2004 World Series

[Dan Gould]

Well.

If that's the way its going to be ... I don't know if I can handle this series!

Certainly Cards fans have to know that they got an awful lot of gifts tonite. Without Wakefield's walks and those ridiculous errors, this game is maybe 9-4. Certainly, if you're a Cards fan, you have to be concerned about stopping the Red Sox offense. They just keep coming, and I'd be very worried about Morris vs Schilling tomorrow night. Morris had the worst stats of all the starters, gave up a truckload of home runs (most in the majors). If Schill's tendon "surgery" does the job again and he pitches as he's capable, I do expect to go up 2-0.

Good signs for the Sox:

Bellhorn and Damon's bats coming alive, continuing their upswing from Game 7.

Manny getting clutch hits and driving in runs for the first time since the ALDS.

Ortiz being Ortiz (that home run was huge, but smacking that ball in the 7th inning off the situational lefty was really big. Hope the second baseman doesn't miss any time.)

[Tim McG]

BoSox win!

Now, then...is the "curse" still a factor?

[BruceH]

I'm hoping the Sox will win, but I'm not betting on it.

[sheldonm]

Morris had the worst stats of all the starters, gave up a truckload of home runs (most in the majors).

Actually Jamie Moyer (44), Eric Milton (43), Bartola Colon (38) and Darrell May (38) gave up more than Morris (35). Greg Maddux also gave up 35.

[sheldonm]

Certainly Cards fans have to know that they got an awful lot of gifts tonite.

.....as well the Sox did (get gifts); 8 walks and a hit batsmen. How many of those scored? Errors are just a part of the Sox arsenal (4 more and counting, tonight) But it does appear that they will be going to stl with a 2-0 lead.

[Dan Gould]

Certainly Cards fans have to know that they got an awful lot of gifts tonite.

.....as well the Sox did (get gifts); 8 walks and a hit batsmen. How many of those scored? Errors are just a part of the Sox arsenal (4 more and counting, tonight) But it does appear that they will be going to stl with a 2-0 lead.

What does a team that preaches patience at the plate and high OBP do to average starting pitching?

Generate walks, and then hitters counts, and then hits.

So, the walks were not "gifts"-they're the inevitable result of average starting pitchers.

And that adjective-"average"-is not mine. Its how one scout was quoted in the Boston Globe last week.

The complete quote?

"The Red Sox kill average pitching."

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This has gone precisely as I expected (except for the errors). Better pitching (especially staff ace and closer) throttles a fearsome lineup, particularly when it counts, while our own fearsome lineup feasts on less than stellar pitching.

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Clearly the errors have to stop, because a good team won't continue to fail to capitalize on extra outs. The good thing: Mueller is a well above average third baseman. Three errors in a game for him are a fluke and you won't see it again. Bellhorn is also usually sure-handed (I think he reduced the errors at second base from 19 last year (Todd Walker) to 10 or so this year).

Unfortunately, Manny is Manny, so there's always a risk with him on the field.

But as far as fielding goes, in the late innings, when the game is on the line, the Sox have three Gold Gloves in the infield with Cabrera, Pokey and Mantkiewicz.

We'll be fine.

****************************

The question is, will the Cards be fine?

I have to like our chances with Pedro going on six days rest, against a lineup that, almost to a man, has never seen him before (Edmunds certainly has had a swing or two, and maybe Renteria a few years back(?) but that's it). I know Suppan has pitched well, but he needs, above all, to throw strikes and miss bats. If he isn't around the strike zone, we'll do the same thing to him that we did to Williams and Morris. Guaranteed.

And another factor in Pedro's advantage:

The forecast calls for pretty mild weather with a chance for showers. Game time temperature in the mid-60s, I'm figuring, and that means no cold for Pedro to battle in order to get loose. He should come out firing from the get go.

And, those lovely midwesterners are too darn polite to chant "Who's Your Daddy?"

[Tjazz]

1 person predicted the outcome correctly.

Amazing!

[Dan Gould]

By a Major League scout

The Red Sox kill average pitching.

Any questions?

(OK, 4 runs and 3 runs in the last two games respectively might not constitute "killing" but the difference in starting pitching tells the entire story, IMO.

Sorry, Cards fans, but I gotta tell it like it is, and that was your fatal flaw.)

Without a doubt, the greatest post-season run in major sports history. What a way to "Reverse the Curse"!!!

[ejp626]

Definitely amazing, and not what I expected at all. One of the SI writers echoed a comment above, about how hard the Sox batters make pitchers work. Most of the Cards pitchers averaged over 18 pitches an inning. Most of today's batters swing for the fence on all kinds of terrible pitches.

[BruceH]

I was hoping the Sox would win it in 4, and they DID! I'm dumbfounded...and happy!

[Soulstation1]

congrats to the red sox and their fans

ss1

[Tjazz]

Boston swept the Angels.

Lost 3 to the Yankees, then sweep them?

Sweep the Cardinals.

Last 2 years, a Wild Card team has won the WS.

[Johnny E]

I just voted, and WOW, just me and one other got it right!

[Chuck Nessa]

Hello, I've been trying to get on for days to post my prediction of BSOX in 4. What happened?

[.:.impossible]

I was one that called it in four. I guess it was the night before the first game. They had so much momentum going, but I really didn't think they would shut the Cards down the way they did. I couldn't have guessed how COLD the Cards would be.

I'm still thinking Foulke should have been series MVP, but Manny's numbers were pretty damn impressive too.