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Red Sox vs. Rays 2021 ALDS Gameday Thread
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Post by philsbosoxfan on Oct 11, 2021 22:26:44 GMT -5
Another year of Ray futility. They should definitely look into how the Sox do things. Ummm Rays futility.
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Post by taiwansox on Oct 11, 2021 22:31:03 GMT -5
Verdugo just mentioned the Rays eating popcorn in the dugout as motivation that’s so perfect lol
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Post by iakovos11 on Oct 11, 2021 22:31:19 GMT -5
Another year of Ray futility. They should definitely look into how the Sox do things. Ummm Rays futility. I think very few here know your name. Hint - it’s not Phil
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nomar
Veteran
Posts: 11,132
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Post by nomar on Oct 11, 2021 22:31:50 GMT -5
It’s so nice when even your non-superstars are the type who don’t let the moment get too big for them. Kiké, Verdugo, Vazquez, etc have all been so clutch and we’ve seen bigger/better names completely flop regularly given those types of chances. This team has a 2013 Sox feel offensively.
Hopefully the pitching can keep walking the tightrope.
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Post by lostinnewjersey on Oct 11, 2021 22:32:19 GMT -5
Smoltz was totally rooting for the Rays -- very disappointed they didn't listen to his advice and decided to pitch to Hernandez.
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Post by Oregon Norm on Oct 11, 2021 22:35:17 GMT -5
Whitlock has been the MVP of this season. But Kiké has personified it better than anyone. Exceeding expectations, squeezing the most out of every bit of talent. Make no mistake about it, the Red Sox will go into the Astros series as heavy underdogs. This Rays roster was not all that impressive. Not so with Houston. The Rays scored more runs than the Astros. Look at their OPS+, please. The whole notion that this is a mediocre team is a meme stoked in part by a clueless media, and others who want a silly narrative they can promote. This was good practice for Boston. Tampa is a tough, tough team and they showed it.
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Post by julyanmorley on Oct 11, 2021 22:36:27 GMT -5
Smoltz was totally rooting for the Rays -- very disappointed they didn't listen to his advice and decided to pitch to Hernandez. If you took Joe Morgan or Tim McCarver from 20 years ago, put them into a time machine to present day, and then got them really drunk, you'd get a performance like Smoltzy gave us.
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Post by taiwansox on Oct 11, 2021 22:44:13 GMT -5
Whitlock has been the MVP of this season. But Kiké has personified it better than anyone. Exceeding expectations, squeezing the most out of every bit of talent. Make no mistake about it, the Red Sox will go into the Astros series as heavy underdogs. This Rays roster was not all that impressive. Not so with Houston. The Rays scored more runs than the Astros. Look at their OPS+, please. The whole notion that this is a mediocre team is a meme stoked in part by a clueless media, and others who want a silly narrative they can promote. This was good practice for Boston. Tampa is a tough, tough team and they showed it. In the end, the Rays were basically one starter short. McClanahan was really their only starter with more than 20 career starts. If they had one guy throw 5 innings 3 runs this series would have had a different complexion
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Post by taiwansox on Oct 11, 2021 22:47:02 GMT -5
Smoltz was totally rooting for the Rays -- very disappointed they didn't listen to his advice and decided to pitch to Hernandez. If you took Joe Morgan or Tim McCarver from 20 years ago, put them into a time machine to present day, and then got them really drunk, you'd get a performance like Smoltzy gave us. I think Smoltz drunk would be better lol
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Post by FenwayFanatic on Oct 11, 2021 22:47:03 GMT -5
Bringing in McLanahan was very dumb for them. Ericmvan was right that wa a bad move.
If they hadn’t done that who knows.
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Post by taiwansox on Oct 11, 2021 22:48:08 GMT -5
Bringing in McLanahan was very dumb for them. Ericmvan was right that wa a bad move. If they hadn’t done that who knows. He also called not using Wisler back to back days, he looked like the last option
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Post by Edward Hand on Oct 11, 2021 22:48:22 GMT -5
The Rays scored more runs than the Astros. Look at their OPS+, please. The whole notion that this is a mediocre team is a meme stoked in part by a clueless media, and others who want a silly narrative they can promote. This was good practice for Boston. Tampa is a tough, tough team and they showed it. In the end, the Rays were basically one starter short. McClanahan was really their only starter with more than 20 career starts. If they had one guy throw 5 innings 3 runs this series would have had a different complexion They really missed Morton here.
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Post by jkfer98 on Oct 11, 2021 22:49:34 GMT -5
You just have to get in. And with a manager like Alex Cora, anything is possible.
In the end the did exactly what we said they had to do in order to win this series - take one in Tampa and get to the Rays pen early. The homefield advantage Fenway gave us this series (from the energy of the crowd, to the quirkiness, and then obviously being able to hit last) is probably unmatched in the 109 year history of the park, except for maybe 2004.
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Post by GyIantosca on Oct 11, 2021 22:50:15 GMT -5
I love the fact that we got to the ace. It felt like redemption from game 1. In baseball eyes this is a huge upset.
