From The Phillies Room to Section 36

You probably read Jim’s recent write up about the yearly purge that went his way from here at Section 36. As a way to keep my mass of cards more manageable, any non-Red Sox non-star older than 10 years needs a new home. The Phillies cards find their way to the Phillies Room. (Does anyone want to claim another team?) in return, Jim was nice enough to send a package my way. Here’s what I found inside.

The first thing I noticed is this great 2019 Phillies schedule. Come November, it will be fun to have this item from the team the Red Sox defeat in the World Series. For a while, the Phillies would send me a schedule. Apparently buying one set of tickets was enough to get on their mailing list for season ticket promotional mailings. Always seemed odd to send a season ticket brochure hundreds of miles away. But I enjoyed the schedule, just like this one. Plus, since the Sox play the Phillies this year, it’s practically a Red Sox collectible.

This is a great collection of recent Red Sox inserts. I like how the Moncada has five pictures of him on the card, each showing one of the “five tools”. It’s the kind of commitment to the theme that is missing in a lot of insert sets. Like the Zporcrllo next to him. I have no idea what that card is even trying to do.

This card of Andrew Benintendi is one that makes me question my collecting. Is this a card? A small display piece? Something else? Either way, it’s welcomed in my collection.

Speaking of Benintendi, one of his cards leads off the “Heritage” portion of the post. These four cards are chrome versions. The ‘Tendi is a different color than the other three. I’m not knowledgeable enough to know why. But, ‘Tendi is numbered so that’s cool.

More Heritage! The entire Red Sox set, in fact. Were these pictures taken during Spring Training 2018? Is that why mid-season acquisition Steve Pearce didn’t get to pose in front of the hedge?

A couple inserts of Red Sox MVP candidates. They're definitely "Performers". Not sure if they're "New Age".

Red Sox all-stars. Hard to argue with this trio. I really like the look of this subset.

League Leaders! You know what the best part about these cards is? Not a Yankee in sight. I hate having to add Yankees to my collection because they happened to finish a distant third in some statistic.

The playoffs! What a wonderful collection of cards celebrating the ALCS defeat of the Astros. Who would have predicted that such a subset would include two cards of Jackie Bradley Jr, but both honoring his bat. Love the card of Benintendi with the risky all-out catch.

Just look at those beauties! I keep going back and forth as to whether to put the Muncy in my Red Sox binder. Obviously, he's not a Red Sox player...and it's celebrating a Red Sox loss. But, feels weird to break up the set. Thoughts?

We'll end this post with the best card in the package, and in the entire Heritage set. No wonder Topps chose it as number one.

So huge thanks to The Phillies Room for the fantastic package. 

I'll be sure to check that schedule to see what dates the Phillies will be losing to the Red Sox!

The Boston Red Sox are the World Champions!

For the first time in five years!

What a feeling. What a game. What a team!

There's so much that can and should be said about this team that I can't cover it all right now. (But, don't you worry I will at some point.) There are some things, though, that just need to be talked about now. Like last night's clinching game.

I've often said that the definition of “clutch” as “late and close” is somewhat misleading. There can be clutch home runs prior to the seventh inning. Steve Pearce proved that last night. His home run three batters into the game did more than give the Red Sox a first inning lead. It was crushing to the soul of theDodgers. They're in an elimination scenario. They have their ace on the mound, so they at least have some hope. Then, bam, they're down two runs before fans have found their seats. If there's a way to lose a game before it starts, that was it. A one-hundred percent clutch “here we go again” home run in the top of the first inning. Incredible.

Speaking of clutch first inning home runs, the Dodgers tried to get one of their own when they led off their game with a home run on the first pitch. (Thereby making Pearce’s home run even more clutch looking back.) That, of course, could have been crushing for the Sox. A momentum shift to be sure. And, admit it, part of you wondered if it was going to rattle Price. OK, all of you wondered if it would rattle Price. But, it didn’t. New Price didn't let it get to him, and just shut the door on the Dodgers without allowing another run. This isn't your father’s David Price.

