Eric Schroeder
I can't wait to take another bet from Chris Jordan! Last year Mr. Know-It-All swore the Los Angeles Dodgers would win the World Series, so I challenged him and took the Houston Astros. He likes to call it dueling columns; I just call it like it is - him against me, and he'll take second place.
I honestly don't know who bullies more, Chris or Al DeMarco - they're both so damn bossy. All their talk about being veterans in the business. Meanwhile, I'm the "new kid on the block" who doesn't know a thing.
Well, you'll all see who knows what when I enjoy a free dinner at Capital Grille down on The Strip, as I will be handing that bill over to Chris after a hearty meal and a few bottles of wine.
How does one not love the Boston Red Sox in this matchup, as they'll seek their fourth World Series title since 2004 after ending an 86-year drought. They'll be making their first WS appearance since 2013, and have won eight of the 12 they've appeared in.
This is a team that won its third straight A.L. East crown after setting a franchise record for wins (108), and knocked off the defending World Series champion Houston Astros, 4 games to 1. The Red Sox won three in a row at Minute Maid Park and are 5-0 on the road this postseason. That won't bode well for the Dodgers, who never know who will show up on the hill when Clayton Kershaw gets the nod. I feel we need to beat him once, and all will be good.
Chris Sale (Game 1) and David Price (Game 2) will guide us in this series.
Sale will be just fine, after being hospitalized, and Price showed resiliency, after going 0-9 with a 6.16 ERA in 11 career postseason starts before striking out nine over six shutout innings of three-hit ball on three days' rest to win the ALCS clincher in Houston.
Offensively, I can point to a number of players in the lineup, but I think Mookie Betts is the guy who will win MVP for the Red Sox, when they take the crown. Betts hit .346 this season, with 32 home runs, 80 RBIs and 129 runs scored. He is dangerous on the paths - he swiped 30 bags - and makes things happen around him. He is the spark plug, and when he is on, the team is on.
The cold weather factor helps us for the first two games, which is all I need to steal control of the series. Forecasts for Tuesday night call for temps to be in the lower 50s for the first pitch. And then it will cool off during the game to the high 40s. Wednesday night's second game is expected to be about five degrees colder before the series moves to Los Angeles, where yes, the teams can expect it to be hot and sunny, but it also may be too late.
Alex Cora has done a fantastic job with his team, while I'm not so sure Dave Roberts has been as intrumental with the Dodgers' success. Cora has made the clubhouse more about the players, while Roberts is in dictatorship-mode with his players.
And there is the Interleague factor: the Red Sox were 7-3 at home against National League foes and 9-1 in N.L. ballparks. Since 2016, the Crimson Hose are 46-14 in Interleague play.
The Dodgers, meanwhile, were 12-8 against the American League this season - both 6-4 home and away. They're 38-22 in Interleague action since '16.
This one has Red Sox written all over it, as they should win this by Game 6.
4* RED SOX (World Series)