Red Sox Are On Their Way To The ALCS

Photo from The Boston Globe

The Red Sox punched their ticket to the ALCS last night with a 3-1 win over the Rays.  The Sox players celebrated like the champions they are, which I've included pictures below.  They'll take on either the A's or Tigers on Saturday for Game 1 of the ALCS.

The Red Sox pitching combined for 9 innings, giving up 6 hits, 1 run, 0 walks, and striking out 10.  Peavy pitched into the sixth inning and only threw 74 pitches.  Breslow was dominant for 1.2 inning when he have up a hit and struck out 4.  Uehara redeemed himself from the night before with a 4-out save and struck out 2.

The Red Sox offense didn't have a single extra-base it, but did combine for 6 hits.  They left 10 on base, with Salty leaving the most with 5 (Ortiz was right behind him with 4).  Victorino and Pedroia each had RBIs, and Bogaerts scored on a wild pitch.

Victorino was hit twice during the game, which brings his total to being hit 4 times this series, a record for the ALDS.  It's been noted how often Victorino gets hit as crowds the plate, and that was certainly the case the first time he was hit in the game.  The second time, I don't think Victorino was crowding the plate at all.

The Rays played hard, and Maddon used a total of 22 different players during the game: 9 pitchers and 13 position players/pinch-hitters.  Starting pitcher Jeremy Hellickson lasted only 1 inning, and reliever Wright was brought in with the bases loaded and didn't allow a run.  David Price was even warming up in the 9th inning in case the game was to go to extra innings.

The Red Sox need to address some issues before they start the game on Saturday:

• As stated, they left 10 on base last night, including the second inning when bases were loaded with 0 outs.  They have to get those big hits.
• They also had 10 strikeouts, but they did manage to draw 8 walks.  
• Saltalamacchia either gets a hit or strikeouts; in ten at bats, he has 3 hits and 7 strikeouts.
• There was another instance in the game where if Pedroia was playing his position, the Sox would've produced an out.  It was later in the game, but I don't remember the inning.  I love Pedroia, and he's one of my favorite players on the team.  However, watching him the past couple days shows how much he tries/wants to do in a game, even when it's not necessary.  He also had the last RBI of the game in the 9th inning.
• The bullpen was phenomenal this series, but the team can not rely on the relievers alone.  Yes, Lester went 7.2 innings, and this isn't necessarily directed at him.  Lackey went 5.1 innings, Buchholz 6.0, and Peavy 5.2 innings.  Lackey gave up 4 runs, Buchholz 3, and Peavy 1.  Not terrible, but not shutout either.  Red Sox starters need to shutout the other team, especially if the Red Sox take on the Tigers' dangerous line-up.

That's enough of my ranting of an otherwise great series win over the Rays.  Seriously, I'm ecstatic the Red Sox won last night; I had a hard time falling asleep (despite it being 12:30 AM) because of the adrenaline rush.  The Red Sox will start the ALCS on Saturday, time to be determined.  Below, you'll find some photos and tweets I found from regarding the ALDS series win.  Enjoy!

Photo from The Boston Globe

Photo from The Boston Globe

Photo from SBNation.com

Translation from Google Translate: Beyond the point of no return in the past.  It does not drag at all that it was stuck @TeamUehara walk-off home run:... RT @takesuma When I think You say, no choice Looking back! Do you do need is a such positive After happening to?

Uehara is Human and Other Observations from Red Sox Loss in Game 3 of the ALDS

Photo from TheBleacherReport.com

Let's face it- we were all hoping for a Red Sox win last night.  We thought they were going to win when they had a 3-0 advantage in the 5th inning.  We thought they were going to come back and win in the 9th inning.  We thought they would win in extra innings when Uehara was brought in for the bottom of the 9th inning.

We were wrong.

The Red Sox lost 5-4 last night as the Rays battled from behind.  The Rays battled the entire game.  They were battling through everything, including their own defensive woes.  They wound up on top in the end.

In the bottom of the 9th inning with the game tied 4-4 and 2 outs, Uehara gave up a walk-off home run to Rays' catcher Lobaton.

The Red Sox fans and players alike were crushed as they watched the Rays celebrate at home plate, but I don't think anyone was as crushed as Koji Uehara.  Until last night, Uehara hadn't given up a home run since June 30th, more than 3 months prior.  I think what's even more amazing is Uehara looked like he was throwing fireballs last night, considering he only pitched 5 pitches the entire inning, and was able to get the first two batters out with ease.

Uehara posted on his Twitter page (in Japanese): I've thrown.  I got a walk-off loss. (Tears.)

Along these lines, Ortiz said in a postgame interview with The Boston Globe: That was a good pitch... It happens.  He's a pitcher.  He's human.  He's not from another planet.

Could have fooled us during the season.