Or, what about the “triple” to right field that JD Martinez lost in the sky? That was going to be it, right? A guy who was in the lineup only for his bat, which had been missing for a while, makes a mistake like that. Once again, fans were probably thinking that was it. It was Buckner in there for his bat costing the team with his glove. And specifically for Price, you could almost see it in his head. “I'm finally pitching well, and he does THAT!?!?” Another perfect opportunity to unravel. The odds failing Price again. But, no. He retired the next two batters, and left the guy standing at third base. Two chances to fall apart turned into two chances for Price to simply stand up taller instead.

The key bats returned just in time. We had been wondering where Mookie and JD were hiding. They had allowed the bottom of the order to do a lot of the heavy lifting this far. But, they came back with a key home run each late in the game. Key for a couple reasons. For one, in a clinching game you can never have too many insurance runs. Make it as easy as possible on the bullpen to close out the game. But personally too, it was nice to see them chip in. Mookie didn't end the series going 0-15 or whatever. He hit a key home run in the clincher. That has to feel good, and makes his stat sheet look more respectable. I am especially glad in his case, since it looked like he was coming around, and hitting the ball harder. It would have been too bad if he ran out of time before he found his swing again. JD looked more lost at the plate. But it was still nice to have him end on such a positive. Next year, they'll have something to build on.

After Price’s magnificent start, the game was turned over to another new pitcher, “Playoff Joe Kelly”. Kelly continued his newly remembered dominance and struck out the side. Amazing.

The last inning was handled by Chris Sale. So, apparently he was healthy after all. I was worried that the ball would go to Craig Kimbrel. While he had rediscovered his dominance, in his outing during game four he looked TIRED! I was afraid he would get to close out the game because he “deserved” to close, even if he wasn’t the right guy at the time. After all, he probably had pretty good numbers in Cora’s binder. But, Cora actually played this one by ear. (Unless Sale’s numbers were even better, which is possible.) He slammed the door by striking out the side himself. He even created the best finishing moment since Papelbon levitated with his hands on his head. The image of Manny Machado falling to a knee after being embarrassed by the pitch pretty much summed up the series for him and the Dodgers.

So the best regular season team is the best playoff team as well. It was an amazing ride through an incredible season and I can’t wait to keep talking about it in the months to come.

What was your favorite moment?

Trade Deadline Deals

Remember when everyone was pretty annoyed with Dave Dombrowski at the trade deadline? Everyone insisted that the Red Sox needed bullpen help. Like really needed bullpen help. But, Dombrowski didn't listen. He traded to fill in some other holes instead. Nathan Eovaldi and Steve Pearce were added to the team to help out. A good bat off the bench, and a great tweener starter who might just help the bullpen in the playoffs. Pearce has been every bit of that, including hitting the go ahead home run in a crucial game three last night. Eovaldi got the start and the win last night. He's been the Red Sox most consistent and effective starter in the playoffs. He's even been able to help the bullpen after all. Because he took over the third starter role, Rick Porcello has been able to pitch the eighth inning in two Red Sox victories.

Oh, and the big bullpen arm that the Astros picked up? He gave up five runs, including a grand slam, after hitting consecutive batters in the eighth inning to blow the game wide open.

It's almost like Dombrowski knows what he's doing.

So the Red Sox now sit having taken back home field advantage. The pressure is now all on the Houston Astros. There are two more games in Texas, and the Red Sox really only need to win one of those to put a stranglehold on the series. The Astros are pretty much in must-win territory from here on out.

Which gives the Red Sox the luxury of having options. This is especially nice with the health questions with Chris Sale. While I prefer stomach issues to shoulder issues, neither one is great if you’re in a dire situation. But, now the Sox aren't in a terrible spot if Sale is waiting until game six, or even seven, before taking the mound. While you certainly want to win as many games as you can as soon as you can, it's nice to be able to think ahead. So it's good to be on top.

Being on top 3-1 is even better, which is why tonight's game is pretty big on its own. I can only imagine that Rick Porcello will show up huge. He's been on fire this postseason. Since the Red Sox got to Morton when they faced him earlier in the year...without Mookie...I like their chances against him tonight.

Let's see how it goes!