Classic matchup
Sox-Dodgers clash packed with intriguing storylines
BOSTON — For any other World Series, it would be difficult to top a Game 1 pitching matchup of Chris Sale for the Red Sox and Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers as the most compelling of storylines.
But the 114th renewal of the Fall Classic, an historic matchup between two championship teams on opposite ends of the continent, goes much deeper than that.
It’s historic 106-year-old Fenway Park and its Green Monster, one of the most iconic edifices in sports, versus Chavez Ravine, the idyllic setting of 56-year-old Dodger Stadium.
It’s two of the top three payrolls in the game — the Red Sox are tops at $228 million US, with the Dodgers No. 3 at a mere $199 million. It’s Sweet Caroline vs. I Love L.A., Dodger Dogs vs. Lobster Rolls and a baseball rekindling of the fierce Lakers-Celtics rivalry.
When it comes down to it, however, yes it’s two historic franchises from two megasports markets meeting in the sport’s title round for the first time since 1916, but both are like-minded and driven in their pursuit.
“I don’t think you can let the ballparks dictate how you pitch,” Kershaw said on Monday prior to his team’s evening workout as the Southern Californians looked to get acclimated to the frigid conditions and potential rain for Tuesday’s 8:09 p.m. EST first pitch. “You have to go with your game plan regardless of where you’re pitching.
“I don’t look too much at the ballparks, honestly … don’t take too much stock in it.”
His counterpart, who like Kershaw is a perennial Cy Young Award candidate as one of baseball’s best starters, offers a different view given that many of the Dodgers haven’t even seen the Monster, let alone played in its shadow.
Just wait until the stands are filled to root on a once-hardluck franchise looking to win a fourth World Series title since 2004. And wait ’til outfielders wrestle with the jigsaw corners all through the outfield.
“It’s better wearing the white uniforms,” Sale said. “It’s not an easy place to play as a visitor. It’s an iconic park, but it’s a lot more fun pitching as a home pitcher.
“This ballpark definitely brings it’s challenges. I could definitely see how this could raise some challenges for teams who don’t play here a lot.”
The team that does play here certainly offers more of a challenge than Fenway’s quirky dimensions, however. Coming off a franchise record 108-win campaign, the Sox carried that form into the postseason. Already they are 7-2 in the playoffs and bring a fourgame winning streak to the series.
“That’s the best team in the game right now and we respect that,” Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen said. “But we know that we’re good as well.”
The Dodgers are certainly that, despite having to win a one-game playoff to clinch the NL West. A year ago they fell just short in a brilliantly entertaining seven-game World Series loss to the Houston Astros. They are playoff-pedigreed with six consecutive stints of October ball.
That near-miss only makes the Dodgers that much hungrier as they pursue a first World Series title in 30 years.
“At the beginning of every season, every team talks about winning a World Series and everybody talks about the little things it takes to get there,” Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner said. “We’ve had a lot of success, but not the amount of success we want to have, which is being the last man standing.
“It’s not something we take for granted being here or making the playoffs every year. A lot of hard work and a lot of dedication goes into it and this is another opportunity for us.”
As it is for the Red Sox, who have won the AL East for the past three seasons before making early playoff exits each of the past two Octobers. Team president Dave Dombrowski got busy in the off-season to amend that, most notably bringing in first-year manager Alex Cora to freshen the environment and the freeagent bat of designated hitter J.D. Martinez to jumpstart the offence.
“As a team, we realize we have an opportunity to do something pretty special,” said Red Sox utility man Brock Holt. “As long as we are playing our game, we feel like we can beat anyone, anywhere.
“We have a lot of good players who just enjoy playing and we root for each other.”
Momentum, as well as home field, are in the Red Sox’s favour, as is their recent form in the ultimate showdown. In their past 14 World Series games, Boston has a heady record of 12-2, having swept the Cardinals in 2004 and the Rockies in 2007 while dispatching the Cardinals again in 2013, this time by a 4-2 count.
“To get to this point is hard,” Cora said. “It’s really tough. You start this journey in spring training and you talk about it and all the details and all the stuff that you have to go through and then you have to play 162.
“And then you have two rounds before the World Series. It takes a lot of work and we’re happy that we’re here. ’re loving it.”