2007 World Series

Wow... the Sox looked good tonight!!!!

Beckett was awesome, and the entire batting order came alive.

Now, to continue this for three more games.

Congrats SC. 1 down 3 to go.

Go Red Sox! Tommorrow Curt Schilling will make us proud like he did back in 2004.

I can see the newspaper headlines now... "The Sox Rock the Rox!"

I think Beckett will be the major factor/mvp of the World Series. Although I'm curious to see games 3,4 and possibly 5 in Colorado. I want to know what they will do with Big Papi and Youklis without a DH. I would also love to see Manny roaming the enormous outfield of Coors Field.

Over in the MLB Playoffs Discussion thread Klydon mentioned this series might be a very high scoring series because it's at Fenway and Coors Field. However I haven't heard anyone mention the humidor and what it has done to legitimize baseball in Denver. I think most of the country still thinks games at Coors Field are an automatic slugfest, but for the last couple of years it hasn't been. I think that is part of the reason why Colorado is in the World Series, plus a great farm system.

Regardless of who wins, I just hope the rest of the series isn't as lopsided as game 1. Ugh.

Nothing is worse than a gloating Red Sox fan....even worse than a pompous, arrogant, smug, obnoxious Yankee fan. F*ck that stupid Green Wall.

I briefly brought this topic up during round 1 of the playoffs when the Rockies were playing the Philies

The youngest pitcher ever to appear in a World Series game had just turned 19. He played for many teams later in his career, and his younger brother is a member of the MLB Hall of Fame. He was known as one of the more colorful players of his day, sometimes entering games from the bullpen with his arms outstretched like an airplane. He was a starter as well as a reliever. He also gave up homerun #700 to Hank Aaron.

He appeared in this WS game as a reliever. His team lost the Series that year.

I bet SC knows who he is?

Ken Brett.

Bingo! The late Ken Brett had just turned 19 when he pitched in relief for the Red Sox in the '67 Series. He was one of the best hitting pitchers in the past 40 years.

By winning by a score of 13-1 yesterday, the Red Sox joined the 1959 White Sox, the 1982 Brewers and the 1996 Braves as the only teams to win Game 1 of the World Series by double digit runs.

Those previous three teams, by the way, all ended up losing the World Series.

I'm sure Rox fans are, or already are, aware of that factoid.

As this one will. I could like the Red Sux if they would wash their batting helmets, get Manny Ramirez pants that fit and like Reagan told Gorbachov...."tear down that wall!"

I heard on tv that you can get a free taco at Taco Bell 10-30
2-5pm thanks to the Bosox.

A good win for Boston.... their pitching was terrific and its nice to be leaving Fenway 2 games up!

And, yes, a free taco!!!

Yeah, what's up with the free taco thing? I only heard a part of that interview and he said something about Tuesday at Taco Bell? (The guy was a little creepy the way he talked to the camera, but hey, free taco!)

Its a promo for Taco Bell.... if anyone stole a base in the Series, they offered every customer one free taco at their participating restaurants on Tuesday, October 30th between 2:00-5:00 p.m.

Thanks to Jacoby Ellsbury (who stole second).

Well, I hate to say I told you so but I told you so. Stick a fork in Colorado, they're done

I think they would have to sweep in Colorado to even have a chance, and that probably won't happen.

I'd like to think you're right. If their (Boston) pitching stays as hot as its been, the series won't come back to Fenway. On the other hand, you can't count on ANY pitching in Colorado.

I could see Dice-K losing Game 3 but who's the Game 4 starter?

Probably Jon Lester.

Don't forget, the Sox will be losing one big bat in Denver... right now it looks like Youkilis.

As much as I want the Rockies to win, I really like Youk and Pedroia. And Big Papi too.

Although Schilling should eat his bloody sock instead of talking so much.

Great win for the Sox. Experience really bested youth, and they're going to be hard to beat now.

Schilling is pitching this postseason not only for a championship, but for possible HOF induction some day. His career regular season numbers fall a little short of what other HOF pitchers have attained, but his postseason resume is outstanding and can't be ignored. I think he's getting in.

I guess you have to get David Ortiz in the lineup somehow, and first base may be the only place you can hide him, but you lose a lot without Youkilis. Well, Francona's judgment has been solid so far.

