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Red Sox

RED SOX – ASTROS SERIES PREVIEW

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The Red Sox came away from last weekend disappointed to go down 1-2 to the Astros in Fenway. Now, after a trip to Toronto, they head down to Houston hoping to extract some revenge. Can the Red Sox go into Minute Maid Park and spring a surprise on the best team in baseball right now?

5/24 Chris Sale vs. Wade Miley (L) 8:10 pm NESN

5/25 David Price vs. Brad Peacock (R) 7:15 pm FOX

5/26 Eduardo Rodriguez vs. Justin Verlander (R) 2:10 pm NESN

NOTABLE NUMBERS

PITCHERS

The Red Sox three starters in this series have a combined 7-10 record. Rodriguez has four of those wins and three losses. In those wins he averages one earned run allowed per game. In the losses, that number is 6.67. As for Sale, he is 1-5, with all those losses coming in the first six games. Despite allowing just six earned combined in his last three starts, Sale has not managed to get a single decision. Both of Price’s wins have come when he has allowed precisely zero earned runs. If he allows any earned he has either taken the loss or a no-decision.

Justin Verlander is in the form of his life this season. The 36-year old pitcher has a 2.24 ERA and 89 strikeouts in 72 1/3 innings. To put some context on that Verlander has started 11 games this season. In eight of them he has allowed zero or one earned runs. Even when he struggles the worst he has done is allow for earned runs.

Brad Peacock and Wade Miley have not been as good as Verlander overall. However, pitching in Houston they have been incredible. Peacock has a 2.89 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 33 strikeouts in 28 innings at home. Miley has 21 strikeouts in 23 1/3 innings, but has a ridiculously low 2.31 ERA and a .94 WHIP.

HITTERS

J.D. Martinez started his career in Houston back in 2011. In his three seasons with the Astros he hit just 24 home runs with a .251 batting average. He has hit over 20 home runs in every season since he left Houston. In each of the last three seasons, Martinez has hit at least one home run in Minute Maid Park.

Houston’s offense has been great this season in general, but wow their numbers at home are impressive. As a team they have a .302 batting average, a .529 slugging and a .228 ISO. Leading that charge is George Springer, with his 17 home runs, four stolen bases and .313 batting average. He has seven of those home runs and a .333 batting average at home.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

The Rotation: Arguably this is the Red Sox first choice threesome for a playoff series. A healthy Nathan Eovaldi would also be in the conversation, but right now this would be the ideal three. However, all three have had their struggles this season. With three very good pitchers opposing them, the Red Sox starters need to at least show they can compete with the Astros starters in this series.

Hitting: The key for the offense in this series is just putting pressure on the pitchers. In Minute Maid Park, the highest WHIP among these pitchers is the 1.00 value for Peacock. These pitchers have had their way at home this season, and the Red Sox need to change that. If the offense can string hits together and put these guys in situations they are not used to, then just maybe they can break open a couple of them in their homefield stronghold.

EXPECTATIONS

After the Astros took two games in the series last weekend in Fenway there is perhaps not much optimism for this series. The Astros already seem like a very complete team, while the Red Sox are still figuring themselves out.

The key goal this weekend needs to be competitive. Obviously three wins would be great, but if that does not happen we just need to see the Red Sox be competitive. Even if the series ends with three wins to the Astros, as long as the Red Sox pitchers show promise, and the hitters put some hits together and apply pressure, there will be a lot of positives to take away from this series.

Red Sox – Rays Series Preview

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Right now the Red Sox are poor Ned Umber. Nailed to a wall of poor performances, turned by the Night King of a 6-13 record, and set on fire by Red Sox Nation.

This is not a melodramatic assessment. Check out what David Price, the only starter who has thrown 7 shutout innings this year, has to say:

With that in mind they start a three game series with the division leading Tampa Bay Rays tonight.

They have guys performing like this all over their roster:

Pitching Matchups/Schedule (TV)

4/19 – Eduardo Rodriguez vs Ryan Stanek (NESN)

4/20 – Rick Porcello vs Charlie Morton (NESN)

4/21 – David Price vs Tyler Glasnow (NESN)

Notable Numbers

.1835 This is the career batting average of current Rays regulars against Rodriguez (.184) and Price (.183). This is just another reminder of what the Red Sox starters are capable of if they can get their heads screwed on straight.

The Red Sox have very few at bats against Stanek, but have hit .381 against him. They have a little more history against Charlie Morton, who they’ve hit to a .333 clip.

What To Watch For

Xander Bogaerts will have a lot to do with any success the Sox have this weekend. He’s hitting .500 against Morton in 12 at bats, including a home run, and .381 against Stanek with a triple.

