When a team wins the World Series, after the honeymoon is over, there is the matter of how they will follow up that championship season next year. Repeating is an extremely difficult thing to do, seeing how so many things need to go right to win it all. That means that, for the vast majority of reigning champions, the following year represents some degree of letdown. Take the 2012 San Francisco Giants. They followed up their championship run with a supremely disappointing fourth place finish and a losing record. The 2011 Cardinals fared much better, advancing to the NLCS in 2012. The 2010 Giants missed the playoffs in 2011. The 2009 Yankees earned a Wild Card berth in 2010. The 2008 Phillies appeared in the 2009 World Series, but couldn't repeat. The last team to repeat was the Evil Empire itself, who threepeated in 1998, 1999, and 2000.
Where will the 2014 Red Sox end up when all is said and done? After losing one of their best players, Jacoby Ellsbury, to the Dark Side (deja Damon, anyone?), it will be nearly impossible to replace his level of play in center field (except the arm, of course). Jackie Bradley, Jr. may well be ready to start in center next year, but he has very limited experience at the major league level and it's exceedingly hard to predict how he will fare in his rookie season. With the A.J. Pierzinski signing, they have two guys over 35 behind the plate. It's completely unknown what the Sox will get from Will Middlebrooks next year. Xander Bogaerts shows a lot of promise at short, but even he may experience some growing pains. The situation at first base is still up in the air, with Napoli a free agent and no major-league ready replacement on the farm.
Having promising young talent like Bogaerts, Bradley, and even Middlebrooks is a very good thing. Teams with an abundance of young homegrown talent such as the A's, the Rays, the Cardinals, the Orioles, the Nationals have been very successful in recent years. Blocking those high-ceiling prospects with expensive free agents can result in an aging team laden with albatross contracts. However, allowing the prospects to develop at the major league level could mean the team takes a step back next year.
The 2012 Nationals didn't win the World Series, but they advanced to the playoffs and won their first division title since they moved to Washington from Montreal (where they were the Expos). They also brought a division title and playoff berth to DC for the first time in many decades. Their 2012 season was nearly as magical as the Red Sox' 2013 season. The magic wore off for the Nats in 2013, though. The spent much of the season hovering around .500 and their late run was not enough to return them to the postseason. Their young talent struggled to reach the heights of the 2012 team. Yet, they are well-positioned to bounce back in 2014 and return to the top of the NL East.
Why am I talking about the Washington Nationals in a Red Sox blog? Besides their being my NL team, their 2013 could very well be what happens with the Red Sox in 2014. Such a step back would be disappointing after the Magical Tour of Beards and Baseball in 2013, but better the Nats' 2013 season than that of the Giants for the Red Sox in 2014.
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Monday, November 4, 2013
Red Sox Postseason Ditty: "This October"
This is a parody of Katy Perry's "Last Friday Night"
This October
Late October at the Fens
The Red Sox are champions
This October…
This October
Next October…
This October
This October
Late October at the Fens
The Red Sox are champions
The World Series
they did win.
Let the champagne
flow again!
Tears of joy the
fans have shed
Soldier’s helmet on
Gomes’ head.
Players hoisting the
trophy
Big Papi is MVP
Beat the Cards in
six, clinch the series at Fenway!
Hooray!
For the first time
since nineteen hundred and eighteen.
Oh wow!
The Red Sox first
faced the Rays
Price and Moore’d
seen better days
Maddon’s team got
out-Fenway’ed
This October…
Series moved on to
the Trop
Salty beaten by
catwalk.
Koji’s human—we
forgot!
They dispatched the
Rays in four
Peavy just let one
run score
And then Koji slammed
the door
This October…
Then the Tigers came
to town
Game 1 saw the Sox shut down
Oh no-o-o!
Do it all again!
Next October
Do it all again!
Game 2, Papi hit a slam
Game 3, Lackey was the man
Napoli hit a home run
All they needed was just one.
Game 4 turned into a loss
Peavy no longer was boss
In Game 5 Nap led the way
Red Sox just one win away
Shane Victorino hit a grand slam in Game 6—Yeah! Oh Yeah!
Beat the Tigers and headed to the World Series! Sweet!
This October
So the two best teams got in
Each with 97 wins
In the Fall Classic again
This October
The Sox blew Wainwright away
Cards’ bad defense made ‘em pay
Beltran took Papi’s slam away
This October
Wacha held the Red Sox down
And their defense screwed around
Breslow’s mojo left the mound
This October
Game 3 did not go well at all
Lost on an obstruction call—Now what the hell?
Next October
Do it all again!
Next October
Do it all again!
Buchholz throwing
86.
He pitched four and then Felix
Papi’s pep talk hit the
spot.
Jonny hit a three run
shot
Lackey pitched out of
the ‘pen.
Koji’s pickoff sealed
the win.
Game 5, Lester was an
ace.
Put the Cardinals in their place.
For Game 6 they were
back at Fenway Park
Sweet home! Oh yeah!
Lackey on the mound,
Victorino knocks in four! SHANF!
Yes they went from
worst to first
Boston Strong, no
talk of curse
And the Red Sox won the purse
This October.
Three World Series wins, nine years
Reggae music in our ears
Fenway Park erupts in cheers!
Next October
Do it all again!
Next October
Do it all again!
Friday, November 1, 2013
Heartbreak Never Came
As much fun as it is to see my team in the playoffs, those games are STRESSFUL to watch! The level of emotional investment is as sky-high as the stakes in October. They literally turn me into a crazy person and I have the tweets to prove it. There was virtual (and actual) hand-wringing and a few tweets I'd like to take back, like the one during Game 4 where I wished the Red Sox had never made it to the World Series. Yes, I actually tweeted that and I'm happy to eat a heaping dose of cyber-crow. Watching the offense struggle against Lance Lynn while Buchholz was walking a tightrope and the Red Sox came into the game facing a 2-1 deficit was making me apoplectic. Rational thought and that thing called perspective (and where a baseball game, even a World Series baseball game, fits into the grand scheme of things) goes out the window during those moments when you're living and dying with every pitch. The stress! The angst! The futile attempts to prepare myself for October heartbreak that seemed to lurk in the shadows! I needed that pep talk from Papi as much as the team did.
But that heartbreak never came. Not when Koji proved himself very much human by allowing Jose Lobaton to deposit his pitch into the Ray tank for a walkoff homer. Not when Anibal Sanchez and Max Scherzer were mowing the Red Sox offense down strikeout by strikeout. Not when the Tigers tied up the series by lighting Peavy up like a Christmas tree. Not when Craig Breslow threw the ball away. Not when a horizontal Middlebrooks was ruled an obstruction and Allen Craig limped home for the winning Cardinals run. Not when Buchholz's fastball sat in the mid-80s. Not when Wacha was looking dominant early on and the Cards were hitting rockets off of Lackey. Not when Lackey was given one more batter and walked him. The Red Sox got past all of that and, like Linus's Great Pumpkin, October heartbreak never showed up. Not in 2013. Not for the Red Sox.
But that heartbreak never came. Not when Koji proved himself very much human by allowing Jose Lobaton to deposit his pitch into the Ray tank for a walkoff homer. Not when Anibal Sanchez and Max Scherzer were mowing the Red Sox offense down strikeout by strikeout. Not when the Tigers tied up the series by lighting Peavy up like a Christmas tree. Not when Craig Breslow threw the ball away. Not when a horizontal Middlebrooks was ruled an obstruction and Allen Craig limped home for the winning Cardinals run. Not when Buchholz's fastball sat in the mid-80s. Not when Wacha was looking dominant early on and the Cards were hitting rockets off of Lackey. Not when Lackey was given one more batter and walked him. The Red Sox got past all of that and, like Linus's Great Pumpkin, October heartbreak never showed up. Not in 2013. Not for the Red Sox.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Mission Improbable: Accomplished!
If you told me at the start of Spring Training that the 2013 Red Sox were going to win the World Series, I would have shook my head and thanked you for the good laugh. Their starting rotation was rife with question marks, their lineup screamed "bridge year" and who knew how many games Big Papi's achilles would let him play? Middlebrooks was coming off a wrist injury, Ellsbury was coming off a shoulder subluxation, and Nava had developed a reputation for being an all-star in the first half and flaming out in the second half. Just how big a concern was Napoli's degenerative hip condition? Clearly it was enough to knock his contract down to one year instead of three. And was Ryan Dempster the best they could do to bolster the rotation?
