OT: With all the surprising twists and turns of this World Series. . .

[Kibitzer]

. . . thus far, we can confidently expect the unexpected while any predictions are perilous.

Who could have reasonably foreseen one game ending on an ump's call of obstruction and the next ending on a pickoff? Or Farrell getting away with using Lackey and Dubront in relief?

Only a couple things seem highly likely, if not absolutely certain: Farrell won't give Peavy the ball and Metheny won't use Wong as a pinch runner again.

 

[pinotbear]

Honestly, Kib, the way this Series is going, I'm not as confident as you are in those last two!

In a way, this is a Series that reflects our times: baseball as a reality show, with plot twists and turns, high drama and low comedy.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

Honestly, Kib, the way this Series is going, I'm not as confident as you are in those last two!

In a way, this is a Series that reflects our times: baseball as a reality show, with plot twists and turns, high drama and low comedy.

What Drama????

 

[Kibitzer]

The lowlight of comedic commentary occurred in the 9th inning.

Tim McCarver, master of verbal diarrhea: "I don't know why Napoli is holding Wong at first. They are up by two runs! I don't understand it!" Then Buck's dutiful response: "Ditto!"

We know how that played out.

Fox Sports couldn't get Erin Andrews on camera fast enough.

Three hours of listening to McCarver makes me yearn for Bob Picozzi.

Or Howard Cossell.

Even Dicky V.

Scratch that. I got carried away momentarily.

 

[pinotbear]

So, if Bob Picozzi was doing play-by-play, at the moment of that pick-off, I envision Megan Culmo going "hah, hah, HAH!"

Then Erin Andrews could go interview Joe Leyland, or whomever...

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

So, if Bob Picozzi was doing play-by-play, at the moment of that pick-off, I envision Megan Culmo going "hah, hah, HAH!"

Then Erin Andrews could go interview Joe Leyland, or whomever...

Exactly..."wo ho ho, let's go down to the field, Bob is with Jack Leyland"...

 

[meyers7]

Tim McCarver, master of verbal diarrhea: "I don't know why Napoli is holding Wong at first. They are up by two runs! I don't understand it!" Then Buck's dutiful response: "Ditto!"

Well from a baseball strategy standpoint, they shouldn't have been. But that's probably what helped the pickoff work.

Not sure which is more embarrassing, getting picked off 1st (as a pinch runner) to lose the game, or letting a gnome beat you with a home run. Never did like Travelocity.

 

[Icebear]

The fact that Boston had decided to hold on the runner had me wondering if they had noticed something about Wang's technique taking the lead that made him vulnerable. Otherwise there is no reason to be holding him on. If he steals second the Sox likely walk Beltran wasting his at bat. Wang has to stay at first.

In taking his unnecessary lead Wang commits his second unforgivable sin taking both feet off the ground with a hop towards second. At that very moment Uehara turns and throws his pick off more to first with the same precision he hits corners on the plate while Wang is trying to grab a purchase to move back to first out of the air. Napoli barely has to move the glove to apply the tag. Game over.

I believe the Red Sox saw something in game film that they thought they could exploit.

 

[Alydar]

That's 3 games in a row that were lost (not won) on blunders. Not exactly a display worthy of the best in baseball.

All we need now is a game won on a balk.

 

[meyers7]

The fact that Boston had decided to hold on the runner had me wondering if they had noticed something about Wang's technique taking the lead that made him vulnerable. Otherwise there is no reason to be holding him on. If he steals second the Sox likely walk Beltran wasting his at bat. Wang has to stay at first.

Quite possibly they had. But there should have been no opportunity to exploit it. No reason Wang would have been stealing anyway. Not with 2 outs. As said his run doesn't matter.

If he had gotten down to 2nd (passed ball or something), not so sure the Redsox would have put Beltran on 1st. Don't really want to bring Holiday up as the winning run. They might have pitched much more carefully to Beltran with the base open, but definitely not intentionally putting him on first and the winning run at the plate.

 

[pinotbear]

That's 3 games in a row that were lost (not won) on blunders. Not exactly a display worthy of the best in baseball.

All we need now is a game won on a balk.

boy, I wish you hadn't a-said that...

 

[Phil]

The fact that Boston had decided to hold on the runner had me wondering if they had noticed something about Wang's technique taking the lead that made him vulnerable. Otherwise there is no reason to be holding him on. If he steals second the Sox likely walk Beltran wasting his at bat. Wang has to stay at first.

In taking his unnecessary lead Wang commits his second unforgivable sin taking both feet off the ground with a hop towards second. At that very moment Uehara turns and throws his pick off more to first with the same precision he hits corners on the plate while Wang is trying to grab a purchase to move back to first out of the air. Napoli barely has to move the glove to apply the tag. Game over.

