The Silver Slugger award winners were announced tonight, as Major League Baseball loves to drag things out. 

If they were smart they'd have a big awards show like the NFL and NHL does to celebrate the season and all the great talent in the league. 

Instead what the MLB does is announce every award semi-randomly throughout the weeks following the end of the season.  Speaking of, HUGE s/o to JBJ winning his first career gold glove. Incredibly overdue (and I'm a lazy scumbag for not blogging it earlier) They had a night just announcing the finalist for the major awards. As we've seen over the years,  if there's one thing baseball loves to do, it's make stupid marketing decisions. 

Anyways, when I saw the award list on twitter I thought there was a mistake, like how did J.D. win two Silver Sluggers? He's only one dude. But no, it was very much intentional, J.D. Martinez won a silver slugger as an outfielder AND designated hitter in 2018.

At first glance I though it was kind of ridiculous, I mean J.D. was a DH this year. I didn't really think of him as an outfielder, but to my surprise he appeared in 57 games between the two corner spots. 

Generally I think it's kind of gimmicky to do this, I remember a few years ago Khalil Mack was All-Pro at two different positions and thinking it was dumb, but then I saw the numbers:
​​

Martinez started 93 games at DH and had 350 at-bats. He had 57 starts in the outfield (32 in left and 25 in right) while accumulating 219 at-bats.

Winning at both positions was made possible by the way Martinez seemed to rake whenever he got to play defense. In those 57 outfield starts, Martinez slashed .384/.450/.680 with 16 homers and 51 RBIs. As a DH, his line was .297/.373/.597 with 27 homers and 79 RBIs.

via: www.mlb.com/news/jd-martinez-makes-silver-slugger-history/c-300468394

When you see his splits between DH-ing and playing the field it makes me understand why this happened.  J.D. showed his appreciation for the recognition on instagram shortly after winning 2 (two) silver sluggers.

Banner year for Joses!

It is kind of weird though, as we've never seen this happen before in baseball. Makes me wonder if we'll ever see the day someone wins two gold gloves in a year?  I'm interested to see what his baseball reference page will look like now for 2018 with two silver sluggers to fit in the award column. It's gotta kind of suck for the other guys out there who had great seasons in the outfield, like really dude? Couldn't give him just the DH award? I know I'd be pissed.  Suck on that with your Chiclets, Aaron.

​Even though he only played 57 games in the outfield, in those games J.D. was a stud. People will say he was a below average outfielder under all the sabermetrics, but he had one of the most memorable catches a Red Sox player has all season banging into the outfield wall in Detroit. â€‹J.D. also did not commit an error in 2018.

​That slash line blows my mind. I know nerds will try to de-value batting average, but I am not in that camp. Dude hit fucking .384 while playing the field, which to me is kind of surprising. That's basically .400. Granted it's not a gigantic sample size, but it's still two months of the season. It makes me wonder if maybe J.D. should be a full time outfielder? Idk if the numbers will hold up but that is a pretty major discrepancy between batting averages.

You'd think being off your feet, just chillen as a DH his numbers would be better...jk J.D. does not just chill, he analyzes the swings of everybody, and made many guys on this team better in 2018. Which makes him incredibly valuable despite "below-average" defense metrics.

I couldn't have been more wrong about him. I was a little apprehensive to signing him just because I didn't believe in his durability (this was only the 2nd time in his career he played in over 125 games) but J.D. Martinez, even with only one season under his belt has proven to be one of the best free agent signings in Red Sox history.  1st or 2nd in the triple crown stats. 43 homers, league leading 130 RBIs and .330 batting average. Year one the team wins a 108 games and this little thing called a World Series title, oh and for good measure in lieu of a MVP "finalist" (he'll still likely finish top 5 in the voting) he's been awarded two silver sluggers.

It doesn't really matter since Mookie is going to win MVP, it's not like the should-be-winner got slighted, but it's fucking lunacy to me that a dude that was top 2 in the triple crown stats didn't get the recognition he deserves as an MVP finalist.


​Whatever, I think he's cool with this.

P.S. 

S/o to Mookie too, winning everything and he's a new dad. Best team in baseball. Please keep this team in tact (minus letting Kimbrel walk).

Normally I think the idea of CO-MVPs is really some soft shit. CO-winners belong in safe spaces.  It falls into that participation trophy bs umbrella that I am simply not about.  With rare exceptions, there's usually a clear cut guy who deserves series MVP.  The 2001 World Series with Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling is the most glaring example of deserving co-mvps.

Don't get me wrong, I didn't lose any sleep over it, and this is the definition of a champagne problem, as my favorite team just won the World Series.  I'm complaining about who won World Series MVP, but I still am shocked David Price didn't the very least earn a co-MVP for his work in the 2018 Fall Classic. My mans was robbed worse than Cambridge Merchants in The Town. Honestly I would've given it to him outright over Pearce. I just think Pearce was so good that if there was ever a time to give co-MVPs, this was the time.

