OT: Two Incredible collapses in one night
 

The Tampa Bay Rays down 9 games in the wild card race on September 5th and the St. Louis Cardinals down 8 1/2 games in the wild card race on the same day both sprint in to the playoffs as the Red Sox and Braves both choke and spit the bit. Unbelievable.

As a die-hard Yankee fan, I couldn't be happier. But all kidding aside, what a fun night to watch baseball!

Well, my schedule for October just became a lot more flexible.

I made the mistake of blocking off all nights that Boston *would* have been playing, telling my wife to look at the calendar...

sigh.

From a baseball standpoint, I guess you couldn't have asked for a more action-packed final day of the season...

Steve

As a die hard Orioles fan I havent been this excited since 1997, the last time we made the playoffs. I can't stand the Red Sux so I can go into the winter happy! Chokers!

Greatest day of baseball, possibly ever!!! Wow!!

Celebrating here in Tampa!:D

What an incredible night of baseball!

It reminds me of the "Alcoa Presents: Fantastic Finishes" from the 80s.

So many question for Red Sox management:

1. Do we dump Tido and hire Bobby Valentine
2. Was that JD Drew's last game as a BoSox
3. Was that Papelbon's last game as a BoSox
4. Why did we sign Carl Crawford to 7 years at that salary
5. Is Theo gone
6. Do we sign Jose Reyes
7. WHAT HAPPENED

I'm a Yankee fan but I can't get to giddy. The Tigers are a better team and I don't expect the Yankees to make it past the first round.

great season
 

I had a great evenening watching the games!
Tiexiera and longoria both had some awesome HR's!

Who'd you all like to see in the WS? I would like the Yankees and Milwaukee!

This is why I love baseball. I would like to see a Phillies Tigers match up.

Anybody else find it interesting that it was Carl Crawford in left field who couldn't come up with the catch (or the throw) to end it and assure at least a playoff with Tampa Bay

1. No, keep Tito. He's done well handling players over the years and isn't responsible for them playing poorly this month, although you'd think that he'd panic a little more down the stretch.
2. Yes.
3. Yes, hopefully. I think he's downhill from here, I don't want to pay him a lot, and I'd rather see them give the ball to Bard instead. Bard needs more command, but I think they can work on that.
4. Theo was drunk? :confused:
5. Nope, see answer one, sub in Theo for Tito.
6. No, please, no!
7. John Lackey finally infected the rest of the team with poor performance (Ellsbury seemed to be immune) and they keeled over...

Sigh. :(

Baseball
 

I know its easy to sour on today's version of the national pastime...but the game is still classic and produces amazing moments like tonight's games that decided the playoff rosters...it was unreal!!!
I don't recall as wild a night of comebacks, collapses and drama ever.
As a lifelong and often suffering Phillie fan I am still high on a 102 win cloud, hoping for another championship.
As a lifelong baseball fan, I just cant resist another opportunity to profess my love for this sport...the players, the stats, the games, the ballpark experiences and yes the baseball cards...wow i can't get enough!
GO BASEBALL !!!!!!

Certainly there's never been an end to a baseball season to rival what happened last night, and throughout September. Yankees can't hold a 7-0 lead in the 8th inning? That's incredible. Red Sox give up 2 in the bottom of the 9th with everything on the line? It will be talked about for a very long time.

I havent been beat like that since I had a banana in my pocket and someone turned the monkey loose! And it was nice to see the Balmore folks at the park, for a change. It's a terrific venue, keep it goin.

Cant forget all them decades when our boys would melt down at the close of the season. We learned to enjoy humble pie after those. many feasts.

I know it happens in every town, to a degree, ie Camden Yds. St Pete, far too many of the fans are supportive of their team, in September when the team rallies.
Been to many games at the Trop and have to say, Boston fans and Id guess New Yorkers as well, pay much of salaries in TB.

To Hell with fair weather. True fans take the good with the bad, the praise and the putdowns and dont bury the cap when youre no longer the best.

Best of luck to the NY loyalists. Ill be watching in my cap with a B on it. Cmon April!

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._8281611_n.jpg

What a great day of baseball! You have to hand it to the Rays and the Cards for hanging in and playing their best baseball down the stretch. You also have to tip your cap to the Orioles, Yankees and Phillies for playing hard when they had nothing to gain. Also, the Rays would have to be down right stupid to ever get rid of Longoria...he came to play!

Last night certainly has to rank at the top of the most dramatic night in baseball pennent race history. Congrats to the Cardinals and Rays for never giving up.

