AL Championship Series

[YmoBeThere]

A long sports day(Duke-VA Tech football game in person, the Cocks beating the Tar Heels while eating a bite at a local sports bar known for well...,Vandy-UGA on TV, a NNC win by Jeff Gordon just to the south of my temporary location in Burlington) capped by the Sox blowing one in the 11th. Gagne has not done well as anything other than the closer...

[HaveFunExpectToWin]

That CJG fumble was painful. Like many Vandy games in the past, I was fooled into believing that we'd win (that win could have nicely set us up for a bowl!).

And then we fumbled and UGa drives 70 yrds the other way for a FG. ARGGGGH.

[Karl Beem]

A long sports day(Duke-VA Tech football game in person, the Cocks beating the Tar Heels while eating a bite at a local sports bar known for well...,Vandy-UGA on TV, a NNC win by Jeff Gordon just to the south of my temporary location in Burlington) capped by the Sox blowing one in the 11th. Gagne has not done well as anything other than the closer...

From the playbyplay:
E Gagne relieved J Papelbon.
C Blake struck out swinging.
G Sizemore singled to right.
A Cabrera walked, G Sizemore to second.
T Nixon hit for J Barfield.
J Lopez relieved E Gagne.

The Tribe proceeded to score 7 runs. This is being dumped on Gagne?

[EarlJam]

From the playbyplay:
E Gagne relieved J Papelbon.
C Blake struck out swinging.
G Sizemore singled to right.
A Cabrera walked, G Sizemore to second.
T Nixon hit for J Barfield.
J Lopez relieved E Gagne.

The Tribe proceeded to score 7 runs. This is being dumped on Gagne?

For what it's worth, I can see this argument going both ways. I mean, if Gagne would have taken care of his batters, then Lopez would have never had to come in and the opportunity to score 7 runs would have never presented itself. Also, there was momentum gained by Gagne putting all those runners on base. Blame: Gagne.

Then again, to your point, the other guys came out of the Bullpen and really stunk it up. Blame: Lopez and others.

But it all could have been avoided had Gagne gotten three outs. He just couldn't do so.

-EarlJam, who predicts Colorado to go 152 - 10 next season.

[DevilAlumna]

It was a bad weekend indeed for this Duke/Vandy/Nebraska/Seahawks fan...

Go, (ummmm, I'm afraid whomever I cheer for next will lose...) D-Backs?

[YmoBeThere]

The Tribe proceeded to score 7 runs. This is being dumped on Gagne?

Well, yes in a way. Gagne has become the local whipping boy due to his other failures. I prefer to lay this at the feet of Theo Epstein who went out and got him(and paid out all his bonuses up front), however Theo doesn't throw the little round object from the pitchers mound to the plate. The night before, Gagne loaded the bases with a 10-3 lead.

[YmoBeThere]

It was a bad weekend indeed for this Duke/Vandy/Nebraska/Seahawks fan...

Go, (ummmm, I'm afraid whomever I cheer for next will lose...) D-Backs?

Yeah, as a Duke/Vandy/Cowboys/(part time D-backs) fan, it wasn't great for me either. I wonder, should Callahan be looking for a job? Be he is glad to have that 5-year extension in hand...

[throatybeard]

Kenny Lofton is 40?

But he told Chris Myers he feels 25. I believe it.

[YmoBeThere]

Tribe up 2-1 in the series, I didn't see that coming...

[jkidd31]

I do not want to anger the Weaux Gods so I won't mention any specifics...but man Cleveland is due for a championship in anything.

As for Kenny Lofton, I was glad to see the Tribe pick him up for the stretch run because he was one of my favorites on the teams in the 90's and this team needed some veterns on it. But he has played amazing in the playoffs. Hitting him at 7 is like having another leadoff hitter in the bottom of your lineup. I hope he's back next year to play left field because he's still got it.

[DevilAlumna]

Yeah, as a Duke/Vandy/Cowboys/(part time D-backs) fan, it wasn't great for me either. I wonder, should Callahan be looking for a job? Be he is glad to have that 5-year extension in hand...

Well, the AD who came on in 2003 from Pitt, was responsible for firing a moderately successful Solich and commencing a one-man search for Callahan, just got canned, so maybe Callahan's safe for now.

[dukehoopsgirl]

Well, yes in a way. Gagne has become the local whipping boy due to his other failures. I prefer to lay this at the feet of Theo Epstein who went out and got him(and paid out all his bonuses up front), however Theo doesn't throw the little round object from the pitchers mound to the plate. The night before, Gagne loaded the bases with a 10-3 lead.

Yes, the responsibility lies with Gagne. There's also a great deal of responsibility to be had with Francona's decision to start him in the 11th. Throughout Gagne's regular-season woes with the Sox (and there were several), Francona reiterated that he would continue to give Gagne the ball in late-inning situations. Unfortunately, it's now the post-season! After the trouble he had in Friday's game, I was very frustrated that Francona went with him again on Saturday. Gagne just hasn't proven that he can get it done with the Sox!

