There are certainly a few valid reasons not to throw your heart into believing in this Red Sox team that undoubtedly will finish with the best regular-season record in team history.
That you rooted years for the Sox pre-2004 — or BTT, Before The Titles — is certainly one. Waiting for the other Sox to drop is seared into a lot of us like a red-hot brand on a cow’s backside. Sorry, that doesn’t just wash away at the sight of those three sterling trophies and the tears of Yankees fans. It’s always going to be there. You youngins’ couldn't understand.
You might not believe in this bullpen. The reasons for that are obvious, and you then you realize lesser arrays of talent have been twisted inside out by the intense autumn pressure.
That the starting pitching staff — and most of the lineup, as well — hasn’t exactly been an overwhelming force when it comes to postseason history (ahem, David Price) is something for some to fret about.
And even more worry about how Alex Cora might fare when every decision is magnified and a 162-game masterpiece can turn into a messy fingerpainting in the blink of an eye. This is Cora’s first year as a manager and he was a bench coach for one season prior to that. He had more experience as a TV analyst (three) than on a major-league bench (two). What in the name of Aaron Boone is going on around here?
Sorry, but I draw the line at Cora. I’ve got the BTT scars if you want to see them, hold my breath when any starter walks off the mound, worry when Kimbrel doesn’t have a three-run lead and a clean inning, and whether guys like Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts will bring the lumber in October.
But I’m all in on Cora. In Bill We Trust Bloviators and Brad-Bots please step aside. The Cuckoo For Cora crowd is coming on strong and there’s no stopping this train.
Tuesday night in Philadelphia was just the latest example.
Doesn’t matter which league rules you’re playing by, Cora rolled the dice and was setting himself up to be second-guessed all week when he decided to pinch-hit Brock Holt for Rick Porcello in the eighth inning last night in Philadelphia.
A lot of other managers (hello, John Farrell) would have stuck with Porcello simply because it was the easiest way not to get second-guessed if things went south.
First and foremost, Porcello was pitching out of his mind. He retired the first 12 batters he faced, and then the final six hitters heading into the eighth inning. Sure, there was a little trouble in the fifth inning — the Phillies’ only run on Rhys Hoskins’ 23rd home run and a two-out single — but in literally every other inning, Porcello was perfect with six — six! — 1-2-3 innings and a season-high 10 strikeouts.
He was, as the kids say, feeling it.
Porcello had also thrown just 90 pitches to that point, including 61 strikes (67.8 percent) and looked like he could certainly pitch the final two frames.
Plus, there’s the issue of the Red Sox’ bullpen and its history this season. Porcello had worked so hard and efficiently, why turn it over to anyone except Craig Kimbrel (whose own woes of late have been worrisome and a lead-off walk to start the ninth wasn’t helping either)?
Finally, there was the matter of hitting for Porcello, who in his last two NL starts had doubled (a three-run shot vs. the Nationals, and then an opposite-field poke on Tuesday night). You could make the argument that it was worth more to the Sox to keep Porcello in — he was a much better bet for another inning than the bullpen —than it was to have Brock Holt (hitting .208 in his previous 15 games) pinch-hit after Sandy Leon leadoff the inning with a strikeout.
But this is Cora we’re talking about. Of course, it worked.
Brock Holt's pinch-hit homer gives the @RedSox a 2-1 lead! #MLBNShowcase pic.twitter.com/uAVGi2QiEx
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) August 15, 2018
