Guest Editorial By Rash:
After a stunning performance by Josh Beckett, Boston solidified a 7–1 trouncing of the Cleveland Indians to keep their World Series chances alive in the ALCS. Eight innings pitched, five hits, one earned run, one walk, and eleven strikeouts. It’s safe to say Beckett is a big-game pitcher.
A lot of people picked Cleveland to win the ALCS and I can’t blame them. The 1–2 punch of Sabathia and Carmona seemed unbeatable. How ironic that Jake Westbrook and Paul Byrd ended up being the pitchers that stepped up to smother Boston’s potent offense. However, Boston has one element that Cleveland does not: postseason experience. Beckett, Schilling, Wakefield, Timlin, Lowell, Ramirez, Ortiz, Varitek, etc. all have postseason experience. Cleveland is a young team, and they are sprouting right before our very eyes. After hearing Joe Buck, the average age of the Cleveland Indians is about 25. Even if they don’t win it all this year, they have more than enough years to get it done. But don’t count Boston out just yet. Beckett provided the spark that the Red Sox needed, forcing a Game 6 back at Fenway Park where Carmona struggled last Saturday.
Where fans predicted this series was going to be a pitching bout, this series has really come down to the bullpen, where Cleveland has absolutely dominated Boston. Where did Rafael Betancourt even come from? Betancourt has seemingly pitched more innings in relief than Schilling, Matsuzaka, and Wakefield pitched starting the game.(editing note: Betancourt is a cheater and is a known steroid user) He has been absolutely lights out, a huge advantage for the Indians. However (and correct me if I’m wrong), he has pitched in Games 2 – 5. Will he be available to pitch in a series-clinching Game 6? Most likely. At this point in the postseason, Eric Wedge will pull out all the stops in order to clinch the American League pennant. Best-case scenario for the Indians is that the Tribe win Saturday if Betancourt pitches scoreless relief, and he gets three days’ rest.
As much as I would like for Boston to make this a competitive series, I look for Cleveland to clinch the pennant in Game 6. Carmona will be shaky on the road, as he was last Saturday, but (as has been the case) I see this game coming down to the bullpen. Betancourt has more or less outpitched Boston’s entire pitching staff, whether it be starting or relief pitching. Timlin is about eighty years old, and he can only pitch so much. Delcarmen was roughed up a little during his last outing. What ever happened to Julian Tavarez? I haven’t seen him in ages, yet FOX continues to zoom-in on him spontaneously during the first inning when his presence is absolutely irrelevant. And don’t even bring up Gagné. Ask any of my coworkers at the end of July: I wanted Jermaine Dye 100% over Gagné. Boston’s bullpen was fine with what they had. Boston’s issue at the trade deadline was that they didn’t have enough offense. Ortiz and Ramirez can’t do it by themselves. If Gagné makes another appearance in the postseason, it will mark the end of Boston’s run.
In summary, Boston just seems to have no answer to Cleveland’s pitching. Not so much for the starting pitching, but for Cleveland’s dominant bullpen. Cleveland is a situational-hitting team, and they tack on runs when they matter most. Game 6 looks to be an exciting game, but look for Cleveland to pull out the win and solidify their first trip to the World Series since 1997. Since Coast is the only Tribe fan in the world, only he will have a feeling of euphoria. However, Coast is one fan more than the amount of Rockies fans in the world. No one expected Colorado to make it to the World Series. Anyone that claims to be a Rockies fan deserves to be punched in the face and/or get the shit beaten out of him/her in a parking lot. Coast is the only person that is going to watch the World Series, and God bless ‘em. 1948. And anyone that says that all the pressure is on Boston is clearly mistaken. If anything, Manny’s comments were POSITIVE. It’s NOT the end of the world if Boston doesn’t win the World Series. Boston just won it in 2004, and there is significantly more parity in Major League Baseball than in the past. Tito is coming back next year. Beckett is coming back next year. Ortiz and Ramirez are coming back next year. Red Sox fans should just be content that Boston made it this far this season, compared to last season’s embarrassment (see: Boston Massacre).
After a stunning performance by Josh Beckett, Boston solidified a 7–1 trouncing of the Cleveland Indians to keep their World Series chances alive in the ALCS. Eight innings pitched, five hits, one earned run, one walk, and eleven strikeouts. It’s safe to say Beckett is a big-game pitcher.