This is a big weekend for the Red Sox, but even more so for Rick Porcello. He’s completely out of sorts, and the Rays have a lot of success against him. He could either spin off into oblivion, or turn his season around.

Sunday’s game could be a great pitching duel. Glasnow comes in with a 4-0 record, 1.13 ERA, and .88 WHIP. Price went 7 innings and allowed no runs his last time out against Baltimore.

Expectations

Another series, another ‘Who can say?‘ History says this is a series win for the Sox. But the reality is the Sox are 6-13, while the Rays are 14-5.

The Red Sox have to snap out of it at some point. Right now they have a 10 game stretch where they play the Rays six times. That’s a real opportunity to change the narrative. It’s also a massive risk where the Night King takes over and the whole team gets traded.

We’ve gone from watching glory, to a Shakespearean tragedy. At least it’s interesting.

Featured image via HBO screen grab.

Follow: @BostonsportSAHD

The Greatest Red Sox Legends by Uniform Number: 21-25

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There are no Hall of Famers in the numbers 21 through 25 for the Red Sox. However, that statement can be a bit misleading. Four of the five I have selected could be Hall of Famers if not for varying reasons. Two of them are borderline cases that have received varying support, while another clearly has the numbers to be there.

Number 21 – Roger Clemens

“The Rocket” would clearly be a Hall of Famer based purely upon his numbers and awards. During his time with the Red Sox, Clemens became “The Rocket” and was a Hall of Fame pitcher for roughly a decade. During that time, he won an MVP Award and had a third-place finish. Clemens also won three Cy Young Awards while also finishing in second and third during other seasons.

Clemens broke out in 1986 with his first Cy Young Award and his MVP Award. He had his first 20 strikeout game in April that season en route to striking out 238 batters for the season. He led the league in wins, ERA, and WHIP as he finished 24-4 for the pennant-winning club.

Clemens led the league in wins again in 1987 as he won the Cy Young Award. After two more very good seasons, Clemens was as dominant as ever between 1990 and 1992. He finished second in the Cy Young vote in 1990 due to Bob Welch’s 27 wins, but Clemens was the better pitcher. He led the league with a 1.93 ERA that season and finished 21-6. Clemens led the league in ERA again in both 1991 and 1992, giving him three straight ERA crowns to begin the nineties.

Clemens tailed off from there, but pitched very well for a bad team in 1994 and looked like vintage Rocket down the stretch in 1996 when he punched out 20 batters in a game for the second time. He went 192-111 with a 3.06 ERA and struck out 2590 batters during his time in Boston. From 1986-92 he averaged a season of 19-9 with a 2.66 ERA and 239 strikeouts. There is a strong argument for retiring his number.

Honorable Mentions: Tex Hughson, Ray Culp

Number 22 – Rick Porcello

At number 22, we get an active Red Sox. Porcello has had an up and down Red Sox career, but he did win a Cy Young Award and contribute to the 2018 World Series champions, so at a thin number he gets the edge.

Porcello came to the Red Sox in 2015 on a questionable contract given his mediocrity to date. The decision looked like a disaster that first season as he was 9-15 with an ERA approaching 5.00. Porcello bounced back to enjoy a career year in his second season in Boston. In 2016, he led the league in wins, finishing 22-4 with a 3.15 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP. His 189 strikeouts were far and away – a career high at the time.

Porcello regressed again in 2017, leading the American League with 17 losses despite playing for a division-winning ballclub. His strikeout numbers did stay up, however, but his home run rate skyrocketed. This past season Porcello found some middle ground, posting a 4.28 ERA while finishing with a 17-7 record. He set a career high in strikeouts with 190 over 191.1 innings. In the postseason, he made three starts and two key relief appearances, pitching to a 3.52 ERA. It’s been an interesting career in Boston for Porcello.

Honorable Mentions: Sammy White, Bill Campbell

Number 23 – Luis Tiant

Tiant is one of the most popular pitchers in franchise history. Tiant had some good seasons in Cleveland in the sixties but hadn’t been good since breaking a bone in his shoulder. He led the league with 20 losses in 1969, a season after winning 21 and posting a 1.60 ERA. He missed a lot of time in 1970 and the Red Sox were able to sign him during the 1971 season off the scrap heap.

Tiant was not immediately good for the Red Sox, struggling in that first season. However, by year two he was pitching like it was 1968 again. Pitching out of the pen for much of the year, Tiant made 19 starts that season in 42 appearances, going 15-6 with a league-leading 1.91 ERA. The next season he won 20 games for the first time in five seasons, eclipsed 200 strikeouts and led the league in WHIP.

