Remember Us ? -Bruins players Andrew Ference, Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron , and newcomer Michael Ryder celebrate Ryder’s first goal in a Bruins unifrom. The Bruins were able to escape the Pepsi Center with a solid 5-4 team effort win over the Avalanche in Colorado.

Their Biggest Gun - Marc Savard is easily the Bruins best player. He started the 2008 season off on the right foot by adding a goal and an assist in a 5-4 win over the Avalanche. In his first two seasons with the Bruins Savard has scored 174 points. His ability to see the whole ice makes him one of the NHL’s best playmakers.

Can You Blame Them - The Bruins did not want to part with Phil Kessel in acquiring power forward Marian Hossa at last year’s trade deadline. Kessel stepped up in a major way in a 7 game playoff series loss to the Canadiens. GM Peter Chiarelli knew what he was doing by keeping him and now it will be Kessel who shows the Hockey Hub why he belongs here. Look for Kessel to be one of the NHL’s breakout players in 2008.
Kessel had a goal in his first game of the season at Colorado.

The Backbone - Tim Thomas is certainly a number 1 goalie in this league. For the life of me I can’t understand why no one else is buying into Thomas’ ability. Hopefully this year he will finally silence all critics and lead the Bruins to their first playoff Series win since 1999. Thomas stopped 35 shots in leading the Bruins to their first opening night victory since the 2001-2002 season when they beat the Ducks 4-2.

THE PRESSURE IS MOUNTING

In Boston unfortunately for the Bruins they are like a third world country. Some people love them, some don’t, some people watch them and others haven’t watched them since they traded Bobby Orr. Some Bostonians even came back after Orr and left again once the team shipped Ray Bourque to Colorado. Other fans in Boston like to jump on the bandwagon and root for them only when they make the playoffs. Either way it doesn’t matter to me what kind of fan you are because I know the kind of fan Iam and in life thats all one can control. It bothers me when people at Red Sox games yell at some fans and say, ” What are you on the bandwagon now ?” Honestly who cares how other people feel about teams as long as you know what you are as a fan. If you think you are a true fan then that’s all that matters because at the end of the day you only have to answer to yourself. I consider myself a true Bruins fan who loves them no matter what they do. If they spend money great, if they don’t then oh well what can you do - they really have never spent money. Although I am not a fan of the Jacobs Brothers, I am a fan of the game of hockey and I love the Bruins.

As a kid I grew up watching Cam Neely, Ray Bourque , Andy Moog, tough guys like Lyndon Byars and for a brief time with the Bruins, Chris Nilan. I still remember when the lights went out at the Old Garden in Game 4 of the 1988 Stanley Cup Finals and Fred Cusick’s call on the air of Petr Klima scoring the game winner in triple overtime. My memories are of my dad taking me to playoff games at a young age where the Bruins would battle Patrick Roy and the Canadiens or Pat Verbeek and the Hartford Whalers. Those were some good memories. I have also played the game of hockey throughout my life and I now teach kids the game. So no matter what happens with the Bruins I will always be a hockey fan. That was then and this is now. Two nights ago in Colorado the Bruins begin their 9th straight season since their last playoff series win. For the first time since 2001 the won their opening game by posting a 5-4 victory over the Avalanche. Unfortunately, I am currently in Florida and couldn’t see or hear the game but I learned that NESN didn’t even cover it. That my friends is sad as how have Bruins’ times have changed. I thought that after last year and the thrilling seven game series with Montreal, people would be amped up about the Hub of Hockey for this season. Maybe its too early to tell. After all Boston’s “fourth” team is competing right now with the aftermath of a Celtics Championship, a Bradyless Patriots team and a red hot Red Sox team going for the pennant ! Yes it is early but if they can win like they did two nights ago then real fans and bandwagon jumpers alike will have another good Boston team worth watching.  

I do agree people have a right to be upset with the Bruins because look at where we live in Boston. Right now we are on top of the world in sports. The Patriots have 3 titles since 2001, the Red Sox will have their 3rd title in 5 years in about 2 and a half weeks, and the Celtics went from worst to first in one season winning their NBA record 17th championship. Even the New England Revolution have had better seasons than the Bruins by at least making it to the MLS Final game in each of the last 2 years. The Bruins haven’t won a Stanley Cup since the days of Orr and the Big Bad Bruins of 1972. That is a span of 35 years and with all of these other teams success you would think the pressure is mounting on the Bruins to win something. They picked up two solid players in Michael Ryder and young gun Blake Wheeler. Both have already scored 1 goal apiece in the opening win at Colorado. The best part about this season is that they kept most of last year’s team in tact with the likes of Wideman, Savard, Chara, Alberts, Sturm, Kessel, Kobasew and Ference leading the way once again. They got rid of a horrible contract in Glen Murray and they loaded up in this year’s draft by getting three big time offensive prospects in Jamie Arniel, Joe Cobourne, and Maxime Sauve. Arniel played with last year’s number 1 overall pick Steve Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning in juniors and had to fill in for him when Stamkos got hurt. The net result was a championship so hopefully we may have something there. GM Peter Chiarelli has a plan and youth is at the top of his list. I believe in coach Claude Julien because no matter what, these kids are going to play hard under him at all times. Look you can say they are cheap and they’ll never win but that is just the pessimistic attitude that we as Boston fans are portrayed as. Or you can be like me and love the game for what it is and have something great to look forward too down the road, because someday this team is going to win it all. When that day comes I will be proud to say that I am a true fan who was here from the beginning and I am lucky to be able to say I saw this team grow into a champion.

The Brain- Matthew Giacoppo

Familiar Foes - Texas coach Mack Brown is shown here arch rival Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops. The Red River shootout is Saturday at noon as number 1 Oklahoma takes on number 5 Texas from the Cotton Bowl. The winner of this game will have the opportunity to play Texas Tech later in the season for a shot at the Big 12 Title Game.

In front of 92,000 screaming fans Oklahoma and Texas will square off in the Red River Shootout on Saturday. If you follow college football this game needs no introduction as these are two of the top 5 teams in the nation. This game will feature two of the countries best QB’s in Oklahoma sophmore Sam Bradford and Texas junior Colt McCoy. McCoy is Texas’s leading rusher and if they want to have any chance of winning this game they better make sure they can throw the ball. Bradford on the other hand lead the nation in passer eficiency last year and he is following that up with a remarkable 18 touchdowns in 5 games. This may be the game of the year as the winner will most likely be just a victory over Texas Tech away from the Big 12 Championship. The best part about this is that these two teams can’t stand each other and I am sure you won’t be disappointed if you stay home and watch this game. Oklahoma may be the best team in the country but unfortunately in College Football if you don’t show up every single week you won’t be there at the end. I like Oklahoma in this game but they will need for sure need to bring their A game if they want to escape Dallas with a 6th straight victory.

Matthew Giacoppo - The Brain

Boston

The Usual Suspects - Its business as usual for Red Sox manager Terry Francona is shown here with pitchers Jon Lester and Tim Wakefield. Also seen are First baseman Sean Casey and Dustin Pedroia, all five of these guys have played in the ALCS and their experience could pay off as they will begin play against the Rays Friday night in Tampa. Friday night will mark the 4th time in the last 6 seasons in which Terry Francona will be managing the Red Sox in the ALCS.

Kings of the Hub - GM Theo Epstein and Terry Francona have turned the Red Sox into the most powerful team in major league baseball. They defied all logic in 2004 by giving Boston its first World Series in 86 years, they are now just 4 wins away from their 3rd World Series appearance in the last 5 years.

Welcome to Bay’s State - Jason Bay has been huge in his first post season. Bay hit .412 with 2 homeruns and 5 RBI’s in his first ever playoff Series against the Angels. If Bay stays hot Tampa may be in a world of trouble.

AL MVP ? - Dustin Pedroia had an amazing season as he lead the AL in runs scored and tied Ichiro for most hits. Although Pedroia struggled in the Sox first series he is still the key to the Red Sox advancing past the Rays.

Record Breaker ?- Flame throwing closer Jonathan Papelbon is just 1/3 of an inning away from setting a new major league record for consecutive playoff scoreless innings. Francona must use Pap wisely as Tampa has enjoyed some success off him this year.

Speed Kills - The Red Sox are a different team when Jacoby Ellsbury gets on base. His speed is one of the team’s greatest assets and Tampa must keep him off the bases if they want to win.

Beantown’s Newest Superstar - Jon Lester may be the greatest story ever in Boston sports for what he was able to come back from off the field. This year he is making his own legacy on the field and is emerging as the Red Sox best starting pitcher. He will start Monday at Fenway in Game 3 vs the Rays.

