Celebrating What Is, Red Sox Variety

DennyDoyle'sBoil

Found no thrill on Blueberry Hill
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Sep 9, 2008
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The Sox only fielded 44 total players in 2018. Would only make sense that all of them got a full share if a total of 66 people got them.
That number seems surprisingly low to me, given some of the injuries. I guess by and large they really did have a core. Only 20 players ended up with PAs for the Sox this year if you don't count pitchers hitting in NL parks. (And a 21st player -- Renda -- entered a game as a position player but did not hit.)

I was wondering how that compared to prior championship years. In 2014, 31 players got PAs and 55 played total. In 2007, 20 players got PAs and 40 played total. And in 2004, 25 players got PAs and 50 played total.

Nothing really to see in any of those numbers. Just interesting.
 

Al Zarilla

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Some company called Boastmates has a commercial about your team is a loser, but, don’t worry, lots of teams have come back from 3 straight losses: the 2004 Red Sox, Ebenezer Scrooge...I think that was it. I don’t know what their product is though. :confused:
 

Savin Hillbilly

loves the secret sauce
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Jul 10, 2007
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The wrong side of the bridge....
I was wondering how that compared to prior championship years. In 2014, 31 players got PAs and 55 played total. In 2007, 20 players got PAs and 40 played total. And in 2004, 25 players got PAs and 50 played total.
I'm assuming you mean 2013, but if so, I can only find a record of 28 players with PAs -- I'm wondering who the other three might be.
 

Al Zarilla

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I have a decent baseball card collection, some of which I'm selling off on eBay (keeping all the Ted Williams, Yaz and a few other Red Sox stars and sentimental favorites). It dawns on you as you look at these cards that Williams, Dom DiMaggio, Doerr, Pesky, Fisk, Cronin, Foxx, Rico, Nomar, Jensen, Evans, Rice, Lynn, Tiant, you know all the rest, never won a title and this century's teams have won four. Mind blowing.
 

Al Zarilla

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There is a Dennis Eckersley special on MLBN on Thursday night, 5-6 Pacific (I imagine 8-9 Eastern). “Eck: A Story of Saving”. Curious to see what the title means. I put it on the former Red Sox thread also.
 

Mike F

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There is a Dennis Eckersley special on MLBN on Thursday night, 5-6 Pacific (I imagine 8-9 Eastern). “Eck: A Story of Saving”. Curious to see what the title means. I put it on the former Red Sox thread also.
Basically about Eck's battle with "oiling" and overcoming it.
 

Al Zarilla

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Sale got the most interview time unless it was Cora. Man, is he rail-thin. I hadn’t seen Dave Dombrowski lower himself into the old fashioned freezer half filled with water and ice in the after game 5 celebration. He must have a lot of faith in his heart holding up to that. Strong from watching his Tigers bullpens maybe. This one reminded me of the ‘04 World Series film, partially because of the background music?
 

Sam Ray Not

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538 calls the 2018 Sox the Best Team in Any Sport.

As we noted after the Red Sox won the World Series in October, Boston’s championship squad belongs squarely in the conversation about the best teams in baseball history. They won 108 regular-season games, then stormed through the playoffs with an 11-3 record against a pair of 100-win American League opponents and a 92-win Dodgers team in the Fall Classic. The Red Sox’s year-end Elo rating of 1610 was easily the highest achieved by any baseball team this millennium, coming in 12 points ahead of the No. 2 team, this year’s Houston Astros — who Boston just happened to defeat in the ALCS. (Yes, it was a banner year for dominant baseball teams in 2018.)
 

Al Zarilla

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538 calls the 2018 Sox the Best Team in Any Sport.

As we noted after the Red Sox won the World Series in October, Boston’s championship squad belongs squarely in the conversation about the best teams in baseball history. They won 108 regular-season games, then stormed through the playoffs with an 11-3 record against a pair of 100-win American League opponents and a 92-win Dodgers team in the Fall Classic. The Red Sox’s year-end Elo rating of 1610 was easily the highest achieved by any baseball team this millennium, coming in 12 points ahead of the No. 2 team, this year’s Houston Astros — who Boston just happened to defeat in the ALCS. (Yes, it was a banner year for dominant baseball teams in 2018.)
Franklin the Eagles.
 

