10/28 World Series Game 5

[cp176]

This season has been a blast. From posting here to watching just about every game. You come to feel as though you really know these guys. The finish was appropriate with Chris Sale finishing up for sure. I love what Pearce did and has done for this team and it is a shame that one MVP had to be chosen although individual awards isn't what this team is all about. Price though would have been mine. This is a team for the ages. A different team. No big egos out there. Just a team. Without a doubt it is the best team that I have seen in Boston. Thanks for the memories. I can't believe that it is over. i wish that it wasn't.

[Bellhorn04]

So that's what a Dream Season looks like. Incredible.

[moonslav59]

This is the best Red Sox team ever but for those of us who have around a long time (this was my 52nd season) NOTHING will ever top 2004.

 

I agree, but this team is a better team. That doesn't take anything away from the magic of 2004.

[jung]

Beating the Astros, 3 straight, at their Home Park, make this team the best, that team was loaded.

On the road.

2-0 Yankee Stadium

3-0 Minute Maid Park

2-1 Dodgers Stadium, lost 1 game in 18 innings, by 1 RUN.

 

Has nothing to do about Homefield Advantage, great teams win on the Road. That's what measures great teams.

 

Well actually Home Field did have a telling impact on the WS. The Dodgers had no stomach for even attempting to take this series back to frigid Fenway Park.

 

Pitching Coach Rich Honeycutt threw up the surrender flag as early as the first two games in Boston whining about the bullpens in Fenway as if his pitchers had been accosted by the Boston crowd. In fact, no Dodger pitcher had beer thrown at him or cans thrown at him or anything thrown at him nor were any of them body slammed out there by some fan. Whiny Honeycutt mused that he did not understand how MLB could "allow" such close fan proximity to the bullpens because his poor sensitive pitchers could HEAR the partisan crowd.

 

Then the Dodgers literally caved in and surrendered en masse at the end of inning 5 in game 5 last night. They were done. Not a single focused AB from them after the 5th inning. They even stopped pitching with any intensity, utterly unwilling to even any longer make the attempt to get the series back to Fenway. That was a complete and utter collapse by the Dodgers after inning 5 of game 5 OF THE WORLD SERIES because they simply did not even have the intestinal fortitude to try to get the series back to Boston.

 

If anything Home Field proved its worth in the WS more than in any series I have seen in a long long time.

Edited October 29, 2018 by jung

[Bellhorn04]

Comparisons of 2018 team to 2004 team are unnecessary and silly IMO.

[moonslav59]

Somebody mentioned the two trucks from Chevy and since the car companies have gotten into the act I have felt for the longest time that they are the major stumbling block to co-MVP. They are just not going to dig into their pockets for the second vehicle.....bastards.

 

This year really really deserved to be a co-WS-MVP year. To be honest if it had to be one guy, IMO the one guy should have been Price. That said Price alone would have been my second choice to Price/Pearce and Pearce alone would have been my third choice.

 

Taking nothing away from what Pearce did to help us win, did you see the mob of players around Price after the win?

 

When you've played the game of baseball, you know it's always about the pitcher. Price pitched or was warming up to pitch just about every game. I've never seen that for a guy who started 2 of the 5 games.

 

It should have been co-MVP at least.

 

I'm sure the discussion about who is clutch and what sample size is large enough to determine clutchness will take a turn this winter, but to me Price has always been tough as nails. He stood up to all the bitching and bickering from Sox fans and media until the sample size grew large enough to include some gems.

 

Eovaldi should get a strong runner up award. Had Kinsler not made that error, we might be arguing for Tri-MVPs!

[cp176]

Comparisons of 2018 team to 2004 team are unnecessary and silly IMO.

 

i agree but we know how it goes here. It is what we do I guess. What a very special year this one was. I'm glad that I am alive to enjoy the whole show.

[redsoxrules]

16-3 WS record this century. Amazing!

[jung]

Taking nothing away from what Pearce did to help us win, did you see the mob of players around Price after the win?

 

When you've played the game of baseball, you know it's always about the pitcher. Price pitched or was warming up to pitch just about every game. I've never seen that for a guy who started 2 of the 5 games.

 

It should have been co-MVP at least.

 

I'm sure the discussion about who is clutch and what sample size is large enough to determine clutchness will take a turn this winter, but to me Price has always been tough as nails. He stood up to all the bitching and bickering from Sox fans and media until the sample size grew large enough to include some gems.

 

Eovaldi should get a strong runner up award. Had Kinsler not made that error, we might be arguing for Tri-MVPs!

 

Frankly the two greatest WS "performances" across the series came from Price and Eo. That is from a guy (me) that spent all of his time in baseball trying to beat pitchers, even dare I say completely consumed by the contest, the battle between pitcher and hitter at least within the game of baseball itself. I am simply realistic enough to understand that two "pitchers" would not be the recipients of so much heraldry given the direction MLB is trying to take this game.

