With the World Series set to kick off tonight, both teams have announced changes to their 25-man rosters.
For the Dodgers, left-handed reliever Scott Alexander replaces Caleb Ferguson, the team announced. Alexander will be LA’s third left-handed option out of the pen, along with 22-year-old Julio Urias and regular season starter Alex Wood. The Dodgers have shuffled between Urias, Ferguson and Alexander as the third left-hander in the pen this postseason, with each player making the roster for two of the three playoff rounds.
Of the three, the 21-year-old Ferguson is the least seasoned, whereas Alexander profiles most-closely to a left-handed specialist – though none have drastic platoon splits. Still, it’s likely Alexander spent the weekend going over the scouting reports of Andrew Benintendi, Rafael Devers, Mitch Moreland and Jackie Bradley Jr.
For the Red Sox, they’ve also made a change to their bullpen. The team announced the addition of lefty Drew Pomeranz over right-handed options Brandon Workman or Steven Wright. It’s a bit of a surprising move given Pomeranz hasn’t pitched since September 30th. Conversely, Wright is recovering from left knee issues, while Workman was shelled in his three October appearances. Workman appeared twice in the ALDS and and once in the ALCS, pitching one third of an inning each time, surrendering a total five earned runs and seven hits in his one total inning of work.
You have to figure the Red Sox believe Pomeranz is closer to his 2017 self (137 ERA+) than his 2018 self (72 ERA+). One glimmer of hope in Pomeranz’s disastrous 2018 campaign: all 12 HRs surrendered this season were vs. right-handed hitters. For his career, lefties have hit .224/.305/.313 against Pomeranz, whereas righties have hit .247/.330/.420. Should Chris Sale or David Price fail to go deep into games, Boston will have the option of deploying Pomeranz as a long-man, or as a lefty specialist to counter Max Muncy, Joc Pederson and/or NLCS MVP Cody Bellinger.
Dodgers are going to win
Bahahaha
Nope!
Both of these teams are excellent. It’s not laughable to predict either as a winner.
one could even argue that these are the two best remaining teams in MLB
Not even close. Had the ALDS been best of 7 games instead of 5, Yanks are in. I’d say Boston 1a, NY 1b, Houston 2 and then the Dodgers.
What? The Yankees lost 3-1 so they would’ve taken the next 3?
Lol, the Yanks would have lost the next game too.
Had that happened, Judge Judy would be arguing for a best of nine. Reminds me of Monte Python and the Holy Grail scene where limbs keep getting cut off until none are left but he keeps on fighting…
The Yankees were out classed and out played. Period.
Lol not much of a homer are you Judge Judy.
Correction. Boston is excellent
Yankee fan here. I absolutely, with a passion, despise the Red Sox and will be a Dodger fan for the next week or so. That being said, the Sox are clearly the best team in baseball and spanked my 100 win Yanks and handled the 100 win ‘Stros. They have flaws (not a deep rotation 1-5 and not shut down middle-relievers) but the nature of a 7 game series allows them to use their 4th and 5th starters out the pen. Great offense and great defense, especially in the OF. I hope it goes 7 with LA laying the smacketh down upon the candied patuties of Boston. Good luck to both squads, Game on!!!
Tip of the hat to you from Red Sox fan.
I appreciate this, partially because you acknowledge that your rival team is great, particularly because you said “laying the smacketh down upon the candied patuties of boston”. I mean seriously, more commenters should comment like this.
Let me guess.. best 5 out of 9?
why are you lying?
Not meant as sarcasm but don’t overlook Brock Holt for a key hit as a lefty pinch hitter. Pomerantz is probably inning protection not only should Sale or Price not go long but also in case a game goes long into extra innings. Just remember he’s the last man on an eleven person staff.
Love Brock Holt, he’s a gamer.
Bbbz, we agree! Should be a fun series. I don’t pretend to know the NL as well as the AL but the Sox offense is built for NL type play. I just wish the leagues would one day agree on a DH. With the game no longer valuing strictly DH types as high as in the past, maybe there’s hope to get rid of it in lieu of increasing the roster to 27 with no more than 11 roster pitchers. I’d settle for 12 but in negotiations you always ask for more than you would accept. Having again given my dream thoughts on the subject, I recognize if a change were to happen, it would more likely be the other way. Also my steps for shortening the game (not my starting an extra inning game with a runner on second, UGH!:
1. If replays, challenges must be done prior to seeing a replay.
2. Remove DH.
3. Allow radio signals in hats so no more signs by catchers.
4. 11 man preferred max pitching staff.
5. Once a pitcher is set, batters can no longer ask for time.
6. Strict pitch clock with no runners on base.
7. Umpires with less than six years can be sent to minors with those deserving in the minors called up to take their place.
8. Umpires need to take CE courses with written snd eye testing every four years. Those that fail written testing need to retest and those that fail the eye test work in the replay booth.
I like those except idk how #3 would work because the batter would clearly hear the catcher relay the message to the pitcher
Signals could come from the dugout. Some already do. Most important one in my view is to restrict challenges to before replays are shown.
You’ll never get #4 because it will limit moves based on analytics, which is what road teams are going down now.
One that i’d like to add is the September call ups. Games are longer in September than any other month of the season, directly because of expanded rosters. Instead of each team being able to call up 15 more players, there should be a list of 3-5 (to be decided in CBA negotiations) that can be rotated on and off a roster per series.
One that I would like to add is reducing the amount of times a manger can make a pitching change to 1 per inning except of course when there is an injury. This would all but eliminate a pitcher going back out to the mound to warm up to allow someone in the pen to warm up only to be taken out before facing a hitter that inning. It would also dramatically reduce the pitching as a righty or lefty specialist. It would probably increase offense a little which the league seems to want but think of all the time saved from reducing all of those pitching changes. The change would also make managing more important than it is now. Thoughts anyone?
Batty and Joe, I appreciate the feedback. I totally agree on the rosters in September which have gotten out of hand since the way pitchers are used has changed. It used to be a few prospects per team would get a shot or a thank you in September. Joe, if the number of pitchers were limited, the number of changes would be reduced. Also the ten day DL was also abused (IMHO) this year.