Going into this season, the presumptive favorites in the AL East were the Toronto Blue Jays, who had gone on an offseason shopping spree that even outpaced the Red Sox' spending spree in 2010-2011. They got Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, and Jose Reyes from the Miami Marlins. They signed Melky Cabrera. They already had two big boppers in Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion. Then there were the Yankees, whose roster was getting more geriatric by the year, but who always found a way to stay competitive to the end. The Rays lost James Shields to a trade with Kansas City. The Orioles proved in 2012 that they were nobody's doormat anymore, but was last year a fluke?
Those well-hyped Blue Jays finished last in the AL East at 74-88. The ailing, over-the-hill Yankees? Tied for third with the Orioles (85-77). The Rays finished five and a half games back, the half game because they played a one-game tiebreaker with the Rangers. The Red Sox won the AL East and finished with the best record in the league at 97-65. Only their World Series opponents, the St. Louis Cardinals, matched that record. The Red Sox were the only team to never have lost more than three games in a row. Their ability to avoid any significant losing streaks spoke to the resiliency that characterized this team from Game 1.
Their scruffy beards wouldn't win the 2013 Red Sox any beauty contests (they would be a serious contender in a Duck Dynasty cast lookalike contest), but they represented the unity this team personified throughout the season. The Boston Marathon Bombings of April 15 only galvanized that unity. This team wasn't a 25 men, 25 cabs team. They were more like 25 brothers, many of whom were bearded brothers. They were brothers regardless of where they came from or what language they grew up speaking. They kept each other accountable, kept each other focused, kept each other sane, and kept each other loose.
And what of the "father" to all those brothers? John Farrell rejoined the Red Sox after spending two years at the helm of the division rival Blue Jays. Before his stint in Toronto, he was Terry Francona's pitching coach. He had developed a rapport with the pitchers who were with the team from 2007-2010, such as Jon Lester, John Lackey and Clay Buchholz. Position players, such as Pedey and Papi respected his leadership as well. Farrell brought some of his Toronto staff with him, including bench coach Torey Lovullo and third base coach Brian Butterfield. Some of Farrell's in-game decisions, especially during the playoffs, got him in hot water with the fans and media, but Farrell was the first to admit when he made a mistake (think sending reliever Brandon Workman to the plate in Game 3). He re-established the trust between the players and manager that was lost under the disastrous year with Bobby Valentine.
The architect of this team also deserves some mention. Ben Cherington had his work cut out for him after being named General Manager in October 2011. In the offseason that followed The Collapse, he was handcuffed by some albatross contracts and could do very little to help a team that was in need of an overhaul. As a result, problems with the starting rotation, among other issues, could not be addressed in the way they needed to be. Popular shortstop Marco Scutaro had to be moved in a salary dump. Aaron Cook was what passed for rotation depth. Alfredo Aceves was the closer after Andrew Bailey, predictably, got injured in Spring Training. Is it any wonder no lead was safe?
In August of 2012, Cherington got the opportunity to do something few teams get a chance to do. The Dodgers, desperate for a playoff berth, coveted Adrian Gonzalez and were willing to do whatever it took to acquire him from the Red Sox before the waiver trade deadline. They were desperate enough to bail the Sox out of Gonzalez' hefty contract, plus Josh Beckett's and Carl Crawford's. Nick Punto was thrown in for good measure. Beckett, Gonzalez, and Crawford couldn't be happier to be granted a "Get Out of Boston Free" card. This move pushed the plunger on 2012 and freed up payroll space for the likes of Victorino, Drew, Gomes, Napoli, Uehara, and Dempster. These guys were by no means superstars on the level of, say, Josh Hamilton, but they were solid major league players with the reputation of being likeable guys who would seamlessly fit into the clubhouse and help repair the damage done by 2011 and 2012. They could also be had on shorter term deals that wouldn't land the Red Sox in the same position from which the Dodgers had just rescued them.
Cherington's team chemistry plan worked so well that the team became greater than the sum of its parts. They were a talented team, but they were not the juggernauts of 2004 and 2007. They had a veteran presence balanced out by young players that represent the future of the franchise, such as Brandon Workman, Will Middlebrooks, and Xander Bogaerts. They proved the doubters, myself included, wrong at every turn. Every time it looked like the other shoe would drop, the 2013 Red Sox caught that shoe in midair and put it back on the shelf.
Thanks to a restocked farm system with no shortage of talent in the upper minors, the Red Sox have a bright future. Jackie Bradley, Jr. is waiting in the wings should the Sox find Ellsbury's price tag prohibitively high. Bogaerts is the team's top prospect and he already made an impact in the postseason. Workman has a future either as a starter or a reliever. Lester has found his ace form on the biggest of all stages. It would be a tall task to repeat what the 2013 Red Sox accomplished, and it's sad to see such a magical season come to an end, even if it did end in the best possible way that no one could have ever imagined.
Congratulations to the World Champion 2013 Red Sox for an unforgettable season!
Going into this season, the presumptive favorites in the AL East were the Toronto Blue Jays, who had gone on an offseason shopping spree that even outpaced the Red Sox' spending spree in 2010-2011. They got Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, and Jose Reyes from the Miami Marlins. They signed Melky Cabrera. They already had two big boppers in Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion. Then there were the Yankees, whose roster was getting more geriatric by the year, but who always found a way to stay competitive to the end. The Rays lost James Shields to a trade with Kansas City. The Orioles proved in 2012 that they were nobody's doormat anymore, but was last year a fluke?
Those well-hyped Blue Jays finished last in the AL East at 74-88. The ailing, over-the-hill Yankees? Tied for third with the Orioles (85-77). The Rays finished five and a half games back, the half game because they played a one-game tiebreaker with the Rangers. The Red Sox won the AL East and finished with the best record in the league at 97-65. Only their World Series opponents, the St. Louis Cardinals, matched that record. The Red Sox were the only team to never have lost more than three games in a row. Their ability to avoid any significant losing streaks spoke to the resiliency that characterized this team from Game 1.
Their scruffy beards wouldn't win the 2013 Red Sox any beauty contests (they would be a serious contender in a Duck Dynasty cast lookalike contest), but they represented the unity this team personified throughout the season. The Boston Marathon Bombings of April 15 only galvanized that unity. This team wasn't a 25 men, 25 cabs team. They were more like 25 brothers, many of whom were bearded brothers. They were brothers regardless of where they came from or what language they grew up speaking. They kept each other accountable, kept each other focused, kept each other sane, and kept each other loose.
And what of the "father" to all those brothers? John Farrell rejoined the Red Sox after spending two years at the helm of the division rival Blue Jays. Before his stint in Toronto, he was Terry Francona's pitching coach. He had developed a rapport with the pitchers who were with the team from 2007-2010, such as Jon Lester, John Lackey and Clay Buchholz. Position players, such as Pedey and Papi respected his leadership as well. Farrell brought some of his Toronto staff with him, including bench coach Torey Lovullo and third base coach Brian Butterfield. Some of Farrell's in-game decisions, especially during the playoffs, got him in hot water with the fans and media, but Farrell was the first to admit when he made a mistake (think sending reliever Brandon Workman to the plate in Game 3). He re-established the trust between the players and manager that was lost under the disastrous year with Bobby Valentine.
The architect of this team also deserves some mention. Ben Cherington had his work cut out for him after being named General Manager in October 2011. In the offseason that followed The Collapse, he was handcuffed by some albatross contracts and could do very little to help a team that was in need of an overhaul. As a result, problems with the starting rotation, among other issues, could not be addressed in the way they needed to be. Popular shortstop Marco Scutaro had to be moved in a salary dump. Aaron Cook was what passed for rotation depth. Alfredo Aceves was the closer after Andrew Bailey, predictably, got injured in Spring Training. Is it any wonder no lead was safe?
In August of 2012, Cherington got the opportunity to do something few teams get a chance to do. The Dodgers, desperate for a playoff berth, coveted Adrian Gonzalez and were willing to do whatever it took to acquire him from the Red Sox before the waiver trade deadline. They were desperate enough to bail the Sox out of Gonzalez' hefty contract, plus Josh Beckett's and Carl Crawford's. Nick Punto was thrown in for good measure. Beckett, Gonzalez, and Crawford couldn't be happier to be granted a "Get Out of Boston Free" card. This move pushed the plunger on 2012 and freed up payroll space for the likes of Victorino, Drew, Gomes, Napoli, Uehara, and Dempster. These guys were by no means superstars on the level of, say, Josh Hamilton, but they were solid major league players with the reputation of being likeable guys who would seamlessly fit into the clubhouse and help repair the damage done by 2011 and 2012. They could also be had on shorter term deals that wouldn't land the Red Sox in the same position from which the Dodgers had just rescued them.