My wife was looking at me like I had 3 heads.. she has never seen me root against the Yankees before (and probably never will again). I was so happy to have something to root for after the Yankees locked everything up last week. The utter demise of the Sox has put a little extra sping into my step today. What an incredible way to end the year, after listening to all the Sox fans all year long talk about how they killed the Yankees and hands down were going to the World Series, well I guess that is why they play the games. What theater!!! Two teams with Epic collapses during the last month of season ending on the last day. This certainly shot some life into MLB and is probably another reason we will see an additional wild card team in the near future. The Baseball Gods are smiling today and as the Times (or Post, can't remember) so elequently wrote last weekend....

SOX 2 B U!!!!!

Tim

Best three hours of baseball, maybe ever. And that last five minutes.....

It was more fun to be a long suffering Sox fan anyway. Congrats to the Yanks and the next O's fan that pats his team on the back for winning a couple of games, all I've got to say is call me when you come even close to the playoffs.

Rawn

Win or lose (and my team lost), it was a hell of a night of baseball, and can only help the game in general to have more nights like that.

Now, I'm open to any suggestions about what to do with these....

Love seeing all that money of Boston just fall apart. Although I'm happy for Tampa, I'm also ticked cuz they don't really have a fan base. Marlins / Rays fans mysteriously show up when their teams make the playoffs, but where were they during the season when their attendance was around 10-15k a game? Cards fans are die hard so I'm all about them. Texas vs Milwaukee in the series, mark it down.

Why not bring those tickets to an autograph show and have Crawford and Papelbon sign them

As a die-hard Braves fan, AHHHHHHHHH, not again. Actually, Philly didn't do themselves any favors last night. I'd much rather have the stumbling Braves in the final 4 instead of St. Louis. As hot as St. Louis is now, I wouldn't want to face them in the first round.

It was probably the greatest night in regular season baseball history.

One thing no one is mentioning -- if baseball's terrible new plan for an extra wild card team was in effect now, none of what happened last night would have mattered!

Greg
http://www.baseballbasement.com

Agree
 

As someone who has followed the game closely since 1961, I couldn't agree more. The best night of regular season history I've ever seen. I can't believe how many people - including non-fans - are talking about last night's games at work today. Incredible.

I'm right there with you Bob. It was kind of nice to see the O's celebrate too.

That was just incredible. Must...Get...Coffee...

A painful year to be a Red Sox fan...sort of
 

It was a painful year to be a Red Sox fan.

From the dreadful start to the unbelievable choke job at the end.

The improbable set of circumstance that unfolded last night brought back a sensation which was lost after the Red Sox finally won the World Series in 2004.

I would like to officially thank the 2011 Red Sox team for making me feel like I did prior to winning the 2004 World Series.

Red Sox fans once again feel like Red Sox fans.

Patrick

Nicely said Patrick.

Still better than being an O's fan.

Rawn

Well not quite for me. A lot of teams would take a couple of Championships in the last 100 years much less the last 7 years. But it did bring back a hint of those pre 04 feelings. But I slept well :)

Are phantom tickets still much of a big deal? They were for a little while.

I like someone elses idea of getting Crawford and /or Papelbon to sign them That would make a great display.


A very mixed night for me. The Sox lost. But so did the Yankees. And my number two team the Orioles won. My wife is from DC and I'm required to root for the Orioles and Redskins when they're not playing a Boston team:).

And my old familiar Red Sox seem to be back. My wife had a tough time getting the old "When will they choke" ethos. She finally understood the depth of it in 04. After the final yankees game the announcer said it was the worst collapse in baseball history(debatable). Not having cheered yet I turned to her and said "That's just one more thing they've taken from us".
Within a week it had all changed.

Steve B

I was still excited last nite...even though none of them were my team!

I'm sorry but whoever said that the Tigers are better than the Yankees made me laugh. Yankees should make it to the world series easily. Rays will be knocked out first round, they barely could beat the Yankees and they had pretty much 90% a minor league team out there.

Lost in the excitement of the final night's games was one played the night before last between the Dodgers and Diamondbacks. Because it ended late there wasn't too much talk about it on the east coast, but it had one of the most extraordinary endings I've ever seen. Arizona already clinched but they were still fighting for home field.

The game was tied 1-1 after 9 innings, and then the Dodgers scored five runs in the top of the 10th to go ahead 6-1. And they retired the first two Arizona hitters in the bottom of the inning, so there were two outs, nobody on, five run lead.