It was abused in 2017 as well, but more teams caught on to what was happening and joined in on the abuse this season.
I am not a fan of the way pitching usage is trending. The whole premise behind going to pens earlier in games, is based on “Our starters have problems the third time through an order”. While that’s true, the reasons for it are due to how organizations develop their pitchers, for the most part.
It used to be a fundamental practice for most starters to go through a lineup, the first time, using mostly their fastball(s). Then, with the second time through, start to use secondary pitches more. But now, you’ll see a starter use every pitch he has by the end of the first inning. That gives the opposing team to scout that pitcher early and often have an idea which pitches the starter has working that day. Add in that every pitcher, seemingly, including starters are giving max effort from the first pitch and for starters, that gasses most of them by the time he’s been through the order the second time. By these practices, it’s no wonder starters, outside of the elite, start getting knocked around the third time through.
Most players these days may be more athletic than in eras past, but there are not more better hitters now, by percentages of those playing today than, say, the 60’s, 70’s or 80’s.
Batty, agreed.
Have you considered the possibility, that pitching being done a certain way for decades and decades, has inevitably been worked out, and hitters have caught up? It’s absolute insanity to throw guys out there based on logic that started to become obsolete 20 years ago, and expect it to work.
The argument of “something should be this way because that’s the way I remember it” is flawed.
Respectfully the concept of #5 completely changes play and put hitters/base runners at a complete disadvantage. People complain about the lack of a running game now, but that would completely eliminate it once guys start to sit on runners again. Granted RPs are a different animals. As hitters that would hold true in terms of timing. Heck that basically tends to lead to a longer game.
My second critique reliance on fbs through the first time is no longer an effective game plan unless your ball is running or cutting. You have to ask why working backwards is so effective. It’s basically because stuff has never ever on a whole been this filthy. You look at just average sp/RPs breaking off some sl/cu and it’s ridiculous. Velo isn’t a problem. But filthy breaking stuff with spin rate value is advantage P. Some of these ideas seem good on the surface, but not really practical.
Main reasons in my view Cam that batters have caught up (your words) is I believe the ball is different and because of the 100 mph Kool-Aid that teams have drank.
Would love to hear Pedro talk about the ball because I’m convinced it’s changed, allowing for spin rate increases but also opposite field power.
It’s all about money! Owners/Players/Commissioner knew about juicing yet allowed it because on the 1994 debacle.
Forget how long ago it was but 60 Minutes did segment on how the ball changed. They showed an old ball and new ball being dropped from same height. New ball bounced in order of 10-20% higher.
It’s always has been & always will be about money.
Balls, strikes and check swings called by the K-Zone with audible and visual signal indicators. The game would fly then! That would shave at least a half-hour off the game time, easily. Nothing to argue, no glaring or yakking at the umps, just a time limit to get into the batter’s box.
Amen! take away human errors when you can avoid them.
Batty: Completely agree. And so does every retired pitcher who’s now an analyst (that I’ve heard). Pitchers aren’t being taught how to get through lineups anymore.
And the analytics people who love seeing relievers in the 4th inning should be careful what they wish for. Is there enough of a bullpen to handle the next two or three “high leverage situations? And what about tomorrow’s game? In the end, relief pitchers are still the guys who (mostly) weren’t good enough to be starters.
Pomeranz only here to drill machado
Highly doubtful, just a little too much on the line. If they were crazy enough to do that, they would’ve picked someone who throws harder.
I think he might have been joking
Stop with the nonsense. They simply believe another lefty and long reliever is needed and for this series believe he’s the better option over Johnson.
Can’t agree with you this time. Last year Pomeranz was decent, this year he’s been awful, whether or not it’s his elbow about to explode remains to be seen.
Johnson can hit and has thrown an occasional good game now and then this year while Pomeranz has been consistently.. Terrible.
Workman had the misfortune of having 2 really bad appearances in his only 2 tries during the post season, a shame. Still think lefty Poyner was the better option.
JohnSilver, I would have accepted Poyner but I don’t think the team has any confidence right now in either Johnson or HV. Pomerantz must have really shown good stuff this week. Wright was clearly the first choice and another reason might be the way they plan on using their starters in relief. If an in-game situation warrants the use of a starter in relief for longer than planned, Poms might become an emergency later game starter, given his past success against the Dodgers. I realize that was years ago but he is familiar with Dodger Stadium.
Agreed. Unless the coaching staff changed something with Pomeranz, I don’t understand how he’s a better option than Poyner or Johnson.
I get that Poyner had a few bad outings to close out the year, but it’s hard to remember even one of Pomeranz’s 26 games this year where didn’t look awful.
It’s not because they wanted a lefty just to pitch against Bellinger/Pederson/Muncy, as Poyner and Johnson both have much better platoon splits this season vs LHB:
DP: .281/.361/.344 (72 PA)
BP: .143/.182/.238 (23 PA)
BJ: .218/.288/.376 (111 PA)
It’s not because of his postseason experience, as he’s only thrown in 3 games (1 start). And it definitely isn’t for his postseason success, as he allowed 6 runs on 9 hits (3 HR) and 3 walks in 5.2 innings.
It makes very little sense unless Pomeranz was able to fix something and the staff thinks he looks better than he has all year.
He’s right. Pedroia is still hurt from that dirty slide. Pomeranz won’t hurt Machado but he’ll give him a nice bruise, which is much less than what Machado deserves.
Predictions for WS winner and in how many games?
MLB.com (Anthony Castrovince) predicts Dodgers in 7.
I too say Dodgers but in 6
red sox in 5
Red Sox in 6
Dodgers in 7. But I hope 6.
Sox in 6, two very good teams, should be entertaining.
Sox in 6 but would not be surprised at the Dodgers in 6
Sox in 5 but hoping for 7 games.
Dodgers in 6….. Or 7. Should be a good series either way.
Dodgers in 7
I know this may upset many in Boston but it hasn’t been discussed as much as if say the Yanks were in the World Series. The media loves to point out the disparity in payroll when Yanks are in the World Series and earn commentators in the past will most definitely bring it up as well!
