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Open Game Thread: Playoffs - Rays vs. White Sox/Anaheim vs Boston (cont.)

Well the Rays took care of their portion of things today.  Now it's the Red Sox turn.  They're up 2-0 in the seventh.  Six more outs and the Halos are dead.

You think Bud Selig is sitting somehwere right now worried that we could have a Phillies/Rays World Series?  Yeah, me too.

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Comments

I want some peanut butter cookies.
Stop it, I'm hungry.
Dipped in milk.
That sounds so delicious.
What about the ones with the Hershey kiss in the middle?
with or without.... doesn't matter to a fat girl.
You can make those with 3 little almond slivers on the end

and make a little depression in the middle with your thumb — lion’s paws!

I love you.
Awwww.

Right back atcha, Jennifer.

Or tea. Or coffee..

So hungry.

Gotta be milk for me.
Too late for tea or coffee

Time for alcohol.

{drives over to Nick's house}
(starts a convoy)
Here, Nico, have a bottle of this!

I have some

but they’re all the way in the kitchen!

Way to the ALCS

right here!

Lester's at 109 pitches

Papelbon went 2 IP yesterday. Tough call for the 8th but I’m guessing they let Lester start it with Masteron/Okajima ready.

Okajima it is
And now Masterson
even if the angels can tie it up

i think that boston will be able to get to K Rod this time around. The first two batters he face last night, he could not find his curveball. The only thing he had was this straight looking fastball thing. The next two batters looked better, as he started to use his curveball more than his fastball. But i think that if Papi faced him again with the game tied, he’s come up with another playoff moment, thus obnoxiated sawx nation.

Let's Go Rays

The idea that Slingblade could end up with two ALDS losses makes me smile.

Two losses for Lackey, one for K-Rod?

I can live with that.

No excuse for a 4 pitch walk with no one on base

Not with Vlad coming up.

LOL

Love the fist bump to the security guard.

Go Kotsay

it’s great to see Kotsay making a difference in the playoffs. Great hit and excellent catch.

Jesus

Don’t give these bastards life

Not again, please!
Crossed up.

What the hell?

ugh

what is the probability of getting vlad down 0-2 and then walking him?

CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP.
Mother*******

U could see that coming

What in the hell is going on here?

Mr. Failtober came through?

These are the Red Sox

we laughed at for all of those “Curse of the Bambino” years.

Now it's going to be the curse of the Mann-bino for another 80 years
FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK
Are we being punished?
Suffering Massholes is a good thing!
Butbutbutbut suffering Slegna are better
But the slegnA can still suffer!

Even if they win tonight, they could still choke it away in front of their own fans in Anaheim!

I’m very optimistic about my schadenfreude.

Oh. . .

fuck that!

I don't trust Matsuzaka

so what if he was 9-0 on road.

He is prone to meltdown innings

we?

no, the Sux and their fans are…

Don't worry. Red Sux are good at comebacks.

They can do it. They did it last year v. the Tribe.

I'm calling extras again.

In hopes that it goes 18.

Who gives up the walk-off winner in 18?
Torii Hunter?
That would be my guess

We all know they won’t be able to wait for K-Fraud to get in there.

When will I sleep again?
Tuesday and Wednesday

When there is no baseball.

no Sux comeback

let Slegna fail instead

(it’s all in how you look at it.)

I'd be okay with the Sox winning on LAA's turf.
I don't trust Dice-K.
+1, I prefer disappointment

for the obnoxious Rent Sox fans, at their home games.
Let the Sox take it in five, in LA, then lose every home game to the Rays, too.

by the way, I'm enjoying the radio announcers

lots of information

Remember the time when the Angels scored two runs on a single by Torii Hunter?
2 fucking walks

This pisses me off as much as the A’s losing. That’s how much I hate the slegnA

Walk, walk, wild pitch

Nice “relief,” guys.