I believe the Red Sox saw something in game film that they thought they could exploit.

You might be right. I thought Tim McCarver's analysis made sense. So it was quite ironic that it worked. I'm a little surprised they didn't comment on the irony.

The only thing I can imagine is that someone concluded that a runner dancing around on first might un-nerve Uehara. Lord knows he doesn't have to deal with baserunners all that often. But it jumped up and bit them. I felt sorry for Wong, who was in tears after the incident.

I sat in the dentist's chair this morning, and the hygienist was dissecting the game. She suggested that they don't try the pickoff if Ortiz is on first. Might be a good observation.

 

[Aluminny69]

That's 3 games in a row that were lost (not won) on blunders. Not exactly a display worthy of the best in baseball.

All we need now is a game won on a balk.

You saw a blunder, I saw a very well executed pick off play. It all depends on your perspective.

 

[60'sfan]

You might be right. I thought Tim McCarver's analysis made sense. So it was quite ironic that it worked. I'm a little surprised they didn't comment on the irony.

The only thing I can imagine is that someone concluded that a runner dancing around on first might un-nerve Uehara. Lord knows he doesn't have to deal with baserunners all that often. But it jumped up and bit them. I felt sorry for Wong, who was in tears after the incident.

I sat in the dentist's chair this morning, and the hygienist was dissecting the game. She suggested that they don't try the pickoff if Ortiz is on first. Might be a good observation.

I agree that McCarver's analysis made sense. What made no sense was for the runner to be so far off first. With two outs getting to second would not be an advantage.
What was not mentioned was how huge this win was for the Sox. Now, no matter what happens tonight, we are going back to Fenway where the Sox have been very, very good. I think the media would like to see the last game played on Halloween night.

 

[stamfordhusky]

Quite possibly they had. But there should have been no opportunity to exploit it. No reason Wang would have been stealing anyway. Not with 2 outs. As said his run doesn't matter.

If he had gotten down to 2nd (passed ball or something), not so sure the Redsox would have put Beltran on 1st. Don't really want to bring Holiday up as the winning run. They might have pitched much more carefully to Beltran with the base open, but definitely not intentionally putting him on first and the winning run at the plate.

Agree on all counts. Wong should have been taking a small, careful lead- and the Sox shouldn't have been holding him on. As it turned out, Wong's blunder more than cancelled out their very questionable strategy.

 

[UCONNfan1]

GO Sox. Great inning nailing 2 runs on 3 hits. Now just 6 outs away from a huge win...

I have to say, one of the more entertaining and exciting series in recent memory. Close games for the most part, some great pitching, timely hitting, costly mistakes that the other team capitalizes on, and between the 2 best teams in MLB this season.

 

[Zorro]

The lowlight of comedic commentary occurred in the 9th inning.

Tim McCarver, master of verbal diarrhea: "I don't know why Napoli is holding Wong at first. They are up by two runs! I don't understand it!" Then Buck's dutiful response: "Ditto!"

We know how that played out.

Fox Sports couldn't get Erin Andrews on camera fast enough.

Three hours of listening to McCarver makes me yearn for Bob Picozzi.

Or Howard Cossell.

Even Dicky V.

Scratch that. I got carried away momentarily.

Dickie V, not so much. But this evening, when I heard the two geniuses solemnly agree that "which ever team wins tonight will have a definite advantage when they go back to Boston" I hit the mute button and left the sound off for the rest of the game. Sheesh!

 

[semper]

Our kids are calling it the "pick-off walkoff." Has a ring to it!

 

[Phil]

Our kids are calling it the "pick-off walkoff." Has a ring to it!

First time in history a WS game has ended on a pick off.

Following the first time in history a WS game has ended on an obstruction call.

Ortiz ties a WS record by getting on nine consecutive times. The fails to get to first but makes a hit the next time. To put together a batting average higher than Babe Ruth's best.

Lester ties a Red Sox record for WS wins by a lefty, tying with Babe Ruth.

You know you are in good company when you are tying and exceeding Babe Ruth.

 

[Biff]

Our kids are calling it the "pick-off walkoff." Has a ring to it!

To be consistent with the typical Walk Off use, it should be a "Walk-off pick-off"

 

[Icebear]

Babe Ruth was thrown out attempting to steal second to end a series game. Not picked off, but heading to second.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

Babe Ruth was thrown out attempting to steal second to end a series game. Not picked off, but heading to second.

My source(s) tell me he was inebriated, and while on second base, he was thrown out as he tried to steal first.

 

[Phil]

My source(s) tell me he was inebriated, and while on second base, he was thrown out as he tried to steal first.

Flood of memories. I read a book as a teen, so a looong time ago , in which an attempted steal of first was a plot point. Wrong Way Neelan (sp?)