Look, Steve Pearce was awesome, I love Steve Pearce and his story. Did you know he grew up a Red Sox fan? Of course you did because Fox told you every 20 seconds.  I don't wanna take away from his performance. His home runs brought me great joy. 

Butttt he hit 3 home runs. Plenty of guys have hit 3 home runs in a World Series.  Pablo Sandoval did it in one game. I'm not trying to take away from him because I think it should've been split award. It's not like JBJ in the ALCS where he only got 3 hits, but they were probably the biggest 3 hits of the series, so it worked. Plus there was no one pitcher who really stood out as a potential MVP. So even hitting .200 JBJ made sense. 

I bet if you gave Steve Pearce truth serum he'd say he was surprised to win it.  Because what David Price did in the World Series, for lack of a better word was historic. I was shocked when Pearce was by himself getting that ugly truck. Maybe that's what it's all about? Chevy doesn't wanna shell out two free cars to multi-millionaires?

Because I've thought about it. It's not like baseball has never done co-MVPs. There have been two in the last three seasons in the NLCS. For God's sake in 1981 there were THREE World Series MVPS,,, THREE.  Back then it wasn't a big deal they probably just gave you a VCR.

In my eyes this is Chevy trying to save a buck. Why else would you not recognize a man who did more to help his team win the World Series?  Maybe they figured Pearce could use a free car more since he's a journeyman and Price is a Cy Young Winning 1st overall pick?

But there have been a few instances since 2001 where multiple guys were worthy of MVP. 2013 stands out to me (for obvi reasons) David Ortiz hit fucking .688, but Jon Lester also went 2-0 with a 0.59 ERA.  I can't remember when the car started. I know Bumgarner got one in 2014, because who could ever forget that?

Getting back to Price though.... What David Price did in this Fall Classic has only been done a handful of times in last 60+ years.

​
 
Since the World Series MVP award was first awarded in 1955, 12 series have ended in 5 games.

In those 12 series, only four times has a starting pitcher won two games. Those SP were Whitey Ford in 1961, Jerry Koosman in 1969, Jack Morris in 1984 and Orel Hershiser in 1988. Pretty nice company to be a part of.  Once a RP went 2-0, Mike Stanton went 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 4.1 IP for the 2000 Yankees.

In laymen terms, two wins in a five game series is pretty rare.

I know the win isn't everything for determining how good a pitcher is, but I'm sorry postseason wins for sure matter for showing how good a pitcher is.  You aren't gonna see too many dudes going 5 allowing 6 earned picking up W's in October. Wins for sure aren't everything, look at Rich Hill. His career ERA in the World Series is 1.80 and he's winless, but October is about wins plain and simple. Wins are what gets you a ring, not WHIP or ERA.

I was shocked to see of those four times, only twice was a 2-0 starting pitcher of a 5 game World Series awarded series MVP. 

They were:

1961 Whitey Ford went 2-0 with a cool 0.00 ERA in 14 innings (only gave up 6 hits)
1988 Orel Hershiser went 2-0 with a 1.00 ERA in 18 innings

In 2008 Cole Hamels went 1-0 in two starts with a 2.77 era in 13.0 innings and was named series MVP. 


I find it hard to believe in this series that were so short that starting pitchers who carried teams were not rewarded for it. To win a series that quickly you're gonna need great starting pitching and that's exactly what David Price provided. After all the shit he's gotten for choking in October, this year he righted the ship. In the 2018 World Series David Price went 2-0 in 3 appearances (2 starts) with a 1.98 ERA, 10 strikeouts, and only surrendered 10 base hits, his WHIP was 0.951 which for those of you who don't know non-traditional stats, is very good.

I'm sorry, but David Price is why the Red Sox won the World Series.  What he did was incredible. To pitch on short rest multiple times and give those kind of performances is the stuff of legends. Now over the course of time it'll be forgotten by most because there isn't the MVP label on it, but do not get it twisted, it was an MVP performance.  This was the series David Price put the haters to bed.

Forever.

Yes, he picked up his first win as a starter the series before against the Astros, but that was just one win. Has Price gotten shelled in his first start the narrative would return and everybody would just say game 5 against Houston was a fluke. Plus frankly, it wouldn't have really mattered if he sucked in the World Series. 

Steve Pearce was fucking awesome, and dominated games 4 and 5, but did nothing in games 1-3. David Price shut down the L.A. Dodgers and was absolutely dominate. I don't understand how MLB didn't recognize him considering his infamous postseason history.

I don't really like the idea of CO-MVPs, but if there was ever a time to give one, it was this year. This Red Sox team embodied what it meant to be a team all season long. Price showed he's a team guy by pitching whenever needed, including a key relief appearance in game 3 after starting (and winning) game 2. 

In the 2016 and 2017 NLCS' their were co-mvps. With no cars given away I wonder if that's why the tough decision wasn't made? They were probably like fuck it, just give it to both of them.

In 2016 the Cubs beat the Dodgers in 6 and SP Jon Lester (1-0 in 13.0 IP with a 1.38 ERA in 13.0 IP) split MVP honors with Javy Baez (.318 7/22 with 5 RBI). 

