BOSTON — Marshawn Lynch would be proud.
Manny Machado, the superstar turned star heel during the postseason for his choices on the base paths, had just one thing to say Monday afternoon in the State Street Pavilion in Fenway Park: “I’m here to win a World Series.”
He varied the wording a bit, but that was the basic repetitive idea. Machado became the focus of angst for Milwaukee fans during the NLCS, after a couple of questionable slides into second base and then dragging his foot across first baseman Jesus Aguilar’s foot after he was out by a couple steps in Game 5 in L.A.
Machado was greeted by raucous boos every time he stepped out of the dugout at Miller Park. He was asked if it might be nice not to hear the same level of booing at Fenway during the first two games of the World Series.
“We’re in the World Series, man,” he said with a smile. “It doesn’t get any better than this, honestly. We’ll go out there, step on the field. We’ve worked our butts to get here. It doesn’t get any better.”
Manny Machado's interview session, summed up in 14 seconds ... pic.twitter.com/siX38PU6sf
— Ryan Fagan (@ryanfagan) October 22, 2018
Thing is, Machado isn’t exactly a favorite here in Boston, either.
In April 2017, Machado — then still with the Orioles, obviously — slid over the bag at second and into the leg of Boston veteran Dustin Pedroia. The fan favorite missed a week of action after the incident. Machado was asked about that Monday, too.
“I’m here to win a World Series ring,” Machado said. “I’m playing in the World Series. Can’t get any better than this.”
He was asked a follow-up question, if he heard anything from Red Sox fans in his subsequent trips to Fenway.
“I’m here to win a World Series,” Machado said. “I’m excited to be here with my team. I’m excited to be here with the Dodgers. We’ve got one goal, which is to win, and we’re not going to stop until we get it.”
That slide led to an extended “disagreement” between the Red Sox and Orioles, and included Chris Sale — the starting pitcher for the Red Sox in Game 1 — throwing a pitch behind Machado. He was asked about that Monday, too.
“We have bigger things to worry about now on both sides, on their side and on our side,” Sale said. “We’re dedicated to winning this World Series and bringing a championship to our city. We're not worried about any individual player. We've got one thing in mind and that's winning.”
Machado answered other questions with actual answers, questions about the adjustment of being traded for the first time in his career, about his improvement defensively as a shortstop.
But the other, more pointed questions? He stuck to the script, with a side of baseball cliches as a bonus. It was impressive, making both Marshawn Lynch and Crash Davis proud in the same interview session.
“You’re not in your territory, so you’re going to hear it regardless,” he said, asked about if he expects to hear a few boos. “We’re going to go out there and compete, we’re going to try and win a ring and try to leave it all on the field. We’re playing a very good ballclub on the other side, and we’re going to need all 27 outs, all our attention on the game. We’ll just go out there and play.”
Asked if that gives him an edge: “Playing baseball? I love playing baseball.”
Asked, differently, if that gives him an edge: “I love playing baseball. I love my game. I love what I do. I love what I do. I can’t get enough of it. I’m in the World Series. It doesn’t get any better than this.”
You get the picture. Machado wasn’t adding any fuel to the fire on interview day. Will that change when the World Series starts Tuesday and Machado once again roams the base paths?