The fact that Boston and LA have the two biggest payrolls in the game by a pretty big margin maybe the first time in a long time that the two biggest payroll teams are battling for a World Series title.
In fact I don’t believe the Yanks ever had a payroll as large as what LA has this season and maybe even Boston topped them?
Sorry Boston and LA but you bought this so let’s embrace that fact!
Well, comparing old payrolls to 2018 payrolls is a little silly, since payrolls and salaries go up every year. The Yankees spent the most money on payroll in at least each of their last 5 WS; I didn’t feel like going back any further than that. But it doesn’t mean anything more than that they had the money to spend. Doesn’t mean they “bought” a title, because they outspent every team in years they didn’t win the WS too.
I Never said it wasn’t silly but the point is it was always a big talking point if the Yanks made into to the World Series and of course salaries gonup but not for the Yanks this season correct? In fact they stayed under 200 million and Boston and LA blew through that mark and set new record spending!
Just a fact and of course comparing old payrolls to this season is not a guayabera on the talent on the field but it’s a fact that Boston fans own.
Boston fans need to own up to it and so does LA fans. Embrace the facts you blew past all the other teams payrolls!
I get what your saying, there are still plenty of Boston fans well “fans” that still complain and mock Yankees fans for buying championships etc. it’s laughable.
I am a Sox fan never believed in “buying championships” big market teams are going to spend big market money, it is what it is.
Especially now a days no Boston fan can hate on yankees for payroll.
You’re forgetting that the Giants are actually #2 in payroll to the Red Sox.
spotrac.com/mlb/payroll/
I don’t think spotrac is correct. Dodgers are actually #4. Nationals and Giants are ahead.
I agree 100% and you are a fair minded fan. I appreciate that and wish Boston luck. I’m rooting for Boston and the AL to win. Good luck bro. Go Boston. Can’t believe I just wrote that. Lol
The Dodgers also stayed under the threshold this season. I mean Dodger fans can basically admit what new ownership did once taking over, partially because they needed to. They had to show the fan base they were committed to winning. They basically loaded up on short term contracts to flush long term commitments. The Dodgers also attempted to supplant their mlb roster with questionable vets on the international FA market to assist due to the very young and questionable farm at that point. They successfully rebuilt by trying to complete. What it led to was at times collecting a collection of toxic aging players nobody wanted in order to compete while drafting,developing, and trading well. When the new FO took over they also they supplanted the rotation with semi short mid range contracts to again supplant a good rotation.
The bloating of payroll was always a means to an end, and was never going to be the new norm. So yeah it’s a former talking point, but really the Dodgers drafted and scouted well, along with identifying fringe players with tools they liked and developed them. So that notion is basically outdated. If fans want to claim the Dodgers bought this route here then that’s fine, but it isn’t true. Sure the economic advantage has allowed them to keep the players developed and room for error, but they aren’t really out there wheeling and dealing insane contracts. I just don’t think they’ll ever operate at the top of the market unless it’s an absolute corner stone player.
Yes, and it is also worth mentioning that this Dodgers FO has never signed a contract for over $100M. Not saying they never would, but it sure looks it will be the exception and certainly not the rule going forward.
Hey Billysballz it was the Red Sox that spent over the luxury line this year the Dodgers didn’t even clear it if I’m pretty sure. The only reason that the Red Sox went over this year is because they reset the lux tax last year. The Yankees will be over it next year almost guaranteed.
Once you add in the 14MM for player benefits and the 40 man salaries the LAD’s will be over the Lux Tax.
Incorrect. Look at Cots as well fact that they’ve structured their whole plan around having the tax reset.
According to the LA times on Sept. 12 2018 the Dodgers are on track to stay under the lux tax amount. The only teams to go over are Boston and the Nats.
Go to cots under the threshold section which is different from actual earnings section because of AAV structures which includes benefits and all else. They are under the threshold.
The NYY in the 10 yrs 2008-2017 were over 200 MM every year and won one WS. They were over 237 MM in at least 2 yrs.
In the six yrs 2002- 2007 they were 1st in spending each yr without winning even one WS.
That all adds up to over 350MM in Lux tax paid from 2003 through 2017 (the Red Sox paid 25 MMin Lux Tax) In 2018 the Red Sox decided to go 41MM over budget rather than let the fans suffer for the Panda and Hanley contracts.
Yes, in the last 6 yrs the LADs have out spent the NYY but they still have a few yrs to go to catch up with the NY in spending.
Cots is often wrong. Last year they said the Sox were over as did USA Today. In fact the offical $$ per MLB showed the SOX at less than 192MM . When I looked at the reported data it is hard to see the LAD under with the 40 man $$ and benefits added in, but it is always possible.
Agree with you the Dodgers did say they were going under the lux tax threshold this year I’m almost certain when it’s all said and done that the Dodgers are under the lux tax and reset this year.
That brings up a good point in that a lot of Boston’s salary is for sunk costs, not players helping them get to the WS (Pedroia, Hanley Ramirez, Panda, Allen Craig, Rusney Castillo)
Bbbz, New rules last year resulted in financial advantages to get under the threshold. Boston did that last year but the Dodgers and Yanks’ payroll this year might only be temporary. That said, those and a few others have ALWAYS had a financial advantage but you can’t just look at that. Some states have tax advantages and others have geographical ones. Like a prostitute in a short skirt, you use the assets you have.
Staying under the luxury tax threshold is what makes the Dodger’s 2018 season so amazing. Though they wouldn’t admit it, this was crucial for their plans going forward. To achieve that AND win the National League pennant.and play in the World Series is very impressive. This off season should, for the first time, give them the opportunity to really implement their team building philosophy without concern for payroll penalties.
Exactly. It’s a 1 yr reset to avoid the most onerous penalties teams are avoiding now, even the Yankees it seems who were paying the 50% tax for years by going over year after year. No big deal if it can be afforded, but maybe they got tired of lining the pockets of small market owners who didn’t even put the additional revenue towards the clubs as is intended?
Rickey, agreed on the Dodgers’ success this year. Was the NL better balanced or were the top teams in the AL simply the best in the majors? What were Boston, the Dodgers and all playoff teams records against the other league? That might be useful info. Where is Xabial when you need him?