Al Zarilla

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The FS1 World Series film that came out Dec. 11, just relooked at it, and it has a great beginning. Cora talked about when he came in for an interview last November, went into the manager’s office and saw a bunch of pictures of ex-Red Sox managers staring at him from the wall. He said, “no, we’re not gonna do that.” So, instead, he put up on the wall after every win a picture of a key player in a key moment. Ended up with 119 of them. Can you imagine sitting there making out a lineup and having Pinky Higgins, Bobby V, John McNamara, Grady Little and the rest staring down at you? Celebrate that we got this guy for manager.
 

Norm Siebern

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The FS1 World Series film that came out Dec. 11, just relooked at it, and it has a great beginning. Cora talked about when he came in for an interview last November, went into the manager’s office and saw a bunch of pictures of ex-Red Sox managers staring at him from the wall. He said, “no, we’re not gonna do that.” So, instead, he put up on the wall after every win a picture of a key player in a key moment. Ended up with 119 of them. Can you imagine sitting there making out a lineup and having Pinky Higgins, Bobby V, John McNamara, Grady Little and the rest staring down at you? Celebrate that we got this guy for manager.
The only wall Pinky Higgins' picture should be staring out from is the FBI wanted list wall, the racist bastard. Al Zarilla is a thousand percent right. We hit the right manager in Cora. Long may he reign.

(And yes I know that being a racist manager is not a crime that gets you wanted by the FBI and that Pinky Higgins was just one of many racists employed by the Red Sox through the years, I just hate the bastard and what he represents.)
 

Wallball Tingle

union soap
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Jul 16, 2005
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Normally seeing a Yankees cap (living in Seattle area) raises my hackles, but every time I see one this offseason, I smile.
 

aminahyaquin

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The FS1 World Series film that came out Dec. 11, just relooked at it, and it has a great beginning. Cora talked about when he came in for an interview last November, went into the manager’s office and saw a bunch of pictures of ex-Red Sox managers staring at him from the wall. He said, “no, we’re not gonna do that.” So, instead, he put up on the wall after every win a picture of a key player in a key moment. Ended up with 119 of them. Can you imagine sitting there making out a lineup and having Pinky Higgins, Bobby V, John McNamara, Grady Little and the rest staring down at you? Celebrate that we got this guy for manager.
Can I hear an AMEN? !!! Yes! There is an art as well as a science to team-building> IMO it is very important to include David Ortiz (multi-year. multi-championships) contribution as a stellar team-builder in assessing the way Red Sox talent became shared vision and a heartfelt joy in playing the game became remarkable sports moments of shining FOR the team and fans ( the kind of achievements which Cora celebrates on his wall) ...and ultimately the drive and guts to win
 

BostonWolverine

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Dec 6, 2017
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Ann Arbor, MI
2004? 2013 and 2018 only had one player in common (from the active roster) and only one coach, too, if I'm not mistaken.
Maybe this isn't the place for this observation, but I'm always struck by how many members of the 2013 team are either totally out of baseball or just hanging on. It was only five years ago!
To follow up on the '13 team. I think that's a symptom of the strategy used to build the team. That team was supposed to bridge the gap to our youth and consisted of veterans that could be had on short years. 5 years for a team in their 30's is a lot.
 

Plympton91

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Oct 19, 2008
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There is a Dennis Eckersley special on MLBN on Thursday night, 5-6 Pacific (I imagine 8-9 Eastern). “Eck: A Story of Saving”. Curious to see what the title means. I put it on the former Red Sox thread also.
I caught a replay of this last night and it was really good. Had a bunch of stuff I didn’t know about at all, like the fact that his first wife divorced him to marry Rick Manning while they were teammates, and yet, he decided to remain friends with Manning because he felt it was important for his daughter to see her “two dads” getting along together.

The piece is obviously meant to make you feel good about him, and it did a really good job of it. I came away liking Eck even more than I did already.

I recommend catching it if you can.
 

Al Zarilla

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I caught a replay of this last night and it was really good. Had a bunch of stuff I didn’t know about at all, like the fact that his first wife divorced him to marry Rick Manning while they were teammates, and yet, he decided to remain friends with Manning because he felt it was important for his daughter to see her “two dads” getting along together.