Cherington's team chemistry plan worked so well that the team became greater than the sum of its parts. They were a talented team, but they were not the juggernauts of 2004 and 2007. They had a veteran presence balanced out by young players that represent the future of the franchise, such as Brandon Workman, Will Middlebrooks, and Xander Bogaerts. They proved the doubters, myself included, wrong at every turn. Every time it looked like the other shoe would drop, the 2013 Red Sox caught that shoe in midair and put it back on the shelf.
Thanks to a restocked farm system with no shortage of talent in the upper minors, the Red Sox have a bright future. Jackie Bradley, Jr. is waiting in the wings should the Sox find Ellsbury's price tag prohibitively high. Bogaerts is the team's top prospect and he already made an impact in the postseason. Workman has a future either as a starter or a reliever. Lester has found his ace form on the biggest of all stages. It would be a tall task to repeat what the 2013 Red Sox accomplished, and it's sad to see such a magical season come to an end, even if it did end in the best possible way that no one could have ever imagined.
Congratulations to the World Champion 2013 Red Sox for an unforgettable season!
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
World Series Travel Day Thoughts
The Red Sox are up 3 games to 2 in the World Series and they're headed back to Boston to, we hope, seal the deal and win their third title in 10 years. The Cardinals may have something to say about that, however. They're sending their rookie co-ace Michael Wacha to the mound in a rematch of Game 2 in an effort to force a Game 7.
This scenario is very familiar to the Red Sox, as they were in the same situation in the ALCS, up 3-2 to the Tigers and headed back to Boston for Game 6. We all know how that ended. Something about Shane "Shanf" Victorino (why "Shanf"? Just ask the guys at Over The Monster) and a grand slam.
John Lackey will be on the bump for Game 6 of the World Series and he's a guy who's been there and done that. When he was a much younger John Lackey, he pitched the Angels to victory in Game 7 of the 2002 Fall Classic. He's looking to do the same for the Red Sox in 2013, only a game earlier this time. His time with the Red Sox has been turbulent, to say the least. He was slightly disappointing in 2010 and downright atrocious in 2011, while pitching through a shredded elbow. Tommy John surgery followed in the offseason and Lackey sat out 2012. This year, he returned leaner and fitter and his ERA slimmed down as well (unfortunately, so did his run support). He had a so-so outing in the ALDS, but followed it with a shutout in the ALCS and a fine performance in the World Series as well. He even pitched in relief in Game 4, as a setup man for Koji Uehara. A clutch performance in Game 6 would be a perfect way to cap off his comeback season.
Now let's talk about Lackey's rotation mate Jon Lester. He had a lost season of his own in 2012 and suffered a brief relapse this season. After a few days away from the game over the All-Star break, Lester regained his focus and his command, pitching to a 2.52 ERA in the second half. In the post-season, especially the World Series, he has shown some dominant stuff. In his starts in Game 1 and Game 5, he limited the Cardinals to a single run over 15 1/3 innings. He was so dominant that the Red Sox allowed him to hit in the top of the seventh inning of Game 5 so that he could continue pitching. He ended up going 7 2/3, being lifted for Tazawa with two outs in the 8th. Such stellar pitching on the biggest stage in baseball is a redemption story in its own right.
Should the Red Sox win the World Series, the only man standing in the way of Lester being named MVP would be the guy with two rings already: David "Big Papi" Ortiz. All he's done is hit .733 through the first five games! With the Cards electing not to pitch around him (a questionable strategy, but one I am grateful for, as a Red Sox fan), Papi has been by far the toughest out of the series. He's also been the leader of the Band of Bearded Brothers in the dugout, calling an impromptu meeting in the dugout during Game 4, after which Jonny Gomes hit the game-winning 3-run blast.
Tomorrow night and, if necessary (and I hope it isn't necessary) begins the third act of what has been a highly competitive and somewhat bizarre World Series. By bizarre, I'm referring to the Game 3 obstruction call that went against the Red Sox and gave the Cardinals a walk-off win and the pickoff play by Koji that ended Game 4. Will this series end up like 1946 or 1967 or will it end up like 1918, the last time the Red Sox clinched a World Series win at home?
This scenario is very familiar to the Red Sox, as they were in the same situation in the ALCS, up 3-2 to the Tigers and headed back to Boston for Game 6. We all know how that ended. Something about Shane "Shanf" Victorino (why "Shanf"? Just ask the guys at Over The Monster) and a grand slam.
John Lackey will be on the bump for Game 6 of the World Series and he's a guy who's been there and done that. When he was a much younger John Lackey, he pitched the Angels to victory in Game 7 of the 2002 Fall Classic. He's looking to do the same for the Red Sox in 2013, only a game earlier this time. His time with the Red Sox has been turbulent, to say the least. He was slightly disappointing in 2010 and downright atrocious in 2011, while pitching through a shredded elbow. Tommy John surgery followed in the offseason and Lackey sat out 2012. This year, he returned leaner and fitter and his ERA slimmed down as well (unfortunately, so did his run support). He had a so-so outing in the ALDS, but followed it with a shutout in the ALCS and a fine performance in the World Series as well. He even pitched in relief in Game 4, as a setup man for Koji Uehara. A clutch performance in Game 6 would be a perfect way to cap off his comeback season.
Now let's talk about Lackey's rotation mate Jon Lester. He had a lost season of his own in 2012 and suffered a brief relapse this season. After a few days away from the game over the All-Star break, Lester regained his focus and his command, pitching to a 2.52 ERA in the second half. In the post-season, especially the World Series, he has shown some dominant stuff. In his starts in Game 1 and Game 5, he limited the Cardinals to a single run over 15 1/3 innings. He was so dominant that the Red Sox allowed him to hit in the top of the seventh inning of Game 5 so that he could continue pitching. He ended up going 7 2/3, being lifted for Tazawa with two outs in the 8th. Such stellar pitching on the biggest stage in baseball is a redemption story in its own right.
Should the Red Sox win the World Series, the only man standing in the way of Lester being named MVP would be the guy with two rings already: David "Big Papi" Ortiz. All he's done is hit .733 through the first five games! With the Cards electing not to pitch around him (a questionable strategy, but one I am grateful for, as a Red Sox fan), Papi has been by far the toughest out of the series. He's also been the leader of the Band of Bearded Brothers in the dugout, calling an impromptu meeting in the dugout during Game 4, after which Jonny Gomes hit the game-winning 3-run blast.
Tomorrow night and, if necessary (and I hope it isn't necessary) begins the third act of what has been a highly competitive and somewhat bizarre World Series. By bizarre, I'm referring to the Game 3 obstruction call that went against the Red Sox and gave the Cardinals a walk-off win and the pickoff play by Koji that ended Game 4. Will this series end up like 1946 or 1967 or will it end up like 1918, the last time the Red Sox clinched a World Series win at home?
Monday, October 21, 2013
Head to Head: The Red Sox of 2007 vs. 2013
The Red Sox are in the World Series for the first time in six years. On one hand, 2007 seems like yesterday and my memories of those games make it seem so. On the other hand, a lot has happened since 2007, both for the Red Sox and for the world outside Boston baseball. For the purposes of this blog, we'll stick to the Red Sox.
After winning the World Series in 2007, the Red Sox were on top of the baseball world. They had won their second championship in the span of four years and they were the class of MLB. They had the best heart of the order hitters in David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, and Mike Lowell. An exciting young center fielder had burst onto the scene in Jacoby Ellsbury. They had a dominant pitcher in Josh Beckett and an emerging star in Jon Lester, who had beaten cancer to pitch the World Series clinching Game 4 against the Colorado Rockies. They looked forward to repeating their feat in 2008 and unseating the Yankees as the Beasts of the East. What could possibly go wrong?
2008 saw the Red Sox come within a game of a return trip to the World Series, but a new division nemesis in the Tampa Bay Rays sent them packing in Game 7 of the ALCS. They lost Manny to his playing and Manny-ing his way out of town, Beckett lost his mojo, Lowell hurt his hip, and they couldn't figure out those Rays.
