Random Thoughts from Game One of the 2013 World Series

by | Oct 24, 2013 | 2013 Playoffs, 2013 World Series, Ben Cherington, Bobby Valentine, Boston Red Sox, Carlos Beltran, David Ortiz, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jim Edmonds, Joe Maddon, John Lackey, Jon Lester, Michael Wacha, Mike Matheny, Mike Napoli, Pete Kozma, Shane Victorino, St. Louis Cardinals, Yadier Molina

  • Prior to tonight, the Red Sox have only played in 15 World Series games in my lifetime. I was too young to really have any recollection of the first seven, but those last eight have been something that I will never forget. What will the next four to seven games bring? Crazy excitement, an appreciation for what this team has done this season, and a continual feeling like vomiting is a legitimate possibility. It’s the World Series, everybody!
  • I’m telling you right now that if Joe West was the crew chief for the World Series instead of John Hirschbeck, Dana DeMuth’s obviously incorrect call would not have been overturned. He’s old school like that. He would rather be wrong than have to change a call any day of the week. Hey, did you guys know he has his very own country album? Crazy, I know. I wish that Buck and McCarver would actually mention it every now and then when he’s behind the plate. The poor guy just doesn’t get the attention he deserves. (Cut to Bill Simmons saying “Cut to Joe West nodding wistfully.”)
  • Calls like that never, ever went for us prior to Game 6 of the 2004 ALCS. I really started to believe that team was going to win when Mark Bellhorn‘s incorrectly called double was changed to a home run, because those were the calls that had been going against the Red Sox as far back as I could remember. When Slappy McSlapperton tried to cheat his way on to first base and was rightfully sent back to the dugout for those sissy antics, I knew we had it in the bag.
  • If there was a major area of advantage for the Red Sox coming into the series, it had to be defense. After Yadier Molina and Pete Kozma, the Cardinals have a lot of average to below average defenders. This wasted absolutely no time in rearing its head, as the Cardinals were nothing short of putrid in the first few innings. Of course, a below average defender, Carlos Beltran, made a 3-run saving catch, but the Cards’ defense undeniably was a letdown in the first game. If how the Cardinals played game one is the “right way to play the game,” I would rather be wrong.
  • Speaking of letdowns, if Beltran is out of this series it is great news from a competitive standpoint for the Red Sox. The guy is a machine in October and generally terrifying at the plate in a big spot. From a baseball standpoint though, it would be really sad. He’s a fun player to watch, he’s finally earned a World Series appearance, and I always want our best to beat their best.
  • Turn if off, Jeremy! CLOSE AN APP!
  • I am going to be immeasurably sad if we only end up having one year of the Mike Napoli Experience. It’s just been too good, and too much fun, to only have one. Shouldn’t Cherington just pull out the original three-year/39 million dollar contract and pretend like nothing happened?
  • Listen, Fox, I’m telling you this right now. If at some point in the next week the Red Sox are closing out an improbable and incredible World Series title run, and we’re hearing about Tim McCarver’s career instead of this team, I’m going to lose it. He’s been senile for years, we all suffer through every game that he works. I don’t care.  No one cares. That would be the most offensive thing to happen to the Red Sox fan-base since Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon kissed on the field in St. Louis in 2004.
  • I’m really starting to worry about Jeremy, he’s been missing in Europe for weeks now. T-Mobile should call Liam Neeson and get him involved immediately.
  • The next great defensive metric that needs to be developed is one that shows us how fast and effective the route to a fly ball in the outfield was. You should be more impressed with Jacoby Ellsbury or Shane Victorino taking a perfect path to a ball and making a running catch then you are with Jonny Gomes for getting a late break and diving awkwardly after a ball that other fielders would have caught standing up. Let’s make sure to name the stat after former outfielder and high-diving champion, Jim Edmonds.
  • Did we just happen to draw the three most pitching-change happy managers in baseball? Apparently it takes Joe Maddon, Jim Leyland, and Mike Matheny an average of two and a half pitchers to get through any inning after the sixth. Good thing you made the change to get that lefty/lefty matchup with Kevin Siegrist and David Ortiz, Mikey.
  • Don’t you ever call a young pitcher “Baby Pedro” again, St. Louis, you blasphemers.
  • Historically dominant playoff performer Jon Lester finishes with 7.2 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K, and one heck of a Fenway ovation and tip of the hat. He was absolutely dominant. He provided an ace performance against a pitcher, Adam Wainwright, who is generally considered to be much more of an ace than Jon. At this point, I am almost starting to believe that Lester pitched like crap on purpose last year just because he hated Bobby Valentine like the rest of us and wanted to make sure he didn’t have his job for more than a year.
  • Friends of mine, Jason and Sara, are huge Red Sox fans. They have two daughters. Sara was pregnant with their first girl during the 2004 World Series, and their second daughter during the 2007 title run. Well, guess what? They are due with another girl in February. Boston is three wins away from forcing these people into having copious amounts of children. I’ve already started to beg them to really consider becoming the new Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar. Does anyone have a good reason why they should not have another 10 kids in the next 10 years? Just in case, right? Dynasty!
  • Today my three and a half year old daughter asked my wife if, when she is an adult, she will be able to stay up and watch the Red Sox play in the World Series. Every now and then there are glimpses and moments when you realize that you’re not doing too badly as a parent.
  • The Red Sox take an early lead in the game and the series. In 2004 they never trailed the Cardinals in any game of the World Series. Could we be headed in that direction again? (I seriously doubt it, this St. Louis team is much better than the 2004 team was, with or without Beltran.) We’ll see the next chapter tonight as Michael Wacha and John Lackey face off in game two at Fenway. Enjoy the ride, everyone!