IN BOSTON, WINNING ISN’T EVERYTHING ITS THE ONLY THING

Over the last 7 years the City of Boston has ruled the world of sports winning 6 titles. In all of those championship runs, new stars were born. It all started with Bill Belichick and the Patriots dismantling the “Greatest Show on Turf” by beating the Rams in the 2001 Super Bowl. Boston had longed for that title as we had not won anything since 1986 and the Patriots had been one of the worst NFL franchises ever. From that season QB Tom Brady came onto the scene and is now a happy owner of 3 rings and an NFL MVP. The Patriots went from being a laughing stock to the most hated team in professional sports, yes they are even more hated than the Yankees. In 2004 the Boston Red Sox had waited 86 years for a championship. Their run to the top of major league baseball may have been the most magical of all as DH David Ortiz lead the way and became one of baseball’s best clutch hitters by having 3 walk off hits during the 2004 playoffs.Those Red Sox will forever be known as the only team ever to win a Series being down 0-3, and best of all they did it against their rivals the Yankees. I remember it like it was yesterday as I was fortunate enough to go to those games. David Ortiz would then break a Red Sox single season home run record by blasting 54 HR’s in 2006. Once again a star was born and after that first championship Ortiz’s career took off. In 2007 the Red Sox were at it again as Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis combined for 6 HR’s in leading the Red Sox to their 2nd World Series Championship in 4 years. They both followed that up with two separate MVP type seasons and in my eyes Pedroia is hands down the 2008 AL MVP. The 2008 version of the Red Sox also have a new star developing before our eyes and that is ace lefty Jon Lester. Lester is becoming one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball and his stats show it. He was 16-6 with a 3.21 ERA. His strikeout to walk ratio was 152 K’s to 66 BB’s. Lester is 2-0 lifetime in the playoffs with a ridiculous ERA of .77 in 23 1/3 innings pitched. Lester has been the biggest key to the Red Sox pitching staff and I believe he is becoming one of the best pitchers in all of baseball. Lester could get two chances to face the Rays in this Series and he may be the difference in winning or losing. If there is anyone on the 2008 Red Sox I would want to hand Jon Lester the ball with the season on the line because I know he will definitely come through. Boston has waited a long time to reign atop the sports world and it seems we have become a bit spoiled with winning. Right now the Hub is the City of Champions and the mentality of these players, and fans is simple, winning isn’t everything it’s the only thing. Call it cockiness but its like Larry Bird said ” If you can do it , it isn’t bragging.”

Tampa Bay

Evan Almighty - Rays third baseman Evan Longoria had a monster season and eill most likely take home AL Rookie of the Year. He also became the first rookie ever to homer in his first two playoff AB’s. The Rays will surely need him to hit if they want to have any chance at beating the tough starting rotation the Red Sox have.

Tampa’s Bad Boy - Back in June, James Shields brought this rivalry back to life by beaning Coco Crisp with a first pitch fastball in defense of a teammate. Shields will get the ball in Game 1 with the opportunity to start the Rays off on the right foot. Shields was 8-3 at Tropicana Field in 2008.

9=8: Tampa Bay Rays Baseball

The Man With The Plan - Rays Manager Joe Maddon, coined the phrase 9=8 which simply means 9 guys working together as hard as they everyday, throughout the season will equal 1 of the 8 post season berths. This is what the Rays live by and their style of play indicates how much faith they have in their leader. Maddon will have his guys ready for their toughest challenge yet to come.

McFilthy and McNasty - Rays setup man Grant Balfour pitched in 3 out of the 4 games vs the White Sox. He struck out 4 hitters in 3 1/3 innings of relief. Balfour and Papelbon are easily the two most dominant pitchers in this Series.

Homeward Bound - Northeastern Grad and Rays leader Carlos Pena from Haverhill Mass will be out to try and make sure his team’s dream season continues by getting past the Red Sox. Pena has had a ton of big hits vs the Sox since he joined the Rays.

TROPICANA FIELD OF DREAMS

In Tampa the biggest thing has always been the Buccaneers. As a matter of fact, over the last few years the Yankees spring training games most times would draw more than the Rays regular season. Oh how times have changed as the Rays went from last place to first in the very competitive AL East in just one season. They are now just four wins away from having their dream season ending with a World Series berth. The team standing in their way is the defending champion Boston Red Sox. Ladies and gentlemen this series is going to be an all out war of pitching as the two best rotations will square off in an epic battle. The Rays won their division mainly because for the first time ever they had all five starters win double digit games. The Red Sox ended up here on the same plane as their top 3 starters won a total of 46 games this season, which almost accounted for 50 percent of their wins. This Series is great because it is yet another chapter in this heated Red Sox / Rays rivalry. To be honest this may be the rivalry of the future as both of these teams have a ton of young talent that will make them good for some time to come. The Rays also have two of the hottest relief pitchers in baseball with setup men Grant Balfour, and JP Howell. These two guys may be the biggest reason the Rays are here as they would record big time outs all through the season. Balfour’s ERA was just 1.54 in just 58 1/3 innings. What might be even more amazing was Balfour’s strikeout total which was a career high of 82 for the season. JP Howell a tough lefty had an ERA of 2.22 with 92 K’s in 89 1/3 innings pitched. Back in March Joe Maddon started the 9=8 phrase by making T shirts that only his players could wear. The phrase worked and it became a team slogan all throughout the year and the best part about this was that all Maddon’s young players bought into it. The Rays are fearless and if you think they are happy with just getting this far you have got another thing coming. They are finally here and believe it or not but people are coming out of the cornfields just to see them as they have sold out every playoff game the rest of the way. Tampa may not be Iowa but it’s like they say winning has a funny way of changing things and when you become a contender like the Rays, People Will Come and they’ll spend money on a ticket without even knowing why or what they are watching. Tampa is just four wins away from having Tropicana Field become a young players Field of Dreams.

Full Playoff Series Analysis 2008 ALCS - Tampa Bay Rays vs Boston Red Sox

THE KEY TO THIS SERIES - THE STARTING PITCHERS IN THIS SERIES

In The Playoffs Pitching Always Wins -The reason these two teams are that last two standing is because of their starting pitching. The key to winning this Series will come down to a simple chess match of starting pitching. How both managers use their four starters could be the difference.

1-Matsuzaka 2-Beckett 3-Lester 4-Wakefield

2008 ALCS- Rays vs Red Sox Starting Pitchers
Game 1-Rays James Shields vs Red Sox @ Tropicana Field- St. Petersburgh

Red Sox fans know James Shields well as he was the main figure in revamping this rivalry. Shields was just 2-2 against the Red Sox with a rough 5.85 ERA as he rendered 13 earned runs in 20 innings pitched. Shields is a control freak and will constantly be in th strike zone so the Red Sox hitters must be aggressive. One thing that concerns me is that for the last two seasons James Shields has thrown 215 innings each season, and he may be getting close to his breaking point. The last three guys to pitch 210+ innings in back to back years were Pedro Martinez, Curt Schilling, and AJ Burnett and they all had stints on the DL the following year. This may not effect the Rays this year but it is definitely of some concern for the future. Opposite Shields is Daisuke Matsuzaka who is major league baseball’s version of Wild Thing Ricky Vaughn. Daisuke walked 94 guys in just 167 2/3 innings this season. One positive not is that Daisuke was able to allow all those walks and still end up with an amazing 18-3 record. That shows his ability to make big pitches when needed. Daisuke was 10-1 at the break and ended the second half with a record of 8-2 so if you look at things he had a solid season. He faced the Rays 3 times this year and had a record of 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in 15 innings pitched. One thing to keep in mind is that Daisuke Matsuzaka was a perfect 9-0 away from Fenway Park with an amazing 2.37 ERA in 76 innings pitched. If the Rays beat him this will be the first time in 2008 that Daisuke Matsuzaka was on the losing end of a road game. Look obviously I am a Red Sox fan but in the playoffs WALKS KILL YOU and I just know that sooner or later Daisuke is going to get in trouble with the walks and eventually they will end up hurting you. I like the Red Sox in this Series but in this matchup of pitchers I have to go with Shields for the factors of control and its the first home game I believe the home team always has an advantage the first night.

ADVANTAGE RAYS

Game 2-Rays Scott Kazmir vs Red Sox Josh Beckett @ Tropicana Field- St. Petersburgh

This one could be the most misleading match up of all as alot of Red Sox fans think Scott Kazmir kills us. That is not entirely true as he has a 6-7 record against the Red Sox with a 3.67 ERA. In 2008 Kazmir was 0-2 with an ERA of 9.00 which alot had to do with his last start in September in which he gave up 7 runs un 3+ innings. Kazmir is just 24 and if his slider is on he can make it look so easy. September was his worst month as his ERA was 5.19. He ended the year with a record of 12-8 and a 3.49 ERA in 152 1/3 innings pitched. Kazmir is either on or off as his strikeout to walk ratio indicates this with 166 K’s to 70 BB’s. Kazmir won his first playoff game against Chicago but these circumstances are much different. Beckett is one of baseball’s greatest post season pitchers of all time and his record indicates this at 6-2 with a 2.09 ERA. Beckett seems to up the ante in he post season as he has fanned 88 hitters in just 77 2/3 innings pitched. Beckett was 2-1 against the Rays this year with a 2.06 ERA. In His one loss he only gave up 2 runs over 8 innings which shows me that when he’s on he is dominant on this line up. Beckett had his worst playoff start against the Angels in the ALDS as he gave up 4 runs in just 5 innings. With Beckett’s playoff track record I don’t expect this to happen again as it seems like Beckett is turning into the modern Day Catfish Hunter. It seems like Beckett is stealing his MO by the bigger the game the better he pitched and I expect the Red Sox to win this game regardless of how Game 1 turns out.

ADVANTAGE RED SOX

Game 3- Red Sox Jon Lester vs Rays Matt Garza @ Fenway Park- Boston

This is the biggest mismatch of this Series as Jon Lester is just filthy. Lester has morphed into a dominant force an may be the Red Sox best pitcher. His fastball seems to get stronger as the game goes on as he was clocked at 98 mph in the 6th inning of Game 4 vs the Angels. Lester also owned the Rays this year by going a perfect 3-0 in 3 starts. His ERA against Tampa was even more impressive as it ended off at .90 in 20 innings pitched. Lester also collected 19 strikeouts in those 20 innings. In my eyes Jon Lester is currently the best starting pitcher left in the playoffs, so this one should be an easy call. Matt Garza is like a maniac on the mound and just like I said in the previous Series he will implode and he ended up doing just that. See its simple on the road you need to keep your composure and you can’t get mad if you don’t get every single strike call. In my eyes Garza has a ton of talent but he really needs to work on his mental toughness. If things get out of hand don’t be surprised if Garza tries to spark the fire. I think this is Joe Maddon’s biggest mistake by pitching him at Fenway and it may end up costing them the Series. Garza was 1-1 against the Red Sox with a 4.50 ERA in 22 innings. The most discouraging thing about those stats are that he gave up 21 hits in those 22 innings. Lester rolls in this one and this may end up being the end of the Rays.

