2008 Woodie Awards
Rocks' five keys to beating Sox
Jordan Freemyer
Issue date: 10/24/07 Section: Sports
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Rockies can take Games 3 and 4, they will only need to take two of the other five games in the series.
Also, the Red Sox will be without one of their better hitters at Coors Field due to the lack of a designated hitter. David Ortiz, Boston's leader in most offensive categories during the regular season, will either have to sit the bench or play first base, forcing Kevin Youkilis out of the lineup.
4. Continue pitching well.
The 25 members of the Colorado Rockies will play the biggest game of their lives today in Game 1 of the World Series against the Boston Red Sox.
They've won 21 of their last 22 games, including their current 10-game winning streak, but Boston might be the best team in baseball.
Here are the keys for the Rockies if they want to beat the Red Sox:
1. Shake off the rust quickly.
The Rockies have had eight days off between the NLCS and the World Series, the longest layoff in history. They have been practicing and playing simulated games, but it's not quite the same as live action. If they can get in a rhythm early in Game 1 against Boston's Josh Beckett, it will set the table for the entire series.
2. Play National League baseball.
While the National and American Leagues are both under the umbrella of Major League Baseball, the styles of play in the two leagues are very different. The Red Sox have not seen many, if any, players like Willy Taveras and Kazuo Matsui who can bunt the ball well and steal bases. If Taveras and Matsui can reach base, use the bunt effectively and cause general havoc on the basepaths, the Red Sox pitchers will have problems.
3. Protect Coors Field
The Rockies should have favorable pitching matchups at home, with Josh Fogg, aka the Dragon Slayer, going against Boston's $103 million man, Daisuke Matsuzaka, in Game 3 and Aaron Cook, the Rockies' opening day starter, going against Jon Lester of the Red Sox in Game 4. If the The Rockies have compiled a 2.08 postseason ERA, significantly better than their regular season number. Opening day starter Aaron Cook will return to the rotation for the World Series having not pitched since August. This will give the Rockies another weapon in the bullpen in left-hander Franklin Morales. Morales will be added to a bullpen which is already very strong, compiling a 1.61 ERA in the playoffs. Manny Corpas has been lights out in the playoffs, saving five of the Rockies' seven wins, while allowing one run in just under nine playoff innings.
5. Don't be intimidated.
There's only one Rockies player, Taveras, to have previous World Series experience. The Rockies have, however, played in Fenway Park, winning two of three against the Red Sox in June. Beckett and Curt Schilling, the starters for the first two games of the series, took the two losses against the Rockies. That is a fact the Rockies need to keep in mind when they take the field tomorrow.
- Jordan Freemyer is a sophomore journalism major and a Mirror sports writer
Also, the Red Sox will be without one of their better hitters at Coors Field due to the lack of a designated hitter. David Ortiz, Boston's leader in most offensive categories during the regular season, will either have to sit the bench or play first base, forcing Kevin Youkilis out of the lineup.
4. Continue pitching well.
The 25 members of the Colorado Rockies will play the biggest game of their lives today in Game 1 of the World Series against the Boston Red Sox.
They've won 21 of their last 22 games, including their current 10-game winning streak, but Boston might be the best team in baseball.
Here are the keys for the Rockies if they want to beat the Red Sox:
1. Shake off the rust quickly.
The Rockies have had eight days off between the NLCS and the World Series, the longest layoff in history. They have been practicing and playing simulated games, but it's not quite the same as live action. If they can get in a rhythm early in Game 1 against Boston's Josh Beckett, it will set the table for the entire series.
2. Play National League baseball.
While the National and American Leagues are both under the umbrella of Major League Baseball, the styles of play in the two leagues are very different. The Red Sox have not seen many, if any, players like Willy Taveras and Kazuo Matsui who can bunt the ball well and steal bases. If Taveras and Matsui can reach base, use the bunt effectively and cause general havoc on the basepaths, the Red Sox pitchers will have problems.
3. Protect Coors Field
The Rockies should have favorable pitching matchups at home, with Josh Fogg, aka the Dragon Slayer, going against Boston's $103 million man, Daisuke Matsuzaka, in Game 3 and Aaron Cook, the Rockies' opening day starter, going against Jon Lester of the Red Sox in Game 4. If the The Rockies have compiled a 2.08 postseason ERA, significantly better than their regular season number. Opening day starter Aaron Cook will return to the rotation for the World Series having not pitched since August. This will give the Rockies another weapon in the bullpen in left-hander Franklin Morales. Morales will be added to a bullpen which is already very strong, compiling a 1.61 ERA in the playoffs. Manny Corpas has been lights out in the playoffs, saving five of the Rockies' seven wins, while allowing one run in just under nine playoff innings.
5. Don't be intimidated.
There's only one Rockies player, Taveras, to have previous World Series experience. The Rockies have, however, played in Fenway Park, winning two of three against the Red Sox in June. Beckett and Curt Schilling, the starters for the first two games of the series, took the two losses against the Rockies. That is a fact the Rockies need to keep in mind when they take the field tomorrow.
- Jordan Freemyer is a sophomore journalism major and a Mirror sports writer
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