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October 22, 2008
Zimmer vs. the Phanatic ......It's World Series time!!
Phillies and Rays.
Phillies and Rays!
Phillies and Rays?
It’s the World Series that Americans have been calling for since the start of the postseason, right?
Did anyone really want Red Sox vs. Dodgers? Red Sox vs. Cubs? Cubs vs. Angels?
OK, so maybe this is not quite what baseball fans across America were clamoring for over the past three weeks – well besides ultimate Rays fan Chip Caray - but for once we have a World Series that’s all about baseball.
Subplots, circus sideshows, combustible owners who spout off at the mouth at a moments notice are nowhere to be found in this year.
There will also be no:
- Manny vs. Red Sox Nation
- Joe bringing Dodger Blue back East to try and restore glory to the franchise.
- Tortured franchises like the Chicago Cubs trying to end 100 years of misery.
Nope.
This series is all about what will transpire over the next four-to-seven games on baseball diamonds in St. Petersburg, Fla. and Philadelphia.
In 15 games between the two teams over the years, the Rays actually have a 10-5 advantage – BUT, all of those games came before they shed the “Devil” label.
Can they enjoy the same success without it – especially playing in a city where fans once threw batteries at J.D. Drew in right field and booed Santa Claus?
The team from hell meets the fans from hell. Do I sense a sub plot?
Nah. As far as I can tell about the only thing these two teams could possible wage a war over besides being the best team in baseball for 2008 is which one is the biggest loser – and I’m not talking about which 25-man roster lost the most weight over the summer.
In 2007, the Phillies became the first professional franchise to lose 10,000th games.
In 1998, the Rays became a professional franchise and have spent almost their entire existence as AL East doormats – only once finishing out of last place with a 70-win campaign in 2004 before this season.
Wow, a century of losers vs. a decade of losers meeting in the World Series – sounds great huh?
Actually, both teams are more than worthy of playing for a world championship.
The Phillies have one of the best top-five batting orders in the game with shortstop Jimmy Rollins in the lead-off slot, Chase Utley at No. 3 and soon-to-be NL MVP Ryan Howard batting cleanup. Throw in a rising young ace in Cole Hamels and perfect closer in Brad Lidge, and you got the makings of a good ball club.
The Rays counter with a lineup that includes Bossman Junior Upton in the two-hole followed by four-time castoff Carlos Pena and rookie sensation Evan Longoria in the heart of the order.
Tampa also has a starting rotation with five 10-game winners – none of whom are over 30 - and a rookie wild card in David Price, who went from No. 1 pick last season to possibly the team’s closer for the biggest series in franchise history,
You have one team loaded with young stars meeting another team loaded with young stars – sounds like an intriguing series to me.
Hmm, maybe this series is not so bad after all.
So now the big question is who is going to win it all?
Working the Rays’ favor are:
1. Better overall starting pitching.
2. A more complete batting order 1-9.
3. The larger media guide (an enormous 576 pages compared to 400 from the Phillies).
4. Don Zimmer.
5. Rays behind the outfield wall.
The Phillies counter with:
1. More established hitters like Howard and Utley.
2. A stronger bullpen.
3. Better stadium concessions.
4. The Philly Phanatic.
5. One of the best nicknames for a minor league team: Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs
Paxton’s pick: Phillies in 6.
Posted by Bill on 1:27 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 10, 2008
A look at the ALCS
Red Sox vs. Rays, Part II – The postseason
You have to wonder what would drive the Steinbrenner brothers more mad, this Sox-Rays series or the Red Sox and Dodgers meeting in the World Series?
The defending champion Sox can’t afford the luxury to look ahead though with the pesky Rays on the slate in the ALCS. (Editor's note: I also like the Phillies to beat L.A. in six games).
All summer long people waited for Tampa Bay to realize it was Tampa Bay and revert back to the good old days of “Devil Rays” baseball.
No such luck.
These Rays have one thing going for them that previous Tampa Bay teams never did – good pitching. And if we’ve learned anything about baseball in recent years, its pitching wins championships and it will be the key to who emerges in this series.
All five starters won at least 10 games - James Shields (14-8), Andy Sonnanstine (13-9), Matt Garza (11-9), Edwin Jackson (14-11), Scott Kazmir (12-8) – during the regular season.
However, none of the scheduled starters for Tampa Bay – Jackson will be in the bullpen - for this series have been exactly Sox killers this season.
Sonnanstine has the best numbers in the group with a 0.00 ERA over 13 innings, but has no decisions for his effort.
As for the great myth that Kazmir owns the Sox, guess again. In 18 innings against Boston this year, the former Met has an 0-2 record and 9.00 ERA.
Shields earns the nod for the Rays tonight and has a 2-2 with a 5.85 ERA in four games against the Red Sox this season.
The bullpen has been solid as a rock for the Rays with Dan Wheeler (13 saves, 3.12 ERA), Grant Balfour (6-2, 1.54 ERA) and lefty J.P. Howell (6-1, 2.22 ERA) being the anchors. Closer Troy Percival (28 saves, 4.53 ERA) has been in and out of the lineup, but the Rays have been fine either way.
If I were sold on Josh Beckett being healthy, than the Sox would seem to have at least the edge in starting pitching going into the series. But, Beckett has been inconsistent all season and finished at 12-10 with a 4.03 ERA. He was 2-1 with a 2.06 ERA against the Rays.