ADVANTAGE RED SOX

Game 4- Red Sox Tim Wakefield vs Rays Andy Sonnanstine @ Fenway Park- Boston

Every Red Sox fan knows Tim Wakefield’s success against the Rays, but this year he struggled mightily going 0-2 with a 5.87 ERA in 3 starts. Wakefield’s career record is 19-5 with a 3.32 ERA in 41 appearances against the Rays. At home Wakefield was 7-4 with a 3.10 ERA in 14 starts this season. Wakefield is 5-2 with a 4.50 ERA in 9 appearances in LCS play. Overall Wakefield is 5-6 with a 6.36 ERA in the post season. Sonnanstine may not be very well known but he has enjoyed a ton of success against the Red Sox this season. Twice in the same week Sonnanstine went blow for blow with Beckett pitching 13 scoreless innings allowing only 7 hits. The Rays won both of those games and I believe they were the difference in Tampa winning the division over Boston. Sonnanstine won his first playoff game ever against the White Sox going 5 2/3 innings giving up 3 hits and 2 runs. Sonnanstine is just 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA against the Red Sox in his career. Here is the thing you have young kid in Sonnanstine and a veteran in Wakefield who has been in this spot many times. If this game was in Tampa I’d like Sonnanstine but with it being in Boston I think the Red Sox line up will get to him. I like Wakefield stepping up at home and stealing this one.

ADVANTAGE RED SOX

Starting Lineups

RAYS vs RED SOX ADV

1. 2B- Akinori Iwamura vs CF- Jacoby Ellsbury- Aki hit .389 in his first playoff series vs the White Sox, Ellsbury hit .333 vs the Angels and he also hit over .400 in last year’s World Series. Ellsbury can do more if he gets on base as he is a threat to score on any extra base hit from first base. Its close but its Ellsbury-RED SOX

2. CF- BJ Upton vs 2B- Dustin Pedroia- Upton had a monster series against the White Sox leading the team with 3 HR’s. Even though Pedroia struggled against the Angels only receiving 1 hit he is the AL MVP and you have to give this one to him. Bottom line Upton is solid but Pedroia is a better hitter.- RED SOX

3. 1B- Carlos Pena vs DH- David Ortiz-Both of these guys are clutch hitters. Obviously overall Ortiz has had more post season success but thats because he has been there more. Carlos Pena is this team’s toughest out and as of right now in my eyes this one too close to call. - TIE

4. 3B-Evan Longoria vs 3B- Kevin Youkilis-Two of baseball’s best young players collide in this one. Youkilis is everything that is great about the Boston Red Sox, and Longoria although young looks like he will be an All Star for a long time to come. If I had to choose I’d take Youk for the simple fact that he is more experienced and a more patient hitter. Longoria hit under .300 whereas Youk hit a solid .312. They both play solid defense too as Longoria is one of the best defensive third baseman in baseball. Its real close but I’ll take Youk.- RED SOX

5. LF-Carl Crawford vs RF- JD Drew- Overall Crawford is the better player with his ability to run and steal bases. But in the playoffs JD Drew may be second to only David Ortiz for clutch hitting. JD Drew kills the Rays if you don’t believe me look at the stats. They are both banged up but in the playoffs I’ll take Drew.

6. DH-Cliff Floyd vs LF- Jason Bay- Floyd may be the glue that holds the Rays clubhouse together but he’s no Jason Bay. For the life of me I can’t understand why the Red Sox are rumored to move him this offseason. Bay is clutch and Floyd has never had a playoff Series like Bay just did. Bay hit .412 with 2 home runs and 5 RBI’s in 4 games against the Angels. He also scored the game winning run and threw out Torri Hunter trying to stretch a single. Bay is Boston’s hottest player and up against Floyd its a mismatch.- RED SOX

7. C-Dioner Navarro vs 1B- Mark Kotsay-Navarro is one of baseball’s best catchers where as Kotsay on a good team is a role player. Kotsay does have an impressive average in LCS play at .383 but Navarro was the Rays best hitter this season batting .295. I like Kotsay and I am glad he is here but Dioner Navarro is simply a better hitter both in contact and power.- RAYS

8. RF-Gabe Gross vs SS- Jed Lowrie-Lowrie had the series clinching hit against the Angels and seems to have come back to life after struggling at the end of the year. Gross is a one dimensional hitter where its power or nothing. Gross strikes out a lot and in my eyes a right fielder is a corner player who needs to either hit for average or power. Gross does have power but not enough. Its close but it is still Lowrie.- RED SOX

9. SS- Jason Bartlett vs C- Jason Varitek - Joe Maddon will consistently say that Bartlett is the Rays MVP. He hit .286 this season which was good for 2nd on the team. Bartlett plays solid defense and he is one of the best base runners in this series. Varitek had his worst year ever in a Red Sox uniform as his average was an abysmal .220. Three years ago this wasn’t close but right now Bartlett is a much better hitter.-RAYS

ADVANTAGE RED SOX- As you can see the Red Sox have a much better line up on paper, but that is why we play the games. Statistically this isn’t even close but unfortunately stats do not contain intangibles and the Rays have some of baseball’s best intangibles. All year long time after time they would find a way to win games by use of sacrifice or the big hit. Sure the Red Sox have Ortiz, Youkilis, Pedroia and Bay but Tampa has a scrappy bunch that will fight you every inch of the way. This series will be decided by starting pitching, and in my eyes the lineup’s are secondary. The Red Sox may have better hitters but this match up is closer than you think.

Best 3 Bullpen Arms

Closer Battle- Rays Dan Wheeler vs Red Sox Jonathan Papelbon

As Chaz Reinhold said in Wedding Crashers, ” Its not even fair.” This may be the biggest mismatch of the Series as Papelbon is just a 1/3 an inning away from setting a new record for consecutive scoreless playoff innings. Wheeler is shaky and if Maddon decides to use him in a tough spot he could end up getting burned. As of now Wheeler is still the closer and if he decides to use Balfour in this role it may be the difference in winning and losing. If he stays with Wheeler or goes to Balfour it still won’t matter as Papelbon is one of the game’s most dominant pitchers.

ADVANTAGE RED SOX

Setup Men Battle

Rays Grant Balfour and JP Howell vs Red Sox Manny Delcarmen and Hideki Okajima

This match up is interesting because you have two Rays relievers who are lights out ona nightly 92 basis. JP Howell had a great season by posting a 2.22 ERA in 89 1/3 innings pitched. He also fanned 92 hitters. Balfour had the most ridiculous turnaround of any pitcher outside of Cleveland as he was 6-2 with an insane ERA of 1.54. Whats more amazing is that he struck out 82 hitters in just 58 1/3 innings. Both Balfour and Howell need to stay hot if they want to win this Series. These are two guys who were castoffs in Minnesota and Kansas City before joing the Rays so it is great to see them succeed. Okajima and Delcarmen have been in the post season before as they were a big part of last year’s championship team. Delcarmen when on is tough as his fastball can reach 97 on the gun. Okajima will be huge in this Series as both Crawford and Pena are lefties. Either way you look at it the Rays have this won in the bag.

ADVANTAGE-RAYS

Manager Battle

Rays Joe Maddon vs Red Sox Terry Francona

Two great guys and leader’s of their respective franchises square off in a battle for the right to go the World Series. Maddon definitely gets more out of less and that is why he will be the AL Manager of the Year, but how can anyone go against Francona as his playoff success has changed the City and Life of Boston forever. Francona is responsible for the players getting up night in and night out and there is no better motivator than him in baseball. Maddon is good at X’s and O’s but bottom line overall he is no Francona and he still has alot more to accomplish before we put them in the same class.

ADVANTAGE RED SOX

FINAL OUTCOME-BOSTON RED SOX OVER TAMPA BAY RAYS IN 5 GAMES.

Tampa definitely has a shot to win this Series its just that I wouldn’t bet on it. Time and time again the Red Sox have come up big in Series under Terry Francona so why would this time be any different. I have said all year that the 2008 Red Sox starting pitchers are better than either of their two previous championship teams, that is the reason why I am picking them in this series. Starting pitching wins and if you look at things both of these teams have it better than most which is why the are here at the end. I just like the Lester, Beckett, Dice-K, combo better than Shields, Kazmir, and Garza. Look if this series goes 6 or 7 games can anyone name two pitchers in baseball you’d rather have pitching than Josh Beckett or Jon Lester with the chance to go the World Series? I can’t which is why I am taking the Red Sox over the Rays in this Series.

Matthew Giacoppo- The Brain

Rivalries are what makes sports great in fact they might be the biggest reason we as fans watch sports. Over the years they continue to get better and better. Whether its Red Sox / Yankees, Michigan / Ohio St. , Duke / UNC , Florida / FSU, Celtics/ Lakers , Bruins / Canadiens, and how can we forget the New England Patriots vs the entire National Football League these rivalries are what bring people together on a unified front in support of their select team.

