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Spaceman Spiff

By Spaceman Spiff
in The Tailgate

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Spaceman Spiff

Spaceman Spiff

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I know we're all worked up about the 2-0 start, but man, aren't there some awesome baseball races going on now? I'm so freaked that the Yankees are gonna get in the postseason somehow. Nothing would make me happier to see them miss it, though.

And the Chisox are headed for a titanic collapse as well...

what do you guys think about the playoffs?

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chomerics

chomerics

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You know what, I was on pins and needles last year with the Sox. I was watching every single pitch, and sweating out everything. I am so satisfied with what the Sox did last year, I wouldn't be upset if the Yanks caught them. BUTTTTT, the other aspect is even better. Watching the Yankees get within a 1/2 a game of the Sox, then falling out of the race.

There is nothing I like to see better then a Yankees fan with heartbreak. I watch game 7 from last year all the time, just to look at the dispair in their eyes. Having been there before, it makes the moment soooooo much more gratifying, and I wouldn't want it any other way. I still have the NYTimes and Post front pages up in my office with the "Choke's on Us" title. I smile every day I see it.

If the Sox win, awsome, and if they lose, it will suck, but they don't have the pitching this year to win it all anyway. I am confident in Theo & co. to get the pitching next year for us though, and the chance to stomp and crush Yankee fans one more time is well, just priceless.

:laugh:

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Spaceman Spiff

Spaceman Spiff

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Chom i totally agree. Watching the yankees destruct would be like seeing the cowboys getting beaten last night. Whenever I see their logo and pinstripes i get ill...

I don't think the Sox have the pitching to get it done, either, which is a shame cause I wouldn't mind seeing them go back to back. letting pedro go was a mistake....but who wants to see Ortiz in late innings with runners on base? he's the best clutch hitter in the past 10, 15 years. they can make some noise.

I think the Cardinals will take it all though.

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chomerics

chomerics

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Chom i totally agree. Watching the yankees destruct would be like seeing the cowboys getting beaten last night. Whenever I see their logo and pinstripes i get ill...

I don't think the Sox have the pitching to get it done, either, which is a shame cause I wouldn't mind seeing them go back to back. letting pedro go was a mistake....but who wants to see Ortiz in late innings with runners on base? he's the best clutch hitter in the past 10, 15 years. they can make some noise.

I think the Cardinals will take it all though.

I agree with everything you said, and the game last night made me realize how lucky I truly am. I still get goosebumps when I hear the McCarver call

"Ortiz to deep right field. . ."

I have NEVER in my life seen a clutch hitter like Ortiz with the game in the line, he is just unbelievable.

Gotta make dinner, :cheers:

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Spaceman Spiff

Spaceman Spiff

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I agree with everything you said, and the game last night made me realize how lucky I truly am. I still get goosebumps when I hear the McCarver call

"Ortiz to deep right field. . ."

I have NEVER in my life seen a clutch hitter like Ortiz with the game in the line, he is just unbelievable.

Gotta make dinner, :cheers:

It's really gotten to be rediculous how good he is in the clutch. I can't think of anyone else who can top him. Ever. Maybe Reggie Jackson?

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chomerics

chomerics

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It's really gotten to be rediculous how good he is in the clutch. I can't think of anyone else who can top him. Ever. Maybe Reggie Jackson?

I had thought about Reggie, but his Mr. October came because of this three home run game against the Dodgers, and the fact that he was with the As in the early 70's. I'd like to look up his stats in late innings, with the game either tied or behind by a run or two, because Ortiz has been unbelievable. Just this year, I think he has two walk off HRs, three 8th inning HRs to tie or put the team ahead and numerous late inning clutch hits. THe other teams have stopped pitching to him late in the game.

From wikipedia on last year's post season. . .

Ortiz had one of the greatest postseasons in recent history in 2004:

* AL Division Series

o Game 3 - Tied 6-6 in the bottom of the 10th inning at Fenway Park, hit a walk-off home run against left-handed Jarrod Washburn on the first pitch. As a result, Boston won the series 3-0 over the Angels.

* AL Championship Series

o Game 4 - Facing the elimination 3-0 against the Yankees, won the game with another walk-off homer, this one in the 12th inning.

o Game 5 - Trailing 4-2 in the 8th inning, hit a home run to start a tying rally and won the game in the 14th inning with a walk-off single in a dramatic 10-pitch at-bat.

o Game 7 - In the top of the first inning, Johnny Damon was thrown out at the plate following a Manny Ramirez single, a potentially demoralizing moment for the Red Sox. However, on the very next pitch, Ortiz rocked a line drive into the right field stands for a two-run homer. The Red Sox won the game 10-3.

o After the Red Sox’ improbable comeback against the Yankees, Ortiz was selected the MVP of the 2004 ALCS.

* 2004 World Series

o At Fenway Park, hit a three-run home run in his first World Series at-bat. The rest is history, as the Red Sox went on to complete a four-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals.

* Postseason accomplishments

o AL Championship Series MVP

o Tied a record with 19 RBI in the postseason (in Game One of the World Series).

o Won three playoff games at Fenway Park with walkoff hits (within the span of 11 days).

o Two of his game-winners actually came on the same calendar day (October 18).

:notworthy: :point2sky:

All that being said, sox are up 7-1 in the 3rd. . . good times, good times :)

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Spaceman Spiff

Spaceman Spiff

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I had thought about Reggie, but his Mr. October came because of this three home run game against the Dodgers, and the fact that he was with the As in the early 70's. I'd like to look up his stats in late innings, with the game either tied or behind by a run or two, because Ortiz has been unbelievable. Just this year, I think he has two walk off HRs, three 8th inning HRs to tie or put the team ahead and numerous late inning clutch hits. THe other teams have stopped pitching to him late in the game.

