Chris Sale of FGCU and Naples finishes off Dodgers as Red Sox win World Series
Florida Gulf Coast University's Chris Sale had been a five-time All-Star, but it was obvious his anemic Chicago White Sox weren't ever going anywhere.
Sale, the 13th pick in the 2010 draft following his junior season, was driving up I-75 on Dec. 6, 2016 from his Naples home to sign jerseys for charities and hang out at FGCU when word began trickling that he was going to change Sox. Boston was trading Yoan Moncada, Victor Diaz, Michael Kopech and Alexander Basabe for him.
'I think I've just been traded.'
FGCU program-founding coach Dave Tollett — the only college baseball skipper on the planet to offer a scholarship to the then super-green Lakeland native -- was gobbling some lunch when his phone began vibrating.
"I think I've just been traded," Sale texted Tollett.
Eagles flocked to Sale after he pulled into the parking lot a few minutes later. Pretty much everyone knew what this meant.
"Huge for him," Tollett said. "They gave him a chance that day and he knew that."
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Taking advantage of chances
The skinny, 6-foot-6, 29-year-old lefthander with the unique 3/4 slot delivery who went from total obscurity to All-American at FGCU took advantage.
Although clearly still not fully healthy after spending late-season time on injured reserve due to shoulder fatigue, Sale bested Los Angeles ace Clayton Kershaw, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, in Tuesday night's Game 1 in Boston before putting the exclamation mark on the Red Sox's fourth World Series this century with the last three outs to close Sunday night's Game 5 Series clincher, 5-1, in California.
In fact, Sale struck out the last three Dodgers, including Manny Machado, who claimed in 2017 Sale hit him on purpose. Machado flailed helplessly at a 1-2 slider that broke so low the batter ended up symbolically, it seemed, on a knee. Red Sox catcher Christian Vazquez ripped off his mask and charged toward Sale, who hoisted him as the other Red Sox spilled onto the field.
Tollett said with a snicker that he was a bit worried about Vazquez "messing up" Sale's shoulder but otherwise was giddy about the perfect ending.
"I was really happy to see him strike out Machado, you can quote that," said Tollett, who would've been at Game 6 for a Sale start in Fenway on Tuesday night had that been necessary. "Slayed him."
Polishing off the Dodgers
Tollett watched Sunday night's game from his San Carlos lanai with friends and family, many of whom had gathered for his son Cal's 21st birthday. It was just Sale's second relief appearance since 2012, but Tollett knew there was a strong chance he'd polish off the Dodgers.
"He said, 'You never know because I'm always in (manager Alex Cora's) ear,'" Tollett said. "Then I saw him in the bullpen and I said, 'He's coming in.' It was so exciting. I said, 'All right, let's go.'
"I could see the emotions. ... He was excited. I'll never forget it."
When it was over, Tollett texted Sale.
Tollett: "I'm so happy for you. Way to freakin' deal. My favorite pitcher. Congratulations. You are a World Series champion."
Sale: "Thanks, Toe. Unreal feeling."
An ASUN Hall of Famer, Sale, who has a career ERA of 2.89 with 1,789 strikeouts against 337 walks, also got a big assist in the huge Game 4 comeback in Los Angeles on Saturday night. With the Red Sox trailing 4-0 in the sixth inning, Sale screamed at his teammates. Many of them and hitting coach Tim Hyers credited him with the turnaround that led to a stunning 9-6 Boston win.
"I've seen him get on players," Tollett said. "But I've never seen it up there (major leagues)," Tollett said. "But that's the competitor in him. I mean he is a fierce competitor. The thing about him and what I think is so great is that most pitchers will do that when they pitch. He does it when he doesn't pitch. No selfishness involved and I think that speaks volumes.
"I printed it (a photo of Sale yelling) out for our kids to put in the locker room."
'Getting better by the day.'
After the Red Sox beat Houston in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series, 4-1, to advance to the World Series, Tollett and Sale exchanged texts.
Tollett: "You feeling better?"
Sale: "Getting better by the day."
Tollett: "Congratulations. Enjoy the moment."
Sale: "Every second."
