The Dolphins Make Me Cry.com - Forums

It would not seem possible three weeks ago, but that wild card lead in the American League is down to 6.5 games.  Boston is doing everything it can to impode right now.  They are losing in every way possible:  Being blown out, giving up big leads, and losing tight games.

2-6 in September, thus far.  In eight games they've give up 51 earned runs. 

Boston has to go to Tampa for three games this weekend.  They have another four game with Boston next weekend. 

Three weeks ago the Rays were 12 games out of the wild card.  They have cut that in half and leap frogged Chicago and the Angels in the process.

While no one was paying attention the Rays have gone on a mad dash.  That pitching staff is crazy ass scary. 

What say you?  Can the Rays make up 6.5 more games with just over 20 left to play?

That is tough... I'd be more inclined to say "yes" if I believed that Boston was actually as bad as they've been playing recently, but I really don't buy that for a minute. I fully expect Boston to pull out of their recent funk shortly and hold on to the wild card.

^^^^
I tend to agree and think that Boston is one of the better teams in the league they just aren't clicking currently. I think they will figure it out and be well on their way to making some loud noise in the playoffs.


(slight sidenote hijack) Did anyone actually pick the Diamondbacks to win the NL West this year......I thought they would be in last or second to last because I had no faith in their ragtag pitching staff......wow was I ever wrong!!!! (end slight sidenote hijack)

Man I hope so.  It isn't impossible and I'll be rooting like crazy until the end of the season, but even with my crazy homerism I display I think the Rays will come up just short.

This is a bad time of the year not to be clicking. 


Difficult, extremely difficult, but not impossible. 

I hate John Lackey. 

A lot.

Hated the guy when he was with L.A.

Hate him more now.

At the time of his signing, I said it was foolish due to his declining performance. Now? He is much worse than AJ Burnett, and that says a whole of a lot.

This is the problem with big money contracts, you essentially are forced to play the player who has one. If Boston dumped Lackey and just started a pitcher from AAA, they would probably be 6 game sup on NY instead of 2.5 games back.

At this point, Boston is just "Spahn and Sain then pray for rain". The Yankees are just Spahn however, so advantage Red Sox.

Ok now I'm thinking it's more than possible.  Only 3.5 games back!

They definitely have the momentum and the games remaining against Boston to do it, but right now Boston has lost 10 of 13 which is crazy. For Tampa to catch them, Boston almost has to repeat that process and that will be very hard to do.

Losing 10 of 13 twice for a team like the Cubs is standard. For a team like the Red Sox? Quite unlikely.

Boston also has a lot of players hurt.  This is not a good time of the year to have that happening.

No one is healthy, completely.  The injuries thing only goes so far with me.  Although, right now, Boston is running on empty in the starting pitcher department.  I never thought I would say this, but they are really missing Dice-K right now. 

Holy crap, I can't believe I just said that.

Anyway, I think we can put on thing to rest right now, the debate from this April:  I was right about the Rays.  They will win, as stated, at least 88-90 and will challenge for the wild card.

Boston kept losing, but Tampa Bay drops 2 in a row to Baltimore. Ouch.

Because of that, they need to sweep Boston in their upcoming series.

Off to a good start with a win tonight


I can't remember, but didn't someone say that the Rays SUCK! at the beginning of the year when they lost a bunch of game in a row?  I don't REMEMBER WHO IT COULD BE!!!! that posted that.  I must be some kind of IDIOT not to remember!!!  Well whoever it was couldn't have been more WRONG!!!!  It's like that time when Polite sucked and I called it that one time when Jason Allen sucked and no one believed....oops tangent.

Even if the Rays don't catch Boston for the wildcard, they are still a pretty damn good team.

Tampa's pitching has carried them, while Boston's pitching has forsaken them. However, in Boston's defense, the injuries to their staff have really killed them.

I believe you're referring to MikeO's early season Rays-hating:

MikeO: "How are those young players for Tampa working out.....ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!

