Sox Draw First Blood - Rays Shut Out

Another night, another sparkling baseball game, another win for the Red Sox against an opponent who thinks they are better. Ho hum !!! This teeth-gnashing thriller was the very best yet. A pulsating affair to the end. These games are not for the faint of heart.

After shaky first innings, Dice-K and "Big Game" James Shields (more on that later) really engaged in a mano-a-mano pitching duel. They both threw every pitch in their bountiful arsenals and made some really good hitters look very bad. Dice-K was splendid in that seventh inning mess with first and third with nobody out. Wiggling out of it was pure artistry. As good as these two were under pressure, I thought both managers buckled at key times.

First, let's examine Joe Maddon and the Rays. On two different occasions he gave the green light on 3 and 0, and both times the batters failed miserably. Longoria earlier was one thing, but that swing by Pena, likely ball 4, really let Oki and the Red Sox off the hook in a huge spot. If he took as he should have, the Rays would have had the bases loaded and nobody out down only 2-0 in the eighth. This is a PRIME example of what I had forecasted in the Series Preview where the Youth and Enthusiasm hurt the Rays dearly. Under pressure, one must force the other team to make the mistake, by taking only what they give you. Another example, later in the same inning, Longoria swung at a really low 2-0 offering to get to 2 and 1, giving Masterson the chance to throw that sweeping slider that Longoria rolled over into that killer double play. Inexperience with poor managing decisions !!!!

The biggest mistake by Maddon was inexplicably leaving the lefty J.P. Howell in to face Youk, the RS best hitter all year with runners in scoring position. This with the fire-balling righty Grant Balfour ready in the pen. Youk naturally responded by smashing the ball to the feet and past Crawford in left allowing the second run to score. Balfour then arrived on the scene after the horse was out of the barn, and blew everyone away after nearly taking Drew's head off on the first pitch. Very poor decision again, worse than the one above.

Tito, not to be outdone, had his own decision-making brain cramps. In a game tighterthanthis, he chose not to bunt the runners on first and second over in the seventh in a 1-0 game. Come on Terry, this had to be done. I don't care if the batters after Kotsay are shaky. You gave away a chance to score a run on an out or a misplay in a taut battle. AWFUL.

Even more shaky, after a 20 minute bottom of the seventh, he allowed Dice-K to go back out for the 8th, a decision he almost lived to regret. Dice-K was already at 108 pitches, and worse, he worked like hell in the bottom of the 7th to escape thay grave-looking mess. All year long, Tito made the right decision, but he froze here. PRESSURE !!!! And don't give me that crap about fearing B. J. Upton taking Oki yard, that's hogwash !! As it was, Oki barely got Pena WITH his help. JUST TERRIBLE TERRY !!!

How do the yahoos get off calling Shields Big Game James ? What big game did he win before? Seems to me the Rays have made the playoffs for the first time. Where did he get that moniker, in Little League or High School ? PLEEEAASSSSEE. Besides, he lost !!!!!!!! Mr. October won the World Series for his efforts, hence the deserving nickname. Shields has won nothing of note yet.

As chronicled in the Preview, the Rays are getting in deep now after losing to Dice-K. They are lurching right into the very strength of the RS, Beckett and Lester. One more loss at home tonight to Beckett and they will be cooked.

Hoping for the old Beckett performance tonight, but it will be hard to out-do Dice-K. Can't wait.