The Red Sox will now try and finish off the Rays tonight at 8:30 Eastern on TBS behind Jake Peavy.  The Rays will be have native-Iowan Jeremy Hellickson pitching.

In other observations from the game:

• Jacoby Ellsbury is raking this postseason.  He's 8-for-14.  He's scored 7 runs, has 2 RBIs, and 3 stolen bases.  I think it's safe to say that if Ellsbury gets on base, there's a good chance he'll score.  
• Even though Buchholz only gave up the 3 runs on a home run to Evan Longoria in the 5th inning, he did not look good.  He walked 3 and gave up 7 hits, while throwing 104 pitches.  He looked shaky and uneasy, and continuously threw to first base if there was a runner, essentially buying himself more time.
• Did it appear to anyone else that Pedroia was playing out of position in the 8th inning, when the Rays went ahead?  For me, it seemed like he was trying to do too much.  I recall one play when Napoli went to field a ball along with the pitcher (I can't remember if Morales or Workman was in at that point), and no one was there to cover first base.  
• Nava was 0-for-3 while leaving 4 on base last night.  Have to wonder if Gomes, who pitch his for Nava late in the game and was intentionally walked, gets the start tonight.
• Salty looked shaky at the plate last night as well.  Though he did manage to get a hit, he struck out 3 times and left 4 on base.
• As I'm going down the list, Drew was also terrible at the plate.  0-for-4 leaving 5 on base.  Does Farrell do something drastic and put in Xander Bogaerts in tonight?  I'm thinking Drew will start, but we'll see Bogaerts in tonight's game at some point.

Well, that's what I have today.  Depending on how the day goes, I may do another post.  As of right now, however, this is what I have for today.  Thanks for the glance, and feel free to leave any comments below.

David Price: "Save It Nerds"

The Twitter-sphere was ablaze Saturday into Sunday with David Price's tweets and responses.  Disclaimer: I've never had a problem with Price.  I think he's one of the best and consistent pitchers in the game.  However, I do think he was pretty unprofessional when he took to Twitter.

I understand that David Price was frustrated with his performance.  He went 7.0 innings, but gave up 7 runs on 9 hits.  He gave up 2 home runs to David Ortiz, when Ortiz had never homered off Price in his career.  I'm not sure how it was reflected on the television; but the fans, at least where I was sitting, didn't seem to heckle Price.  Myers, the fans heckled relentlessly, but Price not so much.

Price seemed to attack everyone who had a comment or criticism about his performance.  The fact that he attacked MLB analysts and told them to "SAVE IT NERDS," shows that this was a very unprofessional move.  Twitter is a way for athletes to not only voice their opinions, but they're selling their brand, their team.  If people don't know much about David Price and only catch his exchange on Twitter, they may not sense that he is a professional athlete.

If you'll recall, Will Middlebrooks went through a similar situation early this season when his performance was suffering on the field.  He used Twitter as a way to defend his performance, and it wasn't the best thing for him.  When he went to Triple-A, Middlebrooks stopped tweeting as much, which is said to have been a condition the Red Sox put on him.  In the end, Middlebrooks fought his way back to the Majors and has let his performance do the talking.

What I think David Price needs to understand is that everyone has their own opinions.  Twitter, and other social medias, lets everyday people as well as critics and analysts voice their opinion (much like what I do on this blog).  For a professional athlete to start attacking people's opinions is unprofessional.

I hope David Price is able to move past this and focus on his career... okay, maybe after the Red Sox win the ALDS.  David Price is a great player, and he's going to cash in when he hits free agency.  However, he needs to learn when to let things go.

I reposted his tweets below, including his apology.  In my opinion, I think he should've apologized to Dick Hayhurst and Tom Verducci personally, and maybe he has or will.  Social media can be a blessing and a curse, and I think Price realized that this weekend.

Red Sox vs Rays October 5, 2013 (Game 2 ALDS)

Saturday, I was lucky enough to attend Game 2 of the ALDS, and it was quite the experience!  I'm not sure how it translated on the television, but I have never experienced an atmosphere quite like Fenway Park during the playoffs.  The crowd was so excited and loud! 

The Red Sox won 7-4 behind Ortiz home runs, his first time hitting multiple home runs in one game in the postseason, which is hard to believe, if you think about it.  Uehara was crazy good, throwing 11 pitches in the 9th inning, all for strikes.  Honestly, after he struck out Joyce and Lobaton on 6 pitches, I thought he'd get Myers out with pitch #9.

Speaking of Myers, the crowd did not let up one bit on the "Myers! Myers!" chants.  I sat in the Rightfield Grandstand seats, which is where the chants were originating.  In a way, I felt sorry for the guy, but he took it like a pro, unlike David Price who took his frustrations to Twitter.  I'll have a post regarding Price and his "SAVE IT NERDS" comments later today.