Tiant finished fourth for the Cy Young in 1974, going 22-13 with a 2.92 ERA in over 300 innings pitched. After an 18 win 1975, Tiant went 3-0 in the postseason. He pitched a complete game versus the Athletics in the ALCS and won two games against the Reds in the World Series. Tiant then won 21 games in 1976, giving him three 20-win seasons over a four-year stretch. He finished fifth in the Cy Young vote and made the All-Star team.

From 1972 through 1978, his final season in Boston, Tiant was 121-74 with a 3.30 ERA, not too shabby for someone signed off the scrap heap. He has had varying levels of support for the Hall of Fame as he remains on the outside looking in.

Honorable Mentions: Tom Brunansky, Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd, Brian Daubach

Number 24 – Dwight Evans

I would have loved to see Dwight Evans get his number 24 retired, but the chance for that probably ended with Manny Ramirez wearing the number. Dewey spent parts of 19 seasons with the Red Sox and played at a borderline Hall of Fame level. Had he hit earlier in his career as he did during the eighties, he likely would be in by now.

Evans was always a great fielder, winning eight Gold Gloves in right field. His first came in 1976 and he won three of them during the seventies. His hitting was solid, yet unspectacular until the strike-shortened season of 1981. Evans led the league in home runs and OPS that season, making the All-Star Game, finishing third in the MVP vote and winning the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Awards. Red hot before the strike took place, an argument can be made that the strike cost him the MVP Award. Had he won an MVP, maybe Dewey would be in the Hall.

Dewey hit a career-high 32 home runs in 1982, a number he matched in 1984 and eclipsed with 34 in 1987. He led the league in walks three times during the eighties and OPS twice. For the decade, Evans hit 256 home runs and drove in 900 runs while posting a .280/.385/.497/.882 batting line. That’s some Hall of Fame work when you throw into consideration his eight Gold Glove Awards.

Honorable Mentions: Manny Ramirez, David Price, Mike Stanley

Number 25 – Tony Conigliaro

When I say Tony Conigliaro could be a Hall of Famer, it’s not in the same way as the previous guys. Obviously, Conigliaro is not a Hall of Famer off what he achieved. However, if Jack Hamilton’s fastball hadn’t crushed his eye socket in 1967, Conigliaro may have become a Hall of Famer. Conigliaro was just 22 years old at the time and already had 104 home runs in his career, with some of the season still to play. He had a home run crown under his belt and seemed like he could be well on his way to joining the 500 home run club.

Even with the tragic events that took place in his life, Tony C is still the greatest Red Sox to ever don the number 25. On top of the previous statistics I stated, he did briefly return and even hit a career-high 36 home runs in 1970. Unfortunately, his eyesight rapidly deteriorated from there, quickly ending his playing career. In all, the local kid hit 162 home runs and drove in 501 runs for the Red Sox. Would the Red Sox have won the World Series in 1967 had Conigliaro not been injured?

Honorable Mentions: Mike Lowell, Troy O’Leary

 

Featured picture credit to “Boston Baseball History/Rich Pilling” and taken from Cooperstown Cred

Should The Red Sox Go After Noah Syndergaard?

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The Baseball Hot Stove is beginning. It’s winter, so warm up.  There are reports out there that the New York Mets are open to trading Noah Syndergaard.  Could Thor be in the Red Sox future?  Cue the Led Zeppelin and put on your mittens while we take a look.

Syndergaard’s Injuries

Noah Syndergaard has had a number of injuries, but his ‘injury prone‘ label is unwarranted.  In May of 2018, he had a strained ligament in his right index finger.  It’s unknown how he did it, perhaps playing Fortnite or Red Dead Redemption 2 a little too vigorously, but it held him out six weeks.  Then in late July, he suffered from the plague that hit New York pitchers hard: Hand, Foot and Mouth disease.  The scourge of toddlers may be embarrassing, but it’s hardly a long-term problem.

The major injury for Thor was a strained right lat muscle in May of 2017.  I’m not a doctor, so the details are a bit beyond me, but the bottom line is he did not need surgery.  Furthermore, this was not a rotator cuff or elbow injury.  Yes, it wiped out most of his 2017, but there has been no recurrence of the injury.

Contract Status

Because he missed the bulk of 2017, Noah Syndergaard has an incredibly affordable contract for someone of his stature.  He still has three years of arbitration ahead of him, and he’s starting 2019 from the low rung of $2.975 Million.

That means that even if he performs like a Cy Young candidate in 2019 and 2020 he still won’t be breaking the bank.  In short, this man is probably the best bargain in baseball as long as he’s healthy.  And it appears that he is.

