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Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

Wow, my Red Sox made it back to the WS for the first time since 2007.

They have had some really good teams in 08-09-11 but this time this team plays with a ton of heart and grit which I like.

Complete team top to bottom.

Dont even know how the Cards got to the WS other then good pitching but they are in it.

Red Sox in 6.

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

That last game by the Cards 9-0 was a punisher.

Yesterday's game of Red Sox was fun to watch.

Going to be a gritty series...Red Sox in 5 even but have to rethink.

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

Have to laugh as some ESPN idiot announcers were talking about player in this world series and said Carlos Beltran is the best on either side. One said he is a future HOF.

Good but not a HOF in my eyes.

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

Still far to go to become HOF - we will see what happens.

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

Far too many players who have not made it that would be long ahead of him.

And they are missing one the best players of all time Pete Rose.

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

:nono:

Pete Rose made his bed. He will never be let in the HOF. Yes, he was a great player, but he did the worst possible thing.

As the manager of the Reds, he could control the outcome of the games he was betting on. He claimed he never bet against his team to lose, but are we sure we can believe him?

Betting on baseball is worse than steroids. It strikes to the integrity of the sport. The Black Sox scandal nearly destroyed the sport.

Guys get caught w/ steroids and they get suspended 50 games for a first offense (unless your A-Rod!). The moment they bet on the games, its an instant lifetime ban...no questions asked.

If people thought the games were fixed, why would we watch?

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

For me he did it post player years so his actual playing years should be counted only.

What he does after he is a player is different for me.

Many other athletes never got penalized like Lawrence Taylor and many others for what they did after they stopped playing.

What Bonds, McGwire and A Rod did is cheat while they were playing and received multiple bonus checks etc for doing certain things.

Two different issues for me.

Cheating while playing and after retiring to me should be looked at in a different manner.

As a lifelong baseball fan I dont like cheating of any kind and believe Rose did wrong but not as a player.

I am sure many others have bet on games in all sports to change the outcome of a game they were actually playing in. Rose never did that.

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

I've had the Cardinals since September. I put money on them in Nevada. They are best run organization in baseball. That is who can't spend unlimited funds. I read something like 20 of the 25 men on the roster are home grown. They have countless young pitchers that throw heat. The Bullpen is one after another coming in throwing 97-98. They get the key free agents they need and make smart baseball decisions. I really don't know how they do it. 4 World Series in the Past 10 years. Congrats to St. Louis. Such a great baseball city. Not really so much for other sports. But the Cardinals they have one of the best fan bases in baseball.

To be honest I have no idea how my Giants came back down 1-3 in the NLCS against them last year. Seeing all the flamethrowers on the Cardinals I am sure is why they swept the Tigers.

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

McGwire had nothing but power. Bonds was a 3 time MVP before he even allegedly touched the stuff. I am sure he looked at chumps like McGwire and Sosa and Brady Anderson and every other pc of crap who couldn't play a lick. And said well this is unfair if the MLB isn't going to do crap about it I will get on an even playing field myself. He did and was uncontested the best baseball player over the 5-7 year span. 232 Walks in a season that is unreal. Hitting for average, etc. At AT&T park. 73 home runs. Guys talking Roids can't hit 30 there. Best offensive player I ever saw. Bud Selig should be banned from baseball forever for sticking his head in the sand and wanting Home Runs and excitement after the strike. Also the MLBPA and the Owners for letting it all happen.

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

^^^Makes me appreciate guys like Frank Thomas and Ken Griffey Jr. more. Thomas is extremely underrated. Built like a tank, hit the ball a mile, and was adamant against the steroid users of his generation.

Griffey is the best all around player I've ever seen (I don't count Bonds). Griffey hit over 630 steroid free home runs! That's 4th all time behind the clean hitters...Aaron, Ruth, Mays.

I agree Cardinals are the best run organization in baseball....since 2000, they've been to the NLCS 8 times...that's insane! My Mets can't even make it to the damn playoffs!

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

Disappointed that no Canadian player is on either roster...a bit disappointed hah

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Traveling around to several ball parks over the years and spring training games galore I would have to agree with you about Griffey Jr.

