Observations on the Red Sox date with the ALCS
The Red Sox are heading to the ALCS, and I am heading to Fat City. A winning tradition I have established when the Sox enter the playoffs is rewarding myself after each win. I purchased a coffee roll as a reward. The deeper they go, the fatter I will get. I look like Jabba the Hutt by the end of October.
A theme that has surfaced as the season, especially the playoffs, advance is that the Red Sox are playing with house money. My response is that of General Anthony McAullife regarding a German commander’s surrender ultimatum: “Nuts.”
The Red Sox of this century are a different animal than the whack-a-mole collect of the past. I will place it in the perspective of our most hated (and respected) opponent, the New York Yankees. The Bombers fans, players, and management felt that the season was a failure without winning a World Series. Making the playoffs was nice, but not the real prize.
I will expect no less. I will undoubtedly be pleased with the team being back in the playoffs, but I am a greedy bastard and want the whole pie. The Dodgers, Giants, etc., fans can enjoy watching another Boston parade.
A resting development for the Red Sox
How times have changed. I am old enough to remember when a pitcher finished what they started. That – like my youth – has vanished as the game has changed with the application of strategies that run counter to my ingrained mindset.
The optimum word for the fragile arms and psychics of the pitchers is rest. More on that later since it will be needed. The Red Sox are now in a position where they are rested. Resting also applies to position players such as J.D. Martinez, who has a tender ankle. Others may have bumps, bruises, nicks, and dents that could use a few days off. The staff can be rejuvenated and place the negative behind in a dark place since they won.
Red Sox avoid a winner-take-all
The winner-take-all scenario is excellent since it is loaded with historical positives and negatives. Fred Merkle’s blunder in 1908 or Mickey Owens’ passed ball. Defensive malfunctions have become etched in baseball history.
Conversely, there is the other side of the coin, and my favorite is Bill Mazeroski crushing the Yankees in 1960 with a dramatic walk-off. And Red Sox fans have in their memory banks the 2003 series against you know who.
A crucial game is not limited to just the players but also the rules and the umpires. Thankfully, the advent of video has altered the actions of a Jim Joyce or the granddaddy of them all, Don Denkinger. Umpires do screw up. Time to have an automated ball and strike application.
With no Game Five at Tropicana Field, the Sox avoid that. As the Red Sox advance just make it less traumatic for us elderly fans. Wrap it up quickly.
October weather can wreck havoc for the Red Sox
Baseball in the north in late October can be an adventure. Quite possibly, an essential non-player will be the weather geeks. Cold impacts hitters to a greater extent than pitchers. How often have we heard “just wait until the weather gets warm.”
Accompanying the cold is the rain. There have been long stretches in baseball history of rain delaying a series. Red Sox fans saw this in 1986 and a delayed start in 2018. Then there was the infamous 1925 World Series where the Pirates and Senators met for a seventh game in a soaked field after a one-day postponement. A Boston series etched in weather issues.
The delay can have a detrimental impact depending upon – no surprise here – pitching. A hot hand getting an extra day or even two days of rest. If only it had rained and postponed Game Seven in 1967?
All Hands On Deck for the Red Sox
This is a phrase that resonates with manager Alex Cora in relationship to his pitching staff. Forget the pitch counts as they have been tossed. Days of rest? Now all is meaningless. Pitchers have responded as Nathan Eovaldi stated he was prepared to go into Game Four against the Rays if necessary.
Baseball crucial Game Seven’s are littered with pitchers going the extra mile, Walter Johnson, Pete Alexander, or Madison Bumgarner. Conversely, a manager will have little patience when he feels his starter is losing it. Just a walk and a hit get the quick hook with today’s exotic bullpen matchups.
Pride and money on the line for Red Sox players
Players have pride since they are in competition, and success builds the ego. More importantly, success can translate into money. I believe we can pin the blame on the ancient Lydians for manufacturing money.
Players and agents take note. The Red Sox will have pending free agents whose value is questionable. A playoff display can significantly impact that. Eovaldi, in 2018 managed a fiscal coup with a fine run in the playoffs.
The pride factor is significant as the team coalesces around a common cause. The current Red Sox roster was expected to go as far as a car with three flat tires, a failed exhaust system, and a leaking radiator. Now they can be part of something special. The eventual World Series dollars are a nice touch, but it is just pocket money with the staggering incomes.