End Of 2018 Performance

Syndergaard had a rough August as his body recovered from sickness, but he poured it on in September.  He went 4-1 with two complete games, including a shutout to end the season.  His Statcast average pitch speed was over 97 MPH on his fastball, so he’s still throwing much harder than the average incredible baseball player who is on any Major League roster.

On September 14th, Noah Syndergaard came to Fenway Park and pitched a beauty against arguably the greatest Red Sox team of all time.  7 innings, 3 hits, 6 strikeouts.  After the performance he tweeted out this nugget of a tantalizing possibility:

I’m sorry, but in light of the rumors of his availability, can I freak out now?

How He Fits On The Red Sox

It’s no secret that the Red Sox have a rather large bill coming due at the end of 2019.  Chris Sale’s contract is up.  Xander Bogaerts is hitting free agency.  JD Martinez has an opt-out in his contract.  Mookie Betts even now is looking to break records in arbitration.

As stated above, Syndergaard is cost controlled.  So while he is at that $2.975 Million number and coming off a season where he missed some time and made only 25 starts, Mookie is at $10.5 Million and coming off an MVP season.  The lower you start from in arbitration, the lower you end up the next year, and vice versa.

For a Red Sox team that is paying David Price over $30 Million, with at least that much needing to go to Chris Sale if they want to keep him, Syndergaard is a dream contract.  Furthermore, there is no starting pitcher depth in the Red Sox minor league system.  Low-cost young stars are the lifeblood of successful major league teams.  Noah Syndergaard is the very essence of the solution to these problems.

For these reasons, he won’t come cheap.

What A Trade Would Look Like

Alarmingly, the Red Sox main competition in the American League are pegged as landing spots for Syndergaard.  But the possible assets from the Yankees and Astros can’t measure up to the firepower the Red Sox can offer.

I was willing to trade Rafael Devers for very few players.  Kris Bryant was one of those players.  That is because Bryant is young and an MVP winner and perennial MVP candidate.  But Bryant would cost a lot soon.  Syndergaard is almost the equivalent as a pitcher that Bryant is as a batter and third baseman, and he’s cheap.

I’m also an advocate for taking advantage of Christian Vazquez’s value at this moment in time.

The Mets are working on getting 3B David Wright’s contract off their books.  They also have a hole at catcher.

I think the framework is there for a Rafael Devers and Christian Vazquez for Noah Syndergaard swap.  I do know that this is a trade that meets what the Mets may be looking for.

This would be a major shake-up of the future of the Red Sox.  Most likely this would mean the Sox would not be in on Nathan Eovaldi, the Sox number one target of this offseason, but maybe not.  It would definitely mean letting go of all the potential and promise of Rafael Devers.  Perhaps there’s a certain swiss army knife, who’s won a recent World Series with Alex Cora, the Sox could sign to play third?

The Mets GM, Brodie Van Wagenen, is an unknown entity at the moment.  There’s no telling what he may do, but he is contacting a lot of starting pitchers’ agents.  It certainly appears he’s readying to trade Thor.

Think of top of this rotation on opening day: Chris Sale, Noah Syndergaard, David Price.  Kind of makes the drool flow freely from your gaping mouth right?

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.

Red Sox Free Agency 2019: Does Charlie Morton Compare to Nathan Eovaldi?

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One of the surprises of the 2019 Free Agency crop in Major League baseball is that Charlie Morton is available.  The Astros did not sign him before he hit free agency and they did not extend him a qualifying offer.

Nathan Eovaldi In Demand

Why does that matter to the Red Sox?  Because Nathan Eovaldi is suddenly starting to attract attention in the market.  A quick google search will show the Yankees’ interest.  And shockingly, curveball enthusiast Lance McCullers is going to miss the 2019 season for the Astros due to Tommy John Surgery.  According to many, this puts Eovaldi on the Astros list.

All of this is to say, the Red Sox will have a lot of competition for Eovaldi.  And while we rightly sing songs to his World Series heroics, it’s not like Eovaldi is the second coming of Pedro Martinez.  So it’s worth asking, if Eovaldi signs elsewhere, are there legit replacements available?

Charlie Morton

Let’s play a choose your own pitcher game.  Here are the average stats for the past two active seasons of each pitcher.  One of these is Charlie Morton, the other is Nathan Eovaldi:

  • Pitcher A: 118 innings, 23 starts, 4.28 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 7.6 K/9, 2.5 BB/9
  • Pitcher B: 157 innings, 27 starts, 3.53 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 10.4 K/9, 3.3 BB/9

Can you guess which is which?  A is Eovaldi, B is Morton.  Charlie Morton gets a bad rap that he’s injury prone, but he’s averaging 157 innings a year, which is what you need from a number 3, 4 or 5 starter.  He walks a few more than Eovaldi but strikes out a lot more too.