The piece is obviously meant to make you feel good about him, and it did a really good job of it. I came away liking Eck even more than I did already.

I recommend catching it if you can.
I watched it first time it aired. I've always been a fan of his, wouldn't miss it for the world. My oldest son even looks a lot like him when he lets his hair and stache grow, which is neither here nor there!
 

BaseballJones

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Maybe for a different thread. But starting in 2001, thinking about the four major franchises and their championship seasons...there's been a ton of success. After the Celtics' run in the 80s, there was a major lull of championships, but then starting with the 2001 Pats, it picked up again. I'm thinking about ranking those championship teams across all four major sports. Feel free to rank them according to your own criteria (maybe how good they were, how they made you FEEL, likability, whatever).

Patriots: 2001, 2003, 2004, 2014, 2016
Red Sox: 2004, 2007, 2013, 2018
Celtics: 2007-08
Bruins: 2010-11

That's 11 championships, basically the modern era (the golden era) of Boston sports.

My ranking:
1. 2004 Red Sox - I love the Pats but the Sox are still king in my book and to see them end the curse was everything I imagined it would be and so much more.
2. 2001 Patriots - This team started it all after the drought and made me believe the Red Sox could win it all.
3. 2016 Patriots - Greatest comeback in a Super Bowl, following Brady's suspension, it was so sweet.
4. 2018 Red Sox - Absolutely dominant team in every way, such a pleasure to watch one of the best teams ever to play the game. Crushing the Yankees along the way.
5. 2003 Patriots - Established the franchise as a dynasty.
6. 2013 Red Sox - Out of nowhere, such a fun fun team to root for.
7. 2014 Patriots - Beating Seattle, following the Deflategate nonsense. Butler's INT. Amazing and so fun to see them win after basically a decade of excellence without a title.
8. 2007-08 Celtics - Ended their own two-decade long title drought with a dominant team.
9. 2004 Patriots - True dynasty in every way following that win - it seemed like Brady would never lose.
10. 2010-11 Bruins - Got me back into hockey with an incredible season and postseason run.
11. 2007 Red Sox - Josh Beckett was the man that year and it was so great to see another title soon after the 2004 season.

Top 5 *best* teams:
1. 2018 Red Sox - One of the very best teams ever to play the sport.
2. 2016 Patriots - #3 offense, #1 defense, greatest comeback ever in SB
3. 2004 Patriots - Third win in four years, huge winning streak. 14-2. #4 offense, #2 defense.
4. 2004 Red Sox - Absolutely loaded.
5. 2007-08 Celtics - 66 win team blew through the playoffs, crushing the Lakers in six.

Top 5 *most surprising* teams:
1. 2001 Patriots - Completely out of nowhere.
2. 2013 Red Sox - Magical season that nobody really expected.
3. 2004 Red Sox - Not because they weren't expected to be great, but come on - the Sox NEVER win it ALL!
4. 2010-11 Bruins - Just seemed like tons of playoff failure...team finally came together; Thomas' incredible run throughout the playoffs.
5. 2018 Red Sox - Knew they'd be good but not THAT good.
 
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section15

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I go back further, obviously, being the old geezer that I am - I agree with the list above but would also add a couple of Celtics teams - particularly 1985-86, which rank as one of the greatest teams; also some in the mid-60s, and the 1968 and 1969 teams, although not the best, rank up there in spunk.

But I see that you're staying in the current millennium and that's just fine, too.
 

Skiponzo

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I go back further, obviously, being the old geezer that I am - I agree with the list above but would also add a couple of Celtics teams - particularly 1985-86, which rank as one of the greatest teams; also some in the mid-60s, and the 1968 and 1969 teams, although not the best, rank up there in spunk.
That 85-86 Celts team was incredible. My only regret from that team is that Ralph Sampson hit a crazy shot to send the Rockets to the finals over the Lakers. I SO wanted to crush that Lakers team.
 

