Another Rocky Sequel: Indians-Sox ALCS Gamer I

The Cleveland Plain Dealer today is awash in self-pity -- the Indians' playoff woes are worse than the Red Sox', their fans have more reason to complain than Boston's, and the Red Sox are nothing more than a buy-a-title, Yankee-lite organization.

Which is all well and good. Success breeds contempt, and the Sox have been nothing if not successful -- enjoying their third trip to the ALCS in five years. Only St. Louis has been to an LCS as many times since 2003, and only the Yankees and Cardinals have been to an LCS more times since 1999 (five) than the Red Sox' four.

The Indians, meanwhile, are enjoying a deep playoff run for the first time since the heyday of one of the best lineups we'll ever see -- Manny, Thome, Belle and a host of other bashers. They've had problems getting much farther than this, their writers will tell you, since they traded away Rocky Colavito, then traded away Tommy John in an effort to bring Colavito back.

It's the Curse of Rocky. Coming to a theater near you.

More entertaining, however, will be the show Josh Beckett and C.C. Sabathia hope to put on tonight, in conditions most unfriendly to hitters. We won't bore you with the details. They're in all the papers. We've talked about them enough here anyway. After all, the clock is ticking, night is falling, and the Red Sox -- in the unwelcome position of being favorites to win it all -- are eight wins away. They can go a long way toward halving that total by taking one from Cleveland and their southpaw ace.

Comment away!

Cleveland (Fenway stats, career)

1. Grady Sizemore, CF -- .231/.333/.487 (45 PAs)
2. Asdrubal Cabrera, 2B -- No PAs
3. Travis Hafner, DH -- .345/.403/.759 (67 PAs)
4. Victor Martinez, C -- .314/.352/.549 (54 PAs)
5. Ryan Garko, 1B -- .300/.417/.400 (12 PAs)
6. Jhonny Peralta, SS -- .286/.342/.314 (38 PAs)
7. Kenny Lofton, LF -- .333/.400/.449 (267 PAs)
8. Franklin Gutierrez, RF -- No PAs
9. Casey Blake, 3B -- .348/.426/.761 (54 PAs)

SP: C.C. Sabathia -- 1-1, 2.35 ERA (23 IP)

Boston (home stats, 2007)

1. Dustin Pedroia, 2B -- .351/.410/.502
2. Kevin Youkilis, 1B -- .265/.369/.428
3. David Ortiz, DH -- .365/.471/.657
4. Manny Ramirez, LF -- 303/.403/.488
5. Mike Lowell, 3B -- .373/.418/.575
6. Bobby Kielty, RF -- .250/.240/.292
7. Jason Varitek, C -- .255/.360/.434
8. Coco Crisp, CF -- .283/.360/.405
9. Julio Lugo, SS -- .286/.350/.395

SP - Josh Beckett -- 9-5, 4.17 ERA (110 IP)

Comments

[SF]

I didn't read the Cleveland papers, but I do know there is still resentment over the Manny "defection" to Boston - I know because we were interviewed for a job by someone in Cleveland and when I mentioned I rooted for the Sox I got a laugh and something on the order of "I will never root for them, all because of Manny". It wasn't just that Manny left for Boston, there was the added layer of Boston having taken Manny from Cleveland. So it goes back several years. Add in the '99 embarrassment and you have a legitimate complex developing out in the eastern midwest.

I have always liked the Indians, and my recent visit to Cleveland (along with one in the past) affirmed that the city has a ton of character, whatever hard times it had/has fallen on. That being said, GO SOX!!!!!!!!

[Hudson]

I understand why Kielty is in the game. I just hope we see Jacoby early and often in this series, unless Coco catches fire.

[Ron Newman (SF)]

The Tribe have certainly moved up in the world since I moved away from Ohio.

When I lived in Columbus in the early 1970s, everyone was a fan of Cincinnati's Big Red Machine, and nobody paid any attention to the Indians. The Reds were on 50,000 watt clear-channel WLW radio, 700 AM, which boomed into Columbus even during the middle of the day. Reds games were also a staple of Columbus local TV. If the Indians were receivable on TV or radio at all in Columbus, I wasn't aware of it.

[Paul SF]

The twin punches of the 1999 ALDS and the 2000/01 Manny defection must have really hurt. Rangers fans here still loathe the Yankees almost as much as Red Sox fans do, thanks to those three straight embarrassing ALDS losses.

