Tag: playoffs

Game Four – Halfway There

Heading into the bottom of the fifth inning, the Red Sox are up 5-1. All five runs came in the bottom of the third. That was fun to listen to.

Now we are getting to the nervous point. Tampa Bay just scored for the first time in the top of the fifth. I am afraid of overconfidence. It was during the 2004 World Series run, when they broke the 86 year slump, that everyone in my family (I think, at least) started using the phrase “cautiously optimistic” all of the time, which probably annoyed the crap out of everyone.

It’s important though. Over confidence leads to the ball going through Bill Buckner’s legs. Cautious optimism leads to coming back from a three games to none deficit to beat the Yankees.

Cautious optimism, folks. Let’s hold that lead and put the best team in the AL away tonight.

The Red Sox Win Game Three

So the Sox won, but there is controversy… or not. I’m not sure. Traditionally the heartbreaking call goes against us, so I’m not sure what to do.

Top of the 13th, runner on first, bomb hit to right hits the wall on the fly, bounces off, hits the ground, hits the right fielder and lands in the bullpen. That’s clearly a ground rule double. Hitting the fielder is the only thing unusual, but it hit the ground. Had it gone off the wall then off the player then out it would have been a home run, I think, but hitting the ground makes it two bases. Period.

I don’t think that’s the question though. The question is where to place the runner who was on first. At the time the ball left the field, I believe the runner had already reached second base. So does he get two bases from there, or two bases from where he started.

If you had asked me this out of context I would have said he ends up on third. Two bases from the start of the play, but I would have asked if the umpires had any discretion in the matter. If they did then he scores. Fortunately for the Red Sox (or not, as it turned out) the umpires do not have any discretion on the call. Two bases from the start of the play. The runner on first advances to third. Period. End of discussion.

Tampa would have taken a 5-4 lead, the inning still would have ended when the next batter fanned, and the Red Sox would still have had a runner on base when Vasquez hit the walk off home run in the bottom of the 13th. The Sox would have won 6-5, but the runner was placed on third instead of being allowed to score, so the Sox won 6-4.

Either way, holy shit what a game!

Halfway Through

We are at the mid point of game three, heading into the top of the fifth. The Red Sox are holding a 3-2 lead over the Rays.

Am I feeling confident?

Aw, hells no!

It’s nice to have the lead though. I’m taking the good where I can get it. How about we tack on a few insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth. What do you say?

Addendum: I wrote the above while waiting for the chicken to finish cooking. I was proof reading when the oven timer went off. In the time it took me to dish out dinner and get back to my phone the Sox scored again. They did in fact tack on insurance in the fifth.

Game Three Underway

Game three of the ALDS between the Red Sox and the Rays is underway at Fenway Park. Eovaldi gave up a two run home run in the top of the first and then Schwarber lead off the bottom of the first with a home run. Is this a sign? Are we in for another wild one today? 2-1 Rays in the top of the second.

Sunday Thoughts

Let’s be clear, this post is procrastination.

It’s Sunday, I have some chores I want to get done. Instead I am sitting at my computer. The Red Sox game is less than four hours away. They are on the MLB network today. I’m trying to find a way to stream the game to my computer so I can watch it while I clean stuff in my room. No dice. I do not think our cable package includes the network so that kills pretty much all of the legit streaming options that I know of. I wonder if youtube is doing anything. Hmmm… Nope. It doesn’t look like it. Unless MLB is going to add something closer to the start of the game.

I try not to talk about blog stats too often as that feels like cork sniffing and maybe pandering for hits or some shit and that’s not what it’s about. I just like stats. Baseball stats, hockey stats, covid stats (though “like” is the wrong word there), and blog stats. I was curious how close last month came to matching the highest month on my old wordpress.com account. I looked that up a few months ago and thought I remembered the ball park figure. I didn’t. The number I remembered was quite a bit higher than the reality. Turns out last month destroyed the old account’s record, and so did the month before. Okay, I guess I never have to go look at the old account again. That’s good.

Speaking of blogging… is it coming up on time for a new theme yet? It could be. We’ll see.

I still haven’t played the guitar. I am 3/4 (approximate) through a four day weekend and I haven’t taken it out of the case. I keep looking at it. I keep saying I’m going to do it. Sigh… soon.

Okay. I need to get my shit together today. Let’s go, fat boy. Let’s get some stuff done, then listen to the game on the radio, then play the guitar, then watch The Walking Dead and World Beyond, then go to sleep. You can do it, fat ass. You can do it.

Two Notes

Two notes as I get ready for bed on a Saturday night.

First, game three of the Red Sox/Rays ALDS series is tomorrow at 4:00. I really thought Tampa Bay was going to sweep us, but last night the offense and the bullpen pulled out an impressive win. We need more of that tomorrow. We have a chance to close out the series without leaving Fenway. Sounds good to me.

Second, one of my neighbors is having a party with insanely loud music that is making my skin crawl. Where is Lizardfish when we need some massive volume to drown out the lame noise?

After Eight Innings

This one turned around nicely. After eight innings the Red Sox are up 11-6. They have hit five home runs. J.D. Martinez managed to not trip over second base when running out his homer. Thank the baseball gods for that.

One inning to go with a five run lead. Am I feeling confident? Good heavens, no! Are you nuts?