The next year the Dodgers got revenge and won in 5, the CO-MVPs were Chris Taylor (.316 2 HR and 3 RBI) and Justin Turner (.333 2 HR 7 RBI).

A simple eye test tells me Price and Pearce were better. 2-0 with a 1.98 ERA and .333 with 3 HR and 8 RBI respectively. Give me those guys, now that I think of it the only explanation as to why they didn't split it was the car giveaway. Maybe racism? That's a great conclusion people seem to love to come to when they don't have any further explanation for something. Screw the car, Price and his 217 million (just from the Red Sox) can get whatever car he wants, this is about honor and respect, both of which Price deserves after this postseason. As he said he holds the trump card now. He was robbed and it's not right.  Am I an SJW now?  Given the narrative of his career of to this point it would've been fucking perfect.  Whatever, he has a ring now and out-pitched two of the best pitchers (Verlander and Kershaw) of this generation but damn it man, the right man did not win series MVP.

Song: Mo Bamba
Artist: Sheck Wes
Album: Mud Boy

Weezy F Baby and the F is for Fuckin World Series Champs was in the building tn!!!

LET'S FUCKING GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For the 4th time since 2004 the Boston Red Sox are World Series Champions. 

3-0 in series against the trolls!!!!!!! Pay that gd troll toll!!!!!

Just like a century ago, the Boston Red Sox are the champions in the 18th year of the new century.

4 World Series titles since 2004. 3 different managers. All won it all in year one. There have been some lean years in between, but what a fucking run it has been for the 2018 Red Sox. Yes,  they are the best team in Red Sox history. 119 wins including the playoffs. That's some all-time team shit.

Hopefully this won't be the last title before an 86 year drought. I am confident in saying it won't be. I love Hanley, but releasing him was huge to save money. Plus it led to Steve Pearce. Such a great core, and an even better manager. This team can go on a run.

​
2004 will forever be the most important, 2007 sadly gets forgotten, 2013 healed a city, and 2018 was TIna Turner....simply the best!

This is sexy!!!!

David Price has put on his big boy pants this October.  3 wins, including 2 in the World Series. 1.98 ERA in the Fall Classic. Likely at the very least World Series Co-MVP. Watching the ceremony as I type this, talk about up to the minute blogging. I am dedicated. Go Sox! Hire Dozo!

Could've pitched longer, but who cares it was the right decision and the Boston Red Sox are World Series Champs!

BIG FUCKING MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!

David is 3-0 in the playoffs since the ALDS. He is 2001 Randy Johnson. All the short rest starts. Man does he fucking deserve. Way to shut the haters up. He's worth every cent!!! All the idiot fans have to eat their word, while I've definitely talked my fair shit about Price, I've also been the first guy to say he still can do it and supported him throughout everything.

Wow how did Price not get any MVP love????????

That is some series BS.

I'm pretty not sober rn and soaking all of this in but man what a fucking ride it's been. Mookie struggled in October but picked a fantastic spot to break out against an all-timer.

After starting his postseason career 0-9 Price is 3-0 and beat Verlander and Kershaw, the best pitcher from each arm respectively in this generation in series clinching games.

11-3 in the Postseason. Tied the 2004 Red Sox for best record of a Red Sox world champ team. But this was a much different, much more dominant 11-3. 

I love going for the jugular with Sale in the 9th. He proceeded to strike out the side, including Manny Machado (scumbag, lazy, dirty, pussy, awful-hair having bum) to win the World Series!!!

Joe Kelly!!!!!!!!!!  Pitching like the best Joe Kelly we've seen!!!!!!!

Let's not forget about the bats!! 

Every run was scored via the home run tonight.

What a way to end an 0-13 slump. 

Moonshot against the best lefty of this generation. 

​More to come tomorrow. I am so fucking happy!!!!!!!! 

More to go and later. GO SOX!!!!!!!!! LFG!!!!!!!!!!

11-3 in October.

6-1 on the road.

​What a fucking team. 

Aaron Judge you're a chicklet loser!!! Have fun never winning the AL East

S/o to The Texas Rangers for being able to laugh at themselves.

Been way too tired to blog after the games the last two nights (I'm an old loser) and have been waiting all day to get this out.

LET'S FUCKING GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! ​

Half way home baby! *Joe Castig voice* Caaan youuu believe it? The Red Sox are up 2-0 and two wins away from a 4th World Series title since 2004. 

​It's a great spot to be in. ​

The series still technically isn't over, but I feel fantastic about the Sox chances.

I love Dave Roberts, but Alex Cora has out-managed him to like the 8 millionth degree through two games.

We (I) 've been doubting this team all season, mainly to avoid potential heartbreak, and are really starting to look like buffoons as the Red Sox are rolling through the best major league baseball has to offer them this October.

9-2 to start to October.

