As I have done with the previous two series's that the Red Sox have been in, I once again am here to offer my analysis, opinions and of course my prediction.
With the Red Sox defeating the Astros in only 5 games ( yes I predicted 6) they have had sufficient time off to get some of their injured players, Sale, Moreland, and Nunez the time to get their injuries worked on and I expect them to play big roles against the Dodgers.
First, Sale is going to be taking the hill on Tuesday night, for the first time in nine days, and I expect for him to be both amped up as well as ready to show not only the Red Sox and the fans of course, that he's healthy. But to show the Dodgers that they are not going to be getting a hurt/sick Sale but hopefully, that he is well rested as well as ready to prove that when Dombrowski traded away four prospects including Michael Kopech and Yoan Moncada, that this was the reason.
Following Sale, will be Price who in his series-clinching six innings and career-high nine-strikeout performance against the Astros, was not only one of the best games anyone has seen from him in years, but he will be following Sale in Game 2 on Wednesday night.
In a surprising twist when the rosters were released much-maligned lefty Drew Pomeranz who won 17 games a year ago but struggled mightily this season both with stuff as well as with injuries was added to the roster.
Pomeranz would give the bullpen another lefty to go along with Eduardo Rodriguez. This could prove to be beneficial especially when the series transitions to the Dodger Stadium and in the NL there is a much-increased need for strategy and having even a semi-decent Pomeranz could prove to be a wise move. In a previous post, I wrote that I expected to see Steven Wright added to the roster, but I guess that the Cora, LeVangie etc, thought Pomeranz could give more than a returning from injury Wright.
I would also expect to see either Rick Porcello or Eovaldi back in the bullpen where they should see potential high-leverage moments in this series. Whichever doesn't appear in either game one or two from the bullpen, should take the mound in Game 3 on Friday night when the series changes to the NL and Dodgers stadium.
I would expect to see Eovaldi in game 3 followed by Porcello in game 4.
2.) Red Sox have hit .250 against left-handed pitching this season. Yet, tomorrow night they will be facing one of the best lefties in the NL in Clayton Kershaw. While he no longer possesses the mid-nineties fastball of his youth, he has become a curveball heavy pitcher. Kershaw has reinvented himself and his curveball is one of the hardest to both pick up as well as make hard contact against. In order for the Red Sox to find success against him, they'll need to get his pitches up in the zone where they could potentially do more damage against him.
3.) The Bullpens. With the recent tip from former Red Sox pitcher Eric Gagne that Kimbrel was tipping his pitches, Kimbrel along with Dana LeVangie, assistant pitching coach, Brian Bannister, Alex Cora all we were working on him finding his groove again, which he was able to do while slamming the door against the Astros.
I'd expect Kimbrel to once again be the dominant closer that Sox fans got used to seeing in the regular season, and not the one that caused soo many heartstopping moments during both the ALDS and the ALCS.
4.) Will Mookie Betts be playing second base when the series moves from Boston to LA? that is a very big question and it wouldn't surprise me to see him at second during one of the three games there. Why is this is important, is that it would allow for JD Martinez to remain in the lineup when the DH is no longer an option in games 3-5. Betts came up as a second baseman before making the transition to the outfield, yet over the past few days he has been working pre-game and during batting practice at second base so this is could happen.
5.) How will the Red Sox take on the Dodgers starters? After Kershaw, it's been announced that Ryu will start game two with Walker Buhler starting in game 3.
So I'd expect for Cora to play his "right-handed" lineup against both Kershaw and Ryu, then we'll see the return of Devers, Holt, and others in Game 3.
One player who may have flown under the radar when he was acquired in early July is Steve Pearce. Pearce has been a HUGE impactful player both with the bat as well as with his stretches at first should get the starts at first base until the late innings when I'd expect for Moreland to come in for defensive purposes.
6) The Red Sox present an unrelenting offense as we've seen throughout the season with 108 wins and with their 7 wins already this postseason.
They are a team who will steal bases, put runners in motion, take the extra base and will keep defenses on their toes never knowing what will happen. It was 14 years ago when Dave Roberts entered as a pinch-runner for Kevin Millar and stole second base off of Mariano Rivera and leading to the biggest comeback in Red Sox post-season history.
7. Who will be the surprise player that makes an impact during this series? We all saw the emergence of JBJ he who hit .189 but had his grand slam, along with multiple three-run home runs leading to his 9 RBI's and ALCS MVP. My guess is that it will be either Xander Bogaerts or Andrew Benintendi.
8.) Here is my World Series prediction: Red Sox in 5 games winning their 5th World Series since 2004 and their 9th in team history
Starting tomorrow night and going as long as it does, this will be one of the best World Series's that anyone will see.
