T1B

Fairly certain this game won't be played tonight. It's snowing in parts of the suburbs and the rain is going to come down all day. Tomorrow it is supposed to clear up.

MLB and Fox need to seriously look into the start times for these games. Next year they WS could potentially stretch into November.

Looks like MLB postponed it till tommorrow.

Bucmonkey wrote:Looks like MLB postponed it till tommorrow.

At this point, they have to wait for a day that they won't have to deal with anymore delays. It's late October and it's not going to be great weather to begin with but at least find a time when it'll be dry.

If they have to wait another day, does that improve the chances that Hamels might continue pitching? He was never officially taken out, was he? If they don't throw him back out to finish this game, the extra delay in resuming Game 5 will push the date for Game 7 and he becomes a possible option in starting that game or at least he can be a long man out of the bullpen for Moyer.

Shoalzie wrote:

Bucmonkey wrote:Looks like MLB postponed it till tommorrow.

At this point, they have to wait for a day that they won't have to deal with anymore delays. It's late October and it's not going to be great weather to begin with but at least find a time when it'll be dry.

If they have to wait another day, does that improve the chances that Hamels might continue pitching? He was never officially taken out, was he? If they don't throw him back out to finish this game, the extra delay in resuming Game 5 will push the date for Game 7 and he becomes a possible option in starting that game or at least he can be a long man out of the bullpen for Moyer.

The Phillies have already said that they are going to their bullpen. Hamels was slated to bat leadoff in the bottom of the 6th so it'll most likely be Greg Dobbs hitting. I think the Rays will keep Balfour in because at the top of the 7th the Rays have the 6th, 7th and 8th spots in the lineup and unless they want Price to hit (and concede an out) I can't see that happending.

I like the Balfour/Dobbs matchup a lot and if he is able to get on with the top of the lineup coming up, the Phililes could jump ahead. That allows them to go Madson and/or Romero for the 7th and 8th and Lidge in the 9th. I really like their chances. The key is the bottom of the 6th.

Hamels will be available for game 7 but something tells me they go back to Moyer who looked sensational against the Rays.

This is sorta' surreal, yet intriguing.

I think I'm digging late inning pressure... from the first pitch of a "suspended" game.

Hell, I may be able to stay up and watch all of it, unlike if they had to play 9 innings after waiting thru the Obama infomercial/propaganda delay.

I think I like it so much that all post season games should be shortened to 3 innings.

Now watch this fucker go to extras.

Congrats Jim, Phillies were clearly the better team. Hopefully this is the start of good things to come for the Rays over the next few years.

Go fuck yourself Whitey, you glue-huffing faggot. RACK the phils, regardless.

is there any place where bud does not get his ass booed off? jesus christ, almost as big of a bitch as Whitey Wagon.

aw, is wittle screwy twat a little sore from getting kicked repeatedly? Go listen to some MGMTand you'll feel all better. Cunt.

Props to Phillyfan for not storming the field... my guess is that they were just too damn cold to get up for it.

Interesting tidbit - Both Philly WS rings have come against AL expansion teams in their 12th year of existance. Or something close to that.

By that measure Raysfan, you can really be looking forward to 2013.

In a word - Surreal.

Maybe it's better that it takes 28 years between championships so you fully appreciate just how it feels- a new generation of people are able to celebrate and remember what it's like to feel, even for a brief moment in time, what it's like to be part of something so unique and special.

RACK the Phillies.

Especially because they eliminated the Dodgers.

RACK the Phillies and congrats to Jim and all PhillieFans. I'm sure last night was worth the wait. That was an enjoyable hour of baseball.

Also a special RACK has to go to the Rays for just being fun to watch this year. I hope for baseball's sake they aren't going to be a flash in the pan. The AL East is going to be very interesting next year.

Congrats Philly Fan and thanks for sparing all of us fans the horror of watching the "Tampa Bay Devil Rays" win the whole thing. A true sign that the world is ending if that shit franchise ever won it all. Worse then the Marlins doing it.....

Next year the Trop will be EMPTY once again. Except when the visiting teams fans show up.....

Neely8 wrote:A true sign that the world is ending if that shit franchise ever won it all..

The "shit franchise" with the 45 million dollar payroll that has drafted well and signed a couple of decent veterans and kicked Boston's fucking ass? That one? To put this into proper perspective, you whining fucking cunt, the Blowsox spent more money just for the chance to talk to Dice-K about signing a deal than Tampa spent on their whole fucking payroll this year. Bitter much, cunt? Speaking of empty seats, there were a whole shitload of them during the 80s and 90s when one could walk up during any given home game and buy a ticket. You're talking a lot of shit for a franchise who was the punchline to many a joke for the better part of a century. Wanna hear a funny joke, bitch? The Blowsox pay Julio fucking Lugo more money than any player on the Rays' roster. Fuck off.

