betED.com - The View from the Couch - by Gavin McDougald!
October 24th, 2007 - Unconventional Thinking
As the 103rd edition of the World Series gets underway Wednesday night in Boston, the Red Sox are 2-1 favorites and are predicted, by just about everyone, to take out the Colorado Rockies in five games.
The reasons are simple: The Red Sox have been the best team all season long accumulating 96 wins. They are hitting like their hair is on fire. And to top it all off, World Series? are won by starting pitching and Boston has not one but two post-season aces.
In former World Series MVP Josh Beckett?s three playoff starts this season he has gone 3-0 with a 1.17 ERA and struck out 26 and walked only one along the way. Curt Schilling is another former World Series MVP and was the heart and soul --or rather bloody ankle-- of the Red Sox?s breaking of the Bambino Curse in 2004.
Colorado counters that killer duo with only one ?ace? of their own, Jeff Francis, who up until this year had zero post-season experience with his biggest claim to fame being he?s the first Canadian to ever to start a World Series opener.
So ? that should be about it then. Beckett beats Francis twice, Shilling takes another, and they trade one win a piece between the other starters.
Conventional wisdom says ?series over.?
When it comes to the Rockies however, conventional wisdom does not apply. For once thing, Francis, although an unknown Canadian quantity, has shown no fear when it comes to Boston. Not overpowering but smart, (he sported a 4.00 GPA in University studying Physics. BTW, I also took Physics in university and I can attest 4.00 is impossible), he was the first to beat a 9-0 Beckett this season when the Rockies took on Red Sox in interleague play - at Fenway! He?s also opened both of Colorado's post-season series with road wins.
Then there are the rest of the Rockies, who, since mid-September have essentially refused to lose.
Boston may have been the best team in baseball since April, but the Rockies, for the last month, have been just about the best team ever. Undefeated since season?s end, the team?s post-season ERA is 2.08. They committed only 68 errors during the regular season, a major-league record low, and have only improved defensively in the playoffs.
However, the smart money continues to be put on the Sox due to a number of factors, perhaps foremost of which is they?ve been there before. They have the experience but the Rockies put previous Cinderellas to shame. No one saw this coming, especially them. All but out of it by mid-September, the Rockies had to go on a 21-1 run, requiring tons of help along the way, to make it to where they are today.
The Red Sox were picked to win the World Series last December.
That being said, World Series experience is overrated. If it counted for more why hasn?t there been any repeat World Series champs since the turn of the century when the Yankees did it? And speaking of the Yankees, if experience matters so much, how come they are golfing right now? And it?s not like these are the same Red Sox from 2004. There are only 8 leftovers on that World Series winning roster.
Another factor in the Red Sox?s favor is hitting. Boston?s leadoff man Dustin Pedroia and No.2 hitter Kevin Youkilis, were a combined 15-for-26 (.577), with 12 runs and 11 runs batted in, in the ALCS. They set the table perfectly for David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez?s power game.
Colorado's 7-0 post-season record, and it was a record by the way, that was accomplished by less than stellar offensive numbers. A power team in the regular season, four of the Rockies top seven batters are batting under .185 in the playoffs.
But if they can start hitting it like they can, Matt Holliday (who had a league-leading .340 batting average to go with 36 homers and 135 RBIs) joins three guys with at least 110 RBIs, four with 24 or more homers and six players who scored 80 or more runs.
Defensively, Colorado set that MLB record this season with its .98925 fielding percentage. They?ve only upped that percentage in the post-season. Boston is also great defensively; however they?ll have a problem on the road. They have to keep David Ortiz's bat in the lineup at first base. They lose both Youkilis?s bat and his defense in Colorado.
Pitching, hitting and defense could, potentially, all favor the Rockies.
Five months ago the Red Sox hosted Colorado in that three-game interleague series.
The Rockies won two out of three, and outscored Boston 20-5.
Is it too unconventional to think, now that they are a far better team than they were then, that they couldn?t do it again?
The smart money is saying yes.
What fun is that?
Cheers - Gavin McDougald - AKA Couch
Bet on the World Series at betED.com here!