None of the previous World Series teams have had this hot of a run to get into the Fall Classic.  Those teams had to scratch and claw in the ALCS coming back from 3-0 and 3-1 and took down a superior Tiger team in 6.  Like no question about it, the Sox have unzipped their pants and just starting slingin 108 win dick everywhere knocking the shitty 100 win teams down like me knocking down girls in high school gym playing soccer.  They are cutting like a hot knife through butter, except instead of butter it's teams the "experts" said would beat us. Sucks 2 suck. 

Can we just take a step back for a second and appreciate this? Like I still cannot believe they beat the defending champion Houston Astros in 5 (FIVE) games  (including three wins in Houston) but now they're already half way to a World Series crown. You don't even have enough time to soak in and enjoy these wins. Thank God it's an off night. 

Feels like it was a week ago already but In game 1 the Sox handled the Dodgers 8-4. Kershaw was horrible. But in his defense....it was cold, guys!!!  Mookie starting the series off with a hit was a great sign. Whenever the Dodgers scored, the Sox answered right back. Benny Teddy baby! 4-5. Eddie's pinch hit homer basically ended the game.  What a night.  Red Sox are now 4-0 in the World Series game 1's this millennium and have scored in the bottom of the 1st in all 4 games.

With the exception of J.D.'s ankle potentially being bad enough to keep him out of the outfield in Los Angeles the first two games couldn't have gone any better.  Bullpen has been great. BIG S/O to Joe Kelly. (even though I'm still mad he cut his flowwww) ​

​
Kimbrel looks like he's back to his old self too.


Bats have been solid. Killing it with 2 outs at a historic clip. Mookie and Benny are getting locked in at the perfect time.  JD is driving everybody in. Sure, would have been cool to see Chris Sale pitch long enough to qualify for a win? Of course. But he gave them enough to stay in the game and let the bats do the talking. 

​The defense has been superb too. 

Classic example of my fire tweets that would be littered with retweets and favos if I had real followers and wasn't yelling about baseball to 23 people that don't care.

​

HOW ABOUT DAVID TAYLOR PRICE??????

Continuing to shit the h8rs up, after going win less in his first 11 postseason starts David is now 2-0 (100 winning %) in his last three.  It looks as if like he's finally gotten over that October hump.  Whatever he realized when he was raking the bullpen in Houston obviously has paid off.  He's looking like a bargain at 31 mil per.  Had a little hiccup in the 4th, but for the most part was lights out. 

I feel like he could've kept pitching, but Cora probably made the right call to not let him get into trouble and be happy with 6 solid innings of work. 

In sports we've seen countless times that the series isn't over, until it's over, but I mean come on, this team is fucking rolling. I really don't think the series is coming back to Boston. Everybody is saying the umps are gonna do all they can to extend the series for Fox and ratings blah, blah, blah.

Fuck that.


Pretty Ricky is going game three and he's probably gonna hit a homer. 

 I am so fucking ready for game 3. Go Sox!

 

P.S.

V fucked up of the Red Sox to not invite Curt Schilling for the 2004 first pitch. I already hate when they do first pitches with more than one person, but how can you have an 04 thing and not invite Schilling.? Alan Embree, seriously?  It's like if you had a Toy Story reunion but instead of getting Woody and Buzz you got brought out Mr. Potato Head's Mustache and the walking microphone. Stop being liberal pussies and crying because you disagree with him politically.  Wah I don't agree with you, you're a bigot!

I don't like a lot of what he has to say either, but it's baseball, that shouldn't matter. This man helped break the fucking curse and kill the Yankees. That should be his legacy. If you wanna hate him for 38 studios you can I guess. I don't. 2004 trumps (no pun intended) all. Who cares that he's a Trump guy? What the fuck is wrong with this country. The idea of by-partisanship is DEAD.

​After David Ortiz,  he was the most important player in the 2004 postseason and is responsible for one of the most historic single-game performances in all of postseason history. Talking all the sports. The bloody sock game is at the top of the list for gutsy performances ever. Screw Willis Reed he only scored 4 points. Schilling shut down the Yankees for 6 innings with a dead guy's tendon in his ankle.

Curt lives less than 20 miles from Fenway. It's absolute shame how he's been treated by Red Sox ownership. 

NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. — A candidate for attorney general in Rhode Island got national attention this week for loudly spelling out the N-word and storming off the stage during a debate at North Kingstown High School.

​TMZ posted video showing Alan Gordon, a first-time candidate from the Compassion Party, becoming incensed with his opponent, Democratic candidate and former U.S. Attorney Peter F. Neronha, for using the word “marijuana” during the debate Tuesday morning, as students whooped and cheered.

Gordon is a canon of The Healing Church, a Christian sect that uses marijuana in its religious services. The church considers cannabis a healing drug and promotes the belief that use of the word “marijuana” is racist.

North Kingstown High School, for years, has invited state, federal and local candidates to debate at student-run forums, Supt. Philip Auger said.

via: www.providencejournal.com/news/20181024/candidate-for-ag-uses-n-word-storms-off-debate-stage

WILD story out of North Kingstown (s/o Rhody) this afternoon that truly shows how much the internet loves to freak out. 

