ThunderDome: Sox-Rays ALCS Gamer I

We don't need another hero.  All we want are games outside the ThunderDome.

Here we go: pennant action.  The defending World Champion Boston Red Sox against the previously unheralded Tampa Bay Rays.  James Fields pitches for St. Pete, Daisuke Matsuzaka for Beantown.  Comment away.

Boston Red Sox

1 - J. Ellsbury cf

2 - D. Pedroia 2b

3 - D. Ortiz dh

4 - K. Youkilis 3b

5 - J.D. Drew rf

6 - J. Bay lf

7 - M. Kotsay 1b

8 - J. Lowrie ss

9 - J. Varitek c

P - D. Matsuzaka rhp

Tampa Bay Rays

1 - A. Iwamura 2b

2 - B.J. Upton cf

3 - C. Pena 1b

4 - E. Longoria 3b

5 - C. Crawford lf

6 - C. Floyd dh

7 - D. Navarro c

8 - G. Gross rf

9 - J. Bartlett ss

P - J. Shields rhp

Comments

[YF]

Go Rays!

Boy does the Trop stink. Sellout?

[BillsBurgSF]

And away we go!

[attackgerbil]

> Boy does the Trop stink

Announcer "if it hits two or more catwalks it's a home run"

Is that true???

What the effing eff? How do I lock my baseball in a cat walk and then hit another one for a lock and then shoot one inside the castle for multi-ball?

[BillsBurgSF]

Doesn't Madden look like he should be selling some new age hedge fund or something??

[BillsBurgSF]

Jacoby needs to continue setting the plate like he did in the ALDS

[BillsBurgSF]

Who's taller, Navarro or Pedoria??

[attackgerbil]

> Doesn't Madden look like he should be selling some new age hedge fund

Maybe. After (stupidly) checking my (now pathetic) 401k today and considering Maddon's ability to turn around a loser, I'll buy what he sells.

[attackgerbil]

> Who's taller, Navarro or Pedoria?

The answer is C: Herve Villechaize.

[BillsBurgSF]

Gerb, did you see the article in the Globe about your screen "namesake" that Shaughnessy wrote? Man he's been around.

[BillsBurgSF]

Gerb, did you see the article in the Globe about your screen "namesake" that Shaughnessy wrote? Man he's been around.

[BillsBurgSF]

Youk with the GRD!!

[attackgerbil]

Wow.. Youk with a spectacular piece of hitting strokes a GRD costs the Red Sox a run as Pedroia is called back to third. He was past third on his way to home before it hit the stands..

[BillsBurgSF]

Da Plane...Da Plane!!

[attackgerbil]

No, I'll dig for it. Zim's made his money in baseball since he was a teenager. Quite a life.

[BillsBurgSF]

Freakin' Drew!!

[attackgerbil]

Rays got so lucky there.

Question: (keep in mind I don't agree with expansion of instant replay.. and I'm not sure Pedroia was actually past third when the ball went out of play)

If a player has rounded third when a ball hops into the stands, should they be recalled to third, or should the proceed to score?

[Bostondreams]

Back to Nancy, I guess...as I board a damn plane for Connecticut.

Go Sox!

[BillsBurgSF]

I don't think it matters. I'll have to check the rule book on GRDs, but I think that runners on can only advance two bases, runner on first he goes to third.

[attackgerbil]

BB: just read DS' article. Good story about the Gerbil

[attackgerbil]

BB: Yeah, I know the rule. Just seems it is malformed.

[attackgerbil]

Big, big big swing from Upton. Just under.

[BillsBurgSF]

Oh, I should have added the rule should be modified so if the runner can get past third before the ball goes out of play, they can score.

[BillsBurgSF]

So far it looks like we've got Dice-BB

[attackgerbil]

> if the runner can get past third before

Yeah.. exactly.

[rootbeerfloat]

After this first look at Dice-K, I'm going to need to drink heavily.

[attackgerbil]

Dice is not sharp. But he gets a high outside corner to Longoria.

[BillsBurgSF]

Now that we are supposedly past the steroid era, maybe they need to look at modifying rules to generate more offense.

[attackgerbil]

Now Longoria swings through the 0-1 fastball inside. The 0-2 with one away: outside.

[attackgerbil]

Longoria takes inside corner strike three. Looked low to me, but pretty close.

[BillsBurgSF]

> After this first look at Dice-K, I'm going to need to drink heavily.

And not your screen name!

I've got a 6 of Sam Adams in the Fridge and a bottle of Captain and a 8 pack of 12oz Cokes, should be good....I hope?

[attackgerbil]

Free-swinging Carl Craford fouls off a high outside pitch, then takes in tight. The 1-1 misses the inside corner. The 2-1 is up and on the tight part of the plate to make it 3-1.

[BillsBurgSF]

Tito looks like he gonna get sick.

[attackgerbil]

Crawford rather. Now chasing, Crawford takes a slider in for a full count.

[attackgerbil]

The payoff is fouled off third. The next pitch gets away from DiceK inside and low for another walk to juice the bases.

[BillsBurgSF]

Dice is not sharp at all...could be a long night. Tito looks like he could get sick at any time

[attackgerbil]

Cliff Flyod steps in, taking just high for ball one. The 1-0: grounded to second, inning over.

[attackgerbil]

I'm out for a bit. Take care, all.

[BillsBurgSF]

Magic Man Dice get out of another one, how many time can get out of jams like that. It's amazing how is is always getting out of jams like that.

[BillsBurgSF]

I'll hold down the fort AG.

[Micah-SF]

My informed commentary on the first inning:

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH.

[rootbeerfloat]

BB - not always unfortunately. Often, yes.

[YF]

That was some first inning. Sheesh.

