October baseball has been a phenomenal thrill ride
displaying surprising finishes and utter disappointments thus far. It has
finally come down to the Boston Red Sox and the St. Louis Cardinals in game one
which begins tonight from Fenway Park in Boston. The championship series
features a memorable rematch of the 2004 World Series where the Sox swept the
Cardinals in four to win their first World Series title since 1918 and ended
the fabled 86 year drought known as the “Curse of the Bambino”.
Moreover the series showcases arguably two teams of this new
century as both the Sox and Cardinals are two-time champions since the turn of
the millennium.
Since 2000, the Boston Red Sox have made the post season
seven times with three American League Pennants and two World Series
championships. The Cardinals on the other hand have reached the post season 10
times capturing four National League Pennants with two championships.
With talent, potential, and hunger to claim fall glory once
again, here is a breakdown of what gives either team the edge in the series.
He has been arguably Boston’s strongest starter overall for
the past several years and that is why Red Sox ace Jon Lester gets the start
against St. Louis’ Adam Wainwright in game one tonight. The lefty won 15 games
during the regular season and enters the series 2-1 with a 2.33 ERA throughout
the postseason. John Lackey gets to start game 2 against phenom Michael Wacha
and one thing providing Lackey an edge is his postseason experience. Lackey has
a 5-4 career record with a 3.10 ERA in the playoffs winning a championship ring
in 2002 with the Anaheim Angels. He is 2-0 going into the matchup.
Jake Peavy and Clay Bucholz have had disappointing performances
in the first two rounds so expect St. Louis to gain some advantage in games
three and four. The Boston bullpen has been impressive with Junichi Tazawa,
Craig Breslow, and Brandon Workman in the late innings. They combined for 17.1
innings while allowing just one earned run. Koji Uehara has been a marvel in
the closer’s spot collecting five saves with a 1.00 ERA this October.
Red Sox Hitting:
Red Sox offense has been rather consistent throughout. Lead-off
hitter Jacoby Ellsbury’s performance is key to Boston’s success as he has a
.318 batting average through the first two series, they need him on base. Mike
Napoli stepped up in the ALCS against Detroit homering twice and fueling Boston’s
bats. Look more from him this coming week. Dustin Pedroia’s presence in the
lineup is always a concern for the opposing team as his ability to get on base
ad produce key hits looms large for the Red Sox.
The bats of Daniel Nava, David Ross, and Xander Bogaerts
have been pleasant surprises off the bench as together they went 7 for 16.
Shane Victorino is only hitting a dismal .125 in the first two series, however
his timely grand-slam in game six of the ALCS against the Tigers boosted the
Sox’ offense and might have awaken a new sense of spirit in the outfielder.
As always David “Big-Papi” Ortiz is a juggernaut when it comes
to postseason play. #34’s dreary .091 batting average seems unbelievable as he
was the hero in game two of the ALCS with a game-tying grand slam in the bottom
of the eighth inning to send Boston to an extra-inning victory against the
Tigers. Fans also remember Ortiz’ heroics in the comebacks in games four and
five of the 2004 ALCS against the Yankees.
Cardinals Pitching:
Adam Wainwright has been marvelous throughout the season and
that is why the right-hander is the ace. Wainwright comes off a 19-9 record
this year and is 2-1 with a 1.57 ERA this postseason. We will see him up
against Jon Lester in game one. On the other hand Michael Wacha has been an
eye-opener throughout the league since his late season fill-in as a starter.
The 22-year old phenom is 3-0 in the first two series with an incredible 0.43
ERA. His 6’6 height gives him an edge with a devastating from-the-top arm angle
and off-speed pitch which keeps hitters off-balance.
Trevor Rosenthal and Carlos Martinez have so far been
impressive out of the pen, and the Cardinals seem to depend much on Lance Lynn
and Joe Kelly in the following games. They look to improve their performances
after a mediocre NLCS.
Cardinals Hitting:
Carlos Beltran’s season has been nothing short of a
remarkable rebound. The veteran outfielder hit .294 with 24 homers and 84 RBIs
in the regular season and he has been a hero for the Cards in the first two
rounds. Beltran is batting .286 in the postseason with 6 RBIs including a few major
go-ahead hits against the Dodgers in the NLCS. Shane Robinson is a plus while
he’s on base. St. Louis features a supporting lineup of Matt Carpenter, Matt
Adams, and Matt Holliday. Their run-production at the plate will determine St.
Louis’ success against the Sox. Catcher Yadier Molina brings veteran experience
as he is ready to help anchor this team to a potential third World Series title
within the last seven seasons.
Third baseman David Freese is only hitting .190 in the past
11 games however we cannot forget the game-winning hits in the 2011 World
Series against the Rangers. We can hope to see some late-game fireworks from
him.
The board has been set, and managers and players are ready
to take the field. The sides seem pretty even, it depends on who wants it more.
Game one of the World Series arrives at prime time tonight!