They made the playoffs again in 2009, but didn't win a single game in the ALDS against the Angels. Their season ended in an uncharacteristic meltdown by Jonathan Papelbon. In 2010, the Red Sox were besieged by injuries to key players, from Dustin Pedroia to Kevin Youkilis, to Victor Martinez, Jason Varitek, Josh Beckett, and Jacoby Ellsbury. They were still a likeable team, thanks to the likes of Adrian Beltre, Daniel Nava, Darnell McDonald, and Martinez, among others. They missed the playoffs for the first time since 2006.
Then came 2011 and 2012, in which the team's steady decline took a sharp turn and fell off a steep cliff. The front office went all-in in the 2010-2011 offseason to trade for Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford, but did very little to shore up the starting rotation. Beckett and Lester pitched well for most of the year, but Lackey's elbow was falling apart, Dice-K never recovered from the 2009 WBC and was sent for Tommy John surgery mid-season. Wake was nearing the end of the line and the number five spot was held down by the likes of Andrew Miller and Kyle Weiland. Miller found his niche in the bullpen before a season-ending foot injury this past July, but his stint in the starting rotation was a disaster. Weiland was overwhelmed and overmatched pitching in the AL East. Trade deadline Erik Bedard wasn't much help either. Then September happened. Then the Red Sox dumped Francona in favor of Bobby Valentine and all of 2012 happened.
That brings us to 2013. How does this year's highly enjoyable group of guys compare to the last Red Sox team to play in the Fall Classic? Let's break it down position-by-position:
Catcher: Jason Varitek (2007) vs. Jarrod Saltalamacchia (2013)
There's no doubt Salty has come into his own this season, both behind the plate and in the batter's box. However, in 2007, Tek was still a force to be reckoned with and had already been on one championship team. The edge here goes to Varitek in 2007.
First Base: Kevin Youkilis (2007) vs. Mike Napoli (2013)
This is a close one. Both were bearded first basemen who could hit the ball a long way, but were prone to the K. Both played an excellent first base. It all comes down to consistency and Youk had the better batting average. The slight edge goes to Youkilis in 2007.
Second Base: Dustin Pedroia (2007 and 2013)
It's the same guy, but he's been limited somewhat by his thumb injury this season. However, didn't he play with a broken hamate bone in 2007? The edge goes to 2013 Pedroia, only because he has played in the World Series before and he's a veteran now.
Shortstop: Julio Lugo (2007) vs. Stephen Drew (2013)
Despite how brutal the younger Drew has been at the plate this October, he has an excellent glove, which cannot be said for his 2007 counterpart. The clear edge goes to Stephen Drew in 2013.
Third Base: Mike Lowell (2007) vs. Will Middlebrooks/Xander Bogaerts (2013)
There's no denying the X-Man has that same dynamic, exciting future star vibe that Ells had in 2007 and he could play a huge part in the World Series. However, you can't deny the impact Mike Lowell had on the 2007 postseason. He was the World Series MVP! The edge goes to Mike Lowell in 2007.
Left Field: Manny Ramirez (2007) vs. Jonny Gomes/Daniel Nava (2013)
Manny was by no means the team player that both Jonny Gomes and Daniel Nava are. Gomes and Nava win the intangibles/likeability vote by a landslide. The baseball edge goes to Manny in 2007 however, because he was clearly the better hitter and far more fearsome for opposing pitchers before he started his bizarre cravings for estrogen.
Center Field: Coco Crisp/Jacoby Ellsbury (2007) vs. Jacoby Ellsbury (2013)
This comparison is similar to second base, in that we're essentially comparing one player's performance in two different post-seasons. Like Pedey, Ells was a rookie in 2007. He was such a force off the bench that he played his way into the ALCS and World Series starting lineups much like Xander Bogaerts is doing this year. However, experience wins out and 2013 Ellsbury, who has been one of the better hitters in this offensively-challenged post-seaon, gets the edge.
Right Field: JD Drew (2007) vs. Shane Victorino (2013)
Both right fielders hit redemptive grand slams in Game 6. Both are stellar defenders. Drew performed a little better in the 2007 postseason, so he has the slight edge.
Bench: Doug Mirabelli, Alex Cora, Royce Clayton, Eric Hinske, Bobby Kielty (2007) vs.
David Ross, Will Middlebrooks, Daniel Nava, Mike Carp, Quintin Berry (2013)
Even though Kielty hit the home run that won Game 4 of the World Series, the 2013 bench has the clear edge here. Daniel Nava and Mike Carp are huge bats to have off the bench and Middlebrooks can hit a ball far if he runs into one. David Ross hasn't done too badly either and Quintin Berry waits in the wings if they need speed to push across a run late in the game.
Starting Rotation: Josh Beckett, Curt Schilling, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Tim Wakefield, Jon Lester (2007) vs. Jon Lester, John Lackey, Clay Buchholz, Jake Peavy (2013)
The 2013 starting rotation has been very good, for the most part, in the postseason. However, they don't possess a lights-out starter like Josh Beckett in 2007, so the edge goes to the 2007 rotation.
Bullpen: Mike Timlin, Eric Gagne, Manny Delcarmen, Bryan Corey, Hideki Okajima, Jonathan Papelbon (2007) vs. Brandon Workman, Franklin Morales, Ryan Dempster, Felix Doubront, Craig Breslow, Junichi Tazawa, Koji Uehara (2013)
The 2013 bullpen was a concern going into the playoffs, but has been, with a few exceptions, rock-solid so far. The 2007 bullpen had Eric Gagne. Edge: 2013
Manager: Terry Francona (2007) vs. John Farrell (2013)
Both managers have a similar managerial style, with Farrell being more aggressive with the running game and not averse to playing a little small ball. This comparison, of all the comparisons made between the two teams, feels the most incomplete in making it before the World Series even begins. Francona has yet to lose a World Series game. Farrell has yet to play a World Series game. Track record says Francona wins this match-up, but Farrell has had a much more challenging row to hoe in cleaning up the mess after the 2011-2012 debacle. That he has played a key role in turning this team into what it is today in such a short time is nothing short of amazing.
The 2007 team was a dominant juggernaut, a steamroller that was expected to win. The 2013 team was expected to, in all probability, finish with better than a 69-93 record, but not much more. There were a plethora of unknowns going into this season, starting with how John Farrell would do stepping into this role and regaining the trust of a team that couldn't trust its skipper last year. There were questions surrounding Lester and Buchholz, Lackey's return from Tommy John surgery, what to expect from Ellsbury in his walk year, how the new acquisitions would fit in with the team, and how soon Papi could return from his Achilles injury and what to expect from him once he did return. Could they avoid the miserable starts of the last two seasons? Would they fall apart in the second half? When would Buchholz return from his mysterious neck/shoulder injury? Could Lester find his form again after regressing in June? Who will close games now that Hanrahan and Bailey are done for the season? Will they pony up for a starter at the trade deadline? Could they really win the AL East? They have answered these questions in walk-offs, high-fives, 18-8 April records, comeback seasons, Jake Peavy, Xander Bogaerts, 97 regular season wins and an AL pennant.
The only question that remains is: Can they beat that other best team in baseball and win the World Series?
After winning the World Series in 2007, the Red Sox were on top of the baseball world. They had won their second championship in the span of four years and they were the class of MLB. They had the best heart of the order hitters in David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, and Mike Lowell. An exciting young center fielder had burst onto the scene in Jacoby Ellsbury. They had a dominant pitcher in Josh Beckett and an emerging star in Jon Lester, who had beaten cancer to pitch the World Series clinching Game 4 against the Colorado Rockies. They looked forward to repeating their feat in 2008 and unseating the Yankees as the Beasts of the East. What could possibly go wrong?
2008 saw the Red Sox come within a game of a return trip to the World Series, but a new division nemesis in the Tampa Bay Rays sent them packing in Game 7 of the ALCS. They lost Manny to his playing and Manny-ing his way out of town, Beckett lost his mojo, Lowell hurt his hip, and they couldn't figure out those Rays.
They made the playoffs again in 2009, but didn't win a single game in the ALDS against the Angels. Their season ended in an uncharacteristic meltdown by Jonathan Papelbon. In 2010, the Red Sox were besieged by injuries to key players, from Dustin Pedroia to Kevin Youkilis, to Victor Martinez, Jason Varitek, Josh Beckett, and Jacoby Ellsbury. They were still a likeable team, thanks to the likes of Adrian Beltre, Daniel Nava, Darnell McDonald, and Martinez, among others. They missed the playoffs for the first time since 2006.
