One of the Best Nights in Baseball

[CollectGU]

that I have ever seen. In in all these games, the , extra innings, lead changes, drama...wow....just wow...congrats to all teams that got in.....

[Rob L]

Unf***ingbelievable. Never been a night like this. Congrats to Cards and Rays!!

[slambam]

Without a doubt, best night of baseball ever. How about all those Rays fans that left? I would punch myself in the face... It's like shades of the break lights going off at Dodger Stadium for Kirk Gibsons walkoff.

[maverick14]

WOOOW!!! Love how the O's were celebrating like they won the world series after that game haha. Incredible games tonight.

[slambam]

Is there a place to find Baseball Prospectus or AccuScore odds to make the playoffs from earlier this month? Very curious to see what Rays and Cards odds were.

[Lokee]

Sad night for us Red Sox fans let me tell you.

[gingi79]

May sound like I am being reactionary rather than rational but Fredi Gonzalez needs to be canned like albacore tuna.

You could argue with very little dispute the Braves had the best relief pitching staff in Baseball. Venters was shutdown and Kimbrel set the rookie saves record with 46. How did they NOT make the playoffs? Because they were overused all season and suffered fatigue in September. Derek Lowe was awful all season, how did he get the ball two nights ago?

The days of Atlanta being the class of the NL East are over. I'm glad I'm not Frank Wren because the fans didn't show up when they were and if this season's collapse isn't met with retribution and accountability, the already dwindling number of fans who show up will continue to diminish.

[geoff]

I was at the Orioles game and it was like we just won the world series.It was the best finish to a game I have ever been too.

[cubbs1232]

Being a rays fan made the night sweeter but that was an unbelievable couple of games. From the phils and Os, with nothing to play for, not giving up to thr crazy comeback the rays pulled off all I can say is wow. Baseball needed a night like that....GO RAYS!!!

[coxfan]

Don't forget that the Rangers set an all-time franchise record ( going back to 1961) with their 96th win last night. The Rangers and Rays are the true "moneyball" clubs now. Last year, they both beat out the Yankees, for the division and league respectively, despite having something like one-third the Yankees' payroll.

[gorilla777]

As someone who despises the Red Sox, that was an incredibly satisfying night to watch baseball

[jake33]

No night will ever top what I saw last night, not even if the Rays win the series. 2 independant elements happening at once was unreal, someone out there wanted Tampa to win, and I do not know how or why.

last night, was why I am a sports fan. i will gladly take another decade of 100 loss seasons for the joy of last night. And I don't even like Longoria.

excited the rays get to face a Rangers team without Cliff Lee now. But even if the rays get swept 3-0 by Texas. It will not take away from what happened and the happiness I have. 20 years from now, each down and out MLB team will refer to the 2011 Tampa bay Rays as the glimmer of hope to turn it around.

"There is no sympathy for the Red Sox." - Joe Maddon

[lcstate collector]

It is why we love the game. I was glued to my TV all night.

[BULBUS]

I tuned out figuring there was going to be a playoff game tonight :eek:

[maverick14]

As someone who despises the Red Sox, that was an incredibly satisfying night to watch baseball

Completely how I feel as well.

[sox83cubs84]

One down, two to go...bye, bye, Bosox.

The first two rounds (I hope) will see the elimination of the Yankees and Phillies, eaning that none of ESPN's East Coast bias favorites will be around to hype us into oblivion with.:mad:

Personally, I'd most enjoy Detroit/Tampa Bay against Milwaukee.

Dave Miedea

[jake33]

Dave is Francona going to interview with Chi Sox now?

[sox83cubs84]

Dave is Francona going to interview with Chi Sox now?

Lots of anticipation, but nothing official yet.

BTW...the White Sox coaching staff is somewhat up for grabs. Pitching coach Don Cooper and 1st base coach Harold Baines have been extended. Bench coach Joey Cora is expected to follow Ozzie to Miami, and Greg Walker has resigned as hitting coach. No word on 3B coach Jeff Cox, bullpen coach Juan Nieves, nor bullpen catcher/catching instructor Mark Salas as of yet.

Dave Miedema

[kellsox]

One down, two to go...bye, bye, Bosox.

The first two rounds (I hope) will see the elimination of the Yankees and Phillies, eaning that none of ESPN's East Coast bias favorites will be around to hype us into oblivion with.:mad:

Personally, I'd most enjoy Detroit/Tampa Bay against Milwaukee.

Dave Miedea

I've brought this up before and no one has given an explanation - why are people insistent that espn has an " east coast bias". And if they do, what's wrong with it?
You named the sox Yankees and phillies. All happen to be close geographically and all have been championship contenders for the last several years. They also draw the highest attendance in the league when visiting other teams. In other words, they are good, have big fan bases and people want to see them. Why wouldn't the biggest sports network in the us put their resources into extensively covering them?
Tampa was in the wild card hunt during the last few weeks and for a huge game with playoff implications on Tuesday night drew less than 23,000 people. If the hometown fans don't come out to see their team, why should national networks give additional air time/ resources beyond what they normally would to cover them??
In simple terms, if a team is good and people across the country want to see/ hear about them- espn will cover it.

[gingi79]

Francona and the Red Sox are parting ways. Dude won 2 titles for a team that suffered 86 years without one. I hate Boston as I root for the Canucks (Bruins Finals) and the Dolphins (Stupid Patriots) and I denounce the fact all of their titles seem to come with cheating innuendo but Tito was a classy guy who deserved better.

This on the heels of the mental midgetry in keeping the entire Braves management team, including the douche bagel Fredi Gonzalez after their collapse. At least the Sox will hold their Manager responsible right or wrong. Oh how I wish Frank Wren would pick up Tito and dump Gonzalez.

[cubbs1232]

[quote=kellsox;268929]
Tampa was in the wild card hunt during the last few weeks and for a huge game with playoff implications on Tuesday night drew less than 23,000 people. If the hometown fans don't come out to see their team, why should national networks give additional air time/ resources beyond what they normally would to cover them??
quote]


Its always funny to me when people who have probably never been to the Tampa Bay area or only visited once or twice to see their grandparents make such ingnorant comments about the attendance in Tampa. To continually see espn, fox sports, and all the so called sports writers bash this area shows how little fact checking and research they do.

Tampa Bays economy is one of the worst in the country. our unemployment in over 17% and our underemployment is 20+%.

Tampas filled with red sox, yanks, cubs, cards, and phil fans who WONT change the teams they root for even though they live here. Then they raise their kids to be fans of those teams as well. So now those kids grow up to be fans of the red sox, yanks, etc. its a never-ending cycle

I could go on and on with whats wrong but i'll stop now. Oh and by the way check out the Bucs attendance it sucks too!