From behind enemy lines

[sox-r-us]

Despite trouncing, bet on Boston

 

By Eric Wilbur, Boston.com Staff | October 4, 2005

 

ADVERTISEMENT

 

CHICAGO -- Now, now, there was a reason everyone went around yesterday saying “Boston in 4,” now wasn’t there?

 

Still, this 14-2 demolition of the Olde Towne Team is a loss disturbing enough to stoke the “Fire Francona now!” maniacs to come out of their own brand of woodwork. I’m surprised some of these over-reactionary yahoos aren’t upset Theo Epstein didn’t make his way to the first base dugout in the fifth inning and do the job right then and there.

 

In fact, if you had to go ahead and pick one game, just one, that the Red Sox would lose in this best-of-five affair, well you did take a glance at the pitching lineups, did you not?

 

What was Matt Clement supposed to do out there? Suddenly become the pitcher he hasn’t been since June? That’s not going to happen, especially when he’s going up against an all-of-a-sudden stud in Jose Contreras, who showed he’s still the pitcher he was in September, when he was nails. What’s more concerning about Clement than his inability to locate his fastball is that his late-season swoon is now as much of a tradition for him as the freshman paddles were for the boys of Richard Linkletter’s youth. Are you feeling two more seasons, Red Sox Nation?

 

Give Chicago fans this, they have been overlooked this baseball season, ignored like another reality show involving eating live worms, until they take over the general mindset. Only then does America think it’s a good idea, and maybe watching people eat worms isn’t so bad. Ozzie Guillen’s boys have been doubted and scoffed at for the better part of five months by folks from Truro to Tijuana, and they responded in the past week by whipping the Cleveland Indians’ tails right out of contention, and pounding the snot out of the defending world champions.

 

Key on “Defending.” For how long?

 

The White Sox fans here reveled when Clement finally (well, finally being relative, as it was the fourth inning) was lifted after allowing eight runs on seven hits, three of them home runs. But hey, he didn’t walk anyone, and that was the stigma that followed him during his tour of duty in this city, on the part of town that actually has some semblance of life surrounding it.

 

Call it a deserved bravado on the part of the fans. Call it confidence in grabbing a 1-0 lead. The White Sox certainly impressed, with a winning mix of power and hustle on the basepaths that will make the grocers around the corner from the Red Sox team hotel stock up on even more Metamucil for Francona.

 

In fact, as I write this, at 7:33 p.m., Central time, the TV in the left field auxiliary press box is tuned to the local evening news, where the reporter with the world’s most powerful hair dryer is on hand at ye Olde Comiskey talking to a group of fans acting like they either just won the World Series (re-named the Super Bowl apparently by my cab driver this morning) or they all simultaneously discovered their cars were still where they had left them in their South Side parking lots.

 

We’ve said all along, the Red Sox don’t have the pitching to get it done this year. And what do we get in Game 1? A 14-2 laugher that only further illustrates that point. Still, you have to like them in this series regardless, as tomorrow’s starter David Wells simply thrives in this situation, while Mark Buehrle, lights out otherwise, has struggled against Boston (6.23 ERA vs. 3.12 overall).

 

“I know he’s going to go out there and so what Boomer does,” Buehrle said earlier today. “I’ll go out there pretty much and attack them the same way and hopefully hit my spots.”

 

Look back to a year ago this time. The Red Sox were able to seal their playoff spot a wee bit earlier than the final day, and properly lined up Curt Schilling and Pedro Martinez to go up 2-0 on the Angels. Schilling won’t pitch until Saturday this time around (if it gets there) and Pedro isn’t here. That is a marked difference in your world champs and these guys.

 

And yet, they are still good enough to get the job done for one series at least. The White Sox couldn’t have looked much better, and it’s been some time since we’ve seen the Red Sox look any worse.

 

With any luck, a little bit of balance will be on display in Game 2.

[SSH2005]

If the Red Sox were down 0-2 in the series, the media would still say to bet on Boston. :rolly

[ScottyDo]

i like how boston had to throw its little jabs in at the city of chicago, like we don't know our baseball. I guess he's just understandably bitter.

 

I love mark buehrle and I always have complete, if a little blind, faith in him, so I think we stand a good chance of shutting this guy up. Although, its much like the Pistons vs. Lakers series of '04: "The Lakers are down 0-2...you'd better watch out if you're the Pistons, the Lakers are exactly where they wanna be." Essentially, nothing shuts these losers up if they're talking about their media dolls.

