TheSportsNotebook’s MLB coverage is set to go into the offseason, and take a break until March when the time will come again for spring training team previews. We’ve recapped the specifics of Game 6 of the World Series, the Boston Red Sox’ clinching 6-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. Let’s close out the year with some thoughts on the World Series as a whole…
If Games 3 & 4 of the battle between the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals were filled with decisions, nuance and room for scrutiny and second-guessing then 2013 World Series Game 5 was one that was simply about the battle. It was Jon Lester and Adam Wainwright, the two aces of each staff and each pitching like it. The Red Sox found just enough offense to win 3-1 and move to within one win of claiming what has been an outstanding Fall Classic.
Red Sox manager John Farrell made a lot of pitching decisions last night that were unorthodox and please note that is neither criticism nor compliment. It’s simply a statement of fact. Farrell pulled Clay Bucholz when the starter had pitched four effective innings. Farrell pulled Felix Doubront after the latter had retired eight straight hitters and then given up one hit. Farrell brought in presumed Game 6 starter John Lackey to pitch the eighth inning.
If St. Louis did all the little things wrong in Game 1, they did them right–or at least enough of them, especially in the seventh–to get themselves a victory. Let’s start in that crucial frame…
Jon Lester was brilliant, Mike Napoli was clutch and David Ortiz was locked in at the plate. These three heroes led the way in the Boston Red Sox’ 8-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 1 of the 2013 World Series, but the enduring image of the Series opener are the uncharacteristic mistakes made in the field by St. Louis.
With the Cardinals and Red Sox each having won two World Series relatively recently (2004 & 2007 for the Sox, and 2006 & 2011 for the Cards), what’s at stake is nothing less than the honor of being baseball’s top franchise of the still-young 21st century.