3 Players the Sox Need to Watch
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| Photo Courtesy of Cardinal's Website |
Contributing Writer
So, the Red Sox are in the World Series for the third time so far this century against the St. Louis Cardinals in a rematch of 2004. That went pretty well, didn't it? Right, the Sox won in 4 games. Now, I think the Detroit Tigers scared me more than either the Dodgers or the Cardinals, but that does NOT mean that this won't be a tough series. Here are my 3 players on the Cardinals that we need to watch out for in the Fall Classic.
1.) Michael Wacha - I'll admit, I wasn't sure who this guy was until he burst on the scene with some brilliant postseason performances. He's 3-0 with a 0.43 ERA with 22 strikeouts and 4 walks with a .114 BAA in 21 innings in the postseason, according to the Cardinals official website. This guy is a rookie. That's a stat line that would make Justin Verlander proud. And he's doing it as a rookie. Who knows if he can do it in the World Series, but with the Red Sox struggles against Detroit's pitching, this guy bears watching. Also, we can get to him if we can play our game on offense and we can unnerve him potentially since he is a rookie.
2.) Adam Wainwright - Another pitcher who bears watching. While his stats aren't quite as impressive as Wacha's, but his numbers still worry me. He's 2-1 in the playoffs with a 1.57 ERA, 20 strikeouts, 1 walk, and a .207 BAA in 23 innings pitched according to the Cardinal's official site. Yeah, that's still pretty impressive. This guy's a seasoned veteran, so there is less chance of us getting to him like with Wacha. Again, with the Red Sox struggles against the Tigers, his numbers concern me.
3.) Carlos Beltran - His number's won't jump out at you, but he's a tough out to get. He has 8 walks and only 4 strikeouts in 39 postseason at bats according to the Cardinal's website. He also has 10 hits, 2 home runs and 12 RBIs with a .256/.383/.583/.921 line in the postseason according to the Cardinals website, so he is someone who could hurt us offensively. He is another veteran who won't let pressure get to him.
I highlighted 2 pitchers because that's where the Cardinals could really hurt us, with the way the Tigers series went, but with patience and discipline, we can get to them and win it all. My prediction? Sox in 5. Thoughts? Let me know on Twitter (@ConorJF1016) or leave a comment.
