2007 World Series Preview

The Red Sox will be playing in the World Series tomorrow night at Fenway Park, their second in four years. Though it may seem like a "pinch me" scenario, it is most certainly true, and it comes as just another affirmation of how could this team really is. We watched them all season, through the ups and the precarious downs of the final month, and somehow we managed to convince ourselves that maybe they weren't that good.

Well, they are, and when Josh Beckett toes the rubber tomorrow evening in his second Fall Classic appearance, he'll be facing a Colorado Rockies lineup that is nothing like the laughers of several years ago. Todd Helton, Matt Holliday, Troy Tulowitzki, Garrett Atkins and Brad Hawpe comprise the backbone of a lineup that posted a line of .280/.354/.437 only after the pitchers' ABs were included. Nothing to shake a stick at, but then again, you've all been listening to the radio the last few days, so you all know that already.

Here's where I think the money is going to be made: starting pitching. I know, it's groundbreaking, isn't it? The series is going to come down to whoever pitches best, nothing new under the sun, but lets see just exactly this one shakes down.

We all know the Sox

ERA W L IP H R ER HR BB SO ERA+
Daisuke Matsuzaka 4.40 15 12 204.7 191 100 100 25 80 201 108
Josh Beckett 3.27 20 7 200.7 189 76 73 17 40 194 145
Curt Schilling 3.87 9 8 151.0 165 68 65 21 23 101 122

All three, despite any inconsistencies throughout the year, are known commodities. Beckett needs to be Beckett, work his curveball and changeup effectively and keep the Mile High Mashers off balance.

The Rockies' playoff rotation, unlike the Sox, is not at as well known.

Jeff Francis 4.22 17 9 215.3 234 103 101 25 63 165 114
Ubaldo Jimenez 4.28 4 4 82.0 70 46 39 10 37 68 112
Franklin Morales 3.43 3 2 39.3 34 15 15 2 14 26 140


Jeff Francis is the only one we've seen before, earning himself a great season of 17 wins over 215 IP. The problem for Colorado is the number of hits he allowed, 234. That's 43 more than any of the Sox pitchers, meaning that Francis' success is due largely to the best defense in MLB history playing behind him. In a place like Fenway, where the outfield corners are more than a bit quirky and the field certainly can enter in as an unknown, a small but exploitable advantage for the Olde Towne Team.

The other two starters, Jimenez and Morales, were call ups who managed to pitch their tails off and help the Rockies into the Series despite an offense that batted an anemic .222 in the ALCS. They certainly don't have the experience, but both allowed a lot of hits and didn't pick up many K's. If the Sox can hold their own in the box and not get sucked into swinging at bad pitches (and, say, hitting into a record-setting number of double plays), they have a good chance at waiting out the starters and getting into the meat of the 'pen.

Unlike 2004, when the Sox were on the roll to end all rolls (like the Rockies today), the Cardinals didn't have the depth they needed to combat the overpowering pitching of Schilling and Pedro. They were also without their ace, Chris Carpenter. The 2007 Rockies are hampered by neither.

Expect this to be an exciting Series, and hold on to your hats. It could get stressful.

Sox Seek Score Settled in Seventh Game

At Game 6 last night, was without a doubt tons of fun. Schilling lived up to the badass aura he projected on SoSH Thursday night, the offense finally looked comfortable, and Jacoby Ellsbury finally started a game. Add to that the fact that Rafael Perez got knocked around again and a report out of San Francisco that the quirky delivery of Paul Byrd was fueled by $25,000 worth of human growth hormone from 2002-2005, and Game 6 satisfied all parties not from Cleveland.

One thing I'd like to address here for a moment is this concept being bantered about by all sorts of commentators on the sport is the notion of "the home grown team." Don't get me wrong, I love it. I love seeing Red Sox prospects come up and have huge success on the big stage, and I even love seeing mediocre farmhands get roster spots over "seasoned veterans" who get bargain contracts and playing time (even if they suck) over people who need it. But what I don't love is this labeling of Boston as the New Evil Empire because its not 98% farmhands.

First and foremost, if the Red Sox used the Cleveland model in the American League East they would get jack-diddly squat for results 9 times out of 10. The reason the Sox payroll has escalated to where it is now is because they compete with the highest payroll 19 times each season, plus the playoffs.

The American League Central was probably the best division in the AL this year, but before the White Sox shocked everybody it was a laugher division. That's the problem with the constant "home grown" theory, it rarely results in constant contention. The one notable exception to that is probably the Atlanta Braves, who through sheer genius and just plain luck have managed to keep their edge despite limited acquisition of big-ticket players.

If anyboody in the AL East wanted to immediately contend with the Torre Era Yankees, it required both the brains of a healthy farm system and the brawn of free-agent market capability. The Red Sox for most of the 1990's decided to gut their farm system in an attempt to lure the biggest names in trades, and for just as much time it wasn't very successful.

The point is that the Indians have hit a great streak in their development, but eventually they, like any other team that hopes to succeed, will find themselves forced to approach the free agent market with more than just a little interest in hopes of finding the solution to whatever problem may arise with the passing of years.

So what if the Sox aren't all home grown? Last time I checked, Grady Sizemore was drafted by the Expos.

In-game 2

After Pedroia's leadoff double here in the 7th (and the run that followed) made me want to address something: baseball commentators. Wait, tell me you've never heard this before. Ok, good.