So then all’s ok with Boston blowing up the payroll this year? Your saying that the Yanks did it for 10 years so Boston is still a small market rebel team to the evil empire????
Cmon the point is the Sox blew up the payroll and they are one of a few teams that can get away with stashing contracts in aaa or signing Panda and Hanley and cutting them to only sign other big contracts!
Facts are facts….
There have always been big v. small market teams and unless MLB institutes a hard NFL cap, there always will be. I would love to see a cost of living adjusted hard cap and then see who the best is but the union hisorically would never allow it.
Has Cots or any other outside source succeeded in reverse-engineering MLB’s formula for calculating total team payroll? I bet those rules are reasonably complicated, and not public. I am also quite sure the Dodgers understand those rules right down to the penny, and are under the luxury tax limit as measured by whatever formula MLB uses, since this was clearly their goal from Opening Day. Lots of moves they could have made and didn’t, if they were willing to bust it.
Last year Cots was way off on several teams both high and low. The LA Times and USA Today both published stories that the Red Sox were over the Lux Tax. In the end they were several millions under.
When I tried to get official numbers I learned that the real “details” of the contracts are not truly available and the numbers are really all estimates from news reports. I know that the LAD’s were trying to get under but if they did it was pennies. My estimate was that they went over. But I admit I could not get official data. For example how do calculate 10 trips on a private jet for the family.
Dodgers have a pretty smart front office. If they were going to go over, they would have spent heavily last winter. Things like making the Twins take on some of Forsythe’s deal and limiting Maeda’s performance bonuses by moving him to the bullpen were part of the plan to stay under.
Nobody from the outside can know the entire method MLB uses to make this calculation. Of the many complications is valuing performance bonuses. One of the most unusual performance bonus contracts in baseball belongs to Kenta Maeda. His guaranteed base salary is something like $3M, but the actual payout could be around four times that much, if he makes the starts and pitches the innings. It’s an open secret that one of the reasons why the Dodgers moved him to the bullpen late in the season was to shave down his payout. How much they saved by doing that nobody but the team, the player, and presumably MLB, knows for sure.
It’s also possible Kenta’s agent files a grievance. If he can show the reason he did not reach the bonus markers was not based on his performance but on the Dodgers not wanting to pay him he gets the $$$. That was one of the reasons the Red Sox did not want to keep Hanley as a bench player.
Glad you mentioned the world fact. Here are a few… This year the Red Sox outspent the Yankees by nearly $45M. That is roughly $38M more than any of the other 3 years that they have outspent the Yankees since 1988. During those 3 decades the Yankees have averaged $22.4M more salary per year than the Red Sox and have exceeded the Red Sox spending by over $50M on 6 occasions (54M in 2003, 64M in 2005, 59M in 2006, 60.7M in 2008, 59.7M in 2009 and 61.8M in 2014).
Yes this year was a huge exception to Red Sox spending. Prior to 2017, the only time in the last 20 years that the Red Sox spent within $10M of the Yankee payroll was 2012 and 2001!! You have to go back to 1994 to see another under $10M difference and in 94 Boston spent $36M while the Yankees spent $45, so basically their payroll was 75% of the Yankees.
Boston has never been a small market team except when you compare them to the NY Yankees. When one team outspends their arch-rival by $672M over a 30 year period you would expect them to have a bigger advantage in WS Championships than 5 to 3 (4 if all goes well).
Looking at the history of spending in MLB I think you have 1 GIANT market team, several LARGE market teams and many small market teams. The small market teams historically have been closer to the large market teams than the large market teams have been to the 1 GIANT market team. When a small market team wins a WS it is a great accomplishment. When a large market team wins it is a nice accomplishment and when a GIANT market team wins, it is expected. Over the last 55 years the GIANT market team has won 7 times so when we speak of a Yankee Dynasty it’s actually ancient history!! The concept of a dynasty no longer exists in baseball despite the huge differences in payroll. There is no Golden State Warriors of baseball or New England Patriots of baseball. Hopefully, the next time there is a dynasty it won’t be because they spend 100 times the money of a small market team!!.
Not that this necessarily makes a great case, but about $68mil of the Red Sox payroll was spent on, essentially, non-contributors (Hanley, Pedroia, Sandoval, Rusney Castillo). This does demonstrate how a big money team can absorb mistakes/recover from injuries, but Boston’s World Series roster team itself isn’t quite as “pay-to-win” as the payroll makes it seem.
Just should point out that Rusney’s contract doesn’t count against the lux tax because he’s technically on a minor league contract. It’s why Boston won’t call him up, b/c then his salary would count on the major league payroll.
Right, but it does count toward the big gaudy-looking total that people reference a lot.
How many teams aren’t holding some “dead money” contracts? The Dodgers have less now than in recent years, but that’s partly luck. They traded a bunch of dead money contracts for what they expected to be another one in Kemp. Hardly anybody thought he even had a chance to make the roster at the beginning of the season, and here he is, starting in the World Series.
Which century will Bobby Bonillas deferred Mets contract expires?
That happens with all big payroll teams stashing big contracts that didn’t work and doubling down. Boston did that more so then I can recall any Yankee team do that. They had Castillo, Panda, Hanley, and then some guys on the IR!
Less about actual numbers, but I think it’s ironic how the Sox and their fans have become exactly what they always hated about the Yankees. The team spends and spends on free agents, is able to absorb bad signings, and their fans have now started using the teams WS titles as proof of how much better they are than everyone else
I’ve seen many Sox fans boasting and bragging about how the Sox have 3 titles since 04 and if they win the series they’ll be the winningest (and thus the best) team in that span. Oh how the hypocritical tables have turned: they’ve become everything they used to hate.
Funny.
If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em. Seems to be working for them.
Dodgers had to go through who to get to the World Series? Boston had to go through Yankees, and Astros, two way better teams then the Dodgers, and so if anyone thinks Dodgers are going to beat the Sox you’re dreaming. Sox in 5
Balk, you should go all in and predict the Red Sox in 2.