Being from the next town over, not that far removed from high school this story really hits home. We had countless auditorium assemblies back in 2006-2010 that went awry, I could've very easily seen this with my own eyes back in the day.   We had some shit go down at assemblies, kids (me included) would just yell out whatever the hell they wanted to almost no repercussions,  it's wild to think in the age of social media how this story from little North Kingstown, Rhode Island made TMZ in like 20 minutes.

This checks all the boxed for a story that will for sure garner eyeballs.  At the heart of this story we just have a fucking whack job saying whack job things. Yes this dude spelled out the N word, but this wasn't some racist hate speech. It was something, much, much worse. 

​
Let's take a step back for a second and set the stage. 

For some wild reason North Kingstown High School decided it would be a good idea to invite this man inside their walls.

This unibomb looking mother fucker shouldn't be allowed within 500 feet of a school, but he's out here somehow at a debate for Attorney General hosted at NKHS. I'm not usually one to take the side of parent's complaining to schools, but I mean it there was ever a time. I would write such a strongly worded email if my kid was there.

This dude is from the "Compassion Party" which right away sets off some serious red flags.  I'm all for inviting real candidates to stuff like this, but come on man this  shit is on a fucking weebly page. And it's not even a good weebly page like my website where it's DozOnLife.com because I paid like 40 bucks for the domain name. This dude's party's website is compassionparty.weebly.com/. I'm a fake blogger chasing a barstool pipe dream living on college kid budget and could swing it. This dude wants to be attorney general and couldn't commit the price of dinner explaining his bananaland ideas. How could you take this guy seriously? I bet he has a hotmail email. Very easy, over used email joke there, I'm sorry.

***editor's note that weebly page isn't for his party but I thought was a decent section and I'm leaving it***

I don't know how weed came up in this debate,  but somehow in an internet crazy story wet dream we have racial slurs, schools and weed at the forefront.  Since it was at a high school you know they aren't gonna use cool terms like jazz cabbage, purp-skurp  or bomb-ass-dank-ass,  so they gotta call it marijuana.

Being that these are high school kids, obviously they are gonna cheer anytime the word marijuana is said, but then homey comes out of left field spelling the N-word like a mom trying to hide what's from dinner in front of children's face by spelling it out to the dad. Omg how misogynistic of me to make that anology!!!

It's hilarious, they start cheering then it dies really quickly when you actually put together what he said. Take a look:
​

How can you take someone seriously who legitimately believes the word marijuana is as offensive as the N-word? Like sorry guy, I hang up the phone right there. This dude is a nut. Yeah I have long hair too, and am a big long haired males rights guy, but it's ass holes like this that ruin it for everybody else. Look at this guy and immediately know he's a bum. You'll have the judgment conservatives looking at this guy and saying "see this is why we must keep this miracle plant illegal because of crazy spun out hippies like this!" I'm an even bigger weed guy and believe in it's legit medical benefits, but here we go with nuts like this guy ruining it for everybody. 

What I don't understand is the need to spell it out like that analogy I used a few paragraphs ago. Like are you kidding me dude? Just say "the N-word" like a normal person to make your lunatic point and move on like an adult.

Now we have clickbait articles about some nut shouting the N-word at a high school which is simply not the case.  We did have a nut at a high school, but he was just triggered over the most ridiculous hill to die on in the history of hills or dying. We have something much worse. Public schools allowing idiots who believe the word marijuana is as bad as probably the worst word in the English language. I'm sorry but how can you respect this guy? Idc what the story about the term marijuana is, unless it involved kidnapping people against their will to become fucking slaves, then I don't think your argument has legs. That goes with almost any bad word. Like obviously you shouldn't say faggot or cunt, but get out of here saying they're at the same level. They're ugly words, and yeah maybe some gay dudes have been killed throughout history by some ass-holes, but it pales in comparison to the triangle trade.

I will defend this dude who's name I've already forgotten for this, he wasn't trying to be racist.  I think that matters. His rambling, incoherent rant for sure made everybody dumber, but it wasn't out of hate. No, instead he was showing how marijuana is as bad to say as the N-word.  I mean yeah, of course dude, weed has been treated pretty shitty in this country, but not nearly as shitty as black people.  Saying marijuana is as bad as the N-word is like saying Slim Jims are better than filet mignon. That debate is over, which seems to be the same for you.  Go back to your 1968 Volkswagen house, Alan. 

Song: Wish You Were Here
Artist: Pink Floyd
​Album: Wish You Were Here

Fenway is singing this to me tonight.  

Obviously I'm picking the Red Sox, but I don't think it's a biased pick.

Yes, I am a Red Sox fan. And yes, I care about this team more than a lot of people with the same last name as me.

But let's also look at some quick numbers.

2018 regular season record:

Los Angeles Dodgers: 92-71.
Boston Red Sox: 108-54.

