A rare and precious commodity, the launchers. They are the first defenders of the team in the game in baseball. The starters are the ones who take responsibility for starting the game and taking it as far as possible, limiting the opponent’s attack as much as possible. Then come the reliefs, the ones that often come in when the game is in the balance or is decided in the final innings. To analyze a win or a defeat, we start first of all with the performance of the pitchers. In this World Series 2021, pitchers will be even more important. Atlanta and Houston are not playing in ideal conditions, given the injuries that have taken away key players like Morton (Braves) and McCullers (Astros).
In the rotation they will actually play with one less man. And this will weigh on the reliefs that will be called to a super job. With so many doubts about the physical and mental fit for a role that demands so much. It is one of the most interesting aspects of the challenge that resumes tonight at 1.30 in race 3 (live on Sky Sport Uno and Action). Meanwhile, to launch tonight will be two rookies, two kids: Ian Anderson for Atlanta and Luis Garcia for Houston. The first was more positive in the postseason, but the second was less, but he had the attributes to make his best match in Game 6 against Boston, the race that brought Houston to the World Series. Anderson and Garcia play a lot in a key game of the series like Game 3, the match that will give them an edge in this final. Speaking of advantage, Atlanta plays the next three games at Truist Park, in its stadium and in front of its fans. Both teams will now have to abide by National League rules, i.e. play without the designated hitter.
The pitcher must also go to bat, he cannot be replaced by another hitter who only takes turns in attack and is not then deployed in defense. It could be the last time. Among the reforms that the MLB is studying and may soon introduce is also the extension of the designated hitter rule to the National League (now used only by the American League). Tonight, if the two finalists want to keep players like Alvarez (Astros) and Soler (Atlanta) in the lineup, they will also have to field them in defense and someone will have to start from the bench. Atlanta and Houston reunite tonight, after a day off that certainly served to catch our breath before throwing everything left over after a 162-game season and a wearing postseason month of October on the diamond. In baseball it is often said that the title is won in the fall by those who manage to survive and arrive in the best conditions. It’s an elimination race, MLB baseball.
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