The fact that Morton, like Eovaldi, is right-handed also works in his favor.  The Sox already have three left-handers in Sale, Price and Eduardo Rodriguez.  There are a lot of right-handed bats on the Red Sox closest competitors, the Yankees, and Astros.  Having a right-handed starter to counteract Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Gary Sanchez, George Springer, Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, and Carlos Correa is a necessity.

One other nugget about Morton: He is the forerunner of Eovaldi in terms of bullpen work in the ALCS and World Series in 2017.

Charlie Morton is 35 years old, 6 years older than Eovaldi, and because of that, there will be less demand for his services.  MLB Trade Rumors state, and I love this, that Morton is aging like fine wine.  They also estimate a 2 year $32 Million deal for him, verse a 4 year $60 Million deal for Eovaldi.

The Alex Cora Connection

There’s that man again.  Cora worked with Charlie Morton last year with the Astros, he has the inside knowledge on this guy.  Because of this, if there is smoke out there about the Sox interest in Morton I would believe it.

To me, Nathan Eovaldi is the Number 1 priority for the Red Sox in Free Agency.  But if the numbers start to creep towards $20 million a year I think the Red Sox should search for alternatives.  Charlie Morton is a great back up plan.

The 2018 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox Will Go Down As Legends.

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The 2018 Boston Red Sox were never the underdogs. They did not break the curse of the Bambino. They did not come out of nowhere to unite a city during times of tragedy. Entering the 2018 baseball season expectations for Boston’s beloved baseball team was World Series or bust. The team knew it on February 19th when Chris Sale was asked about his expectations for the season in which he said “The goal is World Series Championship”.

The Goal

On October 28th, Chris Sale, who had been dealing with shoulder issues for the majority of the second half of the season, came out of the Sox bullpen. Sale walked to the mound with one goal which he had echoed from day one of spring training: To win a World Series and cement the 2018 Boston Red Sox as the greatest team to ever step foot in Fenway Park.

What the 2018 Red Sox accomplished goes beyond baseball, for me. This season will stick with me forever. I watched every pitch of every game whether live or on replay. Every at bat from opening day on Thursday March 29th, when Joe Kelly, eventual World Series legend, imploded on route to a 6-4 loss to the Rays. I invested my heart and soul into this team.

The Moments To Remember

When asked to pick a moment or an at bat that stands out to I am at a loss. Not for a lack of options but rather an abundance of such. April 8th, when the Sox scored six runs in the bottom of the eighth to overcome the rays. April 11th, when Joe Kelly showed what the Sox were made of by beaning Tyler Austin and starting a bench clearing brawl. July 2nd, when Rick Porcello roped a three run double off Max Scherzer to lead the Sox to a 4-3 victory of the Nationals.

Who could forget the most electrifying at bat of my lifetime? Mookie Betts came off the bench to pinch hit in the bottom of the fourth against Blue Jays starter J.A Happ. Betts grinded out a thirteen pitch at bat and smoked a 95mph fastball down and in over the green monster for a grand slam. That moment as Betts was rounding first base looking into the Sox dugout pumping his fist was the moment it became evident this team was special.

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From that point on, resilience became the first word associated with this team. An historic 108 win season, the probable A.L MVP, the best power hitter in the game, yet it was a one for all, all for one mentality to the very end. Nothing embodies that mentality better than three Red Sox relievers trying to warm up on two mounds to have a chance to pitch the last three outs of the World Series.

The Gauntlet

After two straight years of being bounced in the first round, the juggernaut entered the postseason facing the gauntlet. First came the 100 win New York Yankees, who set a major league record for home runs hit in a season. Chants of “We Want Boston” were heard all across New York during the Yankees wild card win over the Athletics. Unfortunately for New York, the Yankees fans got what they asked for.

After splitting the first two games at Fenway, the Sox faced a daunting challenge heading into the lions den that is Yankee Stadium. A moment that Aaron Judge will regret for a while was when he decided to taunt the Sox by walking by their locker room with a boom box playing “New York, New York”. Two games later the Sox were moving onto the ALCS after outscoring the Yankees 20-4 in New York. Steve Pearce made a stretch for the ages and damage was done to the hearts of Yankee fans everywhere.

For a team to be an underdog in a series after setting a franchise record for wins is unheard of. Naturally, the defending World Series champion Astros were favored to win the ALCS. Yet confidence in the Sox locker room never wavered. It took five games for the Sox to dismantle the Astros.

