How Deep Into October Do the Sox Have to Go For You to Consider '18 to Have Been a Success?

How Deep Into October Do the Sox Have to Go For You to Consider '18 to Have Been a Success?


  • Total voters
    340

BaseballJones

ivanvamp
SoSH Member
Oct 1, 2015
24,375
Beating the Yankees will be extremely difficult because they’re a really really good team. Being eliminated by a 100-win team is nothing to be ashamed of.

But because it’s the Yankees, anything less than advancing to the ALCS would, at this point, be a disaster.
 

TheYaz67

Member
SoSH Member
May 21, 2004
4,712
Justia Omnibus
Beating the Yankees will be extremely difficult because they’re a really really good team. Being eliminated by a 100-win team is nothing to be ashamed of.

But because it’s the Yankees, anything less than advancing to the ALCS would, at this point, be a disaster.
Yup, would agree that has changed the equation for me also - gotta win the ALDS now or the season will leave a bad taste in the mouth - you win 108 games and indeed that is going to raise expectations, albeit I won't say not winning the WS is a failure - its a total crap shoot getting through the loaded AL field this year for any of the 4 very good teams left....
 

Wake49

Member
SoSH Member
Sep 11, 2016
507
I’ve always felt that whoever wins the AL pennant will win the World Series. I just don’t see any NL team who can compete. A pennant would be sweet, losing to the MFY in the division series would be a colossal disappointment, for several reasons.
 

8slim

has trust issues
SoSH Member
Nov 6, 2001
24,829
Unreal America
Beating the Yankees will be extremely difficult because they’re a really really good team. Being eliminated by a 100-win team is nothing to be ashamed of.

But because it’s the Yankees, anything less than advancing to the ALCS would, at this point, be a disaster.
This is it. The season has been a joy. However, getting knocked out by the MFY will taint it in a way that won't ever shake off.
 

Muppet

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 25, 2012
425
Drunk
I started the season expecting a Wild Card game as a best case scenario, so I’m happy with whatever happens.

Life’s good, we’re playing playoff baseball and Mookie Betts is on my team.
 

simplyeric

Member
SoSH Member
Feb 14, 2006
14,037
Richmond, VA
Yankees delenda est. This is the alpha. Duck Boats are the omega. I don’t know what’s right before omega, but that’s what I’m needing: competitive WS.

I’m wicked spoiled, by the way. Entitlement!
 

Papelbon's Poutine

Homeland Security
SoSH Member
Dec 4, 2005
19,615
Portsmouth, NH
I'm really not seeing any unfinished business. I'd be fine with the Red Sox winning a World Series by beating the Royals, the Angels, and the D-Backs.

The Red Sox and the Yankees are good major market teams that spend a shit load of money. They are going to meet in the playoffs from time to time. It's not really that avoidable. So, all that will take care of itself in the future. The only way that the Yankees and Red Sox can play this year is if the Yankees beat the As and I cannot imagine a world where in any sense I was rooting for those repulsive hairless jerks to win against anyone when there is a YED on the line. I hope they lose in excruciating fashion in front of their home fans in that gimmick of a ballpark.
It's Dave Roberts.
I liked when he cried about Ortiz and Manny using steroids when his team had ARod, Giambi and Sheffield on it and had previously rode Pettite and Clemens to a ring. Thing is, it's hard for Yankee fans to see us no longer have an inferiority complex and be obsessed with them. It's like someone that breaks up with a their significant ten times and then gets pissed when they stop calling to beg him back. Get over it. You're just another team to a lot of us now.

Also, that homer? It was in 2007 against the Angels. You lost to the Indians in the ALDS. At home. Not sure why it pisses you off, but in case you forgot it, here ya go:

 

dirtynine

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 17, 2002
8,394
Philly
Title. Record, payroll, recent titles all mean the bar is set as high as possible.

I'll never take a World Series title for granted. But I wish there was something else they could win, quite frankly. Can we get a Champions League with Mexico and Japan going?
 

sean1562

Member
SoSH Member
Sep 17, 2011
3,620
If they lose in the ALDS the season will have been a crushing disappointment, more so than last season. If they lose in the ALCS, I will be upset but I will feel like we put together a solid run. Losing to the Yanks in the ALDS will kind of ruin the season for me
 

Humphrey

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 3, 2010
3,163
If they lose in the ALDS the season will have been a crushing disappointment, more so than last season. If they lose in the ALCS, I will be upset but I will feel like we put together a solid run. Losing to the Yanks in the ALDS will kind of ruin the season for me
...especially when you put a 30 million player out there who seems to have no clue how to beat them.
 

