Jake Peavy’s 2014 season with the Red Sox is one he’d like to forget. His 1-9 record, matched with his 4.92 ERA with a disappointing ball-club wasn’t the season anybody expected after Boston brought home their third World Series in ten years. His season with the Giants, on the other hand, will not be forgotten. For the second year in a row, Peavy is headed to the World Series with a team he didn’t begin the season with, and once again, he’ll play a huge role.
In San Francisco, Peavy’s work has been both well-earned, and well-appreciated by the Giants. His 6-4 record, 2.17 ERA, and usual emotion has helped to carry his new teammates to the Fall Classic. But Peavy hasn’t given up hope for his teammates that he started the season with. In fact, he thinks they’ll be just fine.
"“They did a great job on the returns.” Peavy told The Boston Globe. “To get a talent like [Yoenis] Cespedes for Jon Lester, and Joe Kelly, who pitched in a World Series, and Allen Craig, a cleanup hitter in the World Series. That lineup is going to produce with Pedey coming back and David [Ortiz] showing no signs of slowing down.”"
In fact, Peavy admits that what he learned in Boston has helped to bring his new team to the World Series. Dustin Pedroia, who’s seen his fair share of October baseball, has kept in touch with Peavy since he was traded earlier this season. Peavy knows that Pedroia’s veteran advice could help out his young teammates, so he’s been relaying to the team the texts that Pedey has sent him.
"“I wanted them to see the guys who I was with on a world championship team and what they meant to me and how they conducted themselves,” Peavy said. “I wanted them to see what a special teammate Dustin Pedroia was and the fact that he uplifts so many people. On any given day, Dustin, just by the way he acted and got on guys to step up their game, could affect the performances of 10 people. Guys like that infiltrate the team. We have guys like that here — Buster Posey, Hunter Pence . . . on and on. In Boston I was on a team with guys like that. Those guys keep giving until it infiltrates the team. I’ve seen the will and drive and it’s special.”“It’s been fun trying to see this [Giants] team trying to take on the same identity we had in Boston in 2013. We may not have the greatest roster but we have a great team. Guys who care and who play hard and know what they’re doing out there. That’s what we had in Boston.”"
As far as what went wrong with the Red Sox, Peavy could identify several problems.
"“We didn’t have a lot of changes, but we had spots on the field — catcher, shortstop and center field, up the middle — that changed and those guys were very important,” Peavy said. “We lost a center fielder [Jacoby Ellsbury] who, in some years, was an MVP candidate. We had a shortstop [Stephen Drew] that made all the plays. We had a catcher like Salty and a switch-hitting bat who got some big hits for us. We lost a huge spirit in [Shane] Victorino, who was hurt.“And we tried to get that vibe back. I can honestly say the players, pitchers, front office, staff, we all tried to get it back and it never clicked. I remember telling Ben [Cherington, the GM], give it a little more time. We think we can get it back.”"
Peavy believes that the dark days for the Red Sox will soon be over, and that as the days get longer in spring, more light will shine in Boston. Jake Peavy knows all too well what happened in Boston this season, but he’s moved on… and the Red Sox will too.