The surprise of the year The Tampa Bay Rays have dropped the devil and are on their way to the promised land. They will play the Boston Red Sox on Friday in their first game of the ALCS. These two teams hate each other, and with a long history of feuding and bad blood, how long will it take for things to heat up?
red sox
Key Players: Dustin Pedroia/ Jon Lester
Pedroia, who many have considered for MVP, only had ONE hit for the entire ALDS. During the regular season he hit .326, so if he starts, the Rays’ young arms are going to have even more trouble. Lester’s just off, and he seems to be having the kind of coming-out party Josh Beckett did with Florida in 2003. 22.2 shutout innings in his last postseason starts, unreal.
tampa bay rays
Key Players: BJ Upton/ Grant Balfour
Balfour has been totally off this postseason and helped move the Rays from last in the majors for relief to fifth. He throws with a fire and intensity to match his 96 mph heater. If he can be blocked late in the game, the Rays may need just one run to clinch the series. Upton crushed against the White Sox, but hit a weak .128 against the White Sox during the regular season. If he keeps hitting like that, he’ll watch out for the World Series.
X Factor: Boston’s playoff swagger
Since the curse was broken in 2004, this team has taken on a completely different identity. They become a whole different beast when it comes down to you and them. Lester, Papi’s clutch, Schilling’s sock, Varitek fighting A-Rod and Francona’s excellent management. Even without Manny, they seem to overwhelm the Rays. Can youth surpass wisdom and experience?
X Factor: Tampa Manager Joe Maddon
The man with the cool shades and even cooler demeanor stands at the top of Ray’s pedestal of success. He has taken a team with no expectations, plenty of young talent and no winning record, and made the best win-loss turnaround in MLB history. He shaves his hair to a mohawk, always seems patient and willing to teach his children about mistakes, not scold and tear them down. He acts like he’s been here before and his team does the same. Maddon is already a coach of the year candidate, but if he pulls off this win, it will be played for generations and talked about as one of the most magnificent and unexpected upsets in Major League history.
Prediction
Boston in 7 games, 4-3. The Rays have been called into question, but now they’re closely watched as everyone’s favorite underdog, à la Arizona in 2001, except they’re younger. I think the Rays have a year to go and Boston’s experience pushes their trip to the World Series a little further.
