Baseball on Television

edoug

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I missed something, and I wasn't a baseball fan then. Was Schiraldi injured? Was he a replacement for someone injured worse?
He pitched 2 innings in Gm. 4 and it was a day game after a night game. That's my guess. Plus he was wasn't very effective.
 

InsideTheParker

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He pitched 2 innings in Gm. 4 and it was a day game after a night game. That's my guess. Plus he was wasn't very effective.
They later said he had blown the save the previous game. But I guess he made up for it with this one. An enjoyable game for me to watch, that I had never seen in its entirety before.
 

edoug

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They later said he had blown the save the previous game. But I guess he made up for it with this one. An enjoyable game for me to watch, that I had never seen in its entirety before.
The entire post season was so incredible. A lot of emotion. Maybe too much emotion.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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They later said he had blown the save the previous game. But I guess he made up for it with this one. An enjoyable game for me to watch, that I had never seen in its entirety before.
The scariest thing about that 1986 team was the bullpen. Schiraldi was their best reliever that October and that isn't saying much. He was at best a mediocre pitcher (albeit with a live fastball) that had far and away his best season in 1986. He was called up in August and they caught lightning in a bottle with him, bailing out an otherwise aging bullpen of re-treads and never wases. Stanley was the closer prior to Schiraldi and he was a junkballer more or less past his expiration at that point. Steve Crawford in the 9th inning that day was the equivalent of Curtis Leskanic in the 11th of Game 4...series ending runner on 3rd and the least likely and least desired reliever on the mound.

Fortunately, it was still a time where everyone's top 3-4 starters all typically threw 120+ pitches per game and pitched into the 7th and 8th inning regularly. So having Clemens and Hurst (and Boyd to an extent) carried them pretty damn far that season.
 

lexrageorge

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The Sox bullpen was indeed awful in 1986. Stanley was never the same after being used in relief for 419 combined innings in 1982-84. The description of Steve Crawford above was spot on.

I recall being excited when the Sox acquired Sammy Stewart, as he always seemed to pitch well against Boston when he was with the Orioles. But Stewart was battling severe inner demons, and after a strong start in April and May, he had completely lost the ability to find the strike zone in August and September and was left off the playoff roster.

Joe Sambito was good as a lefty specialist, but was mediocre against right handed batters, and faded as the season went on. In his only high leverage appearance that postseason, Sambito gave up a key hit to the immortal Rob Wilfong in the bottom of the 9th in the ALCS, allowing the Angels to tie the score and send the game into extra innings.

Calvin Schiraldi was one of the Mets top pitching prospects, coming over in the trade for Bobby Ojeda. He was the Mets first round pick in the 1983, one of 3 first rounders the Mets had that draft. The other two players were Eddie Williams and Stan Jefferson, which just goes to show how much of a crap shoot the draft was in those days (and still is). He obviously gets criticized for his post-season performance, but his contributions to the bullpen were quite critical. Most of his 25 appearances and 51 innings were high leverage situations, and projecting his numbers over a 162 game season would work out to 138 innings in 68 appearances. It's likely he was burned out by McNamara's overuse by the time October rolled around.

1986 was in the middle of the transition between eras when bullpens went from being considered an afterthought to a key component of a winning team. The Mets had a very deep bullpen with Orosco, McDowell, and Doug Sisk, but they were more the exception than the rule at the time. Most teams still had a "closer" and a bunch of middle relievers that were basically used in "break glass" mode.
 

LoweTek

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I still haven't watched it. I left the house after Matsui, and every time ESPN feels like tormenting us by showing the "Boonie," I flee the room.
P.S., your boss was wonderful to say that.
I shut off the TV after Matsui. I was unsurprised the following day. I did however, take great pleasure in the Marlins win.
 

joe dokes

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Isringhausen escapes bases loaded none out in the 8th to keep it 3-0 Sox.
Is this where the Cards turn the tables?
 

InsideTheParker

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Mother’s Day Miracle game on MLBN now. Beckett struggling in the first.
Orsillo and Remy: a sound for sore ears.
Thanks for the alert. How did the Sox ever win the WS with these pitchers? And, if I recall correctly, the "miracle" was the result of the Baltimore Orioles removing a very effective pitcher for their bullpen. Edit: also, Balt. errors.
 
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SemperFidelisSox

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It’s “Brawl Week” on NESN this week. All the Red Sox classic brawl games, starting at 6pm every night. Pedro and Zimmer, Gerald Williams, Coco Crisp charging Shields, Ortiz charging Kevin Gregg.
 

