“If my hair were cut, I would lose my strength and be as weak as anybody else.” When Delilah realized that he had told her the truth, she sent a message to the Philistine kings and said, “Come back one more time. He has told me the truth.” Then they came and brought the money with them.Delilah lulled Samson to sleep in her lap and then called a man, who cut off Samson’s seven locks of hair. Then she began to torment him, for he had lost his strength. Then she shouted, “Samson! The Philistines are coming!” He woke up and thought, “I’ll get loose and go free, as always.” He did not know that the Lord had left him.The Philistines captured him and put his eyes out. They took him to Gaza, chained him with bronze chains, and put him to work grinding at the mill in the prison. But his hair started growing back.” – Judges 16
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Why start the World Series Preview with a Biblical story? The 2013 season is coming to an end and a champion will be decided in the next two weeks. I feel the passage above not only tells the tale of Samson and Delilah, it also can relate to Boston. Not only the baseball team, but the entire city as well.
We have seen this match up before in 2004 when the Sox finally broke the Curse of the Bambino. The Sox then went on to win the 2007 World Series. Since then, that group of long haired idiots moved on to other teams and the Sox have been a disappointment. Last year was rock bottom, as their hair was cut and they became an ordinary MLB team without an identity. A major shake up was needed, and players like Jake Peavy, Davis Ross, Shane Victorino and most importantly Mike Napoli were brought in. Slowly the hair started to grow back.
As everyone knows, this city has been through a lot this past year and sports has always been one thing that truly brings people together in incredible ways. We already saw this in Boston with the Bruins fighting for the Stanley Cup but coming up short. It is now the Red Sox turn to show everyone that, like Samson’s hair, a team and a city grew back together.
This will be an evenly matched series, both teams have great pitching staffs who can perform under pressure. The Cardinals are one of the best built teams top to bottom, and they also get 1B/DH Allen Craig back in the lineup at the perfect time. On paper it looks like the Cardinals are set to win this series but that is why we play the games.
The Red Sox will have to send Big Papi out to the play the field this series, that is a big advantage for the Cards. John Farrell needs that bat in the lineup late in the game so it will be interesting to see how/if he uses the double switch with Papi for defensive reasons. These games will come down to the wire and the Rex Sox found a gem in Uehara. How will he handle the World Series pressure? We are about to find out.
This may not be the best match up for the MLB rating but this series will be a battle. Call me a sucker for the dramatic storybook ending, even if it is the Red Sox. Boston is back at the top in 6 games!