Rays Get Even

What began as a WILD, exciting, almost carefree game of home run derby, morphed into the super contentious one run, extra inning game that these two teams are fast becoming famous for playing. Extremely tight, pressure packed, edge-of-the-seat baseball for six full innings deep into extra frames requires six hours of your leisure time and a full refrigerator. It was really two games, one free-wheeling one through the fifth and another extremely tightly played one until the finish. Finally, when both clubs were well past using pitchers they were comfortable with, the Rays eeked out the win on a very shallow pop and tag from third by the speedy Fernando Perez.

At the beginning, runs were scoring at a furious pace by both sides with balls flying out of the park at a record-tying rate. Each time one side would forge ahead, they would be outdone in the other half of the inning. This was best illustrated by the interminable fifth, that lasted almost one full hour to complete, or just longer than a Tim McCarver story. From the RS perspective, the balls that didn't carry out were perhaps more important than the ones that did. Ortiz took a giant cut and just missed one in that fifth, and Mark Kotsay nearly hit a 3-run homer to right that would have changed the final outcome. Close, but no cigar. Meanwhile, the Rays were teeing off on Josh Beckett as if he were a Texas Ranger pitcher.

Why on earth Francona elected to send Beckett out for the fifth is beyond me, and after Pena tied it again at 6-6, the ever loyal Tito STILL stayed with last year's ace, until the Rays eventually moved the tally to an ungodly eight runs and almost salted the game away. The crap explanation of trying to get through the fifth to set up his bullpen doesn't wash. By contrast, Joe Maddon, faced with the very same situation created by his ace, immediately brought in his best reliever (Balfour) in the fourth to try to stem the furious tide. When this blew up in his face with the RS whacking moonshots off him, Maddon brought in his second best reliever (Howell) and finally calmed things down. He did what he had to do as the situation DICTATED, not relying on some canned formula decided before the game. This was Francona at his very worst, a kind of Grady Little stubbornness leaving the former Big Guy in way too long.

Both bullpens really strutted their amazing talent and depth. For the Rays, Wheeler was immense in that 3 plus inning stint, with the only blemish that crazy wild pitch to tie things up. He literally saved the Rays season. For the RS, Delcarmen, Okajima, Masterson and Papelbon were their best playoff selves. After Wheeler and Pap, things got really dicey for both managers, as the game had gone on too long and they were out of pitchers that they had full confidence in. Maddon opted for the super rookie Price, and Tito for the age-withered Timlin. Price was clearly nervous and still has not thrown his breaking pitch for a strike. Despite this, Boston could not touch his heater. Timlin commenced by immediately walking his first two hitters, the kiss of death in this situation. To be fair, he then made some really tough pitches, including inducing the little pop to Upton which ended the game. Timlin obviously was rusty, not pitching in a month. What must Paul Byrd be thinking, as he should have been out there.

I thought the home plate umpire calling the balls and strikes was excellent almost all night. Like the players though, I think he tired near the end and clearly made a bad mistake on the Kotsay very wide strike three call and the Timlin missed strike which got pitching coach John Farrell tossed. Overall, he was very good.

Without Terry's Grady-like gaffe leaving Beckett in far too long, the RS would likely be heading home with Jon Lester pitching ahead 2 nothing. Maddon's quick response now has his team still in it. Lester will have to be dazzling again, especially with Wakefield lined up in back of him. For the RS, this is a MUST win.

Going forward, loyal Terry must replace Ellsbury who is simply awful at bat now. He had enough gumption to do it last year in reverse, so Coco should play and Ellsbury should sit. Still absolutely nothing from Big Papi, but he is being pitched very carefully, as evidenced by his three walks. The Balfour blow up was a huge surprise, and he too must turn things around quickly for his team to continue.

After two games, the series is 1-1 as expected, although not quite in the manner this writer expected. Boston still has the home edge now, but must perform there. I don't know how these next games can be any more competitive than the first two were. There is not much to choose either way so far.