Al Zarilla

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That 85-86 Celts team was incredible. My only regret from that team is that Ralph Sampson hit a crazy shot to send the Rockets to the finals over the Lakers. I SO wanted to crush that Lakers team.
With mostly the same teams, we did beat them in 83-84, but, yeah, it would have been nice to rub it in against the Lakers.
 

MakeMineMoxie

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Next Tuesday, 2/12 at 9:00 ET, MLB Network Presents.

Documents the life and journey of Alex Cora who this past year became just the 4th rookie manager ever to win a World Series championship. Covering Alex' life from growing up in Caguas, Puerto Rico, his family, his college and professional playing and coaching career. Featuring an in-depth interview with Alex Cora (by Tom Verducci) as well as interviews with former Major League players, coaches, managers and his family.
 

jaytftwofive

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Jan 20, 2013
1,182
Drexel Hill Pa.
Maybe for a different thread. But starting in 2001, thinking about the four major franchises and their championship seasons...there's been a ton of success. After the Celtics' run in the 80s, there was a major lull of championships, but then starting with the 2001 Pats, it picked up again. I'm thinking about ranking those championship teams across all four major sports. Feel free to rank them according to your own criteria (maybe how good they were, how they made you FEEL, likability, whatever).

Patriots: 2001, 2003, 2004, 2014, 2016
Red Sox: 2004, 2007, 2013, 2018
Celtics: 2007-08
Bruins: 2010-11

That's 11 championships, basically the modern era (the golden era) of Boston sports.

My ranking:
1. 2004 Red Sox - I love the Pats but the Sox are still king in my book and to see them end the curse was everything I imagined it would be and so much more.
2. 2001 Patriots - This team started it all after the drought and made me believe the Red Sox could win it all.
3. 2016 Patriots - Greatest comeback in a Super Bowl, following Brady's suspension, it was so sweet.
4. 2018 Red Sox - Absolutely dominant team in every way, such a pleasure to watch one of the best teams ever to play the game. Crushing the Yankees along the way.
5. 2003 Patriots - Established the franchise as a dynasty.
6. 2013 Red Sox - Out of nowhere, such a fun fun team to root for.
7. 2014 Patriots - Beating Seattle, following the Deflategate nonsense. Butler's INT. Amazing and so fun to see them win after basically a decade of excellence without a title.
8. 2007-08 Celtics - Ended their own two-decade long title drought with a dominant team.
9. 2004 Patriots - True dynasty in every way following that win - it seemed like Brady would never lose.
10. 2010-11 Bruins - Got me back into hockey with an incredible season and postseason run.
11. 2007 Red Sox - Josh Beckett was the man that year and it was so great to see another title soon after the 2004 season.

Top 5 *best* teams:
1. 2018 Red Sox - One of the very best teams ever to play the sport.
2. 2016 Patriots - #3 offense, #1 defense, greatest comeback ever in SB
3. 2004 Patriots - Third win in four years, huge winning streak. 14-2. #4 offense, #2 defense.
4. 2004 Red Sox - Absolutely loaded.
5. 2007-08 Celtics - 66 win team blew through the playoffs, crushing the Lakers in six.

Top 5 *most surprising* teams:
1. 2001 Patriots - Completely out of nowhere.
2. 2013 Red Sox - Magical season that nobody really expected.
3. 2004 Red Sox - Not because they weren't expected to be great, but come on - the Sox NEVER win it ALL!
4. 2010-11 Bruins - Just seemed like tons of playoff failure...team finally came together; Thomas' incredible run throughout the playoffs.
5. 2018 Red Sox - Knew they'd be good but not THAT good.
2003 many picked the Red Sox to win the division or at worst get the wild card. Sorry I thought I read 2003 Red Sox not 2013. In the 2004 ALCS the Sox were actually favored over the Yankees. Obviously not when they were down 3 to 0.
 