Then came 2011 and 2012, in which the team's steady decline took a sharp turn and fell off a steep cliff. The front office went all-in in the 2010-2011 offseason to trade for Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford, but did very little to shore up the starting rotation. Beckett and Lester pitched well for most of the year, but Lackey's elbow was falling apart, Dice-K never recovered from the 2009 WBC and was sent for Tommy John surgery mid-season. Wake was nearing the end of the line and the number five spot was held down by the likes of Andrew Miller and Kyle Weiland. Miller found his niche in the bullpen before a season-ending foot injury this past July, but his stint in the starting rotation was a disaster. Weiland was overwhelmed and overmatched pitching in the AL East. Trade deadline Erik Bedard wasn't much help either. Then September happened. Then the Red Sox dumped Francona in favor of Bobby Valentine and all of 2012 happened.
That brings us to 2013. How does this year's highly enjoyable group of guys compare to the last Red Sox team to play in the Fall Classic? Let's break it down position-by-position:
Catcher: Jason Varitek (2007) vs. Jarrod Saltalamacchia (2013)
There's no doubt Salty has come into his own this season, both behind the plate and in the batter's box. However, in 2007, Tek was still a force to be reckoned with and had already been on one championship team. The edge here goes to Varitek in 2007.
First Base: Kevin Youkilis (2007) vs. Mike Napoli (2013)
This is a close one. Both were bearded first basemen who could hit the ball a long way, but were prone to the K. Both played an excellent first base. It all comes down to consistency and Youk had the better batting average. The slight edge goes to Youkilis in 2007.
Second Base: Dustin Pedroia (2007 and 2013)
It's the same guy, but he's been limited somewhat by his thumb injury this season. However, didn't he play with a broken hamate bone in 2007? The edge goes to 2013 Pedroia, only because he has played in the World Series before and he's a veteran now.
Shortstop: Julio Lugo (2007) vs. Stephen Drew (2013)
Despite how brutal the younger Drew has been at the plate this October, he has an excellent glove, which cannot be said for his 2007 counterpart. The clear edge goes to Stephen Drew in 2013.
Third Base: Mike Lowell (2007) vs. Will Middlebrooks/Xander Bogaerts (2013)
There's no denying the X-Man has that same dynamic, exciting future star vibe that Ells had in 2007 and he could play a huge part in the World Series. However, you can't deny the impact Mike Lowell had on the 2007 postseason. He was the World Series MVP! The edge goes to Mike Lowell in 2007.
Left Field: Manny Ramirez (2007) vs. Jonny Gomes/Daniel Nava (2013)
Manny was by no means the team player that both Jonny Gomes and Daniel Nava are. Gomes and Nava win the intangibles/likeability vote by a landslide. The baseball edge goes to Manny in 2007 however, because he was clearly the better hitter and far more fearsome for opposing pitchers before he started his bizarre cravings for estrogen.
Center Field: Coco Crisp/Jacoby Ellsbury (2007) vs. Jacoby Ellsbury (2013)
This comparison is similar to second base, in that we're essentially comparing one player's performance in two different post-seasons. Like Pedey, Ells was a rookie in 2007. He was such a force off the bench that he played his way into the ALCS and World Series starting lineups much like Xander Bogaerts is doing this year. However, experience wins out and 2013 Ellsbury, who has been one of the better hitters in this offensively-challenged post-seaon, gets the edge.
Right Field: JD Drew (2007) vs. Shane Victorino (2013)
Both right fielders hit redemptive grand slams in Game 6. Both are stellar defenders. Drew performed a little better in the 2007 postseason, so he has the slight edge.
Bench: Doug Mirabelli, Alex Cora, Royce Clayton, Eric Hinske, Bobby Kielty (2007) vs.
David Ross, Will Middlebrooks, Daniel Nava, Mike Carp, Quintin Berry (2013)
Even though Kielty hit the home run that won Game 4 of the World Series, the 2013 bench has the clear edge here. Daniel Nava and Mike Carp are huge bats to have off the bench and Middlebrooks can hit a ball far if he runs into one. David Ross hasn't done too badly either and Quintin Berry waits in the wings if they need speed to push across a run late in the game.
Starting Rotation: Josh Beckett, Curt Schilling, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Tim Wakefield, Jon Lester (2007) vs. Jon Lester, John Lackey, Clay Buchholz, Jake Peavy (2013)
The 2013 starting rotation has been very good, for the most part, in the postseason. However, they don't possess a lights-out starter like Josh Beckett in 2007, so the edge goes to the 2007 rotation.
Bullpen: Mike Timlin, Eric Gagne, Manny Delcarmen, Bryan Corey, Hideki Okajima, Jonathan Papelbon (2007) vs. Brandon Workman, Franklin Morales, Ryan Dempster, Felix Doubront, Craig Breslow, Junichi Tazawa, Koji Uehara (2013)
The 2013 bullpen was a concern going into the playoffs, but has been, with a few exceptions, rock-solid so far. The 2007 bullpen had Eric Gagne. Edge: 2013
Manager: Terry Francona (2007) vs. John Farrell (2013)
Both managers have a similar managerial style, with Farrell being more aggressive with the running game and not averse to playing a little small ball. This comparison, of all the comparisons made between the two teams, feels the most incomplete in making it before the World Series even begins. Francona has yet to lose a World Series game. Farrell has yet to play a World Series game. Track record says Francona wins this match-up, but Farrell has had a much more challenging row to hoe in cleaning up the mess after the 2011-2012 debacle. That he has played a key role in turning this team into what it is today in such a short time is nothing short of amazing.
The 2007 team was a dominant juggernaut, a steamroller that was expected to win. The 2013 team was expected to, in all probability, finish with better than a 69-93 record, but not much more. There were a plethora of unknowns going into this season, starting with how John Farrell would do stepping into this role and regaining the trust of a team that couldn't trust its skipper last year. There were questions surrounding Lester and Buchholz, Lackey's return from Tommy John surgery, what to expect from Ellsbury in his walk year, how the new acquisitions would fit in with the team, and how soon Papi could return from his Achilles injury and what to expect from him once he did return. Could they avoid the miserable starts of the last two seasons? Would they fall apart in the second half? When would Buchholz return from his mysterious neck/shoulder injury? Could Lester find his form again after regressing in June? Who will close games now that Hanrahan and Bailey are done for the season? Will they pony up for a starter at the trade deadline? Could they really win the AL East? They have answered these questions in walk-offs, high-fives, 18-8 April records, comeback seasons, Jake Peavy, Xander Bogaerts, 97 regular season wins and an AL pennant.
The only question that remains is: Can they beat that other best team in baseball and win the World Series?
Sunday, October 20, 2013
World FREAKIN' Series!
The bearded 2013 Red Sox are something else. Against a fearsome foursome in the Tigers' rotation, the Sox squeezed out four wins in six games. Make no mistake--this was no 20-4 rout like the September 4 game against the Tigers' number 5 starter Rick Porcello and their Achilles heel of a bullpen. This was a series where four games were decided by one run. The first game had the Red Sox bats utterly verklempt at the hands of Anibal Sanchez, to the point that even their porous bullpen held them hitless until the ninth inning.
The second game was looking like more of the same for the Sox bats until they loaded the bases for Big Papi. With one swing of the bat and headfirst dive from Torii Hunter, the Red Sox came back from a 5-1 deficit to tie the score. They seized the momentum and won the game on a Salty walk-off single.
Game 3 was a pitchers' duel between Verlander and Lackey, with the lone run being a Napoli dinger. Game 4 had Peavy implode, allowing the Tigers to tie the series up at 2 games apiece. However, the Red Sox had figured Sanchez out and, though Lester and the bullpen allowed the Tigers to climb back within a run, ALCS MVP Koji provided 5 outs to pull the Sox within one game of the AL pennant.
Back in Boston, having taken 2 out of 3 in Detroit, the Sox handed the ball to Clay Buchholz in a rematch of Game 2. The Sox struck first, when Ells singled Xander Bogaerts home in the fifth. Buchholz ran out of gas in the sixth and Farrell made the questionable move of bringing the Walk Machine Franklin Morales in to face Prince Fielder. It surprised no one that Fielder walked on four pitches. V-Mart got in a favorable count as well and knocked in two runs, erasing the Sox lead. However, the damage could have been a lot worse if not for Fielder's comical baserunning faux pas. Fielder was caught in a run down between third and home and belly-flopped on his way back to third. It resulted in a double play that killed the Tigers' rally and kept the Red Sox' deficit at 1 run.