From wikipedia on last year's post season. . .

:notworthy: :point2sky:

All that being said, sox are up 7-1 in the 3rd. . . good times, good times :)

Good christ. You know you remember those things but when you see them all written down like that it really strikes a chord.

Yeah, I'd like to see Reggies stats, too. I know I'm forgetting some key hits he had though. Jeter is clutch as well, has been in the postseason. Being an O's fan I'm biased towards Eddie Murray as well.

I googled some stuff, found some interesting articles:

http://www.livescience.com/othernews/050505_clutch_hitters.html

And as much as I hate Rob Neyer: http://www.diamond-mind.com/articles/neyerclutch.htm

Ortiz is on another planet. I remember when he was on the Twins and he absolutely DESTROYED the orioles in a three game series. Kept an eye on him ever since and was happy when the Sox picked him up. I'll totally admit to being a bandwagoning sox fan, even though they're in the same division of the Orioles. Anyone who can stand up to the Yankees and beat them, I'm a fan of.

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chomerics

chomerics

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Have you ever read Money Ball? Great book, and I would strongly suggest it. THere is great debate by the Sabermatricians (Sabermetrics is the study of using statistics for baseball, there isa a good definition here)

on how to quatify clutch hitting. There are things such as pressure games (in September in a penant race) and what not, but nobody has quantified the parameters for a statistical analysis. It would be a great masters thesis for those college students :)

Growing up, Keith Hernandez was always good. Yastremski for the Sox, Murray and others were good as well. It will be interesting once the sabermatricians figure out how to quantify it though.

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Spaceman Spiff

Spaceman Spiff

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Have you ever read Money Ball? Great book, and I would strongly suggest it. THere is great debate by the Sabermatricians (Sabermetrics is the study of using statistics for baseball, there isa a good definition here)

on how to quatify clutch hitting. There are things such as pressure games (in September in a penant race) and what not, but nobody has quantified the parameters for a statistical analysis. It would be a great masters thesis for those college students :)

Growing up, Keith Hernandez was always good. Yastremski for the Sox, Murray and others were good as well. It will be interesting once the sabermatricians figure out how to quantify it though.

Haven't read Moneyball, but I want to.

From what I know about Beane's philosophies, I find them to be great. In all the years of baseball you'd think that someone would have figured out .OBP is such a key stat...I mean if you have a bunch of guys that get on base consistantly, you'll score runs by default, batting averages and slugging percentages aside. I do want to read it and learn more.

I also think one of the good clutch stats that people overlook now is Game Winning RBI's. Doesn't tack on a batting average or anything on, but it is a clutch statistic. Remember how Topps baseball cards used to have the stat printed on the back in the mid 80's?

Clutch hitting is a stat thats hard to define because it means so many things to so many people. There is a stat called "average in late and close situations" which I think is from the 7th inning on when the lead is no more than three runs.

Edit: The definition of late and close: 1. late and close (adj)

(of a game situation) in the seventh or later inning with the score tied or one team leading by a run; or with the tying run on base, at the plate, or on deck.

SYNONYMS: close and late

http://enlexica.com/cgi-bin/find.cgi?v=late%20and%20close&d=spbb&s=Q

Couldn't find any stats, like who the leaders are with it. I'm sure Ortiz is up there though.

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iheartskins

iheartskins

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Spiff, I haven't followed the MLB this season because I didn't do fantasy (and the Bar Exam and a few other lame excuses). How are things looking?

Someone told me that the Indians might make the playoffs. I told them that they must be crazy.

What are the big stories right now in a nutshell?

BTW: Ortiz is absurdly clutch. SG has written a little bit about it--as I'm sure you know. :)

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chomerics

chomerics

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Spiff, I haven't followed the MLB this season because I didn't do fantasy (and the Bar Exam and a few other lame excuses). How are things looking?

Someone told me that the Indians might make the playoffs. I told them that they must be crazy.

What are the big stories right now in a nutshell?

BTW: Ortiz is absurdly clutch. SG has written a little bit about it--as I'm sure you know. :)

Right now, the Sox, Yanks and Indians are playing for 2 playoff spots, the top two records will be in the playoffs. Out west the Angles and As are in a dead heat as well. This is one of the closest pennant races I've ever seen.

EAST W L PCT

Boston 88 63 .583

NY Yankees 87 63 .580

CENTRAL W L PCT

Chicago Sox 91 59 .607

Cleveland 88 63 .583

WEST W L PCT

LA Angels 85 65 .567

Oakland 84 67 .556

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The Evil Genius

The Evil Genius

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Sad as it is, I wouldn't give San Diego the pennant yet in the NL West. Giants are now only 5 back and have a series left with the Pads.

Bonds/Alou tandem looks solid - now that both are healthy. Case in point, last night the Nats walked Bonds with 2 outs on 4 pitches in the top of the 9th (Nats were leading 2-1 at the time). Alou came up and smacked a 3 run homer on the first pitch. Giants win 4-3.

Too bad the Giants didn't have Bonds earlier (Bonds share some of the blame on this since his original doctors were quacks).

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rebornempowered

rebornempowered

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Born a Cubs fan and still am. Root for Indians on the side due to the fact that they are close to where I live and chances of playing the Cubs is slim.

This playoff race is exciting and gives our locals something to be excited about. Heck, I even am watching the scores every night to see what's going on. As a Cubs fan I don't get to do that very often. :doh:

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