surreal things I've ever heard.

I'm not a weatherman (fortunately) but watching the map in motion at weather.com. It seems like the storm will pass Boston at about 7 pm. so we are probably looking at a delayed start if the grounds crew works their asses off and if the decaying drainage system of Fenway works.

I'm sure they will play even if the field is not that good (remember last year with the puddles in the outfield during the world series).

I will keep up the rain dancing anyway...

Cliff, wasn't a LDS or LCS series put back a day to accomodate a makeup game a few years back? I could see scrubbing the KC - Toronto game, but then the Blue Jays would demand some monetary compensation (reasonable, to me.) (Heck, scrub it anyhow because the AAA season's over, I don't know why KC is still playing.)

Football players do get hazed, notably being told to sing their Alma Mater song during lunch, and being duct taped to the goal posts. For basketball players, I bet hazing involves the vets smoking all of the rookies' stash.

Nah, it's true. Obviously hazing is not the whole thing, and I wouldn't ever say it was. But the ideas that the younger guys have to pay their dues and earn respect is a big factor in why younger baseball players respect the game and generally cause less off-field problems. Another big part is the history behind the game and everything that goes along with it, but it's part of the equation. Seriously, ask anybody.

I really don't have a problem with the rookie hazing. It's not as if they're doing anything dangerous or offensive. It's all in good fun, and it's actually a gesture of inclusion and initiation, not of ridicule. Nor do I think Hugo's comment in 43 is that ludicrous. Yes, Jeter etc. are good guys because of the way they were raised by their parents and coaches, not because of some rookie hazing that set them straight, but there does appear to be more of a heirarchy of seniority in baseball, and older players very often take it upon themselves to take rookies under their wing (see Sierra and Cano, as much as we all poke fun at Ruben for having few admirable skills he seems to have grown a great deal as a person and a teammate). I do see that as a good thing. I also welcome humor in all situations. That the Yanks and Red Sox can laugh at themselves, particularly in the thick of this pennant race, is refreshing.

Also, remember that Matsui had to dress like a pimp when he was a "rookie." He had 300+ homers in Japan and signed a huge contract, but he was a rookie here. It's an initiation, a welcoming and a silly experience that binds the players because they've all gone through it. Steve Goldman has written about esprit de corps before regarding the Yankees policies on physical appearance. Steve's in favor of it. Now he has a beard and I've had my share of long hair and wacky sideburns etc., so obviously our impulses lean toward self-expression, but there's something to be said for esprit de corps when you're performing as a uniformed team, as in sports or the military. This sort of harmless hazing is a part of that process, and I'm all for it.

Beantown weather update:

Dark clouds have (literally) rolled in over Boston - I'm watching them as I type this - and they seem to be moving rather quickly. According to my wife, its raining in Framingham (about 20 miles west of Boston), so the rain is on its way . . .

Unlike last year, where I simply could not watch the last three games of the ALCS, I am supremely confident. This team has shown me a lot over the last few weeks and with destiny in their hands I'd be shocked if they don't take the division.

Dan M 44, I'm with you that there's nothing Bud wouldn't do - but there have been lots of times when a team plays only 161 games because playing the last game would be inconvenient. The Yanks played only 161 in 2000 (87-74) and only 160 (!?) in 2001 (95-65, unless baseball-reference.com has their numbers wrong), as the lost game(s) would not have impacted who got into the playoffs. IIRC, this goes back to at least the early 70s, as the famous '73 Mets went only 82-79.

So how about improving esprit de corps further by expanding the fun? Alternate years all pitchers have to wax the hitters' cars while wearing bikinis, and v.v. How about new teammates get swirlies?

I say esprit de corps is fostered by insisting guys play hard on the field and act stand-up off. If part of playing hard is having a serious, uniform mien, then I guess I'm ok with banning even well-trimmed facial hair. But then somebody should tell Jeter to stop smirking.

I don't know about everyone else, but the idea of being ahead or behind half a game after the weekend, and having to wait for the Sox to play a make-up in order to determine whether we win the division/make the playoffs is not my idea of fun.

Here in Boston, there are definitely some gloomy clouds and a heck of a lot of wind gusts, but the storm seems to be moving quickly. I'd just as soon they get the game in tonight.

Rilke, why does this bother you so? What's wrong with harmless goofiness? Rookies get pie-plates of shaving cream in the face when doing TV interviews too. I've seen countless clips of it and in every case the rookie cracks up. They love it because it's the team's way of saying "you made it, kid." Look at those photos of Wang and Cano and Vento, they're having fun. What's wrong with fun?

It's pouring in Burlington, MA. You can look it up on a map if you want to see how close it is to Fenway Pk. Answer - fairly close as far as weather goes.

ESPNews is reporting that the Red Sox have picked up Mike Stanton from the Nationals for the Yankee series. That's right, they picked him up for the Yankee series -- and ONLY for the Yankee series. He would be ineligible to ptich for the Sox if they make the post season.

If I were a Red Sox player or fan, I would be livid! This reeks of DESPERATION!

I just read at ESPN that the Bowsux picked up Stanton for the series v. the Yanks.

I don't know if we should laugh, cry, not pay attention to it, or be thankful.

Its not like our big lefties (JG and Matsui) suck v. LHP and its not like Stanton will suddenly realize that he's good.

Max, just for the hell of it, where are you in Boston? I'm down by the waterfront, and you're right - the clouds are booking out towards Logan and the Atlantic. No rain yet, but it may just pass by.