Tag: MLB Postseason (Page 2 of 2)

      Jon Lester new Josh Beckett of postseason for Red Sox?

      October 7, 2008 /

      In the 2007 MLB Playoffs, there wasn’t more dominant pitcher than Boston’s Josh Beckett. The Red Sox essentially rode his postseason performances to another World Series title and are doing the same thing again this year, only with a new face: 24-year old Jon Lester.

      Boston set up an ALCS showdown with the Tampa Bay Rays by beating the L.A. Angels 3-2 in Game 4 of the ALDS Monday night. And as Adam Kilgore of The Boston Globe writes, Lester was superb.

      Jon LesterFor the second time in a week, the Red Sox placed the hopes of their season on the broad, 24-year-old shoulders of Jon Lester. He had already replaced Josh Beckett, spitting at the pressure of the Game 1 assignment as easily as he dispatched the Los Angeles Angels. Lester did even more last night, taking a leap toward becoming every bit the October legend Beckett is.

      Lester’s feats so far this postseason challenge belief, defy expectation. He has twice faced the lineup that won more games than any other major league team and for 14 innings has not allowed an earned run.

      Lester hurled blinding fastballs and devastating curveballs for seven innings last night, giving up four hits and zero runs in the Red Sox’ 3-2, ALDS-clinching victory.

      Lester has grabbed these playoffs by the throat and made them his personal showcase. He has now thrown 22 2/3 consecutive innings in the postseason without allowing an earned run.

      Do you want to know why the Yankees and their billion-dollar lineup have continued to fail to reach the World Series lately? Because of pitching. It’s that simple. They don’t have the pitching that Boston continues to produce. Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Jonathan Papelbon – the BoSox win in the postseason because of their pitching. And we’re witnessing let another great performance by a Boston pitcher this year.

      MLB

      Rays proving experience doesn’t mean everything in postseason

      October 3, 2008 /

      Tampa Bay RaysSome will be quick to point out that perhaps the most dangerous team in the American League this postseason is the Boston Red Sox – and with good reason given their playoff experience throughout the years. They’ve not only been here before, but they’ve also won.

      But as the Tampa Bay Rays have proved so far, experience isn’t everything.

      The Rays are the seventh youngest team in MLB, with an average age of 27.5. Before this season, they had never won their division, never reached the postseason and had never won a playoff game. Yet after their 6-2 win over the Chicago White Sox on Friday night, Tampa sits just one win away from reaching the ALCS.

      It’s hard to downplay experience in the postseason and if the Red Sox go on to beat the Angels (arguably the most talented team in the AL this year) in their best of five series, they’ll once again provide an example of how important it is to have a veteran roster.

      But the Rays have built a 2-0 lead in the ALDS despite most of their roster never appearing in a postseason game. And it’s because they not only believe that they can compete with anyone, but they’re also playing complete baseball. They can hit (see Evan Longoria’s 2 HRs in Game 1), they can pitch (see Grant Balfour’s excellent relief appearances in the series), they can run (see their three total stolen bases) and they can play defense (see zero errors). The veteran Sox, on the other hand, have shown to be one-dimensional and now are on the brink of elimination.

      So it’ll be interesting to see if the Rays’ youth eventually catches up with them this postseason. Because of right now, experience isn’t holding this club back one bit.

      MLB

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