October 24th, 2007 - Unconventional Thinking
As the 103rd edition of the World Series gets underway Wednesday night in Boston, the Red Sox are 2-1 favorites and are predicted, by just about everyone, to take out the Colorado Rockies in five games.
The reasons are simple: The Red Sox have been the best team all season long accumulating 96 wins. They are hitting like their hair is on fire. And to top it all off, World Series? are won by starting pitching and Boston has not one but two post-season aces.
In former World Series MVP Josh Beckett?s three playoff starts this season he has gone 3-0 with a 1.17 ERA and struck out 26 and walked only one along the way. Curt Schilling is another former World Series MVP and was the heart and soul --or rather bloody ankle-- of the Red Sox?s breaking of the Bambino Curse in 2004.
Colorado counters that killer duo with only one ?ace? of their own, Jeff Francis, who up until this year had zero post-season experience with his biggest claim to fame being he?s the first Canadian to ever to start a World Series opener.
So ? that should be about it then. Beckett beats Francis twice, Shilling takes another, and they trade one win a piece between the other starters.
Conventional wisdom says ?series over.?
When it comes to the Rockies however, conventional wisdom does not apply. For once thing, Francis, although an unknown Canadian quantity, has shown no fear when it comes to Boston. Not overpowering but smart, (he sported a 4.00 GPA in University studying Physics. BTW, I also took Physics in university and I can attest 4.00 is impossible), he was the first to beat a 9-0 Beckett this season when the Rockies took on Red Sox in interleague play - at Fenway! He?s also opened both of Colorado's post-season series with road wins.
Then there are the rest of the Rockies, who, since mid-September have essentially refused to lose.
Boston may have been the best team in baseball since April, but the Rockies, for the last month, have been just about the best team ever. Undefeated since season?s end, the team?s post-season ERA is 2.08. They committed only 68 errors during the regular season, a major-league record low, and have only improved defensively in the playoffs.
However, the smart money continues to be put on the Sox due to a number of factors, perhaps foremost of which is they?ve been there before. They have the experience but the Rockies put previous Cinderellas to shame. No one saw this coming, especially them. All but out of it by mid-September, the Rockies had to go on a 21-1 run, requiring tons of help along the way, to make it to where they are today.
The Red Sox were picked to win the World Series last December.
That being said, World Series experience is overrated. If it counted for more why hasn?t there been any repeat World Series champs since the turn of the century when the Yankees did it? And speaking of the Yankees, if experience matters so much, how come they are golfing right now? And it?s not like these are the same Red Sox from 2004. There are only 8 leftovers on that World Series winning roster.
Another factor in the Red Sox?s favor is hitting. Boston?s leadoff man Dustin Pedroia and No.2 hitter Kevin Youkilis, were a combined 15-for-26 (.577), with 12 runs and 11 runs batted in, in the ALCS. They set the table perfectly for David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez?s power game.
Colorado's 7-0 post-season record, and it was a record by the way, that was accomplished by less than stellar offensive numbers. A power team in the regular season, four of the Rockies top seven batters are batting under .185 in the playoffs.
But if they can start hitting it like they can, Matt Holliday (who had a league-leading .340 batting average to go with 36 homers and 135 RBIs) joins three guys with at least 110 RBIs, four with 24 or more homers and six players who scored 80 or more runs.
Defensively, Colorado set that MLB record this season with its .98925 fielding percentage. They?ve only upped that percentage in the post-season. Boston is also great defensively; however they?ll have a problem on the road. They have to keep David Ortiz's bat in the lineup at first base. They lose both Youkilis?s bat and his defense in Colorado.
Pitching, hitting and defense could, potentially, all favor the Rockies.
Five months ago the Red Sox hosted Colorado in that three-game interleague series.
The Rockies won two out of three, and outscored Boston 20-5.
Is it too unconventional to think, now that they are a far better team than they were then, that they couldn?t do it again?
The smart money is saying yes.
What fun is that?
Cheers - Gavin McDougald - AKA Couch
Bet on the World Series at betED.com here!
