Epic-est Choke Job of all Time?

by Caseys Kiss of Death on Aug 12, 2008 7:01 PM PDT Comment 38 comments

The Red Sox jumped out to an early 10-0 lead tonight with a 10-spot in the first inning. We are currently in inning number 7.

The score? 16-14, Rangers.

Anyone watching this game? It may be the single most hilarious thing I have seen in a long, long time...and epically "karma" induced. I can't think of a team that would be more hilarious to watch this happen to than our beloved Red Sox. Discuss.

Poll

What's more pathetic?

Blowing 10 run lead to the Rangers at home

7 votes

Blowing 10 million a year on Gary Matthews Jr.

44 votes

Blowing life savings betting against Harlem Globetrotters

10 votes

Waking up every day and realizing you are Dayn Perry

21 votes

82 votes | Poll has closed

This Fan-Post is authored by an independent fan. Tell us what you think and how you feel.

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Comments

Even more amazing?

The announcers making the point early in the game that the Red Sox acquistion of Paul Byrd tips the balance of power back in the Red Sox favor. Paul Byrd – WTF? I like the guy but he is hardly a stopper. “Paul Byrd was 4-0 in his last four with an ERA below a buck and a quarter – not to mention a notorious Angel killer. His style dominates those lineups like the Anges notorious for over swinging.” Hey, I know he beat us in his last start but didn’t we crush him earlier in the season. What are they talking about? Can anyone lend some perspective? Rob?

Touch'em all

by THE VOICE on Aug 12, 2008 7:29 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Well, this is pretty simple

we were better than the Sox before we got Teixeira. In no world does Teixeira get offset and THEN SOME by Paul Byrd.

by Caseys Kiss of Death on Aug 12, 2008 7:36 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Unless, of course

we were in a competition with the Red Sox for a mediocre-pitcher-of-the-year award.

by Caseys Kiss of Death on Aug 12, 2008 7:36 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ha! Two good calls.

And isn’t it nice that our worst pitcher could not even qualify for said prize?

White trashin' the 909

by Red114 on Aug 13, 2008 12:03 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

what, is paul byrd gonna be in their 3 man rotation?

if so, i like our chances even more against boston

the new, fat josh beckett
Dice-BB
and jon lester most likely

ya, paul byrd is gonna kill us. Right. thanks for that breathtaking analysis, NESN

by ihearhowie2.0 on Aug 12, 2008 8:02 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Dice-BB! Panther!

Has that been used often? I haven’t seen it.

I swear, if one more person tells me to "work smarter, not harder"...

by Rally Manatee on Aug 13, 2008 9:38 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Has been before

2005 he was in the 3 man rotation for the Angels. Got the only win in the Championship Series against White Sox and left game 5 with the lead.

Willie Mays Aikens is FREeeeeeeee

by Angel Aviator on Aug 13, 2008 12:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm not sure what was more interesting about that first inning...

Ortiz getting2 three-run taters in the same inning, or youk striking out twice in the same inning.

by tdischino on Aug 12, 2008 9:09 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

How is this "karma" induced?

White trashin' the 909

by Red114 on Aug 12, 2008 9:16 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Their fans

‘nuff said.

by Caseys Kiss of Death on Aug 12, 2008 9:27 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Their theme song

Angel Pitching, Angel Defense - get past that.

by vladtheimpaler on Aug 12, 2008 10:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The 80's band Enuff z'Nuff

by cupie on Aug 12, 2008 11:14 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I guess

But if bad karma means almost losing, then bad karma needs to step up it’s game.

White trashin' the 909

by Red114 on Aug 12, 2008 11:57 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well

my karma comment was premature…before the end of the game.

But the point really stands either way…blowing a 10 run lead to a .500 team when you are supposedly an elite team in the league, and actually falling behind by two runs late is a wake-up call and a slap-in-the-face if I’ve ever seen one. It’s the kind of thing that SHOULD shut up a lot of fans for a long period of time.

It remains to be seen if they actually do shut up for a while…my guess is no.

by Caseys Kiss of Death on Aug 13, 2008 12:26 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ah

I get what you’re saying now.