A lot of people picked Cleveland to win the ALCS and I can’t blame them. The 1–2 punch of Sabathia and Carmona seemed unbeatable. How ironic that Jake Westbrook and Paul Byrd ended up being the pitchers that stepped up to smother Boston’s potent offense. However, Boston has one element that Cleveland does not: postseason experience. Beckett, Schilling, Wakefield, Timlin, Lowell, Ramirez, Ortiz, Varitek, etc. all have postseason experience. Cleveland is a young team, and they are sprouting right before our very eyes. After hearing Joe Buck, the average age of the Cleveland Indians is about 25. Even if they don’t win it all this year, they have more than enough years to get it done. But don’t count Boston out just yet. Beckett provided the spark that the Red Sox needed, forcing a Game 6 back at Fenway Park where Carmona struggled last Saturday.
Where fans predicted this series was going to be a pitching bout, this series has really come down to the bullpen, where Cleveland has absolutely dominated Boston. Where did Rafael Betancourt even come from? Betancourt has seemingly pitched more innings in relief than Schilling, Matsuzaka, and Wakefield pitched starting the game.(editing note: Betancourt is a cheater and is a known steroid user) He has been absolutely lights out, a huge advantage for the Indians. However (and correct me if I’m wrong), he has pitched in Games 2 – 5. Will he be available to pitch in a series-clinching Game 6? Most likely. At this point in the postseason, Eric Wedge will pull out all the stops in order to clinch the American League pennant. Best-case scenario for the Indians is that the Tribe win Saturday if Betancourt pitches scoreless relief, and he gets three days’ rest.
As much as I would like for Boston to make this a competitive series, I look for Cleveland to clinch the pennant in Game 6. Carmona will be shaky on the road, as he was last Saturday, but (as has been the case) I see this game coming down to the bullpen. Betancourt has more or less outpitched Boston’s entire pitching staff, whether it be starting or relief pitching. Timlin is about eighty years old, and he can only pitch so much. Delcarmen was roughed up a little during his last outing. What ever happened to Julian Tavarez? I haven’t seen him in ages, yet FOX continues to zoom-in on him spontaneously during the first inning when his presence is absolutely irrelevant. And don’t even bring up Gagné. Ask any of my coworkers at the end of July: I wanted Jermaine Dye 100% over Gagné. Boston’s bullpen was fine with what they had. Boston’s issue at the trade deadline was that they didn’t have enough offense. Ortiz and Ramirez can’t do it by themselves. If Gagné makes another appearance in the postseason, it will mark the end of Boston’s run.
In summary, Boston just seems to have no answer to Cleveland’s pitching. Not so much for the starting pitching, but for Cleveland’s dominant bullpen. Cleveland is a situational-hitting team, and they tack on runs when they matter most. Game 6 looks to be an exciting game, but look for Cleveland to pull out the win and solidify their first trip to the World Series since 1997. Since Coast is the only Tribe fan in the world, only he will have a feeling of euphoria. However, Coast is one fan more than the amount of Rockies fans in the world. No one expected Colorado to make it to the World Series. Anyone that claims to be a Rockies fan deserves to be punched in the face and/or get the shit beaten out of him/her in a parking lot. Coast is the only person that is going to watch the World Series, and God bless ‘em. 1948. And anyone that says that all the pressure is on Boston is clearly mistaken. If anything, Manny’s comments were POSITIVE. It’s NOT the end of the world if Boston doesn’t win the World Series. Boston just won it in 2004, and there is significantly more parity in Major League Baseball than in the past. Tito is coming back next year. Beckett is coming back next year. Ortiz and Ramirez are coming back next year. Red Sox fans should just be content that Boston made it this far this season, compared to last season’s embarrassment (see: Boston Massacre).
rash ive been a rockies fans since dante and helton played together ... troy tulo is a pimp and hawpe just rakes ... i will watch the WS with coast and shit on him when the Rockies sweet the tribe winning game four when byrd has to hit ahahahahaha ... good post rahford
ReplyDeleteindians will lose this series 100% guaranteed.. i know sports
ReplyDelete-steve
Janis you are lost. 100%? That is the dumbest comment someone could make. You want this blog to be respectable and you say ridiculous things like the Indians will lose this series 100% when they are up 3-2 and have their best pitcher on the mound against some washed up scum bag that had ketchup on his sock. Yeah, the Indians can lose the series but I would say it is much more likely that it is about 58%, not 100%.
ReplyDeletethanks bro, this was my big break as a blogger
ReplyDeletemore to come
ps you are the only rockies fan in the country, mlb will face an all-time low in ratings (two people)
ps dirk stayen with the mavs I like it
I guess we will see tomorrow whether or not Janis knows sports.
ReplyDeleteWho has more pressure on him/them tomorrow: the Cleveland Indians, or Daisuke Matsuzaka?