I can name that tune in zero notes!
Dodgers underlying stats, like baseruns and pythag, is on par with the Red Sox
That kind of thinking is not how baseball works. This isn’t football or basketball where the demonstrably better team beats the lesser team 99 times out of 100.
It’s why I love baseball: in a short series even a bad team can beat a good one, and certainly a great team like the dodgers can beat a great team like the Sox.
If the Sox were in the NL and Dodgers in the AL would you think LA would win? Your logic is terrible
After the Bums lose again, LA fans will send them packing back to Brooklyn!
Sox in 5
If LA wins tonight I still give the Sox a 70% chance to win the World Series
They have a great lineup and I feel are a more complete team
Bullpen is ok
Rotation is solid if Sale gives them something.
Price might have confidence now and Porcello is a bulldog
Sonos Eovakdi
Love those two pitchers!
I think major league sports is scripted like the wwe these days. If you look at this way society loves when the underdog somehow overcomes the odds to win. Last year dodgers were favorites and lost this year they are underdog and i expect them to win. It also marks 30 years since last title a title in which they overcame unsurmountable odds. Just my 2 cents dodgers in 6.
I always find these conspiracy theories to be completely ridiculous. Do you know how hard it is to make a team lose and not make it look like an obvious thing? And then to have it covered up and have no one come up and spill the beans?
Just because there have been underdog wins recently doesn’t mean that it’s rigged. And I wouldn’t call the team with the biggest payroll in MLB as some huge underdog, if the MLB wanted to rig it for someone like that then the Brewers would be here
Dodgers dont have biggest salary that belongs to red sox dodgers are 4th.
Well they were first for 5 years in a row and ended up 3rd this year, either way my point stands
Cue the X Files music.
In addition to the fact that it’s extremely hard to throw a baseball game without making it look obvious…
How are they rigging this, exactly? Who are they paying? Both coaching staffs? The umpiring crew? All 50 players on rosters? And this happens every year, yet everybody’s managed to keep it a secret?
How much money does it take to bribe Kershaw, who’s made over $164 million to date and will get a nine-digit contract if he opts out, to throw a World Series game and risk being banned from the HoF? Or to bribe Price, who’s made $271 million if you include the next four years of his contract?
And these guys – umpires, coaches, or players – are risking being kicked out of baseball? Risking their future earning powers? Risking their reputations? Their pride?
Once you think about it, seems pretty unlikely these games are rigged…
Unlikely is hardly the right word. Even preposterous isn’t quite strong enough.
I’d like to see Utley get one more at-bat, to end on a high note, but I suppose that won’t happen.
Damn shame, hope he gets a ring on his last year.
He got one already in ‘08, but I’d like to see the Dodgers win too.
yep, was there for it, was a grand time. I meant to say “another ring”.
That would have been a great one to see. I root for specific players more than teams when it’s not my favorite team(s), so I’m in for Utley, Kemp, Turner, Kershaw, and others getting a ring.
I smirk at all the love for Utley by the same people who despise Machado and Puig for being “dirty” players. Utley was a famously “dirty” player his entire career. I guess maybe there’s a difference.
Machado and Puig get quite hotheaded at times and I think people perceive them then as a little bit of a primadonna or a troublemaker.
You could hit Utley in the hoo-hah with a fastball and he’ll look at you like you’re stupid. He always held his emotions in and I think some people might perceive that as just being gritty.
I for one would rather have a silent killer who’s willing to lay out for a play as supposed to someone who’s running down the bag and tries to knock a guy’s foot off the bag during a sure groundout.
Just my thoughts.
He sure is. Why people praise that guy is beyond me. I suppose if he plays for your team you’d like it…
I think it might be something more than that – people felt the same way about Rose and Dykstra as they felt about Utley – those guys are “gritty” and “hard-nosed” but Machado is “dirty.” I feel like there’s a difference in these players but I can’t quite put my finger on it…
Did I miss it last night??
I didn’t see Puig drooling and French kissing his bat last night.
This is why Im cheering for the Dodgers!! Utley deserves another ring
Why? He’s awful. They should take the 08 ring away from him.
you’re wrong. he’s a winner. you want winners on your club.
Lots of bad people out their win. I’m not Billy Martin.
Dodgers in 3! Magic Johnson will get John Henry to tap out and forfeit before Game 4.
I’m a huge Yankees fan. My grandpa was a huge yanks fan dating back to the Mantle days. In saying that. I don’t care who wins if it’s not the Yanks. I’m not going to rout against the Sox just because they r rivals.
But I do believe the Sox have the better overall offense and one of if not the best defensive outfields. I think individually Bellinger and Machado r scarier facing them on the mound then JD and Betts. But the Sox r a deeper team.
They will be a poor defensive outfield in LA with Martinez out there.
You’re making me feel old kid!
I always like to make one bold prediction going into the World Series.
So for this year: this will be a 4 or 5 game series, whoever the winner is, and that the series MVP will NOT be one of the big stars for either team. Most pundits think this will go 7 with JD Martinez, Mookie Betts, or Manny Machado taking home MVP– but I just have this funny feeling it will be a surprisingly short series with a lesser heralded player stepping up with several big game-winning hits.
Not that it won’t be tightly contested, though: I can see a couple of one-run games, and an extra inning affair.
My gut says Red Sox in 4, but I’m hoping for Dodgers in 5, after losing game 1.
Al Weis!!
I think this is going to be a great World Series. The Dodgers are peaking at the right time and the Red Sox have been the best team all season.
I am hoping that the Red Sox can beat the Dodgers but this Dodger team presents some unique problems with matchups.
I am not going to predict but this is going to by far the best and most balanced team the Dodgers have faced all year. A team that can beat you by the long ball but can also run the bases. Should be a real interesting series. It sure would help the Bosox cause if Sale can be Sale.
How I miss $1.50 Yankee Stadium bleacher seat tickets and cheap hotdogs.
And in the world series at Dodger Stadium, they will be charging $16 for 1 domestic beer. WOW
Yeah…the days of $5 box seats at Yankee Stadium & $7.50 concert tickets for Pink Floyd gone. :0(
Concessions, though, are set by the concessionaires; generally they just pay a percentage of their gross to the team in exchange for the space in the stadium. The team isn’t selling the beer; the concessionaire is charging what they think the market will bear, just like any restaurant or bar.
