Yardbarker: Jacoby Ellsbury

Kazmir to start Game 5

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:50:08 -0500

Scott Kazmir will start Game 5 for the Rays... James Shields will start Gmae 6 in Tampa.

ALCS Game 4: Wake to the rescue?

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 19:15:47 -0500

Because I just don't have the energy to hype this game, here are some quick stats about tonight's match-up: Wake is 7-4 with a 3.10 ERA at Fenway this year... compared to a 3-7, 5.14 line on the road. He hasn't thrown since his final start of the regular season on September 28th. In that outing...

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ALCS Game 4 - Wake to the rescue?

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:50:39 -0500

Get all the stats and analysis on tonight's Sox v Rays match-up at The Bottom Line.

Monday Notes: Beckett out for Game 6?

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 19:04:54 -0500

Before we turn the page and get ready for Game 3... here's a look at the hot topics from the weekend: Beckett blames location, not injury "I can understand it," Beckett said about the queries from the media. "But if I tell you I'm fine, that's what you've got to go on. Unless you guys are getting...

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Boston Holds 65% Advantage Over Rays

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:53:18 -0500

The ALCS shifts to Fenway Park with the series tied at 1-1. Jon Lester has been the best pitcher on the planet of late, and he will take the mound for the Red Sox in Game 3. The lefty gives Boston a big edge over the upstart Rays who continue to look to make history.

Monday Notes: Beckett out for Game 6?

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 08:56:52 -0500

Jon Lester looks to give the Sox a 2-1 lead in the ALCS today... will he also be the Game 6 starter?

I want to blame Mike Timlin... but...

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 21:13:07 -0500

It's official. The Josh Beckett circa 2007 is gone. I don't know where he went... and I'm starting to wonder if he was really a robot from the future. Beckett was handed a 2-0 lead before he even took the mound but gave it right back on a Longoria home run. Then Pedroia the Destroyah broke out of...

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I want to blame Mike Timlin... but...

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 11:02:24 -0500

Timlin gave up the winning run at 1:30 AM last night, but the blame needs to fall on Josh Beckett for last night's loss. What happened to our heroes from 2007 ???

Pete's Preview and Prediction of the ALCS

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 20:26:30 -0500

Right off the bat, you have to mention the injuries. Boston is without 3B Mike Lowell and Tampa is without closer Troy Percival. Boston’s replacement on the roster goes to RP Mike Timlin, while Tampa has added SP Edwin Jackson.

On paper, Boston has the advantage in 5 of the 9 spots in the line up at 2B with Pedroia, DH with Ortiz, 3B with Youkilis (although it’s a slight edge), LF with Bay and RF with Drew. Tampa ’s advantage is at C with Navarro, 1B with Pena, SS with Bartlett and CF with Upton. The last two with only a slight edge (SS and CF).

Red	Sox Line up	AVG/ OBP/ SLG	VORP
CF-L	Jacoby Ellsbury	.280/.336/.394	17.8
2B-R	Dustin Pedroia	.326/.376/.493	62.3
DH-L	David Ortiz	.264/.369/.507	31.6
3B-R	Kevin Youkilis	.312/.390/.569	55.8 @ 1B
RF-L	J.D. Drew	.280/.408/.519	33.8
LF-R	Jason Bay	.286/.373/.522	47.2
1B-L	Sean Casey	.322/.381/.392	8.2
SS-S	Jed Lowrie	.258/.339/.400	8.1
C-S	Jason Varitek	.220/.313/.359	-1.4

Red	Sox Bench	AVG/ OBP/ SLG	VORP
CF-S	Coco Crisp	.283/.344/.407	14.2
OF-L	Mark Kotsay	.276/.329/.403	6.7
SS-L	Alex Cora	.270/.371/.349	5.0
C-R	Kevin Cash	.225/.309/.338	-1.5
C-R	David Ross	.225/.369/.352	3.1

