The first step for the Boston Red Sox in David Ortizs final postseason begins with a familiar foe in Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona, who managed Big Papi to his first two World Series titles in 2004 and 2007. Who has the edge when the Red Sox-Indians ALDS matchup starts in Cleveland on Thursday night??Go inside the numbers and matchups that will decide Game 1, and then go to the bottom of the page and vote for which team will win.Inside the pitching matchupWhen Porcello is on the mound: ?The Red Sox acquired Porcello from the Tigers for Yoenis Cespedes after the 2014 season, signed him to an $82.5 million extension ... and he promptly tanked in 2015, going 9-15 with a 4.92 ERA. Its been a different story in 2016; hes perhaps the Cy Young favorite after going 22-4 with a 3.15 ERA in a career-high 223 innings.What led to the improvement? Porcellos strikeout rate is only 1 percent higher than last year, and while he did cut his walk rate to a career low, an ESPN stat we monitor called hard-hit average says Porcello basically gave up the same percentage of hard-hit balls: 15.5 percent in 2016 versus 14.4 percent in 2015. His batting average on balls in play, however, was dramatically lower, dropping from .333 to .269. He stranded more runners.Porcello is known for his two-seam sinker, and Red Sox pitching coach Carl Willis has said Porcello got too reliant on his four-seam fastball but went back more to his two-seamer. ESPN data says he cut his fastball percentage from 47.6 percent last year to 21.1 percent and increased his sinker rate from 18.5 to 40.6 percent. Porcello also said he was getting off-balance over the rubber last year, which led to rushing his lower half and creating command issues.Anyway, his sinker isnt conventional, because he throws it in the middle of the strike zone, not down at the knees or below, relying more on movement than location. Thats one reason hes not an extreme ground-ball pitcher -- hes about league average in that regard. In fact, he had the lowest ground-ball rate of his career at 44 percent. Beyond that, what makes him tough is that he also has a changeup, curveball and slider and throws them all from 12-14 percent of the time. His highest strikeout rate with any pitch actually came on his four-seamer, so hell often pitch backward, starting off with the sinker or breaking balls and then climbing the ladder with the fastball. --?David SchoenfieldWhen Bauer is on the mound: Corey Kluber strained a groin in his final start, so the Indians will give Bauer the ball in the opener, with Kluber getting an extra day of rest and starting Game 2. Bauer actually began the season in the Indians bullpen and didnt start until April 30, after Carlos Carrasco got injured for the first time. Bauer had a nice 10-start stretch through early July when he posted a 2.42 ERA, but he wasnt able to maintain that level and finished with a 4.26 ERA, including 6.39 in September.Bauers issue has always been command. He led the AL in walks in 2015 and ranked seventh this year. Whats at odds here is that Bauer does throw a high percentage of pitches in the strike zone: Porcello was first in this area among qualified starters, but Bauer ranked 19th. Even when he gets to three balls, he ranks 13th in zone rate. The problem is that he gets to too many three-ball counts. He also has the second-highest walk rate when he has two strikes.Bauer pitches off a fastball that averages 93.2 mph, preferring to work middle-away to both lefties and righties. He works up in the zone with the fastball, which has led to a .447 slugging percentage allowed on the pitch. He adds a curveball, cutter and changeup, with the curveball his go-to wipeout pitch -- batters hit .134/.145/.221 with a 45 percent strikeout rate against it. If Bauer can get to curveball counts, he can be tough. If not, it usually means hes walking batters and theyre sitting on his fastball. -- SchoenfieldPlayer in the spotlightDavid Ortiz. Can he top his regular season? Ortiz wasnt quite as dominant away from Fenway, but he still hit .295/.372/.556 on the road. He also slugged .665 against right-handed pitchers, and in six games against the Indians he hit .458 with four home runs. Small sample size: Hes 4-for-5 off Bauer with two doubles and a home run. ?