Team batting average (2018 regular season):
Los Angeles Dodgers: .250 (14th in MLB)
Boston Red Sox:  .268 (1st in MLB)

Team OPS (not nearly as drastic):
Los Angeles Dodgers: .744 (3rd in MLB)
Boston Red Sox: .792 (1st in MLB)

The Red Sox are the better team. Yes the Dodgers are the defending NL champs, but this is a much different roster than last year.  They are obviously good or else they wouldn't be here, but this is the Red Sox series to lose. Plain and simple. They're semi-heavy favorites for a reason. It would one of the biggest upsets in World Series history (record wise) if the Dodgers pulled it off. The Red Sox led the bigs in every offense stat that mattered. The bullpen is starting to look really good. The starting pitching has been good enough. They are facing an unfamiliar foe in the Fall Classic in the LA Dodgers, but they are a beatable foe. 

Now to their defense the Dodgers roster is a better than 92 win team, they've battled their injuries for sure, and in October the regular season record does not matter, ask the 2006 Cardinals.

But man, look at what the Red Sox have done in October.  How can you not feel confident? Against the 100 win Yankees they weren't picked by many to win the series. This was a team who had won the division in 2016 and 2017 and quickly bowed out of the postseason. They proceeded to beat the Yankees in 4, sweeping the Yankees IN New York, outscoring them 20-4 in the process. Next came the big, bad Houston Astros. More like Houston ran-out-of-gas-trosss because they dropped four straight after winning game one. Three straight L's at home to end the season, ouch. Now we're here back in the Fall Classic after a long 5 year drought. 

Now in a way that doesn't matter, it's the past. The Red Sox 7-2 record, (including a perfect 5-0 on the road) is what got them to the World Series, but isn't going to win it for them, but it sure is fucking encouraging to see how well they played against two frankly superior teams to the Dodgers.

Here are 5 things most concerning to me about the World Series. 

5. Craig Kimbrel

In 5 postseason appearances this year Kimbrel has 8's and 6 walks, 5 earned runs in 6.1 innings. Not ideal! 

There's rumors Eric Gagne may have helped Kimbrel with a mechanical issue that could've been causing him to tip his pitches, he was closer to vintage Kimbrel in game 5 of the ALCS, but man oh man how could feel good about this guy right now? Closers giving up runs in 4 of 5 appearences is not a World Series winning formula.

4. Chris Sale's Health

Pretty simple stuff here: when he's on he's one of the best pitchers in baseball. When he's not, its battle to go four innings.  If the Red Sox want to win this series they are going to need the pre-July Chris Sale. What's good with that tummy, Chris? Also what's good with that shoulder, Chris??? I am scared!!

3. ​Manny Machado

I fucking despise Manny Machado. I can't think of one nice thing to say about him. I'm worried about dirty baseball, I'm worried about his bat. I do not what this lazy fuck to cost the Boston Red Sox a championship. He's a future Yankee and I hate everything about him. Doesn't hustle, shitty guy, and most importantly, HORRIBLE hair. I cannot have Manny Machado ruining my winter.

2. Clayton Kershaw and Dodger Narratives

I always am talking about the narratives in sports but what does that really mean?

Well here it's pretty simple with the Dodgers and Clayton Kershaw so I'm bunching them together.

Despite being the best pitcher of this generation, with some spectacular postseason starts under his belt Clayton Kershaw  still has that loser label to him in October. He'll likely have it unless he lead the Dodgers (or another team) to a World Series win. The Dodgers haven't won the World Series in 30 years AND are returning after losing in 7 last year. 

It could be a team of destiny story with how they were like 16-26 at one point and had to play in a tie breaker just to make the playoffs. Kershaw and Dodgers could exercise those demons this series. I really don't want to have the Patriots be the team that gives the fucking Philadelphia Eagles their first Super Bowl win AND have the Red Sox be the team who cements Clayton Kershaw's legacy/ end Dodgers World Series drought in the same calendar year.  I cannot take that. I will die inside even more.

There's too many pro-Dodger potential story lines in this series. Not to mention the life and death of Tommy LaSorda is on the line. Tommy famously basically said he wants the Dodgers to win it all so he can just die. 

​ "I want to tell you this, I just had a birthday; I was 87 years old. And before I die I want to see that championship flag flying out there in center field. ... I've got a great feeling about this team. I think we're going to do it, I think we're going to get to the Fall Classic, and then the big Dodger in the sky can take me away."

1. Getting beaten by a scrub

Sports are unpredictable bro, that's why we love them (and hate the NBA).  You can't write this shit, upsets happen all the time. This year we finally saw a 16 seed take down a 1. Anything can happen, cliche, cliche, cliche.  I can deal with Kershaw being a stud, or a guy like Justin Turner having a big series. But I cannot have the Red Sox lose with some David Tyree bullshit. Granted the Dodgers don't have too many bums on their roster, and I like him as a player and guy so I hate to use him as an example, but like, if Kike Hernandez is series MVP and bats like .525 I'm jumping off a bridge. 