Noseminer

New Member
Jun 17, 2018
77
Losing to the Yanks in the ALDS will kind of ruin the season for me
"Kind of". Not for me. It will totally destroy this season for me. Losing to the MFYs would be so bad it will suck on a whole new level of suckiness and almost challenge the 2007 SB loss as one of the all-time suckiest of sucky things that sucked.
 

lapa

New Member
Apr 20, 2018
544
I don’t understand how it stands 1-1 with runs 7-10 against a ‘vastly inferior divisional opponent’ but I sure hope we can somehow remember that ‘fact’ and force a game 5 Sale opportunity
 

Philip Jeff Frye

Member
SoSH Member
Oct 23, 2001
10,229
I don’t understand how it stands 1-1 with runs 7-10 against a ‘vastly inferior divisional opponent’ but I sure hope we can somehow remember that ‘fact’ and force a game 5 Sale opportunity
The hell with that, let's just win the next two.
 

TheoShmeo

Skrub's sympathy case
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 19, 2005
12,890
Boston, NY
If they lose in the ALDS the season will have been a crushing disappointment, more so than last season. If they lose in the ALCS, I will be upset but I will feel like we put together a solid run. Losing to the Yanks in the ALDS will kind of ruin the season for me
Same. For me, the round is irrelevant. For me, losing to that team, and giving joy to its arrogant, entitled and jerky fan base would immediately, permanently and completely become the dominant memory. The amount of games the Sox won before that would be rendered a footnote. For me, the storyline of 18-1 season was not losing perfection. It was losing to a NY team and making its hateful fans happy. And it’s exponentially worse in the case of the Yankees.

So by process of elimination, this season is a failure to me if they don’t make the ALCS. Had the Sox played a different team in the ALDS, I’m not exactly sure how I would answer, but I would have put a lot more weight on the glorious regular season before concluding.
 

Adrian's Dome

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 6, 2010
4,424
I don’t understand how it stands 1-1 with runs 7-10 against a ‘vastly inferior divisional opponent’ but I sure hope we can somehow remember that ‘fact’ and force a game 5 Sale opportunity
Because David Price sucked. It's not that difficult of a concept to imagine.

What I don't understand is how you rationalize two games as if it's some kind of meaningful sample size over, you know, the 162 others. Well, that's a lie, I do understand how you do it: because you don't understand baseball at all.

Lastly: this series is not over. Shocker to the lot of you whiners, I know, but it's only Game 3.
 
Last edited:

BaseballJones

ivanvamp
SoSH Member
Oct 1, 2015
24,375
Because David Price sucked. It's not that difficult of a concept to imagine.

What I don't understand is how you rationalize two games as if it's some kind of meaningful sample size over, you know, the 162 others. Well, that's a lie, I do understand how you do it: because you don't understand baseball at all.

Lastly: this series is not over. Shocker to the lot of you whiners, I know, but it's only Game 3.
Any chance you can do some statistical projections over how the rest of the series should go?

;-)
 

Adrian's Dome

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 6, 2010
4,424
Any chance you can do some statistical projections over how the rest of the series should go?

;-)
Sure.

100% odds of happening: Games 3 and 4 will be played.

100% odds of happening: People here will moan and cry with defeatist attitudes regardless of what happens.

100% odds of happening: I will drink beer.

It's baseball. The Sox could start their A+ lineup and lose a 5-game series to the Royals. Winning the World Series is hard. If they lose, enjoy the ride. Shit happens. There'll always be next year.
 

uncannymanny

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 12, 2007
9,079
Sure.

100% odds of happening: Games 3 and 4 will be played.

100% odds of happening: People here will moan and cry with defeatist attitudes regardless of what happens.

100% odds of happening: I will drink beer.

It's baseball. The Sox could start their A+ lineup and lose a 5-game series to the Royals. Winning the World Series is hard. If they lose, enjoy the ride. Shit happens. There'll always be next year.
Now those are some accurate projections.
 

rmurph3

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 28, 2003
1,196
Westwood, MA
I mostly agree that I'll be very disappointed if the Sox don't win 2 of next 3.

Having watched the Astros just lay waste to the Indians, though, I don't think I'm going to be able to muster much disappointment if the Sox lose to them next. The Astros are just a beast.
 

Adrian's Dome

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 6, 2010
4,424
I don’t understand how it stands 1-1 with runs 7-10 against a ‘vastly inferior divisional opponent’ but I sure hope we can somehow remember that ‘fact’ and force a game 5 Sale opportunity
Is this where I come in and overreact to a one-game sample?

Anyone?
 

uncannymanny

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 12, 2007
9,079
Can you honestly tell me they’re not the best team ever after watching that game tonight? Can you?!
 

JimD

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 29, 2001
8,681
After last night, the Sox have to finish this and win this series now. There's no way they can put a beatdown like that on the Yankees in the Bronx, give themselves two chances to win one game and advance and then not seal the deal. They have to do this.
 

