Game time: 8 pm EDT, with the first pitch sometime around 8:30 pm

Scheduled starters: Daisuke Matsuzaka (1-1, 5.65) v. Josh Fogg (2-0, 1.13)

The game will be on FOX, WRKO, and ESPN Radio

Denver weather: 10 am MDT (noon EDT) observation at KAPA: Wind calm, visibility 10 miles, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, 2,400 feet overcast, temperature 40F, DP 31F

Forecast: Okay, we'll give this a try. There was a low stratus deck out there this morning, and that seems to be breaking up. Of course, low is relative... Some of the mountaintop AWOS reports are above the stratus deck, and they are showing high broken clouds. It's also warmer up higher, which indicates there's an inversion layer present at around 7,000 feet MSL, which is around 1,500 feet AGL. It looks like the low clouds are eroding, and there should be some sun this afternoon, and it'll get into the 50s. It's going to be cold tonight, though, with lows in the 40s before the game is over. It should be dry, though. The wind is calm now, but the area is showing winds out of the southeast. The winds are likely to become easterly before evening, and maybe northeasterly. That would have the winds blowing across from right to left.

As for what happens to baseballs at altitude... The less dense air means that relative airspeed is lower, and you need more power (and a longer takeoff roll) to provide the same amount of lift. That works for airplanes and baseballs. Breaking pitches won't "bite" as much, and fastballs will be a bit faster. And it probably won't make all that much difference in the outcome of the game. And hits will go a bit further in the less dense air.

The major problem of drier air at altitude has been solved by using the baseball humidor. In a nutshell, the problem was that the baseballs dried out and were lighter and denser. And they'd go farther... The humidor keeps the relative humidity surrounding the baseball similar to that at sea level...

As for the effect of the air on the ball, won't both teams be using the same balls in the same air? Won't they be playing on the same big field? With the same gaps? If game 1 was a conga line at the plate for the Sox, game 3 should be a running relay race.

What I want to know is how does the thin air affect the cooking time of rice? Will this be the game that Dice-K becomes a Dirt Dog the way game 6 of the ALCS was for JD? I expect a special game from him tonight.

A little pre-game Papelbon mojo...

Of course, both teams are using the same ball... And because the ball is humidified, ball effects should be eliminated. The lower atmospheric pressure does have an effect on how a pitched ball behaves, though. There are fewer air molecules to provide resistance, so a curveball won't break as much as it does at sea level. Here, the Rockies have an advantage, although probably a very slight one, because they play half their games at Coors Field and their pitchers are acclimated to the slight differences in how the ball behaves.

As for rice, it takes longer to cook at altitude. Water boils when its vapor pressure exceeds atmospheric pressure. Standard atmospheric pressure at 5,200 feet is around 22.6 in Hg, compared to 29.92 in Hg at sea level (dry air, of course). So, when you heat water, and the molecules start to get excited, the vapor pressure at the surface of the liquid will equal atmospheric pressure at a lower temperature than at sea level. Water boils at around 95C, or around 200F in Denver. So you've got to cook your rice and pasta longer....

Dice-K hopefully will not have Nibbleitis.. he needs to be challenging.

I don't know about the rest of you, but this feels like the key game of the series to me. Just a hunch.

the advantage is that they are more accustomed to the effects than we are......as for the rice, dogggggg, ..., who gives a s#$@

as for the game , big game, we win this it will be just about over, and time to party big time...

go you bloody sox

Big game in the series today. The Sox need to score early and often to take the Rox fans out of the game.

A concur completely. I'd feel less than good going into game 4, up 2-1, with Lester on the hill.
Not sure if he's consistent enough yet for WS duty.

Dice-K's been in this kind of game a few times in his career. Rox haven't. Rox have also never seen Dice-K. I think he'll do just fine.

Key is getting to Fogg. Hit him early, we should be OK. Let him cruise, watch out.

This would argue for me having to be up for the early innings. Good thing tomorrow is Sunday. Get 'em, boys!

You simply cant trust Dice-K in such a big game, like the one we have tonight. He is a walking disaster with a 5+ ERA during this postseason and after tonight's game it will be over 6 easily. Oh well, the Red Sox will have to win it in 5.