All the whining about the Sox payroll is laughable. Money had nothing to do with acquiring Betts, Bradley, Benetendi, Boegarts, Brazier, Kelly, Barnes, Velasquez, etc., etc.
Yes, they spend (sometimes stupidly), but it’s a spending complimented by some of the best scouting in the business. All of those mentioned above could be on YOUR team just as easily as on the Red Sox. And as I showed in another post, they spend more of their revenue on payroll than any team in baseball. In some cases LOTS more.
In 2002 when Henry bought the team and all its parts (NESN, et al), George Steinbrenner called it the dumbest purchase of an MLB team in history: “bad team, bad TV, horrible stadium”. So they increased it’s value three times over 16 years. oh, and by the way, support the largest MLB-connected charity (Jimmy Fund).
And for that they get picked on. Go ahead and whine; I’ll dust off the rear view mirror.
I’m not sure anyone is “whining” about their spending. They’re pointing out the hypocritical nature of the Sox winning with their enormous payroll after decades of whining about the Yankees doing the same thing.
Yes, they have many key contributors from their system. But they also have their top 3 starters making a total of 64.5M, their best hitter making $20M, while their enormous payroll allowed them to absorb bad signings/big injuries/bad trades like Hanley Ramirez, Pablo Sandoval, Brandon Phillips, Dustin Pedroia, and others.
These are the advantages big payroll teams have, and the Sox have deftly exploited them; they’re also the same advantages the Yankees have had that Sox and their fans have been criticizing since the free agency era began.
Just proof that money can indeed buy success.
EVERY MLB team these days is a license to print money. Increase in franchise valuation, increase in year to year revenue (either directly or through Revenue Sharing) have made everybody filthy rich. So John Henry, like Steinbrenner before him, spent his sheckles on the field instead of on himself; isn’t that what he’s SUPPOSED to do?????? (I for one always admired George for that reason).
We can debate whether or not the moves they make are “smart”; like every other team, some are, some aren’t. And yes, they have a greater margin for error. Large market teams also cost TONS more to buy into; they’re entitled to a return on their money.
I’ve said all along that MLB doesn’t need a “cap”, it needs a floor. ANY team owner not spending AT LEAST 120M (in current dollars) on his payroll is robbing his fanbase. And people buy into it; it amazes me.
You try to get the rays to have a 120MM payroll and tell me they’ll be alright financially. They could go higher than they do but that’d stretch them way too thin.
Stuart Sternberg, the owner of the Tampa Bay Rays, has a net worth of almost 1 billion dollars. Yes, he can afford it; what is he – or anyone – going to do with that kind of money in 100 lifetimes.? The Rays can afford to spend money.
Phillips was on a minor league deal, minor league deals aren’t bad (unless it’s 2018 Chris Davis performance on a minor league deal.)
Adam 6710….Yes, they spend more of their revenue to players not playing for them any longer. See Rusney See Panda etc. OH MY GOD they make mistakes?????????
You sound like a Red Sox commercial citing them as THE BEST when they in reality have been lucky as well as playing well to get where they currently are.
Do you really think that if JD Martinez had the chance he would have signed with the RS as compared to getting what he was asking for from anybody else?
If he doesn’t; sign, then the Red Sox magical season probably doesn’t happen but who knows?
Hey I’ll ask for some cheese please with your WHINE!
I am not whining. I have no issues with the way the Red Sox have built their team. They are the best team in the game this season, all kudos to the players and management.
Do you want some cheese with that stu*idity?
Can’t have Pomeranz as both a lefty specialist because of his splits and a long man with those same splits, especially if it’s Sale or Price who needs the backup and the Dodgers are already using a righty-staked lineup. He was terrible all year including in relief and hasn’t pitched all month. giving him a crucial, high leverage at bat against a good hitter is an incredible crap shoot.
Not many opportunities in the first two games because the Dodger lineup will be so heavily right handed. Probably can’t be done at all in the Eovaldi or Porcello games because the Dodgers will have several good righty bats waiting to pinch hit.
Doesn’t make any sense unless Wright just isn’t healthy enough to go or MLB told them that they won’t get to replace Wright if he goes down again this time.
I’m pretty sure if Wright could go then Wright would be there. This is just a replacement for Workman. I’m guessing Wright will have to have his knee cleaned up after the season thanks John Farrell.
2 really unlikable teams. Good for baseball, though.
MLB is in heaven. A World Series with two big market teams with global fanbases. When was the last time that happened? 1981?
Dodgers, Yankees, Cubs, Red Sox, the top 4 globally recognized MLB teams, and there hasn’t been a matchup of them in the wild card era.
Biggest Payroll vs Biggest Egos. That doesn’t sound like anyone wins
Finally, a post that doesn’t contain that one user in the comments. Must be still in school or finally went outside for once!
Lol! I know who you mean but he actually brings a lot of stats to these comments sections. Goes a bit overboard answering his own posts. But he DEF does his homework.
There’s actually another poster missing from this story….a bandwagon fan for the Yankees.
This is a good series to watch. Sure I’d like to see the Sox win. But if the Dodgers win, then Kershaw & company get the ring defeating the Goliath of the AL.
Hope the Dodgers give Vin Scully a ring if they go all the way!
…Amen to that….but if the Sox win, Joe Castiglione, who literaly fell off his chair calling the last out of the LCS, deserves one too…..
Can you believe it??!!
Dodgers will win if it goes 7 with the depth they have at pitching. The Sox are introuble if Pomeranz pitches. Price will head to the bullpen if his start is shaky. X factor here is eovaldi
Lol I agree
That Frosted Flake Famine has a low IQ and likes to act as if he’s an authority.
If it goes 7 dodgers will win
Why
Look 4 comments above
Sox in 4 if Dave keeps over managing like he did tonight
I’m a die hard Yanks fan and the Sox will sweep.
I mean there’s reality for you.