Mugsy's Jock

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It’s “Brawl Week” on NESN this week. All the Red Sox classic brawl games, starting at 6pm every night. Pedro and Zimmer, Gerald Williams, Coco Crisp charging Shields, Ortiz charging Kevin Gregg.
I know there’s a lot of criticism of NESN programming strategy, but I sign off on this as a genius idea.
 

Al Zarilla

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Thanks for the alert. How did the Sox ever win the WS with these pitchers? And, if I recall correctly, the "miracle" was the result of the Baltimore Orioles removing a very effective pitcher for their bullpen. Edit: also, Balt. errors.
I turned it off in the top of the first to resume later. Beckett didn't have much that day but you could immediately recall his great form. 7-0 going into that game. Odd year of course.
 

Rough Carrigan

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I think they've done a great job during this sports shutdown.
MLB network has been absolutely terrible, by contrast. This morning they showed some non-descript game from 1994 because Tony Gwynn got 6 hits in it. Who the fuck cares?! My god. With all their catalog that's the best they can do?

And ESPN classic has shown some excellent games (along with some crappy games) but shown them over and over. Enough with game 6 of the 1986 NLCS. Enough with game 5 of the 1982 ALCS.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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MLB network has been absolutely terrible, by contrast. This morning they showed some non-descript game from 1994 because Tony Gwynn got 6 hits in it. Who the fuck cares?! My god. With all their catalog that's the best they can do?
Yesterday would have been Tony Gwynn's 60th birthday, so MLB Network dedicated a day's worth of programming to him (and their day seems to run from 10am to 10am).

My big complaint with MLB Network is that they keep doing these theme days, which is fine, but they seem to insist of stretching them into 18-24 hour blocks when sometimes 6 hours will do. They will repeat things twice or even three times in a 24-hour stretch to fill air time. That Gwynn 6-hit game was shown yesterday afternoon too. My guess without looking is that it was preceded during their overnight hours by other games they showed during the day yesterday.

I don't need Game 6 of the 1975 World Series shown at 2pm, then at 10pm, then at 6am the next morning, but that's what MLB Network seems to think I want.
 

Al Zarilla

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MLB network has been absolutely terrible, by contrast. This morning they showed some non-descript game from 1994 because Tony Gwynn got 6 hits in it. Who the fuck cares?! My god. With all their catalog that's the best they can do?

And ESPN classic has shown some excellent games (along with some crappy games) but shown them over and over. Enough with game 6 of the 1986 NLCS. Enough with game 5 of the 1982 ALCS.
Somebody have a case of the grumpies? Fans from 29 teams would add enough of the 2004 ALCS, which is always shown. Not me though. As for the Gwynn game, I think he was popular all around baseball and they’ll err on the side of showing a big game by him.

The Mother’s Day Miracle was totally enabled by a one out muff by the catcher of a cupcake popup by Coco about 30 feet from home plate. I think 2 out nobody on down 5 and any team just about gives up, even the 07 Red Sox.
 

SemperFidelisSox

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David Ortiz’ 500th homerun game is on MLB Network tomorrow at 9am. Also, MLB Extra Innings is free until baseball resumes and they show classic games on a bunch of their channels all day.
 

Earthbound64

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Also, MLB Extra Innings is free until baseball resumes and they show classic games on a bunch of their channels all day.
Tried adding a subscription to it online, and it gave an error message saying to contact customer support (Comcast).
Contacted Customer support and talked to multiple departments and they weren't seeing any way to add it.
 

SemperFidelisSox

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Maybe it’s just for Verizon Fios customers. I’m getting MLB, NHL and NBA channels all free and have been since the shutdown.
 
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staz

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The cradle of the game.
D-Lowe is pitching to a young Yadier Molina in 04WS Game 4. That dude's been catching for a looong time.

(But eff him for jawing at Manny earlier in the Series)
 

richgedman'sghost

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MLB network has been absolutely terrible, by contrast. This morning they showed some non-descript game from 1994 because Tony Gwynn got 6 hits in it. Who the fuck cares?! My god. With all their catalog that's the best they can do?