Weird, but in a way this series the Red Sox look a lot like the 2003 A’s – two balls away from winning last night, one strike away from being out of this inning repeatedly… Like that bad dream where you’re running in quicksand and keep almost getting somewhere but…not…quite…

Please don't make that analogy.

I actually want the Sux to lose.

The Slegna were down 2-0 as well, and now they’re coming back.

Not cool.

Correction: I want the Sux to win.
I don't -- I want Slegna to lose
Sux have to win for Slegna to lose

As much as I hate that.

They’ll just get demolished by the Rays.

it's all in how you look at it
Yep.
Ugh!

I realized that only tonight.

I hope

Sux and Slegna both lose and Rays go to World Series by default. Don’t ask me how, just wait.

that's the spirit!

##%$#$@!!!!!

No need to censor yourself.
lackey, shields, and our own josh outman

they’ve all got that “cletus” from the simpsons look…

you nailed that!!

excellent observation! “Cletus”…I love it.

Remember when Homer signed up for the US Army? And they all got their assignments (including, I believe, Cletus) after taking Army “job training”??

(Kiefer Sutherland as the officer’s voice):

“Front line infantry” “front line infantry!” “Front…line…infantry!”

Bah

People need to stop acting like Mike Lowell is still the Mike Lowell that won World Series MVP. He wasn’t playing a huge role in this series.

torn hip labrums do put a crimp in one's style, I guess
Does K-Fraud come out in the 9th?
Cedar Rapids!
Why isn't that working?
red sox should bring out the big gun relievers...

Tim Wakefield is waiting for the call

WHY THE FUCK DO YOU KEEP MASTERSON IN???

After that bloodbath? No way.

Sometimes for Francona

there’s more money in losing a series, than winning a series!! ;^)

Uh.

K-Rod? You need some time alone?

LOL
If HE has to wear rubber gloves.......
eww
Does MLB test for Enzyte?
Poor Mrs. K-Rod

Is there a Mrs.? Or is he an ineligible bachelor?

I don't know about a wife...

but I just found out he practices Santeria.

Weird.
One more reason to despise him
with ozzie guillen?
Champagne facials for everyone!
God Damn it

Boston pen sucks as usual

Sux are falling apart

Lester should probably hate his bullpen right now.

or Francona

the manager pulling the levers here.

He had 109 pitches

Understandable, but with how he was pitching, it was a questionable call.

F U Masterson U POS
Pssssst Francona

TOO LITTLE TOO LATE

In the "highest leverage" analysis,

you could say Papelbon was needed more for one out (Hunter, 8th) than three outs (9th).

wonder if he was even available
I would guess he'd be available for one out, but not for a full inning.
announcers speculating that he's not available
And we see what's happened to the masters of leverage
fertile area for advanced thinking

As in “When do you bring in your closer? Only the end of the game, when ahead?”

FAIL FAIL FAIL FAIL FAIL FAIL
F YOU MIKE
BWAHAHAHAHAHA SMALLBALL FUCKING SUCKS

Oh. Hi guys!!

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
slegna AND sux screw up -- I love it!
Varitek tapped that ass
Can the ground cause a fumble in baseball?
His knee was down
Another baserunning FAIL

Angels cannot stop producing the FAIL.

We need a FAIL.gif for this.
Sssh!

They don’t know yet.

See, if they hadn't tied it, we never would have experienced that FAIL
They're the Angels.

Down 2 causes lots of desperation too.

SQUEEEEEZE!

Ha ha, smallball rules, moneyball droolz!

Willits Sucks - ha ha ha
Aybar was at fault for FAILing to bunt
Yes, he was OUT

Tagged then ground caused the fumble afterwards

Suicide squeeze - worst play in baseball.

Love it.

squeeze play should be doable

but, why not a “safety squeeze”??

Please finish them!!!
If the rule is anything like it is for an OF catch

then that was a bad call. A fielder has to make the catch and the ball has to come loose as a result of a “voluntary movement;” typically, grabbing it with the throwing hand to start throwing it back in. If that’s fielded ball caught, then dropped when he hits the ground, it’s no catch all the way.