 

f*** the Red Sox, offense will get you nowhere except a pissing match with the Rangers.

[Rowand44]

If the Red Sox were down 0-2 in the series, the media would still say to bet on Boston. :rolly

If the Red Sox get swept they'd still be the team to bet on. Honestly, who cares though, just do our talking on the field.

Edited October 5, 2005 by Rowand44

[The Ginger Kid]

You would think reading their writers and listening to their fans that the Red Sox didn't just win the WS last year, but the last three or four years straight - as if all those whippings at the hands of the yankees never happened, all those crushing defeats a mirage, all those collapses (including this season's loss of the division in the last two weeks) a mere fable. What a f***ing joke.

 

Like ScottyDo said, I like how he tried to take digs at the city while trying to seem emotionally detatched. A real sports writer would realize that the lack of starting pitching - especially in a short series - is serious cause for concern, not smug potshots and baseless boasting. Pinning your hopes on an overweight 42 year-old so past his prime that he can't even see it in his rearview mirror is the real fantasy here.

[SoxFanForever]

You would think reading their writers and listening to their fans that the Red Sox didn't just win the WS last year, but the last three or four years straight - as if all those whippings at the hands of the yankees never happened, all those crushing defeats a mirage, all those collapses (including this season's loss of the division in the last two weeks) a mere fable. What a f***ing joke.

 

Like ScottyDo said, I like how he tried to take digs at the city while trying to seem  emotionally detatched. A real sports writer would realize that the lack of starting pitching - especially in a short series - is serious cause for concern, not smug potshots and baseless boasting. Pinning your hopes on an overweight 42 year-old so past his prime that he can't even see it in his rearview mirror is the real fantasy here.

[IlliniKrush]

If we win tomorrow, there will be full-blown panic in Boston. That would be some interesting reading.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Boston came back from 0-3 against the Yankees. You can kinda understand why they would be cocky. Lets just take care of business in game 2.

[YASNY]

You would think reading their writers and listening to their fans that the Red Sox didn't just win the WS last year, but the last three or four years straight - as if all those whippings at the hands of the yankees never happened, all those crushing defeats a mirage, all those collapses (including this season's loss of the division in the last two weeks) a mere fable. What a f***ing joke.

 

Like ScottyDo said, I like how he tried to take digs at the city while trying to seem  emotionally detatched. A real sports writer would realize that the lack of starting pitching - especially in a short series - is serious cause for concern, not smug potshots and baseless boasting. Pinning your hopes on an overweight 42 year-old so past his prime that he can't even see it in his rearview mirror is the real fantasy here.

 

You are underestimating David Wells. He's still a solid, crafty, post season experienced lefty. In my opinion, this is Boston's best pitching matchup in the series. They lose this one, they are in real trouble.

[qwerty]

Boston came back from 0-3 against the Yankees.  You can kinda understand why they would be cocky.  Lets just take care of business in game 2.

 

Weren't they down 0-2 in the alds in 2003 againt the a's and came back too?

Edited October 5, 2005 by qwerty

[YASNY]

Werc't they down 0-2 in the alds in 2003 againt the a's and came back too?

 

That's affirmative.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Weren't they down 0-2 in the alds in 2003 againt the a's and came back too?

 

Yup. That's why I'm not about to get too excited. Game 2 is a must.

[kdhargo]

Yup.  That's why I'm not about to get too excited.  Game 2 is a must.

 

I don't see why everyone keeps referring to Boston coming back in series last year or in 2003. This team simply does not have the same pitching it had when they made such comebacks as those mentioned. There is no Pedro to lean on anymore...

[DBAHO]

You are underestimating David Wells.  He's still a solid, crafty, post season experienced lefty.  In my opinion, this is Boston's best pitching matchup in the series.  They lose this one, they are in real trouble.

Lucky for us we hit lefties better then righties. And you're right YAS, Boston needs to win this game more than us. I can't see them coming back with the other pitching they've got from a 0-2 deficit, but I'm definitely not going to write them off here and now.

[YASNY]

Lucky for us we hit lefties better then righties. And you're right YAS, Boston needs to win this game more than us. I can't see them coming back with the other pitching they've got from a 0-2 deficit, but I'm definitely not going to write them off here and now.

 

Just like I didn't feel we had the Central wrapped up with a 15 game lead in August, I don't feel like we'll have this series won until we get out number 27 in win 3.