You hafta admire their whole lineup. Some, like Pedroia and Youkilis, have exceeded their expectations in the post-season, and some, like Schilling and Manny Ramirez, can be annoying in their manners on and off the field, but you have to give them their props for what they've done in the post-season.

I'm VERY happy that they've won the two games at Fenway. ANYTHING can (and often does) happen at Coors Field, so the outcome of this Series is still open but I'm more confident now that the Sox'll win it all.

I just hope Francona's decision doesn't come back to bite the Sox. Youkilis has been awesome at the plate and he's one of the best defensive first basemen in the League. Its hard to imagine the Sox lineup without Ortiz in it BUT will his questionable fielding skills be a liability? I look for Colorado to test those "skills" often (bunting, taking big leads off first, etc.).

Ortiz hasn't really been on fire this post season. I think sticking with Youklis would be the wise choice.

Not on fire? Its hard to argue against a .417 batting average with 3 homers and 8 rbi's (even though Youkilis is hitting .422 with 4 homers and 10 rbi's). Big Papi has a longer proven history of being a clutch hitter in big series (than does Youkilis) and I think thats why Francona may go with Ortiz at first base.

FWIW - I'm not sure that I'd do the same if I was managing the team, but then again, the Sox would have finished behind Tampa if I was managing.

I don't know if I would trust Ortiz's lack of defensive skills with everything on the line. If Youklis was not performing, I think it would be a no brainer to put Ortiz in. Youk's experience at first base I think needs to be taken into consideration.

Don't forget that Ortiz ran into the ball and got himself out in the ALCS. Explain to me why they have to take him out?

Wow, the layoff really looks to have taking the sails out of Colorado. The curse of Babe Ruth looks like it will be exorcised twice in a three year period after decades of near misses. Congrats, SC!

Colorado had their chances in Game 2 and I'll be surprised if they do not win one or two home games. But Boston's bats have really come alive in their last five games, alongside some terrific pitching. I really don't view them as having a great rotation beyond Beckett, but Schilling is using his post season grit to get the job done. Hats off for stepping up when it matters most.

Ortiz is the designated hitter. When they go to Colorado they play under National league rules. The pitcher bats, so they won't use a dh, so Ortiz wouldn't play.

Boston should erect a statue of Terry Francona if they win the series. For all my life there was always a pessimism among the Red Sox in the postseason. There was the Johnny pesky snakebit moment, the heartbreaks of '67 and '75, and of course Game 6 of the '86 series, after which Boston lost about 12 straight postseason games. Not to mention Aaron bleeping Boone and Bucky bleeping Dent.

The Red Sox have won all 6 WS games with Francona at the helm, and no longer are the teams waiting for something bad to happen. They have a postseason confidence now, and it's hard to see this team now losing 4 of the 5 remaining games.

How is Bekkett at Bat?

AMEN to that sir!

Did Ortiz play any first base this year or was he solely DH?

That's a good point. Grady Little and John McNamara certainly could not have replicated what Francona has done.

Would either of you guys be saying the same thing if the Red Sox lost Games 4 or 5 of the 2004 ALCS?

No. That's the point. He didn't lose those games. Nobody expected the Red Sox to have come back. It was the normal order of the universe that the Yankees would beat the Red Sox and win their twenty-whateverth world series.

I wouldn't have said it if the Red Sox lost to the Indians. I just notice that Boston is playing with a confidence that defies previous Red Sox teams that I ever remembered. I attribute a great deal of success to Francona as that is not an easy team to manage with Schilling, Ramirez and others, despite all the talent they have.

Francona was just the right fit in Boston. Unfortunately, he didn't have success in Philly. Maybe we got rid of him too soon.

Beckett is a career .151 hitter with 2 homeruns. His first homer was hit off John Patterson. He also hit a homer last season off a pitcher, who appeared in this year's postseason.

Any guessers who the pitcher is?

I don't think he won those games either. See David Ortiz in Games 4 & 5, Curt Schilling in Game 6 and Johnny Damon in Game 7. I've never been impressed with Francona as a manager and feel he gets too much credit. Remember they got swept in the 2005 ALDS to the Chicago White Sox and finished in third place last year in the AL East.

