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World Series: The Unlikely Hero Line Forms to the Right

By Steve Contursi

Oct 7, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Corey Kluber (left) talks with catcher Roberto Perez (right) in the first inning against the Boston Red Sox during game two of the 2016 ALDS playoff baseball series at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 7, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Corey Kluber (left) talks with catcher Roberto Perez (right) in the first inning against the Boston Red Sox during game two of the 2016 ALDS playoff baseball series at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /
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A World Series is a brief encounter between two teams into the unknown. Oh sure, we look at all the matchups and we make all these predictions based on the endless supply of statistics that reassure us. But in the end, it’s always some player who does something that doesn’t fit into the mold of what he is supposed to be. Hence, the unlikely hero of a World Series emerges.

If you had looked at the Pittsburgh Pirates lineup for the seventh game of the 1960 World Series, and you knew that one of those players would hit a dramatic home run to win the game and the series, who would you have picked, Roberto Clemente or Bill Mazeroski?

And in the same way, if someone had told you that a Cleveland Indians player would hit two home runs to lead his team to victory in the opener against the Chicago Cubs last night, who would you have picked? Would it be the guy who hit 34 home runs during the regular season or the guy who hit a mere three? Hands down, of course, all of us would have taken Mike Napoli over Roberto Perez – and we would have been wrong.

That’s just the way it always seems to be in the World Series. Oh sure, every once in a while a player who’s supposed to do what he ends up doing steps up and actually does it. Reggie Jackson comes to mind when, on October 18, 1977, he took three swings against the Dodgers and hit three consecutive home runs, each longer than the previous one.

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In fact, last night after the game even Perez appeared mystified by his feat telling the New York Daily News, “I think I’ve never had a night like that. It was huge…I probably hit two mistakes, but I couldn’t believe it.”

Well, you’re in good company, Roberto, because not many of us could believe it either. But we’re all happy that you became the first catcher since Gary Carter in 1986 to hit two home runs in a World Series game.

All in all, you’d have to say that what Perez did last night wasn’t bad for someone who was the 1,011th pick in the 33rd round of the 2008 draft.

But hitting is not the reason why the Indians like him anyway. It’s his ability as a catcher that keeps him in the lineup. Here’s what Corey Kluber had to say about his battery mate last night:

"“It’s almost like he knew what they were looking for. He had them off balance for the majority of the night. Really the only time that they got hits was really when I didn’t execute a pitch. If I did what he asked me to, then it worked pretty well.”"

So, the line for the unlikely hero of Game 2 forms to the right. Wanna take a guess as to who it might be?

Next: 5 Amazing World Series Defensive Plays

Note: In case you haven’t heard, tonight’s game has been moved up to a 7:00 PM ET start due to the threat of rain in the Cleveland area.

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