Tag Archives: 2018 Boston Red Sox

Eduardo Nunez World Series Memories

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A celebration of some of Eduardo Nunez‘s greatest hits from the 2018 World Series Championship, in light of him being DFA’d by the Red Sox.

Game One, bottom of the 7th

With the Red Sox clinging to a 5-4 lead, Andrew Benintedi doubled, and J.D Martinez was intentially walked. Mitch Moreland and Xander Bogaerts struck out with Rafael Devers due up. Dave Roberts went to the bullpen for Alex Wood. Despite the fact that Devers had gone 1-2 against Clayton Kershaw, Alex Cora pinch hit with Eduardo Nunez. He promptly hit a three run bomb, providing the final scoring in a 8-4 Red Sox win. Here is Nunez telling Big Papi himself, David Ortiz, all about it:

Game Three, top of the 13th inning

In the top of the thirteenth inning he came up with Brock Holt standing on first. He was facing Dodger lefthander Scott Alexander, who promptly set the gimpy Nunez on his butt not once but twice. The second time was a wild pitch, and Holt ended up on second base. Meanwhile Nunez had the look of someone who was going out on a stretcher. After a visit from Cora and the trainer, Nunez hit the next pitch into no man’s land in front of the mound. Max Muncy, playing first base, broke for the ball, but the pitcher got there first. Enrique Hernandez, who was playing second, went to cover first, but gimpy Nunez busted it down the line doing what makes fans and commentators cringe, sliding into the bag headfirst. Alexander threw the ball beyond Kiki Hernandez’s grasp, Nunez was safe, and Holt scored.

Fox TV Screen Grab – Nunez celebrating after his headfirst slide.

Game Three, bottom of the 13th inning

With Muncy at first having walked, and Nathan Eovaldi pitching, Nunez was at third base. Cody Bellinger skied a ball near the stands by third. Nunez limp-sprinted over and made a catch going into the stands. An Ian Kinsler bad play allowed Muncy to score on the very next batter. But at the time it was it was a crucial out.

Fox TV Screen Grab – Nunez goes into the stands

Eduardo Nunez not only has one of the best smiles and laughs in the Major Leagues, but was a big part of the 2017 and 2018 Red Sox teams. He fell short this year, but his part on the 2018 World Series Championship will live on forever.

Featured Image via Fox TV Screen Grab

Nathan Eovaldi Should Be Top Priority

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2018 was a fun ride for fans and players, now it’s time to get down to business. For the Red Sox, I think they need to find a way to keep Eovaldi in Boston. Reports on the situation are that Boston does indeed want to re-sign him. If they are unable to make that happen, they want to sign another proven Major League starter to replace him. I think that it is imperative to keep him.

Here’s Why Eovaldi Needs To Stay

With Nathan Eovaldi re-signed Boston’s starting rotation would be unreal with Sale, Price, Porcello, and Rodriguez all staying put. Suring up that rotation with Nathan would be smart. Boston has their key offensive pieces in place. Boston doesn’t have to worry about Mookie Betts or JD Martinez this year, so instead of signing another veteran pitcher, this is why Eovaldi is the answer.

Game 4 of the ALDS against the rival Yankees, Eovaldi dominated, pitching 7 plus innings with 1 run allowed. New York is also one of the teams that could be in on him. As the Red Sox continued into the ALCS, Eovaldi was great again. 6 plus innings with just 2 runs as the Sox won Game 3 using his arm again. As we all know by now the Red Sox beat the Houston Astros, and we were introduced to the rover. Alex Cora used Eovaldi as his rover in game 5 of the ALCS and in Games 1 and 2 of the World Series. In those 3 games, he came into each game and threw fire allowing 0 runs, while making it look easy. Even with short rest, Boston was going to have him start Game 4 of the World Series, but Game 3 changed that plan.

Eovaldi Turns in Heroic Performance Showing His Selflessness

Rover

Eovaldi was perfect for the Red Sox and should stay in Boston

Once again, Eovaldi was called on as Game 3 of the World Series turned into a marathon of a game. Still tied in the 12th inning, Nathan Eovaldi came out of the pen. In one of the greatest performances I’ve ever witnessed, he turned in a heroic 6 inning relief appearance. He knew that he was putting his future in jeopardy, by pitching so often. Anything could have happened and he could’ve lost a lot of money. As a free-agent-to-be, he risked his health along with future contracts, but he just wanted to help his team. Putting all of that aside, he went deep into the 18th inning, hitting triple digits on the radar gun like it was nothing.

Eovaldi pitched a gem and kept the Sox in the game as long as he could. In the bottom of the 18th, he gave up a solo shot to end the longest game in history. His teammates were all amazed at what he just did, some brought to tears as they realized how much Nathan just gave for his team. I believe it galvanized an already very close clubhouse. Eovaldi was a huge reason for Boston’s Championship.

 Closing Thoughts on Nathan Eovaldi

Boston should do what they can to keep Eovaldi. He’s 28 years old, extremely dominant and the way he pitched since arriving in Boston is all I need to know about him. For what it’s worth he threw 16 scoreless innings against the Yankees in the regular season. Also, his 1.35 ERA in September combined with what he did in the postseason, I believe he’s worth the $15 million range. He himself said he’d love to stay in Boston. While many teams will be fighting for him, I believe he wants to be here enough that he and Boston will work something out.

