The big series is upon us

[EvilMonkey]

If we take the first one, then we take one more, for two total. If the first one is a loss, we don't win any.

[caulfield12]

Well, the worst case scenario, I don't want to think about a sweep, can't imagine it, yet wouldn't be 100% totally surprised.

 

If we can win just one game, then even if Minnesota sweeps the Royals, we only have to win one out of three against CLE to at least get to a Monday game against the Tigers.

 

The key is to win at least one...I think a sweep and we're probably history, although the way this season has gone, neither team has been able to sustain any sort of long-term momentum for more than a series or two, with one or two exceptions for both teams earlier in the season. If they sweep us WITHOUT Liriano going to the bump, then they deserve the division.

 

They also have to pitch Perkins (9.75 ERA his last four starts, skipped and pitching on more than a week's rest like Danks) Saturday night and then face Meche on Sunday.

 

Not to mention the fact that Trey Hillman could be a real bastard to the Twins and skip Duckworth and force the Twins to beat Meche and Greinke back to back on normal rest. Right now, Meche is slated to pitch the finale.

[kjshoe04]

If we take the first one, then we take one more, for two total. If the first one is a loss, we don't win any.

I agree with this. Although, I think if we were to win the first two games it would be really interesting to see how we react knowing if we beat them a third time its over. I don't know if theyd step up or if theyd s*** themselves.

[caulfield12]

If we take the first one, then we take one more, for two total. If the first one is a loss, we don't win any.

 

 

I don't really EXPECT Javier to beat Baker. When's the last time Vazquez went out and won a huge game for us that was critical?

 

I do expect Buerhle to beat Blackburn, who's been pitching terribly, in the second game.

 

If we lose the first two, then I think it is likely that Floyd succumbs to the pressure and a very tough Slowey (especially in the Dome) knocks us into a tie (1/2 game back).

 

 

[kjshoe04]

I do think Buehrle will be outstanding. Javy worries me as well. I think Floyd will have to battle a bit but will give us a gutsy outing. Thats my prediction on the pitching. Hitting wise, i think JD finally awakens. Plus Paulie is going to be huge.

[caulfield12]

The Twins really ran up their record against us in 2001 and 2002, when we were having so-so or bad seasons.

 

We played well against them in 2003 until the last five games, then collapsed/imploded when Loaiza wore down. 2006, we were "dead man walking" the final 6 weeks or so.

 

This is the first time in recent memory that the teams have faced off so late in the season with both teams playing fairly evenly and one or the other not having a dominant momentum or downswing. It seems there have been so many sweeps or blowouts in these games earlier in the season, with wild swings depending on which team had "mo" at the time.

 

 

[kjshoe04]

This is killing me right now. I really think I'll be less nervous once tuesday rolls around.

[SouthsideDon48]

I'm actually having a gut feeling that the Sox might win 2.

 

...they BETTER win two.

[qwerty]

Just win one game.

 

Tuesdays game is by far the most important to win even though i do not believe it will be the most difficult to win matchup wise. Then you have Wedsneday we have blackburn. Blackburn is coming off of two atrocious starts in row and the sox have hit him hard all season. In 22 innings the sox have scored 15 runs off of him along with 28 hits and 7 walks. Not good. I just do not like the floyd match up versus slowey, and i think it may be a let down game in a sense if the sox win the first two. Then again for all i know we lose the first two and floyd is once more a stopper. How i see it we need to win 2 of 3 this series to be sitting pretty. Winning only 1 of 3 would potentially mean the detroit game would have to be made up if we went on to only win 1 of 3 from the indians and the twins sweep the royals, just knowing that possiblity exists is not comforting. I mean it would mean having to play the game against the tigers and putting the entire season on the line right then and there. Even a worse case scenario is possible if we were to only win 1 of three from the twins.

 

Even when teams are in slumps. with whatever facet of the game, it just doesn't me they are no longer capable, as they clearly are. Prior to this month the sox were consistently in the .285 batting range with risp, which was usually good for about 3 to 5 in all of baseball. Now they sit at .279 and are tied for sixth. It kinda sucks though that the sox have the third best ops with risp in all of baseball to this day. I blame the sox scoring woes on their mlb worst 7 triples with none on base if anything... It is just unfortunate that they have had the troubles of recent, but would it have really been any different if we just flipped another months success with this months bad month, and vice versa? The reason i say no is because every game is worth literally the same as any other, april or september.

 

All i hope is ozzie lets our starting pitching win the series, or lose the series, pitch count should not matter if any of these games are within 1 run in the 7th or 8th... unless the situation truly calls for the pen. Any calls to the pen for a left hander just because he throws the ball with his left hand will hopefully not occure... ramirez and even worse logan are candidates for what i speak of.

 

 

[BearSox]

I have a feeling this series will be like that series in 05 when we knocked the Indians out of the playoffs in the final 3 games of the year. Obviously these games have more pressure on them, but I just have a good feeling about these upcomming games.

[WilliamTell]

we need two but we're gonna have to settle with one.