The manager does deserve some credit for twice bringing a team back from the brink of elimination. I agree completely with Klydon that the comeback against NY and from a 3-0 deficit is more significant than what happened this year. But had they lost to Cleveland, Francona would have been crucified (whether rightly or wrongly) about not pitching Beckett in Games 4 and 7. Francona deserves credit for sticking to his plan and having it work.

It's true that the players Irishman mentioned all played important roles in the 2004 comeback. Regardless of whether Boston wins this year (and it certainly seems likely that they will win), Francona does deserve credit for 1) winning the WS in his 1st season as manager of the team in '04 and 2) taking his team to a WS a second time in a four year span.

I'd say the only thing more impressive from a managerial standpoint in the past 20 years is Torre's run of making the WS 4 times in 6 years and winning 4 titles.

It's true I'll give him that. But he also has stuck too much with Gagne. Not so much during the postseason but during the regular season and I know even "Boston's Faithful" held their breath when he would come into a game

It should be 7-0 Boston. Manny was safe at home. That was a bullshit call. Another reason for instant replay.

I thought so at first glance, but Ramirez was tagged out before he got his hand on the plate.

I gotta admit it - I thought the Sox were gonna blow the lead in the 7th but the pitching held!!

These young guys, Pedroia and Ellsbury - are they awesome or what?

Just watched the game,been on nights and it was slow so i watched myself some baseball!
Those Rockies fans kicked up a storm but the Red Sox look different class!

Hopefully Colorado will get a taste of their own medicine and will be swept.

From your mouth to God's ear.

I give the Rockies their props for hanging in so tough last night. At the same time, I'm blown away by the tenacity of the Red Sox. As a fan of theirs, you HAVE to love the way they've been playing.

It's great because The Sox are showing it's a team effort. It's not all Papi and Manny. Pedroia and Ellsbury have been bringing a hot bat. And you had to love Dice-K helping his cause and getting a base hit too.

And how he rocks back and forth before he throws the ball. I love it.

Go Sawwwwxxxx!

It'll be hilarious to see Irishman's reaction and how he tries to incorporate the Yankees lol.

2007 WORLD CHAMPIONS
BOSTON RED SOX!

Since this would have been said had the Yankees have won it all this year, I'll be the first to say it about Boston: "They bought their championship"

Congrats to the Sox! ( )

Despite the Rockies' huge late-leason run, they just were no match whatsoever. Unfortunately, making the WS kinda boring. But, good for the BoSox, they actually deserve it.

...and have a fun night, SC! (Bastid)

Oh yeah... and F-U A-Rod once again!

The Sox would have beat any team playing today. They were just awesome!

While this doesn't have the same (emotional) satisfaction of the '04 win, it feels great!

CONGRATULATIONS, BOSTON!

CONGRATULATIONS, BOSTON!

Truthfully, it doesn't feel like I just watched the end of the World Series... I've seen bigger celebrations during the regular season... (and certainly more exciting games)...

And is it just me, or does Papelbon's mouth look like a gaping\\\\\\ oh, never mind! lol

So, who's the MVP??

Probably not a rookie... I'd say Poopelbon...

Both years they won it away from home.

Caps and shirts already on sale....

Women are great - I love women - but can we PLEASE get them ALL out of Sportscasting??!

If I wasn't a Red Sox fan I'd agree. I had a "feeling" in '04 that they'd sweep the Cardinals, but I'm somewhat surprised they did the same to this good Colorado team.

There'll be tons written about the Series in the next few days but it boiled down to two things for Boston - their outstanding pitching and EVERYONE in the lineup pitched in to make their hitting count more than the Rockies'.

Wait till next year, when they get A-rod.

Looking for a banning?

Mike Lowell!

And the MVP is...... GTFOH! Lowell? Really?? Guess I didn't watch enough... don't even know what he did!

That is what you get hitting 400

The Sox will probably have their reign for a while as the Yanks regroup... but going forward, hopefully a Braves-type run (of not much to show for it)

Batting Average is just ONE thing -- granted, I have NO idea whatsoever what he did during the season... if he drove in tons of runs, fine. If he hit game-winning hits a few times, fine. If he actually, single-handedly, caused 2 or 3 of the last 4 games turn into wins for the Sox, then fine.