Tollett: "Game 1?"
Sale: "Now we go."
Thanks to Sale, of course, Tollett went to Boston along with FGCU baseball booster/donor Mark Wiles for the first two World Series games. They flew out about 6 Tuesday morning on a flight also occupied by former Barron Collier major-league pitcher Chris Resop, whose last minor league deal in 2014 was with Boston. Even at dark-thirty, the plane was full of chanting Red Sox fans, Tollett said.
Former Sale FGCU teammates Richie Erath and Mikel Alvarez also would catch those first two World Series games.
While Sale (12-4 with a 2.11 ERA and 237 strikeouts this season) was prepping for the biggest outing of his life -- Game 1 of the World Series -- Tollett looked around Boston and bumped into Peter Gammons, the former Boston Globe reporter and columnist who works for the MLB Network and MLB.com.
"He said Chris Sale intrigues him more than any pitcher in the big leagues," Tollett said. "He was really inquisitive about Sale and his roots. He said, 'You know, I followed this guy in the Cape Cod League and he was the best pitcher there.' It was really, really neat."
As always, Sale hit the field late — about 7:50 for the 8:09 start — for the real-deal warm-ups.
"When he came out, the place just erupted," said Tollett, beaming.
Sale air knuckle-bumped at Tollett.
"That made me feel good," Tollett said. "We have a very special bond."
Tollett has been on hand for quite a few Sale starts, especially now that he attends spring training with the Red Sox at Fort Myers' JetBlue Park.
From Southwest Florida to the Big Leagues
"I've seen him pitch in All-Star games and other big games, but I was more nervous for him because you're on the ultimate stage," Tollett said. "There's nothing else going on and every baseball fan in the country is watching that game. And vs. Kershaw.
"I was more nervous because I wanted him to be successful. I knew how much he struggled to get back and help his club, so I really, really wanted him to be really good."
From the archives:MLB: Ex-FGCU star Chris Sale traded to the Boston Red Sox
Sale bested Kershaw, although both were pulled with no outs in the fifth. Sale had a 3-2 lead and seven strikeouts against two walks, while Kershaw had five strikeouts and three walks and gave up seven hits and five earned runs in Boston's 8-4 win.
"I think he threw well, but not up to his standards," Tollett said. "And let me tell you, his standards for himself are just so high. That's just him."
Tollett said he had no idea how healthy Sale was or was not "because he would never tell anybody. He wouldn't tell me that when he pitched here ... 'I'm fine. Give me the ball.'"
Tollett never saw Sale while in Boston on this trip, but he didn't expect to. Instead, they texted after Game 1.
Tollett: "I'm so proud of you. Words cannot express. Congratulations again. Enjoy the moment."
Sale: "Thank you, Coach. That was a lot of fun."
Tollett expects to see Sale soon.
"Yeah, he'll be back as soon as he can pack up and move and get home," Tollett said. "I think he'll really enjoy this off-season. I look forward to seeing him and sitting down and just talking about it."
The Sales made their off-season home in Naples even when he was with the White Sox. After the trade to Boston, though, they really dug in, constructing a custom home. Sale continues to train at Beyond Motion and to spend loads of time at FGCU.
"These guys -- my new coaching staff -- they really didn't know Chris," said Tollett, whose small office walls are plastered with different versions of Sale jerseys. "They see everything hanging up in here and he just plopped in one day last year, brought us lunch. And they did a double-take. A couple of guys walk in and they don't even recognize him. This is a little bit of his get-away."
Ken Kavanagh took over as FGCU athletic director in 2009, so his time with Sale was short. But he's been very appreciative of Sale's FGCU appearances, including attending every single Night at the Nest, the annual fundraiser on which the Eagles so depend.
"For Chris, for what he's gone through with the early part of his career, not having a chance to play on a successful team ... Chris is all about winning," Kavanagh said. "It's not about his statistics. His biggest excitement about going to the Red Sox was having a chance to win a World Series. To see him go out for the ninth inning and to see really what we all are used to -- striking out the side and getting Machado on the last pitch the way he usually makes people look was fun for everybody.
"This is neat for all of Southwest Florida."