Lets take a look at the career numbers.
Red Sox Pitchers
Josh Beckett- (0-1) 10.80 ERA 2.20 WHIP .400 BAA
Career- (4-1) 3.89 ERA 1.38 WHIP .277 BAA (6 Starts)
Curt Schilling- (0-1) 9.00 ERA 2.00 WHIP .375 BAA
Career- (11-6) 4.44 ERA 1.35 WHIP .286 BAA (26 games, 25 starts)
Daisuke Matsuzaka- Has not faced the Rockies.
Tim Wakefield- (1-0) 1.13 ERA 0.63 WHIP .148 BAA
Career- (1-3) 4.39 ERA 1.58 WHIP .303 BAA (5 games, 4 Starts)
Rockies Pitchers
Jeff Francis- (1-0) 0.00 ERA 1.80 WHIP .304 BAA
Career- Only faced Red Sox once
Ubaldo Jimenez- Has not faced the Red Sox
Josh Fogg- (1-0) 3.60 ERA 1.60 WHIP .318 BAA
Career- (1-0) 5.25 ERA 1.33 WHIP .300 BAA (2 Starts)
Franklin Morales- Has not faced the Red Sox
The Rockies starters have done a good job in the playoffs. I know Dice- K and Wakefield have struggled this post season. I still give the edge to Red Sox here. It's pretty close matchup.
Red Sox Hitters (Career Numbers)
Jason Varitek- 6 out of 24, 1 Homerun
Kevin Youkilis- 7 out of 21, 1 Homerun
Dustin Pedroia- 2 out 9
Mike Lowell- 50 out of 168, 9 Homeruns
Julio Lugo- 24 out of 78
Manny Ramirez- 5 out of 18
Jacoby Ellsbury- Has not faced Rockies
JD Drew- 59 out of 184, 7 Homeruns
David Ortiz- 8 out of 21, 1 Homerun
Rockies Hitters (Career Numbers)
Yorvit Torrealba- 6 out 12
Todd Helton- 11 out of 34, 1 Homerun
Kaz Matsui- 5 out of 14
Garrett Atkins- 4 out of 12, 1 Homerun
Troy Tulowitzki- 3 out of 9
Matt Holliday- 7 out of 23, 1 Homerun
Willy Taveras- 2 out of 13
Brad Hawpe- 3 out of 12, 1 Homerun
Advantage goes to the Boston Red Sox. They have had better post season numbers and I expect that to continue in the World Series. Youkilis, Pedroia, and Drew are all swinging the bat very well. Plus of course the Red Sox have Ortiz and Ramirez.
Red Sox Bullpen
Jonathan Papelbon- 1 Save, 0 Earned Runs (1 Game)
Hideki Okajima- Has not faced Rockies
Mike Timlin- 6.94 ERA 2.14 WHIP .420 BAA (12 Games)
Manny Delcarmen- Has not faced Rockies
Rockies Bullpen
Manny Corpas- 0 Earned Runs (2 Games)
Matt Herges- (1-0) 0 Earned Runs (2 Games)
Brian Fuentes- 0 Earned Runs (2 Games)
LaTroy Hawkins- (2-1) 5.79 ERA (24 Games, 5 Starts)
This is pretty good matchup for both teams. The Rockies pen has really stepped up for them in the post season. Papelbon, Okajima, and Timlin have been great for the Red Sox. I'd rather have Okajima or Papelbon on the mound instead of Fuentes and Corpas. So I give the very slight advantage to the Red Sox.
One bench player to watch out for. Perhaps it is Bobby Kielty again, we could see him against Jeff Francis in game 1. However JD Drew has managed to 3 hits in 10 ab's against Francis. While Kielty has never faced Francis. With Francis having more success vs. lefties perhaps the Sox go with both Bobby Kielty and Coco Crisp. The Rockies also have Morales who's a lefty. So maybe we do see quite bit from Kielty and Crisp. My bench player to watch out for is Coco Crisp. He'll mostly be
used as a pinch runner and defensive replacement, but I expect him to come up big in that role.
I look for Seth Smith to be the key Rockies bench player. He could be the DH at fenway park for the Rockies. They do have a couple of options tho. They could use Spilborghs or Sullivan in right if they feel they are better out there than Hawpe. For whatever reason I think they go with Smith. He's only had 8 regular season ab's. And only 4 post season ab's.
The Rockies are not a team to be taken lightly. They have some very young and gifted players. They play great defense. I just think the Boston Red Sox are a better team. Of course you don't play the games on paper. I believe the Red Sox have a speed advantage that they have to use between Ellsbury, Lugo, and Crisp. I also don't think the 8 day lay off did the Rockies any favors.
Red Sox in 5.