That being said, I was absolutely elated at the silence amongst the chowds during the last Angel series. They didn’t even attempt to spark a rally through noise, etc. I realize in recent years, we have attracted an inevitable plethora of fair-weather fans, but I’m gonna go ahead and say that our fans are pretty classy. It’s hard to believe that a only short freeway ride separates us from the animals slightly up the coast. Although, if I was a fan of the Blue, I’d probably be more rabid as well.

White trashin' the 909

by Red114 on Aug 13, 2008 12:56 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

We got class coming out the yin-yang

I swear, if one more person tells me to "work smarter, not harder"...

by Rally Manatee on Aug 13, 2008 9:40 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Beat it coming out of...

The Wazoo (thank you E*Trade)

Angels fan since '67

by red floyd on Aug 13, 2008 9:41 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

they wasted all their good karma

by adopting an overbearing, obnoxious and disgusting collective persona

by ihearhowie2.0 on Aug 12, 2008 10:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Soon as "Red Sox Nation" came into the lexicon,

the universe aligned against them. And deservedly so.

DiSarcina is my co-pilot

by HaloDutch on Aug 13, 2008 6:59 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Massholes

Nuf said

Seattle I would like to thank you for sucking. It allows me to get back to my roots: Hating Fremont.

Kobe tell me how my ass tastes

by hauldog on Aug 13, 2008 11:01 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Never the less

They scored 4 in the last to win

Willie Mays Aikens is FREeeeeeeee

by Angel Aviator on Aug 13, 2008 1:14 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

But as ihearhowie2.0 said ...

they are overbearing, obnoxious and disgusting, collectively … fans, players, media fawning and the FREAKING “Nation”. I hate the Sox.

Don't call me Desmond

by highlandhalo on Aug 13, 2008 4:51 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

But hey

Their victory got us one step closer to clinching and that much closer to October.

Light Up That Halo!

by Clutch on Aug 13, 2008 10:28 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Paul Byrd

is Jon Garland. Innings eater middle of the road pitcher and that’s all. With Garland being a bit better.

by Monkeyspanked on Aug 13, 2008 7:08 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

a bit better?

When did Byrd win 18 games? Before the break, Cleveland couldn’t give Byrd away. Does the last four starts negate the earlier dog poo poo that he was throwing up there? Not exactly throwing fear in my heart. The “Nation” should worry about getting into the playoffs at all, not whether this acquisition makes them halo beaters.

GA GA he's the man, if he can't do it, no one can

by Moondoggy on Aug 13, 2008 8:26 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Byrd had 17 wins in 2002

Look at their stats. they are pretty much the same. I stand by my statement. They are both there to eat innings and help the bullpen stay fresh. And I’m pretty sure that’s what the Angels got them for in their respective time with the team.

by Monkeyspanked on Aug 13, 2008 9:39 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

17

For a team that lost 100 games

Willie Mays Aikens is FREeeeeeeee

by Angel Aviator on Aug 13, 2008 10:08 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

A Bit?????

Not sure how many guys have done that maybe Carlton in 72. I think the move was done for the exact reason you talk about. To make the playoffs. With Wakefield go on the DL they needed someone to eat innings and he was the guy. It is a good cheap pick up. Lord knows that Charlie Zink the guy that made his major league debut for the chowder last night isn’t the answer.

Jon Garland
W L G GS IP H BB K ERA WHIP
9 Yr WL% .539 103 88 270 247 1580.7 1655 519 829 4.40 1.375

Paul Byrd
W L G GS IP H BB K ERA WHIP
13 Yr WL% .533 104 91 330 242 1614.0 1752 380 886 4.37 1.321

Willie Mays Aikens is FREeeeeeeee

by Angel Aviator on Aug 13, 2008 10:07 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

my eyes hurt

Maybe you can align those stats next time so they are actually readable?

by dmhead on Aug 13, 2008 10:26 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Somen Happened to it man

They were all lined up real nice,
but it was bobbled on the transfer

Willie Mays Aikens is FREeeeeeeee

by Angel Aviator on Aug 13, 2008 12:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The difference is

Garland is still currently performing right on par with his career numbers, and is maybe even a bit better. Byrd is older and his best years are much further behind him.