Rays	Line up	AVG/ OBP/ SLG	VORP
2B-L	Akinori Iwamura	.274/.349/.380	16.0
CF-R	B.J. Upton	.273/.383/.401	32.1
1B-L	Carlos Pena	.247/.377/.494	32.0
3B-R	Evan Longoria	.272/.343/.531	34.8
LF-L	Carl Crawford	.273/.319/.400	7.1
DH-L	Cliff Floyd	.268/.349/.455	12.6
C-S	Dioner Navarro	.295/.349/.407	17.8
RF-L	Gabe Gross	.238/.336/.414	3.9
SS-R	Jason Bartlett	.286/.329/.361	12.9

Rays	Bench	AVG/ OBP/ SLG	VORP
OF-R	Rocco Baldelli	.263/.344/.475	4.0 @ DH
INF-	S Willy Aybar	.253/.327/.410	5.2 @ 3B
UT-S	Ben Zobrist	.253/.339/.505	14.7 @ SS
CF-S	Fernando Perez	.249/.323/.351	NA
C-R	Michel Hernandez	.220/.267/.315	NA

The advantage between the rotation depends upon which Josh Beckett we see in this series. If he’s the dominant force the post-season is use to seeing, then I give the advantage to Boston with the exception of game 4. If, however, Beckett is only at regular season efficiency (most likely), then I have to give the Rays the advantage here. The only chance that I’m wrong in this analysis is if the youthful Rays staff finally starts to show it’s lack of experience and has a meltdown.

The bullpen or middle relief edge goes to Tampa , but the edge at closer is in Boston’s advantage by far.

Red	Sox Rotation	IP	ERA	Red	Sox Bullpen	IP	ERA
RHP	Daisuke Matsuzaka	167.2	2.9	RHP	Jonathan Papelbon	69.1	2.34
RHP	Josh Beckett	174.1	4.03	LHP	Hideki Okajima	62	2.61
LHP	Jon Lester	210.1	3.21	RHP	Justin Masterson	88.1	3.16
RHP	Tim Wakefield	181	4.13	LHP	Javier Lopez	59.1	2.43
				RHP	Manny Delcarmen	74.1	3.27
				RHP	Paul Byrd	180	4.6
				RHP	Mike Timlin	49.1	5.66

Rays	Rotation	IP	ERA	Rays	Bullpen	IP	ERA
RHP	James Shields	215	3.56	RHP	Dan Wheeler	66.1	3.12
LHP	Scott Kazmir	152.1	3.49	LHP	J.P. Howell	89.1	2.22
RHP	Matt Garza	184.2	3.7	RHP	Grant Balfour	58.1	1.54
RHP	Andy Sonnanstine	193.1	4.38	LHP	David Price	14	1.93
				RHP	Chad Bradford	59.1	2.12
				LHP	Trever Miller	43.1	4.15
				RHP	Edwin Jackson	183.1	4.42

I see this series going 6 or 7 games of absolutely exciting baseball! It should not disappoint anyone! The Red Sox and their experience will win out! Play ball!!

ALCS Game 1: Dice-K Loves Domes

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 13:20:19 -0500

Matsuzaka grew up pitching in domes filled with crazy Japanese baseball fans... you think a few cowbells and low hanging catwalks are gonna scare him?

"Sox in Seven" - ALCS Prediction Roundup

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 09:43:10 -0500

Eric Wilbur of the Boston Globe has compiled a number of ALCS predictions... and there appears to be a common theme...

Red Sox v Rays: Top 5 Head-to-Head Match-ups

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:00:17 -0500

Ellsbury vs Longoria... Pedroia vs Upton... Lester vs Kazmir... Papelbon vs Balfour... shall I go on?

VIDEO - Tony Mazz breaksdown the ALCS

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 08:22:31 -0500

Tony Mazz of the Boston Globe talks about the Red Sox v Rays ALCS match-up.

AccuScore ALCS Preview

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 13:40:39 -0500

The American League Championship Series will be an All-East affair for the fifth time. This time around will have a much different feel however as the upstart team from Tampa taking on the defending champions from Boston.

AccuScore ALCS Preview

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 13:40:29 -0500