The series is really simple, and while idiots like Jessica Mendoza think the X-factor is JD Martinez and Mookie Betts

This is going to come down to starting pitching. Yes in today's baseball the bullpen dominates October. But guys like Nathan Eovaldi or Walker Buehler can be the real x-factor here. Then there's the well known guys? How will Price follow up his first postseason win as a starter? WTF is good with Chris Sale's health? Is Kershaw going to finally get the monkey off his back or nah? That is what will dictate this series IMO.

My official pick is Sox in 6. I wouldn't be shocked to see the Dodgers win game 1 with Kershaw then the Sox take the next two. I'm feeling a similar series to the 2013 ALCS. Lose game one, win 2 and 3, lose 4, win 5 on the road then come home to win at home in 6. 

My MVP pick is Rafael Devers! AND FOR THE LOVE OF GOD WILL BABY BELUGA FINALLY CATCH ON????????????? It's soooooooo much better than Raffi Big Scoops. 

It wasn't that long ago when then 2nd basemen Mookie Betts was considered "the most blocked" prospect in all of baseball. The Red Sox were just coming off their 2013 World Series win, with one of the hottest prospects in all of baseball,,,,  with nowhere to play.

With the gift of hindsight,  this article from 2014 seems nearly impossible to believe, looks ridiculous now with the names considered to be "above" Mookie at the time. 

via: www.overthemonster.com/2014/3/5/5473856/keith-law-names-mookie-betts-the-most-blocked-prospect-in-baseball

Mother fucking Will Middlebrooks and Garin Cecchini in the same class as Mookie Betts.. Insane. That's like saying candy corn is better than Reeses. *pats self on the back for shitty halloween candy analogy*  (and if you're one of those pyshcos who likes Candy Corn you can stop reading...don't really, I need the clicks) Middlebrooks was gone after 2014 and has like 45 minutes in the bigs since he left Boston.

​What's the scariest part of this article is this: 

Omg is that not the grossest thing you've seen today? Thank God this is just from a Red Sox blog recapping an ESPN article, but good God, man. Had the Red Sox traded Mookie Betts because of Garin Cecchini (who's played a whopping 14 games in the big leagues) I for sure would be dead right now. It'd be the Babe Ruth trade only worse, because at least  the Red Sox got to win a few World Series with Ruth first.

​
Now this blog isn't to go all @oldtakesexposed on this post, but more so to talk about the versatility of Mookie Betts and the decisions Alex Cora will need to make at Dodger Stadium for games 3-5 of the 2018 fall classic.

In case you've been under a rock, in the National League ballpark the Red Sox will lose DH. meaning J.D. Martinez is gonna have to move to OF.  Leaving 4 men for 3 outfield jobs.  Alex Cora (on paper) will need to decide to not play either Andrew Beintendi or ALCS MVP Jackie Bradley, Jr. because the only way Mookie Betts is coming out of the line-up is if he's dead, or Cora wants to pull a 1919 Black Sox.

The big topic of discussion this week in sports has been should the Red Sox move Mookie Betts back to his natural 2nd base for games 3-5 in Los Angeles so the Red Sox can keep Benny, and JBJ both in the line-up? Given the lack of production (outside of Brock Holt's cycle) the Red Sox have gotten offensively from 2B this October it's very intriguing  scenario.

I am not against the move, I think it's daring, and aggressive. It's a move that personally, I love to see (even hypothetically) from my manager; that he's willing to think outside the box, and channel 1968 Mayo Smith to win a championship. Like the 2nd worst band in music, Imagine Dragons says, "do whatever it takes". This wouldn't quite by Mickey Stanley to SS in the 1968 World Series, considering Betts is a natural 2nd basemen, but I still think it's not a risk the Red Sox have to necessarily take. 

Let's talk facts for a second: Mookie Betts is the best RF in all of baseball.

The eye test tells me Mookie is the best, but the stats also back him up as well. Look at all the uber-fancy, sabermetrics, Mookie is at the top, or near top in nearly all of them.  He's won the last 2 American League RF gold gloves, and is a shoe-in for 3rd this year. While Gold Gloves are nice, they are also a popularity contest (looking at you, Jeter). From www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2018/10/22/red-sox-mookie-betts-second-base/1733048002/

Betts has led all qualified big-league outfielders in UZR (Ultimate Zone Rating) in each of the last three seasons. Somewhat amazingly, he is the top rated outfielder over that span in all three components of the stat: He has the best arm, most range, and surest hands.

I understand why the home run that was ruled an out from game 4 was so controversial. But I'm sorry, that's a catch Mookie Betts makes. I'd say he makes that catch greater than 80% of the time. That's why to me it was an easy decision to make. It was interference. I know this isn't how the rule is interpreted, but maybe it's how it should be. If Nick Swisher is playing right, that's a homer, if Melky Cabrera is playing right, that's a homer. Mookie showed us the very next night that he can make that catch. 

Here's another fact:  Jackie Bradley, Jr is a career .238 hitter.

Look I am the biggest Jackie Bradley, Jr fan around, I've called into WEEI defending him recapping-my-experience-on-weei.html. I was ecstatic to see him win ALCS MVP. I think he's the best defensive CF in baseball,  I am a Jackie Bradley, Jr guy.

