I think (and hope) you're right about the rest of the series being closer, Max. I was one who sort of dismissed the layoff, but after last night, it was apparent in certain aspects. I think the most obvious one was pitching. A lot of people thought if the layoff was going to affect anything, it would be the hitting, but I thought it messed with the pitching just as bad. Think about it, the Rox hadn't played in eight days, but Francis hadn't pitched in like two weeks. That's a long time to try and stay sharp, especially against a team swinging a hot bat. It didn't do the bullpen any favors either. Hopefully, just finally being in a live game atmosphere and being beat down will shock the team back into reality!

I think most would agree that in some way, the series really starts tonight. If the Rockies were to win one in Boston, it sure as hell probably wasn't going to be against Beckett, who at this point is in a completely different galaxy!

quote:

Originally posted by PRG:
I think most would agree that in some way, the series really starts tonight.

Absolutely. The Rox just have to win one game in Fenway, if they go back to Colorado with a split they could easily rattle off three games in a row. This is a team that beat Jake Peavy twice when it mattered most.

I couldn't even watch the whole game last night. After the first few innings it was clear that we weren't watching the same Colorado Rockies that swept the Phillies and the D-Backs. That week and a half off really killed them, I think.

Last night’s game was pretty rough and I hope that the Rockies can recover from that layoff. I thought that Boston played typically well, was clutch, etc. I do think that the Rockies need to win game two for this series to be close though.

From an anylist's POV, I think if the Rox lose tonight, they could still win 2/3 in Denver, but would probably lose the series. As a fan, I'd say it doesn't matter.

Oh yeah, I also found out this morning that I am going to game four!!!

quote:

Originally posted by PRG:
Oh yeah, I also found out this morning that I am going to game four!!!

Good for you PRG, I am guessing that your wife got you some tickets or whoever it was, that’s great. Those fans have been very supportive and wild and I hope you do the same. Besides the purple, they at least have the same colors as your favorite team and are surely the better team right now.

quote:

Originally posted by FragileKidA:

quote:

Originally posted by PRG:
Oh yeah, I also found out this morning that I am going to game four!!!

Good for you PRG, I am guessing that your wife got you some tickets or whoever it was, that’s great. Those fans have been very supportive and wild and I hope you do the same. Besides the purple, they at least have the same colors as your favorite team and are surely the better team right now.

Thanks. Of all the people who got the tickets, it was my sister. Why is this shocking...?

Ok, we all know about the Rockies ticket site crashing on Monday. They went back on sale on Tuesday at noon and in my family network, we had seven computers trying to get tickets.

My sister and her friend tried to get tickets at her (friend's) house and gave up after about a 1/2 hour. They go back to my sister's house so the kids can play on the trampoline. My sister suggests they try to get them on her computer. She logs in at 12:45, waits 15 minutes in the virtual waiting room, and gets tickets! The seven of us logged in for two straight hours get nothing!

As far as what to wear, I'm worried. It's going to be a bit chilly and I have this great White Sox sweatshirt I want to ear. Problem is simply says "Sox" and has the swinging batter logo on it. I don't think many would recognize it and would think it's for the Red Sox. I guess I'll have to borrow some Rox gear.

quote:

Originally posted by PRG:
As far as what to wear, I'm worried. It's going to be a bit chilly and I have this great White Sox sweatshirt I want to ear. Problem is simply says "Sox" and has the swinging batter logo on it. I don't think many would recognize it and would think it's for the Red Sox. I guess I'll have to borrow some Rox gear.

You could always just cut a big piece of duct tape in the form of an “R” and cover up the “S”!

quote:

Originally posted by FragileKidA:

You could always just cut a big piece of duct tape in the form of an “R” and cover up the “S”![/QUOTE]

Good idea! Except I'd be afraid to ruin the sweatshirt. No, I think I solved my problem. A guy I work with is a Rox superfan and has a bunch of stuff he's going to bring in tomorrow for me to choose from.

Well it was a pretty good game tonight and I thought that this was the game that Colorado needed to win. Then again, they could very well go home and win all three and be up 3-2—wait, wasn’t Cleveland up 3-1 against Boston? Ah, oh well.

I just think Boston has a very well-built team. The relief pitching tonight was superb and they play NL-style ball when they need to. It’s going to be tough for the Rockies but they still have a chance.

quote:

Originally posted by FragileKidA:
I just think Boston has a very well-built team. The relief pitching tonight was superb and they play NL-style ball when they need to. It’s going to be tough for the Rockies but they still have a chance.

They really are a very well built team: pitching, fielding, running and hitting. I've said from the time I arrived here that if we could ever get Ortiz and Ramirez hot at the same time they would be nearly unstoppable-- it never really happened during the season and they still won 96 games. My only question all year long has been their heart. They proved they had it in the Cleveland series, but now let's see how they handle being up 2-0 against a scrappy team with nothing to lose (much like the '04 Red Sox in the ALCS!). I hope you're right about playing NL-style ball, because we'll be without the DH for the next three games.

Even with the Rox being down 2-0, I think the series could get interesting in Denver. Obviously, the lack of DH is going to affect the BoSox more, but I'm also interested to see how their outfielders do in Coors Field.

I've always thought the Red Sox and Rockies have two of the larger home field advantages due to their outfields, but for opposite reasons. Fenway is small and quirky, and Coors is huge. I think it's hard to appreciate just how small and big they are unless you've seen them in person. I've never been to Fenway, but a guy I work with has and he said it's tiny. I've been to many games at Coors and it really is expansive.

I think the Rox have a good chance in Colorado. Not being able to play Papi and Youk back-to-back is going to sting a bit.

quote:

Fenway is small and quirky, and Coors is huge. I think it's hard to appreciate just how small and big they are unless you've seen them in person. I've never been to Fenway, but a guy I work with has and he said it's tiny. I've been to many games at Coors and it really is expansive.

I've been to Fenway, and it seems small, mainly because it is such an intimate ball park with next to no foul territory. CF has that crazy bermuda triangle. That ball that ended the Cleveland series by Casey Blake would have been a home run in just about any other park. RF and LF are a totally different story, of course. Manny has really become very good at playing the Green Monster but he is terrible anywhere else. That big outfield could pose quite a problem. Look for Coco Crisp to come in earlier in any game that the $ox get a lead. I think Drew and Jacoby will be fine, they both have above average range and speed. I fully expect Colorado to take at least 2 of the next 3 games.

You have to change your name to Maximum JackO'Lantern for Halloween, MJ.

I too can play the name game. Muahahahahaha

Hey Max, I've completely spaced out telling you this a few times, but the HR director for my company is Teddy Ballgame's god-daughter!

quote:

Originally posted by Putrified Rat Guts:
Hey Max, I've completely spaced out telling you this a few times, but the HR director for my company is Teddy Ballgame's god-daughter!

Um, it's Merciless now. That is pretty cool, have you asked her what's going to happen to his frozen head?

Sorry, Mr. The Rippah, I'm not sure that's an appropriate workplace conversation.

Good game last night. Guts, have fun tonight!