Future champions
Sports writer Brady Lang predicts the World Series outcome
Article: Brady Lang – Sports Writer
An old baseball coach of mine once said, “If you can individually outplay the other teams player at the same position, and we can all do that as a team, you’re going to win baseball games.”
For that reason, and that reason only, the Boston Red Sox will win the 2013 World Series.
I know you’re opening up the paper right now and you’re either saying “this guy is totally wrong” or “this guy hit the nail on the head” as the World Series will likely be completed at this time. Right now, I’m just watching the last few outs of game four, and there it is, the Red Sox have tied the series at two.
Positionally, the Red Sox definitely have the upper hand in the series. No other team in the Majors works harder defensively; this can be seen before games when the Red Sox go through their defensive drills – something no other team in the Majors does.
Offensively, the club has come up with timely hits – see David Ortiz’ grand slam in the American League Championship Series or Shane Victorino’s grand slam to send the team to the World Series.
The Red Sox are also always a threat to score, powered by the likes of Ortiz, Victorino, Xander Bogaerts, Mike Napoli, and of course team veteran Dustin Pedroia just to name a few.
Shortstop Bogaerts has been phenomenal for the Red Sox thus far in the MLB post season, hitting .316 in the playoffs including four extra base hits. The rookie only played 18 games during the 2013 season, but became a mainstay with the team during their postseason run.
But individual play hasn’t brought the Red Sox this far.
[pullquote]“Unpredictability makes baseball the greatest game on Earth and let’s be honest, this World Series is all up in the air, let the best team win.”[/pullquote]
This team is built to win a championship. The team chemistry the Red Sox possess is something that can’t be taught and honestly could not have been predicted at the start of the season.
After last season’s sub-par effort with manager Bobby Valentine at the helm, the Red Sox made numerous moves during the latter of last fall and all throughout the off-season including the firing of Valentine and the acquisition of former Red Sox pitching coach and two-year manager of the Toronto Blue Jays, John Farrell, which turned out to be the perfect fit for the Red Sox team.
Farrell gave the Red Sox a stable, even-tempered manager that was a huge change over from the high-tempered Valentine. Farrell is also a lot like former team manager Terry Francona who lead the team to its first championship since 1918 in 2004 and then again in 2007. The two worked together from 2007-11 and their temperament definitely helps the team succeed.
On the other hand, the St. Louis Cardinals pitching staff is stellar and one of, if not the best, in the game today.
Pitcher Adam Wainwright is the perennial ace of the staff and 19-game winner this season. For lack of a better word, this man is scary when he gets on the mound. He has the ability to dominate games, much like a lot of the rest of the Cardinals staff.
The rest of the Cards staff features rookie Michael Wacha, Joe Kelly and Lance Lynn. The Red Sox are countering with John Lester, John Lackey, Clay Buchholz and Jake Peavy.
All in all, as the Carillon heads to press, this series is now sitting at a best of three, first one to two wins get the title.
Unpredictability makes baseball the greatest game on Earth and let’s be honest, this World Series is all up in the air, let the best team win.