Commish big fan of small-ball
BOSTON — Even Rob Manfred thinks the Yankees hit too many damn home runs.
OK, that’s not actually what the baseball commissioner, who gets paid handsomely to finesse things a little more than that, said Wednesday at Fenway Park. Yet Manfred did note the offensive success of the Yankees’ two most recent playoff eliminators, and he mused — and hoped — perhaps the homer-heavy approach exemplified by the Yankees might naturally go the way of the left-handed relief specialist.
“One of the most interesting developments of the postseason, both Boston and Houston are two teams that, with two strikes, put the ball in play,” Manfred said. “Usually in baseball, when you see a lot of success associated with something that’s a little different than what a lot of people are doing, it begins an organic movement back in that direction. We’re hopeful that we see some of that.”
As Manfred has prioritized pace of play and time of game as one of baseball’s top initiatives, he and many owners have publicly wished to see more balls in play and fewer “three true outcomes” (homers, strikeouts and walks). The Red Sox, who eliminated the Yankees in this year’s ALDS, and the Astros, who outlasted the Yankees in last year’s ALCS, both have developed more balanced offensive attacks than that of the Yankees, who set a single-season record in 2018 with 267 homers, but also struck out 1,421 times, third most in the AL.
Speaking of time of game, the average regular-season, nine-inning game this year lasted 3:00:44, a healthy drop from last year’s all-time high of 3:05:11. In the postseason, however, nine-inning contests have lasted more than 3:36:00, after last year’s 3:29:28, as per MLB.
“It is human nature, when the stakes go up, things slow down a little bit,” Manfred said. “I’m way more concerned about what we do from day 1 to day 187 [of the regular season] than I am worried about it for a little longer or a little shorter in the postseason.”
About another timely issue, signstealing, Manfred professed diligence while acknowledging his limits in policing every last violation.
“Sign-stealing in and of itself is not a violation of our rules,” Manfred said. “Where it becomes a problem is where there’s a use of technology that otherwise violates our rules to aid the sign-stealing process. … We’ll probably have some changes for next year.”
BOSTON — Before the Red Sox copped a 2-0 World Series lead over the Dodgers on Wednesday night at Fenway Park, Alex Cora was asked how starter Nathan Eovaldi’s emergence as a late-inning weapon out of the bullpen felt and was he tempted to leave the hard-throwing righthander there for the remainder of the Series?
The first-year manager said Eovaldi would start a World Series game, but if a matchup presented itself he wouldn’t hesitate to use the former Yankee.
That happened in the eighth inning of Game 2 when the Red Sox led, 4-2, and the Dodgers had the top of their lineup coming up. Eovaldi responded by retiring all three batters and turning the two-run advantage over to closer Craig Kimbrel.
Asked how using Eovaldi in the eighth inning during this series’ first two games affects how he will use the right-hander in LA, Cora said he didn’t know.
“I don’t know, we will see. Rick [Porcello] is starting Game 3 [on Friday],’’ Cora said. “You never know. Like I have been saying all along, we are all in every day. If we feel there is a chance to close the door with them we’ll use them. The way it’s mapped out it’s [Porcello] in Game 3 and maybe [Eovaldi] in Game 4 but Nate might come in the eighth again. If we have a chance to go up 3-0 with him on the mound and [Kimbrel], we’ll do it. Then we will figure out Game 4.’’
Cora started the left-handed hitting Devers at third against Dodger lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu in Game 2 after starting Devers in Game 1 against Clayton Kershaw. It was the second straight game Cora didn’t include right-handed hitting Nunez, who delivered that key three-run homer in Game 1 as a pinch hitter.
“Their lefties are different. We feel [Devers] matches up with some of them,’’ Cora said. “That’s the reason he started [Tuesday] and he is starting [Wednesday night].’’
The Red Sox believe it will be better for their players to leave for LA on Thursday morning instead of taking a cross-country flight after Wednesday night’s Game 2 of the World Series against the Dodgers. And the Dodgers are doing the same.
“I think it’s better for the players to get their rest [Wednesday night], sleep at home and hop on a plane,’’ Cora said before Game 2.