Before the game, I was literally 3 feet away from John Henry.  The man was a professional through and through, standing and letting fans take pictures with him, always smiling.  I waited but never got that picture with him.  It was 5 minutes before the first pitch, and I never miss the first pitch, even for a chance to take a picture with the owner of the Red Sox.  I did get a picture of him though.

So, sit back, and enjoy some of the photos I took from the Saturday's Game 2 ALDS victory for the Red Sox!

Yawkey Way before Game 2 of the ALDS 

Red Sox Owner John Henry prior to Game 2 of the ALDS

Home plate before the first pitch

Getting ready for the Game 2 of the ALDS

Beautiful shot of Fenway before Game 2 of the ALDS

Welcome to Fenway Park

Red Sox players taking the field (and Rays bullpen)

Me and Cole

Shane Victorino in Right Field

Red Sox on the field, Lackey's first pitch

Wil Myers

Jacoby Ellsbury, leadoff hitter

Shane Victorino batting second

Dustin Pedroia batting third

David Ortiz batting fourth

Lackey pitching, Ross catching, Napoli at First, Pedroia at Second, and Middlebrooks at Third

Napoli at First, Lackey Pitching, Pedroia at Second, Drew at Shortstop, Middlebrooks at Third, Victorino in Right Field, Ellsbury in Center Field, and Gomes in Left Field

Wil Myers at bat for the Rays

Ellsbury in Center Field

Breslow coming on to pitch in the 6th inning

Panoramic shot of Fenway Park

Koji Uehara in to pitch the 9th inning

Red Sox Win Game 2

Red Sox Win 7-4

Cole and me with Fenway Park in the background

"The Teammates" statues outside Fenway Park

The new Yastrzemski statue outside Fenway Park

Random Thoughts Before the Start of the ALDS

I've been waiting for the game to start today and started to think about the some different random thoughts I had regarding the season, the postseason, and all things MLB.  So, I'm doing what I do best and posting them on the blog.

Photo from The Boston Herald

• Jon Lester has been pretty incredible of late, and we fans hope he can continue his dominance today.  But, I think another important thing to point out is the Rays will be having Matt Moore start for them today.  Moore may be 17-4 with a 3.29 ERA this season, but he was on the disabled list all of August.  Since coming back on September 3rd, he has yet to go more than 6.1 innings.  If the red Sox can chase Moore out of the game early, they'll have a good chance against the Rays bullpen.

• It's pretty fair to point out that if the Rays are able to get Lester out of the game early, they could also have an advantage against the Red Sox bullpen.  Aside from Uehara and Breslow, the bullpen has a lot of question marks.  Doubront made the roster, and Thornton did not.  The fact that we need to bring up the fact that Doubront made the roster over Thornton tells you something about the bullpen.

• The tarp is currently down at Fenway Park because of showers and batting practice for both the Red Sox and Rays has been cancelled.  I live in Connecticut, and I can't remember the last time it rained.  Sort of ironic that it should rain the first day of the ALDS.  Hopefully, the showers clear away before the game.

• Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reported that John Farrell arrived at Fenway Park at 7:45 this morning, and Salty was there too.  Does that mean Pedroia wasn't the first player at the park?

• NESN reported that Dustin Pedroia called the Red Sox "2013 World Series Champs" as early as the Marathon Bombings.  I know it would mean a lot to Boston if the Red Sox were able to win the World Series.  A lot of emotions there.

• Reds Manager Dusty Baker was fired this morning.  Now, I'm not a big Dusty Baker fan or even a Reds fan (though, I've remained an Arroyo fan over the years), and I don't know the circumstances.  However, I would think if your manager could get your team to the playoffs, even the Wild Card playoff game, they deserve to keep their job.  Same can be said with the speculation that Ron Washington would be fired (which they have now said he won't be).  Don't get it.

• Alex Rodriguez has filed a lawsuit against MLB and Bud Selig are trying to "smear his character and cost him his livelihood." If you recall, Rodriguez is currently appealing his 211-game ban because of his involvement with Biogenesis.  Personally, I would think that someone in Rodriguez's many, many attorneys would advise Rodriguez that he's making matters worse.  Adding fuel to the fire.  Of course, A-Rod's attorneys want to get paid, and A-Rod wants to stay in the public eye.  The fact that A-Rod feels the need to file his lawsuit on such an important day for the postseason (four games today) shows his need to stay in the spotlight.  Really showing his "character" and "livelihood."

That's all I have for today.  I would love a Red Sox sweep of the Rays!  Again, I'll be going to the game tomorrow, and I'll be sure to share pictures from the game on Monday.  Here's one last photo I found to put you all in the mood for the playoffs:

Photo from www.timesunion.com