Sox in 5 *cringes*
Why didn’t Fox show the ceremonial first pitch? If it’s not going to be shown, why announce it? Sale looks good through one batter…LOL…
Sale looked pretty good though I thought he got squeezed on quite a few pitches. Hopefully that’s the last game he pitches this series. They say he was down to low 90s near end of his night. That bellybutton infection must still be bothering him!
MLB feed already had some graphics mistakes, James Taylor sang the anthem with one leg trapped in a coffin, Dave Roberts blew a review play that wasn’t necessary and JD Martinez nearly decapitated his teammate. Welcome to 2018…
I’m burning my Sweet Baby James vinyl in anger!
Sox in 4!
Here we go again.
Chokesaw hands the game to the Red Sox. Way to go. Fail after fail when it counts most.
How are those Madres doing in the playoffs? Asking for a friend.
Since the article is about the DODGERS and the RED SOX I will make sure MY comments are about what the ARTICLE is about, unlike those that don’t like the truth being spoken.
Chokesaw did it again. He choked when it was the most important game. Again. And again. Career 2.39 ERA in the regular season. 4.28 in the playoffs. 5.49 ERA in the WS. 4.61 in the NLCS. When it counts, you can count on him giving up the game.
Looking more and more like the Sox in 4.
Buddy if you’re going to try to troll people, don’t be surprised when they make fun of the “we’ll contend next year” Padres.
Boy they’ve been rebuilding for awhile haven’t they?
If you are going to troll ME, then at least come up with something better than what is on our boards every single day. That post of yours was weak. Really, really weak.
Better yet, stay on subject. Chokesaw lost another important game. His ERA in the World Series is 5.49.
That IS the subject.
Just to point out the OBVIOUS, something that went right over your head, Yelsnit the twit trolled me. My post was the one being commented on. Now you can go back to being the weak troll that you are. Cheers!
Its good to see Craig Kimbrel back in form. He looked like a liability during the playoffs.
Agreed…. Hopefully Cora has a quick hook for Price tonight if he gets in trouble.
Cora has done a horsecrap job this year and once again is hitting JD 4th so he didn’t bat in the first inning. If Pearce or Moreland make the last out of the game the loss is completely on the know nothing guy who never earned his job. We need a manager next year because his stupid mistakes may not have cost us this year but his luck can’t last forever.
It makes NO SENSE to throw a average hitter in the 3 hole. His miracle move worked once against the Yankees and now because he knows nothing about managing he’s trying to reuse his luck and it has not worked since the Yankee series in August and it probably cost JD a chance at the MVP because he lost out on so many RBI opportunities. Cora is an idiot but maybe the luckiest idiot in history.
108 wins. He is doing more right than wrong. Lots more right. And the things that don’t make sense to you in the cheap seats are working like a charm.
108 wins.
In game update…… JD will lead off the 2nd inning AND the 4th inning. Brilliant move Cora. Way to get him extra base-runners!!! You have killed him since the end of July with your stupidity. Any qualified manager would know you don’t bat your best power hitter 4th behind a guy hitting 60 points lower especially when your 1 and 2 hitters are studs too. Betts and Benintendi have .400 OBPs no two other players on the team represent base-runners other than JD so if you want to max his RBI potential he must bat after Betts and Benintendi in the 3 hole. If the game is tight late, he bats one spot sooner which may win you the game for you. Cora SUCKS.
Wow just Wow complaining about Cora really. The Sox are two games away from World Champs. My real question is how do you feel about Devers now? I know you wanted him to back to the minors I’m sorry bud but it just seems silly to criticize at this point.
Same guy with same thoughts. Cora won’t be lucky his entire career so all the mistakes may not cost us this year but sooner or later they will be devastating.. Today was a perfect example of his luck being so great that his mistakes go unnoticed!! Twice JD had to lead off an inning because the weak hitting 3 hitter failed. Then the weak hitter comes up and is fortunate enough to walk so JD can drive in the winning runs. If one borderline pitch goes the other way, JD doesn’t bat. He’s been managing with his head up his rear-end since the end of July. It is ridiculous!!!
Devers needed to go down and work on playing 1B and gain confidence in his hitting. He sucked the second half of the year. He could have come up in September and been better prepared to play. He hasn’t done much in the playoffs but he’s taken playing time from the hero of game 1 who is a much better 3B, yet most would consider him average at best. If Devers can’t reduce his 40 errors per year pace he’s of no value to us except as a late inning pinch hitter. or a DH to give JD a day off.
Nobody wants the Red Sox to win more than me but I can’t applaud dumb mistakes like Cora keeps making. They are bound to bite us at some point like they did during the regular season. We should have won at least 120 games but Cora made so many mistakes with the line-up, the pitching staff and sitting multiple stars during single games. He single-handedly destroyed Sales chances for a Cy Young, he destroyed JD’s chances for an MVP and winning has caused folks to ignore all his idiot moves. You can only be lucky for so long!! Cross your fingers his luck holds for two more wins!! We can deal with his stupidity next year.
Actually Devers defense has been much improved in the second have of the season you are wrong about Devers he does not need to be a first baseman as I said earlier and without a doubt a doubt he is the best defensive third baseman on the Red Sox now. I am going to rename you chicken little because let me tell the sky is not falling Cora has been, almost unilaterally, praised for what he has done with the Red Sox this year. Jesus would you rather have John Farrell who’s players don’t play for or Alex Cora who I know who I want to be in there. JD will be batting third I bet when the Red Sox go to Dodger stadium because that is where he bats against righties. I’m just glad you are not running the Red Sox.
Hey KD another thing to consider from Devers he had 20 errors as of July 22 and only 4 since then. He is a third baseman also not 100% on this but don’t think he has made one error in the post season. I expect big things out of Devers next year as a third baseman.
I get that you are a Devers fan but the facts are the facts. He wasn’t better in the second half, he got replaced by Nunez and benched. Didn’t make a single error on the bench so I guess he made allot less errors in the second half. In the WS no errors on the Sunday hops he’s gotten and no throwing errors. No range side to side or back to forward. Inconsistent arm and we have heard about his defense getting better since AA ball. How bad was he then if leading the bigs in errors is better? Watching the series has reminded me that he isn’t too different than Pederson. Big power if he hits the ball and a .240 hitter who has hot streaks. Now if he wasn’t a butcher at 3B, we could probably live with it but since we have Dalbec maybe it’s time to deal him and get a more Red Sox like hitter who puts the ball in play, can run and has a great glove.
