We are now 149 games into the 2008 baseball season. Where has the summer gone? And as the last 3 game set at Tampa Bay starts tonight, the Sox have a chance to leave on Wednesday with the division lead.
OK. First things, first. The Rays are good. I’m sure we’ve all come to grips with that a long time ago. They just play good baseball centered around solid pitching and defense. When you have good starting pitching, you have a chance to succeed even if you have a so-so offense.
The big question in my mind is how do the Sox win the prize - a World Series title. Do they call of the dogs right now, rest some regulars, and line up the pitching for the playoffs? Or do they go the division title? What to do…what to do? Here’s my thoughts:
Papelbon needs a breather
He’s worked 4 of the last 6 games and he’s not looking so dominant. Limit his outing the last couple of weeks. Certainly no back-to-backs. Winning in October means Paps needs to be lights out.
Sox need to take the division lead by the end of the week
If they don’t leave Tampa Bay with at least a share of the division lead (and they need to simply take 2 of 3 to do so), it’s probably time to fold their cards and get the team ready for October. Tampa Bay follows up the sox series with a 4 games against Minnesota - a team fighting for their playoff lives. Next week, they’ll be beating up on Baltimore and Detroit. If we lost the Rays series, the AL east crown will be their to lose.
Meanwhile, it looks like we effective broke the spirit of Toronto over the weekend, so there’s not much resistance for the Sox after the Rays series.
Real importance of winning this series
It’s the fact that we haven’t won in Tampa Bay all year. No way do we want to be thinking of that going into the playoffs
Real importance of winning the AL East
Not having to play Anaheim in the first round. They’ve been killing us all year. Having to beat Anaheim and Tampa Bay without home field advantage just to get to the World Series is a tall order. By winning the east, Sox can avoid that.
One Comment
My Thoughts:
1. lowell should sit down for the rest of the year until playoff time.
2. management should tell drew he needs to figure out now if he’ll be able to play or else he’ll be off the roster for the first series.
3. Lester should not be allowed to go over 100 pitches for the rest of the reg season.
4. Sox should line-up Beckett and Lester for games one and two of the first series.
5. Not afraid of playing in TB during the playoffs. They haven’t lost there b/c of the great Rays crowd. They just haven’t won there b/c the Rays have found a way to win there.
6. Pap will be fine.
7. A little scared of a vision I had last night after watching Lowell try to run and seeing him cheat way in on third to prevent all of the players from bunting on him for hits…World Series…game on the line…dribbler down the third baseline…Lowell can’t get his glove down in time b/c the hip is too stiff…and that’s the ballgame… BB 2.0..most likely if we play the cubs or mets…
8. Being excited Manny R is playing for your team is sort of like telling yourself the slutty girl you are dating was only like that with other guys…you’re different..she’s changed now that she’s met you…
9. Wish I lived on the West Coast during he payoffs…games going until 2am are not fun.