In Red Sox nation we as fans have always been seen as people concerned with the Yankees just about as much as we are with ourselves. ESPN and Fox have taken this rivalry to new heights by covering 80 percent of Red Sox/ Yankee games since the 2003 season on national television. My how times have changed as the dawning of a new rivalry is about to begin Friday night in Tropicana Field. The best part about this is that no one could have predicted it being the Rays and the Red Sox. See the cool thing about this Series is that unlike the Yankees / Red Sox games over the past few years these two teams do not like each other at all. You won’t see one of the Sox players hanging out with Scott Kazmir after one of these games like someone used to do when he was here not mentioning any names. (SEE ENRIQUE WILSON’S PALS) The Red Sox/ Rays rivalry is about to come front and center and for the first time the whole nation will be watching. Since 2000 the Rays and Red Sox have had more brawls than any two teams in Major League Baseball. It all started with Pedro and Gerald Williams and it continued with Trot Nixon being hit twice by two different Rays relievers. Scott Kazmir got involved a little late in 2005 by hitting Manny Ramirez and Kevin Millar. The biggest fight may have broke out this season on June 9th as James Shields hit Coco Crisp with a fastball which would lead to 8 suspensions for both teams, but at least at the end of the day both teams knew where the other stood. That is why baseball is better than life, its fair and no matter what happens on the field you always know where your opponent stands. We know where the Rays stand and they in turn they know where we stand which is in the way of their first AL Pennant as well as a first trip to the World Series. The best part about this neither team is backing down as both are ready for just about anything the other has to offer.

Television shows can’t even depict this type of honest rivalry drama. Take my favorite show of all time The Sopranos for example. Tony and Phil Leotarrdo hated each other and instead of having it out like men they would use people on their side to do dirty work against one another. The same was seen in Season 3 of The Wire with gang rival leaders Avon Barksdale and Marlowe Stanfield constantly robbing and knocking off each others crew members without ever even knowing the true identity of each other. In baseball if you don’t like someone you can certainly do something about it. It is unlike any other game in which team unity matters more than anything. Seriously even with the NFL how many times do you see a team stick up for another player. They are all professionals and they play the game hard but you would never see anything like the June 9th game which had both sides completely trying to fight each other. Give James Shields credit as he restored this rivalry by doing exactly what he said he was going to do a day earlier, which was hit Coco. See the Red Sox knew it was coming and they were ready to react to it which is why Coco ran out to the mound. Bottom line they were ready because they knew where the Rays stood and this type of drama can only be seen on a baseball diamond. The Red Sox are a tight knit group who stick together no matter what the score board says. On the other hand the Rays refuse to be bullied and credit Joe Maddon for instilling this in his young players. No matter what happens baseball’s newest rivalry will begin its first major chapter Friday and we all know that by the end of this series the winning team will at least know where the other team stands.

The Brain

THE HISTORY- Act 1 The beginning

Where it All Started - Former Red Sox ace Pedro Martinez is in a fight for his life as Tampa CF Gerald Williams charges the mound back in August of 2000. Pedro hit Williams who was the first hitter of the game and this fight may have started it all.

Act II Some things will never change

One Bad Dude - Former Sox right fielder Trot Nixon has to be restrained by relievers John Halama and Blane Neal back in April of 2005 as the Rays and Sox were at it again. This time it was Tampa pitchers Lance Carter and Dewon Brazelton starting the fireworks at the Trop.

THE PRESENT

Not Backing Down- Even though the Red Sox have been World Champions in 2 of the last 4 seasons the Tampa Bay Rays are fearless of them. Back in June James Shields intentionally threw at Coco Crisp in defense of Coco taking out Akinori Iwamura on a double play a day earlier. 8 Players were suspended and this fight rejuvenated an old rivalry once again. Shields will get the ball in Game 1 for the American League Championship Series.

Decisions To Be Made - How Terry Francona uses his rotation could be the key in the Red Sox advancing to their 3rd World Series in 5 years.

October Maddness - Joe Maddon will try to take the usual Cinderella stories from March by jamming it into his young players for their biggest challenge ever, beating the Red Sox to advance to their first World Series.

2008 ALCS vs

ARE YOU READY?

SERIES STARTS FRIDAY NIGHT

Philadelphia

Together As One - The Phillies have 3 different starters with 3 very different career paths. Cole Hamels is the ace , while both Brett Myers and Jamie Moyer have had to endure alot in staying in the big leagues. Bottom line together they give the Phillies the best chance at winning their first NL pennant since 1993.

Mt. St Burrell -The longest tenured Phillie is Left Fielder Pat Burrell with 8 years in Philadelphia. How fitting was it to have him lead the way with two home runs in Game 4 of the NLDS, clinching the Phillies first playoff series win since 1993.

Trust Me He’s Werth Every Penny- Right Fielder Jason Werth is unknown to most baseball fans but in Philadelphia he is becoming a fan favorite because of his clutch hitting. Werth is a tough out and he is coming off a career year in which he set career highs in Homeruns 24 and 67 RBI’s.

Eye of the Tiger - Brad Lidge is 41 for 41 in saves this season. He will certainly be called upon in this series, in tough spots.

Philly’s Modern Day Rocky - Ryan Howard is the most powerful hitter in baseball. The Phillies will need Howard to be on his A game if they want to move on to the World Series.

Lets Get This Party Started - Chase Utley and Pedro Feliz are soaked in the moment as the Phillies eliminate Milwaukee in 4 Games. They will now prepare for Manny and the Dodgers in the 2008 NLCS.

EYE OF THE TIGER

When thinking about the City of Brotherly Love two things come to mind. A nice cheese steak, and the Rocky movies. Funny thing is this Series between the Phillies and Dodgers couldn’t script more like Rocky 4. In the eyes of Red Sox Nation the Phillies represent Rocky Balboa, a tough guy from the mean streets of Philly, who never seem to quit under manager Charlie Manuel. The Phillies will grind it out and try to out hustle teams in finding ways to win. The Dodgers on the other hand represent Ivan Drago, a ruthless Russian assassin, who killed Apollo Creed and thinks nothing can stop him. The Dodgers just came off killing the Cubs and now they are looking to take over the National League just like Drago tried to take over boxing. Manny is the perfect cast for this character because he killed the Red Sox earlier this year, and hurt alot of people. In reality he may also be the difference in the Dodgers beating the Phillies. The Phillies have always seemed to take a backseat to the Eagles in Philly but winning has a way of changing things. The Phillies have already made it further this year than last which is a major improvement. They beat the Brewers in 4 games thanks to the big blasts of Burrell, Werth, and Vitctorino, and stellar pitching from Hamels , Myers, Lidge, and Blanton. They had a huge advantage with the Brewers having to use CC Sabathia on 3 days rest for the final two weeks of the season, and in the end they took care of business. In the eyes of Phillies fans getting here just isn’t enough as they know the window of opportunity just doesn’t last long. We saw this in Rocky where Stallone would never just show up to fight by always bringing his best, and wearing his heart on his sleeve. The Phillies definitely will need to lay it all down on the line as the Dodgers look like a team on cruise control. For the Phillies to win this Series they will need to bring their A Game as the Dodgers appear to be favorites. The likes of Howard, Utley, and Burrell are going to get hits but in my eyes this Series comes down to two things. First, Can the likes of Werth, Rollins, and Victorino be constant catalysts in this lineup? Second, Can Hamels, Myers, Moyer, and Blanton out pitch the Dodger starting pitchers? This is going to be a great series and its different to see two hitting teams battle it out for the NL pennant. The City of Brotherly Love has waited a long time for another chance like this and if they don’t display that eye of the tiger killer instinct in each and every game, Ryan Howard won’t be in front of thousands on the mound at Citizen’s Bank Park screaming the words “Yo, Philadelphia We Did It.”

Los Angeles

How You Like Me Now ? - Welcome to MannyWood- Manny Ramirez sprints up the bases on the Red Sox dime. Manny has taken his game to a whole new level in LA and the Dodgers are loving it. The Phillies are the only thing that stands in Manny’s way of playing in a second straight World Series.

LA’s Love Child- Dodger fans love Manny Ramirez because he has catapulted a decent team into the microscope of greatness. Sometimes in life Love is Blind and LA fans can only hope Manny stays after the season.

This Kid’s Clutch- It was James Loney’s grand slam in Game 1 of the NLDS that began to end the Cubs season. Loney is a young player who will only get better in time, but for now the Dodgers will surely take what they can.

The Real Man in the Iron Mask - Sorry Ladies this isn’t Leonardo Dicaprio. Dodger leader Russell Martin may be the best catcher in baseball. He had huge hits in the first round and the Dodgers know they will rely heavily on him in order to dismantle the Phillies.

Barely Legal - Young Bucks Matt Kemp 24 , and Andre Ethier 26 are enjoying their first post season ever. These two guys have had a ton of success since Manny arrived, as Ethier’s average went up over 100 points.

Remember Me? - Yankee fans are wishing Joe Torre was still on board the Evil Empire. Instead Torre’s magic act is now in Hollywood and Dodger fans couldn’t be happier. It will be Torre’s experience over counterpart Charlie Manuel that could pay huge dividends in this Series.

WELCOME TO MANNYWOOD

In Dodger town one remembers the days of Kirk Gibson limping around the bases after hitting his walk off homer off Eckersley in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series. That was courageous as Gibson could barely walk, as he one handed the ball out of Dodger stadium in giving the Dodgers a huge come back win. That was dramatic and a special time in the lives of LA Dodger fans. The 2008 version of the LA Dodgers may not contain the same cast of characters as most of their guys are young and up and coming, but they still do possess that magic flare for the dramatic. Like I said most of the Dodgers are young and up and coming but their new leader certainly is not. That guy is without a doubt Manny Ramirez. Manny Ramirez the same guy who tried to single handedly ruin the Red Sox while still collecting and cashing John Henry’s 3.5 dollar million monthly check. Manny’s next fling for the dramatic came in Game 1 of the NLDS as he hit a home run off his shoe tops en route to a Game 1 victory over the Cubs. The Dodgers destroyed the Cubs in 3 games to advance to the NLCS. Joe Torre is the leader but one can’t leave out the fact that Manny is the anchor on this team. Torre believes Manny is the positive influence that the young players need, and since his arrival the Dodgers have been clicking on all cylinders with Manny clearly being the difference maker this team needed. Its sad to see this because what Manny is to LA and their fans, is the type of player we had all hoped he would someday become in Boston. Baseball may be 8 wins away from a headline story of Manny and the Dodgers coming to Fenway for the 2008 Fall Classic. If the Dodgers do eliminate the Phillies we may soon have to hear the great Vin Scully yell the words, “Welcome to Mannywood, California.”