[Dionysus]

Mna.. I HATE being the favorites. Im nto even sure we are. Back when the playoffs started I felt that the Indians were th ebest team (for playoff play) in the AL and the Rockies in the NL.

That said right now, Im wondering if anythign short of a zombie palgue (Dionysus reccommends World War Z. Two thumb-stumps up!) will stop the Rockies. They have that 'team of destiny' feel about them. Then again.. same could be said of the Tigers last year

By the way.. if you havent read THIS yet

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/baseball/red_sox/view.bg?articleid=1037648

Do so now. Its halarious. This team is certifiable.

[Devine]

It's been a long wait...but for at least 5 (?) more days, Red Sox baseball lives.

[Rob SF]

That is a good article. Seems we have some people in the pen who may be a little on the eccentric side.

[FenSheaParkway]

Long wait indeed. This whole week has been like months and today has been like Christmas Eve.

A Christmas Eve spent not knowing if I'll be getting a train set or a willow switch, but a Christmas Eve nonetheless.

Ya think, Rob? :-) The Pantsless Wonder alone is eccentric enough for an entire LEAGUE of releif pitchers. That is why he is awesome.

[Hudson]

The game is so soon, I can TASTE it.

(And what does an ALCS game taste like? Cardboardy Fenway Franks, of course.)

really Hudson? It tastes like Concord grapes to me. Although that may be because Im eating them right now

[Hudson]

Damn, that Herald article *is* hilarious. I had no idea.

By the way.. in case anyoen here DOESNT know of Youcastr.com.. its a website that legally allows FANS to be broadcasters for ballgames. McCarver-free! A Sox blogger, Jere (gedman)is Broadcasting innings 3-5 of tonights game.. This is my first time checking it out, but I imagine nothign is worse than McCarver.

Frankly, I think some of YSvSF own bloggers should do some games.. if not now then next season. SF? YF? Gerb? Paul?

[Dionysus]

All thos Anons were me, sorry

[Dionysus]

Alright.. here we go

[Dionysus]

or..not

[Dionysus]

OK NOW.. there's a game.

1-1 on Grady

[Dionysus]

Got him!

Where is everyone?

[Rob SF]

That curve looked good.

Sizemore....swings and misses.

[attackgerbil]

Ahh, Buck and McCarver. Tis' like the singing of Angels.

[Dionysus]

Ok.. where are those first pitch strikes?

The lack of first pitch strikes to the first two batters has caught my attention. Hopefully it is just first inning issues.

Another sweet breaking ball to send Cabrera back to the dugout.

[Rob SF]

Starts Hafner with a ball.

[attackgerbil]

Dio, interesting stuff regarding youcastr... didn't know about it.

[FenSheaParkway]

Yikes. Don't like that there.

[Rob SF]

Damn...Hafner gets one caught in the jet stream.

The wind blowing out in left should help old Papi hopefully.

[attackgerbil]

Hafner hits a high inside pitch out to right. Not a bad pitch, really.

[Rob SF]

Finally a first pitch strike.

[Dionysus]

SHIT!!!

[Rob SF]

I thought that Martinez started off with a strike?

[Dionysus]

GOT HIM!

Fraking homerun

[Rob SF]

Martinez rung up on a nasty curve.

3K's

1 pitch taken for a ride.

[FenSheaParkway]

well the 3 K's were nice anyway.

[stuck working]

Well, that homer sucked, but I have a feeling that Beckett is going to be great the rest of his outing. Those strikeouts were nothing to sneeze at.

Now, to see about CC...

[Dionysus]

Im worried abotu this game now.. REAL worried... I may need ot break out the vomit bucket soon.

[Dionysus]

Sabathis throws first pitch strike.

[Dionysus]

Oh that SUCKS. That was so close to a hit.

This is a bad bad sign

[Rob SF]

Sabathia got very lucky there with that snag.

Gives me hope to see the ball hit that hard.

[Dionysus]

Base hit! Youk!

[Dionysus]

Sabathia is nasty.

[Dionysus]

Up the middle for Papi. *takes a deep shaky breath*

I fear a DP here.

[Rob SF]

Papi singles up the middle.

Nice job by Papi.

[stuck working]

Wow, Dio, you and I have had very different reactions to the game so far.

[FenSheaParkway]

Some more from the "bad man" would be really sweet right now.

[Dionysus]

Tie game!

Thanbk you MANNY!

