Tough loss for the Sox

Yeowzer -- who would have expected Hernandez to put on the squeeze play?? Gotta give the A's credit. The Sox battled hard, I havta give them a lot of credit too. It's how a group of guys responds to adversity like this that defines a team. If the Sox can come back & win Thursday's game, then they could have all the momentum back.

A few more thoughts:
- Good closing is like good goaltending. Without it you're hosed.
- Manny needs to redeem himself...
- Great game by Varitek & Walker (even though he botched that play)
- Everything is resting on Wakefield's shoulders
- Gutsy pitching by Martinez in the 7th

If the Red Sox lose the series, it will be disappointing yes, but if they go down battling hard to the end, it will be a lot easier to take. I like them, they are a good & gritty team. When the Bruins had teams like this and lost, it was a lot easier to take.

I think that loss defines cruel and unusual punishment.

Its only one game and whatnot, but staying up till 3 AM to watch the Sox lose a game in that fashion hurts.

At least the Bruins only let me down... the Sox build me up beforehand.

Sorry if I'm being a chicken little... I just can't be rational about the Sox!

Anybody see the women's quarterfinals against Norway?? Talk about gritty. Right on. How about that Abby Wambach??

Anybody see the women's quarterfinals against Norway?? Talk about gritty. Right on. How about that Abby Wambach??


I was watching it! Wow...These Norwegian girls were playing dirty. Soccer shouldn't be played like that. Soccer should be about speed and good passes!
I wonder how Mia Hamm is feeling. No way she would miss on the penalty kicks if she wasn't targeted and brought down every couple of minutes.... Also I hate but gotta give credit to Norwegian goalkeeper ...without US would've had couple more goals.

GO USA! :handclap: :handclap: :handclap:

I was watching it! Wow...These Norwegian girls were playing dirty. Soccer shouldn't be played like that. Soccer should be about speed and good passes!
I wonder how Mia Hamm is feeling. No way she would miss on the penalty kicks if she wasn't targeted and brought down every couple of minutes.... Also I hate but gotta give credit to Norwegian goalkeeper ...without US would've had couple more goals.

GO USA! :handclap: :handclap: :handclap:

That shouldn't have been a penalty to begin with...

A few more thoughts:
- Good closing is like good goaltending. Without it you're hosed.


I still for the life of me can't imagine why Kim was yanked - could he have looked any better on his last batter? He wasn't getting hit, and his control seemed okay... They should have left him in and won the game.

I want my night's sleep back. :)

I still for the life of me can't imagine why Kim was yanked - could he have looked any better on his last batter? He wasn't getting hit, and his control seemed okay... They should have left him in and won the game.

I want my night's sleep back. :)

He wasn't doing very well with left handers though... and a left hander was next. He was nasty against righties though.

Need sleep... so tired...

I am not a baseball fan...but this loss felt like our #3 game against the Habs in 2001-2002. If you know what I mean.

world series win or not, i cannot take another season of grady lttle. i am srry but he drives me bonkers.....

Grady reminds me of Ftorek in that neither of them are good at strategy, and tend to "sit back" from the game and stew over things patiently when thing get tough. And both feel the need to put in inferior players at clutch moments. :rant:

What would I have done?
I wouldn't have started Nixon: that outfield is too big, and he can't hit lefties.
Walker would have stayed in the game.
No loading the bases in the ninth.
Tell the guys to lay off the inside pitches since the strike zone was so tight (and arbitrary in height)
Tell Pedro to attack on the first pitch. The A's held off of it all night.
Have a pow-wow with Kim to make him keep it low.
Pulling Timlin was okay by me, he's not so good in second innings of relief. Embree was a mistake - I would have gone with Williamson then.

The sad thing is, I had all of this figured out by the end of the second inning. My relief rotation was Timlin, Kim, Willamson. No Embree. My hitting an pitching strategy (including keeping Kim low) was already in my mind by this point. Unfortunately, that nasal sack of cobwebs that is our manager had NO strategy. It made no sense at all. I was convinced half way through the game that we would lose. When I saw Kim pitching high I knew it was over, because the guy just isn't effective then.
:rant: :rant: :rant:

world series win or not, i cannot take another season of grady lttle. i am srry but he drives me bonkers.....


How do you let Adrian Brown hit with men on 2nd and 3rd with one out against Bradford, when Kapler is still available. Brown is a lousy hitter in AAA, and probably hadn't faced that type of submariner in the past. Add in the original use of McCarty as PH and in essence he used 3 guys for one spot, when he could have used Kapler to ph for Trot and then put him in right. There is no doubt in my mind that Kapler would have had a 20x better chance of getting that run in than Brown. Terrible move!

not to nitpick wickedbsfan, while I agree with you on most of your points, I have to Nixon not hitting lefties while true, doesn't apply to last night's game as Hudson is right handed. I wouldn't start Nixon tonight against Zito or against Lilly. The next time I want to see Nixon is as a pinch hitter late in the game if we need a left handed bat against a reliever. Don't play injured players in the playoffs when you have servicable replacements. (Kapler)

As for Embree, I can't say I disagree with Grady pulling Kim. Normally in that situation I would leave the closer in the game, but Kim makes me nervous out there against lefties and I don't mind giving the ball to Embree. When it happened I wasn't upset with Grady for doing it so while I'm unhappy with the result I did like the decision when it happened. I was hoping that Timlin would get to at least start the 9th inning as he appeared to be on top of his game. I also wouldn't have brought lowe in unless we managed to take the lead. Arroyo is perfectly capable of putting 0's up on the scoreboard. Now everybody is going to be questioning Lowe's confidence when his turn to start rolls around.

As for today's game I sit trot and put Kapler in RF. Wake should be able to go 6-7 innings, follow him with Arroyo unless the game is tied where I'd use Timlin. Give the ball to Williamson for a closing spot and Kim for extra innings. Normally I'd substitute Loomer for Walker but Walker still seems to be on an emotional high after his game tying 3 run homer last week so I leave him in to play second against the lefty.

"As for today's game I sit trot and put Kapler in RF. Wake should be able to go 6-7 innings, follow him with Arroyo unless the game is tied where I'd use Timlin. Give the ball to Williamson for a closing spot and Kim for extra innings. Normally I'd substitute Loomer for Walker but Walker still seems to be on an emotional high after his game tying 3 run homer last week so I leave him in to play second against the lefty."

Agreed, amazingcrowns. And you're right about Nixon - he was facing a righty: but he shouldn't be playing, he can't run well out there.