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Post by taiwansox on Oct 11, 2021 22:51:06 GMT -5
In the end, the Rays were basically one starter short. McClanahan was really their only starter with more than 20 career starts. If they had one guy throw 5 innings 3 runs this series would have had a different complexion They really missed Morton here. Even a Kyle Gibson pickup would’ve helped imo, they just felt like trying to pay the bill coming just short on change
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nomar
Veteran
Posts: 11,132
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Post by nomar on Oct 11, 2021 22:54:09 GMT -5
In the end, the Rays were basically one starter short. McClanahan was really their only starter with more than 20 career starts. If they had one guy throw 5 innings 3 runs this series would have had a different complexion They really missed Morton here. And with their lack of payroll there is zero reason he ever should have left. That ownership is way too stingy for a team so ready to win.
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Post by incandenza on Oct 11, 2021 22:54:19 GMT -5
Damn, this is pretty sweet. julyanmorley said something above about not so much liking this much celebration for an ALDS victory, and I get that, and even kind of relate to the sentiment, but really, it kind of feels like winning the world series! Just like beating the Yankees felt like winning the world series. In 2018 that feeling didn't arrive until they actually won the whole danged thing. But there is something to be said for being underrated...
Some other thoughts...
I was as annoyed as anyone about bringing in Robles instead of Whitlock yesterday, but Cora's decisions in this game made sense to me. You have to trust Brasier to get 8-9-1 in the order, and if he can't get Arozarena you bring in Whitlock for Franco, et al. But Brasier spit the bit (with an assist from Renfroe's vanity throw). It was the right place to use him; the performance just wasn't there.
Same on the Vazquez pinch running situation. That one was iffy, but I think I get Cora's thinking: people will scoff at this, but I actually think Vazquez is quite a smart base runner. His problem is usually not being lackadaisical or unaware of the situation; it's that he gets a little too clever, and thinks he can sneak one by the other team. Cora trusted him to do the right thing in this situation, and it worked out with his smartly taking 3rd on Shaw's infield hit. (I think he also didn't want to bring in Plawecki for extra innings and lets the Rays run wild, which is understandable.)
Speaking of the bottom of the 9th, here's how that went, statcast-wise:
Vazquez: 76mph EV, .180 xBA Arroyo: sac bunt Shaw: 70mph EV, .060 xBA Kiké: 81mph EV, .090 xBA
My point isn't that they just got lucky or something; it's that this was fantastic situational baseball. They put the ball in play, didn't try to do too much, played the fundamentals perfectly, and conjured a run out of nothing. And it sent them to the ALCS.
Oh, and once again Alex Cora out-manages the competition. What was Cash thinking bringing in McClanahan? If he doesn't do that there's a good chance the Rays win this game and then have a rested McClanahan at home to start game 5, a situation it's very easy to predict he'd be more effective than he was in this game. Very weird decision.
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Post by soxfansince67 on Oct 11, 2021 22:57:36 GMT -5
I just watched Cora's post game. If I were a ball player, I would love to play for this dude. He is smart, he connects well, he cares, he plans - and he supports his players and believes in them. I remember interviews with John Farrell - what a contrast. I could listen to Cora talk baseball all day. The Sox are pretty damn lucky to have him.
So interesting how this team oscillates from great to bad to great to .....
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cdj
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Post by cdj on Oct 11, 2021 23:00:03 GMT -5
AND IM IN THE CORNER WATCHIN YOU KISS HER OH OH OH
bumping tiesto all night w the boyzzzzzzz
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cdj
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Post by cdj on Oct 11, 2021 23:09:38 GMT -5
What a freaking bunting clinic by Arroyo, don't forget that! FLAWLESS technique on a difficult pitch to bunt. A lost art
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Post by Don Caballero on Oct 11, 2021 23:10:33 GMT -5
Man Crawford just absolutely stole one from Mookie there. I think we could beat either team honestly.
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Post by foreverred9 on Oct 11, 2021 23:12:34 GMT -5
Garrett Whitlock was the leader for WPA at 37.3%, and he did it in just 15 pitches. He threw less pitches to get 6 outs than it took ERod to get Meadows out in the 3rd.
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Post by benzinger on Oct 11, 2021 23:21:17 GMT -5
Whitlock has been the MVP of this season. But Kiké has personified it better than anyone. Exceeding expectations, squeezing the most out of every bit of talent. Make no mistake about it, the Red Sox will go into the Astros series as heavy underdogs. This Rays roster was not all that impressive. Not so with Houston. The Rays scored more runs than the Astros. Look at their OPS+, please. The whole notion that this is a mediocre team is a meme stoked in part by a clueless media, and others who want a silly narrative they can promote. This was good practice for Boston. Tampa is a tough, tough team and they showed it. This may all be true, but that Astros lineup is absolutely terrifying. They had the top 2 batting leaders in the league...and neither of them were Altuve. Outside of a few guys in that Rays lineup, it feels like you can handle them.
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Post by benzinger on Oct 11, 2021 23:22:04 GMT -5
The Rays scored more runs than the Astros. Look at their OPS+, please. The whole notion that this is a mediocre team is a meme stoked in part by a clueless media, and others who want a silly narrative they can promote. This was good practice for Boston. Tampa is a tough, tough team and they showed it. In the end, the Rays were basically one starter short. McClanahan was really their only starter with more than 20 career starts. If they had one guy throw 5 innings 3 runs this series would have had a different complexion Glasnow! At the end of the day, he was the missing piece.
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cdj
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Post by cdj on Oct 11, 2021 23:28:12 GMT -5
In the end, the Rays were basically one starter short. McClanahan was really their only starter with more than 20 career starts. If they had one guy throw 5 innings 3 runs this series would have had a different complexion Glasnow! At the end of the day, he was the missing piece. God bless the sticky ban I guess!
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