I don't know if he did or didn't do that.

Maybe he was MVP for one game...but I have a feeling he wasn't THE most "valuable" player the past 4 games. But I'd have to check the box scores to see for sure....

It'll be very interesting to see if the Sox re-sign Lowell... I hope they do. On the other hand, it'd be nice to see them get ARod.

I figured you'd wanna be successful in the postseason...

I know what you're saying, but you still gotta get to the post-season first. If he'd signed with the Sox as he was supposed to have a few years back, he'd already have 2 rings.

yes red sox win!

Congratulations Red Sox!

Congrats to SC and Red Sox fans.

You have to hand it to the new group of owners.
Two World Series in what is it six years since they took over?

And it looks like over 30 thousand people will get money back on what they bought last March & April.
Free food for others. Others will cry till next spring.

Congrats SC.

Why is that Geoff?

Though not quite as high, I liken Papelbon's jump to when Brooks Robins lept in the air after the 1966 World Series win.

Lowell is kind of a strange choice for MVP. He was on fire, but so was Padroia. I would have given it to Beckett.

Congrats to SC and all the other Red Sox fans out there.

It's good to be a Boston-area sports fan these days.

SC, congrats to you and your team. They played well all season, and I'm glad for you that your dire "September" predictions didn't come to pass.

Yes, but at a cheaper price than NY's second place finish and first round exit.

Congratulations, SC. The Red Sox earned this championship. It was nice to see that tandem of rookies blend so nicely with the veterans in the lineup. Kind of reminded me the last time theyhad two outstanding rookies (Lynn and Rice) help get them to the series in '75. Only Rice didn't get to play much because that was before the WS allowed for the DH.

Congrats to Lowell for MVP. It's usually very hard to pick an MVP in a 4 game series, but he was as good as anyone.

Pitchers and catchers report 2/19/08.

At least they spent the money and won, that's all I'm saying. Unlike my Mets and your Yankees, the Red Sox can consider it money well spent.

Being that the year 2000 is technically part of the last century and millenium, I guess the Sox are the team of the this decade, and this millenium, so far.

21st Century stats:

Red Sox - 2 championships

Diamondbacks: 1 championship

Marlins: 1 championship

Angels: 1 championship:

White Sox: 1 championship

Cardinals: 1 championship

Yankees/Mets: 0 championships

CONGRATULATIONS to SC and his 2007 World Champion Boston Red Sox!


I'm happy for you SC!

No shock you had nothing constructive to say. It's not the end of the world man, don't commit suicide quite yet.

Congrats Red Sox! How sweet it is huh?

Ahh, you're just pissed because the Yankees spent more and didn't do as well. Maybe next year. Probably not.

Thanks to all those for the congratulations. Its always great to see your team win it all, but quite frankly, this year's triumph was not as satisfying as I thought it'd be.

The Sox, my team, has a great group of players and a wonderful future in front of them. I'm just getting disgusted with the game itself.

I suspect when spring training starts I'll feel differently. I hope so.

Belated Congrats SC. The Sox did have a well balanced team. What will the winter bring?

This Series did have a lack of fire. 4-0. Sweeps are boring. Maybe it was the Rockie factor. On the East Coast, who cares about the Rockies. The only interesting thing about the their team is Matt Halliday.

Your disgust with the game is shared by many. Professional sports in general is in a state of decay. On TV, "the game" has taken a back seat to "entertainment" and technology. The game is over-analyzed, over-slo-mo-video, over-disected.

I'm tired of all the commentaries between hits. It's all about hyping their broadcasters. And do we really need to see an instant replay of a swing we just saw 15 seconds ago.

I'm with Geoff on getting rid of female broadcasters. They're just there for the boob factor. What exactly does Jeanie Zelasko have to do with baseball?

Looks like I'm not alone with my disgust of tv's coverage of the game.

I enjoy Tim McCarver's style - he's knowledgable and funny, but the rest of the staff killed the Series with blah, blah, blah. The most annoying part of the Series was those interviews with the managers while the game was being played. Too much talk!!