Much like in Game 2, it was a grand slam that got the Red Sox in the W column. This time, it was the slumping Victorino who provided the big blast into the Monster seats off of reliever Jose Veras. Scherzer was once again done in by his bullpen and the Red Sox rode that slam to an ALCS win. They are the 2013 American League Champions and will play in their third World Series in the last 10 years. After a couple of rough years, seeing the team return to the Fall Classic is all the more rewarding.
Their partners at the Big Dance will be the St. Louis Cardinals. The Sox and Cards have a storied history on baseball's grandest stage. They matched up in 1946, 1967, and 2004, with St. Louis taking the first two series and the Sox steamrolling the 2004 Cardinals en route to their first championship in 86 years. The 2013 Cardinals finished the regular season tied with the Red Sox for the best record in baseball. They have a talented, largely homegrown team who didn't skip a beat after losing superstar Albert Pujols to free agency. Their pitching, particularly Adam Wainwright and the amazing rookie Michael Wacha (the NLCS MVP) is just as intimidating as the Tigers' with an even better bullpen. Their bats are known for being the most clutch in baseball with the highest average with RISP. It looks to be a highly competitive series between the two best teams in baseball this year.
WORLD SERIES WORLD SERIES WORLD SERIES WORLD SERIES WORLD SERIES!!!!!!
The second game was looking like more of the same for the Sox bats until they loaded the bases for Big Papi. With one swing of the bat and headfirst dive from Torii Hunter, the Red Sox came back from a 5-1 deficit to tie the score. They seized the momentum and won the game on a Salty walk-off single.
Game 3 was a pitchers' duel between Verlander and Lackey, with the lone run being a Napoli dinger. Game 4 had Peavy implode, allowing the Tigers to tie the series up at 2 games apiece. However, the Red Sox had figured Sanchez out and, though Lester and the bullpen allowed the Tigers to climb back within a run, ALCS MVP Koji provided 5 outs to pull the Sox within one game of the AL pennant.
Back in Boston, having taken 2 out of 3 in Detroit, the Sox handed the ball to Clay Buchholz in a rematch of Game 2. The Sox struck first, when Ells singled Xander Bogaerts home in the fifth. Buchholz ran out of gas in the sixth and Farrell made the questionable move of bringing the Walk Machine Franklin Morales in to face Prince Fielder. It surprised no one that Fielder walked on four pitches. V-Mart got in a favorable count as well and knocked in two runs, erasing the Sox lead. However, the damage could have been a lot worse if not for Fielder's comical baserunning faux pas. Fielder was caught in a run down between third and home and belly-flopped on his way back to third. It resulted in a double play that killed the Tigers' rally and kept the Red Sox' deficit at 1 run.
Much like in Game 2, it was a grand slam that got the Red Sox in the W column. This time, it was the slumping Victorino who provided the big blast into the Monster seats off of reliever Jose Veras. Scherzer was once again done in by his bullpen and the Red Sox rode that slam to an ALCS win. They are the 2013 American League Champions and will play in their third World Series in the last 10 years. After a couple of rough years, seeing the team return to the Fall Classic is all the more rewarding.
Their partners at the Big Dance will be the St. Louis Cardinals. The Sox and Cards have a storied history on baseball's grandest stage. They matched up in 1946, 1967, and 2004, with St. Louis taking the first two series and the Sox steamrolling the 2004 Cardinals en route to their first championship in 86 years. The 2013 Cardinals finished the regular season tied with the Red Sox for the best record in baseball. They have a talented, largely homegrown team who didn't skip a beat after losing superstar Albert Pujols to free agency. Their pitching, particularly Adam Wainwright and the amazing rookie Michael Wacha (the NLCS MVP) is just as intimidating as the Tigers' with an even better bullpen. Their bats are known for being the most clutch in baseball with the highest average with RISP. It looks to be a highly competitive series between the two best teams in baseball this year.
WORLD SERIES WORLD SERIES WORLD SERIES WORLD SERIES WORLD SERIES!!!!!!
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
The Ups and Downs of Being A Red Sox Fan
Being a Red Sox fan is not always easy. That could be said of any sports team, but since this is a Red Sox blog, let's stick to the emotional roller coaster at hand. The playoffs, because the stakes are so high, make the highs much higher and the lows much lower. As you can see from my previous blog, Monday night's loss was one of those low lows, where doubt doesn't only creep in--it takes over. Just lurking on Twitter last night, reading all tweets with the hashtag #redsox, you could feel the tension and anxiety as the Sox left a small country on base.
Peavy, who I'm sorry that I doubted, kept putting up zeroes until the fifth, when the Rays pushed a run across on two hits. The Red Sox finally got on the board in the seventh, with a pinch-hitting Xander Bogaerts drawing a one-out walk and advancing to third on a single by Ells. A passed ball brought Bogaerts home and some serious hustle by Vic (or Shanf, as the Over The Monster guys have taken to calling him) to beat out an infield single brought Ells home to give the Red Sox the slim 2-1 lead.
As this was happening, tweets of frustration turned into tweets of joy mixed with high anxiety. Could the bullpen hold onto this lead? Could they add some insurance runs? Should I stay put in this chair/room so the Sox' luck doesn't change again? Superstition is part of many a Red Sox fan's game-watching experience, no matter how nonsensical or irrational it may be.
Papi struck out to end the inning and what happened next on the mound was one of the most clutch relief appearances I have ever seen. Craig Breslow, a guy who doesn't rack up a whole lot of Ks, punched out the side in order in the bottom of the seventh. I wish Eck was calling the game so I could hear him talk about the Yale-educated cheese Breslow was throwing. Momentum was back on the Red Sox' side. More joy. More virtual quaking with anticipation and anxiety for that final out to be recorded.
The score remained the same until the top of the ninth, when Pedey hit a sac fly to add one more run. It turns out the run wasn't needed in the end, because Koji was back to being Koji and the Red Sox finished off the Rays and punched their ticket to the ALCS. Now, the tweets were of pure unbridled joy! And guess what? The next ride on the roller coaster begins on Saturday, as the Red Sox kick of the ALCS against either the Tigers or the A's at Fenway.
More ups, more downs, more shifts in momentum, more joy, more frustration, more excitement, more doubt, more anticipation, more superstition, more World Series dreams, more fears of heartbreak just around the corner. More memories of 2004, more memories of 1986, more memories of 2007, more memories of 2003. More series. More games. More October baseball. Fasten your seat belts and enjoy the ride, but be sure to keep the barf bag handy just in case.
Peavy, who I'm sorry that I doubted, kept putting up zeroes until the fifth, when the Rays pushed a run across on two hits. The Red Sox finally got on the board in the seventh, with a pinch-hitting Xander Bogaerts drawing a one-out walk and advancing to third on a single by Ells. A passed ball brought Bogaerts home and some serious hustle by Vic (or Shanf, as the Over The Monster guys have taken to calling him) to beat out an infield single brought Ells home to give the Red Sox the slim 2-1 lead.
As this was happening, tweets of frustration turned into tweets of joy mixed with high anxiety. Could the bullpen hold onto this lead? Could they add some insurance runs? Should I stay put in this chair/room so the Sox' luck doesn't change again? Superstition is part of many a Red Sox fan's game-watching experience, no matter how nonsensical or irrational it may be.
Papi struck out to end the inning and what happened next on the mound was one of the most clutch relief appearances I have ever seen. Craig Breslow, a guy who doesn't rack up a whole lot of Ks, punched out the side in order in the bottom of the seventh. I wish Eck was calling the game so I could hear him talk about the Yale-educated cheese Breslow was throwing. Momentum was back on the Red Sox' side. More joy. More virtual quaking with anticipation and anxiety for that final out to be recorded.
The score remained the same until the top of the ninth, when Pedey hit a sac fly to add one more run. It turns out the run wasn't needed in the end, because Koji was back to being Koji and the Red Sox finished off the Rays and punched their ticket to the ALCS. Now, the tweets were of pure unbridled joy! And guess what? The next ride on the roller coaster begins on Saturday, as the Red Sox kick of the ALCS against either the Tigers or the A's at Fenway.