What we're seeing right now is a shift towards teams winning with more of their guys. You don't see instant improvement with teams that spend money like it's going to rot...see the 2008 Detroit Tigers. Teams like Milwaukee, Los Angeles and Philadelphia have rosters where most of their talent is developed from within. Obviously, Manny and Sabathia were deadline pickups but the cores of those teams are drafted and developed players. In the AL you have more teams spend money but win either way...drafting/trades/development or big payrolls...the Red Sox case, a little of both.

To me, the Rays are the new Twins or maybe the new A's (circa early 2000s) to an extent. They won't spend a lot of money and they'll win with their guys for the most part but have some interchangeable pieces along the way. They probably may lose guys along the way if they try to stay thrifty. The Red Sox are pretty much like those teams but with huge money behind it. They have a strong farm system and have made some nice deals that have worked out over time but they obviously can spend money like the Yankees.

The Twins made some nice deals along the way and picked up prospects and produced some of their own. They'll have the mainstay guys like Mauer and Morneau and until last year, Hunter and Santana but they'd just fill in around them. They have a virtually brand new rotation and should have Liriano back at full strength going into next year.

The A's did the same thing but had guys like Damon and Dye briefly that were from other teams but for the most part built through deals and drafting. Pitching was their main thing with the Big 3 but the big difference between them and the Rays already is that the Rays had success in the playoffs. The A's finally made an ALCS after the Big 3 were all gone and went there with Harden, Haren and Blanton.

The Rays are a good mix of drafting as well as smart trades and bargain bin find. Upton and Longoria are their franchise players similar to Mauer and Morneau in Minnesota or Braun and Fielder in Milwaukee. Kazmir from the Mets for (Victor) Zambrano was a huge steal. Navarro was from either the Dodgers or the Yankees. The Garza/Bartlett for Young deal worked out great for them as the year rolled on. Pena was pretty much picked off the scrap heap after the Tigers dropped him in favor of Sean Casey and Chris Shelton.

I think the Rays have staying power with their talent and how young they are but they are still going to have to deal with Red Sox, Yankees and I think Blue Jays could make a push as well in the East...all big spenders. I can't say immediately that you should pencil them in as the AL East champ again next year without seeing what the Yankees and Red Sox do in free agency and how the Blue Jays rotation will look. It's going to be hard to repeat as division and league champions given the depth in that division and then you have the Sox, Tribe and Twins in the Central and the Angels should hold sway in the West again.

You notice I didn't mention my Motor City Kitties. I have no idea what to expect from them next year but this should be an interesting winter if they go out and address holes at catcher, shortstop, closer and a front line starter. I put them #4 in the Central right now as they stand...not much better than the Royals. The Central is going to be a bitch next year with the Royals making strides, the Sox will be good again, the Tribe came on at the end and the Twins still have a solid club.

ucantdoitdoggieSTyle2 wrote:

Neely8 wrote:A true sign that the world is ending if that shit franchise ever won it all..

The "shit franchise" with the 45 million dollar payroll that has drafted well and signed a couple of decent veterans and kicked Boston's fucking ass? That one? To put this into proper perspective, you whining fucking cunt, the Blowsox spent more money just for the chance to talk to Dice-K about signing a deal than Tampa spent on their whole fucking payroll this year. Bitter much, cunt? Speaking of empty seats, there were a whole shitload of them during the 80s and 90s when one could walk up during any given home game and buy a ticket. You're talking a lot of shit for a franchise who was the punchline to many a joke for the better part of a century. Wanna hear a funny joke, bitch? The Blowsox pay Julio fucking Lugo more money than any player on the Rays' roster. Fuck off.

Decent post. Could have been better with a couple of these: :x

Jesus Neely, you come chiming in now, of all times? Sit your bitter ass down and grow the fuck up. No wonder Sox fan is eclipsing Yankee fan as the biggest a-holes to grace the Trop. Enjoy your descent.

Shoalzie wrote:Pena was pretty much picked off the scrap heap after the Tigers dropped him in favor of Sean Casey and Chris Shelton..

Don't feel bad, Shoalzie. He played for both the Yankees and the Blowsox before going to Tampa...

Furthermore, he started last year as a back-up 1B, so it's not like anyone knew he'd finally realize his potential.