 

Price's effort and his contribution in this WS is almost beyond comprehension. He pitched so well and so much in this WS and to have been on the mound, the pitcher of record after all that in the very inning that the Dodgers threw up the surrender flag (after inning 5 of game 5) simply is all there is to say about that.

 

Eo's effort was literally superhuman. As it turns out apparently, Porcello was not the only Boston player driven to tears by Eo's Game 3 effort. I would bet real money that Porcello was not the only current or retired player of any merit driven to tears by that effort. His effort was and is utterly unfathomable for its courageousness as much as anything and anybody who knows how this game works knows it. If you want go back to one video piece that is the living record of how actual baseball players felt about that effort, go back and watch what happens as Eo steps down into the dugout after coming out of Game 3 and watch how the Boston squad literally caresses him down the stairs to the clubhouse....no raucous chest pumping, fist pumping, elbow pumping, body slamming...none of that. They literally caress him down the stairs and into the clubhouse overcome by emotion and understanding for what that effort was and what it meant.

 

Pearce had a great series...no question. I just cannot in good conscience and in full understanding of the game elevate it past Price's and if I am really honest with myself probably really can't elevate it past Eo's.

[moonslav59]

 

Eo's effort was literally superhuman. As it turns out apparently, Porcello was not the only Boston player driven to tears by Eo's Game 3 effort. I would bet real money that Porcello was not the only current or retired player of any merit driven to tears by that effort. His effort was and is utterly unfathomable for its courageousness as much as anything and anybody who knows how this game works knows it. If you want go back to one video piece that is the living record of how actual baseball players felt about that effort, go back and watch what happens as Eo steps down into the dugout after coming out of Game 3 and watch how the Boston squad literally caresses him down the stairs to the clubhouse....no raucous chest pumping, fist pumping, elbow pumping, body slamming...none of that. They literally caress him down the stairs and into the clubhouse overcome by emotion and understanding for what that effort was and what it meant.

Yes.

 

That scene in the dugout was very moving to me, as well. I hear the team gave him a standing ovation in the clubhouse afterwards. To me, that shows how tight this team was (is).

 

It's too bad that a solo HR in the 18th inning kept him from consideration for MVP. In reality, Price and E-O should have been the co-MVPs, again, no slight on Pearce and his 12 WS ABs.

 

[moonslav59]

Frankly the two greatest WS "performances" across the series came from Price and Eo. That is from a guy (me) that spent all of his time in baseball trying to beat pitchers, even dare I say completely consumed by the contest, the battle between pitcher and hitter at least within the game of baseball itself. I am simply realistic enough to understand that two "pitchers" would not be the recipients of so much heraldry given the direction MLB is trying to take this game.

 

Price's effort and his contribution in this WS is almost beyond comprehension. He pitched so well and so much in this WS and to have been on the mound, the pitcher of record after all that in the very inning that the Dodgers threw up the surrender flag (after inning 5 of game 5) simply is all there is to say about that.

 

Players know it's all about the pitcher. I do, because I could never hit well enough to do squat.

 

You know why so many good ex-pitchers are alcoholics?

 

It's because of all the free beers their teammates bought them after a win.

[Bellhorn04]

Yes.

 

That scene in the dugout was very moving to me, as well. I hear the team gave him a standing ovation in the clubhouse afterwards. To me, that shows how tight this team was (is).

 

It's too bad that a solo HR in the 18th inning kept him from consideration for MVP. In reality, Price and E-O should have been the co-MVPs, again, no slight on Pearce and his 12 WS ABs.

 

 

Eovaldi's performance in Game 3 was magnificent, but I don't see how it puts him with Price's 2 games.

 

It was just the luck of the draw, mind you, that Eovaldi only pitched significant innings in one game.

[Thunder]

Guess who's going to Spring Training????

[moonslav59]

Eovaldi's performance in Game 3 was magnificent, but I don't see how it puts him with Price's 2 games.

 

It was just the luck of the draw, mind you, that Eovaldi only pitched significant innings in one game.

 

Significant, in terms of how many innings pitched, but those two 1 inning outings were very significant.

 

Both he and Price pitched in 3 games, and I get how Price worked two longer outings to E-O's one, but E-O's 0.500 WHIP to Price's 0.951 kinda evens it up to some extent.

 

Also, ERA 1.13 (E-O) to 1.98 (Price).

 

I'm okay with not thinking E-O deserved the MVP, but as I said, he deserves a strong runner-up award.

[Slasher9]

you can make an argument for Joe Kelly winning the WS MVP.

he pitched in all 5 games.

6 ip / 10k / 0bb / 0.667 whip / 0.00 era / 1 Win

[Thunder]

you can make an argument for Joe Kelly winning the WS MVP.

he pitched in all 5 games.