The next five Diamondbacks proceeded to reach base, and the sixth hit a grand slam to win the game 7-6!! Now that's truly amazing.

And a nice Gibson tribute as well, Barry.

Rawn

YOU SIR! owe me a new monitor, as I had a mouthful of coffee when I read this. :D

This time of year, believing and refusing to lose is 2/3's the battle. Any team matched up against the Rays will have their hands full.

28 games back and in last place. I guess you take what crumbs you can get.

Sorry Barry-I thought you were talking about last night

Yankees beat Tigers in 4, Rays lose in 4 to Texas.. Mark it in your books.

Count me as one who thinks the Tigers will beat the Yankees as well.

In retrospect, I guess O's fans have every right to celebrate knocking the Sox out of the playoffs, We did the same thing when we knocked them out in early May.

Rawn

Tigers, the Rodney Dangerfields of Baseball against the Phillies in the Series.
One other note, the Twins won 2 games in a row for the first time since July and had a walk off 9th inning win to avoid losing 100 games.
For those of us who are Twins fans we are looking ahead to 2013 when Bill Smith will no longer be the GM, Gardenhire will be retired and the Twins draft 1st in the MLB Draft. :(

Three exciting finishes last night, but the results of all three definitely bummed me out. I never realized the left field fence at Tropicana was two feet high and 196 feet down the line. I thought Longoria had gotten jammed - and then - bam - game's over. You could realistically re-enact Sandy Amoros' famous catch in the 1955 World Series with a midget at Tropicana Field. The foul poll should be sponsored by "Tonka."

I also hope the Tropicana "catwalks" don't come into play during the playoffs. What an absurd place to play baseball.

http://mlb.mlb.com/tb/ballpark/infor...t=ground_rules

I hope you guys aren't Yankee fans cause then you'd be pretty bad ones not believing in your team at all. The Yankees have better pitching and offense. Verlander can't pitch all the games.

That's fine. Whether we finished 1, 29 or 100 games out is completely irrelevant. The Boston Red Sox did not determine our season but we sure as hell determined theirs! And better yet....it will go down in history. “End of season like this, to make Boston go home sad, crying, I’ll take it all day,” Andino said.

Oh, NOOOOOOOOOO it's not :)

Again, who cares?! No one will go back to a Red Sox conquest over the lowly O's in May. None of us in Baltimore had expectations. However, you did and that collapse will be remembered throughout history. Just *gulp*, face facts and realize we got one over on you this time.

1, 20, 50, 100 game back it does not matter. Our seasons ended on the same night and Robert Andino ensured that! Just man up and take your lumps. We certainly have taken ours.

Give Rawn a break, he is obviously having a very difficult time dealing with the biggest collapse in baseball history. To make matters worse, it is all over the air waves with people talking about the most amazing night in baseball history.

It must be tough to be on the wrong end. and no, nobody will talk about the '11 Orioles not making the playoffs, but they sure enough will be talking about the Red Sox choke job for ummmm EVER!

And for the record, the O's were 15-13 in September, playing mostly either teams that are in the playoffs or playoff contenders. Not that I am bragging about that,l but it is nice to see some life in a once proud organization that has mostly been lifeless 15 years.

What is really funny to me, it seems like most people are only talking about the Red Sox and not the Braves.

Tigers and Phillies in the World Series with the Phillies winning in 5.

People really aren't talking about the Braves because most Braves fans just figure last night saves them another first-round playoff loss. Unfortunately, Braves fans have accepted these type of losing performances. The Red Sox have raised the bar after a couple WS wins the past decade. But even before that, Red Sox fans in general are simply more emotionally tied to their team.

The Yankees didn't play hard. If they put their best pitchers in and kept a decent lineup out there they would certainly have won.

I think the expectations of the Red Sox where much higher than the those of the Braves. Higher payroll, bigger market, more fans. If you asked at the beginning of September "Which team will be in the playoffs - the Red Sox or the Braves?" most would pick the Sox.

The Tigers will be very tough for two reasons -- Verlander and Valverde -- they are both pretty amazing.

I actually think the Orioles are a fun team playing in a great stadium -- it would be good for baseball if they could find a way to have a resurgence.