The one joy I did get was when the other announcer called Joe Buck out on flip flopping over Ortiz. When Ortiz got out he said Francona should have played Youk. Then the very next at bat Buck said it was good they played Ortiz. Buck got busted on live tv.

I too like McCarver. They can do away with the manager interviews during the game. You only get generalities and nothing new. No manager is going to say,on national tv in the 4th inning, "Well, if they bring in the lefty to pinch hit, I'll keep Jones in the game because if I bring in Smith, they'll bring in Brown, and that guy tears us apart."

Similarly, I get a kick out of the brief interviews with the college coaches just after the half and before the 3rd quarter. Certainly, no coach worth his weight in salt would give anything more than the cursory "Gotta play better," or "Gotta hold 'em." I'm waiting for a coach to say "Well, our second play from scrimmage this half will be a double reverse, lateral to the QB, who'll throw it deep to Johnson in the left corner. I think we'll fool 'em."

Ugh, Tim McCarver makes me want to stick needles in my ears. He was a broadcaster for the Giants for only one year, and by the end of the year he STILL mispronounced players names, or called them by completely different names all together. I cannot stand that guy. He is often times too prejudiced towards one team or the other. Usually if the Cardinals are in the post season the other team doesn't have a chance at being recognized during the game.

I'm surprised to hear he is liked on here. I wonder if it's a west coast thing because nobody here likes him (that I've heard).

McCarver is one of those polarizing figures. There's no middle ground. People generally love him or hate him. Admittedly, I always liked McCarver when he played. He played several years in Philly and announced there too.

Many thought then that he would go into coaching and managing.

McCarver has a great understanding of the game, and although he's somewhat biased by his love of catchers (in which he has a REAL expertise) his sense of humor (IMO) more than makes up for any other announcing shortcomings.

I can take or leave McCarver, but SC is correct about his baseball knowledge. I really like Joe Buck on MLB play-by-play.

There was a great MLB announcing team in the early 80s that did the MLB "Game of the Week" on Saturday afternoons. Obviously it was a time before cable and satellite tv were much less prominent. The guys were Joe Garigiola and Tony Kubek. I thought they were phenominal. Anybody else remember them?

Joe Garagiola used to do the Yankees games in the mid 60's. He was totally awesome! Knowledgable and the funniest broadcaster I remember (always told wonderful stories with a humorous touch, especially the ones about growing up with Yogi Berra). His book, "Baseball is a Funny Game" is a real treasure and one worth reading.

I was never a fan of Tony Kubek (either as a player or a broadcaster).

Him and Joe Buck are so anti-Yankee as well it's not even funny

I remember Garagiola and Kubek well on Saturday afternoons. I wasn't as big a fan of Kubek, but they gave you the sense that they were friends of yours, watching the game with you.

I subscribed to the Major League Ticket this past season where I was able to pick up all the games. Vin Scully still does an outstanding job calling a game. He doesn't do all the Dodger games anymore, but he works alone. It's amazing that he has been calling Dodger games while they were still in Brooklyn.

In the 80s he did the Game of the Week games with Garagiola. Together they did postseason and World Series games. I remember after the Mets won Game 7 of the series, after paying tribute to the Mets, Scully concluded the broadcast by saying, "Hey Jim Rice; Hey Tony Armas; Hey Roger Clemens; Hey Marty Barrett; Hey Bill Buckner; Hey McNamara; Hey Boston. Hold your heads up. You played your hearts out and came up a buck short."

I may have a few of the players wrong, but I found that sign-off memorable for some reason.

Maybe you're used to those YES and MSG broadcasters, who praise the Yankees from the first pitch to the last.

No because the best duo currenly IMO is Joe Morgan and Jon Miller, and they're not anti-Yankee. Fox broadcasters have for a long time just always been anti-Yankee. I don't find ESPN to be that way.

I'll agree that FOX is biased, and that Murdoch has not have much love for the Yankees. I haven't noticed it with McCarver.

Miller and Morgan do an outstanding job on ESPN, which is certainly not anti-Yankee. ESPN generally, however, is the poster-child network of the prevalent East coast bias in sports, particularly baseball.