Full Playoff Series Analysis 2008 NLCS - Philadelphia Phillies vs Los Angeles Dodgers

Phillies vs Dodgers Starting Pitchers
Game 1-Phillies Cole Hamels vs Dodgers Derek Lowe @ Citizens Bank Park-Philadelphia

What a match up as Hamels is a power lefty, and Lowe is a solid veteran right handers who relies on spotting his pitches. Each of these guys won their first playoff starts in Game 1 of their respective NLDS. Hamels just 24, pitched 8 scoreless allowing only 2 hits whereas, Lowe gave up only 2 runs in six innings. Head to head these teams are pretty even as the Phillies won all four games at home this season while the Dodgers won all of their home games. Lowe could be the key in this Series as he has the potential to pitch 3 games if Torre decides to bring him back on short rest. Even though Hamels is their ace and probably the best pitcher in this Series, I still like the Dodgers just because of Lowe’s playoff track record it seems like he is able to step up in the big game so why would this one be any different.

ADVANTAGE DODGERS

Game 2-Phillies Brett Myers vs Dodgers Chad Billingsley @ Citizens Bank Park-Philadelphia

Brett Myers surprised a ton of people by out pitching CC Sabathia in Game 2 of the Division Series. Myers was dominant as he only allowed 2 runs on just 2 hits in 7 innings en route to a Game 2 victory. Myers is 1-1 against LA this season with a 1.93 ERA. Billingsley also was a winner in Game 2 of the Division Series against the Cubs by pitching a solid 6 2/3 innings allowing 1 run on 5 hits. The biggest surprise may have been Billingsley’s strike out number as he ended the night with 7. This is a tough game because you just never know which pitcher will show up on either side. With that being said and the fact that I like LA in Game 1 I’ll take Myers and the Phillies. Even though I like Philly there is a real good chance the Dodgers win both of these games. I think that at worst LA leaves town tied 1-1.

ADVANTAGE PHILLIES

Game 3- Dodgers Hideki Kuroda vs Phillies Jamie Moyer @ Chavez Revine- Los Angeles

Kuroda pitched 6 1/3 shutout innings in getting the clinching win of the Division Series against the Cubbies. Kuroda definitely stepped up in a major way and that is the main reason I feel he will be the Game 3 starter. Jamie Moyer struggled in Game 3 of the first round as he was knocked out of the game after just 4 innings. Moyer lead the Phillies in wins this year with 16, and has been in the big leagues for 22 seasons and has a career record of 246 -185 with a 4.19 ERA. If the Phillies split at home there will be a huge burden on Moyer to win this game. I like Moyer but in this game I like the Dodgers more.

ADVANTAGE DODGERS

Game 4- Dodgers Greg Maddux vs Phillies Joe Blanton @ Chavez Revine- Los Angeles

Maddux playoff record is very misleading as he has a career post season record of 11-14 combined with a 3.32 ERA. What that shows me is that the teams he played on didn’t score many runs during his playoff starts. Josh Beckett won 20 games a year ago with an ERA of 3.27 so hopefully one can see the difference in how an offense can shape a record. Joe Blanton has been money since coming to Philadelphia by going 4-0 in 13 starts. Blanton’s best start may have came in the Game 4 of the Division Series with Milwaukee as he pitched 6 innings scattering 5 hits and giving up just 1 run which was a homer to Prince Fielder. He struck out 7 and walked only 2 guys. The interesting thing about this game is that both the Dodgers and Phillies will have the luxury of brining back Lowe and Hamels on short rest if they so choose. If Lowe starts this game he can pitch on normal rest in Game 7. If Torre makes this move you can bet Charlie Manuel may gamble with Hamels. Overall Game 1 of this Series is huge and I feel the winner will be on its way to the World Series. If Blanton starts against Maddux I’ll take Blanton for the simple fact that he has the ability to be more dominant.

ADVANTAGE PHILLIES

Starting Lineups

Phillies vs Brewers ADV

1. SS- Jimmy Rollins vs SS- Rafael Furcal- Rollins was last years NL MVP, but Furcal is giving the Dodgers life at the top of their lineup. Tough call but Rollins is a much better hitter-PHILLIES

2. RF- Jason Werth vs 1B- James Loney- This one is so close as both guys swing big sticks and show flare for the dramatic. I think Loney will be better but right now I’ll take Werth.-PHILLIES

3. 2B-Chase Utley vs C- Russell Martin- Martin is the best catch in baseball and he had a ton of huge hits in the first series, so even though its close I like Martin.-DODGERS

4. 1B-Ryan Howard vs LF- Manny Ramirez-Two of baseball’s best hitters collide in this one. If Howard could hit for a higher average this one may be closer, it kills me to say this but for now there is no better hitter in the playoffs than the reborn Manny Ramirez.-DODGERS

5. LF-Pat Burrell vs RF- Andre Ethier- Burrell had a monster series against the Brewers as he launched two big homer runs to help the Phillies clinch. Ethier was 1 for 10 against the Cubs so right now this one is easy- PHILLIES

6. CF-Shane Victorino vs CF- Matt Kemp- These are two of baseball’s up and coming Center Fielders with both having huge upsides.They both have speed and Kemp has more power, while Victorino may be a bit more clutch, this one is a real tough call but honestly if you watch the Phillies you know how much Victorino means-PHILLIES

7. 3B-Pedro Feliz vs 3B- Casey Blake-Blake has been a big addition and Torre feels he is overlooked because of Manny’s success. Feliz has power but really is too streaky. Blake takes the cake on this one. -DODGERS

8. C-Carlos Ruiz vs 2B- Blake Dewitt- Dewitt hit .273 in his first Series whereas, Ruiz hit an abysmal .071going 1 for 14 in his Series. Neither guy has power but Dewitt’s numbers were better in the season as well so I’ll take him.-DODGERS

ADVANTAGE DODGERS- As you can see I have the lineup’s tied 4 to 4 but there is a huge factor I am not taking into consideration while doing this. The factor is Manny Ramirez and how he is the only player in this Series who can take it completely over. Manny is the best hitter in this Series and if things are tied you have to give the Dodgers a slight edge because of his presence. Ryan Howard and Pat Burrell are great power threats but none are as dimensional as Manny with both the average and long ball abilities. The key in this Series will be Rollins and Victorino’s ability to get on base as we all know they are the two Phillies that put a ton of pressure on the opposition. The Phillies might have more power but the Dodgers contain better hitters.

Best 3 Bullpen Arms

Closer Battle- Phillies Brad Lidge vs Dodgers Takashi Saito

Brad Lidge is the best in baseball right now as he was 41 for 41 this season. Saito is a nice pitcher but he is over matched in this argument as Lidge has found a new home in Philly this season..

ADVANTAGE PHILLIES

Setup Men Battle

Phillies Ryan Madson and Chad Durbin vs Dodgers Corey Wade and Jonathan Broxton

Madson and Durbin are two solid right handers who can get out of jams if needed. Wade had a great season as a rookie and Torre has a ton of faith in his ability to get big outs. In this argument Broxton is the difference maker as he can throw the ball 100 mph at times. Broxton is easily the most dominant guy of these four therefore I’ll take the Dodgers.

ADVANTAGE-DODGERS

Manager Battle

Phillies Charlie Manuel vs Dodgers Joe Torre

This is not even fair as Torre has 4 World Series rings whereas Manuel is only appearing in his Second post season. Charlie likes guys who play scrappy baseball so the Phillies definitely fit that mold. Unfortunately Torre may be one of the best manager’s of all time, and the job he has done this year speaks volumes about his ability to get young players ready for big spots. Joe Torre wins this easily.

ADVANTAGE DODGERS

FINAL OUTCOME-LOS ANGELES DODGERS OVER PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES IN 6 GAMES.

Honestly this series could go either way and I feel the winner of Game 1 will most likely be the team to advance. Derek Lowe has been in these spots so many times and I just don’t know how you can pick against him. The Phillies are a solid team and they definitely have a shot to win this Series. However, the Dodgers are on a roll an in my eyes the destroyed the best team in the league with relative ease. Manny is just a big time difference maker and the fact that he is trying makes it even harder on the young Philly starters. If Utley, Howard and Burrell can stay hot this Series could go 7 but in the end baseball will get its storybook ending to the 2008 season with Manny returning to prison at Fenway Park for the World Series. I like the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Philadelphia Phillies in 6 games to win the National League Championship Series.

The Brain

Complete Disgrace- What Manny “Money” Ramirez did to the Red Sox is unforgiving, but what he’s doing to the Cubs is even worse.

He was my favorite player for 7 years in Boston. I own 3 of his jerseys and would proudly wear them to Fenway on a warm summer’s night. Over the years I would constantly defend him when people would say he doesn’t hustle or that he isn’t clutch. Trust me, I was a big Manny fan but I have lost all respect for him as a person and more so as a player.

