MLB
The Boys of Fall
While Kenny Chesney’s infamous song “The Boys of Fall” is about the joy and freedom of playing football in the fall, I am placing it in the context of the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox are going to the World Series. This 108-win team that many people regarded as being a postseason bust has defied odds. They are now on their way to face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Fall Classic this coming week. The Red Sox postseason run past two of the better teams in baseball has led me to describe them as the Boys of Fall.
Come As You Are
The Red Sox went into this postseason with their starters having a combined 0-14 record in the playoffs. Thanks Chris Sale, David Price, Rick Porcello. That is just dismal. They looked like the Bad News Bears with players that seem to choke whenever the bright lights come shining down.
However, this postseason they seem to have turned the curse around. All of the starters have at least one win. Even good ol’ David Price won a playoff game. I never thought we would see the day after starting his career 0-9. Their combined starter ERA may be at 4.00, but the pitching of Nathan Eovaldi (2-0, 2.08 ERA) and Sale (1-0, 3.86 ERA) carry the Red Sox. Don’t count out the relievers, either. The pitching of Ryan Brazier (0.00 ERA), Heath Hembree (0.00 ERA), Matt Barnes, and Joe Kelly are dominating the opponents.
The Good Stuff
How about the batting? Glad you asked. Well, having two MVP candidates really helps, even if Mookie Betts is only batting .205 with .282 SLG, a whole .350 SLG less than the regular season. Ouch. However, the heroes of the playoffs for the Red Sox are two unlikely players, which is somewhat reminding me of the performance of Shane Victorino or Johnny Gomes a few years back. This time around, we have the likes of the streakiest, hit-or-miss (literally) player in baseball, Jackie Bradley, Jr., and the most underrated utility player in baseball, Brock Holt. These two have gone from only being able to catch a baseball and sitting on a bench, to hitting grand slams and hitting for the first cycle in postseason history. Wow. They are also helped by J.D. Martinez, Rafael Devers, and Steve Pearce, who have 19 RBIs combined.
Setting the World on Fire
The Red Sox will be ready to play. These boys of fall are backed by their record-breaking season that lit up the majors this season. The chemistry and motivation this team currently has is unbelievable. Everyone is believing in each other. Even when Price and Craig Kimbrel almost blew more playoff games, everyone still cheered them on. Seriously. Kimbrel has given up at least one run in every game he has pitched in the postseason. The guy must love Halloween cause he is a scary late-inning choice.
Besides that, the pitching and bats seem to be going crazy. We mentioned how great Bradley, Holt, Martinez, and others have been, even with Mookie struggling. They are taking advantage of the 4-7 hitters in front of them making contact and driving runs home. Everyone is stepping up and ready to win. Eovaldi and Brasier are lights-out, Sale is beating everyone (even a stomach bug), and Joe Kelly is back to old old form with 100 MPH on-point fastballs. There is a major energy in Boston. They have not lost a road game and they are ready to beat anyone with their nine homers and over 50 runs in 9 games. This team is built for the Fall Classic, they are the boys of fall.
Don’t Blink
Yes this could be the year that the Red Sox win again for the fourth time in fifteen years. This rookie coach Alex Cora has been a major upgrade from John Farrell, who could go from worst to first to worst to terrible pitching decisions to first to worst … you get the point. This could be a season to remember. It could be a start of a dynasty. With Mookie, Xander Boegarts, Andrew Benintendi, Devers, and Eduardo Rodriguez all under 25 years old, this team could carry on success for a while. However, Sale, Porcello, and Craig Kimbrel have their contracts up soon, so who knows.
Living in Fast Forward
Let’s not think about the future yet. Right now it is time for the World Series. The Red Sox will be facing the Dodgers. This is a battle between two of the biggest moneybag teams in the Majors. These two teams apparently are smart with their money, making their way to the World Series with a combined $400 million invested in their teams. In a socialist world, they can supply the payroll for the five lowest payroll teams in baseball. Wow.
This is a great matchup for those that are interested in stars, or the most greediest players in the world. We got them all here. You get to see possible matchups Sale vs. Kershaw, Price vs. Ryu, Eovaldi vs. Bueler, and Porcello vs. Hill. That is pretty sweet, am I right? Those are nice $100-$200 million matchups right there. Then, there is the batting. You get to see Manny Machado, Yasiel Puig, Justin Turner, Corey Bellinger, and more for the Dodgers. On the other end, you get to see all the players previously mentioned. This is really going to be some dancing with the stars. The bats will not be quiet this series, except for the stellar pitching here.
When the Sun Goes Down
At the end of the day, I got to go with Red Sox in six games, winning the final at Fenway Park. It seems like the Red Sox have all the momentum. They just beat the Astros in five games, along with beating the Yankees in four games, including four straight wins against the Astros. The Astros were possibly the best overall team in baseball, and the Red Sox just stole the show from them. Meanwhile the Dodgers beat the Braves and the Brewers, both teams that do not have even close to to the strength of the Astros.
This Fall Classic will be a classic. The stars are out and are shining the brightest of the year. The Red Sox relievers could be the MVPs of this series. Based on the success of Josh Hader against the Dodgers, the relievers seem to be the best hope for these Red Sox in holding the Dodgers when Price and Porcello struggle like their 5.00 ERAs. The Dodgers need to rely on their pitching. If they can shut down the Red Sox hot bats, they are golden. Mookie and Bennie are not hitting that great, so the bottom of the lineup should be stopped.
Boston
In the end, look for the Red Sox to run away in this series with a championship trophy. In Boston, the connection and culture of this team is true that if you mess with one man, you got us all. The “Boys of Fall” are out and ready to play. Even if it is as cold as the North Pole in Boston this time of year. Enjoy the World Series.
Photo credit to John Linton via Flickr
