World Series 2002
Tale of the Tape: Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
Just thought I’d break the two teams down for everyone heading into the 2002 World Series
Regular Season Records
Boston (108-54)
Los Angeles (108-54)
Divisional Playoff Results
Los Angeles def. Florida 3-0
Boston def. Seattle 3-2
League Championship Results
Los Angeles def. Atlanta 4-0
Boston def. Chicago White Sox 4-3
Probable Pitching Match-ups
Game 1: Ramon Martinez (LA, 21-5, 3.34) vs. Derek Lowe (BOS, 11-10, 4.60)
Game 2: Hipolito Pichardo (LA, 17-6, 2.96) vs. Pedro Martinez (BOS, 25-4, 3.35)
Game 3: Dan Smith (LA, 15-10, 2.72 ERA) vs. Tony McKnight (BOS, 11-9, 5.90 ERA)
Game 4: Andrew Zarzour (LA, 12-4, 5.50), Darren Dreifort (LA, 15-10, 4.44 ERA) or Ramon Martinez vs. ?????
Key relievers for LA: Brendan Donnelly (7-1, 2.42 ERA) ... Kazuhiro Sasaki (5-0, 3 SV, 1.89 ERA) ... Trevor Hoffman (5-4, 47 SV, 1.44 ERA) ... Byung-hyun Kim (7-1, 2 SV, 2.78 ERA)
Key relievers for Boston: Mike Stanton (6-6, 40 SV, 2.72 ERA) ... Kevin McGlinchy (9-1, 4 SV, 2.78 ERA).
Notebook: Pedro Martinez isn’t 100 percent heading into this series. He’s listed at about 90 percent because of some shoulder soreness. He doesn’t have enough rest to go in Game One against his brother but I imagine the computer will try and use him in Game Two.
Probable Starters
LOS ANGELES
C Paul Lo Duca (.348, 7 HR, 76 RBI)
1B Albert Pujols (.265, 23 HR, 102 RBI)
2B Damian Jackson (.275, 8 HR, 73 RBI, 50 SB)
3B Jeff Cirillo (.270, 10 HR, 63 RBI)
SS Alex Rodriguez (.301, 46 HR, 124 RBI)
LF Josh Hamilton (.334, 11 HR, 82 RBI)
CF Johnny Damon (.294, 18 HR, 75 RBI)
RF Craig Wilson (.300, 39 HR, 116 RBI)
DH Craig Wilson or Damian Jackson will DH in games at Boston, with OF Rod Lindsey (.294, 6 HR, 47 RBI) or 2B David Bell (.235, 10 HR, 22 RBI) getting into the lineup depending on the opposing pitcher.
BOSTON
C Scott Hatteberg (.286, 15 HR, 72 RBI)
1B Frank Catalanotto (.283, 11 HR, 70 RBI)
2B Donnie Sadler (.231, 5 HR, 37 RBI)
3B John Valentin (.248, 7 HR, 63 RBI)
SS Nomar Garciaparra (.335, 32 HR, 144 RBI)
LF Brian Giles (.296, 24 HR, 100 RBI)
CF Midre Cummings (.326, 22 HR, 107 RBI)
RF Larry Walker (.341, 32 HR, 120 RBI)
DH Paul Konerko (.291, 35 HR, 130 RBI)
(when playing in LA, Konerko will play 1B and Catalanotto will play 2B, with Sadler out)
Overall: Fittingly, the two best teams in baseball this season will go at it for the World Series championship, though Boston had a tougher time getting through the American League playoffs. It’s hard to imagine Los Angeles scoring another 4-0 sweep but they appear to be the fresher team overall and have been pretty red-hot in a lot of areas lately. I'd give LA the edge in pitching, especially the bullpen.
Boston won the 2000 World Series (in my world) over Houston, and Toronto won it all in 2001 over San Francisco. The Dodgers flamed out in the divisional playoffs last season against the Cardinals.
For history buffs, here is a record of the Dodgers’ World Series triumphs and other World Series appearances:
I thought it intriguing that the Red Sox and Dodgers have only met once before in the World Series, with Boston winning it all in 1916 against the then-Brooklyn Dodgers. Look at how many times the Yankees and Dodgers met in the Series.
Code:
Dodgers’ Six World Series Championships (1955, 1959, 1963, 1965, 1981, 1988)
Year Series Dodger Manager
1988 LA Dodgers 4 vs. Oakland A's 1 Tommy Lasorda
1981 LA Dodgers 4 vs. NY Yankees 2 Tommy Lasorda
1978 NY Yankees 4 vs. LA Dodgers 2 Tommy Lasorda
1977 NY Yankees 4 vs. LA Dodgers 2 Tommy Lasorda
1974 Oakland A's 4 vs. LA Dodgers 1 Walter Alston
1966 Baltimore 4 vs. LA Dodgers 0 Walter Alston
1965 LA Dodgers 4 vs. Minnesota 3 Walter Alston
1963 LA Dodgers 4 vs. NY Yankees 0 Walter Alston
1959 LA Dodgers 4 vs. Chicago White Sox 2 Walter Alston
1956 NY Yankees 4 vs. Brooklyn Dodgers 3 Walter Alston
1955 Brooklyn Dodgers 4 vs. NY Yankees 3 Walter Alston
1953 NY Yankees 4 vs. Brooklyn Dodgers 2 Charlie Dressen
1952 NY Yankees 4 vs. Brooklyn Dodgers 3 Charlie Dressen
1949 NY Yankees 4 vs. Brooklyn Dodgers 1 Burt Shotton
1947 NY Yankees 4 vs. Brooklyn Dodgers 3 Burt Shotton
1941 NY Yankees 4 vs. Brooklyn Dodgers 1 Leo Durocher
1920 Cleveland 5 vs. Brooklyn 2 Wilbert Robinson
1916 Boston Red Sox 4 vs. Brooklyn 1 Wilbert Robinson