6 ip / 10k / 0bb / 0.667 whip / 0.00 era / 1 Win

 

You really can't. It's all Pearce my dude

[Bellhorn04]

WS MVP doesn't mean much, it's such an apples-oranges short sample size thing.

 

It's cool to see the journeyman Pearce get it.

[Bellhorn04]

you can make an argument for Joe Kelly winning the WS MVP.

he pitched in all 5 games.

6 ip / 10k / 0bb / 0.667 whip / 0.00 era / 1 Win

 

Kelly was fantastic this postseason. After a lot of doubt he'd even make the roster.

 

Another inspired move by Cora putting trust in JK.

[Emp9]

Kelly was fantastic this postseason. After a lot of doubt he'd even make the roster.

 

Another inspired move by Cora putting trust in JK.

 

If I had to pick one player as the entire post season MVP on the whole... damn. It might be Joe Kelly.

[BillyWilliams]

Congrats to the sox and their fans on a well deserved championship.

[Thunder]

While I've been out and about today, I've obviously seen more Red Sox gear than I can count, but also some Yankees gear. They really don't want to accept this do they?

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Btw, just how appropo was it that Machado made the final out and ended up on one knee? What the SOX pitching did to Machado in this series hurt him worse than being hit by 10 pitches. Edited October 29, 2018 by SPLENDIDSPLINTER

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

I wonder if 'DO DAMAGE' was inspired by Dave Dombrowski's initials? Kudos to DD for picking up Eovaldi and Pearce before the trade deadline. A true stroke of genius. My vote for GM of the year. Edited October 29, 2018 by SPLENDIDSPLINTER

[Bellhorn04]

I wonder if 'DO DAMAGE' was inspired by Dave Dombrowski's initials?

 

Even better - it was inspired by Cashman.

[Slasher9]

Even better - it was inspired by Cashman.

 

yup. early in the season Cashman said "we are the only team that can do damage vs the Red Sox".

hahahahaha. i love our team.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

yup. early in the season Cashman said "we are the only team that can do damage vs the Red Sox".

hahahahaha. i love our team.

 

Yup, that is even better. Hope all the game thread posters have a great off season.

[TylerD]

Feeling is still surreal!! I’m buying a 2018 World Series champs hat and rocking that s*** every day of the week!!!!

[a700hitter]

Feeling is still surreal!! I’m buying a 2018 World Series champs hat and rocking that s*** every day of the week!!!!

It is surreal. I knew they would be a good team this year after they added JD, but the Yankees were getting all of the hype. I will be 60 years old I n 3 months and 2018 is the first time that I bought the full season ticket plan, and I still can’t believe that they had the best season in franchise history. I should have luck like this when I buy lottery tickets. LOL! Early on this season, it was apparent to me that this team did nothing but win. They won games using every aspect of the game. If they didn’t beat you with HRs, they beat you with singles, doubles and stolen bases and hit and runs, or they beat you with pitching and defense. Every day Cora was pushing the right buttons and they always figured out how to win (randomness be damned). I could see it in Spring Training. They did nothing but win there too with their starters or their minor leaguers. Yes, Spring Training doesn’t mean anything, but it seemed that winning was already becoming routine for this group. Dewey and I discussed this at Spring Training— that they seemed to win every day. When the season started, winning quickly became routine, and I never doubted that this was the best team in baseball. They never slumped, never looked undermanned in any aspect of the game, except middle relief, and they could never be counted out of any game until the last out. It was the most consistently enjoyable season for the full 7 months that we will ever witness.

Edited October 29, 2018 by a700hitter

[Thunder]

It is surreal. I knew they would be a good team this year after they added JD, but the Yankees were getting all of the hype. I will be 60 years old I n 3 months and 2018 is the first time that I bought the full season ticket plan, and I still can’t believe that they had the best season in franchise history. I should have luck like this when I buy lottery tickets. LOL! Early on this season, it was apparent to me that this team did nothing but win. They won games using every aspect of the game. If they didn’t beat you with HRs, they beat you with singles, doubles and stolen bases and hit and runs, or they beat you with pitching and defense. Every day Cora was pushing the right buttons and they always figured out how to win (randomness be damned). I could see it in Spring Training. They did nothing but win there too with their starters or their minor leaguers. Yes, Spring Training doesn’t mean anything, but it seemed that winning was already becoming routine for this group. Dewey and I discussed this at Spring Training— that they seemed to win every day. When the season started, winning quickly became routine, and I never doubted that this was the best team in baseball. They never slumped, never looked undermanned in any aspect of the game, except middle relief, and they could never be counted out of any game until the last out. It was the most consistently enjoyable season for the full 7 months that we will ever witness.

 

I'll be at Spring Training this year, albeit with my family. Maybe I could pay you my fantasy dues in person.

[a700hitter]

I'll be at Spring Training this year, albeit with my family. Maybe I could pay you my fantasy dues in person.

It would be a blast to meet you. The last 2 springs I took in the games with Dewey. It has been a lot of fun.