The World Series – A Season for Heroes

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Broadcaster Ernie Harwell visits with Ted Williams: The Definition of Baseball. Courtsey National Baseball Hall of Fame Library and Archives.

“It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.” – Babe Herman Ruth.

In a world disrupted by hurricanes, recessions, politics and war, baseball is the constant that gives us heroes. Every fall, the World Series connects the generations. Fathers and sons come together; neighbors unite; strangers root for the same team as millions partake in the tradition that defines America.

In a world starved for heroes, baseball’s Fall ritual reminds us of players like Ted Williams, the greatest hitter who ever lived who fought in two wars as a Marine combat pilot. We remember miracles, like the “shot heard round the world” when Bill Mazeroski won the championship in 1960 with one swing of the bat. During this year’s Series, we hold our breath, spellbound by the raw and fearless talent of players like Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez as they go to bat for the Boston Red Sox.

In a world that loves storytellers, one of the game’s most beloved muses was Ernie Harwell, the Hall of Fame Major League Baseball sportscaster who enraptured generations of fans with the saga of our past time. In this 1981 induction (SPEECH LINK) delivered on the porch of the Hall of Fame Ernie tells us what we love about baseball in a world where our diamond heroes help us battle hurricanes, recessions, politics and war. Here are a few of Harwell’s classic lines to remember during the 2018 World Series:

Courtesy, The Ernie Harwell Sports Collection, Detroit Public Library.

“Baseball is the president tossing out the first ball of the season and a scrubby schoolboy playing catch with his dad on a Mississippi farm. A tall, thin old man waving a scorecard from the corner of his dugout. That’s baseball.”

“Baseball is cigar smoke, hot roasted peanuts, The Sporting News, ladies day, ‘Down in front,’ ‘Take Me Out to the Ball Game,’ and ‘The Star-Spangled Banner.’”

“In baseball democracy shines its clearest. The only race that matters is the race to the bag. The creed is the rulebook. Color merely something to distinguish one team’s uniform from another.”

“Baseball is just a game, as simple as a ball and bat, yet as complex as the American spirit it symbolizes. A sport, a business and sometimes almost even a religion.”

“Why the fairy tale of Willie Mays making a brilliant World Series catch, and then dashing off to play stickball in the street with his teenage pals. That’s baseball. So is the husky voice of a doomed Lou Gehrig saying, ‘I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of this earth.’”

“Baseball is a tongue-tied kid from Georgia growing up to be an announcer and praising the Lord for showing him the way to Cooperstown. This is a game for America. Still a game for America, this baseball! Thank you.”

Anne R. Keene is the author of the narrative about a major-league Navy fighter pilot baseball team, The Cloudbuster Nine: The Untold Story of Ted Williams and the Baseball Team That Helped Win WWII.

Raising a Glass to Rick Porcello

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Let’s take a minute to appreciate Rick Porcello from the ho hum, nothing to see here, game three of the ALCS in Houston.  He comes in to start the fourth inning and proceeds to give up a pesky pole special, a 326 foot homer to Mookie’ Betts’ best pal, and number 9 hitter, Tony Kemp. 

Tony Kemp.  What a gnat.  If the script was flipped and Houston wins in five it might’ve been him instead of our beloved JBJ being the ALCS MVP.  Then he faces the daunting top of the Astros lineup.

THE SETTING

Just imagine: The roof is closed on Minute Maid park, the smell of leather, sweat, the Jackson Street BBQ and Taco Trio in the air.  The awesome noise of the Houston fans pounding on his amygdala.  It’s Alex Bregman at bat looking to atone for inciting the Sox with his Instagram post before game 3.  Can we get an Instagram post of this sweet 102 MPH dot he swung through in his last at bat of the season?  You know, this one.  Ah, I think David Price said it better. 

THE PITCHING

At one point in the series Bregman was slashing a .000 batting average, .700 on base average, and .000 slugging percentage that was blowing statisticians minds.  Porcello dispatched the 800 lb gorilla of the Astros lineup with a strikeout, spotting the low and outside corner again and again. Then comes George Springer, doing his best Carlos Beltran playoff edition impression, having already homered and doubled in this game alone.  Walk.  Springer sprints to second on a blown Porcello toss over, inciting the Houston Thunderdome again.  

It’s 4 – 3 Astros and they’re looking for more.  With two outs now Rick has the Astro’s Tyrion Lannister, full of rage and frustration from having a home run taken away, or not, to deal with.  And Altuve’s doing his best Kirk Gibson, limping along and stinging every ball he gets his bat on. Porcello induces a gentle, tiny, wrapped like a little burrito just out of the womb, infield pop up.  As insignificant an outcome as there is from one of the best bat handlers in the game. Brilliance.

THE MAN

Yes, Rick Porcello didn’t have his best stuff.  The Astros got to him.  But Houston was on the precipice of routing him in the early innings of ALCS game 4 and he held his ground against the toughest part of the deepest lineup (I was hoping the national media wouldn’t notice the Red Sox incredibly deep lineup but I think we’re beyond that) in baseball and stood as tall as Nolan Ryan or, dare I say, David Price ever did.  We tip our weathered hats and frayed nerves to you Rick Porcello. May Chris Sale endeavor to emulate you.