ALCS Live Thread: Cleveland Indians vs. Boston Red Sox

10-12-07

[GraniteStateConservative]

Game 1 @ BOSTON:

WEATHER:: Forecasts for tonight predict that the rain will cease enough to get the game in, certainly. It should be cloudy, with temperatures dipping to the mid-50s.

Starting Pitchers

C. C. Sabathia (19-7, 3.21 ERA) vs. Josh Beckett (20-7, 3.27 ERA)

Game 1 LINEUPS

1. Grady Sizemore, CF
2. Asdrubal Cabrera, 2B
3. Travis Hafner, DH
4. Victor Martinez, C
5. Ryan Garko, 1B
6. Jhonny Peralta, SS
7. Kenny Lofton, LF
8. Franklin Gutierrez, RF
9. Casey Blake, 3B

1. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
2. Kevin Youkilis, 1B
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. Manny Ramirez, LF
5. Mike Lowell, 3B
6. Bobby Kielty, RF
7. Jason Varitek, C
8. Coco Crisp, CF
9. Julio Lugo, SS

NOTES: This is the first time since the start of the three division era that the two LCS series have each matched the two best records in their league (96-66). Computer baseball sim Imagine Sports/Diamond Mind Baseball ran the 2007 ALCS 1,000 times, and the Red Sox won 59% of the time. If the Red Sox won game 1, they won the series 72.5% of the time, and if Cleveland won, the Indians won 59% of the time.

[#1CTYankee]

Will the Sox go quietly into the night? I say no!

We shall not flag nor fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in Cleveland and on the field; we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength on the mound . We shall defend our teams dignity whatever the cost may be; we shall fight in the batters box, from the bullpen, in the infields, by the stands and in the out field. We shall never surrender and even if, which I do not for the moment believe, this part of Red Sox Nation or a large part of it were subjugated and ravaged, then our empire beyond New England armed and guarded by our fans, will carry on the struggle until in God's good time we will defeat the enemy and if not.

That's baseball.

[Petronski]

You shall fight them on the beaches! You shall fight them in the fields and in the streets and never, never surrender!

[Petronski]

And if the Red Sox nation shall last a thousand years, let it be said that this was their finest inning!

[misterrob]

We avenged the 2003 failure (helped by Giambi’s roid fueled home runs) with the 2004 miracle.

The Yankees lost in the first round again. They have lost their leader and are in some disarray.

Sox fans respect the Tribe so even if we lose, while we are disappointed, it’s still all good!

[Petronski]

Please understand, I don’t mean to be talking trash, I hope I didn’t sound that way.

I’m just a big big fan of Winston Churchill.

[#1CTYankee]

"You shall fight them on the beaches! You shall fight them in the fields and in the streets and never, never surrender!

Never lost on a student of History, I omitted the beaches and our tiny Island since I don't think we will find one on The Mistake by the lake.

No offense to Cleveland fans;-D

After all, "Beantown" doesn't sound like a place I'd like to visit either.

[#1CTYankee]

"I’m just a big big fan of Winston Churchill."

As am I.

I would compare Bush to such a man except he lost me on that whole illegal stuff.

Go tiny Island (New England) Nation!!!

[GraniteStateConservative]

Please understand, I don’t mean to be talking trash, I hope I didn’t sound that way.

Seriously, even if you wanted to trash talk, it's fine. As long as it's good-natured. It's all good, man. We're not a bunch of effete Frenchmen.

[Hydroshock]

I am a Red Sox fan, yet another thing we disagree on!!! ;)

[Petronski]

Well, I don’t know if I’m effete either, but since I detest trash-talking, I am careful to avoid it.

[#1CTYankee]

"“It’s a difficult day,” general manager Brian Cashman said."

As a Red Sox fan I dislike the Yankees and the "Boss" with a passion.

Joe is a great manager, (For the most part) Cashman and the "the boss" brought Clemens on board for an awful lot of money and got virtually nothing. The money would have been much better spent elsewhere.

Betting on a old, over priced, money grabbing, egoistical former pitcher was a dumb move.

If Cashman was (Somewhat) running the show I would hope he could have convinced George otherwise.

[misterrob]

No offense taken. Our 2004 WS season with the return from 0-3 against the Yankees was the apex of our existence. Anything after that is gravy.

[#1CTYankee]

"Our 2004 WS season with the return from 0-3 against the Yankees was the apex of our existence. Anything after that is gravy.

Nearly anti climactic. The world series was gravy for the toast, beating the Yanks was a pinnacle that may never be surpassed after being down 3-0.

Oh how I loved letting them stew after going down after that series.

I expect we will give the Tribe fits tonight and Beckett will be just good enough to win.

Tomorrow will be a huge challenge if we get by this evening.

[GraniteStateConservative]

This is the 6th time that the Red Sox have dropped 3 of the 1st 4 games in a best of 7 or best of 9 postseason series. They have come back to win 3 of those previous 5 series.

On the 5 previous occasions, Boston is 4-1 in Game 5, the lone defeat coming in the 1999 ALCS vs. the Yankees.

Here's a Beckett ex who is rooting for him to dominate the Indians...

[Red Steel]

Time for Beckett the big game pitcher to step up again.

Winning 3 in a row is really nothing special.

Go ask the Rockies.

And McCarver and Buck irritate the ear.

[#1CTYankee]

"Here's a Beckett ex who is rooting for him to dominate the Indians..."

That would give me an incentive to throw the ball.(Hard!)

[mylife]

Evening All!

[raccoonradio]

Youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuk goes deep ! 1-0 Sox

[mylife]

OUCH! Sox 1~0

Get that bum off the mound!

[#1CTYankee]

"Youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuk"

Crushed.