Sox-Rays Series

[ma11l]

Tom Brady will dominate the news during the week, however we those of us looking for a diversion we got a great one.  Red Sox vs. Devil Rays in the biggest series of the year up to this point.  The Sox are finally putting together a great stretch of baseball, looking like the defending champs.  The Rays are finally beginning to unravel.  A lost weekend sends them into Fenway on a tailspin.  The stars are also aligning for the Sox with their pitching rotation setting up some nice matchups:

Lester v. Jackson
Dice K v. Kazmir
Beckett v. Sonnanstine

Personally I believe we should get a sweep and the division lead.  I guess I'd settle for 2 out of 3 and continued momentum.  I'm very excited for these upcoming games, it is exactly what us New England sports fans need this week. 


Thoughts?

[Chris]

This is lining up a little too well for the Sox, and when that happens, I always have to assume its not going to go as planned.  My guess is the Rays wake up for one last gasp, and take 2 of 3...but then fall off again, when the rush of playing in a playoff like atmosphere runs out.

[Donoghus]

Sox take tonight and Weds night. 

[klg05]

I think the Sox will do well in this series, but I am a little worried about the two series they have with Toronto.  They have six games left with the Blue Jays who are the hottest team in the league right now. And the Red Sox always seem to have trouble with Toronto.

[nickagneta]

Sox sweep but then have to go to Tampa. They might give it all back then. These teams are Jekyl & Hyde in one another's stadiums this year. Should make for an interesting next week and a half for Sox fans.

[Bankshot]

Isn't it weird that the biggest series so far is Sox/Rays?  and not Sox/Yanks?

Yanks in 4th place! 

[ma11l]

Sox sweep but then have to go to Tampa. They might give it all back then. These teams are Jekyl & Hyde in one another's stadiums this year. Should make for an interesting next week and a half for Sox fans.

The Sox have gotten a little better on the road throughout the year.  I don't know the numbers but the record is definitely improving.  They've struggled there in the past, but I think that they will handle September pressure better than the Rays.  Let's not get ahead of ourselves here though.  One game at a time.

[ma11l]

Man I can't wait for my Bay shirt to come in the mail.  He's quickly reaching my short list of favorites on this team.

[Donoghus]

Chalk Round One up to the Red Sox.

Paps looked filthy in the ninth.

[nickagneta]

Sox sweep but then have to go to Tampa. They might give it all back then. These teams are Jekyl & Hyde in one another's stadiums this year. Should make for an interesting next week and a half for Sox fans.

The Sox have gotten a little better on the road throughout the year.  I don't know the numbers but the record is definitely improving.  They've struggled there in the past, but I think that they will handle September pressure better than the Rays.  Let's not get ahead of ourselves here though.  One game at a time.

All I was trying to say is that both away teams are pretty beatable in the other's stadium and that the home team has won. Every single time this year. If the pattern holds it's possible for two sweeps but I doubt it because you are 100% right. This Red Sox team has been a completely different road team since that sweep out in LA right after the All Star break.

The Sox have played 15-7 ball on the road since that series against the Angels and 28-15 overall in that time. The Sox right now are playing the best ball in the league and Tampa, unfortunately for them, are starting to falter.

A few other guys and I agreed in another thread that this division title would be decided on one two week stretch of ball where one team got hot while the other slumped. It may have only needed to be one week if the Sox hadn't stuck consistently 4 1/2 games back for so long and kept pace.  Now that coincidental slump/hot streak is occurring and it doesn't look good for Tampa.

I wouldn't count them out though. If they go on to face LA as a wild card team, we could be seeing them again in the ALCS. Their a tough team.

[Jon]

And let's remember, while everyone wants to talk about Longoria being out, let's not forget that the Sox are still without Drew.  Plus, Beckett, Daisuke, Papi, Lowell, Youk, Lugo (probably a good thing), and Wakefield have all missed time.  If this team was half as healthy, they'd easily have the best record in baseball by 5 games. 

[MattG12]

And let's remember, while everyone wants to talk about Longoria being out, let's not forget that the Sox are still without Drew.  Plus, Beckett, Daisuke, Papi, Lowell, Youk, Lugo (probably a good thing), and Wakefield have all missed time.  If this team was half as healthy, they'd easily have the best record in baseball by 5 games. 

Lets not forget Colon, Casey, and Aardsma being out, varitek's batting woes, the struggling bullpen, the manny situation. They've been through a lot this year.

[SShoreFan 2.0]

Just got back from the game with Redz!

What a great time - except I dragged his ass out of there in the middle of the eighth, pretty sure he wanted to stick to the bitter end.

Lester was spectacular as was the 1st inning and the weather.  Not sure why so many Sox players insisted on being thrown out at 2nd base tonight though!

1/2 out and the Yanks are in 4th.

sweet

[Redz]

Just got back from the game with Redz!

What a great time - except I dragged his ass out of there in the middle of the eighth, pretty sure he wanted to stick to the bitter end.

Lester was spectacular as was the 1st inning and the weather.  Not sure why so many Sox players insisted on being thrown out at 2nd base tonight though!

1/2 out and the Yanks are in 4th.

sweet

Home safely on the Cape by shortly after 11...No complaints about leaving a wee bit early.

Really solid effort by "the stopper" Jon Lester tonight.

[ma11l]

Chalk Round One up to the Red Sox.

Paps looked filthy in the ninth.

Definitely had the fastball going tonight.  That K pitch to end the 8th was pretty nasty too. 

I feel like throughout the course of a season the closer's contributions can become overlooked.  He is such an incredibly valuable asset come September and hopefully deep into October.