Derek Jeter is a 100 million dollar player, Alex Rodriguez is a 100 million dollar player, Manny Ramirez is not, and it has nothing to do with numbers. Its about heart and desire and when Manny doesn’t have his way both of those traits are nonexistent. ARod and Jeter are the faces of their franchise and if anyone thinks Manny is in their class, then they better call for straight jackets, because that person needs help. See Boston fans are funny when they call Johnny Damon and Adam Vinateri “traitors” for taking more money to play for our enemies. So what do they call Manny who is being paid by US to play for the Dodgers? At least Damon and Vinatieri left and it was over and done with. Manny is still being paid by us and he is trying harder than ever for the Dodgers on our dime. How disgraceful is that?

If you are a true Red Sox fan and you can still root for Manny or the Dodgers then in my eyes you are betraying Red Sox Nation. How can you still pull for a guy who cares more about money instead of winning? Manny doesn’t care about winning at all. Sadly for the game of baseball winning for him is about getting that new 100 million guaranteed contract. When the Sox needed him he could care less. Like I said previously, I loved Manny more than any player. However, his quiting on the Red Sox and the problems he created are both inexcusable. Sorry but there can be no pass on this one. Manny the “mercenary” will get his big contract and the Sox will pay for the playoff success that the Dodgers will get until the season ends. In retrospect maybe we should blame Duquette or John Harrington for signing off on this deal 8 years ago. Maybe it was Jimy Williams or Grady Little who let him live by a different set of rules or maybe it is just that Manny is a selfish, ignorant person who just simply doesn’t understand how truly lucky his life is.

Manny likes to compare his treatment by the Red Sox to Nomar and Pedro. Sorry Manny but there is a big difference here. You see those two guys at least played hard when their number was called. They didn’t purposely watch 3 strikes go by against the Yankees. Nonetheless they never had the audacity to send the picture of it to their owner ! Nomar cared about playing baseball and even Pedro pitched hurt when needed. Manny wouldn’t play with a healthy knee even when an MRI proves the liar that he is.

It is so disturbing watching him try too hard because as a Red Sox fan we never saw this Manny. It’s sad because Manny could have been the greatest Sox right handed hitter of all time, but what’s worse is that he can’t even see how insulting his behavior is to the game of baseball, the fans, and most of all himself. I never knew making 20 million dollars a year was the same as being in jail because Manny led us to believe that during his time in Boston he was a prisoner instead of being the second highest paid player in baseball. John Henry is a good man and he gave Red Sox Nation something it hasn’t had in mostly every one’s lifetime. Terry Francona is a good manager who doesn’t deserve to have a personality like Manny in his clubhouse. In my eyes it was the Red Sox who were being held prisoner to Manny’s demands over the last 7 years. A week before Manny was traded he demanded that Tito give him a month off to rest his knee. I never knew that going cross country to Hollywood could help cure a knee problem as he has never looked so good in running the bases.

Another puzzling thing happened with the trade. Since when did Manny talk so much to the media ? I do believe in baseball karma so maybe we will get lucky and will end up meeting the Dodgers in the World Series. The Fenway faithful deserve to “welcome” him back. Maybe then all of those people who apologize for Manny can then admit how truly disgraceful the Manny act really is!

The Brain

Tampa Bay

9=8- For the first time in their 14 year history the Tampa Bay Rays are in the post season, and Joe Maddon’s constant preaching is that if 9 guys work hard every day then they will earn one of the 8 post season berths. Here the Rays celebrate their first division title in franchise history.

An Absolute Stud- Evan Longoria is the AL Rookie of the Year and had it not been for an injury he may have won the MVP. Longoria is a solid defender with A+ power as he belted 27 HR’s in just 122 games.

The Heart and Soul- The Heart- Carlos Pena is easily the Rays leader both on and off the field. He lead the team with 31 HR’s and 102 RBI’s this season. The Soul- Joe Maddon won a World Series with Mike Scoscia and the Angels in 2002, he has now brought all his knowledge to this young Tampa team by showing them that hard work does pay off.

Losing is something the Tampa Bay Rays have always grown accustomed to in their brief 14 year career. Last season the Rays lost 96 games and finished 30 games behind the first place Red Sox this gave them their 10th losing season in a row. It seems like people in Tampa cared more about Buccaneer football or even the rival New York Yankees who have their spring training complex in Tampa before Rays baseball was even an option. In 2007 and for most of their first 13 years the Rays had trouble drawing more than 10,000 fans. That was then and this is now. Winning changes everything and for the first time in franchise history the Tampa Bay Rays are winners, as the won the 2008 AL East division title. They are the first team since the 1991 Atlanta Braves to go from worst to first in one single season. Nobody saw this coming but you have to give the Rays credit as they fought hard and bought into Joe Maddon’s formula for success by over coming a ton obstacles in 2008. Maddon is easily the American League Manager of the Year as he had his team improve 30 games from last years record. The reason the Rays were able to accomplish this is because they had pitching and pitching is what wins in this league.They fixed a bullpen that blew 52 games last season by adding veteran closer Troy Percival and lefty JP Howell. They also got a ton of mileage out of flame thrower Grant Balfour as he became a big time bullpen arm in Maddon’s unit. They also had all 5 starters win double digit games for the first time in franchise history. They got what they needed out of veterans Scott Kazmir and James Shields, while young guns Edwin Jackson, Matt Garza (who they got for a disgruntled Delmon Young), and Andy Sonnanstine all had breakout season’s. The veteran leadership of Carlos Pena, BJ Upton and Dioner Navarro set the precedent for others to follow by doing exactly what their manager wanted day in an day out. Joe Maddon’s words of wisdom have finally been heard all through the halls of the Tampa clubhouse as the Rays also got solid, hard play out of role players Jason Bartlett, Gabe Gross, Eric Hinske, Akinori Iwamura, Wily Aybar and Ben Zobrist. Now the Rays will set forth on another mission in front of their biggest audience ever Thursday afternoon in Tampa, by trying to show the world true meaning of 9=8.

Chicago

Partying with the Boss- It was Jim Thome’s solo homerun that provided all the offense the White Sox needed in winning the extra playoff game over the Twins 1-0, Here Thome is shown pouring beer all over GM Kenny Williams in celebration because the White Sox are now heading to the playoffs.

The Real Wizard of Oz- Earlier this season many South Siders wanted to ax White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen but he once again has the last laugh by pulling out all the stops in getting the White Sox back to the playoffs.

The Key To It All- Carlos Quentin (right) may be the key to the White Sox getting past Tampa as he tries to return from a broken wrist suffered earlier last month. Quentin was easily the central figure in getting the White Sox to the post season by smashing 36 HR’s and driving in 100 RBI’s. Quentin may have been AL MVP had it not been for his unfortunate injury.

In recent years the South side of Chicago has definitely had more sunny days than their rivals on the North. For those of you who don’t know Chicago baseball is typically divided by where you live in the city limits. If you are on the North side then usually you pull for the Cubs and if you are on the South more than likely you’ll be in love with the DH and a fan of the White Sox. The cool thing about Chicago baseball is that each stadium is separated by a long road with the Bears Soldiers Field sitting in the middle. That road is the famous Lakeshore Drive which may be one of the most beautiful roads in the country. Like the long road that separates the two ballparks the Chicago baseball road map of success has had an even longer road for these two franchises. An entire century has gone by since the Cubs have won and the White Sox luck wasn’t much better as they waited 88 years until their recent 2005 title. This year the White Sox clearly were underdogs going into spring training. The Indians were picked by almost everyone at ESPN to win the American league, and the Tigers added Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera to an already stacked team so in many people’s eyes the White Sox had no shot. This is why we play the games as the White Sox and Twins would end up having to play a 163rd game before crowning the 2008 AL Central division champion. Some of the biggest moments this season were seen with pitching coach Don Cooper transforming a former Philadelphia castoff into a prime time ace by Gavin Floyd going 17-8. Cooper also corrected John Danks ability in keeping the ball down in the strike zone by showing him how to pitch at the major league level. Danks biggest moment may have taken place last night in game 163 by him pitching 8 scoreless innings of 2 hit ball en route to a 1-0 win over the Twins which punched the White Sox ticket for Tampa. Danks also had a great year as he responded to Cooper by going 12-9 with a team best 3.32 ERA. This may not seem like that big a deal but I can tell you that if you take Don Cooper out of this equation the White Sox don’t go anywhere this year. The White Sox also have a cast of veterans which include the likes of Jim Thome, Jermaine Dye, Orlando Cabrera, AJ Pierzynski, Ken Griffey Jr., and Paul Konerko. The veterans were solid but the two best offensive stories came from the young kids as left fielder Carlos Quentin and rookie shortstop Alexei Ramirez had huge years. Quentin hit 36 HR’s and Ramirez came out of nowhere to hit 21 in just 136 games. Ramirez also had success with the bases loaded as he hit 4 grand slams which set a major league rookie record. Remember this Ozzie’s boys are veterans and they have been here before so experience is on their side. Maybe the long wait in Chicago baseball was a good thing and their people will be rewarded fully with a dream ending by having the World Series simply be a Battle on Lakeshore Drive.

Full Playoff Series Analysis

Rays vs White Sox Starting Pitchers
Game 1-Rays James Shields vs White Sox Javier Vazquez@ Tropicana Field- Tampa

Tough matchup for the White Sox as James Shields is a horse at home going 9-2 with a ridiculous 2.59 ERA. Shields threw 215 innings for the second straight season which shows that he has a ton of durability. Vazquez is just 5-9 on the road this season and he is 1-2 vs the Rays with a 5.34 ERA. Another thing you have to expect is the White Sox to have a let down after winning both games dramatically on Monday and Tuesday. The Rays have waited 14 years for playoff baseball and in Game 1 at home they won’t disappoint. Take Shields.