That may or may not be at all relevant in this case.

Indeed.

The announcers aren’t talking about what the rulebook states.

Hey, if obscure rules are going to do us in at Fenway, it’s only fair the Angels suffer, too.

I'd argue that it's covered by the definition of a "tag" in 2.00
A TAG is the action of a fielder in touching a base with his body while holding the
ball securely and firmly in his hand or glove; or touching a runner with the ball, or with his
hand or glove holding the ball, while holding the ball securely and firmly in his hand or
glove.

The rule doesn’t mention any requirement that the fielder subsequently remove the ball from his glove voluntarily. I thought the call was correct.

Agreed - I think the call was correct

because it WASN’T a catch. In contrast to Corey Hart’s near catch in which he had to hang on while he rolled over, Varitek didn’t need to have control as long.

if there was such thing as momentum

i would say that cost the angels the game

Here comes the FAIL

all dressed in Walk-off

PLEASE END THIS.
Let's go JD

Please end it here.

End. This. MF. Here.
No K-Rod though.
And yet, will a single pundit anywhere

bother to tally up the LAA runners out on the bases this series and question the wisdom of the approach?

Nah…sometimes you’ve gotta “force the action.”

I agree, but a safety squeeze

is more appropriate. Willits is a fast runner.

They'll call it aggressive baserunning and say it was good managing.

Stupid stupid stupid.

at least they're TRYING to win

instead of just taking walks.

This game has to end on a Failos error
I want K-Rod in the game embarrassed.

I’m in archives watching that K-Rod airmail throw from a few weeks ago.

I'd settle for shields losing it
Almost an ITPHR FAIL.
WHY DO YOU DIVE FOR THAT?
I yelled the same thing

WHY DIVE FOR THAT UNLESS IT WAS THE WINNING RUN!!!

BECAUSE YOU'RE GRITTY!!!!!
Small correction:

BECAUSE YOU’RE GRITTY SHITTY!!!!!

Damn that low RF wall

That was an easy 3B if it stayed in play

walk with bases loaded??
I'm calling it again

Kotsay Walk-off!

Mark Kotsay to Torii Hunter ought to end it.
Yeah, end it like the Large Hadron Collidor.
Bend it like Giant Superconducting Magnets.
Oh my god.

My heart just jumped a bit, effin Tex.

HOLY CRAP!!!

Teixeira is sooo not an Angel

damn, teixeira > kotsay in the battle of ex-braves
They both got their asses handed to them by Adam Wainwright and Joey Devine though.
Saved the game for them.

For a minute….

POS Kotsay. I don't like you right now.
GAME!

FAILOS LOSE!

YES!!!!!

YES!!!!

Bye bye Angels!!!!
LOL

That.Is.Awesome.
Very funny!

The gal in the window needs an Angels cap added on.

And it's done!
YES YES YES YES

I mean, boo

Sux suck

Go Rays!!!!!

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay, now that I'm not rooting for the Red Sox anymore...

…sheesh, douchebags, act like you’ve been here before.

truly

No one remembers the losers of the Championship series, coming up.

YES!!! ANGELS SUCK

and now BOSTON YOU SUCK TOO!

Seriously, have you SEEN worse playoff D

than from the Angels and CUbs?

FAILos eliminated, set off the fireworks!

Did you google "fail + testicular trauma" or something?
Die, Slegna, die

and Sux: YOU SUCK!!!

Enough swallowing my dignity

and time to start rooting for a team I actually like.

Rays, I'm SERIOUS...you better kick some ass.
Worried?

I would be, had I been rooting for Boston. Hell, I’m worried anyway.

And Boston wins the Suckbowl
or rather, Slegna lose it

Sux weren’t exactly playing like champs

Lets Go Rays!!!
Sad part: No baseball until Thursday.
RAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
God, I feel so fucking great

Only the A’s winning the WS could top this

Oh for God's sake

The A’s winning a spring training game tops this.

