Should be a battle.
With Beckett looking like he's pitching hurt, and Lowell out I think the Rays have to be favored. The only clear advantage the Red Sox have is the closer & playoff experience.

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“Mmmm. Move over, eggs. Bacon just got a new best friend - fudge.”

Really looking forward to this series. I think Boston wins in 6 or 7. Really hoping for a Dodger/Red Sox series. Really want to see Manny drill a few bombs against the Sox.

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Fuck Edwards and Zobrist

Mike Lowell won't play in this series for the Champs from Boston as he was deactivated from the playoff roster prior to Game 4 vs. Anaheim. There's also quite a bit of bad blood between these two teams, stemming from all the brawls over the years, including when Coco Crisp got clocked at Fenway Park earlier this season...This one could go the full 7, folks.

This has the makings of being the most competitive post season series since the 03/04 Red Sox-Yankees Series. If the Red Sox take one of the first two, it is hard for me to see them losing. I dont see Tampa winning 2 of 3 in Fenway. I think Papelbon is the X factor--Red Sox in 7.

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"YOU GOTTA BE BLEEPING ME"

"Dice-K" has been money in the bank for the Red Sox away from home all season long. While the Sox might not like his high pitch counts, Matsuzaka can be challenging for opposing hitters to deal with. As much as the Rays have been a feelgood story and while the Sox have injury issues, I have to lean toward the Champs tonight...

Anybody watching this game 2 of this ALCS? 4 hours and 40 minutes to play 9 innings. That's gotta be a record for time, for 9 innings, without a delay. Wow!!!

They're headed to the 10th right now. 8-8.

Rays win!!! Rays win!!!

9-8 in 11 innings. Series tied 1-1.

5 hour and 30 minute game.

didn't get to stay up for this, and it's a shame. what i saw of it was a great game but those extra innings must have been intense.

Longoria or Rameriz for ROY give me a break!

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I'm going to bounce from the spot for awhile but I will be back at some point to argue with you about this hoops stuff again. Playoffs have been great this season. See ya up the road.

I'm out.

The playoffs have no bearing on Longoria or Alexi winning ROY.

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Frank, I think Evan Longoria may have already won the A.L. Rookie of the Year, even before the postseason started...

He probably did. My point is that those awards are voted on before the playoffs start. Maybe Riles has been out of the industry too long and he forgot how things work in the sports media biz.

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As much as the Rays have dominated at home this season at Tropicana Field, the upstarts from Tampa seem to like playing the "Green Monster" at Fenway now with 3 straight road wins, including Game 3's ass whooping!

The hopes of Red Sox nation are now fluttering on the wings of a Wakefield knuckler

I just threw up a little bit in my mouth.

Does anyone know if pitching on 16 day rest help or hurt a knuckle baller?

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“Mmmm. Move over, eggs. Bacon just got a new best friend - fudge.”

ESPN Radio's Dan "the Duke" Davis mentioned the same thing concerning Wakefield's 16 day layoff between starts during a national "SportsCenter" earlier this afternoon. While Tim's supposed to be one of the best knucklers in baseball, it can also be BP for the Rays' hitters.

Asked and answered.

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“Mmmm. Move over, eggs. Bacon just got a new best friend - fudge.”

Yes, unlike Ringo Starr, Tim Wakefield took great pains to provide you with a personalized answer to your inquiry.

It is on days like this that I miss residing in New England the most. There is nothing quite as entertaining as witnessing the vacant stare exhibited by a Red Sox fan experiencing his normal state of misfortune (a/k/a "birthright"). This zombie-like gaze is, more often than not, accompanied by a steady stream of drool running down the corners of said fan’s mouth. Unfortunately, this is not as entertaining to witness, and one should really avoid dining out with said fan for at least several weeks. Once the fan has regained his ability to speak, one should be prepared to be furnished with a clever, if not profane, analysis of the events leading to said misfortune (e.g.: “Bucky F—ckin’ Dent!” or “F—ckin’ Buckner!").

The Commonwealth has not been this crestfallen since there were rumors that there might actually be a semi-serious investigation into Teddy Kennedy’s involvement in Mary Jo Kopechne’s death (after which literally 8 to 10 citizens of The Commonwealth indicated that they would have some minor reservation about re-electing a convicted felon). I am hearing rumors that the population of “Red Sox Nation” is dwindling rapidly, due to the swift sales of homes previously purchased in said “Nation” some time during October of 2004. Seemingly, the core population of “The Nation” has reverted to being composed of drunken roughnecks marauding in M Street Park, beating up fans of opposing teams, regardless of age or infirmity.

My friend, just remember, and keep repeating, the words of Elmhurst Steve (until you actually believe them): “It was a really great year.” I look forward to our next wager in April, 2009.

