Sox-Rays Series-- Full Throttle

[Nerf DPOY]

Well, we're in pretty much the same spot as we were heading into last weeks series, except we're playing in a park where we've been winless this year, thus far........

Dice-K vs Kazmir for gm 1

Crisp
Pedroia
Ortiz
Youk
Lowell
Bay
Lowrie
Varitek
Ellsbury

Game2 Beckett v Sonnanstine

Game 3 Wake v Garza ( Garza on 3 days rest)

I am not in the "The Wild Card is fine" camp. I fear the Angels.

[nickagneta]

Dice-K vs Kazmir for gm 1

Crisp
Pedroia
Ortiz
Youk
Lowell
Bay
Lowrie
Varitek
Ellsbury

Game2 Beckett v Sonnanstine

Game 3 Wake v Garza ( Garza on 3 days rest)

I am not in the "The Wild Card is fine" camp. I fear the Angels.

I really hope that this is the lineup that Tito goes with the rest of the way. It's pretty obvious that Drew may very well be gone for the year(big surprise, huh, could never have figured that out by looking at his history). If he is I say stick with this lineup and just switch Ellsbury and Coco depending on who is wielding the better bat at the time. If Drew's offense is going to be gone I want the ultra speedy, great defense outfield that having Ellsbury in right and Coco in center provides.

DiceK and Beckett really need to come up with a couple of gems if the Sox have any chance of taking two of three or sweeping. If the Sox can go 4-2 on this trip, they then come home for 7 in a row while Tampa finishes on the road with 8 in a row where they have lost 7 of the last 10 games they have played away from the Trop.

Sox are going to have to take 2 of 3 and have a strong last home stand to take the division. And I for one have been saying all during the second half that they would. At some point the Sox experience has to start giving them the edge while Tampa starts to tighten up. Of course, it sure didn't look that way in the 3 games at Fenway last week.

[Redz]

Sox are going to have to take 2 of 3 and have a strong last home stand to take the division. And I for one have been saying all during the second half that they would. At some point the Sox experience has to start giving them the edge while Tampa starts to tighten up. Of course, it sure didn't look that way in the 3 games at Fenway last week.

All very much within this teams capabilities.  Bouncing back from the TB series by taking 3 or 4 from an "all guns on deck" Blue Jays squad was pretty impressive.  The Sox are machine like.  They'll churn out their wins.  If Tampa can keep on top, more power to them.

[ma11l]

Same scenario as the last series.  Sox come in with a slim deficit and all the apparent momentum.  Hopefully it works out better for us this time around.  It's going to be tough going into that place and winning.  It doesn't seem right having such a big series in a ballpark that has never really had a significant series played in it.  Hopefully we christen it with 2 or 3 victories.

[Nerf DPOY]

Ortiz with a 3 run shot and Lowell with a solo HR to start things off. That's as good a start as one can reasonably hope for off of Kazmir.

Lowell is supposedly playing with a partial tear in the labrum of his hip. You wouldn't know it on that swing. I also didn't know that hips had labrums, or that people had hips.

[Redz]

Wow!

Big Papi getting home run stroke back would be pretty sweet

[ma11l]

Ball 3 on Pena was the definition of a strike.  That was really an awful, awful call.



Other than that, great start!

[Nerf DPOY]

Kazmir's home ERA was 2.10 heading into the night.

He's allowed 7 earned in 3+

Varitek absolutely CRUSHED that ball.

Edit: 9 er's in 3 + for Kazmir tonight. Did somebody punch him in the head? Self inflicted?

[BigAlTheFuture]

Woahhh. What is that? 6 homers already? We're killin' 'em.

[Redz]

Kazmir had zippo tonight

[hbhsbball15]

truly unfortunate the dicek could only go 5 tonight because of one call by the ump.  Dicek ended up throwing 28 first inning pitches instead of 15 because of an obviously blown call.  That would leave him with 86 after 5 and one more inning in him.

Other than that it pretty much turned into a very meaningful spring training game with both teams emptying their bench after the game was in the books. 

Also we need to keep coco at the top of the lineup.  on base 4 times with 2 runs and being robbed of another hit.

Also on a side note for some reason it always makes me mad to see Dustin make an out.  He is the only player I feel this way with but I just can't stand it.  Oh well...MVPD!!!!

[Redz]

Apparently Wakefield needs a rain storm in order o be effective these days.

[jay_jay54]

Wow!

Big Papi getting home run stroke back would be pretty sweet

You just brought him some good luck Redz

[Redz]

Wow!

Big Papi getting home run stroke back would be pretty sweet

You just brought him some good luck Redz

Yeh, despite the blips against the Rays I really like the way the Sox are shaping up for the playoffs.  Ortiz getting a power stroke back would be really nice of course.

Lowell needs to sit.  It hurts to watch him.  I appreciate the gamer in him, but he needs to rest.

Still...Wakefield's not going to be pitching in the playoffs.  A healthy Beckett and Lester give the Sox a great 1-2 punch for a series, and Dice-K and Byrd at 3&4 should work out just fine.

The Rays are going to be fine in the playoffs too - they've certainly proved to me that they can play a tight game in a big situation and handle it well.  Their closer situation's could end up biting  them in the rear though.  Percival's been hurt all year.  Balfour & Wheeler have done the job, but they're so important to the Rays pen in getting them to the 9th.

[jay_jay54]

Wow!

Big Papi getting home run stroke back would be pretty sweet

You just brought him some good luck Redz

Yeh, despite the blips against the Rays I really like the way the Sox are shaping up for the playoffs.  Ortiz getting a power stroke back would be really nice of course.

Lowell needs to sit.  It hurts to watch him.  I appreciate the gamer in him, but he needs to rest.

Still...Wakefield's not going to be pitching in the playoffs.  A healthy Beckett and Lester give the Sox a great 1-2 punch for a series, and Dice-K and Byrd at 3&4 should work out just fine.

The Rays are going to be fine in the playoffs too - they've certainly proved to me that they can play a tight game in a big situation and handle it well.  Their closer situation's could end up biting  them in the rear though.  Percival's been hurt all year.  Balfour & Wheeler have done the job, but they're so important to the Rays pen in getting them to the 9th.

Ive said it before,the Sox and Rays are closely matched this season,but i think the Sox's experience will prevail in the playoffs.I was hoping they gave Ortiz a little rest(wrist) before the playoffs,but then again it might work aganist him to rest.