+1 million

I could hardly watch these two. only thing worse would be NYY v Failos

SCIOSCIA THE FOOL!

about as smart as Brad Childress punting twice more to Reggie Bush after he returns a punt for a TD.

Bay almost hugged the ump by mistake
Y'know what?

Ellis would had that.

My thought exactly -

You have to knock that ball down and it was knockable downable at the very least.

I think Kots almost killed Bay.
Quit showing Sox players celebrating, show more sad FAILos.
to bad

to bad there losing to tampa next

Wow, Jason Bay is handsome.
www.failblog.org

The new website of the Los Angels FAILos

Haha!, we don't even care enough to have one!
WOOOOOOOOOO! Yeah bitches!
Are those spots of blood on Bey's jersey?
Ketchup

he likes hot dogs.

Yeah, he got spiked my Napoli
He got spiked.
...by Curt Schilling and his bloody sock.
The Red Sox are just a bunch of bleeders

Bleedin bleeders!

tuned in time for the last two innings

angels…tut tut. (heh heh heh)

If Crazy Craig were to fall over dead on the warning track

wearing that jacket, no one would notice until the OFers complained about the smell.

Have you ever been to Fenway?

Decaying corpse smell is an improvement.

All is good in the world...

at least for one night.

Champagne showers: made even MORE lame by wearing goggles.
LOL

why is that sign necessary? “I LIKE BASEBALL”

Was it the "I like toortles" kid?
No, it was a grown ass woman.
Best Records in Baseball = First Round Exit?

Takes notes.

It's happened a lot over the last few years.

Can someone Fail.gif Willits getting caught at home?

Awesome. Thank you.
"Did you just touch my ass?"

“Yes, and I liked it. AND you’re out!”

Who got handed the FAIL?
Least Valuable Player

Torii Hunter.

and Howie Kendrick

It was a tie.

Not Hunter - defense was not up to par but

he was the only Angel who hit with RISP and he did it again and again. He was actually kind of like…Emil Brown1!!!

the angels are going to DFA Torii?
Well, they're the Angels, so they're full of fail

so they signed Torii to a huge contract. So they can’t DFA him.

2-10 in the last 12 playoff games,

including 9 straight losses. Scosia is such a great manager.

I think its time for somebody else to represent the AL West in the playoffs.
truer words were never spoken!
Note to Scioscia: When the infield is in,

you let your hitter swing. If you don’t trust him to get it past a drawn in infield, you pinch hit.

excellent analysis and tactical suggestion
I'm ready for some LCS.
I think these two series should be very very good

I’d actually like to see Dodgers/Rays in the World Series.

Phillies/Rays for me.
I don't really care either way

but I think Dodgers might win the NLCS.

Hoping for the Rays.
Of course
Just meant I don't care who else.
+1

Although playing an expansion team would make the Philly fans whine even more than usual. Which is a lot.

Check out Halo Heaven

They hate the idea of the Dodgers in the WS, kind of a "who’s number one in the Southland? (as they call LA these days). So….go Dodgers. I like Joe Torre anyway, as long as he’s not in the opponent’s dugout. Of course, I like all those Milwaukee Braves of 1955-1964.

Maybe if the Brewers fire Sveum tonight they can still take the NLCS
To see the Rays kick th Sox ass!

Me too!

a very good ending...

although, I would have preferred Trainman’s “celebration scenario” over the actual celebration.

I would prefer a controversial balk call

to score a runner from third, where the umps then huddle, then uphold the balk call as correct.

Lots of milling and confusion, and Scioscia getting totally ballistic, because he cannot be thrown out, the game is over!!

Ah….dream on!

There's always next year! n/t
The look on Sciosca's face?

Priceless!