And ESPN classic has shown some excellent games (along with some crappy games) but shown them over and over. Enough with game 6 of the 1986 NLCS. Enough with game 5 of the 1982 ALCS.
Guess you did not realize it would have been Tony Gwynn's 60th birthday and they were dedicating the day to him. You do realize that the rest of baseball fans do not need to see Sox Yanks 24/7/365. I don't understand your grumbling.
On a different point, I did not realize that ESPN Classic still existed. I thought ESPN did away with that channel a couple of years ago.
@roughcarrigan
 

Rough Carrigan

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Guess you did not realize it would have been Tony Gwynn's 60th birthday and they were dedicating the day to him. You do realize that the rest of baseball fans do not need to see Sox Yanks 24/7/365. I don't understand your grumbling.
On a different point, I did not realize that ESPN Classic still existed. I thought ESPN did away with that channel a couple of years ago.
@roughcarrigan
I didn't write a single word asking for more Red Sox yankees. You inserted that. Your mind reading powers are severely lacking.
 

Rough Carrigan

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Somebody have a case of the grumpies? Fans from 29 teams would add enough of the 2004 ALCS, which is always shown. Not me though. As for the Gwynn game, I think he was popular all around baseball and they’ll err on the side of showing a big game by him.

The Mother’s Day Miracle was totally enabled by a one out muff by the catcher of a cupcake popup by Coco about 30 feet from home plate. I think 2 out nobody on down 5 and any team just about gives up, even the 07 Red Sox.
As with the other poster who arbitrarily assumed I'm asking for more Sox vs. Yanks. No. I'm not and I did not. They've got hundreds of fascinating games that they could show us. Instead they show us dumb oddity shit. Hey, here's a game where a non-descript guy threw a perfect game. So what? There are so many great playoff games they're not showing us it's sad.
 

Al Zarilla

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As with the other poster who arbitrarily assumed I'm asking for more Sox vs. Yanks. No. I'm not and I did not. They've got hundreds of fascinating games that they could show us. Instead they show us dumb oddity shit. Hey, here's a game where a non-descript guy threw a perfect game. So what? There are so many great playoff games they're not showing us it's sad.
You’d think they’ve (MLBN) got the time right now to have fan polls re games to show. I’m just Red Sox unless maybe a Ken Griffey beats the Yankees game with the big Unit on the mound.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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NESN beginning brawl week with 2003 ALCS Game 3. Truly baffling moment so far is that the game is clearly condensed for time considerations (it's scheduled for 2 hours), but they left in an entire "check in on the NFL" segment from the Fox telecast. I don't know if it's NESN that edits things or they buy the footage pre-edited, but it strikes me as dumb either way.

Oh, and now we've skipped the bottom of the 3rd entirely (nothing happened anyway) but have left in a 17 year old ad read by Joe Buck. Head scratching stuff.
 

InsideTheParker

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Actually, it's so clear that Ramirez was over-reacting. And I know all the explanations, but I don't like seeing Pedro throw an old man to the ground. This is not exactly a high spot for the Red Sox.
 

SemperFidelisSox

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It was not Pedro’s finest moment. He was clearly frustrated the Yankees were knocking him around and was intentionally throwing at Karim Garcia’s head. Even as a Sox fan, I can admit Pedro was careless and started that whole fiasco.
 

edoug

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It was not Pedro’s finest moment. He was clearly frustrated the Yankees were knocking him around and was intentionally throwing at Karim Garcia’s head. Even as a Sox fan, I can admit Pedro was careless and started that whole fiasco.
Pedro was having second thoughts and asked Zimmer if this should be happening. Zimmer said "No No No". Pedro thought he said "Go Go Go"
 

Sir Lancelotti

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Based on the fact that about 4 different Rays jumped all over him in the scrum, i'm guessing Daubach hit someone with a cheap shot at the bottom of the pile.

And my lord the 2000 Devil Rays. What a horrendous product. The uniforms, the stadium, the fans, the lineup. Dave Eiland topping out at 84MPH on his fastball in the 1st inning pretty much encapsulates everything perfectly. Just a dreadful package all around.
 

gixer1k

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Tonight ESPN is showing Game 4 of the 2001 WS between the Diamondbacks and the Yankees.

My second favorite baseball memory behind 2004.

I was on the second AWACS into the Saudi Arabian peninsula after 9/11. One of my best buddies deployed with me and he was from Phoenix, AZ. I had a great time watching the Series with him that year in the TV tent. There were so many bandwagon NYY fans over there with us. It was awesome that final game.

3 Years later was even better.
 

SemperFidelisSox

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Are you watching Game 5 of the ‘07 ALCS too? Beckett was on another level that postseason. Because of the way it ended here for him, it feels like fans just forgot about that postseason and this series, but his Game 5 performance was on the level of anything Clemens or Pedro ever did. Down 3-1, on the road, and he dominated.
 

Ale Xander

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Man how were they down 3-1 to the Indians?

They had speed, power, hit for average, patience, defense, pitching.