Finneran: Red Sox Thoughts

Friday, November 02, 2018
Tom Finneran, GoLocalWorcester MINDSETTER™

Let’s get right to the point. They are a damn good team.

They, of course, are the Boston Red Sox.

They slew the Yankees, themselves a very good team.

They slew the Astros, probably the second best team in baseball.

They slew the Dodgers, stalwart and repeat champs of the National League.

Each series had its anxious moments: The Yankees grabbing a game at Fenway. The Yankees inching closer and closer in Game One, making the Sox win feel like an actual loss.

The Astros grabbing a game at Fenway. Umpire Joe West making a clutch call as Houston gathered momentum.

The Dodgers’ stamina in the seven-hour, eighteen inning epic seemed an ominous turn of events.

Any one of these riveting moments could have derailed a lesser team. But the Sox played solid baseball all season long and they played their very best baseball in October. They were fun to watch.

Other thoughts:

That’s a heck of an outfield they have. The three Bs bring offense, defense, and energy. May they stay healthy and stay home, here in Boston;

I loved Mitch Moreland’s pinch hit home run. In fact, I called it before he even stepped into the batter’s box. Good glove, good bat, good teammate.

Hats off for Nathan Eovaldi. He carried a large load, eating up innings. He was a gladiator, in the arena, fighting off lions, and generating adrenaline and admiration in every Red Sox fan.

You have to be happy for David Price. He pitched well. His second-half of the season was dominant and his playoff and Series pitching was clutch. I think that he should have been the Series MVP. He seems to have killed some demons. Again, I’m happy for him.

I’m happy for Punchin’ Joe Kelly too. He brought some heat.

Chris Sale is a stud. He looks like he weighs about 130 pounds but he really attacks that strike zone. You can build a darn good team around a Chris Sale and the Red Sox did. Well done.

I’m in conflict about the designated-hitter and the different rules in each league. I’ve come to enjoy the different strategies it triggers, depending on which park the teams are playing in. It certainly highlights the importance of having a deep bench.

I don’t know if the Dodgers ever recovered from the two cold nights at Fenway Park. They’re all beach boys out there, easily frightened by frost. For them, it’s probably akin to playing a January football game in Green Bay. In other words, brutal.

I also happen to think that the Fenway experience—loud, involved, boisterous fans, right on top of the players, probably threw the Dodgers for a loop. West Coast cool met Boston verbal. Cool got smoked.

Year in and year out, New England loves its baseball team. This team, this year, was a loveable team.

Well done and thanks for the memories.

Tom Finneran is the former Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, served as the head the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council, and was a longstanding radio voice in Boston radio.

  • Series Schedule

    The World Series schedule is as follows: 

    All games will be shown on Fox. 

    • Game 1: LAD @ BOS, Tuesday, 8:09, FOX
    • Game 2: LAD @ BOS, Wednesday, 8:09, FOX
    • Game 3: BOS @ LAD, Friday, Oct. 26, 8:09, FOX
    • Game 4: BOS @ LAD, Saturday, Oct. 27, 8:09, FOX
    • Game 5*: BOS @ LAD, Sunday, Oct. 28, 8:15, FOX
    • Game 6*: LAD @ BOS, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 8:09, FOX
    • Game 7*: LAD @ BOS, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 8:09, FOX
     

  • Red Sox vs Dodgers

    The Red Sox and Dodgers last played each other in 2016. 

    The two teams last met in the World Series in 1916  (102 years ago for those counting).

    The series was won by the Red Sox in five games behind 21-year-old Babe Ruth.

    This is the fourth trip to the World Series in the last 15 years for Boston who won championships in 2004, 2007 and 2013.

    The Dodgers are in the World Series for the second straight season after losing to Houston last year.

    It is the first time in 40 years they have been to back-to-back fall classics.

    PHOTO: Francis P. Burke Collection/Wikipedia

     

  • Starting Pitching

    The projected pitching matchups are as follows: 

    Game 1: Clayton Kershaw vs Chris Sale

    Boston's Chris Sale has not pitched since game 1 of the ALCS after he had to miss his game 5 start due to stomach issues. 

    "This place is going to be obviously going crazy. We have very passionate fans. It's going to be fun. I think we've all been waiting for this. And our fans, too. Our fans have been there the whole year, just like we've been grinding the whole year, and they've been showing up for us and I think they're just as excited as we are. I don't doubt this place is not going to be getting up and going," said Sale during his press conference on Monday. 

    Sale went just four innings and gave up two runs in his ALCS appearance. 

    In the NLCS, Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw had an era of 4.09 in 11 innings pitched, giving up 9 hits and 5 runs. 

    Prior to that, in LA's NLDS series, Kershaw had an era of 0.00 in eight innings pitched. 

    He has never pitched at Fenway Park before. 

    Game 2: Hyun-Jin Ryu vs David Price 

    Boston's David Price is coming off the first postseason win of his career. 

    In game five of the ALCS, Price tossed six innings, while striking out nine batters and giving up just three hits to help the Red Sox get to the World Series. 

    Ryu comes into the start after posting an ERA of 8.59 in seven innings pitched during the NLCS. 

    In those innings, Ryu gave up seven runs on 13 hits in two games started. 

    "With Hyun-Jin he's been very good at Dodger Stadium, but if he's executing pitches and being on the road, we're not concerned. He's had a tremendous year. And pitching in big games, whether it be at home or on the road, his pulse, as we've talked about with a lot of our players, isn't a concern of ours," said Roberts.

    Game 3: Walker Buehler vs Nathan Eovaldi

    It could be argued that Nathan Eovaldi has been Boston's best pitcher to this point in the postseason. 

    Between the ALCS and ALDS, Eovaldi has tossed 14 innings and given up just three runs for an ERA of 1.88. He has a total of ten strikeouts in those two games.

