2018 World Series: The Dodgers vS The Red Sox

[YastrzemskI]

Who wins and in how many games?

What are the keys to winning the World Series against the Dodgers? Let’s break these two teams down before the war begins this coming Tuesday at the greatest baseball park in the world, Fenway Park. Bring it on!

 

The Dodgers can be scary if they are firing on all cylinders. However, they haven’t shown the consistency that the Red Sox have.. and we’ve done it against stiffer competition.

I think that the Dodgers trouble us back to Fenway but I do not think that this series goes seven games. Red Sox in Six!

 

LET’S GO!!! BRING HOME NUMBER NINE!!!

[Kimmi]

The Dodgers are not to be taken lightly. The Sox are the better team, but the Dodgers are no slouches. It should be a good series.

 

I think the Sox will win it 6.

[FredLynn]

Sox in five....the team is on a roll.

[moonslav59]

Sometimes it seems like the team that comes close the year before makes the next step and wins it all the next year.

 

I don't think this will be the case this year.

 

The Dodgers are a solid team. They have some top SP'ers and a bunch of hitters over .800 this year.

 

I think we are better. The best team's don't always win, but I think we not only have the better team, but the intangibles are on our side as well.

[fxkatt]

I won't predict, but one thing I know is that the Sox are playing three straight world series in 2018. All our playoff opponents have clearly been World Series caliber teams. If we can continue our stupendous road record, we will certainly win out here. If that road streak is brought to a definite halt, then maybe it will go 7. Whatever, if we take this series, we will be one of the most deserved Series winners in the game's history. Or possibly the most deserved ever.

[OH FOY]

We've got some Love for the Manager. But he is here to do a job.

[YastrzemskI]

I won't predict, but one thing I know is that the Sox are playing three straight world series in 2018. All our playoff opponents have clearly been World Series caliber teams. If we can continue our stupendous road record, we will certainly win out here. If that road streak is brought to a definite halt, then maybe it will go 7. Whatever, if we take this series, we will be one of the most deserved Series winners in the game's history. Or possibly the most deserved ever.

 

Well said. The Red Sox have beat up on two 100 win teams so far and that’s nothing to sneeze at. They have to figure out the DH issue at LA though.. it makes me a little nervous to be honest. Yasiel Puig was speaking in his broken English after the game last night and he was spot on. To paraphrase he just kept repeating that nothing matters except the play on the field. Not how many wins you have or who you’ve beat so far.

 

If the Red Sox do take out the Skanks, Astros and Dodgers in one post season on the way to a chip.. it would be about as sweet as it gets.

[dgalehouse]

I think the Dodgers are by far the toughest foe we could have faced in the Fall Classic. The Sox should prevail, but it will not be easy. Have to continue to come up with the big hit and make the big play.

[moonslav59]

I think the Dodgers are by far the toughest foe we could have faced in the Fall Classic. The Sox should prevail, but it will not be easy. Have to continue to come up with the big hit and make the big play.

 

One could argue playing the Yankees, Astros and Dodgers is the hardest path to a World Series ring in the history of MLB.

[iortiz]

On paper HOU and NY were tougher teams. Boston just destroyed them.

 

While sometimes logic doesn’t prevail in sports, if the Red Sox keep playing with hungry, professionalism and humble, there’s no way we lose this. ie the enemy of the Red Sox are the Red Sox.

 

Said that and knowing how Cora has managed this team, I bet he will keep them focous.

 

Red Sox in five, but I wouldn’t be surprise if we sweep them.

[moonslav59]

On paper HOU and NY were tougher teams. Boston just destroyed them.

 

While sometimes logic doesn’t prevail in sports, if the Red Sox keep playing with hungry, professionalism and humble, there’s no way we lose this. ie the enemy of the Red Sox are the Red Sox.

 

Said that and knowing how Cora has managed this team, I bet he will keep them focous.

 

Red Sox in five, but I wouldn’t be surprise if we sweep them.

