Red Sox ALDS recap: Positives and Negatives from Boston's 3-1 series win over Tampa Bay

It is a scene that had taken place twice in the 19 days. A collection of men wearing Red Sox jerseys storming the field and hugging the man who had played an intricate role in this season of redemption and glorious wins that has been 2013. They flooded onto the field hugging Koji Uehara and celebrating Boston's first ALCS berth in 5 seasons. Now while we still do not know who the Sox will face, you can get a good idea for at least some of how this coming series will play out by looking back at what DID happen against the Rays.

Below is a brief look at the positives negatives and the main story-lines of Boston's 3-1 ALDS victory against the Tampa Bay Rays.


David Ortiz Powering Onward - Papi causes distraction for Rays


 Through 4 games in this postseason, David Ortiz is batting .385 with 5 hits and 5 walks in 18 at bats. He has ripped up 3 RBI's and scored 4 times. 2 homers later, David Ortiz turned out to be a driving force in this series and even caused a huge distraction for the entire Rays team.                                                              

 After David Ortiz crushed his second of two homers in Boston's 7-4 Game Two victory at Fenway, reigning AL Cy Yong winner: David Price took to twitter and expressed his displeasure at what he called 'Ortiz' lack of sportsmanship'. Over the brief span that was the next 3 or 4 hours, Price bombarded Twitter with 7 appalling tweets in which he took to stating his resemue in the harshest of ways, "Better question is why do you follow me?? RT @theReal_JonJon: @DAVIDprice14why do you cry and complain about PAPI when he takes you yard?" He said in reaction to a tweet made by a Boston fan.

Price then continued his rant by verbally assaulting TBS commentators: Dirk Hayurst and Tom Verducci. "Dirk Hayhurst…COULDNT hack it…Tom Verducci wasn't even a water boy in high school…but yet they can still bash a player…SAVE IT NERDS" 

Ortiz of course saw this and would eventually solicit a public apology by Price. 

"Last night got out of hand and I apologize for the things that I said on here. … if I offended you I am very sorry for doing so."

Price would not pitch again in the ALDS but Ortiz did continue to play and would accumulate 2 more hits, an RBI and 3 walks before the series concluded. 

But as good as Papi has been, the Sox DH downplayed all praise as much a possible. 

"We have pretty much everybody getting things done," Ortiz said. "It's not just one or two guys. This team has been winning games as a group. We have a lot of teams coming in [saying], 'Oh, don't let Big Papi beat you.' But this ain't all about Big Papi. It's about everybody."

Koji Uehara Shakes off Walk-off Homer and Pitches Well When he is Needed

For Koji Uehara, so much about game 4 of the ALDS was almost identical to the game that clenched Boston's spot as winner of the AL East. On that late September night, Koji was forced to close out a game that still had 6 outs to go. Yet Koji did just what was asked of him recording 6 quick outs and striking out Jed Lawrie to win the East. 

But not all of this series was good for Uehara

With the Red Sox 1 out and 1 strike away from winning game 3 and completing a sweep of the Rays, Uehara left a pitch over the plate and watched in dismay as he allowed just his 6th home run of the season and his 1st since June 30th. The Rays would walk off with the win and questions soon arose surrounding the Boston closer who had been better than any other this season. 

“I mean, he’s human,” reminded catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia. “You guys got to remember he is a human being and things are going to happen. The good thing is he’s able to bounce back. He’s done it all year long. I don’t expect anything different.”

Bounce back he would as just 1 day later he once again came into crucial game all with more than 3 outs to go. With Boston 1 win away from beating the Rays and winning the ALDS, the pressure was on but much like his performance in September, Koji struck out 2 batters, the second K being the one that put Boston into the ALCS.  

There is no doubt about it, Koji Uehara's Game 3 was not of the sort we had come to expect after he retired 37 straight batters back in July, August and September but he would gain redemption in game 4 getting back to basics and doing what so many contemporary pitchers forget to do in this modern MLB. Throw strike 3. 

Red Sox successful in blasting top pitchers 

Through the first two games of this ALDS, the Boston Red Sox bashed 19 runs against Matt More and David Price respectively. 

Those 2 pitchers combined for 27 wins in the 2013 season while allowing a combined ERA of 3.31 in 54 starts. But among the 26 runs they would latter accrue, not all of them came in the most traditional of ways. There were sac flys, sinking line drives but above all, a rather strange score that came off of a wild pitch back in game 4. 

"That's what our team is built on," said Dustin Pedroia when he was asked about that specific score. "We're going to find a way to beat you a thousand different ways. Tonight it was a wild pitch and an infield hit and [Shane Victorino] is flying down the line."

Looking ahead, the looming possibility of the Sox being forced to play the Tigers with Max Schurzer and Justin Verlander in the ALCS their proficiency in scoring against good pitching is truly comferting.