-- David SchoenfieldWhat will decide Thursday nights gameCan the Indians jump on the first pitch? Porcello threw pitches in the strike zone on 57.9 percent of his first pitches, the 9th-highest rate in the majors. Opponents had a .384 BA in at-bats ending with the first pitch, which was 44 points above league average among qualified pitchers. The Indians hit 40 HR on the first pitch, tied for 5th most in MLB. ? --?ESPN Stats & InfoChoosing sides: Who will win?What, you think now is a good time to pick against Rick Porcello? Bostons unexpected Cy Young candidate might lose in the postseason, but it wont be Thursday night. The vaunted Red Sox offense will make certain of it against Trevor Bauer, who began the season in the bullpen. The Sox got to Bauer for four runs on eight hits in five innings earlier this season. That would be more than enough support for Porcello. -- Scott LauberThe Red Sox are going to swipe home field in Game 1. Going against history, Sox starter Rick Porcello will have his way with Indians slugger Carlos Santana. Santana has blistered Porcello in the past with 12 hits in 41 at-bats (.293), including three homers. However, Porcello will continue his bounce-back, maybe Cy Young-worthy year by pitching Boston to an opening-game victory, and it will start by controlling the Tribes power-hitting leadoff man, Santana. ?-- Andrew MarchandWhere the series standsId argue that Game 1 is more important for the Red Sox, since you might give the pitching edge to the Indians in Game 2, assuming Kluber is healthy and given David Prices struggles in the postseason in his career. The Red Sox averaged 4.95 runs on the road versus 5.89 at home, and keep in mind that Sox closer Craig Kimbrel struggled with walks his final few regular-season appearances. ?--?Schoenfield Borussia Dortmund Alexander Isak Jersey . Thats not a comment on the suspension that banished the Portland Winterhawks general manager and coach from his Western Hockey League teams bench for most of the 2012-13 season. Borussia Dortmund Roman Burki Jersey .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. http://www.cheapborussiadortmundjersey.com/?tag=borussia-dortmund-dzenis-burnic-jersey .ca! Kerry, Two nights after the Scott-Eriksson incident in Buffalo, the Bruins returned home to play San Jose. In that game, Zdeno Chara put a check on Tommy Wingels that clearly targeted his head. Borussia Dortmund Marius Wolf Jersey . -- Josh Sterk scored once and set up two more as the Oshawa Generals edged the visiting Belleville Bulls 3-2 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. Borussia Dortmund Jerseys Outlet .J. -- Marshawn Lynch said Thursday it will be good to get back to football after the Seattle quiet talking running back wrapped up his final mandatory media session of Super Bowl week. Andy Murray has hinted that Nick Kyrgios may need a psychologist to help purge his mental demons after the mercurial tennis ace departed Wimbledon in a state of shock.The coachless Kyrgios admitted he didnt know who to turn to after Murray thrashed him in straight sets in a fourth-round mismatch on Monday.One of Kyrgioss closest locker-room allies, Murray said the 21-year-old undoubtedly needed help of some sort after owning up to a mental meltdown on centre court.Its about finding the right people to help you with different things, Murray said after his brutal 7-5 6-1 6-4 win.For some, it may be a coach. For some, it might be a psychologist. Sometimes it might be speaking to family about stuff. Theres not one way of tackling it.But if you want to continue to get better, then you speak and listen to as many people as you can and take onboard the things you think will help you.But everyones different in terms of how they improve and address their problems.Murray, who has now beaten Kyrgios at all four grand slams over the past 18 months while conceding just one set, didnt win his first major title until he was 25 and said time was on the Australians side.But the world No.2 warned Kyrggios to knuckle down and control his side of the net.ddddddddddddYou cant always control what your opponents doing or how your opponents playing, Murray said.But you can apply yourself to every single point and fight for every point, dont give up any cheap games or anything like that.Murray, who has burned through a succession of coaches during his similarly turbulent career, admitted it wasnt easy for tennis players to build the right team around them.Especially its hard because youre responsible for the team thats around you, he said.In a way, youre in charge because youre the one thats funding it, paying it.Sometimes some people might be telling you what they think they want you to hear rather than what you really need to hear.When youre young, it isnt that easy to make those decisions.Sometimes if you dont think someone on your team is doing something right, when youre 19, 20 years old, to tell someone who is 40: `Actually, you know, I think you could be pushing me, I dont like it when you do this, that takes time to learn how to do that.Its not easy. 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