[SF]

Hey everyone, wish I could join in the commenting, but the night isn't so conducive. Anyhow, wanted to stop by and stay STOP WALKING THREE GUYS AN INNING, DICE!

Go Sox! I'll try to stop back in later.

[BillsBurgSF]

>STOP WALKING THREE GUYS AN INNING, DICE!

Yeah, but he gets three outs without any runs scoring (like how long before that catches up to him?).

[Micah-SF]

Great, ten pitches for Shields and the pitcher leads off the next inning. This is going to be a long night.

[BillsBurgSF]

Phils got a huge advantage going out to LA. If the Sox can't get to the series, I'd like to see them win it, be good for that city!

[BillsBurgSF]

AHHHHHHH, a Boggs sighting!!

[Micah-SF]

Three pitch strikeout... on a Jason Varitek standup fastball? What the hell ass?

[rootbeerfloat]

Micah - It took me a while to get the pitcher comment... I'm over here thinking, "wait, it's an AL game..."

[rootbeerfloat]

Though I do believe Brett Myers would argue that a pitcher can hit better than Tek.

[BillsBurgSF]

Crazy 1st, 3 up 3 down on both sides in the 2nd.

Guess Dice heard the scream from NYC, eh SF?

[BillsBurgSF]

Maybe he should have bunted?? Oh that's right he's a catcher.

[Micah-SF]

TAKE PITCHES.

*curls up in the corner and sobs*

[BillsBurgSF]

Hey at least Dice hasn't given up any hits.

*ducks the jinks monster*

[BillsBurgSF]

All they need to do is take one of these two. I think the Sox are the better team in Fenway. Lester is a giant in Fenway so they could be up 2-1 before we have to worry about which Wake will show up.

[BillsBurgSF]

Question for Chip:

How does someone fly out on a "almost missed a long homerun"?

[BillsBurgSF]

Maybe Dice is settling down???

[BillsBurgSF]

Come on Chip, Ron, and Buck, Dice is nibbling and that usually costs him.

[BillsBurgSF]

Dice drives me crazy. 4 walks, 5 Ks, problem with this is he won't last 5, at least the pen is well rested.

[BillsBurgSF]

Youk is the MAN! Too bad the rest of the 8 in the order are doing squat!

[BillsBurgSF]

TAKE SOME PITCHES PLEASE!!!!

[BillsBurgSF]

OK, so now they've got Dick-K going for the Sox.

[BillsBurgSF]

Jed doesn't want to piss off the bearded one, he may start slamming helmets in the dugout or something...

[BillsBurgSF]

Jed doesn't want to piss off the bearded one, he may start slamming helmets in the dugout or something...

[BillsBurgSF]

OK, Kotsey's got some magic dust on him!!

[BillsBurgSF]

Jed, you're the shortstop of the future, do something!

[BillsBurgSF]

1-0 SOX!!!! Nice Sac Jed!

[BillsBurgSF]

Come on Tek, fly out and put us up 2

[BillsBurgSF]

So why can't Tek retire this year and become the Sox Bullpen coach???

[BillsBurgSF]

Shields has knows Jacoby's holes, low and inside.

[BillsBurgSF]

2nd and 3rd no outs and only 1 run. This is going to be difficult. Let's hope Dice-K vs Dice-BB shows up this inning.

[BillsBurgSF]

2nd and 3rd no outs and only 1 run. This is going to be difficult. Let's hope Dice-K vs Dice-BB shows up this inning.

[SoxFan]

Daisuke is truly a Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde kinda of pitcher.

5 innings pitched. 4 walks. 7 strikeouts. And no ....

[SoxFan]

Correction. Make that 8 Ks for Dice-K.

[BillsBurgSF]

Don't say it SoxFan

[BillsBurgSF]

What the heck was that Youk?

[Lar]

The commentary is awful. yes, the 2-3-4 hitters have no hits against him because like, you know, he's pitching a no-hitter..

[BillsBurgSF]

Lar, just ignore them, all three suck.

[BillsBurgSF]

The shift works!

[BillsBurgSF]

He doesn't look it, but Dice is pitching a gem tonight

[Micah-SF]

Thanks, Longoria!

Wow, we might actually get 7 out of Dice-K. C'mon, offense. More support.

[BillsBurgSF]

89 pitches for Dice.

[SoxFan]

Rob Neyer on the ESPN Gamecast chat says no way that Dice-K goes nine, but there is the possibility of the Sox bullpen continuing Dice-K's performance, if you know what I mean.

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Narcissistic horse ... nude henchman ... nervous humpback ...

[I'mBillMcNeal]

nice hounds

[BillsBurgSF]

1st and 2nd no outs, Drew and Bay with single gounders through the infield.

[BillsBurgSF]

Kotsay's got to swing fully, might have been a hit on that one

[BillsBurgSF]

Let's not let the ray's out of this without a run or two!!!

[BillsBurgSF]

So Anaheim needs the "thunder stixs" and Tampa has "more cowbell" and Fenway rocks twice as loud as those two places with fewer fans and no accessories.

[rootbeerfloat]

What a squander.

[BillsBurgSF]

Tek just can't get it done

[SoxFan]

Frustrating....

[Micah-SF]

Oh, Tek. Ugh.

[BillsBurgSF]

Frig...so let's keep it a 1-hitter.

[BillsBurgSF]

Short leash Tito!

[BillsBurgSF]

Come on Sox Double Play!

[BillsBurgSF]

NASTY!

[BillsBurgSF]

Who's up in the Sox Pen, that's be some good info TBS.

[Micah-SF]

One more Harry Houdini routine, please.

[BillsBurgSF]

HUGE K for DICE!!!!