The Red Sox beards are annoying. Somebody needs to tell those smarmy fucks that they aren't hockey players.

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I want the Red Sox to win was hoping Nas had something he was hanging his hat on that I don't see.

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

These teams are fairly evenly matched. So anyone predicted a sweep or a 4-1 outcome is going for some other angle. I predict a well fought, low offense Series with plenty of pitching duels.

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1926-1931-1934-1942-1944-1946-1964-1967-1982-2006-2011

red sox better lineup
cards better top 3 starters
not sure who is most grindy. that will likely decide it.

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Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

You're missing a key part of the story here. This isn't Madden or MLB THE SHOW, where a player is drafted is only one part of the story. How he is developed and utilized in the Major Leagues is also a measure of an organization. Mujica saved 37 games and Shelby Miller put up one of the better rookie seasons for a SP but both are persona non grata now due to being toast due to injury and/or ineffectiveness as of this posting.

Matt Carpenter was a non-toolsy player who had a decent skill set before being moved to the middle infield, and proceeded to not only play the keystone adequately, but in his first full-time season throw up 55 doubles and 7.0 WAR (with a cromulent, 1.3dWAR) out of the leadoff spot. Allen Craig has now put together 2 straight >.400 RISP seasons proving that the concept of "clutch" does indeed exist, (if hard to quantify or predict) and by all accounts has been an RBI machine, driving in 97 runs despite only playing in 134 games and hitting 13 HR. Wacha, if Fox hasn't shoved it down your throat yet- was the compensatory draft pick acquired for Pujol, it takes some some serious stones to let your HOF first baseman walk, and sign what will probably be in the conversation for the worst contract in history by the time he is done.

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1926-1931-1934-1942-1944-1946-1964-1967-1982-2006-2011

My point about Wacha, though was that he seems to have come out of nowhere- they have used him extremely carefully. I can only imagine the type of career that a Prior or Wood might have had were they employed as such early in their careers. That may not be a fair statement as hindsight makes a lot of things look good, bad or ugly-- but it is certainly food for thought.

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1926-1931-1934-1942-1944-1946-1964-1967-1982-2006-2011

Deeper..? maybe?

here is a list of hitters by wRC+ likely to appear in Game 1.

1. David Ortiz, 152
2. Matt Holliday, 148
3. Matt Carpenter, 147
4. Matt Adams, 136
5. Allen Craig, 135
6. Yadier Molina, 134
7. Carlos Beltran, 132
8. Mike Napoli, 129

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1926-1931-1934-1942-1944-1946-1964-1967-1982-2006-2011

Wood was gonna throw out that arm eventually. Prior might have worked out.


Most of the draft info on 2012 had Wacha marketed as close to the bigs. More of a low floor type.


Development matters

No, RPB, Family Matters.

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-- source

Another note to be made re: the AL Home field advantage:

in games 3, 4 and 5, one of Ortiz or Napoli will be forced to come out of the lineup. So the Red Sox will employ a lineup in potentially 3 of 7 games without one of their 2 best hitters. I have to respectfully disagree with Hatchetman about the Red Sox having a better offense.

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1926-1931-1934-1942-1944-1946-1964-1967-1982-2006-2011

You also must consider David Ortiz' cold streak in these playoffs.

You sent a shot at NAS but I think there is enough evidence to suggest a quick series to the Cardinals. Alternatively, I think the Red Sox would only be able to win in a long series.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Well seeing as he picked a quick series the other way, I wasn't singling him out necessarily, nor was the only poster asking for a rationale. I'd think if one was inclined to believe a one-sided series was going to occur, there would be some definitive reason

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1926-1931-1934-1942-1944-1946-1964-1967-1982-2006-2011

Boston is making it quite difficult to cheer for them with the Boston Strong in the outfield grass. I mean I will because its' the Cardinals, but they are going to make it harder than it needs to be.

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Team Cutler.

#YadiStrong

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-- source

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1926-1931-1934-1942-1944-1946-1964-1967-1982-2006-2011

Today is wear Cardinal Red day at my work. Sickening. Everywhere I look there are jerseys and red crap. I tried to find a Red Sox shirt but couldn't find one. So I am wearing black as a sign of mourning.

I get sick of hearing Cardinal fans try to convince me I should root for the Cardinals since they are in the NL and in our division. I am not a National League Fan or a Central Division fan. Why should I root for a team just because they are in the same league as the team I cheer for? I am quite sure most of this hicks would not be cheering for the Cubs if they made the WS.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

I'm rooting for an earthquake swallowing either stadium.

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

Final days of listening to this thing.

Cardinals in 6

i hate that kind of logic. i hate it a little more than the "i'm rooting for this team that just beat mine to win it all because then i can say my team lost to the eventual champion"...it's just dumb. why would i ever root for a divisional rival? or rather, why would i be *expected* to?

How about this for an outside the box idea? Cardinals should concede this game. Take Wainwright out right now. Tell the long releiver he's got the rest of the game no matter how many runs they score. Don't waste anybody else in the bullpen. That way you can have Wainwright on short rest for game 4 and maybe a game 7.

That's the way I would handle it. Cardinals can't win tonight. Manager has to think greater good. So get beat 15-2 and save your ace for 2 more games. Save all but one bullpen guy too. Better than getting beat 8-2 with Wainwright going 6 or 7 and using 2 or 3 bullpen guys.

Hell, better yet, have bench position players finish the 8th and 9th as pitchers.

Following the game online. It says Beltran has been replaced in the OF. What happened to him?

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

If Ortiz hits the granny Id go along with it. Looks like Beltran got hurt making the catch too. Ill be surprised if Wainwright makes it thru 5 regardless but no way a manager is going to concede a 5 run game in the second inning.

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

Reached over the fence to bring back Ortiz granny, looks like hurt ribs / chest area doing it

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

Cardinals manager is clearly gonna run Wainwright for 5 or 6 innings. He'll be OVER 100 pitches, too. It' stupid. Actually, position players would only have to finish the 7th and 8th cuz Boston isn't gonna bat in the 9th.

My way would have been the best way to actually win this series. Which, I think, is the goal.

Slow your roll Rin Tin Tinfoil. Lester starting to fucking nibble again, walks lead off hitter. Bases juiced , 1 out.

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

update?

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Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

Freese hit come backer, 1-2-3 couple play. Out of inning, no runs.

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

The Cardinals are shitting the bed.
It's great.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014