Had he not got hurt so much he would have broke all kinds of records.

I think he played 10 years in Cincy and did not do much at all as he was hurt all of the time.

10 year with good numbers would have put him pasted Aaron.


For me, Willie Mays is the best player ever, but Griffey is "one" of the best I was able to see in person play. Real quick thought Joe Morgan comes to mind also.

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

I was able to stand next to Bonds and McGwire early in their careers and late in their careers and both mens bodies completely changed.

Head much larger, arms much larger etc. Both cheated and in my opinion both were good but both should be removed from all baseball records. Bonds and McGwires record season of HR both should be wiped off.

McGwire-- What film of him early. Pure power swing. Later did not even swing hard yet his the ball 575 all of the time. His 1998 HR that broke Maris record is pure example. Horrible swing, he missed the ball yet over the fence.

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

:focus:

Getting back to Sox vs Cards...

Although I agree w/ vogeltron that the Cards are the premier franchise (8 NLCS appearances since 2000!!!), I have to root for the Red Sox.

Whenever the Mets don't make it, I always root for the Yankees biggest rival to stick it to 'em. :p

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

Bet Albert Pujols is smacking himself in the head right now. Everyone thought without him they werfe done.
Really like the grid of cards Holiday.

Anyone but the purchased yanks is fine with me!!!!!

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

Red Sox destroyed Cards tonight in every aspect of the game.

Does not mean anything other then it is 1-0.

Good to see Ryan Dempster finally get to a WS. Poor guy has never had any luck.

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

Ryan Dempster is from Canada.

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

How do you know these players are clean? Those hamstring injuries that plagued Griffey are very consistent with someone on the juice.

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

LOL

His head did not double in size like Bonds, Sosa and McGwires did.

:p

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

Last night's game was filled with very weird errors by the Cards from the get go....missed plays, a dropped fly (?!?) - oh well, will be interesting to see how they rebound from that rout

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

Quite the opposite. His body broke down naturally as he got older. No one in their right mind thinks Griffey ever did steroids. That's like saying Jeter or Mariano were on something. We can't just say everyone during the 90s and 00s were on it.

Steroids wasn't used just to get players to bulk up, it was used to keep players ON the field and out of the trainers room. When most players are supposed to be aging and breaking down, guys like Clemens and Bonds were playing like they were in their 20s.

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

We'll find out in 2016 when Griffey is eligible for HOF.

The BBWAA has taken an adamant stance to not let any steroid user (or anyone associated to steroids) into the HOF.

My bet is Griffey will make it in on the first ballot.

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

I never heard of Griffeys name ever being tossed into the steriods issue.

Most of my family are Cincy Reds die hard fans and never once did any of my brothers or brother in laws ever say they think he did steriods.

If he did his numbers and performance would have increased his last 10 years like Bonds, Clemens and Sosas did.

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

Maybe not "Steroids". But PEDs Similar to Melky Cabrera and Bartolo Colon. His hamstring injuries are consistent with someone who used. Maybe not for power but to make it through a 162 game season and pay every day. Cheating is still cheating. You can blame Bud Selig for sticking his head in the sand. Had he not have allowed this to go on for so long baseball would have been in a much better place. As far as I am concerned Selig should be the one banned forever from the game of baseball. He is worse than shoeless Joe Jackson or the entire 1919 Blacksox team.

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

I agree Selig has hurt baseball more then he has helped it.

Should have been all over this many years ago.

Roger Goodell would have ate this alive and handled it properly.

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

Red Sox errors last night cost them the game - good to see Cards in it but Red Sox had the chance to own it

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

Those beards the Red Sox are sporting make them look like lumberjacks.

Gillette, Schick, Norelco are all lining up advertisements if they win it all!

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Marketing genius by them.

Red Sox have to get the lead early because I think the Cards cannot beat the Red Sox offensively and have to win with pitching only.

Now that I watched two games Red Sox are far more talented over all but as everyone knows pitching can win a WS.

Red Sox were counted out against a very good Detroit pitching staff.