ADVANTAGE RAYS

Game 2-Rays Scott Kazmir vs White Sox Mark Buehrle @ Tropicana Field- Tampa

Ok so the White Sox have yet to announce their starters beyond Game 1 but I don’t think there really is much to think about because Floyd pitched on Monday and he would be going on just 3 days rest, and Danks pitched last night on 3 days rest so he is not even an option. Assuming Buehrle pitches I think this will be a close one as both Kazmir and Buehrle have had up and down years. The 24 year old Kazmir is 8-2 at home this season but he has been hammered over the last month and it seems like he might be fading late in the season. You never know which Mark Buehrle is going to show up so one has to really think about this. Tampa had the best home record in baseball so I am once again going to give the nod to the Rays. Take Kazmir.

ADVANTAGE RAYS

Game 3- White Sox Gavin Floyd vs Rays Matt Garza @ US Cellular Field- Chicago

Assuming Ozzie Guillen pitches Floyd in Game 3 over Danks on short rest I like the White Sox. Matt Garza is tough at times but the bottom line is this kid is a headcase and on the road in the playoffs the one component you need is composure. I fear that as soon as the umpire calls a questionable ball Garza will fall apart. Remember this is a kid who earlier in the year, tried to fight his catcher in the middle of an inning because he felt it was Navarro’s fault he wasn’t throwing strikes. Take Floyd

ADVANTAGE WHITE SOX

Starting Lineups

Rays vs White Sox ADV

1. 2B- Akinori Iwamura vs SS-Orlando Cabrera- Both Good contact hitters with speed, Cabrera is just a little bit better with the glove and stick.-WHITE SOX

2. CF- BJ Upton vs CF- Ken Griffey Jr.- The Young and the Old this may be Griffey’s last go round so you never know, but Upton has more speed and power as of right now Upton’s better-RAYS

3. 1B- Carlos Pena vs LF- Carlos Quentin-Two serious power hitters go head to head with each being able to drive in a ton of runs, I’m taking Quentin because he blows out Pena this year if he’s healthy.-WHITE SOX

4. 3B-Evan Longoria vs RF- Jermaine Dye-Tough call here as Dye had a great year belting 35 HR’s while hitting .292. Longoria is great but still a rookie I’ll take the more proven commodity in Dye- WHITE SOX

5. DH-Cliff Floyd vs DH- Jim Thome- Floyd is at the end of his career and he really has no power, this one is easy Thome all the way.-WHITE SOX

6. C-Dioner Navarro vs 1B- Paul Konerko-At this stage of the ‘08 season Navarro is the Rays best hitter in my eyes so he gets the nod over Konerko and his .240 average.-RAYS

7. RF-Gabe Gross vs 2B-Alexei Ramirez- Alexei Ramirez is special with a ton of power plus he hit .290, Gabe Gross is simply a big time slugger with a ton of strikeouts, I’ll take Alexei-WHITE SOX

8. LF-Eric Hinske vs C- AJ Pierzynski-AJ had a great first half but struggled down the stretch. He lead the league in double plays which is terrible, Hinske had a nice year and should be proud, call it even-TIE

9. SS-Jason Bartlett vs 3B- Juan Uribe-Joe Maddon’s words are enough for me and he feels Bartlett is the team’s MVP, that has to count for something.-RAYS

ADVANTAGE WHITE SOX- THE WHITE SOX MAY HAVE ALOT MORE POWER BUT POWER DOESN’T ALWAYS TRANSLATE INTO WINNING PLAYOFFS GAMES, JUST ASK THE YANKEES. THE RAYS HAVE A SCRAPPY TEAM AND THEY PLAY FOR EVERY RUN SO WITH THEIR PITCHING THEY WILL ALWAYS BE IN CLOSE GAMES. DAY TO DAY DURING THE SEASON THE WHITE SOX HAVE A MUCH BETTER LINEUP ESPECIALLY IF QUENTIN IS HEALTHY. UNFORTUNATELY THIS IS THE PLAYOFFS AND HITS AND RUNS ARE SCARCE. IF I HAD TO CHOOSE A LINEUP I’LL TAKE THE WHITE SOX TOP TO BOTTOM BUT IT DOESN’T MEAN THEY WIN THIS SERIES.

ADVANTAGE WHITE SOX

Best 3 Bullpen Arms

Closer Battle- Rays Troy Percival/ Dan Wheeler vs White Sox Bobby Jenks

Ok I can’t understand why Maddon is so in love with Dan Wheeler. In my eyes he is a guy that as soon as he walks one guy should be removed from any game immediately . Percival had a great start but faded at the end and may ahve lost his job. Regardless, of who Maddon’s summons for closer duties Bobby Jenks is 5 times better than either. He throws 97 mph consistently with a devastating curve ball. This one may go either way in the eyes of Maddon with who he chooses, but in this argument it’s only going one way. It doesn’t matter who they choose its Jenks all the way.

ADVANTAGE WHITE SOX

Setup Men Battle

Rays Grant Balfour and JP Howell vs White Sox Octavio Dotel and Matt Thornton

Like the closer argument this one isn’t even fair. Howell and Balfour are emerging superstars who can come in every night and record big outs. Look at the stats do yo know how many leads these two guys protected this season, its scary. Thornton can throw 100 but he has not other pitch and unless Dotel is a guy who is wild and has to throw strikes to be on his game. Bad combination if your the White Sox. On a bad day the Rays still win this argument.

ADVANTAGE-RAYS

Manager Battle

Rays Joe Maddon vs White Sox Ozzie Guillen

Tough call here as both are very good at what they do. Ozzie is a manager, and a Francona type who keeps the players happy and comfortable, while having a lot to say. Maddon is like a coach who is a tremendous situational manager, by believing in the Mike Scoscia theory of playing and fighting for every run. I think Maddon gets more out of less and if I had to choose I’ll take the coach over the manager.

ADVANTAGE RAYS

FINAL OUTCOME-TAMPA BAY RAYS OVER CHICAGO WHITE SOX IN 4 GAMES.

THE TAMPA BAY RAYS HAVE WAITED MANY YEARS FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY AND THEY COULDN’T HAVE FOUND THEMSELVES IN A BETTER POSITION WITH THE WHITE SOX HAVING PLAYED TWO GAMES ALREADY THIS WEEK. THE RAYS ARE RESTED AND THEIR STARTING PITCHING IS SUPERIOR TO WHAT CHICAGO HAS. IF THE WHITE SOX HAD DANKS AND FLOYD GOING IN GAMES 1 AND 2 THIS SERIES MAY BE DIFFERENT. ON THE OTHER HAND IF SONNANSTINE WAS PITCHING GAME 3 INSTEAD OF GARZA, THE RAYS MIGHT HAVE SWEPT THIS SERIES. PITCHING AND DEFENSE WIN AND THE RAYS DO BOTH OF THOSE BETTER THAN MOST, WHICH IS WHY I LIKE THE TAMPA BAY RAYS OVER THE CHICAGO WHITE SOX IN 4 GAMES.

The Brain

Los Angeles

Soaken Wet-Torii Hunter and teammates celebrate the Angels first ever 100 season.

Man On A Mission- Angels skipper Mike Scoscia knows that in order for his team to win it all it will have to do something that they have yet to do, beat the Red Sox.

Are You Scared? - Francisco Rodriguez smashed Bobby Thigpen’s 58 save record by nailing down 62 of his own, he may be the key in the Angels advancing from the first round for the first time since 2005.

Feel Good Story- For the first time in his 6 year career Angels first basemen Mark Teixeira will be playing baseball in October.

Los Angeles is a city filled with many things, actors and actresses, models, gorgeous weather, and how can we forget a Starbucks at every corner. I mean the state of California has the Terminator for governor, and all day traffic that makes route 93 at rush hour look like a cakewalk. Another thing Los Angeles has is two baseball teams playing October baseball for the first time since 2004. Although in my eyes only one has a real shot at making it all the way to the World Series and that team is the Angels. Managed by Mike Scoscia the Angels possess baseball’s best signal caller. He plays small ball and it works as the Angels won 100 games for the first time in their history finishing an amazing 21 games in front of 2nd place Texas. The Angels also have a ton of talent as their big guns consist of Vladimir Guerrero, Garret Anderson, Torii Hunter, and the best of all Mark Teixeira. Speedsters Chone Figgins and Erik Aybar provide the ability to steal bases anytime they reach. Howie Kendrick is one of the most complete hitters in baseball when healthy. The Angels pitching may have been what carried them all year as all five starters won double digit games. The most was 17 by lefty Joe Saunders. Ervin Santana had a great year as he was 16-7 with a team best 3.49 ERA. I believe that Ervin Santana may be the one player who either makes or breaks this series for the Angels. The ace is still John Lackey as he endured a solid 12-5 season while starting the year on the disabled list. The Angels will now hope that the three times a charm as they play the Red Sox in the ALDS for the 3rd time in 5 years. One thing is certain as the Angels do know that they have control this year with the Stairway to Heaven and the road to the World Series runs through Hollywood in their backyard. From the penthouses in Malibu, to the mansions in Bel Air, to Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills everyone will gather to see if LA is really the City of Angels and if so does Heaven really exist in Southern California.

Boston

Remember Us?- Tito Francona and the boys Kevin Youkilis, Tim Wakefield, Sean Casey, and Dustin Pedroia will lead the Red Sox into a familiar territory as they look to once again knock out the Angels.

A Nightmare in Heaven- AL MVP Candidate Dustin Pedroia is the Red Sox best player heading into October. With Pedroia heading to Los Angeles the Angels will surely be up all night in trying to figure out a way to stop him.

Bring It On- David Otiz and the Red Sox celebrate their 4th playoff berth in the last 5 seasons, as they win the Wild Card. They will face the Angels in the ALDS beginning Wednesday night.