 

I think the whole "were better on paper" argument was faulty.

 

We won 108 games. It wasn't luck. It wasn't by mistake.

 

On paper, our catchers looked like the worst in MLB. That is so far from the truth, it makes me laugh. (And this from a "numbers guy".)

 

On paper, JBJ was just a 2.8 WAR guy. His weak start at the plate muddied the numbers.

 

On paper, Pearce is just a role player. Holt is just a sub. Our pen is weak beyond Kimbrel. Price wilts under pressure. Verlander and Severino are Gods.

 

Many of us knew better.

 

We won 108 games and lost just 54. In the playoffs, versus tougher opponents, we are now 7 and 2. There should be no surprises here.

[jung]

I wonder if the Dodgers have learned their lesson about Grandal behind the plate. Barnes had an immediate settling influence on the whole team for Game 7 which is exactly what a competent defensive Catcher will do for a team. Defense starts up the middle and most particularly behind the plate. If that is the hole in the wall, the whole wall is weaker by a significant degree.

 

Dodgers played their only decent game of the 7 games in game 7. If I were a Dodger fan I would not be all that encouraged about that.

 

Red Sox played post season baseball the way it is supposed to be played. Every out was precious, every out used and every out made. But they did not make that the reason to disintegrate into a bowl of jello. They made it the rational for doing what they know they do best.

 

The Yankees did what they do best this year. That was never going to be enough. They were always going to be too young up and down their lineup to be able to stand up in the post season and their starting pitching was always suspect. Let that be a lesson to fans too impressed with a bombs away offense that actually can't do anything but bomb away. Good luck with that in post season play. Their years are ahead of them if Management can keep them together and if they can replace the old man rotation. They were never going anywhere in the post season. Even the damaged Astros would have taken them apart.

 

The Astros were taken entirely out of their game by the Red Sox. Yes they were injured and the Altuve injury was finally the last straw. But they were well on their way to destruction at the hands of the Red Sox even before the Altuve injury.

 

So the question really is one of whether or not the Dodgers can stand up to the enormous pressure the Red Sox exert by simply being an immovable rock. The Sox so far have not changed a thing. Cora for his part has only been a novelty in using Starters with scheduled starts in relief roles before those scheduled starts. Other than that, he has been as predictable as could be. No surprises, no panic moves...no need even after losing game 1 and not knowing what he really has in Sale.

Edited October 21, 2018 by jung

[cp176]

I think the whole "were better on paper" argument was faulty.

 

We won 108 games. It wasn't luck. It wasn't by mistake.

 

On paper, our catchers looked like the worst in MLB. That is so far from the truth, it makes me laugh. (And this from a "numbers guy".)

 

On paper, JBJ was just a 2.8 WAR guy. His weak start at the plate muddied the numbers.

 

On paper, Pearce is just a role player. Holt is just a sub. Our pen is weak beyond Kimbrel. Price wilts under pressure. Verlander and Severino are Gods.

 

Many of us knew better.

 

We won 108 games and lost just 54. In the playoffs, versus tougher opponents, we are now 7 and 2. There should be no surprises here.

 

When you surround yourself with good people good things tend to happen. The Red Sox are the best team in baseball. They have been the best team in baseball for some time now. Can they be beaten? Of course - any team can be. For them to ever have been considered underdogs is ridiculous regardless of what the papers say. i'd get some new papers.

[sk7326]

I think the whole "were better on paper" argument was faulty.

 

We won 108 games. It wasn't luck. It wasn't by mistake.

 

On paper, our catchers looked like the worst in MLB. That is so far from the truth, it makes me laugh. (And this from a "numbers guy".)

 

On paper, JBJ was just a 2.8 WAR guy. His weak start at the plate muddied the numbers.

 

On paper, Pearce is just a role player. Holt is just a sub. Our pen is weak beyond Kimbrel. Price wilts under pressure. Verlander and Severino are Gods.

 

Many of us knew better.

