ALCS Preview --
[[:Template:Bold textOpinion Top]] by Orod412
The junior circuit championship opens tonight, as the Red Sox take on the Indians on Fox.
Game 1 features the marquee pitching match-up of this round, as 20 game winner Josh Beckett faces another Cy Young candidate C.C. Sabathia.
Boston swept the LA Angles of Anaheim in the first round, while the Indians took care of the Yankees in 4 games.
Let’s take a closer look at how these two stack-up against each other:
Lineup- Boston is anchored of course by Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz, however few acknowledge that 3rd baseman Mike Lowell quietly led the team in RBI with 120. Manny blasted two monstrous homers, including a walk-off in game 2 that I’m not sure has landed yet, while Ortiz hit .714 with two dingers of his own during the ALDS. Lowell meanwhile has had a phenomenal [4] year hitting .324 during the regular season while playing the solid defense he’s always been known for.
Aside from those three, nearly the rest of their lineup hit .200 or below in the ALDS. Coco Crisp (.200), Jason Varitek (.182), and J.D. Drew (.182), all have to do a better job at the plate against Cleveland’s tough pitching staff.
The Indians on the other hand, who are loaded with youth that has matured into a vaulted lineup, was led by none other than Kenny Lofton. In the ALDS, Kenny hit .375 with four RBI and two scored runs. The guy the Indians really need to get going however is Travis Hafner. While still producing good numbers this year, his suffered a pretty good slump during the tail end of the season. He hit .250 with a homer and 2 RBI in the ALDS, but he’s up against a much better pitching rotation this round. Catcher Victor Martinez pitched in with a .353 average and Grady Sizemore is carrying a hot bat, hitting .375 while scoring three runs, but getting Hafner on track will only help against Boston’s strong rotation. Edge: Red Sox
Starting Pitching- While not displaying the consistency you’d expect during the regular season, the Red Sox [5] starting rotation is arguably at its best in the playoffs. Ace Josh Beckett has been light’s out during his postseason career, allowing a paltry 1.74 ERA. He continued his mastery by 4-hitting the Angles in the ALDS, retiring 19 straight batters at one point. Schilling gets the nod during Game 2, and has been just as dominant. By scattering 6 hits in seven scoreless innings against the Angles in his last start, Schilling dropped his career postseason ERA to 1.93. Dice-K showed signs of wearing down during the last stretch of the year, and didn’t have a sharp start to his first postseason. Matsuzaka allowed 3 runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings against the Angels, who’s batting lineup was fairly banged up. Rounding out their rotation in knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, who was left off the postseason roster during the last round.
Cleveland meanwhile counters with a Cy Young candidate of their own in C.C. Sabathia. C.C. throws a heavy ball and has the potential to shut down the opposition, but he has to keep his walks down and make smart pitches. His start against the Yanks in the ALDS was pretty shaky, as he walked six and flirted with trouble throughout the game. He was able to get the win, but [6] he’s going to have to bring his A game against the Sox, especially since he’s facing Beckett in Game 1.
Game 2 starter Fausto Carmona has been impressive. The 23 year old, who was awful last season as a rookie by going 1-10, has completely turned it around winning 19 games this year while displaying an absolutely filthy splitter. Jake Westbrook and Paul Bird round out their rotation, but their 1-2 punch of Sabathia and Carmona are what’s going to make or break them. Edge: Red Sox
Bullpen-
Cleveland has an underrated bullpen, anchored by two Rafies and a Jensen. Rafael Perez has established himself as a reliable, consistent arm coming out in relief. Rafael Bentancourt and Jensen Lewis have also been outstanding and have great career numbers against the Sox. In fact, Ramirez and Ortiz are hitting a combined 1-11 with 5k’s against Bentancourt. Where things get interesting is at closer, where Joe Borowski gives Cleveland fans an ulcer every time he takes the mound. He somehow pulled out a league leading 45 saves while maintaining an ERA over 5.oo. His last adventure against the Yankees ended with the save, but not before giving up a solo homer just to keep everyone on their toes. He’ll surely be tested against the Sox, and will have to pitch near perfect baseball to get the job done.
The Red Sox pen features closer-turned starter-turned closer Jonathan Papelbon, who had another fantastic season, recording 37 saves with a 1.85 ERA. His set up man this year was Hideki Okajima, who was dominant during the first half going 2-0 with a minuscule ERA of 0.83. He just about wore out in September though, recording an ERA over 8.00. If the Okajima from earlier in the year shows up, they’ll serve a nearly unhittable back end. Aside from those two, Boston has Eric Gagne about 5 years too late, 41 year old Mike Timlin and Javier Lopez. Edge: Cleveland
Bench- The Red Sox found a nice addition in Jacoby Ellsbury, who played well in the absence of Coco Crisp. Bobby Kielty and Eric Hinske are also able to provide decent hitting off of the bench. Kielty in particular could look at some increased playing time, as he’s hit well against Sabathia, hitting .310 lifetime against him while knocking in 2 homers and 4 doubles. In fact, he’s penned in to start Game 1 in place of right fielder J.D. Drew, who is 0-3 in his only start against C.C.
Cleveland has some experience on their bench with former Sox Trot Nixon. Nixon has a good bat, although might prove to be a liability on defense, as he committed a huge error during his last start against the Yankees. He’s beloved in Boston however, and should be fired up to do well against his former mates. The Indians also have Chris Gomez, who provides some nice defensive help late in games. Edge: Cleveland
Managers- The Indians Eric Wedge is the favorite for AL Manager of the Year, impressively leading a young Indians team to their first division title since ‘01. He takes some heat for his bullpen moves, but has done a good job overall during his tenure. Borowski would drive anybody crazy though, and he has to keep him on a short leash or he’ll surely have all of Ohio calling for his head.
Terry Francona has had great success in his four years with the Sox, reaching the postseason three times and presiding over the 2004 World Champions. The Red Sox are a veteran team with big egos at every corner, so it’s a credit to Francona to be able to keep everyone in line. Edge: Red Sox
Intangibles- Red Sox nation has absolutely exploded in the last 5 years with the team exorcising their demons against their rival Yankees and winning their first world title in 86 years. With the taste of winning still fresh in their mouth, the Sox fans are hungry for more and are arguably the most passionate fans in baseball. They’re not only rockin’ at Fenway, but take over nearly every visiting ball park the Sox are in. Getting the crowd out of the game early should be a focal point for the Indians, as the Red Sox seem to feed off of their energy. .
Cleveland fans are anxious for a winner of their own, with their championship drought approaching 60 years. A young team, the Indians are poised to be competitive for years to come. Whether their youth and lack of experience ends up helping or hurting them this year however remains to be seen. Edge: Red Sox
Prediction- The Sox have the edge in nearly every category coming into this series. They have the pitching, the hitters, and certainly, the fans on their side. Nevertheless, they can’t take the Indians lightly, as they have the potential to overpower their opponents every game. If they’re able to sneak out wins against Beckett and Schilling, while maintaining consistency from their bullpen, the Indians could surprise the Sox and win the series. The Yankees were heavily favored against them and got smacked out of the first round in convincing fashion. Cleveland’s 1-2 punch atop the rotaion is a good as any in the league, but Boston’s might prove better and certainly has more experience in these situations. Ramirez and Ortiz are also on fire with the bats, and while Cleveland has been firing away on all cylinders, the Sox will muster enough against them to head back into the World Series. Winner: Red Sox in 6
