Postseason Success
Boston had the best record in baseball, and likewise made quick work of their Wild Card opponent, the Los Angeles Angels. One highlight was in Game 1, when Beckett hurled a complete game shutout. The Sox would go on to sweep the Angels in three games.
The ALCS was a very different story, though. The Cleveland Indians provided Boston with their toughest test of the playoffs. The Indians were able to score runs against the great pitching of the Red Sox, and it seemed as though Boston would be bounced out of the playoffs.
While the Indians took a 3-1 lead in the series, Manny Ramirez had a quote before Game 5 that inflamed many fans and media members alike when talking about the idea of losing the ALCS:
"“It doesn’t happen, so who cares? There’s always next year. It’s not like it’s the end of the world.”"
That quote, if Boston lost, would have been talked about all offseason. But, the Sox came back from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Indians and make their second World Series in four years.
The World Series was over almost before it even started. The Colorado Rockies, who were making their franchise’s first appearance, were seen as the team that got hot in October. Their lineup and pitching both were seen as not as good as Boston’s, and it showed.
Next: Manny Ramirez returning to baseball
The Rockies never had a lead in the Fall Classic, and duckboats were rolling down Boylston Street in October.