Devers is a minor problem compared to Cora. Idiot line-up tonight in LA. Let’s list the mistakes:
1 = No Benintendi
2 – No JD in the 3 hole and he ran for him so early he missed over half the game
3 – Pitching to Puig with a crap hitter behind him.
4 – Why run with a catcher for JD instead of Benintendi. Then, we have our normal outfield and Benny gets 4 or 5 at bats.
5 – No hit and runs in extra innings to put pressure on a tired team
6 – Not enough small ball in extra innings when we had baserunners.
7 – Using up your bench too early
8 – Ending up with 2 catchers and a pitcher in 3 of 9 hitting spots
9 – No impromptu meeting to tell everyone to go for contact not homers!! They looked like the Dodgers in their at bats.
10 – Not emphasizing to EVERY batter to lay off the high pitches like we lay off the low pitches when the Yankee pitchers don’t throw strikes.
That’s allot of big mistakes for one game but it is completely consistent with his performance this season unfortunately this time we didn’t get the lucky hit to make his dumb moves invisible.
It would not shock me if we lose the series despite being up if Cora continues to mis-handle the line-up the next 4 games, batting JD 4th with two under=performing hitters (Pearce and Moreland) in the 3 hole. He needs to put JD at 1B or sit him. He needs to start Nunez at 3B and use Devers off the bench as a pinch hitter, he needs to tell Kinsler to stop the upper=cutting and just make contact and he needs to start Leon at catcher.
I think the Red Sox winning 2 of 4 is likely, especially if we win in LA but nothing is over because we have the worst manager in baseball!! (and the best team!!). Only Cora can lose this series.
I have no words at this point publish me when you would rather the king of strikeout Dalbec then Devers at third. Wow just wow no words you think Devers strikes out a lot wow.
“You lost me”
How ya feeling about Devers now?
Still the same on Devers. He tripped over his feet, fell sideways and the ball hit his glove and stayed close enough that he could grab the ball. He did make an excellent throw for once. He didn’t hurt us for a change so that in itself is a victory. Personally, I don’t want to sweat it every time a ball is hit to 3B next year but I guess you don’t experience the anxiety when he fields that I do.
Dalbec got promoted to our #1 Prospect this past week, ahead of Chavis. So we have 3 3Bs in our system and you think the best glove is Devers? Wow. I have to say, I’m not on the same page. Also, if Peddy is ok to play next year, I say re-sign Kinsler to play 3B. He will be twice the upgrade at 3B that he was at 2B this year. I think being around JD will help him next year and he’ll hit above .250 and maybe over .280 again.
Tonight’s game was just another example of how lucky Cora has been this year. He has the best team and no matter how badly he sets his line-up or how he handles his relievers, the team pulls it out for him.
I sure wish we could get a factual story about Sale. I’m tired of feeling misled by Cora. No start in game 5? Is he hurt or is this another Cora mind game to mess with LA? I can’t believe Sale doesn’t have as much heart as Price or Eovaldi so is he really hurt? If so, how badly? Are we looking at shoulder surgery, TJ or is it something else, like a sickness which causes weakness. Have you heard anything about the specifics of Sale’s problem(s)?
Since I believe Sunday will be the end of the season I just wanted to tell you I’ve enjoyed discussing the Red Sox with you. Overall, I know we both care about the team but we do differ on the abilities of a few players. I have completed changed my mind about JBJ and with what he has learned from JD, I think he is now a top 5 AL Centerfielder. I still believe Devers must change positions to be kept and with his performance in the post season, he might have regained the market value he lost in the second half of the season. If so, he’s our best trade chip.
With the OF set, the DH set, SS set, 2B (Peddy or Kinsler FA) our Catchers set, our corner infield is our biggest challenge. I like having a great glove like Moreland at 1B and right handed depth with Pearce. but I don’t think either is anything more than a journeyman. That’s why I think moving either JD or Devers to 1B makes sense. If JD becomes the 1B then Devers becomes the DH and we use Kinsler at 3B or get a FA 3B. If Devers becomes the 1B then JD stays at DH and subs in the OF like this year. We need to hang onto Holt.
Pitching, based on what Price has done recently, I can live with his 30M for another year. Sale is a must. Eovaldi may have become a must sign guy with his post season work. I am shocked at Joe Kelly and I have no idea if he just came into his own or was a short term sensation. Kimbrel may just need some time off to get his head right. He’s had a hard year personally. His performance late in the year should make him significantly cheaper to sign. I hope his years of dominance are not over.
Next year will be interesting because Cora’s choices may not pay off like they did this year and his mistakes might just cost us a shot at the playoffs. I’m glad Pearce came through but he’s nowhere near as good as JD but he got all the opportunities JD would have gotten and he may end up MVP of the series thanks to Cora. With JD being that much better, I can only imagine what JD would have done if he had gotten the same opportunities.
I look forward to next year to see if any of our young pitchers in the minors turn out to be studs. I saw Scherff pitch as a junior in HS when he was projected to be the first pick in the draft the following year and he was electric. Hasn’t done as well as I expected but too early to give up on him.
Again, thanks for sharing your views, I really enjoyed it. I hope your belief that Devers will become a good defensive 3B come true. I also hope he can learn the necessary discipline to become a quality hitter, not just a power hitter. GO RED SOX!! Let’s finish one more series on the road!!
Congrats KD been a long season ended great.
Looking more and more like a sweep. Do you have your brooms ready?
The last 15 teams to grab a 2-0 lead at home have gone on to win the World Series.
Question: What has Joe Kelly done to his value? Three weeks ago, there was a legit question of whether or not he makes the playoff roster. I personally went from a huge supporter to one of his biggest detractors. Does what he’s done make you forget the hair you’ve pulled out of your head during the last couple of years? I for one am now bald.