Baseball 2020 entered the final act of its pandemic-affected season when the World Series began earlier this week. It did not include the Red Sox, nor did the playoffs. But the irony of the Sox’ least relevant season since 1964 is that the Series opens with a major subplot for Red Sox Nation. Actually it’s three mini-subplots that merge into a major one that gives the brass a guide to follow as they work to get things back on track.
First, if you haven’t noticed, the symbol of Boston’s speedy descent from admirable world champs just two Octobers ago to the embarrassing joke they became in 2020 is playing in the Series with his new team. Seeing Mookie Betts trot out to right field this week will raise the ire of those who hated seeing the Sox trade their best player rather than signing him for life as the Dodgers did. It does even for me, who believes they had to do it, though mine is aimed at the baseball gods who created a system that let Mookie force that move because he just didn’t want to be here.
Second is seeing the team Red Sox Nation fears their Sox may be modeled after since its newbie GM Chaim Bloom learned his team building skills in Tampa Bay. Because the thought of seeing a parade of faceless relievers and stat-geek no-personality baseball nightly at Fenway sends shivers down the back of all traditional baseball fans. Hey, I like winning as much as the next guy, but I want it done the way I want it done. And I don’t want to see the infield pulled in with runners on second and third, in the fifth inning while leading 2-1 by a panicked manager, like TB’s Kevin Cash did in Game 6 against all common sense because the data said so. Especially since it also said put the shift on with righty George Springer coming to bat. The problem was the oh-so clutch Springer saw the gigantic hole it created on the right side that the data apparently didn’t. So he shortened up and sent a dribbler through said gigantic hole to knock in two, instead of the one that might have scored if the fielders had been in their proper spots. Which ignited the Houston blow-out that forced Game 7. The geeks never mention stuff like that when they tell you how “advanced” their analytics are.
And finally, while the third offers the optimism of a lesson to learn from, it’s still bothersome because that present comes wrapped in the uniform of the hated L.A. Dodgers. It’s how their GM Andrew Friedman has effectively merged the stat geeks crazed approach developed out of necessity when he had no money as GM in Tampa Bay with (prudent) big market spending techniques that’s built the best top to bottom organization in baseball. That began incidentally with chopping L.A.’s monstrous payroll below the luxury tax line upon his arrival after they foolishly had taken on the titanic contracts of Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez from Boston in 2012. All of which has led to eight straight NL West pennants and being in the World Series three times in four years. Which brings us back to Mookie, as after re-investing that money into player development, it made sending lesser prospects from a deep farm system to get him a no-brainer.
Beyond that, I don’t have much interest in the Series, so here are a few more thoughts before I doze off somewhere around the fourth inning most nights.
Proving baseball has a stat for everything were breathless reports that when 22 years and 293 days Ronald Acuna led off Game 1 between Atlanta and Miami he was the youngest ever to lead-off a playoff game.
Almost fell out of my chair when Dave Roberts went against the “go to the closer” code to let Julio Urias pitch the ninth after blowing Atlanta away in the seventh and eight innings of Game 7. Common sense in baseball – amazing!
Did Zach Greinke really tell a reporter he “really enjoyed baseball with no fans because there’s no one to stalk you or ask for an autograph and want pictures and all that stuff”? Honest and clueless at the same time.
After hitting two more this year, Springer now has 19 homers in 63 postseason games – a 50-homer regular season pace. All-Time World Series leader Mickey Mantle hit his 18 homers in 65 games, though Springer had more at-bats, 260 to 230.
With Mookie gone and JBJR likely out the door next, if the Sox are going to spend big money on a hitter in free agency, Springer is the guy I’d like to see them get. Clutch, tough, versatile and smart. Guessing the per year will be affordable, but I wouldn’t go over six years on the contract.
The playoff’s all-name team moment was Dodgers catcher Will Smith hitting a monster three-run homer off Braves reliever Will Smith in Game 5 of the NLDS. Could be a plot point to revolve in the Battle of Will Smiths, my proposed major Hollywood motion picture. The only question left for the attached A-List star: Which Will Smith will Will Smith play?
Yes, that Manuel Margot playing for Tampa Bay was one of the prospects given San Diego for Craig Kimbrel. But before you go postal on Dave Dombrowski, he first flunked out in SD after hitting .248 and averaging 11 homers and 44 RBI over four seasons. However, he did have five homers and 11 RBI in his first 13 postseason games, so the jury may still be out.
Finally, wouldn’t it be ironic if the fans expecting a world title coming to Tampa Bay since the day Tom Brady signed with the Bucs got one but it came from the team no one goes to see or cares about in the regular baseball season?