Hope they can start blasting the starters and get a lead and the game is over because Red Sox bullpen is usually lights out with a lead.

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

/cue winning jingles

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

Now that the series shifts to an NL park (with no DH), it will be interesting to see Big Papi play in the field.

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

Used to be decent 1b but has not played enough anymore to be a benefit.

Anything he does at 1st such as an error etc need to be weighed vs Napolis offense with no errors etc.

Guess I would play him only to be a force around the other hitters but if he has issues at 1b I would replace him myself.

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

What the f was that home plate play call for the Cardinals? Weird ending the other night.

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

This catcher has now cost them two playoff games with bad throws to 3rd base at an important time.

He should have held the ball as he had no change of getting the runner anyway.

Next issue---

If I remember for this call to be made the runner has to actually touch home plate for the run to count and from the TV screen I do not think he even touched home plate as the catcher tagged him and he never crossed or touched home plate itself. Therefore run does not count.

Maybe there is another angle that shows he did. But if he did not I cannot believe the Red Sox organization never noticed this and put the game into protest as the runner never actually scored.

If he touched it then it would be fine but if he did not then he has to go back to third and the game replayed from that point.

Yes it was a poor call to begin with. Rules are rules and they need followed but I did not see interference at all. Runner was actually behind 3rd base to the 2nd base side which after he touches the bag on 3rd he cannot be behind that base and he was. He should also have been called out for being on the 2nd base side of the 3rd base bag after he touched the bag at third.

He actually interfered with the 3rd baseman once he stood up on the wrong side of the bag.

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

Will be interesting how the Red Sox rebound - if they become 3-1 down vs. Cards...dangerous

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

One of the reasons I switched from growing up a Reds fan for almost my entire life was thr 2004 Red Sox who had spunk and grit. Been a fan ever since.

That team and the 2007 was filled with players who ran into walls, total team players and wanted to win.

This current team reminds me of those teams.

Spunk and the will to win.

They got homered in game 3 and still are looking pretty good right now up 3-1.

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

Boston up 3-2 - Sandy your prediction of Red Sox in 6 is looking right...unless Cards can hold them off for 2 in a row...

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

Have not looked who is pitching for Boston in game 6 but if they bring back Lackey and he is strong for 4-5, then Buckholtz for 1, Lester again for 1 and then the closer Cards are really going to have to dig deep.

This should have been done by now really.

Error cost Red Sox the Cards first win and the homer call at third cost them the other Cards win.

Going back to Fenway wit the DH gives Red Sox huge advantages.

Like to see Ortiz get the WS record for hits which I believe is 13.

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

It is Wacha vs Lackey.

I heard on the radio that the Game 6 tickets in Boston are the most highly sought after tickets they've ever had.

Why so high since they've won championships before? They haven't won a clinching title game in their home park since 1918!

If they win, that celebration in their home stadium should be exciting.

ESPN also confirms this here...

2013 World Series -- Record sale prices for Boston Red Sox tickets at Fenway Park for Game 6 vs. St. Louis Cardinals - ESPN Boston

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

Look at tickets for sale on ebay. Even the St Louis tickets were going to far beyond money.

I see Boston coming up with ways to take out Wacha. I thinking a line up change a bit to confuse him and you might see some more bunting etc.

Very good pitcher but Red Sox will be prepared for him I think this time around.

Have been to more then half of the MLB stadiums and Fenway is amazing itself.

I am not a huge fan of some of the newer parks.

Worst I think is the old Tiger Stadium and both Chicago stadiums.

Re: Red Sox v Cardinals Who are you taking?
 

W.S. Tickets if you sell in the big baseball towns. Boston, STL, SF, NY, CHC, PHI. You can usually pay for your entire season tickets.

I am still taking the Cardinals in this series. Wacca I think will come through again for the Cardinals in game 6. The last game 7 Sox vs. Cardinals in 1967 was epic. Bob Gibson maybe the greatest right handed pitcher of all time shut down the RedSox and hit a home run. Back when Baseball was real, none of this phony DH nonsense.