On The Brink of Greatness- Jon Lester is becoming one of baseball’s best left handed starters. The Red Sox will give him the ball in Game 1 on Wednesday night in Los Angeles.

Dreams Can Come True- After 5 horrible seasons in Pittsburgh Jason Bay is finally getting to live a childhood dream, play post season baseball.

The Red Sox have been down this road before. In 2004 they were the Wild Card team and they trailed the Yankees 3-0 only to stave off elimination for four consecutive games in becoming the Greatest Comeback Story in Sports History. No team has ever accomplished what the 2004 Red Sox did as they not only came back on the Yankees but less than a week later they ended an 86 year curse by winning the World Series. Nothing will ever compare to the 2004 season but last year the Red Sox embarked on another championship season. Trailing the Indians 3-1 they gave the ball to Beckett and he delivered by sending the series back to Boston. The Red Sox would then go out and score 23 runs in Games 6 and 7 which put an end to the Indians season. They would once again be crowned champions of baseball. In both of those seasons the Red Sox had the task of dismantling the Angels in the first round. They swept them in both series combining for a 6-0 record. Terry Francona has been in this position before and he knows what this team needs to do in order to advance. On paper the Angels are scary but as I have said before the Red Sox starting pitching this season is better than either 2 previous championship seasons. With Lester, Daisuke, and Beckett the Red Sox may have the best rotation of any team in playoff baseball. The bats will be missing a familiar face as disgraceful outfielder Manny Ramirez is playing on the other side of Hollywood. The thing people don’t realize is that with Manny this team was the 1-8 bunch that looked completely over matched by the Angels. Once Manny left the Red Sox finally came together as a team and are now in much better shape than they were two months ago. I loved Manny as a player but what he did to the Red Sox was disgraceful and in my mind it will never ever be forgotten. The Red Sox are definitely the most experienced team in the post season and that should pay dividends as the series goes on. In life the Angels may be close to God, but right now in baseball the Red Sox are kings and they will once again try to rule their way through the City of Angels in making sure that in the city of LA, Heaven Can Wait.

Full Playoff Series Analysis

Angels vs Red Sox Starting Pitchers
Game 1-Angels John Lackey vs Red Sox Jon Lester @ Angel Stadium of Anaheim- Los Angeles

In my eyes this is easily the best matchup of Game 1 starters as the Angels have their ace throwing at home. Jon Lester transformed himself into an ace this season by winning 16 games and throwing 210 innings. Put Cliff Lee in the National league and then find me a better left hander than Lester. Lester’s fastball has been ringing in at 96 mph consistently. He also has a 1-0 record in the post season with a 1.93 ERA. Lackey on the other hand opened last years ALDS at Fenway and lost the game 4-0. Lackey was 2-0 this year vs the Red Sox but was just 1-2 in Septemeber posting an 8.14 ERA. Due to the fact that Lackey is 3-6 with a 5.54 ERA lifetime vs the Red Sox, I’ll take Lester.

ADVANTAGE RED SOX

Game 2-Angels Ervin Santana vs Red Sox Daisuke Matsuzaka @ Angel Stadium of Anahiem-Los Angeles

This year Santana had an amazing turn around after being sent down to the minors last season by going 16-7 with a 3.49 ERA. He even earned a trip to the All Star game and also struck out 214 hitters which is the most by an Angel since Chuck Finley in 1996. Lifetime vs the Red Sox he is 1-2 with a 5.73 ERA and he has never faced the Red Sox in the post season. Daisuke Matsuzaka turned in one of the best seasons of any Red Sox pitcher by going 18-3 in the 2008 campaign. Matsuzaka was 8-2 after the All Star break and never showed signs of fatigue like he did at the end of 2007. The most amazing thing about Daisuke was that he was 9-0 on the road with a 2.37 ERA. Daisuke is 2-1 with a 5.03 ERA in the postseason. The only concern here is the walks as he recorded 94 over only 167 1/3 innings and in the playoffs walks will kill you. That being said, and assuming the Red Sox win Game 1 with Lester I have to give the nod to Santana.

ADVANTAGE ANGELS

Game 3- Red Sox Josh Beckett vs Angels Joe Saunders @ Fenway Park- Boston

Joe Saunders had a great year in going 17-7 and even more amazing he was 10-3 away from Angels Stadium.More importantly in his career he is 3-0 at Fenway Park with a 2.75 ERA. Lifetime vs the Red Sox Saunders is an impressive 4-0 with a 2.89 ERA in 6 starts, with 2 of those wins coming this season. These may be the reasons Mike Scoscia decided to save him until Game 3. There is only one problem with that he’s facing Beckett. Josh was a perfect 4-0 with a ridiculous 1.20 ERA in 4 starts last October with the Red Sox. Beckett is Mr. October and the consummate ace that every team dreams of come playoff time. He is 6-2 with a 1.73 ERA in the post season lifetime. Saunders is a solid lefty who uses finesse to get guys out but honestly if Beckett is healthy this one isn’t even close.

ADVANTAGE RED SOX

Starting Lineups

Angels vs Red Sox ADV

1. 3B- Chone Figgins vs CF- Jacoby Ellsbury- Both players can fly and have speed, identical numbers this year-TIE

2. DH- Garret Anderson vs 2B- Dustin Pedroia-Pedroia should be AL MVP this one is easy-RED SOX

3. 1B- Mark Teixeira vs DH- David Ortiz-Papi is clutch in October but Texeira is a better hitter right now-ANGELS

4. RF-Vlad Guerrero vs 1B- Kevin Youkilis-Vlad is tough but Youk has him in almost every category both guys have a ton of power but right now its Youkilis-RED SOX

5. CF-Torii Hunter vs 3B- Mike Lowell- If Lowell was healthy this wouldn’t be close but he is not so Hunter gets the nod.-ANGLES

6. 2B-Howie Kendrick vs LF- Jason Bay-Two .300 hitters both solid but Bay had over 30 HR’s, Gimme Bay- RED SOX

7. LF-Juan Rivera vs RF-JD Drew- If Drew is healthy he is tough in the post season but thats a big question so I’ll call it a tie as Rivera has had success hitting in October-TIE

8. C-Mike Napoli vs SS- Jed Lowrie-Lowrie is a rookie with little to no power and Napoli hit 20 HR’s so this one is easy.-ANGELS

9. SS-Erik Aybar vs C- Jason Varitek- Due to the fact that Aybar has little to no playoff experience I’ll take Varitek-RED SOX

ADVANTAGE RED SOX- AS YOU CAN SEE THIS ONE IS CLOSE AS ALOT OF VARIABLES STILL HAVE YET TO BE DETERMINED. THE HEALTH OF BOTH DREW AND LOWELL ARE HUGE QUESTION MARKS FOR THIS RED SOX LINEUP. IF HEALTHY THE SOX WIN THIS ARUMENT EASILY BUT UNFORTUNATELY THEY AREN’T. THE ANGELS MAY HAVE MORE POWER BUT TOP TO BOTTOM THE RED SOX LINEUP IS DEEPER.

ADVANTAGE RED SOX

Best 3 Bullpen Arms

Closer Battle- Angels Francisco Rodriguez vs Red Sox Jonathan Papelbon

Ok forget the 62 saves because it means nothing in this battle . One guy throws nothing but fast balls whereas, the other throws nothing but sliders. They both have had success in the post season as K-Rod did it in 2002 in the Angels World Series run while Pap came through last year for the Red Sox. If you look at this year Papelbon has better numbers and in my eyes can be more dominate when on his game. This one is close but Papelbon gets the nod over the saves record breaker.

ADVANTAGE RED SOX

Setup Men Battle

Angels Scott Shields and Jose Arredondo vs Red Sox Hideki Okajima and Manny Delcarmen

By looks of things this argument favors the Angels as Arredondo’s year compares to K-Rod’s rookie year of ‘02. Shields is a solid veteran who is very reliable and always seems to fight out of jams. On the other hand Okajima had a solid second half and as of late Delcarmen has been turning in some pretty good innings. If you expand this argument to four and add Lopez and Masterson for the Red Sox and Speier and Oliver to the Angels then I like the Red Sox. Unfortunately, its the top two on each side being discussed so I am taking the Angels.

ADVANTAGE-ANGELS

Manager Battle

Angels Mike Scoscia vs Red Sox Terry Francona

This is really a tough call because they might be 1 and 2 in all of baseball. Francona is the greatest Red Sox manager ever and likewise for Scoscia in Los Angeles. They have both won World Series with Tito actually winning his 2nd last year. In a matchup obviously Francona has gotten the better of the two. However Scoscia plays small ball whereas, Francona waits for the big hit. I’ll take a small ball guy any day of the week.

ADVANTAGE ANGELS

FINAL OUTCOME-BOSTON RED SOX OVER LOS ANGELES ANGELS IN 4 GAMES.

AS BOSTON FANS WE KNOW THAT THE THIRD TIME YOU PLAY SOMEONE IT GETS TOUGHER TO YOU AS WE WITNESSED THIS FIRSTHAND BY LAST YEAR’S SUPER BOWL. EVEN STILL THE RED SOX HAVE PITCHING THIS YEAR AND WITH LESTER GOING TWICE AND BECKETT AT HOME THERE IS NO REASON THEY SHOULDN’T WIN THIS SERIES. YOU CAN GET TO THE PLAYOFFS WITH 9 ALL STAR HITTERS AS THE YANKEES DO IT EVERY YEAR, BUT WINNING THERE IS ANOTHER STORY. THE ANGELS HAVE PITCHING TOO BUT THE RED SOX STARTERS ARE BETTER WHICH IS WHY I LIKE THE RED SOX OVER THE ANGELS IN FOUR GAMES.

The Brain