MLB Thread

[EWRFan]

I still think the Astros will win it and then loose to the Cards. I have a feeling Oswalt is going to have a great game. I still think that Red Sox and Cards will be this year's World Series. However, I wouldnt mind if the Astros made it to the big show because after the massive turn around they made, I feel they deserve it.

[Slimg]

I was talking to a yankee's fan today at my pre-pre-season baseball practice (not just out of the blue, he is the scorekeeper for my baseball games) and last week I wore a red sox hat, this week he said to me "Where is that stupid Red Sox hate you wore last week?" I laughed and said "Don't worry, I'll wear it when they get to the World Series. Then he made a very interesting point:

Even if the Red Sox win the World Series they will just be another team with a bad record in it. It is more magical when they lose.

That was very interesting point. When you think about it then it is true. For example: We remember Aaron Boone's homerun, we remember Buckner. Will we remember that the curse is broken? 10, 15, 20 years from now will we say "Oh year Boston had that curse for almost 100 years and they broke it in 2004." The curse will slip our mind quickly.

[Guest kijlhumt]

There is no curse to have.

It's the fact that they've put a subpar team on the field for most of the last century, previously having ownership that refuses to shell out the money to put a competitive team on the field, and having moments in the limelight where they crumbled.

Babe Ruth: The trade from the Red Sox to the Yankees was probably the best thing that ever happened to him from a professional standpoint. Why would he curse them? Know why? It's Boston sportswriters trying to make money off of the curse as an excuse for the team putting a shitty product on the field for most of the time.

Even if the Red Sox win the World Series they will just be another team with a bad record in it. It is more magical when they lose.

[wCwCreator]

Just incase you don't know...

ALCS begins Tuesday October 12th

The Boston Red Sox versus The New York Yankees

NLCS begins Wednesday October 13th

The St Louis Cardinals versus The Atlanta Braves or Houston Astros.

Edited October 11, 2004 by wCwCreator

[DMN in the House]

Well... we didn't win, but my prediction of the playoffs being LIMA TIME~!!! sorta came true.

Nice to at least win a playoff game for the first time in 16 fucking years though.

There's always next year, when the Padres should be better, the Giants worse, and we can bring up Edwin Jackson.

Now its time to stop watching ESPN so I won't be bored to death with 'TEH GREATEST RIVALRY EVAH!!!!' shit.... and then when the Bo-Sox lose in 7... 'CURSE~!' shit...

[GhostMachine]

I'm hoping for a Red Sox-Cardinals or Red Sox-Astros World Series.

Incidentally, I'm always going to be for the Red Sox in a World Series until they finally win one, unless they're playing the Reds or Cubs. (Yeah, like a Red Sox-Cubs WS will ever happen. )

[naiwf]

I'm stunned by the Astros not rolling over like dogs after blowing yesterday's game at home. I think they may be the only team that can beat the Cards since I think the ALCS will kill off both the Yanks & the Sox' pitching staffs.

[GhostMachine]

Braves just got eliminated 12-3. WOOT! (I hate the Braves)

This is the first postseason series the Astros have ever won, and the team's been around for about 43 years.

[grind your soul]

GO 'STROS.

KILLA Bs BABY!

[sahyder1]

LCS

Red Sox/Yankees

Fox has to be thankful it got this matchup especially considering the matchup they're stuck with in the NLCS. After about as crazy a 12 month period as two teams possibly can have these two meet yet again.....well, sort of. Exactly half of 50 Men eligible for the ALCS were not on the roster for the LCS last year. New players obviously doesn't make a difference in this rivalry. Scalpers should be having a field day in both New York and Boston. It's going to be a crazy 10 days. Both teams have their share of questions surrounding them. Can the Yankee rotation hold up? Can Boston's bullpen? Boston starting Pedro in Game 2 might end up being something Francona is second guessed on if the Red Sox manage to lose this series. Arroyo is scheduled to start Game 3 and Game 7 right now. Schilling would most likely be willing to go in Games 1,4 and 7 is asked but with his ankle that's not a given right now. The Yankees need to find a way to get to Rivera with the lead. Both Quantrill and Gordon have been really shaky down the stretch but then again the Red Sox do have Rivera's number. I'm gonna say both Rivera and Foulke blow a save in this series. Lieber had a good year against the Red Sox and he really does need to pull through as a solid #2 for the Yankees to win this one. The biggest question going in has to be Pedro......which one shows up? The one with a lifetime 3.24 ERA against the Yanks (3.00 at Yankee Stadium) or the son? I

Red Sox in 5 (That's if they win both games in the Bronx......otherwise take'em in 6)

