The Boy Scouts famously told us “be prepared.” Well I am and I am also very eagerly awaiting what I anticipate being the wildest Tuesday since the last election.
Tuesday, Oct. 5 – The one game playoff, most likely, live at Fenway Park. Can you feel it? After a damn near season destroying August, your Boston Red Sox have not only righted their ‘Titantically’ sinking ship, they are now in pole position for the first wildcard spot and are playing great baseball. Finally.
What a relief. August was ROUGH. My poor wife unknowingly and innocently walked into more than one Red Sox anger-induced tirade last month, just popping down to the man-cave to say hi. Unfortunately for her, these friendly visits timed out just as my pot was about to boil over with August-Red Sox-fan-fury and a side dish of irrational rage. Like the 2021 Red Sox however, I lived to tell about it.
Now, balance has been restored to the galaxy.
So as the light is suddenly shining on the Red Sox and the darkness fades into the abyss, there is plenty of good to focus on. So much good that the Red Sox can’t use it all at once. Literally. The Sox have what you would call a clogged roster, with three positions open for four key players. So when it’s all on the line 12 days from today, with one game deciding their 2021 destiny the big question looms, who do ya’ got?
Before I dive in, understand this, I think this Red Sox clogged roster problem actually could be advantageous in a five or seven game series, particularly in a longer series. The more good bats the better. The more versatility the better, but for one game? Somebody needs to sit and it won’t be an easy decision for Cora to make or for a key Sox player to accept. This is the after effect of that ugly August storm that started after the MLB Trade Deadline passed.
I have my own opinion which I’ll get into but have admittedly waffled on it some. So like Family Feud I surveyed 20 friends who all share an intelligent love for baseball. Like Family Feud, the answers were all over the board.
Here’s the problem looming with the one game playoff, by player and preferred position below.
Kyle Schwarber – DH, OF, 1B
JD Martinez – DH, OF
Bobby Dalbec – 1B
Alex Verdugo – OF
Four key contributors, three positions, one game. Allow me to set the stage. Kike’ Hernandez is leading off in center field. Renfroe is playing in right field and Schwarber’s bat must be in the order. Schwarber is in. I am immovable on this point. One I firmed up long before his two bombs last night. I couldn’t stomach his bat on the bench with the season on the line. No way.
Below are the initial gut reactions of 15 hardcore Red Sox and baseball fans. Five counties have yet to report. Someone get John King on the case.
Isaiah M. – “Hmm…Dalbec.”
Johnny B. – “Dalbec I guess as he lacks playoff experience despite how hot he is.”
Chris R. – “Schwarber or Verdugo.”
Joe M. – “Probably Schwarber. In a playoff game I don’t want JD in the OF.”
Pete C. – “I’d sit Schwarber. Only because Dalbec is on fire. A month ago it’s easy, Dalbec sits.”
Al C. – “Definitely not JD. Definitely not Schwarber. Verdugo is probably a better fielder than Dalbec is a 1stBaseman. That leaves Dalbec. Good bat off the bench.”
Dana P. – “I’d say Verdugo especially if it’s a lefty pitching.”
Mike E. – “At game tonight…can’t be Schwarber. Or JD who just roped another one. Probably a moot point as at least one of them will have the COVID.”
Paul F. – “JD.”
Tom M. – “I’d say JD, he’s not quite right. Dalbec is seeing the ball so well. Verdugo is a clutch guy and Schwarber is finding his stroke right now.”
Nick S. – “Dalbec. I know that seems the easy answer but…”
Matt H. – “Dalbec.” But when I pushed him a little on JD… “Thought of him first.”
Jon M. – “Schwarber I guess but it’s really tough. Got a feeling about Dalbec in the playoffs.” *** Important to note, Jon is a horrible gambler. Literally never right. Sorry bud…
Mike B. – “It’s between Dalbec and Schwarber.”
Tim R. – Who pitched D-1 in the Sun Belt Conference and got taken tape measure deep by Jason Varitek in college. “I always line it up for my best defense to protect my pitching. I can always mix and match hitters from the 6thinning on. Dalbec at first, Schwarber in left, JD is DH. Verdugo sits.”
A pretty mixed bag which underscores the problem. It’s a hard decision. Going into this survey and column here was my initial stance.
· Verdugo >>> JD Martinez in LF (also, JD doesn’t hit as well when in the field).
· For a one game playoff you need your best defense on the field. That means an outfield of Verdugo, Hernandez and Renfroe, with Dalbec at first.
· So the decision to me was between Schwarber and JD and to me, Schwarber’s is the bat I trust more right now and that leaves JD’s bat on the bench for late innings.
Some conditions to that opinion though. As Joe M. above said so accurately in his text chain to me: “This all goes out the window if Dalbec’s bat hits the skids.” 100% right. If that happens over the next nine games, then he’s the odd man out and you deal with Schwarber at first.
As I watched Schwarber continue to mash and read through literally dozens upon dozens of texts a couple of things struck me. One was a text from my erudite minded baseball buddy Tim when I questioned his rationale having Schwarber in left field. To this I responded…
Me - “Do you think Schwarber can play left effectively?”
Tim – “At Fenway he can. Manny did!”
True enough.
Taking that thought a little further I came to this final conclusion, if I want my best defense on the field, I definitely want them out there in the late innings. In this scenario, we get the better fielder, Verdugo in the game late when he’ll be most needed and his clutch bat gets put into play when it’s most likely late and close. It also gets me at least two to three at-bats for both Schwarber and Martinez.
So I’ve revised my initial stance. I would start with the red hot Bobby Dalbec at first, Schwarber at DH and Martinez in left for the first half of the game, leaving Martinez to be replaced by Verdugo in the later innings in left.
Bottom line, to me if forced to choose, I want Schwarber’s bat over Martinez’s with the season on the line but I’ll take them both for as long as I can get away with it. Six innings feels about right, then it’s Verdugo time.