That team stinks!"

I sure nobody is looking for him to admit he was at all mistaken with his almighty stance that they were terrible. Somehow you all must be either misquoting him or "SPINNING" it to look better in your favor!!!!!!

I called Tampa.  I'm awesome.

Of course I also said that it would be the Braves & Twins in the World Series.  So maybe I'm not awesome!  :)

If I know one thing, however, I know the AL East.

Hold that thought Maine. The Braves still have a shot!!  ;)

Yeah...me thinks the Twins don't!  :)

Too tough a schedule...probably miss out by 1

Yankees used 8 pitchers this afternoon to beat the Rays, and all but 3 of them started the year in the minors. Plus, the big bats were resting. Seriously Tampa? Boston is just HANDING the Wild Card to you. Are you going to accept it or will Boston just have to give it to Anaheim?

And yes, Boston is GIVING it away, no one is taking it.

Yanks just clinched the division with a doubleheader sweep of Tampa. I don't care how crappy Boston is right now, the Yankees just can't seem to beat them and I would rather face Tampa in the playoffs if it gets that far.

Overall, this means the Rays are 2.5 games behind Boston, with 2 games in the loss column. Tampa has 4 more games against the Yanks while Boston has 3, although I don't know how many regulars will be played now that the division is clinched.

^^If Boston and TB don't stop effin around, Anaheim is going to sneak in and steal this thing.  While people stopped paying attention, they climbed into the race and are 2.5 games out as well.

^^^ While I'd much rather just see TB sneak into the playoffs, I have to admit that a scenario where the Angels scoop both Boston and TB for the wild card has some appeal to me as well... ;)

NO ONE wants to see Anaheim make the dance.  They had a really tough stretch to start the year and then in the middle, but has been playing really good ball ever since. 

I can see where TB's bats could go cold in October (reference this series with NYY) and the pitching isn't going to completely overcome that.  Anaheim has more pop to go along with decent pitching.  Don't sleep on the Angels if they make it in.

Now, all that being said, don't completely sleep on the Red Sox if they hold on.  Buchholz is going to pitch this weekend and should be ready to bolster the bullpen for round 1.  Any time you have Beckett and Lester at 1 and 2 you have a chance in a short series.  Those short series are crazy.  The time to face Detroit would be a 5 gamer, not a 7.  As quickly as Boston has fallen into a slump they can come roaring out of it (reference the month of May).

IF Boston could make it to round two, Buchholz would then be ready to return to the rotation.  Beckett, Lester, Buchholz looks good to me. 

October is a whole new "life" -- which is why you won't see me saying "why bother."  Ask the 2006 St. Louis Cardinals "why bother?"

Probable?  No.  POSSIBLE?  Yep.  Boston has won 5 games this entire month and STILL has the WC lead, which speaks volumes to how good this team is when things are going better.  IF they spark, they could be dangerous.

Yeah, as weird as it is to say, a team's record does not always show their true ability. The Yankees may have the best record, but outside of CC, who scares you in the rotation? Hell, even CC has just been okay lately and Girardi is still having him throw 120+ pitches per start like an IDIOT.

Anaheim could be deadly with Weaver and Haren, as well as Boston with Beckett and Lester if those two go back to normal. Hell, if their whole team goes back to normal they can be deadly.

Anaheim lost tonight while the Rays beat the Scranton Yankees. So, Anaheim is 3 games back, Tampa 2 games and Boston was idle.

Boston starts a 3 game set with NY tomorrow, but I don't know how much the Yanks are even going to show up for it.

How the heck would they settle a three way tie between LA, St Pete, & Beantown??

If they really hate Boston as the rivalry suggests......they fucking bring it all. Why not try to kill them off and help them not to make the postseason? I know that would be my mentality!!!!!!

They may value rest over taking down Boston. After all, they just did take 3 of 4 from Tampa Bay. 3 out of 3 if you only count games they tried to win.