Cardinals/Astros

Just the matchup we were all waiting for when the season started. Garner will cost the Astros a game. He is just about the worst clutch manager I have ever seen. Can someone teach this guy how to pull off a double switch? With that said, that leaves it up to the players to keep him away from those big time decisions. Make things easy on him......go out and grab the lead early(or maybe not since he'll probably bring Lidge in the game in the 7th again). The Cardinals have just had one heck of a year proving pretty much everyone wrong in coming out with the NLCS crown. They rely too much on their offense for my liking. That's gonna cause them some problems here. Backe needs to pitch the game of his life, but he's already turned in one great performance with the season on the line(but that was against the Rockies.....at home), can he do it on the road against the Cardinals lineup? The Astros can score enough runs to win this series. The question here is can they get enough innings out of their Starting Pitchers? As Jack McDowell from Yahoo Sports said in his preview "Clemens and Oswalt need to be knocked out of the game, not taken out by Garner." Taking Oswalt out in Game 2 against the Braves made absolutely no sense. Garner can not pull a stunt like that against the Cardinals.

Astros in 6 (Clemens gets to go up against one of his two former teams)

So....which team from the AL East will take on which one from the NL Central?

Associated Press

BOSTON -- Yankees fans will need more than a T-shirt to taunt the Red Sox.

A day before Boston and New York started the AL championship series, Major League Baseball recalled a T-shirt it had sanctioned because it rubbed Red Sox fans the wrong way.

The message on the shirt that drew the negative reaction read: "Hey Red Sox ... Who's your daddy?"

The shirt bears both a Yankees logo and a picture of a red pacifier with the letter "B" on it -- a reference to remarks Red Sox ace Pedro Martinez made after a recent loss to Boston's longtime rivals.

"Call the Yankees my daddy. I can't find a way to beat them at this point," Martinez said.

MLB began offering the shirt for wholesale distribution to licensed retailers over the weekend and promoted it on a Web site, spokesman Carmine Tiso said.

On Monday, the few thousand shirts that were made were recalled from retailers, and the shirt was removed from the Web site.

"We did hear some feedback from the Boston fans, who didn't necessarily feel they were comfortable with the T-shirt and the message on it," Tiso said. "Some fans felt it went a little too far, and obviously in this instance we're listening to our fans."

Although most MLB-sanctioned apparel promotes individual teams without denouncing their rivals, there have been some items that touched on baseball's biggest rivalries.

The ALCS starts Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium. Last year, New York beat Boston on Aaron Boone's 11th-inning homer in Game 7.

Edited October 12, 2004 by sahyder1

[Slimg]

It is interesting that MLB would make that shirt. I could see some New York company making it. I'm not to sure what it is like outside of Yankee stadium but outside Fenway there are lots of shirts that pokes fun at Yankee players... For example: A jersey that says "Gay-Rod" on the back, A shirt that says "Jeter sucks A-Rod". I doubt they were made by MLB though. It may have been by "YankeesStillSuck.com"

I don't blame MLB from trying to make money off a rivalry. Other leagues have done it in the past, like my dad has a shirt that says "I root for 2 teams, the redskins and who ever is playing the cowboys" I wouldn't blame NCAA for making money from a Duke/UNC shirts or Texas/Oklahoma. It is a great way to make money and plenty of fans of the teams would buy it in spite of thier rivals.

[Big Tuna]

A jersey that says "Gay-Rod" on the back

[Slimg]

A jersey that says "Gay-Rod" on the back

I'd buy that shirt.

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Edited October 12, 2004 by Slimg

[y2jerichoholic]

I'll say Astros in 7 and Red Sox in 6.

[grind your soul]

But your custom says "Astros in 6"

You confuse us all.

[thuganomic]

Gay-Rod......those Boston fans sure are clever

Beside, it's the wrong New York baseball star.

Edited October 13, 2004 by thuganomic

[y2jerichoholic]

But your custom says "Astros in 6"

You confuse us all.

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[sahyder1]

Having two Playoff threads kind of defeats the purpose.

Wow....what a game. Second time in a week the Yankees are leading by atleast 7 and have to use Rivera. Look for Pedro to come high and inside early on someone just to show who is the daddy. We'll know early if Pedro is there......and that one pitch will go a long way towards proving that.

Edited October 13, 2004 by sahyder1

[Guest NYJetFan86]

Matsui had one hell of a game last night. I hope he can do it again tonight against Pedro. If the Yanks beat up on Pedro tonight then this series could be over sooner than most people think

[grind your soul]

Matsui had one hell of a game last night. I hope he can do it again tonight against Pedro. If the Yanks beat up on Pedro tonight then this series could be over sooner than most people think

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