[tombrady]

Yes, the responsibility lies with Gagne. There's also a great deal of responsibility to be had with Francona's decision to start him in the 11th. Throughout Gagne's regular-season woes with the Sox (and there were several), Francona reiterated that he would continue to give Gagne the ball in late-inning situations. Unfortunately, it's now the post-season! After the trouble he had in Friday's game, I was very frustrated that Francona went with him again on Saturday. Gagne just hasn't proven that he can get it done with the Sox!

The Gagne trade (depending on how Murphy, Ramirez, and Gabbard perform over the next decade) has the potential to be one of the worst trades of all time. This is not hyperbole.

Gagne single-handedly cost the red sox at least 4 regular season games -- games they were winning when he came in and were losing when he left.

Gagne has had a definite negative value to the Red Sox this year, and game 2 was more of that. Technically, the red sox should get extra players for taking Gagne.

The fault lies with Theo.

I fu&king hate Cleveland right now. What a bunch of drum beating, towel waving losers.

[billybreen]

I ******* hate Cleveland right now. What a bunch of drum beating, towel waving losers.

Well, technically they aren't the losers.

[hc5duke]

Well, technically they aren't the losers.

Off topic, I never understood why people wave white towels at sports games (including the crazy towel guy)... too much like you're waving a white flag for surrender.

[Karl Beem]

Off topic, I never understood why people wave white towels at sports games (including the crazy towel guy)... too much like you're waving a white flag for surrender.

I think Steeler fans started it with their "Terrible Towels". It does look great on HDTV.

[EarlJam]

I think Steeler fans started it with their "Terrible Towels". It does look great on HDTV.

I think it looks cool too. One point: After a promotion where fans were given mostly white T-Shirts, I heard a baseball player years ago say that the white shirts distracted the outfielders, made it harder to see low flies and line drives (easily lost in the white shirts). I was wondering last night if the white towels created the same problem for Indians and Red Sox outfielders.

-Earljam

[jkidd31]

The Gagne trade (depending on how Murphy, Ramirez, and Gabbard perform over the next decade) has the potential to be one of the worst trades of all time. This is not hyperbole.

Gagne single-handedly cost the red sox at least 4 regular season games -- games they were winning when he came in and were losing when he left.

Gagne has had a definite negative value to the Red Sox this year, and game 2 was more of that. Technically, the red sox should get extra players for taking Gagne.

The fault lies with Theo.

I fu&king hate Cleveland right now. What a bunch of drum beating, towel
waving losers.

Gee that member of the Red Sox nation who revile the Yankees and say aren't we good guys because we don't spend as much as the Yankees? Boston has become the Yankees as a great atricle on Fox Sports writes.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7323070

The Red Sox had their chance when they got CC and Fausto out before 5 innings and can only manage a split of those games in Boston. CC has been awful so far in the playoffs and I really don't think the SOx can count on another bad performance tomorrow night.

And based on your signature I assume you are a Pats fan? We'll all I can say for the Pats is I hope Peyton Manning carves them up in two weeks like he did in the second half of the playoff game. The game is in Indy so the Pats won't be able to short out the opponents head sets, plus Manning can call the whole game at the line anyway.

[jkidd31]

Tombrady-Also do you "F'ing hate Cleveland just" because they are out playing Boston or because the are doing it for about $80 million less?

Boston could still come back and win this series, but I think this years as well as previous years goes to show you can still win without spending insane amounts of money. Both Ariaonz and Colorado's payrolls are lower then the Indians.

[tombrady]

Gee that member of the Red Sox nation who revile the Yankees and say aren't we good guys because we don't spend as much as the Yankees? Boston has become the Yankees as a great atricle on Fox Sports writes.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7323070

The Red Sox had their chance when they got CC and Fausto out before 5 innings and can only manage a split of those games in Boston. CC has been awful so far in the playoffs and I really don't think the SOx can count on another bad performance tomorrow night.

And based on your signature I assume you are a Pats fan? We'll all I can say for the Pats is I hope Peyton Manning carves them up in two weeks like he did in the second half of the playoff game. The game is in Indy so the Pats won't be able to short out the opponents head sets, plus Manning can call the whole game at the line anyway.

Moving past the point that this post was incredibly difficult to read, I don't even know where to begin ripping it apart.

a) I won't even get into the difference between the red sox and yankees, but I'll point to Bobby Abreu last year as an example. Both teams wanted him. The yankees were able to get him because they could give up worthless prospects and take on Abreu's entire salary. The red sox could not get him because they could not afford to take on his entire salary, and would have to give away prime prospects. See how this works?

b) they "only managed a split" of the first 2 games with CC and Fausto going? I would say that is a success, not an "only." Would I have liked to win both? Of course. But this was "their chance?" I didn't know it was a 2 game series.

c) CC has been awful in the playoffs so far, so he's gonna be good in his next start? What the heck kind of logic is that? You defeat your own point.

d) Manning can carve up the Pats all he wants, it doesn't really matter when Tom Brady hangs 48 points up will it? Manning -- 1/2 of a game. Brady -- the rest of their careers. I'll take Brady. Cut that meat!