Posted on 10/08/2013 10:04:36 AM PDT by campaignPete R-CT
Craig Kimbrel is supposedly the heir to Mariano Rivera. In his postseason career as closer, Rivera recorded 27 appearances of 2+ innings.
Uribe bunted two balls foul, ... and then tomahawked a high fastball from David Carpenter into left-field stands for a shocking two-run homer ....
Note that I wrote "David Carpenter" and not "Craig Kimbrel."
The Braves had to win this game. Lose, and they go home. Somehow they lost -- in the late innings, no less -- without using the most dominant relief pitcher in the game.
The sad thing is, Gonzalez apparently didn't even think of using Kimbrel for two innings. "I think six outs isn't something we were even talking about in the dugout," he said after the game.
But what’s the difference between four outs and six outs? Six pitches? Ten pitches? And that doesn’t even factor in that the Dodgers had the 5-6-7 hitters due up in the eighth and the 8-9-1 hitters up in the ninth.
So instead you lost a game with a guy who had a 6.07 ERA last year for the Houston Astros.
... ".. I want the ball." We'll see if Kimbrel confirms that, but even if he didn't say that, his look of disgust, standing there with his hands on his hips, will haunt Braves fans all winter.
This should be covered in Managing 101. ... Who cares if it's the seventh inning or the eighth inning or the ninth. I'd rather lose with Carpenter in the ninth inning or the 10th inning or whenever ...
Look, managing your bullpen in a structured manner in the regular season is one thing.
October is not the regular season.
Fredi Gonzalez didn't think the best reliever in the game can get six outs.
He ended up getting none.
(Excerpt) Read more at espn.go.com ...
My husband and his employees, family joke.
:) Yep, good vibes all around.
Yep.
“Uehara IS brilliant... a joy to behold. He’s 38 now... I wonder how long he can keep doing this?”
Don’t know. Unless BOS goes into September 2011/all of 2012 mode, they should be fine.
The thing we're starting to learn about Japanese pitchers..is that age isn't important..but they throw a lot, LOT more innings early in their career..so how much left in the arm is often questionable
Oh, OK... I get it now, thanks. Yikes... Just curious: did they all stay up past midnight to watch the end of the Red Sox WS game?
I can't imagine having to be up before 6 AM the next day. ;-)
Absolutely amazing that crowds of people were still roaming the streets around Fenway at 6 AM! Thanks for the on-scene report.
Bill James for the Hall of Fame"
And a real POS: "Was Ortiz clean" ( you have to register to read it)
Oh, I've always been like that, posting on FR into the wee hours. My screen name should have been "Night Owl".
I love Theo Epstein for what he did, putting together the two WS teams in 2004 and 2007, but man oh man..did he ever make a BAD career move taking the Cubs GM job..it could be another 25 years before they can even contend for the division
I've always had a soft spot for the Cubs. Maybe because they're the only other "old" team who still play in their original ballpark, like the Red Sox (Fenway: 1912, Wrigley: 1914). I know that probably sounds stupid...
We've been to Wrigley Field several times - we've seen Harry Caray and George Will sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" in the 7th, and joined the fans in singing the Cubs victory song: "Go Cubs Go!". Love the Cubs' fans and traditions.
I got pretty excited for the Cubs during the 2003 NLCS. Apparently the "Bartman incident" sealed the deal, and the Cubs' Curse of the Goat continues. I felt so bad for Cubs' fans... they were on the brink of winning their first National League pennant since 1945.
Anyway, I really hope to live to see the Cubs win the World Series someday. The Cubs haven't won a WS title since 1908...
Matsusaka was good his first two years (including the 2007 WS); after that, the wheels fell off.
Agreed - how much left in the (Japanese) arms is questionable. But when they’re right, they’re right.
Hmmm... LA Times. Sour grapes maybe because their "invincible" LA Dodgers fizzled early?
See ken5050’s links in #1,426 - Ortiz
LA should be more worried about how much trouble Yasiel Puig will get into in the off-season..
RE: Ortiz. No comment.
80+% of them are on something, whether it’s prescribed for “concentration” or for “toe fungus” or anything else in between. Interesting how year after year STL has wave after wave of “who’s that” that throw 95+ MPH. Sure, scouting and development are large parts of it; but there’s something else involved, too. “Vitamins”, perhaps?
Hell, he guys from the 1950s and on used “greenies” (uppers).
Whatever.
"Toasted" no doubt being the key operative word here....(g)
There you go then.
LOL! Please ping me if you hear anything... ;-)
Same with that arrogant POS Hanley Ramirez, now on the Dodgers. We New England-based Red Sox fans who follow minor league players "knew" Hanley when he was a member of the Portland (Maine) Sea Dogs (AA - Red Sox).
I admit I don't know if Ramirez ever got into "trouble", but I - and other Sea Dog fans - witnessed on a first-hand basis what a first-class, arrogant jerk he was back then. It was beneath Hanley to be a lowly Double-A player... he knew he was destined for greatness, and acted accordingly.
Calling the win a “gift” is most annoying. They worked hard,they played well,and they won.
The Shane Victorino post was fun though.
He has a special spot in the hearts of my family because my DIL was born and raised in Hawaii.
.
These dudes get up between 3AM and 4AM , they find out on the radio in their trucks on their way to the job site!
They did work hard, played well, and won. No question about it.
However, by the owners’ own admissions, they calculated this team to win 88 games max. The amount of sheer luck BOS had on this run was pretty extraordinary.
It was a gift that they won this year, especially in light of the previous ~13 months of pathetic ball they played.
Indeed, I think most were surprised with Boston this year, they got off to a fast start in April IIRC.
SF Giants buy out the remaining year of Barry Zito’s bloated contract. It’s remarkable that they won not one but two titles with Zito losing games (1 winning season in SF) and leeching salary.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.