Red Sox Get One More (Last) Chance to Unseat Rays

by Allen Chace on Sep 15, 2008 6:46 AM EDT in Open Thread

All right. Not last chance exactly, but taking 2 of 3 or (can barely think of it) sweeping the Rays would put the Sox in decent position to finish in the division lead. We're on great track for the wild card, and it's worth pondering whether we should be terribly gung-ho for the division crown.

Regardless, one thing is for certain. All of the Rays-Yanks games this weekend were great. Either the Yankees lost, or the Rays lost, every time. I didn't get too caught up in deciding who to root for; I simply rooted for the Sox against the Jays, and was glad every night to see one more in the loss column for either the MFYs or the MFRs.

We enter the series 1 GB, and have Daisuke, Beckett, and Wake going against Kazmir, Sonnanstine, and Garza in that order. Daisuke vs. Kazmir is somewhat of a mismatch in the Rays' favor. Daisuke was again mentioned as a Cy candidate on TBS yesterday afternoon, and may I just say that I was convinced no one at TBS has seen Daisuke pitch this season. Am I the only one who has been frustrated by him just about every time out? Sure he's got the talent to get out of jams, but not getting into them in the first place would be just as good a lot better.

Despite Sonnanstine's great effort against us in the last series, I still think Beckett over Sonnanstine is a fairly safe call to make. Wake v. Garza is a bit harder to gauge. Wake is excellent in domes and at the Trop specifically (1.13 WHIP, 9-2 in 114 IP). Garza has been very impressive this season and is projected to start on three days rest against us on Wednesday. He has only one such start on short rest to his credit in his short career.

By the way. I realize I just spewed a little about Daisuke, but the hatred for Wake around here has got to stop. He's averaged over 6 innings per start with a 1.19 WHIP and 106 Ks in 167 2/3 IP. If you think he's the cause or reason for any problems we've had this season, then I'll just have to assume that the only thing you can look at is his pitching record.

Timlin is about 1% at fault for the other night. The other 99% rests with our offense that couldn't plate a run, even given 6 billion decent chances to do so. That being said, the Sox are going to have a tough decision that I hope they will make: sending Timlin home when the playoffs start. Pitchers who still have talent > veteran experience.

Anyway. Play and beat the Rays. Go Sox.

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Comments

Agreed about Wakefield

Good post.

I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.

by Drugs Delaney on Sep 15, 2008 7:15 AM EDT reply actions

Agreed both about Wake and about the post

If the Sox can come up and take 2 against the Rays in this series, I’ll be VERY happy about the team.

Mother---- him and John Wayne!

by MerryGoByeBye on Sep 15, 2008 12:27 PM EDT up reply actions

Somewhat disagree about Wake

50-50 for a seismic meltdown when he pitches. Is that good enough in big big games??

by NG on Sep 15, 2008 7:22 AM EDT reply actions

not even remotely true, unless you consider a marginal quality start a "seismic meltdown"...

If you order all of Wake’s starts this year by game score, the median one is his August 31 start against the White Sox (6.0 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 0 BB).

by tortoise on Sep 15, 2008 3:07 PM EDT up reply actions

What in the world?

50/50? Where is this coming from? Wake has been solid and consistent all year. He’s had less than a handful of bad starts, and thats bound to happen when you’re starting 30+ times a season.

by Charger567 on Sep 15, 2008 7:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Sorry, by bad starts I meant to say “seismic meltdowns”.

by Charger567 on Sep 15, 2008 7:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Ah, you beat me to it. Scratch that post…

OverTheMonster.com

by Randy Booth on Sep 15, 2008 10:55 AM EDT reply actions

Sweet

Nice post…..
Boy am I pumped for a final push for the tops in the east….
I my self would like to see LAA in the ALCS series, instead of the pre-ALCS

by AJCOTE on Sep 15, 2008 11:29 AM EDT reply actions

division crown is worth getting

it (probably) makes the difference between playing the White Sox with home field advantage and playing the Angels without it.

by RickD on Sep 15, 2008 1:51 PM EDT reply actions

I want the Rays in the ALCS.

I want to smash them into the artificial turf that we’ll be playing on in the fourth game.
GO RED SOX!

Remember when we were kids and we mixed sodas together and called them "suicides"? It was OK though, because Dr. Pepper was always there.

by bdalebs on Sep 15, 2008 4:53 PM EDT reply actions

daisuke is a beast on the road

but still tonight would be our weakest chance.
This is close enough to the postseason to let Beckett start entering auto-ace mode.

My last sig was too long, so my new one is: He who hesitates is a mediocre ambidextrious stupid person who thinks the Rays suck and stole Joe Maddon's shoes while thinking he was at a baseball game but was at church.

by BoSox415 on Sep 15, 2008 4:57 PM EDT reply actions

+1 about Dice-K

-1 about our chances for tonight. If Papi is in, our chances are way higher. The OF should be Baycon, Coco, and Kotsay. Leave Ells on the bench until the late innings as a pinch runner and/or defensive sub. AND LEAVE CORA ON THE BENCH!

Remember when we were kids and we mixed sodas together and called them "suicides"? It was OK though, because Dr. Pepper was always there.

by bdalebs on Sep 15, 2008 5:02 PM EDT up reply actions

pennant & playoffs

I’ve been so wrapped up in the Sox just qualifying for the playoffs that it seems to be – even now – my number one concern, so I am with you on that, Allen. However, since we are this close – let’s go for first and let TB and the Angels fight it out in the other first-round playoff matchup (assuming we get there.)

I look at Wakefield somewhere in the middle of you guys. I never know what to expect out of him, but I pretty much know by the end of the second or third inning. By then, he’s either throwing a shutout or getting detroyed. There is very little middle ground with him. Overall, I think he’s pitched better than he did last year. His W-L m ark isn’t that good because the Sox haven’t scored a lot of runs for him this season.

What’s concerning me right now is Papelbon. Has he been overworked of late? He’s been the only dependable reliever on the staff this season…..and now he looks shaky.

A Sox win tonight might put some serious doubts inside the Rays’ heads. If TB wins this series, well…….just make the playoffs, boys, and we’ll worry about the rest later.

by ccthemovieman on Sep 15, 2008 5:35 PM EDT reply actions

See what happens when you are supernegative?

You can’t be happy that we are in the playoffs, and you should’ve rooting for the pennant since the beginning of the season.
Wake is fine if we give him 4+ runs of support, and Paps just needs to get back to the hard core, addrenaline pumping attitude that he had as a rookie and at the end of last year.

Remember when we were kids and we mixed sodas together and called them "suicides"? It was OK though, because Dr. Pepper was always there.

by bdalebs on Sep 15, 2008 5:43 PM EDT up reply actions

Also applies to NG.

The first part, that is. Worry less about momentum and more about the results. Momentum is crap, if it was real, then how can a team start to turn it around? And don’t say mistakes by the other team.

Remember when we were kids and we mixed sodas together and called them "suicides"? It was OK though, because Dr. Pepper was always there.

by bdalebs on Sep 15, 2008 5:45 PM EDT up reply actions