Thanks for the vote of confidence. As I recall, Dice-K won the East Division clincher over the Twins the night after Beckett failed to do it.

JFC, dude! Is it something that you eat that makes you so negative or is this some twisted reverse mojo thing you keep doing?

10/27 17:16:12 ET

Damn - I was hoping they'd leave Taveras in.

SSS, but I would have seriously considered starting Cora and his .545 (6-11) at SS against Fogg.

Nothing is more important than the rice!

I think the whole "air" discussion is just that, AIR! How fast will Manny’s bat move through the thin "air"?

This is your nightly, friendly reminder from the Barstaff. Pedro El Grande is working the reverse mojo, and has been for a while. As you were.

I like Ellsbury hitting leadoff. I think Tito will be a little more aggressive on the bases tonight without the DH in play.

hey folks , sorry but this is important .............what time is it there

WINNING TIME!!!!!!

or 7:08pm

It's 7:10 pm in Boston and 5:10 pm in Denver. The game will start in about an hour and 20 minutes.

Anni

4:10 here...7:10 in Boston


I'm going way out on a limb here, but I think we go into tonights game with the stronger bench.

In honor of the costume party tonight, ICEMAN MOJO:

Iceman says "The Sox - are DANGEROUS" /Chomp



Get em' Dice.

Go Sox!!!...Some intersting things can happen at a mile high ....One at a time mojo...

DiceK has to be good tonite...lineup is weaker in the field and at bat without Youuk...need a few good breaks tonite...GO SOX

fair dinkum...completely forgot that daylight saving started here overnight........dooooh

was freaaking out...ok, its cool

go sox

I finished moving my stuff in an hour ago and I'm now showered and ready for one hell of a game.

NO!!!!!!!!!!! Not the towels!!

I feel better now...



The key as always with Dice-K on the mound is to score runs, especially early. He doesn't usually pitch his team out of the game, but you'd like to give him a nice cushion to work with. They should hit Fogg, but we thought they'd smoke Westbrook and Byrd who are similar pitchers and look how that worked. But they can do it tonight. WOOT WOOT!!

EDIT - Oh yeah, I ran to the store to get ice tonight and there was this Yankee fan in front of me wearing his warmup jacket and hat (I had my old Sox BP hat on). He just looked at me and shook his head as he walked away with his head down. Best moment of the season up until now.

dont tell me these denver people are towel idiots as well?

Who keeps track of the balls in the humidor? Suppose let's say some balls that are not humidified get mixed in... say when the home team is up...

can dice - k bat at all?

ie did he pitch in any interleague games and what about back in nippon?

Great - more f-cking towels.

They've been towel idiots all along... I even think it was them that started it.
I hate this stupid shit. We have to get the crowd out of it early.

Okay...they win the anthem singer contest

It's 45F in Denver to start the game. It's 6 pm there. It's going to be chilly before this game is over.

Does anyone know if Josh Fogg grew up a Sox fan?

Born in shitsville Lynn, MA. But he went to high school in Florida.


Also...that might have been the slowest, most boring national anthem ever. She should do a duet with Ronan Whatshisnamewiththegoofyears sometime.

I think giving towels to fans, or any other prop, is essentially saying - "We know you are sh-tty fans, so we'll give you something free and exciting to keep you interested in the game". The worst part is it works - it's like all these "fans" need is a damned prop.

PS: Chris Myers makes me long for Tina Cervasio. Given my loathing for all that is Tina - that is quite an accomplishment.

Here's an off-topic question:
What does Papi have in his back pocket? Is this one of those sound thingies?

Waving towels and a PA announcer from the "Let's get ready to rumble" school of obnoxious schtick. Coors Field, the ati Fenway Park.

aaaah...who cares how she sings!

yeah that was very impressive and i'm not even from there

Stone 11th Anniversary Ale. The anti-Coors.

Going away. Tony Romo was an idiot for choosing football over her.

feel that difference in one week

Fogg moved to Florida when he was 2 weeks old....

hey rominer,or anyone else, saw an advert for "tooheys extra dry" on this site, can you fair dinkum buy that over there??

Obviously. That's how people like her have careers.

For my money, I'll take Smokey Robinson, 1986 World Series. (But not in the eye candy dept.)