[Greg The Bull Luzinski]

The Red Sox win one world series in 86 years and they think they are the Napoleanic Army. Well Naploean, meet Waterloo.

[kapkomet]

You people who are so cocky will be best served by not commenting.

 

I don't CARE that Boston doesn't have the pitching. IMO, yesterday's game makes them even MORE dangerous. This is kind of like wounding the tiger. The tiger comes back at you even more pissed off.

 

David Wells is a fatass, but he's a very smart fat ass. Don't count these guys out yet. You NEVER underestimate your opponent in the playoffs until the series is over. THEN you underestimate them while you're celebrating. PERIOD. Any other mindset, write down some tee times for next week.

[bighurt2719]

i like how boston had to throw its little jabs in at the city of chicago, like we don't know our baseball.  I guess he's just understandably bitter. 

 

I love mark buehrle and I always have complete, if a little blind, faith in him, so I think we stand a good chance of shutting this guy up.  Although, its much like the Pistons vs. Lakers series of '04:  "The Lakers are down 0-2...you'd better watch out if you're the Pistons, the Lakers are exactly where they wanna be."  Essentially, nothing shuts these losers up if they're talking about their media dolls. 

 

f*** the Red Sox, offense will get you nowhere except a pissing match with the Rangers.

 

very good point.

[NorthSideSox72]

This article is great. In case no one outside Chicago noticed, the White Sox have a serious edge in this series that has no basis in statistics - it's called fire. They have a fire in their belly, created in great part by a serious inferiority complex. That fire kept them mashing in game 1. Boston's usual lazy play kept them from scoring another few runs in multiple situations, and made David Ortiz look like a washed up old man trundling into 2nd on what would have been a triple for any other player.

 

This is great because it feeds the fire. It makes things worse for the Red Sox. I love it.

 

[bmags]

well honestly, it must be nice to have a media that doesn't write you off after one loss...

 

if we had lost yesterdays game...

 

oh god, marriotti would've had a field day

[LosMediasBlancas]

You people who are so cocky will be best served by not commenting.

 

I don't CARE that Boston doesn't have the pitching.  IMO, yesterday's game makes them even MORE dangerous.  This is kind of like wounding the tiger.  The tiger comes back at you even more pissed off.

 

David Wells is a fatass, but he's a very smart fat ass.  Don't count these guys out yet.  You NEVER underestimate your opponent in the playoffs until the series is over.  THEN you underestimate them while you're celebrating.  PERIOD.  Any other mindset, write down some tee times for next week.

 

I agree, today could very easily be the complete opposite of yesterday, if not worse. I don't see us putting up more than 4 runs today, so once again our pitching will have to get it done. If it's low scoring after 4, I really like our chances.

[Colorado Sox Fan]

Yup.  That's why I'm not about to get too excited.  Game 2 is a must.

No doubt. And Game 3 and Game 4 and Game 5, if necessary. I hope the Sox are firmly grounded in reality. By all appearances it seems that they are.

[RockRaines]

why is everyone saying Wells isnt that great. The guy changes speeds and throws a good curve. These are exactly the pitchers we have had trouble with. Clement with his slider and fastball, doesnt change speeds much, Wells will. Not to mention Mark sucks against the Red Sox.

[whitesoxgt]

I don't see why everyone keeps referring to Boston coming back in series last year or in 2003. This team simply does not have the same pitching it had when they made such comebacks as those mentioned. There is no Pedro to lean on anymore...

 

if im not mistaking wasn't pedro the pitcher the yanks were always getting runs off? i dont think he was a difference maker , it was the time of the year where he started getting tired and couldn't get outs.

[Kid Gleason]

You people who are so cocky will be best served by not commenting.

 

I don't CARE that Boston doesn't have the pitching.  IMO, yesterday's game makes them even MORE dangerous.  This is kind of like wounding the tiger.  The tiger comes back at you even more pissed off.

 

David Wells is a fatass, but he's a very smart fat ass.  Don't count these guys out yet.  You NEVER underestimate your opponent in the playoffs until the series is over.  THEN you underestimate them while you're celebrating.  PERIOD.  Any other mindset, write down some tee times for next week.

 

 

Today's game is the one I am most afraid of. Schilling? He hasn't been right all year. But even he might be dangerous. Just watch for him to bring out the stained sock. But yes, no reason to get puffy chested yet, and all the reason in the world to sit on the edge of your seat for a roller coaster that boards at about 6:05PM tonight.

Edited October 5, 2005 by Kid Gleason