As far as settling a 3 way tie goes, Boston and Anaheim would play a 1 game playoff and the winner would face Tampa the next day. It's based on common record amongst all 3 teams.

The Rays essentially eliminated themselves tonight with a gutless showing. Being shutout until the 9th inning with a meaningless run.

It was a good stretch by Tampa and they exceeded expectations for the season, but in the end they just ran out of gas. For all the Yankee talk about wanting to hurt Boston, they essentially saved their season by taking 3 of 4 from the Rays.

Maybe I spoke too soon because Lester just had his worst start of the season against the Yankees A Lineup. 8 ER in 2.2 IP. Boston's offense didn't show up either, but a lot of your options are taken away when you are down by 8 runs like stolen bases, hit and run, etc...

Guess we will see what happens tomorrow.

Rays win today and Boston lost Game 1 of the doubleheader. Wakefield wasn't terrible, primarily a victim of bad luck and bunts. Still, AJ Burnett shut them down except for Ellsbury. He was the whole team's offense.

If Boston loses tonight's game, they are tied with Tampa with the Rays holding the head to head advantage. I honestly forget whether or not MLB uses that or makes them play a 1 game playoff.

So to answer the thread title's question...yes, the Rays caught Boston.  They are even right now.  Will they take it away from them?  Who knows.  I can't even stand to watch right now.  Gonna give me a damn heart attack lol.

Boston is just DYING right now. Not even Beckett can save them. If Tampa wins the Wild Card, this is the type of situation where I say "Boston threw it away" rather than "Tampa Bay took the Wild Card from them". It's not like Boston won 18 of 26 while Tampa won 24 of 26. Boston is playing roughly .300 baseball right now.

Also, no one should be blaming Ellsbury for tonight. The kid is the reason for their win yesterday, as well as their whole offense in Game 1. Tonight, his "mistake" led to a 3 run Inside the Park HR, but look at the play. That was supposed to be routine? There is a reason it wasn't ruled an error.

Tied with two games to go.  And the Rays have the advantage in head to head competition.  If the race is still tied after these last two games, the teams meet in Tampa for a one game playoff. 

Yep, they will.  Mark these words as well:  This is one team that the Yankees are going to regret not "knocking out" sooner.  It would have benefited them in the long run to put their horses to TB and try to "back" Boston in.  Divisional foes can't meet in the first round.  Tampa matches up VERY well with Texas and Detroit...and will be a hard ass out for NY.

Edge:  Boston DID throw it away, but don't be too harsh on giving Tampa all the credit in the world.  They kept winning WHILE Boston kept losing.  It isn't like they are backing in.

I tell you one thing, I am HATING the injury excuse here (re: Boston).  Tampa lost their ENTIRE bullpen in the offseason, along with 60% of their offense (Pena, Crawford, Bartlett).  They played 30 games this season without Longoria.

Fans of baseball should stand and applaud the Rays.  I am.  I am excited for those guys!

In all honesty, if the Yanks face Detroit in the first round, I would be surprised if they lived long enough to regret not going for it in the 4th game of the Tampa series. Verlander and Fister and even Scherzer in a 5 game set against a fading Sabathia, the rookie Ivan Nova and.....umm, Burnett? Garcia?

Not liking those odds. Yankees have handled Texas a lot better this year.

I LOVE Nova, actually.  That kid is nails.

all my friends are loving that the red sox are tanking it, but i'd rather have them in the playoffs than the rays.  if we play the rays in the ALCS you bet your ass they are gonna WHIP the yankees.  the young kids aren't fazed and maddon will have them believing they are world beaters because of their red-hot tear and impossible odds they've overcome.

^^Word.  I am not understanding the Yankee fan "loving the fall" thing, either.  Well, I do to a point.  You always want to see your rival fail.  However, in this case, there are longer term items at stake.  It would be better for NYY for BOS to make it in.