The Sox played with a swagger that I had never seen before by a team. That was again on display when Andrew Benintendi made a diving catch for the final out of game four. That catch will go down in history given the situation of there being bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth. No fear, no hesitation, is why two weeks later the Red Sox became World Champions.

The Sox finished off the Astros in game five when Devers hit a three run homer off ace and postseason hero Justin Verlander. No pitcher could stop the Sox from doing damage, Verlander learned that the hard way. David Price on three days rest clinched the series and his first career win as a starter in the postseason by pitching six innings of shut out ball.

Two 100 win teams. 8 wins down, 4 to go, a chance to be remembered as the greatest Sox team in history was on the line.

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The Final Chapter

The Dodgers were no stranger to the big stage coming off a game seven loss in the World Series a year ago. The talk was about the elite starting pitching of the Dodgers coming into the series. It took 7 hours, and 20 minutes. A terrible error by Ian Kinsler, and a historically bad day for the Sox to lose their first game in October away from Fenway Park. That loss showed the World why in forty years everyone will be talking about the 2018 Red Sox. They cannot and will not be knocked out.

Nathan Eovaldi came out of the bullpen and threw six spectacular innings. The impending free agent could have asked out and not one of us would have second guessed him. Instead he stood in there and fought until the bitter end. What transpired at Dodgers Stadium that night was the most heroic performance by a pitcher in postseason history. That is what sports is all about. Leaving everything out there for your teammates and brothers.

That is why the Red Sox are champions once again. No ego, no quit, win together and lose together. When Chris Sale threw his signature slider to bring Manny Machado to one knee and seal the title, history was made.

Thank you for a journey that I will never forget. For the rest of my life I will remember the greatest baseball team to ever play in Boston.

The 2018 Red Sox Are One of the Greatest Ever

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The Red Sox completed their ultimate goal last night, dispatching the Dodgers in five games. It was a fitting end to a season that saw them set a franchise record for wins. So where do these Red Sox rank among some of the greatest teams in Major League history?

Total Wins

The Red Sox won 108 games in the regular season, setting a franchise record. The 1912 Red Sox, who also won the World Series, won 105 games in a 154 game season. The Red Sox 108 wins places them in a tie for ninth most all-time. Due to the shorter seasons pre-1961, they rank a bit further down in terms of winning percentage. The case can be made though that this team had a tougher road.

There was no free agency in those days, so teams did not need to fear losing their players. Also, there was no postseason. If a team had the best record in their league, they made the World Series. There was no going through teams like the Yankees and the Astros again in the

Graphic from the Baseball Nexus

postseason after beating them out in the regular season.

Since free agency began, only the 2001 Mariners and the 1998 Yankees won more games than the Red Sox did this year. The same holds true for total amount of wins, when combining regular season and postseason wins. The 1998 Yankees won 125 and the Seattle Mariners won 120, and the Mariners did not even make the World Series that season, let alone win it. No other team in baseball history, pre-free agency or post-free agency, won more than 119 games; So this Red Sox team is in some rarefied air.

Postseason Road

It is safe to say that no team in history has faced the tall task the Red Sox just went through in the postseason. After winning 108 regular season games, the Red Sox reward was facing a 100 win Yankees team. The 100 wins from the Yankees was more than any National League team won. The Red Sox steamrolled through their rivals in four games however.

Next up was the 103 win and defending champion Houston Astros. Despite the Red Sox having the top record, many thought the Astros would be too strong for them. They were, after all, the defending champions and had improved their pitching staff this season. The Astros 103 wins were two more than they accomplished last season and placed behind only this seasons Red Sox and last season’s Dodgers for the most wins of the decade.

After dropping the first game, the Red Sox had no more issues with the Astros, taking four straight to dispatch of the defending world champions. The final three of those wins came in Houston and included beating future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander in the deciding game.

In the World Series, they faced the Dodgers, who were playing for the championship for the second consecutive season. The Red Sox didn’t have much trouble with them either, winning in just five games. It took the Dodgers 18 innings to win one game from the Red Sox. In that 18 inning affair, the Red Sox top four spots in the batting order combined to go 0-28, and it still took 18 innings and an egregious miscue in the field from second baseman Ian Kinsler for the Dodgers to win a game.

Ian Kinsler looks in disbelief after his error led to the Dodgers tying the game.

Star Power

As all great teams do, the Red Sox weren’t short of star power. Mookie Betts looks like he will probably win the MVP Award, after going 30-30 while leading the league in hitting. His closest contender for the award might be teammate J.D. Martinez, who hit .330 with 43 home runs and 130 runs batted in. On the mound, Chris Sale was the favorite for Cy Young until a couple disabled list stints in the second half.