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1923-1927-1928-1932-1936-1937-1938-1939
1941-1943-1947-1949-1950-1951-1952-1953
1956-1958-1961-1962-1977-1978-1996-1998
1999-2000-2009
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XXI - XXV - XLII - XLVI

Ohh, I don't know Stoney.
The faces of Yankee fans after another clutch at bat by Alex "Mr. April" Rodriguez are pretty entertaining as well. Watching Sal elevate his blood pressure into the 300's while his rotund face turns every imaginable shade of red is the purest form of joy for anyone residing outside of the Bronx. The said change of colors is often accompanied by a hate filled stream of vulgarity that would make a Marine drill sergeant blush.
So despite your protestations, we're not that different, friend.

As for the bet, Aretha hasn't sung yet.
As bleak as things appear today, I'll remind you that just last year the Red Sox were down 3-1 to the tribe.

Peace and Love, Peace and Love.

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“Mmmm. Move over, eggs. Bacon just got a new best friend - fudge.”

I vaguely recall some series where the Red Sox were down 3-0 and won as well, hmmm.

I think we all know what happened...The Red Sox were down 0-3 to the Yankees in '04, won the ALCS & then the World Series in 4 straight to St. Louis. They did it again last October vs. the Indians, and then took the Colorado Rockies to school winning their second straight WS in 4 straight... I wonder if country star Danielle Peck got a share of the Sox winnings last year... After all, she sang the National Anthem on the night at (NOT SO) Progressive Field when her ex Josh Beckett pitched a gem for Boston...

...but I will robotically recite the details anyway, in addition to other completely irrelevant details.

Shark, I WILL give YOU this, you may BE the only individual WHO has 1.) heard of; and 2.) WONDERS about so called "country star" DANIELLE Peck.

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1923-1927-1928-1932-1936-1937-1938-1939
1941-1943-1947-1949-1950-1951-1952-1953
1956-1958-1961-1962-1977-1978-1996-1998
1999-2000-2009
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XXI - XXV - XLII - XLVI

Stoneyroses,

Have you purchased your $50,000 per game luxury box at the new Bronx Bomber Dump yet?

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You cannot make me care about the WNBA.

StoneRoses, I didn't even know that Josh Beckett was an item with Danielle Peck until she sang the National Anthem at (NOT SO) Progressive Field during the ALCS last year in Game 5 between the Indians & Red Sox. I also had never heard of Danielle before she sang the Anthem at that game, and I think at a few NASCAR Sprint Cup races. I'm not the biggest country music fan either, but it was a storyline as Beckett handcuffed the Cleveland hitters that night...

Look out!
Looks like Pappi is coming out of his slump.

Can anyone tell me why Gross was playing that shallow?
Isn't the rule with 2 outs that the OF's need to keep everything in front of them?

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“Mmmm. Move over, eggs. Bacon just got a new best friend - fudge.”

The Red Sox needed that from David Ortiz, and his three-run homer in the 7th was only his 2nd hit of the ALCS, and J.D. Drew rose to the occasion with a two-run shot & the game winning RBI single in the bottom 9th to turn a likely postseason exit into Game 6 tomorrow night at Tropicana Field. It also breathes a sigh of relief in the offices of FOX Sports' executives Ed Goren & David Hill out in Los Angeles for the moment. Trust me, a Rays/Phillies' World Series is NO MUST SEE TV!

What the hell? TBS had the pregame show on at 6:30. I watched for a little bit and went away.

I come back at 6:50 and they have a rerun of Dick Clark TV bloopers. It's past 7:00 now. The game should be starting now.

How does TBS fuck this up? It's amazing. Can't be a rain delay. They are in the dome.

Holy shit. Now they have a rerun of the Steve Harvey show starting. This is amazing. The Chicago market doesn't have game 6 tonight.

We're gonna miss the start of the game!!!!

Am I alone with this? I have Comcast!!!!

Game isn't on ESPN 1000 cuz of the Bulls.

It's on 1160AM. I just found it there.

Ok. Now they are scrolling "Technical difficulties...Please stand by."

So the entire country isn't getting the start of the game. That's amazing. TBS fucked up a playoff game.

I think it's weird that Bradford throws to first and intentional walks in the submariner style. You know at one point in his life he threw normal. I guess he's just so trained to throw that way - it just seems so unnatural.

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You know me like that.

Well, FOX Sports' executives David Hill & Ed Goren's worst nightmare might not come true after all... The Red Sox won again tonight in Game 6 over the Rays 4-2 to force a Game 7 in the ALCS tomorrow night. According to FOX Sports' MLB analyst Tim McCarver, who will analyze the World Series come Wednesday night in either Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg or Boston's Fenway Park, he thinks the Rays' inability to win Game 5 might have quite a hangover effect and believes that the Cinderella team should be worried about giving the Champs momentum to punch the ticket back to the "Fall Classic".