Who do you like?
So I went on to ESPN Sports Nation this morning and filled out this 16-question poll
about the matchups between the Red Sox in the Cardinals. My final tally? Six in favor of St. Louis, six in favor of Boston, four rated even. My conclusion? This one's going seven games.
But I know you're all wondering, "Jim, who do you think is going to win this series?" And because I have absolutely no special expertise with this, I'll tell you ...
It all comes down to Curt Schilling's ankle. If it holds up well enough to allow him to pitch close to his usual dominating form, then the Sox win, because they have the only pitcher in this entire series that makes his team a heavy favorite whenever he takes the mound.
If the ankle gives him trouble, the Sox are sunk. They'd have to yank him early in his start, throwing the bullpen and the starting rotation for the rest of the series, into disarray. They'd battle through, to be sure, but they'd end up having to put together their Game 7 pitching with spit, chewing gum and a rubber band. That's no way to go up against the Cards' lineup.
Comments (1)
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I agree with your assessment. This series rides on Schilling's health, and even then, I think it only gives Boston a slight advantage.
Every time I see St. Louis play, I'm amazed at how awesome and imposing its lineup is.
Posted on October 22, 2004 1:19 PM