More ups, more downs, more shifts in momentum, more joy, more frustration, more excitement, more doubt, more anticipation, more superstition, more World Series dreams, more fears of heartbreak just around the corner. More memories of 2004, more memories of 1986, more memories of 2007, more memories of 2003. More series. More games. More October baseball. Fasten your seat belts and enjoy the ride, but be sure to keep the barf bag handy just in case.
Monday, October 7, 2013
All Kinds of FAIL
If you think I was greedy for wanting the Red Sox to complete the sweep of the Rays tonight, you should probably stop reading right here. The Rays are a team you don't want to give momentum to. They have tremendous confidence in elimination games and they just won their third one in a week, in walkoff fashion, to boot. The Red Sox gift-wrapped momentum to the Rays, right down to the pretty bow.
How did this debacle go down tonight? The Red Sox were still riding momentum from Games 1 and 2 up until the bottom of the fifth inning. They Rays were making defensive miscues left and right and they were on the ropes. Then, a clearly shaky Buchholz grooved a 1-0 changeup to Sox-killer Evan Longoria and in one swing of the bat, the momentum was drained from the Red Sox and heaped onto the Rays. The Red Sox were now the ones looking like the Keystone Kops in the field and whiffing at the plate like blindfolded five-year-olds at a pinata party. Suddenly, the clock was turned back 10 years and Grady Little was leaving Pedro in too long. Playing the role of Aaron Boone was Jose Lobaton, of all people, whacking a Koji Uehara pitch into the Ray tank for the walkoff home run that sent those annoying, trash-talking Rays onto the field in celebration.
John Farrell was clearly out-managed in this game, leaving Salty and Drew in to bat against a lefty when there were plenty of capable bats on the bench. David Ross? Xander Bogaerts? The biggest mistake he made, however, was not intentionally walking Longoria with first base open. Buchholz was nowhere near as sharp as he needed to be tonight, relying on his defense to get him out of trouble all evening up until that Longoria at-bat. The defense can't help you when you throw a cookie to a power hitter. That marked the turning point in the game. Even when the Sox managed to tie it in the ninth, they whiffed on pushing across the go-ahead run and Koji showed he is actually a human being and served up a gopher ball to Lobaton. Game Over. The wrong team is celebrating.
The Rays are a dangerous team when you let them back into a game or a series. They are the kind of team who can rally from 0-2 to win the damn thing. Should that happen, the Red Sox can look no further than the fifth inning of Game 3, when they blew the 3-run lead by choosing to pitch to Longoria with first base open. This loss hurts more than any other loss this season because they gave the game away. They had it, then they gave it away. If I ever see Franklin Morales in another postseason game for the Red Sox, it will be too soon and if I ever see Dana DeMuth behind the plate in a Red Sox game, the same applies. Buchholz was shaky, but he wasn't helped by DeMuth's sawing off of the bottom and the left and right edges of the strike zone.
I could be more positive and say that they'll win tomorrow. I wish that I could trust Jake Peavy to keep the ball in the yard. His September starts did nothing to inspire confidence. Meanwhile, as much trouble as Hellickson has had this season, he's actually pitched decently against the Red Sox. With momentum on the Rays' side, Maddon just may get his wish of coming back to Boston and the Red Sox have to try and beat David Price twice in the same series. I don't know which AL East rival I hate more now. The Rays, the O's, or the Yankees.
How did this debacle go down tonight? The Red Sox were still riding momentum from Games 1 and 2 up until the bottom of the fifth inning. They Rays were making defensive miscues left and right and they were on the ropes. Then, a clearly shaky Buchholz grooved a 1-0 changeup to Sox-killer Evan Longoria and in one swing of the bat, the momentum was drained from the Red Sox and heaped onto the Rays. The Red Sox were now the ones looking like the Keystone Kops in the field and whiffing at the plate like blindfolded five-year-olds at a pinata party. Suddenly, the clock was turned back 10 years and Grady Little was leaving Pedro in too long. Playing the role of Aaron Boone was Jose Lobaton, of all people, whacking a Koji Uehara pitch into the Ray tank for the walkoff home run that sent those annoying, trash-talking Rays onto the field in celebration.
John Farrell was clearly out-managed in this game, leaving Salty and Drew in to bat against a lefty when there were plenty of capable bats on the bench. David Ross? Xander Bogaerts? The biggest mistake he made, however, was not intentionally walking Longoria with first base open. Buchholz was nowhere near as sharp as he needed to be tonight, relying on his defense to get him out of trouble all evening up until that Longoria at-bat. The defense can't help you when you throw a cookie to a power hitter. That marked the turning point in the game. Even when the Sox managed to tie it in the ninth, they whiffed on pushing across the go-ahead run and Koji showed he is actually a human being and served up a gopher ball to Lobaton. Game Over. The wrong team is celebrating.
The Rays are a dangerous team when you let them back into a game or a series. They are the kind of team who can rally from 0-2 to win the damn thing. Should that happen, the Red Sox can look no further than the fifth inning of Game 3, when they blew the 3-run lead by choosing to pitch to Longoria with first base open. This loss hurts more than any other loss this season because they gave the game away. They had it, then they gave it away. If I ever see Franklin Morales in another postseason game for the Red Sox, it will be too soon and if I ever see Dana DeMuth behind the plate in a Red Sox game, the same applies. Buchholz was shaky, but he wasn't helped by DeMuth's sawing off of the bottom and the left and right edges of the strike zone.
I could be more positive and say that they'll win tomorrow. I wish that I could trust Jake Peavy to keep the ball in the yard. His September starts did nothing to inspire confidence. Meanwhile, as much trouble as Hellickson has had this season, he's actually pitched decently against the Red Sox. With momentum on the Rays' side, Maddon just may get his wish of coming back to Boston and the Red Sox have to try and beat David Price twice in the same series. I don't know which AL East rival I hate more now. The Rays, the O's, or the Yankees.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Let's Get This Done!
Never ones to just copy what the other teams do, the Red Sox are up 2-0 in the ALDS, while all the other teams have at least one loss so far this postseason. They carved up Matt Moore in Game 1 behind an excellent Jon Lester and decided it would be a good idea to give John Lackey some run support in Game 2, this being the playoffs and all. They knocked David Price around for 7 runs, including two taters for Big Papi. They head to Tampa with a chance to deliver the knockout blow tomorrow night with Clay Buchholz on the mound. They are in the most enviable position of all 2013 postseason teams so far.
That doesn't mean that they can just show up tomorrow night at the Trop and expect to win just by virtue of their presence. They still have to play a baseball game there (hopefully just one). Sometimes the games we as fans think will be the easiest for the team to win end up being the hardest and lead to a frustrating and disappointing loss. The Rays are not a team that's likely to go down quietly and allowing them back into the series could be very dangerous for the Red Sox from a momentum perspective. Do they really want to have to beat Matt Moore or David Price twice?
That said, I have a great deal of confidence that the Red Sox will win this series. They have a deeper team overall than the Rays, with a talented bench with the likes of Mike Carp, Daniel Nava/Jonny Gomes, David Ross, Xander Bogaerts, and Quintin Berry. They have a one-game-at-a-time mindset that will serve them well and this series and, should they advance, beyond.
That doesn't mean that they can just show up tomorrow night at the Trop and expect to win just by virtue of their presence. They still have to play a baseball game there (hopefully just one). Sometimes the games we as fans think will be the easiest for the team to win end up being the hardest and lead to a frustrating and disappointing loss. The Rays are not a team that's likely to go down quietly and allowing them back into the series could be very dangerous for the Red Sox from a momentum perspective. Do they really want to have to beat Matt Moore or David Price twice?
That said, I have a great deal of confidence that the Red Sox will win this series. They have a deeper team overall than the Rays, with a talented bench with the likes of Mike Carp, Daniel Nava/Jonny Gomes, David Ross, Xander Bogaerts, and Quintin Berry. They have a one-game-at-a-time mindset that will serve them well and this series and, should they advance, beyond.
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Postseason Ponderings
By the time the night is through, the Red Sox will know who they are facing in the ALDS. Will it be the Cleveland Indians, led by old friend Terry Francona, or the Tampa Bay Rays, led by Joe "Goggles" Maddon? The good news for the Sox is that they have winning regular season records against both teams. They went 12-7 against the Rays and 6-1 against the Indians. The maybe-not-so-good news is that anything can happen in a short series (see 88-74 Cardinals besting the 98-64 Nationals just last year).