If I felt that Boston would continue playing the way they are, I would want them in as well. However, I can't shake the fact that this team is crazy talented and their freefall is basically mental aside from when Beckett and Lester start. That team is the one that had a mental stranglehold over the Yankees and made it so they couldn't beat them. So, that scared me.

As far as Nova goes, I like him a lot too. He gets a lot of groundballs and he just gets results. On a bit of a side note, it scares me a bit that the Yankees A) Don't trust their own farm system and B) Don't evaluate it accurately. They give up on their prospects way too early. Dumped Tyler Clippard and he is one of the best relievers in the game and we all know about Ian Kennedy. I know he was part of a big trade, but he was already by the wayside before that deal took place. If he wasn't traded for Granderson, he would've been a throw in for a deadline trade to acquire a middle reliever.

Rays win, Red sox lose. Rays are the last Wild card. Hell of a game by the rays down 7-0 to the yanks and win it in the bottom of the 12th.

Yeah, Girardi pretty much played the last 10 games like he wanted to win, but only with half his roster. I don't fault him too much for it, but when it gets to extra and you have a guy like Posada enter the game, go all the way and have the rest of your starters in there.

I am glad the Yankees lost because that means Boston was eliminated. In almost perfect fashion too, Crawford drops a ball he should've had and the O's win. Hard to have a worse season than he had and that was the ending point of Year 1. My hatred of Boston has gone down in years, but I guess I am still happy TB won out, but mainly because I was afraid Boston would snap out of it once the playoffs start.

Poor Francona will probably get the axe for this.

That was Effin awesome....The Braves,Cardinals....The Rays,and and Red Sox...that was awesome night of Baseball...

Yeah, really was one of the most exciting nights ever for baseball. Pretty rare to have 8 games have meaning whether it be playoff spots or homefield advantage for Game 162.

The Rays are definately a fun team to watch,I hope they go all the way.Congrats Tampa!

Young teams are usually exciting to watch. They are proof that you can compete just by drafting very well. I mean, they went toe to toe with the Yanks and Sox all year despite being outspent by what, $330 Million? Not to mention the Blue Jays who would probably win 90 games in the AL Central.

Makes you wonder whether or not they would be better or worse had Manny not been caught using steroids(again), and retired.

Man oh man.  Talk about some crazy wild comebacks.  This is what I truly enjoy, the playoffs before the actual playoffs.  Last night had the actual feel of October baseball. 

The Boston Globe beat writers pull no punches here.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2011/09/29/dream-year-ends-tatters/Yvvzrexk1TgxSiyVLn3WeM/story.xml

Though I'm not happy with losing, I have to admit that neither the Braves nor Red Sox should have made it in. Their season ending collapses should be embarrassing.

^So true.

How perfect was the Rays win, though?  Fighting and clawing all season.  Last game had to fight and claw from 7 down.  Perfect.

Am a Rays fan now to the dance. 

FYI, this would be a great time for MikeO to pop in and simply state he was wrong.  I usually don't call people out like that but he was so up everyone's in every time the Rays lost in June, gloating every time they lost.

Well, they won the amount of games I said they would.  I said they would challenge for the wild card and blew that out of the water by winning it.  A piece of humble pie is okay every now and again.

In fairness to MikeO (not that I feel I need to defend him, he was WAY off about the Rays)
He was pretty close on the playoff teams he predicted there.  Both the Braves and Red Sox went up to the last game for the wild card. 

Wow that was crazy!  So happy right now.  I love how my Rays keep proving people wrong.  They did get a ton of help from Boston though.  Go Rays!

He was VERY close.  Better than mine!!!  Like I said, I ONLY say that because he was somewhat obtuse this summer every time the Rays lost, the "see, I'm right...let me rub your face in it" way.  I would like him to state that he completely whiffed on the Rays is all.  I give him all the credit in the world for the ones he nailed, which are most.  Well done.