 

We won 108 games and lost just 54. In the playoffs, versus tougher opponents, we are now 7 and 2. There should be no surprises here.

 

(a 3-win player is a good major league starter)

[Thunder]

I think this series is going to go 7. The Dodgers are hot right now, as are we, and they are very left handed heavy with pitchers, the one area where we can struggle, although we just knocked around Keuchel in Game 3. We need to keep our bats consistent. The Dodgers can easily get us if we don't. And, by the end of it, we will all be reminded how much we hate Machado. I wouldn't be surprised if we get into a couple "disagreements" and see Pedey come hobbling out of the dugout to beat him up.

[Thunder]

I also say 7 because I don't want this season to end. It's been so fun to watch.

[dgalehouse]

One thing for sure ; there will be plenty of hate to spread around. Machado, Puig , Joe Buck , John Smoltz , Alex Cora ,the umpires and any Sox player who screws up or even falters a bit.

[Thunder]

One thing for sure ; there will be plenty of hate to spread around. Machado, Puig , Joe Buck , John Smoltz , Alex Cora ,the umpires and any Sox player who screws up or even falters a bit.

 

I'm the founding (and only) member of the Joe Buck fan club, but I like his baseball announcing far less than his football announcing

[Youk Of The Nation]

One thing for sure ; there will be plenty of hate to spread around. Machado, Puig , Joe Buck , John Smoltz , Alex Cora ,the umpires and any Sox player who screws up or even falters a bit.

 

What’s wrong with Smoltz?

[dgalehouse]

What’s wrong with Smoltz?

 

Nothing wrong with Smoltz. Or Buck. Or Cora. Or any Sox player. And the umps are mostly okay. But that will not stop the venom. It will be oozing like clearasil on prom night.

[Bellhorn04]

Smoltz was a great pitcher and he seems like a good guy. But his commentating style features some lingo that drives me a bit nuts. Before Game 6 of the NLCS he was giving his keys to victory, and he said for the Dodgers it was important that they 'control the scoreboard'. Control the scoreboard! Now there's some strategy, people. I can't believe no one else thought of it before.

[Station 13]

Has Cora announce game 2 starter yet? It needs to be Eovaldi. You need these home games.

[Thunder]

Has Cora announce game 2 starter yet? It needs to be Eovaldi. You need these home games.

 

What's wrong with having Price go? I thought he left a pretty good taste in our mouths?

[Kimmi]

Has Cora announce game 2 starter yet? It needs to be Eovaldi. You need these home games.

 

He won't commit to anyone beyond Sale starting Game 1.

[Jasonbay44]

Sox in 6.

[sk7326]

Has Cora announce game 2 starter yet? It needs to be Eovaldi. You need these home games.

 

The Sox haven't needed them.

[S5Dewey]

I'm the founding (and only) member of the Joe Buck fan club, but I like his baseball announcing far less than his football announcing

 

Is membership still open for that group? I know I may be in the minority but I happen to like Joe Buck both as a football and a baseball announcer. Plus he does some great interviews on the Audience channel.

[sk7326]

Is membership still open for that group? I know I may be in the minority but I happen to like Joe Buck both as a football and a baseball announcer. Plus he does some great interviews on the Audience channel.

 

He is very good at baseball and less good at football. Given his background, it is a safe bet that he likes baseball more - and it shows. His partners on FOX have consistently been not very good ... though Smoltz is the best one he has had.

[S5Dewey]

I'm picking the Sox in 5 because if they can win it before midnight they'll have done it on my birthday. They missed it in 2004 by winning the WS ~20 minutes too early. :-(

[jacksonianmarch]

I think diminished Chris Sale loses the opener to Kershaw. The Sox get Ryu out early in game 2 and beat the Dodgers pen. The Sox do the same against Hill in game 3. They tattoo Buehler as the Sox demolish fastball pitchers without impeccable command. They lose game 5 against Keyshawn again. They take the title home vs Ryu in Boston