With the Red Sox defeating the Astros in only 5 games ( yes I predicted 6) they have had sufficient time off to get some of their injured players, Sale, Moreland, and Nunez the time to get their injuries worked on and I expect them to play big roles against the Dodgers.
First, Sale is going to be taking the hill on Tuesday night, for the first time in nine days, and I expect for him to be both amped up as well as ready to show not only the Red Sox and the fans of course, that he's healthy. But to show the Dodgers that they are not going to be getting a hurt/sick Sale but hopefully, that he is well rested as well as ready to prove that when Dombrowski traded away four prospects including Michael Kopech and Yoan Moncada, that this was the reason.
Following Sale, will be Price who in his series-clinching six innings and career-high nine-strikeout performance against the Astros, was not only one of the best games anyone has seen from him in years, but he will be following Sale in Game 2 on Wednesday night.
In a surprising twist when the rosters were released much-maligned lefty Drew Pomeranz who won 17 games a year ago but struggled mightily this season both with stuff as well as with injuries was added to the roster.
Pomeranz would give the bullpen another lefty to go along with Eduardo Rodriguez. This could prove to be beneficial especially when the series transitions to the Dodger Stadium and in the NL there is a much-increased need for strategy and having even a semi-decent Pomeranz could prove to be a wise move. In a previous post, I wrote that I expected to see Steven Wright added to the roster, but I guess that the Cora, LeVangie etc, thought Pomeranz could give more than a returning from injury Wright.
I would also expect to see either Rick Porcello or Eovaldi back in the bullpen where they should see potential high-leverage moments in this series. Whichever doesn't appear in either game one or two from the bullpen, should take the mound in Game 3 on Friday night when the series changes to the NL and Dodgers stadium.
I would expect to see Eovaldi in game 3 followed by Porcello in game 4.
2.) Red Sox have hit .250 against left-handed pitching this season. Yet, tomorrow night they will be facing one of the best lefties in the NL in Clayton Kershaw. While he no longer possesses the mid-nineties fastball of his youth, he has become a curveball heavy pitcher. Kershaw has reinvented himself and his curveball is one of the hardest to both pick up as well as make hard contact against. In order for the Red Sox to find success against him, they'll need to get his pitches up in the zone where they could potentially do more damage against him.
3.) The Bullpens. With the recent tip from former Red Sox pitcher Eric Gagne that Kimbrel was tipping his pitches, Kimbrel along with Dana LeVangie, assistant pitching coach, Brian Bannister, Alex Cora all we were working on him finding his groove again, which he was able to do while slamming the door against the Astros.
I'd expect Kimbrel to once again be the dominant closer that Sox fans got used to seeing in the regular season, and not the one that caused soo many heartstopping moments during both the ALDS and the ALCS.
4.) Will Mookie Betts be playing second base when the series moves from Boston to LA? that is a very big question and it wouldn't surprise me to see him at second during one of the three games there. Why is this is important, is that it would allow for JD Martinez to remain in the lineup when the DH is no longer an option in games 3-5. Betts came up as a second baseman before making the transition to the outfield, yet over the past few days he has been working pre-game and during batting practice at second base so this is could happen.
5.) How will the Red Sox take on the Dodgers starters? After Kershaw, it's been announced that Ryu will start game two with Walker Buhler starting in game 3.
So I'd expect for Cora to play his "right-handed" lineup against both Kershaw and Ryu, then we'll see the return of Devers, Holt, and others in Game 3.
One player who may have flown under the radar when he was acquired in early July is Steve Pearce. Pearce has been a HUGE impactful player both with the bat as well as with his stretches at first should get the starts at first base until the late innings when I'd expect for Moreland to come in for defensive purposes.
6) The Red Sox present an unrelenting offense as we've seen throughout the season with 108 wins and with their 7 wins already this postseason.
They are a team who will steal bases, put runners in motion, take the extra base and will keep defenses on their toes never knowing what will happen. It was 14 years ago when Dave Roberts entered as a pinch-runner for Kevin Millar and stole second base off of Mariano Rivera and leading to the biggest comeback in Red Sox post-season history.
7. Who will be the surprise player that makes an impact during this series? We all saw the emergence of JBJ he who hit .189 but had his grand slam, along with multiple three-run home runs leading to his 9 RBI's and ALCS MVP. My guess is that it will be either Xander Bogaerts or Andrew Benintendi.
8.) Here is my World Series prediction: Red Sox in 5 games winning their 5th World Series since 2004 and their 9th in team history
Starting tomorrow night and going as long as it does, this will be one of the best World Series's that anyone will see.
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