Similar pitches over the course of their careers, but Garland is earlier in said career.

by Caseys Kiss of Death on Aug 13, 2008 12:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not long term

This was a quick fix for the year. Wasn’t done with any long term thought. You mention Garland is performing right on par and maybe better. Byrd is putting up his avg numbers as well. His W-L is not a reflection of how he has pitched this year. He would have a few more wins on a team that has some heart left in it.

Byrd’s ERA is the best in the league since the break and trails only Arizona’s Randy Johnson (0.66) for best in the majors among pitchers with at least 20 innings. Byrd has gone 4-0 with a 1.24 ERA , and has pitched at least seven innings in each of his last three starts, including a complete-game win. Not saying he is a Cy Young guy. Just a good pick up for the Red Sox. He’s a veteran presence with playoff experience, and adds some stability to the rotation as they struggle through injuries to the starting rotation. More importantly he cost them no prospects.

Willie Mays Aikens is FREeeeeeeee

by Angel Aviator on Aug 13, 2008 12:38 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Before his 4 game hot streak

he had gone an entire 3 1/2 seasons of the year with a 5.47ERA. He’s flukeishly hot right now, and will regress back to his mean performance soon, likely finishing with an ERA closer to 5.00 than 4.50, especially in Fenway. Basically, with Byrd pitching the best month of the last half-decade for him, and Garland being rocky for us over that time, Garland’s ERA is still a quarter of a run lower.

Garland’s ERA+ over the last 4 seasons (including this one) is 111. Byrd’s is exactly 100, and has been UNDER 100 in two years, and exactly at it in another.

He’s a virtual non-factor. A guy with an ERA around 5.00 in the postseason, on the downside of an on-and-off career. Garland is doing now what Byrd did 5 years ago on a fairly consistent basis, and has some playoff experience of his own (2.25 ERA including a complete game owning of us.)

by Caseys Kiss of Death on Aug 13, 2008 12:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

*3 1/2 MONTHS of this season

Byrd gives up a ton of homers. See how that plays out in Fenway.

by Caseys Kiss of Death on Aug 13, 2008 12:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

He was needed / Fills a roll

Never said I would rather have him then Garland. Just the same sort of pitcher who is older. I would take him if there was a injury to the back of the rotation for the Angels. He would be a good pick up, because you don’t give anything to get him. Hes a vet and has playoff experience as well.

Garland’s complete game I know well….....thats the one were he shoved it up the Angels! Note that Byrd had never played on a winning team until he went to Atlanta (4-4 in with 4 starts). Then he went to a bad Philly team going 15-11 at age 28 (same age as Garland now). He has never been on teams above .500 and when he has he has won and logged innings. Garland has played for a team that has won often during his career. Teams Garland has played for are W-764 / L-650.

Byrd as I mentioned before has played on a lot of losing teams. His teams have gone W-1004 / L-1040. That plays. Not to mention this is to replace Wakefield. If you look at his career numbers he matches up with Byrd and Garland also. When you look at winning% , ERA and WHIP

Willie Mays Aikens is FREeeeeeeee

by Angel Aviator on Aug 13, 2008 1:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I didn't bring up W/L for a reason

because they’re a bullshit stat.

Go back and read the overall discussion. All I’ve been saying is that Garland is better than Byrd in the present day…other people were trying to argue that they are very similar RIGHT NOW. My counterpoint is simply that they are similar pitchers over their careers, but are at very different points in those careers at this moment.

I don’t think, however, that a home run prone pitcher with a 5-ish ERA near the end of his career is going to mean much AT ALL for the team. Byrd was good. Past tense. He’s had a decent couple of starts in an otherwise abysmal season for him. Moving to Fenway, a notorious hitters park, isn’t going to do much for the guy.

by Caseys Kiss of Death on Aug 13, 2008 1:53 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs