SSH2005

I think Podsednik was actually trying to bunt for a hit instead of just moving Uribe over. Rowand just isn't a very good bunter. That pissed me off as well.

:puke :puke :puke

Yes, please. More hit-and-runs and less straight steals. By the way, someone needs to tell Pierzynski that he's the second slowest guy on the team. I hope to God that was a botched hit-and-run and not him going on his own. :puke

Jack McDowell agrees. He bashed the Sox for swinging for the fences on many fastballs. There's a reason we popped up and flied out so much. Harold Reynolds is still an idiot though.

Timo can also get a damn bunt down.

I agree that Ozzie was outmanaged by Scioscia but our players just didn't execute for Ozzie and made him look worse than he should have. If our guys aren't jacked up to be playing in the ALCS, it won't matter what the crowd does. We should have put the exact same pressure on the Angels but our players failed and their players executed. I also think challenging Vlad will hurt us sooner or later but what can we do? Anderson is swinging a hotter bat than Vlad and he could kill us as well. Crede seems to have left his glove in the regular season. He was terrible in the first two Boston games, good in the third, and horrible in this game. Rowand isn't a good bunter but he also grounds into a ton of double plays. He just has to execute in that situation. I would think that after 162 games and 4 playoff games that Podsednik would have learned to protect the plate with 2 strikes. Apparently, he hasn't. Timo? Haha, I never would have expected anyone to say that. This was a game that even the current Twins lineup would have won with Contreras' performance. That was the worst display of fundamentals in quite some time. I hope it never happens again.

Sorry, I meant better bullpen there, not overall pitching. Either way, if Boston was truly better than the Yankees, why didn't they win the head-to-head season series and the division? I guess we can discuss this via PM.

No, it really can't. I'm not factoring in payroll because money can be spent poorly and it can be spent wisely. The White Sox only have a ~$75 million payroll and they swept the Red Sox. If higher payroll teams always have the advantage, why did Boston lose to the White Sox? The Yankees were a better team than the Red Sox because they had much better pitching and still had a good offense. All Boston had was a great offense. The Yankees at least made it a 5-game series. The Red Sox looked really, really bad and were swept. Also, the Yankees beat the Red Sox in the head-to-head games during the regular season and that's why they won the division. Obviously, the Yankees were the better team. If Boston was better, they would have won more head-to-head games against the Yankees and therefore, would have won the division.

The Yankees made it a 5-game series against a good team. The Red Sox got swept and looked terrible while doing it. Pitching wins in the playoffs and the Red Sox had the 20th ranked rotation and the 2nd worst bullpen in the entire MLB. The Yankees also beat the Red Sox in the head-to-head season series. That's why they won the division. There's no doubt which team was better.

Obviously, the Padres were the worst team in the playoffs. The Red Sox have a great offense but the Yankees also have a good offense and a much, much better pitching staff than the Red Sox. The Red Sox were the second worst team in the playoffs in my opinion.

I don't think he's all smoke and mirrors but our guys were swinging at every piece of garbage he threw off the plate. Byrd's pitch count was almost non-existent through the first few innings.

I feel the same way. Early in the game they were swinging at every piece of garbage that Byrd threw.

Agreed.

Jack McDowell said that our hitters needed to stop swinging for the fences on fastballs. Ozzie said that Pierzynski was running on his own. My God. :puke

Crede left his glove in the regular season.

These guys should be up all night practicing bunting. That was just an embarrassment.

Weak.

Haha, look at how they try to fish Crede. The scouting report on Joe is out.

We couldn't even advance a freaking runner in two innings. That's really sad.

No.

We are just pathetic. Absolutely terrible.

Can Rowand lay down a bunt?

Pinch-run Willie Harris.

How many pitches will Everett see against K-Rod? I forsee 3 swings at balls in the dirt.

How can Podsednik not lay down a bunt? He has zero power, questionable defense, and he currently can't even steal a base. What good is he if he can't even lay down a bunt?