I heard the other day an unnamed XM radio personality discussing the merits of Dustin Pedroia as a leadoff hitter. On the whole it was a positive assessment, but wrapped into it was the like "may strike out more than most leadoff guys". Really? That's weird. I could've sworn he had only 42 strikeouts for the entire season. That's 520 AB.

That's pretty freakin' good. Just thought I'd point that out.

In-game Venting

Time to lose some steam, all of it generated from Manny's last AB.

First of all, lets talk about the broadcasting. After saying on national television that Manny got jammed and calling it like a routine fly ball, Joe Buck and Tim McCarver proceed to rip Manny Ramirez for not standing on second base on what he thought was the third out.

I call some MAJOR B.S. I understand that everybody likes to have their jollies with the fact that Manny is a total goof, and that for the most part he fuels the fire. But if anyone, anyone, with that much access to the game attacks a player as prolific as Manny, they have to shut the fuck up. Manny is a goon, he may not talk to the media every game (though he has lately, and he's been dressing up), and he may not sprint to first every time he grounds out, but he's the smartest and hardest working player I, any other fan, and most every other player has ever seen. Buck and McCarver are beating a horse that's been dead since 2004.

(Game interruption: Coco can't even put down a bunt. Somebody please get his ass out of the lineup.)

This whole postseason has been beyond frustrating. The networks can't get their heads out of the endless circle-jerk that is their scheduling problems, the announcers, who are all talented in their own right, end up sounding like idiots on national TV and oh yea, the umpires have been AWFUL in every series.

This is just incredible. If Cleveland goes, I hope Colorado lays a huge steaming turd on their hopes with a 4 game sweep.

NOTE TO ALL READERS: The playoffs have been known to make everyone a little snippy. Sorry if I offend anyone.

When I'm Angry I Count to 10

10. Cleveland won 96 games and tied for the best record in baseball... with us... and we won by default. It's kinda like beating the bully in gym-class wrestling because he has a violent asthma attack in the middle of the match. The only people stupid enough to think we were going to roll through them because they weren't the Yankees were Yankees fans and WEEI listeners.

9. Even God seems to want the Indians to win, as He sent an Old Testament plague to smite the Bombers.

8. Travis Hafner is like Shrek during a bad acid trip. When he hits the ball, it goes far.

7. Grady Sizemore is almost unanimously considered the best all-around player in the American League.

6. Lebron James is a bigger jackass than Tom Brady, so Cleveland has to win so they can rub it in his spoiled little nose.

5. Jake Westbrook and Paul Byrd are like short bus twins: alone they're weak, but together they're frightening and nigh-unstoppable... despite the fact that Byrd's OBA was over .300.

4. Did you catch the last line in #5? If you didn't, go back and read it again, and think about our offense.

3. Eric n'a pas gagné. Not once, not any of his appearances with the Sox (save the day after he was traded.)

2. Fausto Carmona and C.C. Sabathia combined for 38 wins between the two of them. Both are probably going to get more Cy Young votes than Josh Beckett because of Cleveland's payroll.

1. Coco Crisp, J.D. Drew, Julio Lugo, Jason Varitek, Dustin Pedroia. They're probably all going to Sandals after the postseason ends.

The series is likely over, so let's all be honest with ourselves. Josh Beckett has a solid chance of winning tonight, but only because his track record says he's going to go 6 or 7 innings and allow like 2 runs. Problem is, that might not be enough considering the offensive production of the majority of the lineup. That same production is the reason that, if we win Game 5, we'll likely struggle to win 6 and 7.

I'm not being a naysayer, just honest. I want more than anything for the Sox to come back and move on to the World Series, but I just don't think they can do it. This lineup is anemic in three of the nine slots, and the manager (whom I like most of the time) refuses to mix things up out of loyalty to hitters who aren't performing the way they're supposed to.

But once more, if you're trying to find some sort of comfort, just remember that Cleveland won 96 games, swept their division rival Tigers going into the postseason, and that Boston barely made it to the finish line with their lead intact.

Curtis Leskanic said something interesting during an interview on XM Radio's Home Plate last night that made perfect sense: "You can't beat destiny." We already know about the Rockies, but maybe it really is Cleveland's time for a shot as well.

Man, I really hope not. I would love to go to the World Series.

Onward and Upward!

Prepared? Yea, I think we all witnessed just how prepared Curt Schilling was for his Game 3 start in the American League Division Series. The Sox were tight today, a well-oiled machine working its way through a limping but still dangerous Angels lineup. With Jered Weaver on the hill and the Halos looking like they were ready to slug it out in a grudge match, the Boston nine really came out on top. Heck, even Eric Gagné was able to pitch without causing half the New England population to have a stroke.The sad part about sweeping the Division Series is that we have to wait until Friday night to get to more Sox baseball.

I wasn't really sure how I felt about the best-record series choice the Commissioner's office provided this season, especially considering the way a playoff series tends to feed off of momentum. I will now admit, though, that the longer series really is a great thing for the pitching staffs.

Now that the Yankees have forced a Game 4, let's hope it goes back to Cleveland for a Game 5, and that we can get some wear and tear on those opposing hurlers before the start of the the Championship Series.

And to anyone who's been around as a Corner reader from the beginning, this is the 200th post. Thanks for sticking around and making my obsession feel legit.