And yet, despite the star power, the Red Sox did not win because of that. This truly was a team effort, showing just how great of a team it is. Mookie Betts batted just .217 with a .699 OPS in the World Series and hit only one home run the entire postseason. J.D. Martinez was a more human .278 hitter with an .881 OPS in the World Series. Chris Sale did not win a game in the series.

Instead, everyone pitched in, with journeyman Steve Pearce taking home the World Series MVP honors. The much-maligned David Price got his redemption. After struggling in his first couple postseason outings, running his playoff record to 0-9, Price bested Justin Verlanded in the deciding game of the ALCS, then won games two and five in the World Series. Nathan Eovaldi was practically not human, pitching six innings of relief in game three while routinely pushing triple digits with his fastball. He then volunteered to pitch again later that same day.

Boston Red Sox’s Steve Pearce celebrates after his home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the eighth inning in Game 4 of the World Series. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Conclusion

So where do these Red Sox rank amongst the greatest teams ever assembled? It is hard to pinpoint an exact place, especially factoring in the different styles of play and the way the game has changed over the years. However, it is clear this team is near the top. The 1927 and 1998 Yankees usually get talked about, as do the 1929 Athletics. The Big Red Machine of the 1970’s is up there as well, but this team can win with them all, and winning is truly all that matters.

Featured image from Newshub.com

Boston Red Sox World Series Championship Game 5 Recap

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The 2018 World Champion Boston Red Sox beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 and cemented their status as the most dominant team in baseball.

Steve Pearce

This was a win that felt inevitable from the first pitch.  Thanks to World Series MVP Steve Pearce it pretty much was.

Over 3 at bats at the end of game 4 and the beginning of game 5 Pearce was unstoppable.  2 Home Runs, a Double, and 6 RBI.  He threw in another homer in the 8th to put the cherry on top of this Championship.

Turns out that kind of performance puts you shoulder to shoulder with MLB Legends.  Here’s a couple of facts that stand out.

  • Steve Pearce joins Babe Ruth in 1927 and Lou Gehrig in 1928 with at least one home run and three RBI in back to back World Series Games.
  • Pearce, Ruth, and Ted Kluszewski are the only players in history to have a multiple home run game at age 35 or older in the World Series

Pearce told Andrew Benintendi before the series started that he wanted to win World Series MVP so he could go to the owners’ box at a Patriots game and sit with Bob Kraft and Bon Jovi.  Mission accomplished my man.

I thought this World Series would invoke Legends, little did I know Steve Pearce would join them.

David Price

David Price dopped the mic on his postseason failures for all time.  In this game he went 7 plus innings, 1 run, 5 strikeouts.  Doing that on full rest would’ve been beyond outstanding.

But he didn’t just out-duel Clayton Kershaw, he did it on shortest of short rest.  He pitched in 4 out of the 5 World Series games.  In the game he didn’t pitch he warmed up.  On the biggest stage he had the best stretch of his career.

Alex Cora on David Price:  “David loves to be ready to compete on a daily basis.  He enjoys being available, and he was available the whole time.  (He texted) Count on me, use me, he just wanted to compete.”

Chris Sale: “I’m gonna tell my grand kids about (playing with) David Price.”

Here’s some pretty sweet play by play that shows David Price’s joy.

Chris Sale punches out Manny Machado.  More on this in a moment.

Christian Vazquez runs to Chris Sale and look who gets there next.

What a moment for David Price, just look at his face!

Live it up David, you earned it.

Chris Sale

This says it all when it comes to what Chris Sale means to this team.  Look at his teammates as he comes out of the bullpen to start the 9th inning last night.

I didn’t see Craig Kimbrel getting a standing ovation by his teammates coming into any games this post season.

And the way he had Manny Machado flailing on that immaculate slider.  Satisfaction of the highest order.

Alex Cora

All night in the post game it was a Song of Alex Cora from all the players and ownership.  Because he put the players in a position to succeed.  He communicated at an all time level.  He was outstanding at every little thing.

Alex Cora has been the Night’s King since Hardhome: All out aggressive and piling up wins.

He’s pulled all the right levers this postseason and he was on his game last night.

Steve Pearce batting third?  Check.  David Price batting in the top of the eighth?  Check.  Bring in Chris Sale who will probably need surgery next week to close?  Check mate.

He has won the World Series as a player, a bench coach, and now a manager.

Ownership

Take a bow guys.  4 Championships in 14 years.  They cleaned house after last year and chose the right guy in Alex Cora.  These guys are good.

Nathan Eovaldi

A quick word about iron man Nathan Eovaldi.  Take it away John Henry: “I mean he set us up, so that for the next two nights our bullpen was in good shape, and their wasn’t, that was the difference.”

