I have never been much of a believer that you can predict pivotal points in any season or in any sport. You can always look back and decide that a certain event or a certain game changed the whole complex of a season or the whole attitude of a team. But predicting a turning point in the middle of the season has no more credibility than buying a lottery ticket because you have a good feeling about it. However the Tampa Bay Rays begin a nine game road trip that could possibly be the pivotal point in their season.
The Rays enter the friendly confines of Fenway Park tonight to begin the road trip that has them playing three games in Fenway, three games against the Rangers and three games against the Angels. That is three different time zones in nine days against teams that have something to hang on to and something to prove. It seems that the Rays are always playing somebody who is in or around first place in their division.
Tonight the Rays throw Matt Garza against the Sox and Justin Masterson, who is being called up from Pawtucket for the third time this year to make a spot start; in this case to fill in for Dice-K. Garza has a 2-0 record at Fenway with 2.53 ERA and will be going against a Sox team without David Ortiz in the line up. Wednesday has Edwin Jackson going against the Red Sox ace, Josh Beckett and James Shields goes against Jon Lester on Thursday. Scott Kazmir will not pitch in Boston and will open the series in Texas on Friday.
The Red Sox are 21-5 at home this year and they are coming off a strenuous road trip that saw Manny hit his 500-career home run and saw the loss of Big Papi for what may be a month or more. An interesting match up to watch in this series is Jacoby Ellsbury, Carl Crawford and B.J. Upton on the bases. Ellsbury currently leads the Majors in steals; an accomplishment usually reserved for Crawford. The difference in this series may be the sea of red shirts in the stands that act as a tenth man for the Red Sox. You can never underestimate the power of the Red Sox Nation.
The Texas Rangers have one of the best line-ups in baseball and I don’t have to recount the accomplishments of Josh Hamilton this year. Fortunately for the Rays, the Rangers also have the worst pitching and worst fielding in the American league. If the axiom is true that good pitching beats good hitting then the Rays should be all right. But then again, I saw Hamilton’s grand slam at the Trop last week and still can’t believe how hard he hit that ball.
The Angels series is an interesting one. The Angels were swept by the Rays at the Trop a couple of weeks ago and will be looking for some revenge. They feature good pitching, great defense and, to this point in the season, underachieving hitting. Cripes, that sounds just like the Rays.
This road trip may be a defining test for the upstart Rays. If they can get past the sweep they took in Boston in April and can control the bats of the Rangers they should arrive in LA mentally fit. But if they have troubles in the first two series, the Angels might have an easy time with them because of their youth and inexperience. This will be a true test of the effectiveness of Joe Maddon as a field manager.
It is my opinion that if the Rays can win 4 or 5 games in this road trip, they will be a factor for the rest of the season. If they lose as many as 6 they will only be the spoilers in the American League for the rest of the way. This may be the pivotal point in the season for the Tampa Bay Rays and although I don’t believe you can predict pivotal points, I am predicting this one and predicting a positive outcome.
bosox61
This one series alone may well determine whether or not the Rays has what it takes to be real contenders in the regular season as well as the postseason.
A series win over the Red Sox could go a long way in establishing their legitimacy as a team to beat and to follow for the remainder of the season. In doing so it'd also establish their credentials for the postseason.
I've a new post up titled Usain Bolt ....Was He Really That Good Or Was The Field That Bad ? Let me know what you think as to the merits of the piece ? I'll look forward to reading your comments as and when you're ready. Chimin' out.
Rays61; They split 3-3 with the Sox, They swept the Angels and took 2 outta 3 from the Rangers already, and as you said, this road trip, the way it's set up, leaves a built in, and in my opinion, legitimate excuse if they stumble. I dont see the season riding on this stretch.
Wait til next week when they go head to head with Florida, 6 games in two weeks with the Marlins. It will tell us about one of them anyway.
Oh yeah, the reason i came here in the first place? WHO YOU ROOTIN FOR ????? I gotta know! and i dont want to here any of that " i hope they both play well" ####!!!
Ya play .500 on the road and win 2 out of three at home the rest of the way... Simple and they have a few games to give and they'll still be above the curve!
B&O and Dwindy1 - I apologize for dropping this blog and taking off. I rarely do that, but I was out of the house from noon 'til late last night.
My Doctor and friend, Spero was at the game at Fenway last night. My wife was in Newport watching the game on NESN and I was at a friends house watching the game. Spero was sitting 6 rows behind the Rays dugout (and Todd Kalas) and kept us entertained with what was going on at Fenway by way of cell phone. The whole experience was very entertaining.
B&O - It's not just the Marlins! They come home to play the Cubs, Marlins and Astros. It wouldn't be good for them to come home with their tales between their legs.
And now to your question....I don't really know for sure. I cannot NOT root for the Red Sox. However, I am completely aware of the importance of this series for the Rays. The Sox are going to be there at the end; that's a given. Last night I would have been happy for a rain-out.
I can tell you this though, tonight I will be rooting for Edwin Jackson and the Rays against Beckett. This may be the first time in my life that I am wishy-washy on a subject like this. The rays have got to get at least one of these games.
Dwindy1 - I heard the most profound statement on TV a couple of weeks ago. I have been trying like hell to squeeze it into a blog and have it make any sense. To this point I have been unsuccessful.
"Every team in baseball wins 60 games every year and every team in baseball loses 60 games every year. Championships are determined by how teams end up playing the other 42 games."
This is probably a statement that sounds good but means absolutely nothing. However, I keep trying to find some secret message in the statement that will make me sound brilliant. Maybe I should change my name to Don Quixote.
bosox61
I think that it'll go a long way in determning as to how good this team is. And whether or not they have what it takes to prove all the naysayers wrong.
I see that the Yankees are back to using their petri dish experiments ? Joba's a closer, Joba's a set up man , Joba's a starter. Why the hell don't they just give this kid some room to breathe before he flames out under the sheer pressure of their undoubted high expectations !
Joba ! Joba ! He's our man , he's got a flamethrower for an arm and he carries a gas can. With his left hand.
The kid is good but they should let him find his own way. If not then they'll definitely end up being disappointed.
rampant' aka tophatal ..........
Last edited by rampantfanatic on June 4th at 10:21 AM.
Its all about baseball! Big Leagues, Minors, College, HS or Little League. I seem to be happiest when I'm watching it in one form or another.
As a "long-in-the- tooth" Red Sox fan I have buried many familly members who only got to see my beloved Sox get close. The adjustment in going from a fatalist to a believer concerning the Sox has not been easy for me. I think I may have behaved badly as a fan during this years championship season.It's like learning to write left-handed when you have been right-handed all your life. I follow the Patriots, Boston College Football and college basketball. There is only a little bit of baseball when those sports play.
I only care about the game. If it happens outside the stadium, it is not my business.a>
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