McAdam: MLB evaluator's 3 keys for the Red Sox vs. Astros

Beating the Houston Astros in the ALCS, it seems obvious, will not be easy for the Red Sox.

The Astros are the defending world champions, and if anything, have a better, deeper roster than they did a year ago.

But that doesn't mean they're unbeatable. We checked in with a major league talent evaluator who saw a lot of the Red Sox this year and asked what the keys are to dethroning the champs and moving on to the World Series.

1. Red Sox starters must provide length.

"Pardon the pun, but this is where it starts. You go into this series knowing the Astros rotation is going to pitch well, so the Red Sox have to, too. You have to match their rotation -- or at least come close -- because you're not going to win the bullpen battle. If the (Boston) starters are only going four innings, or four-plus innings, they're in trouble.'

"I don't worry about (Chris) Sale, because he looked like himself in the Yankee series. And I don't worry about Eovaldi, either, the way he's been throwing. They're veteran guys with plus-stuff. But (David) Price is a key, especially because it looks like they're going to start him twice (Game 2 and, if necessary, Game 6). I saw him a few times in September and he didn't have great velocity, but he was moving the ball to both sides of the plate. If he can do that again, he'll be fine.

"He's a sharp guy; he's not a dummy. I'm sure he understands his legacy (is at stake) and I think a lot of his postseason issues are mental. When all the talk is 'You haven't won (in October) ... you haven't won...'  that builds. He can say whatever he wants, but he needs to win one so he can shut people up.

"The other factor is (Rick) Porcello. He's got to have that plus-command, because he doesn't overpower you with the fastball. He's got to keep the ball out of the middle plate, and the second or third time through the order, make the necessary adjustments."

2. Infield defense must hold up

"The Red Sox outfield defense is as strong as any team in the game, so you don't worry about any of those guys. Same goes for whoever is catching. But the infield has to make all the routine plays. Runs are going to be like gold in this series. I'm not saying every game is going be 1-0, but it's going to be hard to score.

"If they're without (Mitch) Moreland, or he's limited (because of his hamstring strain), that could be an issue for the Red Sox. That said, I was impressed with how well (Steve) Pearce played in the New York series. I'm not worried about (Xander) Bogaerts, even if he doesn't have the best range. And no matter who they use at second, they've been OK.

"The spot you worry about, though, is third base. You've got one guy (Rafael Devers) who's erratic and another (Eduardo Nunez) isn't moving very well and doesn't cover much ground. But no matter who's playing there, they've got make the routine plays, convert the balls they should convert into outs. If there's an opportunity to get a double play, they've got to make it. You can't give a team like the Astros extra outs.

"And it's not just a matter of getting out of innings when you make an error. You hear people say, 'Well, it didn't cost them.' Well, yeah, it did, because maybe your starter had to throw another eight or 10 pitches and now, instead of getting you into the sixth, maybe he only gives you five. Or maybe, instead of having the No. 8 or No. 9 hitter lead off the next inning, they turn the lineup over and have (George) Springer or someone like that leading off.''

3. Be themselves offensively

"Last year, the Red Sox didn't have that guy who scares you in the middle of the lineup. They didn't hit home runs, so if you got them down early, it was very hard for them to come back on you. This year, they can. And a lot of that has to do with (J.D.) Martinez. He changes the offense and lengthens the whole lineup.

"The Red Sox do a pretty good job making contact (only three AL teams struck out fewer times) and putting the ball in play. But even if they have a game where they strike out 10 times, they still have a deep lineup where anyone can go deep. Look at what they got out of (Brock) Holt — that's a perfect example. He only played one game, but he hit for the cycle when he played and had five RBI. Same thing with (Jackie) Bradley - he hits ninth, but he can still take you deep if you're not careful. That's what makes the Red Sox so dangerous.

"The Red Sox' hitters are so intelligent. Martinez, (Mookie) Betts, Bogaerts ... they're all capable of making adjustments from one at-bat to the next. Against a real good staff like Houston's, that's important.''