[joeynach]

This feels just like 2003. The big series towards the end of Sept at the Metrodome to basically decide the division, it was Sept 16-18 2003. I remember the sox went up there on got swept and basically that ended the season even though there was still 10 games left. If I remember correct we had Loiaza, Colon, and Garland pitch and they all lost, though I recall the bats going ice cold except for the meaningless solo HR here and there. Some people were trying to say Loiaza was sick and throwing up before the game, but it sounded more like an excuse for being bad. I think the sox went up there and went from 0.5 games behind the twins and left 3.5 games behind the twins. That was a disaster, hopefully this wont be nearly as bad. Heck even if we only win 1 out of 3 we are still in first by 1.5 games. I feel more confident this time. Doesn't hurt that we miss Liriano and face a slumping Blackburn either. The only thing Im worried about is the sox go back into 2003 mode and dont do anything beside hit solo homers and we lose games like 4-2, and 5 -3. Fingers crossed!!!

[WilliamTell]

Another thing to note: we haven't been swept in our last 25 series dating back to the June series with the Cubs. The Twins have been swept 4 times since then, except all have been on the road. I think our team is mentally tough enough, and talented enough to get a win in Minnesota.

[The Critic]

I think the bats go crazy one game, and drive us insane the other two.

Nothing about this season has been easy, so why would this series be any different?

[The Ginger Kid]

I don't know why it is but the twins just seem to know they can beat the sox when it matters. i think they're licking their chops and are going to come out fired up as all hell. Will the sox match that intensity? If so, 2/3, if not, 0.

[southsider2k5]

I really want to see the Sox have DWise in the two hole to start this series. I don't know what their record is, but this team seems to relax tons when they score first, and if they do it early. I would love to see the Sox grind out a first inning run in the first game of the series. I really believe if they do that, they put an ass whippin on the Twins. If not, it could be interesting.

[Rowand44]

I really want to see the Sox have DWise in the two hole to start this series. I don't know what their record is, but this team seems to relax tons when they score first, and if they do it early. I would love to see the Sox grind out a first inning run in the first game of the series. I really believe if they do that, they put an ass whippin on the Twins. If not, it could be interesting.

Wise should be in left, BA in Center, Pauly at first. Shouldn't be much of a decision but I think we all know this wont be happening.

[G&T]

Another thing to note: we haven't been swept in our last 25 series dating back to the June series with the Cubs. The Twins have been swept 4 times since then, except all have been on the road. I think our team is mentally tough enough, and talented enough to get a win in Minnesota.

 

I'll have to check again, but unless this streak was snapped this month, the Twins haven't lost consecutive games at home since May against the Yankees. So the Sox better take game 1.

[southsider2k5]

I'll have to check again, but unless this streak was snapped this month, the Twins haven't lost consecutive games at home since May against the Yankees. So the Sox better take game 1.

 

They lost two straight to Detroit a couple of weeks ago, IIRC.

[Texsox]

I am really feeling good about this series. It seems both teams may have been distracted the past two weeks, kind of knowing this would be the when and where of the season. I don't see a sweep for either team, witha split in games one and two the third game will be crucial.

[BlackBetsy]

I voted one, because a sweep is too horrible to imagine. I think winning just 1 pretty much gets the Sox to 90% winning the division. A 1.5 game lead with 3 to go is pretty big - even if the Indians are hot.

 

I rank the matchups in terms of favorability like this:

 

(1) Buehrle vs. Blackburn - Buehrle on full rest, he's a big game pitcher, and Blackburn is slumping and the Sox hit his well this year.

(2) Floyd vs. Slowey - This would be #3 except for the fact that I think if we lose the first two games of the series, Floyd wins the third. He always seems to do well coming off of a Sox bad streak. Slowey also only had 1 good game against the Sox - in the other two, he was lit up.

(3) Vazquez vs. Baker - I know we've beat up Baker, and Vazquez will be on full rest. But I just hate Vazquez - he seems like a loser to me. I wish Buehrle was starting the series instead of him.

 

[caulfield12]

I voted one, because a sweep is too horrible to imagine. I think winning just 1 pretty much gets the Sox to 90% winning the division. A 1.5 game lead with 3 to go is pretty big - even if the Indians are hot.

 

I rank the matchups in terms of favorability like this:

 

(1) Buehrle vs. Blackburn - Buehrle on full rest, he's a big game pitcher, and Blackburn is slumping and the Sox hit his well this year.

(2) Floyd vs. Slowey - This would be #3 except for the fact that I think if we lose the first two games of the series, Floyd wins the third. He always seems to do well coming off of a Sox bad streak. Slowey also only had 1 good game against the Sox - in the other two, he was lit up.

(3) Vazquez vs. Baker - I know we've beat up Baker, and Vazquez will be on full rest. But I just hate Vazquez - he seems like a loser to me. I wish Buehrle was starting the series instead of him.

 

 

Yes, BUT the Slowey start where he shut us out (9 IP, 6 H) was, of course, in the Metrodome.

 

 

[BlackBetsy]

Yes, BUT the Slowey start where he shut us out (9 IP, 6 H) was, of course, in the Metrodome.

And in 2007 he held the Sox to 1 run in 7 innings in the Dome. So 1 run against him in 16 innings in the Metrodome. That's a bizarrely huge home / road split and I would suggest it's not significant.

[Steve9347]

After a lot of thought, we win 2 if BA plays, we win 1 if its the Swish/Griff show in center.

[G&T]

They lost two straight to Detroit a couple of weeks ago, IIRC.

 

You're right. Sept. 6-7.