The reason Jackie Bradley, Jr is still so valuable despite his streakiness, and frankly overall under-performance (for his career) at the plate is for his glove and run-prevention. I've blogged about him many times, I don't need to add the videos of his highlights, but I will anyway. 

Run-prevention is nearly as important as scoring itself. 

Which is exactly why I am not loving the idea of moving Mookie Betts to 2nd base.

As stated earlier, Mookie Betts is the best defensive (and also overall) RF in baseball. We saw the stat. So we're gonna make our outfield defense worse by getting rid of him, and likely making the infield defense worse too? Now here is when I do my whole no real evidence, just go from the heart blogger thing, but despite being a phenomal athlete would this be asking too much of Mookie Betts? I could be completely wrong here, but even after playing 2nd his whole life until a few years ago, Mookie hasn't been an everyday 2nd basemen at any level since 2014. A lot can change in 4 years, for example, in that same time frame Mookie Betts became a 2x Gold Glove winner and arguably the best player in baseball not named after a fish. No turning-two, no sliding infield stops, no playing 2nd base (except for 6 innings in an emergency role earlier this year) for four years. Kids went through HS w/o seeing Mookie Betts play 2nd base.


Yes, Ian Kinsler has left more to be desired this October at 2nd, and despite being a fan favorite, and producing all season long, Brock Holt has had a hard time sniffing the field.  But is Mookie Betts better at 2nd for you defensively than they are? I don't know.  I'd probably rather have Brock Holt playing offensively than Jackie if I got to pick between the two. I think defensive JBJ and Mookie are pretty close to the same guy so it's kind of a wash there. But, regardless, is it worth making your defense (i.e. run prevention) worse in both the outfield and infield by moving Mookie from RF to 2nd?  This isn't as simple as just saying. Okay Mookie today you're back where it all began.  It's all about how well Mookie can play 2nd. He's a freak athlete and believe in him 100% If this was a move happening for 2019 I think he'd be able to do it no problem. I just wonder if this is too quick of a turnaround? I never played baseball, so I could be wrong, but is playing 2nd base like riding a bike? I would think not.

​The outfield is going to be impacted one way or another, JD Martinez is going to play. He's not a complete liability like some 2015 Kyle Schwarber, but he's no Mookie Betts and the combo of Benny, JBJ and Mookie have been three vacuums in the OF, sucking up everything.  I honestly don't know what the right move is here. and I don't envy the position Cora is in. I just feel like it'd be better to go Benny, Mookie, JD in the OF in whichever positioning they feel best over Benny, JBJ, JD with Mookie playing 2nd for the first time that actually matters in 4 years in the God Damn World Series?

I also think the series and match-ups are indicative of what happens.  Where is the series when it goes west? Were we up 2-0? Split....god-forbid down 0-2. All that matters, as well as how dudes are performing. If JBJ is 0-7 with a walk and 5 Ks I don't think it's smart to move Mookie to infield to have him start. Yeah it's sorta unfair, given the small sample size and that one of the games is against Clayton Kershaw, but I'd be a lot cooler with having Mookie start at 2nd for the first time since 2014 up 2-0 than down 0-2. Kind of an obvious take, but one that I felt needed to be said. 

Like I said, I love JBJ, but he had 3 hits in the ALCS. Yes, they were huge, clutch, game winning hits, and we all know his defense. But let's not act like he turned into Barry Bonds overnight. Back in the 2007 ALCS Kevin Youkilis batted fucking .500 (14-28) with 3 HR (and should've been CO-MVPs with Beckett), but was benched in the World Series for David Ortiz when the series shifted to Denver. In the snowflake age of CO-MVP's (2 of the last 3 NLCS have had co-MVP) if there was ever a time to give them, Youk sure as shit earned a share of one in 07. They took their hottest bat out of the line-up to keep David Ortiz in it. Youk was versatile too. He could've played 3rd, but Mike Lowell was busy winning WS MVP. 

Anyways, my point is that if the Red Sox were willing to bench Youk who hit fucking .500 in the ALCS so a better player could play, I think the same should go for JBJ here. 

It's just so crazy to me how fast life can go. A few months ago people were calling for Jackie to be traded, and now people want Mookie to play 2nd base in the World Series so they can keep his "hot" bat in the line-up. Life comes at you fast. Whatever happens, I'll be watching every pitch on pins and needles. Cora has pressed all the right buttons this October, so whatever he does with Betts will likely be the right move. Ideally if he does I'd imagine with a lead you'd take J.D. out and move Mookie back to the OF late in the game should Mookie start at 2B. Idk, dude. I'm just a nervous wreck, Boston sports fan who wanted to write about this topic and needs to get discovered. 

P.S.

The whole I don't want Mookie playing 2nd because of Machado take is a lazy one. Yeah, I'm worried about that dirty, lazy, scumbag going after Mookie too, but that would mean Machado would have to be getting to 2nd base. Something I don't plan on happening much this series. 

Song: Your Smiling Face (LIVE)
Artist: James Taylor
Album: JT