Aces Full of Links

That was 1000% better. It's a lot more fun against a live opponent.

I didn't like the Rockies' light-colored uniforms though. On a tiny TV screen across the room with no glasses on, I really need the away team in a dark color and the home team in a light color like in the good old days (not to mention a few years when I had only a b&w TV).

I think the Sox will win the series but I won't be surprised if the Rockies rally to take two games in Denver.

Like many Red Sox fans I'm torn between the desire to see an exciting World Series and the desire to see the Sox win it all. A sweep wouldn't be very memorable or impressive the way the Cleveland series was.

I would rather see a sweep. I don't like the tension, and I enjoy watching the Sox win. But then I don't really give a crap anyway, and the only time I've watched baseball (except 1975, I guess, because I distinctly remember the Yaz/Fred Lynn/Carlton Fisk/ Butch Hobson/Louis Tiante, etc. team) was in the 2004 World Series.

I read this morning in the NY Daily News (I'm not including the link so I don't get blackballed by the comments thing, but it's linked from Google news):
Boston bench coach Brad Mills called for a pickoff throw by Papelbon, catcher Jason Varitek said. "Millsie did a great job of reading the situation and got us an easy out," Varitek said.

"In a billion-dollar organization, it still comes down to the little things sometimes," Schilling said, praising the Sox advance scouts for pegging Holliday as someone who might steal.

That's interesting, because it looked so spontaneous and obviously wasn't expected by Holliday. All of the strategy is really fascinating to me, because it's a deceptively simple looking game, and not at all boring to watch. I was always extremely bored playing, stuck out in right field (yeah, I wasn't the best fielder).

Oops, I spelled Luis Tiant wrong. Sorry. And how could I forget Jim Rice??

Yeah, even Papelbon mentioned the bench during his brief on-the-field interview after the game. The bench coaches relayed a signal to Varitek, Varitek signaled Papelbon, Papbelbon waited a few moments to let the runner take a few more steps away from the bag, and then he picked him off easily. Impressive how that works.

Now your lead has increased to two,
but the Rockies will rally to pummel you,
and now the series moves to the city up high,
where the ROCKIES will cheer and the Red Sox will cry!

P.S. Dear Terry Francona,

If you want to keep both Ortiz and Youkilis in the lineup, why not try putting Ortiz on the pitcher's mound?

Also, can you please put Eric Gagne on the mound too - we could use the run production.

Thanks,

CR Fan

Francona will probably rotate Ortiz, Youkilis and Lowell, giving them each one day off in Denver. Ortiz could pinch-hit during his day off if they face a lefty in the late innings.

CR Fan:

I have a feeling you're going to need to see Eric Gagne on the mound before you can hold on to a lead. But we'll see. There was no 8 day BS to hide behind last night, no Beckett as an excuse. You guys were stopped cold by our old timer.

Even if you win 3 games in Colorado, you're coming back to Boston. We'll welcome you back enthusiastically, if you get that far.

It's nice to see fans on both sides be so enthusiastic. Nothing's worse than apathy.

Here's to a good match-up (in which I will be rooting for my Sox).

Could anyone have looked happier than the old guys banging on the green wall last night? LOL.

I'm glad everyone is having fun, but who knew that "Anonymous" from last week was a Rockie's fan, living in Red Sox nation? Well, it spices up the blog.

I hope we don't completely roll over the Rockies, but I guess I would prefer two more games like last night rather than winning in 7 games.

Of course, I would prefer not to outright lose the next 4 games. But while that certainly has happened before, it's just plain unlikely. One of these games, the Game 1 Rockies will probably show up again.

And someone needs to tell Holliday that Ellsbury already won America its free taco, so no need to wander around the infield.

I'm still thinking Sox in 5. I'm assuming Beckett wins game 5 and we split games 3 and 4.

As far as the free taco goes we should make them pay for that little advrtisement they forced us to watch. Everyone should go to Taco Bell as many times as they can next Tuesday and get their taco. DON"T BUY ANYTHING ELSE since that is obviously what they'd like you to do. If I can get to one between 2 and 5 (which is unlikely). i'll just take my taco and dump it in the trash (since I can't eat taco bell stuff anyway).

I was all ready to go get mine but, well, that's the day my group goes out to lunch to bid farewell to the head of our group. He'd probably be all for getting the taco, though...hmm...

Read the fine print (http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/fan_forum/tacobell/):

"1) free Crunchy Seasoned Beef Taco (Approximate Retail Value 77¢, prices may vary) ("Free Taco") at participating Taco Bell® restaurants in the United States on the date designated herein. No product substitution, cash redemption or alternative will be allowed."

Well that's good to know as I don't eat red meat. And to think--I almost went for it!

Patti, I guess it depends on how you feel about the head of your group. If my old boss had quit before I had, free tacos would have been an appropriate reflection of our esteem. (Possibly flung from a catapult.)

He's really good, and I'm sorry to see him go.

The worst boss I ever had--the crazy librarian at Harvard--is one I would have gladly strapped to catapults and launched--preferably into a cement wall.

Again and again and again.