It could be said no Eovaldi, no World Series Championship.

Now it truly is time to party.

David Price, Red Sox Win, Game 2 Recap

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The Boston Red Sox beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 2 of the World Series.  David Price was locked in, the relentless 2 out offense was in bloom, and now the Sox have a 2-0 lead.

We’re not in the peak Eck ‘Time To Party‘ zone yet, but man oh man are we getting close!

David Price

Live it up David.  Any man who goes six innings with three hits allowed and two earned runs in the World Series gets to have his kid up there bring some levity.

While Price was busy rewriting his post season narrative, the offense continued to do things we have never seen.  The mantra for offense in baseball is batting with runners in scoring position.  For premium offense it’s all that plus doing it with two outs.

There is David Ortiz clutch, in which a singular individual gets hit after hit to win games in the post season.  Then there is this team’s version.

In the top of the 5th inning, Hyun-Jin Ryu was steamrolling the Red Sox lineup.  He got Ian Kinsler to ground out and JBJ to hit a weak infield fly.  He got Christian Vazquez to an 0-2 count.  Then it began.

Vasqy keeps his swing short and hits a single.  Betts singled.  The anticipation and trust and faith in this team begins to ripple through Fenway.  Benny walks and the bases are loaded.

The Turning Point

Dave Roberts is getting killed for over managing his Dodgers, but what would you do?  Let Ryu face lefty killer Steve Pearce with the bases loaded, or bring in a normally trustworthy strikeout reliever?  Roberts goes with door number 2 and brings in Ryan Madson.

The moment proved too big for Madson.  He walks Pearce.  Almost every pitch looked like Mariano Rivera’s last pitch to Kevin Millar in game 4 of the 2004 ALCS to set up Roberts famous steal.  The score is now 2-2.  All of this with two outs.

So Madson, who had blown away JD Martinez in Game 1 with the bases loaded, gets to face him in the same situation.  You can’t stop JD Martinez, you can only hope to contain him.  Because JD is so obsessed about hitting, he look locked in, laser focused.  Staying inside the ball, he rockets the second pitch to right and two more runs score.  It’s 4-2 and the Dodgers are shook.

The Dodgers were one strike away from getting out of that inning.  Who knows how long Ryu could’ve pitched.  But The Red Sox relentlessness is a wonder to behold.  Putting the ball in play.  The Red Sox are making this look easy.  Despite what we are witnessing it is not.

Historical Perspective

With runners in scoring position in the postseason the Red Sox are hitting 17-40.  That’s a .425 average.  .425 is beyond comprehension. They’ve turned into peak Ty Cobb, Ted Williams, Tony Gwynn, at the most critical times of the game.

The only other team in the same stratosphere is another old timey Titan.  That’s the 1910 Philadelphia A’s.  You remember them.  Lead by a young Eddy Collins, they hit .394 in those situations.

The Bullpen

Tip of the cap.  High Five.  Way to go!  The Red Sox bullpen, so maligned and beleaguered during the year, continued to dominate.  Of note, Nathan Eovaldi, building an MVP case, pitched a clean 8th inning for the second game in a row.  Along with Price, they set down the final 16 Dodgers hitters in a row.

Outfield Defense

Another day, another outstanding outfield catch.  This was in the top of the 5th with the Dodgers trying to to increase their 2-1 lead.  Brian Dozier thought he had a lead-off hit, but yet again there was Andrew Benintendi.  Consequently, it was just another out.

Viewing Note

Commissioner Rob Manfred did an interview with Felger and Mazz on 98.5 The Sports Hub yesterday.  You can find it here in the second half of the run-time.  The interview starts off contentious.  No surprise there.  Up for debate: pace of play.

The incorrigible Felger hammers Manfred on pace of play in the postseason and Manfred takes exception.  More or less Manfred downplays it and says pace of play is not as big of a deal as Felger is saying it is.

When it’s the 9th inning of Game 2 of the World Series, the score is 4-2, and the closer is on the mound?  That is what drama and tension and watch-ability is all about.  Most importantly Legends are made and Goats are birthed in these situations.

What do I see on my screen between batters coming to the plate?  A split screen ad.  Because Fox knows there’s all kinds of time between batters coming up and between pitches.  They used it in Game 2 to throw ads at us, not between innings, but between pitches.

If that’s not a mic drop argument that there is way too much time wasted in the game of baseball, I don’t know what is.  Commissioner Manfred, it is appalling you are allowing this to happen.

On To LA

The 2018 Sox are making themselves into an all time juggernaut.  They’re up 2-0 in the World Series and headed to LA, the land of swimming pools and movie stars.  Get ready for your glamour shot boys!