MLB: Boston vs. L.A. in Head to Head: The Aura of Invincibility

The Boston Red Sox meet the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2018 World Series. But who has the better cards? SPOX compares personnel and other factors a few hours before the start of Fall Classics.

Statistics is a funny thing. They are above all one thing: objective! And if we go by statistics, first of all “weighted Runs created Plus” (wRC+), then one of these two teams has the offensively second most productive catcher position in the MLB 2018. The other team the by far worst!

109:44 after wRC+, the duel here ends in favour of the Dodgers, who have Grandal, one of the best offensive catchers of the year, in their ranks. If you look at “Wins above Replacement” (WAR), the Dodgers are ranked third with 3.9, the Sox? -2.1 – even in the back.

But these are regular season numbers. If you look at the postseason, then the Red-Sox-Catcher, which are both offensively no lights, with their .510 OPS are even to be found on place 4, thus two places ahead of the Dodgers (.458 OPS).

The reason is obvious: Grandal found himself back on the bench relatively quickly after suffering a meltdown in game 2 of the NLCS against the Brewers and having massive problems with Passed Balls.

What his status for the World Series looks like is in the stars, but Barnes can be expected – he is 2-18 this October. But he usually catches the pitch coming his way.

Conclusion: draw.

Especially thanks to the impressive season of Rookie Max Muncy (162 wRC+) no team got a better production from first base than the Dodgers (9.6 WAR). The Red Sox (1.9 WAR) are not even found in the same zip code in this area. But the small sample size of the postseason says: Boston has the highest October production from the first base with 1,025 OPS (Dodgers: .864).

Pearce in particular is currently swinging a really hot club and will get the majority of the time in this World Series regardless of Moreland’s muscular problems. Both dress like their Los Angeles counterparts in a platoon and since we see mainly left-handers in the pitching rotation of the Dodgers, Pearce as a right-hander has an advantage here.

With the Dodgers again it can be assumed that Muncy starts as usual against the right-handed, Freese against the leftys.

The bottom line is that Pearce is probably the one with the best shape, while Muncy has the greatest big hit potential.

Advantage: Dodgers.

Second Base acts like an experimental laboratory on both sides. Both managers did their best to throw all sorts of things against the wall and then looked at what finally got stuck. So far, very little, as one has to state.

The Red Sox, where regular force Dustin Pedroia missed almost the entire season with a persistent knee injury, took Ian Kinsler before the trade deadline and still have Holt in their hindquarters anyway. The latter made headlines with his cycle in game 3 against the Yankees.

Since then, however, not much has come from either of them and in the games in Boston it can be assumed that Kinsler will get more At-Bats. But in the middle of the show in L.A., I guess they’re both sitting outside. There is no Designated Hitter in the National League Park and since manager Alex Cora doesn’t want to do without his best Power Hitter, Right Fielder Mookie Betts – a trained Infielder – will probably take over the second base in Dodger Stadium so that J.D. Martinez can play Right Field. Betts would then automatically be the best second baseman of both teams – at least offensively.

With the Dodgers, on the other hand, the second base is the one that matches the current pitching matchup. This is where the enormous flexibility of this squad comes to the fore: at least four players can occupy the position. This interplay, however, provided offensive for very manageable performances in the postseason.

Conclusion: Advantage Red Sox.

At the Hot Corner, the Sox bet on a platoon between left-handed Rafael Devers and right-handed Eduardo Nunez. First of all: Both are defensively rather limited, although Nunez is at least passable with the glove. And as a right-handed player he will probably start three of the first four games of the series.

Justin Turner, a certified Clutch-Hitter, is beyond any doubt. He already had one or the other heroic moment in the playoffs. It is a difficult out (.396 wOBA) and only strikes out in 12.7 percent of its plate appearances – a completely insane figure especially in 2018.

Conclusion: Dodger’s advantage.

Xander Bogaerts is a very good player, who sometimes has defensive problems, but whose offensive production is always more than useful. But on the other hand, Machado is a superstar! Besides Bryce Harper, Machado will be the most coveted Free Agent in winter.

Moreover, Machado is in the focus of attention anyway, because his behavior so far in the postseason with the obvious kick against Brewers-First-Baseman Jesus Aguilar and his statement that he was not rushing is nothing for him, he did not make many friends. And with the Red Sox, it’s about as popular as athlete’s foot. It was he who, with last year’s over-hard slide, probably contributed considerably to Pedroia’s injury worries, which still persist today!

But purely from the talent here there can actually be no two opinions here …

Andrew Benintendi had a massive part in Boston’s triumph in the ALCS with some really important and spectacular catches against the Astros. In addition, he is always someone who brings the ball into play and athletically ranks among the better players in his position. He’s hard to spot, also because he’s fast.

With the Dodgers again several people play in the Left Field, whereby also here again the throw arm of the opponent’s Pitchers gives the rash: Chris Taylor plays against Lefties, Joc Pederson against Righties. Both are quite productive, although Pederson brings more power and was more productive in 2018. But in principle Taylor always plays – if not Left Field, then Center Field, Second Base or Shortstop.

JBJ is the MVP of the ALCS, because he essentially decided the games 2 to 4 alone with one clutch hit after the other. He may also be one of the best defenders in the series.

Cody Bellinger, however, is the much better hitter. The Dodgers Center Fielders (10.1 WAR) were the most productive Center Fielders in the MLB 2018, which was not only due to Bellinger, who can also play on the corners and first base. But in this series it is mainly he who will occupy the glamour position of the outfield.

Yasiel Puig is always a player who walks this narrow path between genius and madness. He can be a total failure, but also the one who decides the game with a 3-Run-Homerun late. He licks off his bat, sometimes even attacks an opponent. Anything is possible with him.

On the other hand, Mookie Betts is a much safer bank. The potential AL MVP played the season of his life and embodies the ideal lead-off hitter. He’s damn fast, rarely strikes out and keeps the ball in the game. He embodies above-average power and is probably the best defender of his position, armed with a cannon as his right arm.

Page 1: The Position Players

Page 2: DH, benches and pitching