As for the rest of the teams, the other ALDS has the Tigers facing the A's. The Pirates won the NL Wild Card so they'll face the Cardinals in the NLDS while the Dodgers will face the Braves. Seeing the Red Sox play October baseball after a four-year hiatus is exciting, to say the least. It's also stressful, because expectations have been raised as high as a World Series trophy. For every 2004 and 2007, however, there are 2009s, 2008s, 2005s, 2003s, 1999s, 1995s, 1990s, 1988s, 1986s, 1975s, 1967s, and 1946s. There are the quick exits, the Game 7 World Series losses, and everything in between.
That being said, the Red Sox have as good a chance as any of the other playoff teams to make it to the Fall Classic. When their offense is clicking, they can make quick work of any starting pitcher, with threats up and down the lineup. They have some pitchers who are capable of taking the ball in big games. They have a closer who has been lights-out far more often than not. They have their resilient spirit, which helped them avoid long losing streaks all season. They have their vulnerabilities, such as middle relief and going into maddening RISP slumps where they strand baserunners left and right. The pitching staff tends to be walk-prone. Through it all, however, they won 97 games and tied the Cardinals for the best record in baseball. Let's see what October brings.
As for the rest of the teams, the other ALDS has the Tigers facing the A's. The Pirates won the NL Wild Card so they'll face the Cardinals in the NLDS while the Dodgers will face the Braves. Seeing the Red Sox play October baseball after a four-year hiatus is exciting, to say the least. It's also stressful, because expectations have been raised as high as a World Series trophy. For every 2004 and 2007, however, there are 2009s, 2008s, 2005s, 2003s, 1999s, 1995s, 1990s, 1988s, 1986s, 1975s, 1967s, and 1946s. There are the quick exits, the Game 7 World Series losses, and everything in between.
That being said, the Red Sox have as good a chance as any of the other playoff teams to make it to the Fall Classic. When their offense is clicking, they can make quick work of any starting pitcher, with threats up and down the lineup. They have some pitchers who are capable of taking the ball in big games. They have a closer who has been lights-out far more often than not. They have their resilient spirit, which helped them avoid long losing streaks all season. They have their vulnerabilities, such as middle relief and going into maddening RISP slumps where they strand baserunners left and right. The pitching staff tends to be walk-prone. Through it all, however, they won 97 games and tied the Cardinals for the best record in baseball. Let's see what October brings.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
2013 Soxies
What a season it has been for the 2013 Red Sox! Coming in with low expectations and a
division that seemed to be wide open, they took charge from the get-go. They never spent a day under .500, unlike
the disastrous 2012 team, who only occasionally peeked over that mark. The lowest they placed in the standings was
third, during a brief skid in May, and have spent most of the season atop the
division, en route to their first division crown since 2007. While there are still questions about this
team heading into the postseason (*cough* bullpen *cough*), this season has
been one of the best in team history and one of the truest team efforts in the
game.
While the 2013 Red
Sox personify the concept of team play, there is still plenty of virtual
hardware to go around for some of the individual players of said team:
The King of the
Hill: The winner of this award has
been the subject of some controversy this season and it wasn’t a slam-dunk
choice, given that he missed so much time, but when he’s been on the mound,
he’s been a true force of nature. A
12-1 record with a 1.74 ERA (with the smaller sample size caveat) is hard to
just brush aside due to his extended time on the DL. Therefore, the 2013 King of the Hill Soxie
goes to Clay Buchholz. One can only
imagine how his numbers would have looked had he stayed healthy the whole
season. Honorable Mentions: Jon Lester and John Lackey
Teddy Yaz: Named for two of the greatest hitters in Red
Sox history, this award goes to the best offensive producer of the season. This year’s recipient continues to get it
done at the plate at age 37, finishing with 30 HR and 103 RBI and showed
pitchers why you never intentionally walk anyone to pitch to him. He’s lethal to baseballs and dugout
phones. The 2013 Teddy Yaz Soxie goes
to David “Big Papi” Ortiz. Honorable
Mention: Mike Napoli
Dirt Doggery: He’s played the entire season with a torn
ligament in this thumb that will probably need surgery in the offseason. He’s a player that goes all out, sore thumb
be damned and he’s put up his usual numbers (.301 AVG, 9 HR, 84 RBI, .787
OPS). Also known as “Pedey” or “Laser
Show,” Dustin Pedroia wins the 2013 Dirt
Doggery Soxie. Honorable Mention: Shane Victorino
The Golden Welcome
Mat: He may have been signed as a
platoon player and his batting average isn’t anything to write home about, but
he has a flair for the dramatic and has been a unifying force on this team. The Boston Strong 617 jersey to honor the
memories of the Boston Marathon bombing victims was his idea. The Golden Welcome Mat Soxie for 2013 goes to Jonny Gomes. Honorable Mentions: Koji Uehara, Mike Carp, Shane Victorino
The Comeback Kid: In
2011, he pitched through a shredded elbow and his ERA paid a hefty price. He was also allegedly part of the “Chicken
and Beer” controversy at the heart of the 2011 collapse. In 2012, he spent the season recovering from
Tommy John surgery and he came into the 2013 season having lost weight and
gotten himself into top shape. Though
his record isn’t pretty to look at due to poor run support, he has put forth a
3.52 ERA on the season and figures to start Game 2 of the ALDS. The 2013 Comeback Kid Soxie goes to John
Lackey Honorable Mention: Jon Lester
The Bullpen Cowboy:
This one’s a no-brainer. He
stepped up and dominated in a place of great need for the Red Sox when their
previous 2 closers went down with injuries and ineffectiveness. He also high-fives with the best of
them. Koji Uehara wins the 2013 Bullpen
Cowboy Soxie Honorable Mention: Craig Breslow
The Team Player: Pretty much all of the 2013 Red Sox could
lay claim to this award, but one guy stands out for his willingness to play
wherever he’s asked. He’s also helped
the team by putting up some very nice numbers (.303 avg, 12 HR, 66 RBI, .831
OPS). A big part of his game is just
getting on base. The 2013 Team Player
Soxie goes to Daniel Nava. Honorable
mention: Shane Victorino
2013 Red Sox
MVP: This is a tough one because so
much of this team’s success this season has been the result of a team
effort. The 2013 Red Sox did not have to
rely on a couple of superstars to propel them to 97 wins, rather they were an
ensemble cast. I could make a case for
at least a half dozen players, from Koji Uehara for stepping up as the best Red
Sox closer since 2007 Papelbon, to Big Papi for continuing to be the offensive
force in the middle of the lineup, to Shane Victorino and Dustin Pedroia, who
played through pain all year, to Jon Lester, who struggled in June and July,
but righted the ship in the second half, but the player I’m choosing is one
that I’ve had my doubts about over the course of his time with the Red Sox and
now I’m hoping he re-signs with the team, as he will be a free agent this
offseason. He has really stepped up his
game in 2013, from refining his hitting approach to developing a Varitek-like
rapport with the pitching staff. He
dealt with an increased workload in the absence of David Ross, yet managed to
avoid second-half fade. This is why I
choose Jarrod Saltalamacchia as the 2013 Red Sox MVP.
The following Soxies are whimsical new categories for 2013, with no
honorable mentions.
The Grand Salami
Soxie: Mike Napoli (3 Grand Slams this
season)
The FCC Be Damned
Soxie: David Ortiz, for “This is our
F@#%ing city!” in first home game after
the Boston Marathon bombings.
The “What Wall?”
Soxie: Shane Victorino, who had close encounters
with plenty of stationary objects in the field of play.
The Helmet Hero
Soxie: Jonny Gomes, for his helmet punt
after hitting a walk-off home run and wearing a soldier’s helmet during the
clinching celebration.
The Wheels of
Steal Soxie: Jacoby Ellsbury, who lead
all of MLB in stolen bases with 52
The “Call Me
Stephen” Soxie: Stephen, not J.D.,
Drew. However, should they reach Game 6
of the ALCS and he hits a grand slam, all bets are off.
The Smarty Pants
Soxie: Craig Breslow, who might have
been a doctor if he weren’t a pro baseball player.
Best Performance By A Pinch Hitter
Soxie: Mike Carp for his game-winning
pinch-hit grand slam against the division rival Rays.
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