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jaytftwofive

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If you're doing this century I would have to pick the 2007 Pats as the best team. And so would you Baseball Jones if there was no David Tyree catch. This century I would say the best are...1. 2007 Pats. 2. 2018 Sox 3.2003 Pats 4. 2004 Sox. 5. 2004 Pats tied with 2008 Celtics. I'm 61 and the best Boston team in my lifetime was the 71 Bruins. They didn't win it all. 2. 86 Celtics. 3. 2007 Pats. 4 72 Bruins. 5. 2018 Red Sox. 6.2003 Pats. 7. 73 Celtics(Didn't win it all) 8. 78 Red Sox(Didn't win it all)9. 2004 Red Sox.For no.10 it's very tough but I'll go old school and have a tie with 64 and 65 Celtics. Russell said the 64 team was the best he played on.I have to put 2004 Pats right there also. The Pats of 2003-2007 had better defenses then the Pats from 2010-2018.
 

jaytftwofive

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Jan 20, 2013
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Fuck Magic and that stupid baby hook over McHale.

There. I feel better now.
That was devastating but I believe had the Celtics gone back to LA up 3 to 2 the Lakers still would have won 2 straight in LA and won the title. They proved it the next year against a very good Pistons team so I see no reason why the 87 Lakers team that was even better then the 88 team couldn't have done that to a Celts team hurting and with no bench.
 

Sandy Leon Trotsky

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.The first Pats Super Bowl team is my favorite... but as far as "best" goes...the 2007 Pats team was great in that it was undefeated... but holy crap that offensive line was seriously flawed. They were a VERY top heavy team but had a big Achilles Tendon that was finally discovered and exploited. The '03 and '04 teams, along with the '17 team I felt were better balanced.
For the Sox Obviously the '04 team is my fave but... my 2nd favorite though was the '13 team. So much fun and unexpected and it, in retrospect, felt like Papi's team through and through.... Clearly the best out of the bunch, in balance, though was this past seasons.
I dunno why but for some reason when I was a kid, I was a Lakers fan. I'm embarassed by that now.... but I just loved James Worthy.
 

jaytftwofive

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Jan 20, 2013
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Should have won that 84 series in six games or less...
Die hard Celtics fan that I am, the Lakers in many ways should have or could have swept the Celts. Game 2 Worthy gives us the game and Magic dribbles out the clock in regulation. Game 4 Magic misses free throws and turns the ball over at a key point. They came very close to getting swept. I'm surprised you don't remember that.
 

section15

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Die hard Celtics fan that I am, the Lakers in many ways should have or could have swept the Celts. Game 2 Worthy gives us the game and Magic dribbles out the clock in regulation. Game 4 Magic misses free throws and turns the ball over at a key point. They came very close to getting swept. I'm surprised you don't remember that.
I remember the close games... but in no way were they close to getting swept.

All series have close games. Yes, game 2 - Magic threw the ball away, stolen by Hendu for a layup. I was at the game -- Magic dribbled the clock out - BAD COACHING - Magic could not think well in a set-up game. And we saw the ball inbounded - realized it was Magic to Kareem - who was smothered. Saw the panic in Johnson's eyes as THEY HADN'T CALLED AN OPTION! HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO! C's win in overtime.

Game 4 he also choked it away.

Game 5 - BLOWOUT IN BOSTON. One of the best Celtics victories of all time, even bigger than game 7.

No, the Celtics weren't "almost swept" -- they won two close games, taking advantage of Magic Johnson's inability to think his way out of a paper bag in two of the games.
 

jaytftwofive

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Jan 20, 2013
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Drexel Hill Pa.
I remember the close games... but in no way were they close to getting swept.

All series have close games. Yes, game 2 - Magic threw the ball away, stolen by Hendu for a layup. I was at the game -- Magic dribbled the clock out - BAD COACHING - Magic could not think well in a set-up game. And we saw the ball inbounded - realized it was Magic to Kareem - who was smothered. Saw the panic in Johnson's eyes as THEY HADN'T CALLED AN OPTION! HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO! C's win in overtime.

Game 4 he also choked it away.

Game 5 - BLOWOUT IN BOSTON. One of the best Celtics victories of all time, even bigger than game 7.

No, the Celtics weren't "almost swept" -- they won two close games, taking advantage of Magic Johnson's inability to think his way out of a paper bag in two of the games.
It was Worthy who threw the ball away that Henderson stole. magic then dribbled out the clock. Game 4 I'm pretty sure Magic turned it over which led to Birds go ahead jumper, or maybe he missed the free throws? Anyway like I said Worthy was the one who threw the ball away that Gerald stole.