…at least there are a lot of Duck Boats available! 
On a semi-serious note - I’d like to hear Cruiser’s take (as David asked in a comment on Cruiser’s previous post) on where the Sox went awry. Was it Ortiz’s .154 average with an ALCS-high 9 K’s? Was it Lester and Beckett’s combined 1-2 record, with a combined ERA approaching double digits? Was is that with all of the Sox’s “experience,” only Youk and Pedroia - two of the youngest guys in the lineup - showed up for the series?
Perhaps when you combine all the Sox “advantages” into a performance like that, there’s no way you can win.
With this performance by the Rays, I’d like to think there’s some hope for the Nats next year!
October 21st, 2008 at 10:13 pm
Sorry Matt, there’s more talent in CF for the Rays than there is in the entire Nats farm system. They’ve been stockpiling talent, making smart trades, giving up on players they should give up on. The Nats are nowhere near close to being in the Rays category in terms of young talent.
And even though the meat of your post suggests you didn’t watch the ALCS at all and pulled stats for this from some post-mortem on the web, this is where the Sox went awry:
* Mike Lowell went down with injury
* David Ortiz was a shell of himself due to lingering injury that shelved him for 1/2 the regular season
* Josh Beckett was hurt the whole postseason, throwing on sheer guts and topping out around 90 MPH.
* The bullpen outside of Papelbon and perhaps Okajima was hardly a shut-down unit
* The Rays are a pretty damn good team
October 21st, 2008 at 11:14 pm
ooh, somebody sounds bitter! tho, the fact that you concur with me as i pegged 1. Ortiz and 2. Beckett as two of the key non-contributors i think shows that indeed, i have a clue about what i’m posting about. and FTR, i watched at least some of 5 of the 7 ALCS games, and most of the last 3.
my points also went directly to Cruiser’s rationale about why the Sox would win the WS this year. go back and read his post - see how the points i make match up with the Sox “advantages” in that post. i didn’t randomly pull out some stats.
besides, since when is baseball NOT all about STATS??!! did i miss something last week? i didn’t mean to strike a nerve - or be obnoxious in my post - at least not with you. but i do appreciate your pointing out several other reasons for why it didn’t work out for Boston.
and yes, i agree: the Rays are indeed pretty damn good.
October 21st, 2008 at 11:16 pm
also, to elaborate/explain: my “quotes” of “experience” and “advantages” in my post weren’t an overt attempt at snarkiness - they were quotes from Cruisers’ earlier post. just wanted to clear that up.
October 22nd, 2008 at 10:14 am
No not bitter, but I really dislike “ha ha, you were wrong” posts. I am somewhat relieved I don’t have to spend my nights staying up until 1:30 am watching baseball.
October 22nd, 2008 at 10:18 am
BTW, is it just me or does Dioner Navarro look a vampire in that picture?
October 22nd, 2008 at 11:15 am
Borg:
Very nice. I’m glad you called me out, but Scott’s initial response is correct. Your comments indicate that you did not watch.
The Sox were 2 runs shy in the 7th game from me being absolutely correct. Plus all three of my original factors, OPS, bullpen, and experience, were responsible for the game 5 comeback.
I don’t like to make excuses, injuries happen to everyone. The fact is, however, that the Sox limped into the playoffs and STILL nearly won it all.
I stand by my original post.
October 22nd, 2008 at 9:13 pm
And where is Navarro’s left arm?? Hmmmm….
Sorry - again - if the post was a bit over the top, or sounded like a “nyaa nyaa, you’re wrong.” but I think even Cruiser might possibly admit, his was WAY over the top, and was WAY out on a limb to make that bold a pronouncement. if an edict like that doesn’t work out, it MUST be called out. i’m not one to sandbag, but nor am i one to say that any of my teams is the greatest thing since sliced bread and is guaranteed to win it all. that sort of hubris needs to be shot right down. that’s why people don’t like Yankees fans - the sense of “we’re so much better than everyone else, so just give us the title now” entitlement. bah. SUCK IT.
October 22nd, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Oh, and: Phillies in 6. Maybe that POS St. Pete Times Forum will collapse on BOTH teams before one of them can win it?? ugh.