Greg

They played as hard as they should have, let's put it that way. What did you want from them?...they had a 7 run lead going in to the bottom of the 8th. They used 11 pitchers and their starting players had at least 3 - 4 at bats.
I guess they could have had A-Rod come out and hurt his ailing knee so that he'd be out for the playoffs or use Rivera for a couple of innings so that he couldn't be used on Friday.

get rid of Angelos, show up to the park and clean up the city. Baltimore?? Seriously?? At least they talk about the Red Sox and I,ve lived through my share of letdowns. 'Tis better to have loved and lost than to have never had a chance. These O's fans were the guys that went to prom alone and sat with each other wondering were the girl were, while some of us were dancing with them and ended up taking one out later. Enjoy your empty bleachers.

Yes I did cheer for the Yanks last night.

Rawn

The Tigers have the best starting pitching in the AL playoffs. Besides Verlander they have the best pitcher over the last month and a half in baseball. In Doug Fister's last eight starts he has given up one run four times and no runs four times for an ERA over this period of 0.65.

I really wish the Yankees were playing Texas. Detroit is going to be tough in a 5 games series, especially if they are able to throw Verlander twice.

They played harder than they should have. It was a meaningless game. I think you thought I said that they didn't play hard as if it was a bad thing. I don't think the players take the rivalry as serious as the fans do, but I can assure you they don't like the Red Sox and losing a seven run lead in the Rays/Red Sox most important game of the season sounds like good payback for 2004.

I really thought the Phillies might try to let the Braves have the wild card. Who would you rather face, Cards or D-Backs? Arizona is good, but StL is on a roll.

As long as the NL wins the Series, it is all good.

P.S. Who else got tired of the Sox-Rays fight for the wild card dominating the airwaves? It seemed at times that the Cards-Braves were an afterthought. I waited through the 1st 15 minutes of the MLB Network show the other night before any mention of the NL race. Then I got 11 minutes on the NL. I timed it.

Keep in mind that when the Yankees played the Sox last week in that extra inning game they kept ARod, Jeter, etc. on the bench the entire game -- even in a pinch hitting capacity.

+1
& best hitter, catcher, and closer in the A.L.
-Tigers in 4 (I hope)

The idea that the Yankees are the favorites in the AL is a joke -- their pitching sucks. After CC -- who hasn't pitched well of late -- they've got Nova and Garcia. I'll take either Detroit or Texas over them.

Lets see why the Yankees are the favorite, cause they have the best record in the American League. And Nova and Garcia have put up good numbers this year. So because their not big name pitchers like C.C or Justin doesn't mean the Yankees can't win and they will win. And Verlander didnt have great numbers vs the Yankees this year.

And I dont know what your on, but the Tigers closer is not better than Mariano Rivera hands down. Just because Jose had acouple more K's and saves this year, while Mo had under a 2.00 ERA.

I can't believe I'm the only Yankee fan here who actually believes in his team.

I don't know about you but I would take 49 for 49 over a sub 2.00 era and 5 blown saves.

Your point?

Nova and Garcia? They may not throw 97 mph but they've been winning games. Look at the Yankees pitching. Actually look at the numbers. Their starting pitching is top of the line. Every year, people want the Yankees to get some pitcher who is 12-12 with a 4.01 ERA (like that matters) to replace the stiff they have with a 16-7 record and a 3.67 ERA.

How about relief pitching? Dave Robertson. He's easily the best 8th inning guy in baseball and this is not a biased opinion. Then we have Mariano Rivera. Doesn't dominate his position like Dave Robertson has this year, but he's still top of the line.

I do find the moneyline odds at +180 (game 1) for Detroit are very high and I have taken advantage of that. Detroit may win (afterall anything can happen in these short series) but it won't be because of a lack of pitching from the Yankees.

Rivera, has given up less hits, less walks, lower batting average, less homeruns, less loses, less runs allowed. So I'd still take Rivera over the show up Valverde. Also cause of Rivera's post season stats.

Article
 

Below is an excerpt from an article by one Eric Ortiz in January of 2011 from the NESN website:

"The Red Sox were slated to win about 95 games last year. They won 89 despite injuries to Pedroia (a former MVP) and Youkilis (a possible future MVP). Add them back, along with the new players and a healthy Ellsbury, and 100 wins doesn’t just appear plausible. It seems downright inevitable.

So does a date with history.

The 2001 Mariners won 116 regular-season games to set the American League record for most wins in a single season and tie the 1906 Cubs for the major league record (though the North Siders accomplished the feat in 152 games). Both those teams failed to win the World Series. The Cubs lost to the White Sox in six games in the Fall Classic. The Mariners didn’t even make it that far, falling to the Yankees in five games in the ALCS.

The Red Sox have no intention of suffering a similar fate. The way they are constructed, they could surpass the 116-win mark, but nothing less than a World Series title will make Boston happy.

