El Guapo's Ghost Rambles on about the Red Sox

THE TUCK RULE BASEBALL STYLE

First, I want to say how great it is to be writing about Boston Red Sox games in October! Second, Jason Grady has very clear take on the “obstruction” and “interference” calls in Game 3 for Baseball Prospectus. It is a pay or premium article, but in summary Bill Welke makes the right calls. The V-tek play could have been avoided if Chavez and Hernandez executed the run down properly. Chavez should not have been in a position to catch the relay throw from Hernandez; it was Tejada’s. Then, Tejada should have run out the “interference” play. As Grady notes,

If he is safe, well then, he is safe. If he is called out, it is in the umpire's judgment whether he would have been safe if for the obstruction and if so, the umpire will overturn the out due to the obstruction. Incidentally, there will be cases when the runner would obviously still have been out and cases when the runner would obviously have been safe. For the middle ground, umpires will tend to "penalize" the defense for the obstruction, giving the benefit of the doubt to the runner, so if Tejada had continued the play and been thrown out, it is likely that would have been overturned.

Plus, another error on Chavez and one charged to both Hernandez and Tejada. Jim Caple knows the A’s have not been fundamentally sound in the postseason before.

In Game 1, the Sox did not play a clean game allowing the A’s to steal one. The opposite occurred on Saturday night as I watched the game at the 99 in Springfield, Mass-hole or where folks begin to find pinstripes more fashionable than red colored sox.

Then, the Olde Towne Team takes a squeaker the following day allowing me to take down two “W”s last night. I plan on removing another one just before midnight tonight. We have to BELIEVE!

Light Number Crunching:

Given this theory is flawed in too many ways to describe, please indulge EGG. The Red Sox averaged 5.93 runs per game while Oakland gave up 3.97 per game. Averaging the two averages, one could expect the Red Sox to score 4.95 runs per game or 24.75 over five games with Oakland. After four games, the Sox have put up 13 runs on the A’s. 11.75 runs are needed in Game 5 to reach 24.75 through five games. I’ll settle for eleven runs tonight. The offense is due for an explosion.

Notes:
• Lilly on the jackets was BUSH League. Next year, a Red Sox hitter gets one up and in.
• which is almost as foolish as Hudson and Zito being featured in the Boston version of fight club.
• which is almost as foolish as Kim’s flicking off RSN.

BTW:

If Howard Dean does not become President, his candidacy will have made a positive impact energizing college students. Hopefully, Dean has ended the general apathy young people have regarding politics and government.