    In his first postseason, LA's Walker Buehler comes into the World Series with an ERA of 5.40.

    He has given up five runs and 12 hits in just over 11 innings pitched between the NLCS and NLDS.

    Game 4: Rich Hill vs Rick Porcello 

    Former Cy Young award winner Rick Porcello went from having an ERA of 1.59 in the ALDS to an ERA of 7.20 in the ALCS. 

    In his ALCS outing, Porcello went five innings and gave up seven hits and four runs. 

    A former member of the Red Sox organization, Rich Hill enters the World Series after posting a 1.50 ERA in the NLCS. 

    In his NLCS outing, Hill tossed six innings and gave up four hits and one run. 

     

  • Bullpens

    The Red Sox bullpen has been shaky for much of the postseason, so much so, that Cora has used Sale, Porcello, and Eovaldi in relief duty. 

    If Cora is not going to a starter, expect to see Matt Barnes and Ryan Brazier used as set up men to Craig Kimbrel with Joe Kelly and Brandon Workman mixed in depending on the situation. 

    KImbrel has been shaky himself for much of the postseason, nearly giving away games against the Yankees in the ALDS and then in the ALCS against the Astros. 

    Following his shut down performance in game five against Houston, it was reported that he had addressed a pitch-tipping issue. 

    The Dodgers bullpen is anchored by closer Kenley Jansen. 

    So far this postseason, Jansen has not given up a run in 6.2 innings pitched, giving up only two hits. 

    The Dodgers bullpen as a whole has been nearly unbeatable. 

    In 41.2 postseason innings, the Dodgers bullpen carries an ERA of 1.30. 

     

  • Key Players - Dodgers

    The key players for the Dodgers entering the World Series include Matt Kemp, Yasiel Puig, and Justin Turner. 

    Kemp is a bench player for LA, but makes the key player list after Roberts announced that he would serve as LA's designated hitter for games in Fenway Park. 

    Kemp batted just .200 in the NLCS, but saw only 10 at-bats. He batted .250 in the NLDS, but in only four at-bats. 

    Puig enters the World Series after batting .333 in the NLCS with seven hits, including a home run, and four RBIs. 

    Puig has also had his share of errors in the field and on the base paths. 

    "Yasiel has had some mental lapses; is that right? Certainly, our job as coaches is to continue to teach players. And there is certainly a lot of upside with Yasiel. There's a lot of energy. There's a little bit or maybe a little bit more of -- there's some recklessness. So my job, the coach's job, is to continue to embrace it to some extent but also harness it. So there is a balance. But certainly with Yasiel the net is certainly a positive," said Roberts.

    Turner enters the World Series after batting .241 in the NLCS with seven hits and three RBIs. 

    Turner batted .357 in the NLDS with five hits. 

     

  • LA Player to Watch

    Former Baltimore Oriole, now LA Dodger, Manny Machado is quickly turning into a "villain" in these baseball playoffs. 

    In the NLCS against Milwaukee, Machado stepped on the foot of Brewers' first baseman Jesus Aguilar and also had a questionable slide into second base earlier in the series. 

    Being a former Oriole, Machado has history with the Red Sox. 

    Last season, Machado made an aggressive slide into second base and took out Dustin Pedroia. 

    In response, Red Sox pitcher Matt Barnes then threw at Machado, which sparked a bench-clearing incident. Barnes ended up being suspended for it. 

    Pedroia essentially has not played a game since that incident. 

    "So I've heard a little bit about the history with the Red Sox, but when you're in the World Series I think that each team's goal is to win four baseball games. So I don't think that the history really has any effect on these next games," said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.

    Machado hit .296 in the NLCS with eight hits, one home run, and three RBIs. 

    PHOTO: Wikipedia 

     

  • Key Players - Red Sox

    The key players in the Red Sox lineup include right fielder Mookie Betts, left fielder Andrew Benintendi, DH JD Martinez, and outfielder Andrew Benintendi. 

    Mookie Betts comes into his World Series after batting .217 in the ALCS with five hits and just one RBI. 

    Overall in these playoffs, he is eight for 39. 

    Martinez enters his first World Series after batting .278 in the ALCS with five hits and three RBIs. 

    He is 10 for 32 in the playoffs to this point. 

    Benintendi enters the World Series after batting .2018 in the ALCS with five hits and one RBI. 

    However, it was his defense that propelled Boston into the Fall Classic, specifically a diving catch to seal Boston's game four win and put them up 3-1 in the series. 

     

  • Red Sox Player to Watch

    Red Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. is one of the hottest players on either team entering the World Series. 

    Hitting out of the nine spot, Bradley was named ALCS MVP after recording nine RBIs with a grand slam in game three, a solo home run in game four and a bases-clearing double in game two against the Astros. 

    He also drew four walks in the series. 

    If Bradley Jr. can keep up this pace, he could be holding a World Series MVP trophy. 

     

  • No DH in LA

    When the series shifts to Los Angeles for games three, four and five, the Red Sox will lose the designated hitter. 

    This means that Boston manager Alex Cora will have to find another way to get JD Martinez's bat in the lineup. 

    One option, arguably the best option, is to put Martinez at one of the corner outfield positions, where he logged nearly 500 innings this season, and move Mookie Betts to second base. 

    “There’s always a chance, I guess. Those are the cool conversations that come with where we’re at," said Cora during his press conference on Sunday. 

    During Boston's team workout inside Fenway on Sunday, Betts was seen fielding grounders at second base and turning double plays. 

    Betts last played second base during a regular season game against the Yankees on August 3 due to in-game injuries. 

    No matter what Boston's decision is, Cora added, “one thing’s for sure: J.D. will play."

     

    PHOTO: Boston Red Sox

     

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