Jon Lester has emerged as the staff ace (16-6, 3.21 ERA) and has been the hammer in the postseason (1-0, 0.00 ERA in two games). He has also owned the Rays with a 3-0 record and 0.90 ERA in three starts
Even Game 1 starter Daisuke Matsuzaka has faired well vs. Tampa with a 1-0 record and 3.00 ERA over 15 innings. Only Game 4 starter Tim Wakefield has really struggled with a 0-2 mark and 5.87 ERA.
Boston’s bullpen has been a sore spot all season. Closer Jonathan Papelbon (41 saves, 2.34 ERA) can finish the job, but getting through the seventh and eighth inning has been the hard part for the Sox.
Rookie Justin Masterson (6-5, 3.16 ERA) has helped build a bridge to Pap, but the Sox need Hideki Okajima, Manny Declarmen and Javier Lopez to step up. Okajima and Lopez did against the Rays during the regular season, combining to pitch 151/3 scoreless innings.
Hitters to watch: Red Sox – David Ortiz (.235, 0 HR, 1 RBI in four postseason games), Dustin Pedroia (.059, 0 HR, 1 RBI), Kevin Youkilis (.222, 0 HR, 1 RBI); Rays – Carl Crawford (.214, 0 HR, 2 RBIs), Evan Longoria (.267, 2 HRs, 3 RBIs), Carlos Pena (.500, 0 HR, 2 RBIs).
Pitchers to watch: Red Sox – Beckett, bullpen; Rays – Shields, Kazmir, Wheeler.
Key to the series: For Red Sox – Jacoby Ellsbury, Jason Bay and Jed Lowrie all hit over .330 against the Angels, but Boston needs its Big Three to step up; For the Rays – Longoria and Pena drive in the runs, but Tampa needs Akinori Iwamura and Justin Upton to keep setting the table.
Prediction: Red Sox in 6.
Posted by Bill on 10:45 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 1, 2008
A peak at the AL series
Red Sox vs. Angels
The Angels have basically coasted in September with everything locked up. Now they are back to playing for real against the defending champions in what is the best first-round series.
The Sox come into the series beat up, but J.D. Drew and Mike Lowell are expected to be in tonight’s lineup in right field and third base, respectively. Jon Lester has pitched like a staff ace this season, but Josh Beckett has been one of the postseason greats during his career and has two World Series rings to show for it. With a shaky bullpen, both need to shine – especially Beckett who won’t pitch until Game 3 due to a strained side muscle.
Boston has learned to live without Manny Ramirez around, but you have to wonder if the Angels will work around David Ortiz in the series.
The Angels look like the team to beat with sluggers like Vlad Guerrero, Mark Teixeira and Torii Hunter in the lineup to go with a strong pitching staff. But, Vlad has been a dud in 60 postseason at-bats with a .183 average and has a bad knee.
On the mound, L.A. has three double-digit winners going in John Lackey (12-5), Ervin Santana (16-7) and Joe Saunders (17-7). The bullpen is sound and Francisco Rodriguez posted a major league-record 62 saves.
Hitters to watch: Red Sox – Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, Lowell; Angels – Chone Figgins, Hunter, Garret Anderson.
Pitchers to watch: Red Sox – The bullpen needs to do its job to get to Jonathan Papelbon in the ninth. Angels – Lackey, who lost Game 1 to the Sox last year, and Saunders.
Key to the series: Boston needs to win at least one game in L.A. and be able to roll out Drew, Lowell and Beckett.
Prediction: Red Sox in 4.
White Sox vs. Rays
The Old vs. the Young series with the veteran White Sox looking to carry over the momentum from a three-game win streak into battle with the Cinderella Rays.
Chicago lives and dies by the long ball, but is without one of its top boppers in Carlos Quentin (36 homers, 100 RBIs) due to a wrist injury. No too worry, Jim Thome, Paul Konerko, Jermaine Dye and rookie Alexei Ramirez all hit at least 20 homers in the regular season.
The key for the White Sox will be surviving Game 1 with Javier Vazquez as the starter before being able to use their Big Three of Mark Buehrle, Gavin Floyd and John Danks.
All season long people expected the Rays to falter in the American League East, but the kids hung in there and went on to win their first division title. Balance was a key got Tampa Bay, which relied on good young starters, a balanced offense and manager John Maddon’s steady hand to reach its first postseason.
Despite injuries to key players like Evan Longoria, Carlos Pena and Carl Crawford during the season, the Rays never faltered. One of the main reasons is all five starters won 10 or more games: James Shield (14-8), Andy Sonnanstine (13-9), Matt Garza (11-9), Edwin Jackson (14-11), Scott Kazmir (12-8).
Hitters to watch: White Sox – Thome, Dye, Ramirez. Rays – Pena, Longoria, Cliff Floyd.
Pitchers to watch: White Sox – Chicago’s bullpen, besides closer Bobby Jenks, needs to get some outs; Rays – Scott Kazmir, the Game 2 starter. Kazmir has a habit of throwing too many pitches in the early and not being able to last more than five innings
Key to the series: Sox’s Big Three in the rotation. Buehrle, Floyd and Danks can carry the team in a short series.
Prediction: White Sox in 5.
Posted by Bill on 4:03 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
