Games 136 & 137 - Red Sox
White Sox 4, Red Sox 2
Red Sox 7, Orioles 4
Record: 80-57
I, like many others, have spent the summer viewing the Tampa Bay Rays with a sort of bemused, patronizing eye. Nice little team. Great story. Be a shame when the big boys finally kick sand in their scrappy faces in September.
Ladies and gentlemen, I stand before you today a reformed man, for I am a believer. The Sox are playing for the Wild Card, and there's really no disputing it. Tampa's been great all year long, with one notable stretch right before the All-Star break. The Rays have the AL's best home record, and the league's 2nd-best road mark. Their bullpen is lights out, and despite injuries to critical regulars, they keep winning. If they play .500 ball over their final 27 games (let's say 13-14), the Sox will have to go 17-8 to tie for the division lead. The Sox, despite their injuries, could plausibly post a .680 record, but I don't see the Rays underperforming.
Good on you, Tampa Bay, and let's hope you can put more than 12,000 in the stands in the ALDS.
It sure would be nice if the Orioles would sack up for just one of these games.
ReplyDelete"Since the All-Star break, Boston 2B Dustin Pedroia has more than half as many hits (64) as he did prior (124) in 220 less at-bats."
ReplyDeletelittle dude is aflame.
ReplyDelete