The 2011 Red Sox possess all the pieces to have a season for the ages. If everything falls into place and the breaks go their way, they could do more than set records and become champions. They could do more than take their place on Immortality Peak and end up being mentioned in the same sentence as legendary clubs of the past: the 1929 A’s, the epic Yankees teams of the ‘30s, the 1970 Orioles, the 1976 Reds.

The 2011 Red Sox could accomplish a feat that has never been done. They could unseat the 1927 Yankees as the greatest major league team of all time.

That would be something to celebrate."






BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Tom C

[QUOTE=Brendan;928437]Your point?

The point is that to suggest that the Red Sox were screwed by the Yankees' failure to put their best pitchers in against the Rays ignores the Yankees' failure to do the same against the Sox a few days early. It evened out.

And to suggest that Nova and Garcia are a solid 2 and 3 really is stretching things. Nova is a rookie and Garcia has had one quality start in September. Yes, the Yanks are fantastic after the 7th inning. I think Game 1 is pretty crucial for both teams tonight.

I am a Red Sox fan, but that NESN article is pathetic. After having just watched a season full of games on NESN, I (and many others) are tired of the crap they spout on NESN, which is owned by the Red Sox.

The propaganda, the lack of criticism of the team, the constant marketing ("Sure, the Red Sox are in the late innings of a big game in September, but enough about that - who wants to buy a Fenway Park brick or have Wally the Green Monster at your child's party?!?") - enough is enough.

It almost (and I say almost) made me happy to get a break from NESN when there would be a Saturday FOX game done by Buck and McCarver.

With the Yankees offense all you need is a consistent pitcher that will give u 6+ innings of decent work. I'm OKAY with Garcia. Now with Nova, he can be electric but he has had some clunkers. I'm a little worried about that.


Anyone want to talk about Fister? The guy has been fire with the tigers. Him and Verlander make a nice 1-2 punch.


Agree with the above post, game 1 will be critical.

The Yankees have one of the best bullpens in baseball (fingers crossed when Soriano comes in) but jeff is right. Their starting pitching is really questionable, even Sabathia. In Sabathia's last ten starts he has a 4.06 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. Combine this with the fact that Sabathia has typically pitched worse during the playoffs than during the regular season and this hardly paints a picture of a lock down starter.

Exactly. And agreed about Nova above. People are talking about him as if he's Andy Pettite. A couple months ago he was AJ Burnett.

Rumor has it that in 2007 the Rays organization lowered the Trop's left field wall so that carl crawford could have the opportunity to steal home runs.

If the Yankees are going to go deep in the playoffs they will have to do so with their hitting and relief pitching. Robertson and Rivera are absolutely superb, and they have three players who will likely be in the top ten in MVP voting: Granderson, Texeira, and Cano. If their starters are merely adequate that's about the best they can hope for.

mets
 

Thanks for taking some heat off my 2007/2008 Mets!!

Phil

Fister in his last 10 starts has only played one team that was in the playoff hunt. Besides Verlander, the other three all have ERA's above 4.40. The Yankees have a better bullpen like stated, better lineup.

So what are the matchup's, Verlander vs CC. Nova vs Fister and Garcia vs Max?? I would take Nova and Freddy over those two any day of the week. Verlander did just lose to the O's by the way.

Even as a Yankee fan, I can admit Fister is dead even in a pure pitching matchup with Nova. Nova is too darn inconsistent. Like I said before, he can look electric or look awful. Fister has been nothing but consistant, even if he played crummy teams. Speaking of crummy teams, Nova recently gave up 7 runs to the Royals.


Fister went 7 innings and gave up 3 runs last time he played the Yankees (lost), but that was before his trade to Detroit.

This will be great!!
 

The Tigers are going to tear up CC and Garcia, hopefully Joe falls asleep in the dugout and doesn't pull them. Detroit used to destroy a slimmer version of CC when he was with Cleveland (now he's fat and older) and Garcia is a washed up BP pitcher, imo. If Verlander can get settled down after a couple innings tonight, there will be no worries from all the Tiger fans in Michigan!! :D:D:D

[QUOTE=calvindog;928477]I agree with you on it evening out. But, I can't agree with you on Nova, (16-4....I don't even see an argument other than the fact that he's a near-rookie) though considering Garcia has been slightly shaky as of late I might still consider him solid but certainly not a plus. In these short series every game is important and with Verlander going I'm not looking forward to tonight.