McAdam: Red Sox felt a duty to win it all after record-setting season

As they gathered with family and friends on the Dodger Stadium infield and outfield late Sunday night, there was, of course, a palpable sense of accomplishment for the 2018 Red Sox.

The baseball season is long and grueling, and the expanded playoff format undoubtedly takes its toll, so it was only natural that the players celebrated their five-game victory over the Dodgers, the culmination of a journey that began back in February.

But beyond the sheer joy, there existed something else: relief.

Relief that not only was the eight-month slog over, but also, because the Red Sox had succeeded in finishing the job at hand by winning the Series. And relief, too, that they had validated the 108-win regular season by establishing their post-season supremacy.

Amidst the popping of champagne and communal hugging that went on in the cramped visitors clubhouse, there was also the sense that, in winning the franchise's fourth title since 2004, the players had confirmed what they -- but few others -- had believed all along: they were worthy of the title of the best team in the game.

Even as they established a franchise record for most wins in a season, the Sox were greeted with skepticism. The 108 wins were nice, sure, but to many, they were a reflection of the stratified nature of the game in 2018. The implication was clear: the 108 wins were the result of too many inferior, rebuilding opponents in the American League, and not a true representation of the Sox.

The Red Sox listened to this bit of rationalization for much of the second half of the season and took it to heart, so much so that when the postseason began, nearly a month ago, they were intent on finishing the job, so as to validate what they had accomplished over the previous six months.

"Coming into this postseason,'' said shortstop Xander Bogaerts, "108 wins, I know there was a lot of talk, a lot of expectations for us to win it all, or else the season was a waste. Everyone in here did their best and we came out on top. It's been an amazing season in general and to end it this way ... it doesn't get any better than that.

"We had an amazing regular season and we came through in the playoffs. One hundred and eight wins, obviously that's historic. But you get added pressure from that because you had the most wins (for a single-season) in Red Sox history, right? There was that added pressure, 'Oh, you guys had the most wins so now you've got to win it.' And for us to win it, that's amazing.''

The alternative wasn't pretty to contemplate. After all the regular-season wins and all the work, what if it had gone for naught? What if the Game 4 comeback hadn't effectively put the Dodgers away? What if all the commitment wasn't fully realized in October? How would history regard them then?

The remarkable thing, now that it's over, is that the Red Sox were never really threatened. Through three rounds of the postseason, the only time they trailed in a series was when they dropped the opener of the ALCS at home to Houston.

They never trailed in the Yankee series. When they were even after two, the Sox asserted themselves with a 16-1 thrashing of New York, in Yankee Stadium, a win so convincing and thorough that it seemed to break the Yankees' spirit.

In the ALCS, the Sox got even in Game 2, then once more did their most impressive work on the road, taking three straight from the defending world champs -- on the Astros' home field, no less -- to wrap up the pennant.

And while Game 3 presented its challenges, the Sox rebounded from what could have been a crushing defeat by storming back to score nine runs in the final three innings of Game 4 to wrestle back control of the World Series.

After that, it was merely a matter of closing things out.

Whatever external expectations the Sox felt were mitigated by the calming influence of their manager, who was able to provide support and perspective. He had warned them way back in February to stay true to themselves and block out the external noise. He had advised them to not let anyone else define them.

"Alex Cora is so great at squashing any kind of feeling (from the outside) and getting his players ready to play for every individual game,'' said Ian Kinsler, "that that helped calm us.''

And allowed them to finish the job that they didn't dare leave unfinished.