BigSoxFan

Member
SoSH Member
May 31, 2007
47,090
After last night, the Sox have to finish this and win this series now. There's no way they can put a beatdown like that on the Yankees in the Bronx, give themselves two chances to win one game and advance and then not seal the deal. They have to do this.
Yup. Up 2-1 with a worst case scenario of Sale at home. Would be very disappointing not to finish this off. Tonight is key. Win tonight and you have the benefit of 1) driving the stake through Dracula's heart in his home and 2) setting yourself up for the best possible chance of beating Houston by setting up a 1/4/7 with Sale.
 

joe dokes

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 18, 2005
30,238
Yup. Up 2-1 with a worst case scenario of Sale at home. Would be very disappointing not to finish this off. Tonight is key. Win tonight and you have the benefit of 1) driving the stake through Dracula's heart in his home and 2) setting yourself up for the best possible chance of beating Houston by setting up a 1/4/7 with Sale.
Sale has started on 3 days rest once in his career, in 2012. It is really unlikely that 1/4/7 would be a plan. 1/5/available for relief in 7 with 2 days' rest is possible.
 

dhappy42

Straw Man
Oct 27, 2013
15,725
Michigan
Answering the topic question: one more win, preferably tonight.

Last night’s MFY smackdown made this season a success for me, assuming they take the series.

If they’d won the series without humiliating the Yankees I’d have higher expectations vs. the Astros. Now, even if they don’t get past the Astros, I’ll still be satisfied. MFY misery will balm whatever sorrow if the Sox don’t make it to the WS.
 

sean1562

Member
SoSH Member
Sep 17, 2011
3,620
i really want to win the world series but the season will not be ruined for me if they lose to the Astros. Beating the Yanks is a huge weight off my mind
 

OurF'ingCity

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 22, 2016
8,469
New York City
In a weird position where if the Red Sox lose the ALCS it won’t feel that disappointing, but if they win the ALCS and lose the World Series it will feel disappointing.
 

lapa

New Member
Apr 20, 2018
544
Because David Price sucked. It's not that difficult of a concept to imagine.

What I don't understand is how you rationalize two games as if it's some kind of meaningful sample size over, you know, the 162 others. Well, that's a lie, I do understand how you do it: because you don't understand baseball at all.

Lastly: this series is not over. Shocker to the lot of you whiners, I know, but it's only Game 3.
I think my point might have gone right over your head
I was just joshing at you for saying the Yankees were a vastly inferior divisional opponent which they of course weren’t really.
But inferior they certainly were so we can all enjoy that. The fact that you inferred that I was using 2 games in any non trivial banter way says nothing about my baseball knowledge (which I’ve not claimed to be any specific calibrated or accredited level) but only about your desire to be snarky in response to what I thought was banter which you perhaps interpreted as snark
Let’s leave it at that
 

uk_sox_fan

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 11, 2006
1,273
London, England
Interestingly, Fangraphs has the Astros as 53.5/46.7% favorites over the Red Sox despite HFA. That is almost the same edge they projected for the MFY.
And after having the Brewers as 48.4/51.6 underdogs to the Rockies despite HFA and seeing said Brewers sweep said Rockies they now have Milwaukee as 28.7/71.3 underdogs to the Dodgers (despite HFA).

Here's to hoping HFA is being severely underweighted this year.
 

Eagle3

Member
SoSH Member
Feb 26, 2004
574
i really want to win the world series but the season will not be ruined for me if they lose to the Astros. Beating the Yanks is a huge weight off my mind
This is where I'm at as well. Beating the MFYs gives me a minimum of 8 months where I can torture several obnoxious fans of theirs, and saves me from vice versa. I definitely think we can beat the Astros and whoever wins the NL, but losing is minimal stress. I dont know a single Astros fan. The only repercussions as far as trash talk would be a few MFY fans grasping at straws.
 

BaseballJones

ivanvamp
SoSH Member
Oct 1, 2015
24,375
This season is officially a tremendous success, IMO. Of course I want more, but losing to a great Astros team that I actually like wouldn't kill me. The way they took out the Yankees was just so so so so so sweet.
 

JimD

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 29, 2001
8,681
In a weird position where if the Red Sox lose the ALCS it won’t feel that disappointing, but if they win the ALCS and lose the World Series it will feel disappointing.
This is where I am, although if they hand Kimbrel another lead in a decisive game and he blows it this time and the Sox go on to lose the ALCS, it will definitely take some time to get over the loss.
 

dhappy42

Straw Man
Oct 27, 2013
15,725
Michigan
This season is officially a tremendous success, IMO. Of course I want more, but losing to a great Astros team that I actually like wouldn't kill me. The way they took out the Yankees was just so so so so so sweet.
Beating the Yankees, especially with the blowout and yesterday’s 9th-inning tease, was like winning the World Series for me. The rest is gravy.