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VA Sox Fan Boston Red Sox

VA Sox Fan

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Red Sox

1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF

2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B

3. Victor Martinez, C

4. Kevin Youkilis, 1B

5. David Ortiz, DH

6. Jason Bay, LF

7. Mike Lowell, 3B

8. J.D. Drew, RF

9. Alex Gonzalez, SS

-- Jon Lester, LHP

 

WIN!!!!

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VA Sox Fan Boston Red Sox

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Rays-Sox pitching matchups (and more)

 

Posted by Chad Finn, Globe Staff September 1, 2009 11:59 AM

 

When September ends, the Red Sox may look back at the series that begins tonight in Tampa as the one that swung their year. There is still a month left in the season, so maybe the turning point in their playoff pursuit won't come for weeks. But the opportunity --and the danger -- in this series is huge.

 

The Sox lead the Rays by five games in the wild card race, and a decisive outcome for either team in the series could have a significant impact on the playoff chase. Should the Sox take, say, two of three, Tampa, which has never really hit its stride this season, would be six games back and essentially out of the playoff picture. And with a sweep, they can create a chasm between themselves and the rest of the wild card contenders, therefore putting themselves in position to align their pitching for the postseason.

 

But a Rays sweep -- and they are 5-1 against the Sox at Tropicana Field this season -- might give them the burst of momentum they have been awaiting all season.

 

The importance of this series -- really, it is a make-or-break matchup for the Rays -- can be found in the pitching matchups, where Tampa has three pitchers who have had success against the Sox set to take the hill, starting with Andy Sonnanstine tonight. But the Red Sox are also set up well for the series, with lefthander Jon Lester getting the ball tonight, followed by Josh Beckett and Clay Buchholz.

 

While the Sox will use their top three pitchers, they also can’t be sure of what they will get from Beckett. The Rays' starters are a combined 20-22 this season, but they have all vexed the Red Sox during the careers. Their career numbers against the Sox, including last year’s American League Championship Series:

 

Sonnanstine: 3-1, 4.86 ERA

Matt Garza: 7-1, 2.66 ERA

David Price: 2-0, 2.16, one save

 

At the moment, according to Baseball Prospectus, (http://www.baseballprospectus.com/statistics/ps_odds.php) the Red Sox have a 76.4 percent chance to win the wild card and a 78.9 percent shot to make the playoffs overall. By Friday morning, the Sox could be eight games clear of the Rays. Or they could be clinging to a two-game lead, at best. September could be a victory lap, or it could be a dogfight, and these next three games will play a key role in determining which one it is.

 

Here, then, is a closer look at the pitching pairings in this series:

 

TONIGHT

Lester (10-7, 3.60 ERA) vs. Sonnanstine (6-7, 6.61)

With Josh Beckett's puzzling struggles, Lester has emerged as the Sox' recent ace -- he's unbeaten in his last seven starts and has allowed three earned runs or fewer in 15 of his last 16 appearances. But he has had his troubles with the Rays -- in three starts against Tampa this season, he's 0-2 with an 8.22 ERA. In 15.1 innings, however, he has struck out 21. Lester also struggled against Tampa in the ALCS last year, going 0-2 with a 4.97 ERA and suffering the loss in Game 7. Sonnanstine has a reputation as a Red Sox killer -- he won his lone start against them this season and earned a victory with 7.1 innings of six-hit ball in his only start in the ALCS last year. But in seven career regular-season starts against the Sox, he has a 5.08 ERA, and he struggled mightily this season before being demoted to Durham on June 27. He was recalled to make this start after Scott Kazmir was traded to the Angels on Friday.

 

 

TOMORROW

Josh Beckett (14-5, 3.80 ERA) vs. Matt Garza (7-9, 3.95)

Three starts ago, Beckett looked like the leading contender for the AL Cy Young Award. Since then, his ERA has climbed from 3.10 to 3.80 as he was roughed up in succession by the Blue Jays, Yankees, and the Jays again, allowing 20 earned runs in 18.1 innings while allowing a stunning 10 home runs. Beckett has had moderate success against the Rays in his career, going 6-4 with a 3.63 in 13 starts. He will be opposed by Garza, another Ray who seems to save his best performances for his starts against the Sox; Garza is 5-1 with a 2.93 ERA in 10 career starts against Boston in the regular season, and went 2-0 while earning ALCS MVP honors last postseason.