[Rob SF]

MANNY!!!!!

OWNING SABATHIA!!!

1-1

[Dionysus]

Alright Mikey... how about a patented wall ball here? Please?

[stuck working]

Maybe we can even see Kielty do some damage this inning. No matter what happens next, though, mission accomplished as things are evened up.

[Dionysus]

Only Mission Accomplished if Beckett settles down, stuck

[Dionysus]

*absently wonders what Theo just ate as Lowell grounds into a DP*

Frak.

[stuck working]

I guess Lowell had to GIDP to make up for Drew not being in the line-up.

[Rob SF]

I would have taken that pitch Mikey. Make him throw more pitches.

[stuck working]

Now let's see if the gratuitous Drew bashing provokes an appearance by SF...

[Rob SF]

Garko with a gracious 1 pitch AB.

[Rob SF]

Peralta grounds out.

[Dionysus]

Nice catch, Manny!

[stuck working]

Feel at all better now, Dio?

[Dionysus]

Ok.. I ALREADY want to kill Fox. That whole "A lunge, A smile, etc" thing... was jsut AWFUL

[Rob SF]

7 pitch inning for Beckett.

[Dionysus]

Not yet, stuck.

[FenSheaParkway]

1-2-3. No K's, no HR's. I'll take more of that, if I get a say in it.

[Rob SF]

Dane commercials on Fox also...argh.

[Rob SF]

That second pitch to Kielty looked a little low.

[Dionysus]

Well now.... maybe we should have left Drew in.

[stuck working]

Me personally, I have music on really loud so that I can't hear FOX's bullshit. I can just make out the general volume level of the crowd, which is all I want to hear anyway.

I mean, forget HD -- i just want FOX to broadcast the game on one channel without any commentary at all.

[Rob SF]

Kielty with a weak bail out swing on Sabatio.

[stuck working]

What was with the ump's strike three call??

[Dionysus]

Sabathia is pounding the zone.

[stuck working]

I don't mean it was wrong. He just looked goofy giving it.

[Dionysus]

Well.. crap. Sabathia is on fire now.

[Rob SF]

Tek down looking. That was a wasted AB.

[stuck working]

The layoff since the ALDS was so long that I forgot how much there is to dislike about the bottom of this lineup.

[Dionysus]

FINALLY a ball

[Rob SF]

Someone may want to make contact on a Sabathia pitch to keep the guy honest.

[Dionysus]

There goes a HORRIBLE inning.

[Rob SF]

11 pitch inning by Sabathia that inning. He is now at 33 pitches through 2.

By comparision he had like 40 pitches in the first against the Yanks.

[stuck working]

Ok, now I'm worried again, Dio.

[Dionysus]

*is disgusted right now. Absolutely disgusted.* Sub Elssbury for Coco and Drew for Keilty right now

[Rob SF]

The bottom half of the lineup definately needs to get thier act together. We cannot go through the series with ABs like that.

[FenSheaParkway]

This is looking like the very definition of a pitchers duel.

[Dionysus]

*heads over to Youcastr to give himself a McCarver break for a two innings*

[Rob SF]

Another K for Beckett.

[FenSheaParkway]

Finally done with work, so I'm outta here. Go Sox!

[Rob SF]

Lowell with a nice snag, throws Blake out at 1st.

[Dionysus]

Nice inning for Josh.

[Rob SF]

Sizemore goes down swinging. 5K's for Beckett.

Beckett's breaking balls are looking very good and he is hitting his spots.

[Rob SF]

Beckett now at 35 pitches.

[Dionysus]

Myabe the top of the order can work CC a bit. We NEED to get to him

[Dionysus]

That cost us a triple, but awesome anyway!

[Rob SF]

Lugo with a ground rule double to leadoff the inning.

[Dionysus]

Ugh. I dont like the bunt there.. I hate giving up outs.. but ok.

[stuck working]

A bunt? What is this, the NLCS?

[Rob SF]

Pedroia advances Lugo with the SAC bunt.

[Rob SF]

The bunt atleast puts Lugo in better position in the event of a WP.

[Rob SF]

Youk walks. 1st and 3rd, one out.

Papi time.

[Dionysus]

Youk walks.

I fear the DP

[Rob SF]

quit talking about that.

[Rob SF]

Papi grazed across the chest.

Manny with the bases juiced.

[Dionysus]

Brushed his uniform. Come on Manny. Get it in the air.