I'm off to FAILos Heaven to enjoy the bitterness!
Like Fernet Branca, unsweetened chocolate, and chicory all mixed up together

with a whole bunch of stupid.

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0dqA0E5dJ90W9/610x.jpg

REPEAT plz.

Crisp needs to be knocked the fuck out.

As long as Shields isn't thrown out/suspended.
There's a way around it.

PARKING LOT RUMBLE!

Again, which is funnier? Angels D or their baserunning?
Baserunning.

And Sulk-Rod, who will inevitably be an Angel next year.

K-Rod's gone. The Angels made that decision long ago, IMO

I wish they’d re-sign him and let Teixeira walk, but I’m more worried it’ll be the other way around. Hopefully they lose both and the Yanks get neither.

Watch for the Mets to make a big push for K-Rod

Wagner’s done, and the NY media blames the bullpen for the Mets’ collapse this year.

And who gets Tex?
Yankees.
And Giambi?
Somebody who needs power...prob in AL
I could see the Angels signing Giambi

if they lose Teixeira and/or if Vlad looks like he can play OF.

Next year should be very interesting.
I agree - that's where I expect K-Rod to land

I fear Tex will be bid for by the Angels and Yanks and I’m hoping some third team swoops in and nabs him.

Why do you say K-Rod is gone?
I think the Angels used his arm freely knowing

he would not be re-signed. I think they feel Shields and Arredondo can handle the 8th and 9th and they want to spend on hitting.

He didn't pitch that many more innings than guys like Dan Wheeler did.
His innings were just all in save situations.
They pitched him 4 days in a row, 5 out of 6...

I also just think they know their money is better spent elsewhere. Their bullpen is deep; their offense is not.

True. Let's just hope that.

K-Rod stays [and implodes] as an Angel.

They showcased both in the 9th
This is funnier

Lowrie is exactly the kind of guy I'm miffed the A's don't draft

He was a supplemental pick, meaning he was only available in the first round – but you would think he would be precisely the kind of player the A’s would be searching for as “first pick” material. I guess they tried with Pennington, and before him Crosby, but their scouts just haven’t had the touch in identifying shortstops with real plus potential.

just checked out the hh game thread, every comment is like 1-5 words, there is just nothing interesting being said.

http://www.halosheaven.com/2008/10/6/629829/game-thread-three

1-5 words

That probably is stretching the literacy of those poor souls.

They're probably posting from their iPhones
Or while going around in circles in little teacups
way to go with that walk off hit tonight

wait… oh Jedi Leroy not led Lowrie…n/m

Go RAYS!

and Phils

Why does Boston always get lucky?
uggggh

whhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhy!!!!!!!!!! i hate the red sox. Ugh. I hate them. I live in RI so I know I will be picked on greatly..as usual..about baseball tomorrow. whhhhhhhhhhhy! They do get lucky and I hate them for it. and I hate that I love 2 red sox players and they happen to be lester who has kicked ass and jed who won. Whhhhhhhy must i love them! it’s all those times I saw them with the pawsox. damn them. damn them all. GO RAYS :)
I hate the angels more then the red sox though..either way, this series SUCKED

And it's over!

Brought to you by the “silver lining” department.

I agree...I don't even live in R.I. but I still hate the Red Soxs more than the Angels.

Boston is the new Yankees and I hate all the bandwaggoners and that alone makes me hate the Soxs more than the Angels.

The Sox..they just kill me. the angels disappointed me tonight. I was really pulling for a game 5. I know RI has always been a red sox nation..that’s New England for ya BUT they have just as many bandwagon fans as the Yankees. Just as many.RI was always a bigger football state..now recently Red Sox are increasing. Easy to pick out the fake fans. They are the people who only know who Big Papi and “Pap” are. Yet I had a guy question ME about the A’s “oh yeah, prove you are an A’s fan, name 10 players” I was like dude I’ll name you the whole damn roster…but then you name the Sox whole team. Oooooone of us knew the whole team. Guess who?! Lol

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