 

SUNDAY

Clay Buchholz (3-3, 4.38 ERA) vs. David Price (7-6, 4.63)

Well, Buchholz, whom the Sox are counting on to seize the No. 3 starter role, has proven he can master the Blue Jays -- all three of his victories this season have come against the Jays, and he has a 1.35 ERA against Toronto in three starts. He has not pitched against the Rays this season, but in two starts against Tampa in his career, he is 1-1 with a 2.02 ERA in 13.1 innings, striking out 15. Last year, he pitched a complete-game loss at Tropicana Field, allowing three hits and two runs in eight innings. Price, the Rays' prized rookie lefthander who arrived on the scene by blowing away the Sox late in Game 7 of the ALCS, has been outstanding at the Trop in his career, winning six of eight decisions with a 2.92 ERA. Price has made one start against the Sox, earning the win by allowing two runs in six innings in the Rays' 6-4 win at home on Aug. 5.

 

THREE OTHER QUICK NOTES ABOUT THE RAYS

1. Shortstop Jason Bartlett, regarded for much of his career as an example of "good-field, no-hit," is batting .340 with 12 home runs, which is more than he had in his five-year career entering this season (11).

 

2. Ben Zobrist, who took over as the full-time second baseman when Akinori Iwamura was lost for the season with a knee injury, has a .948 OPS, which trails only Joe Mauer, Kevin Youkilis, Miguel Cabrera, and Kendry Morales in the American League.

 

3. Carlos Pena leads the AL with 38 home runs, six more than the Yankees' Mark Teixeira, who is second. He also lead the AL in strikeouts (155), six more than Seattle's Russell Branyan, who is second.

 

Adam Kilgore of the Globe staff contributed to this report

BSN07 Boston Red Sox

BSN07

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Best lineup we have. Gonna try to follow by what you guys say and gamecast. Finally got some solid Internet.

 

If you have good internet and can afford it, I think you can get the rest of the season on mlb.tv for like 20 bucks. I believe that includes Playoffs as well. It's well worth it if you can deal with the in between inning commercials:D

Teddyballgame10 Draft Eligible

Teddyballgame10

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If you have good internet and can afford it' date=' I think you can get the rest of the season on mlb.tv for like 20 bucks. I believe that includes Playoffs as well. It's well worth it if you can deal with the in between inning commercials:D[/quote']

 

I know i;m thinking about it, the internet is pretty s***** here.

ms_sox Draft Eligible

ms_sox

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WIN. Beat those flappy winged Rays back into the sand where they belong. ;)

 

Hubby's home and in the mood to watch so going to watch w/him...since no offense, he's better company to me than forums or twitter or... :D

 

Have fun y'all.

yankees228 Salem RidgeYaks

yankees228

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I said it in another thread, but it's probably more relevant here. This series very much reminds me of Yankees-Red Sox 8/26/08-8/28/08. 1/3 is enough, 2/3 is more than enough, and a sweep probably puts the 2009 Tampa Bay Rays to rest.
Spudboy Boston Red Sox

Spudboy

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Orsillo says the same thing before every game in Tampa: "The Red Sox used to dominate here in Tampa Bay' date=' but not so much recently as of late in the recent past..."[/quote']

 

We all have our failings young blood.

VA Sox Fan Boston Red Sox

VA Sox Fan

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I have the game on TV!

 

Thank the Lord above!

 

Always cool!

 

I have it as usual, but the Rays broadcast with the Poodle and Kevin Kennedy :thumbdown:angry:

 

Stupid f***ing dome, stupid f***ing fans with their stupid f***ing cowbells! :angry:

 

Nice hit Youk!! :thumbsup:

Gom Greenville Drive

Gom

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At least we have indoor plumbing.

 

Unlike your taxi.

 

You have indoor plumbing in your car? Not counting your Aunt, of course.

Dipre Worcester Red Sox

Dipre

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You have indoor plumbing in your car? Not counting your Aunt' date=' of course.[/quote']

 

Your fixation on my aunt is the first indicative of your granny porn addiction.

 

Get help.

MannySox Prep Ball

MannySox

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We have Egypt, Italy, and the Dominican Republic so far on the thread.

 

Red Sox "Nation"?

 

This is great.:D

 

Maybe it should be called Red Sox "Worldwide"

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