The Fox broadcasters may be anti-NY, it's debatable. But the TNT guys were practically jerking each other off in the ALDS with their gushing for the Yankees. It was sickening. They were doing everything to drum up support for NY and practically every at-bat was "will this be the one where A Rod gets going?" I lost count of how many times the TNT dolts said "here come the Yankees." Even after the final out was made in Game 4 of the ALDS, TNT was fawning more over the Yankees than giving Cleveland the credit for winning the series.

I thought the Fox team was much more objective in the ALCS than TNT would have been. I agree - Miller & Morgan are the best tv tandem calling baseball right now.

I feel privileged to get to listen to Jon Miller on the radio every Giants game. There was a funny moment during the ALCS where he came back from commercial with "San Francisco Giants baseball! *pause* who I watched a lot of this year.. *pause* and, uh... the Giants didn't do much of anything, that's why we are here in Fenway now to watch Boston..."

Now when Miller goofs up like that it's funny because it rarely happens. He is the best when he is broadcasting a blowout game on the radio because he wanders off talking about anything and everything, and he can be so funny doing it.

Yes I'll give you that. As Blibble has said, the West Coasts is forgotten about because we're all asleep over here

I too am fortunate to listen to a legend. Harry Kalas has been calling Phillie games since the early 1970s. He's been with the team since as long as I can remember watching or listening to games. I regret not making it to Cooperstown when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame a few years ago.

I hate Joe Buck, and I find FOX to be VERY anti-NY. When the Yankee games are on FOX, we mute the TV and listen to the game on the radio. It's a little weird because of the delay, but better than listening to them refer to the Yankees as "The Evil Empire".

As for the BoSox, I LOVED the parade footage that I saw on the news. Papelbon doing the jig was just priceless!!!

Papelbon is on Letterman tonight. There's a good chance you'll see him dancing.

I wonder if they will ever make Tivo Radios, so you can pause the radio for a few seconds and then let it play at the same timing as the television. The delay just bothers me too much.

Is he Scottish or Irish? Why was he wearing a kilt at the party?

It was actually one of his skirts. Sometimes he likes to put one on when he's feeling pretty.

I don't know his ethnicity, but Papelbon is a nice and interesting name, which I had never heard before.

I thought about that idea myself too. I don't listen to the radio very often but I figured, if they did it for TV, why not for the radio?

Hi everyone. I usually reserve baseball discussion for the official Yankees/Red Sox boards, but this sports forum seems like a good idea.

Just a little info about me. I live near Boston so I'm a Celtics/Sox/Patriots fan. I actually went to the rolling rally parade a short while ago which was awesome.

I agree the World Series may have been boring for some, but 3 of the games were really, really close. The Red Sox won though so I'm happy.

You're in a minority here, but I'm there with ya!

I've looked through these topics so yes, I know. Thanks.

SF Chronicle is reporting that former thirdbaseman Matt williams and pitcher Ismael Valdez, and present outfielder Jose Guillen had spent tens of thousands of dollars for shipments of HGH and steroids in 2002.

It's the tip of the iceberg.

Matt Williams was a childhood favorite of mine. Second only to Will Clark. This news is heart breaking.

Some final team stats on the 2007 season:

* Team with the best home record? The Angels. Worst home record belongs to Kansas City.

* Best road record belongs to the Mets while Texas had the worst.

* The hardest team to shut out were Detroit and Philadelphia, but the most shut out team was the Twins.

* The Yankees and Red Sox scored 10 or more runs in 25 games to be tops in the league. The Giants did it a league low 7 times. However, the Giants gave up ten or more runs only 7 times (league low) while Tampa Bay (cannon fodder for the Red Sox and Yankees) gave it up 24 times (league high).

* The Rockies, Padres and Giants played the most extra inning games while the Mariners and red Sox were involved in the fewest. The Padres, Indians and Phillies won the most extra inning games while the Rockies lost the most. An interesting note: The Marlins played in 13 extra inning games, but only one of them was a road game.

* Arizona was the best team in 1 run games (32-20); Baltimore ranked last at 13-31.

* The Padres shut their opponents out 20 times (nobody else was close); The Devil Rays recorded a low of 4 shut outs.

* Finally, the team with the best winning percentage against teams with a winning record was the Angels; The Pirates had the worst.