Philles - Rays / World Series talk.

[MaineDolFan]

...could the Rays be in trouble here?

Rays sweep.
(starting tonight).

But seriously - no, I don't think the Rays are in trouble.  Tampa needs to only win one of three on the road to keep with the formula.  I simply don't think it's possible this season to beat Tampa Bay two games in a row at the Trop. 

[Sunstroke]

I could be wrong, but I think Blanton is pitching game 4 tonight.

I was looking for that info, but couldn't find it. Is Blanton confirmed for game 4?

If you're Philly, and Cole has had enough rest, don't you run him out there and try to go for a nearly insurmountable 3-1 series lead?

[MaineDolFan]

No way.  Because in the unlikely event that Coles loses than you're forced to run Myers or Blanton out there in a more vital position.  You take your chances with Blanton right now because the odds that generally govern the baseball world are on the side of an offensive slug fest tonight regardless of who is pitching.  Which is why you'll see Sonnanstine  and not Kazmir for the exact reason.

Both clubs take their chances that they can get 5+ out of their #4's and hope they steal one tonight.  Even if Tampa loses tonight, which I don't think that they will, they are still okay.

[Thundergod]

Wow.

I wonder if the Rays were up 3-1, how many pages this thread would have by now. (I hear crickets...)  Ha!

Go Philly!!!!! NL ROCKS!!   

[MaineDolFan]

Hey, I'm still chirpin'!  This is one of those series that I fully expected Tampa to win in 5 or 6 games but wouldn't have been surprised by a Phillies sweep.  Philly present unique matchup issues to Tampa that none of the AL squads did.

I can't imagine Coles losing at home tonight.  But, if he does, Tampa wins this in 7 games.

[Sunstroke]

Philly present unique matchup issues to Tampa that none of the AL squads did.

I really like that answer...or at least I would if I were an AL Elitist that didn't want to admit that the NL is kicking the AL's ass right now.

I do hope the Rays win tonight though... I'm pretty much locked into 1st place $$$ in my postseason game if Shields or Myers get to take the hill again.

[MaineDolFan]

^^But it's the real answer!  Philly has people that create massive damage on bathpaths along with some big bats behind them.  They have a different approach to each inning that the Angels, White Sox and Red Sox don't.  Boston runs more than people think (and more than the Angels did) but they lacked that pop with Lowell out, Ortiz ineffective and 7, 8 and 9 in the line up basically deadwood.

Blanton pitched out of his freakin' head last night (and helped his cause with a dinger).  And that's why I didn't agree with running Coles out last night and save him for tonight.  If you could get a win, at home, out of Blanton then you have a choke hold on Tampa with your ace set to close it out.  'Ol Charlie couldn't have written a better script if he tried to.

Now - one thing to consider if that Tampa has been "ace killers" in the playoffs thus far.  They knocked around all of Chicago's pitchers as well as Boston's.  Lester pitched an okay game seven but gave up too many hits.  That 3-1 win could have been 9-1.  Felt like 14-1.  And the law of baseball averages says that SOMEONE in Tampa's lineup snaps out of it tonight.

Tonight is Philly's shot.  I'll say it again, if they don't close it out tonight at home they lose it all in Tampa in game 7.

[Tenshot13]

I guess I really overlooked the Phillies because they are WHOOPIN THE RAYS ASSES!!!!! 

Of course a win tonight would make me a little more confident about all of this...I see it as a combination of things....the Rays are playing like shit....the Phillies are playing pretty good baseball...and the Umps are blowing a lot of calls.

Come on Rays...your gonna give me a heart attack...lets see the start of a comeback tonight!

[bsfins]

interesting how two more votes for the Phillies in the past day...when they' make it up 3-1...

[SportsChick]

Well the weather is throwing a monkey wrench in this series a bit now isn't it?

[Philly Fin Fan]

Well the weather is throwing a monkey wrench in this series a bit now isn't it?

It worse here today than it was yesterday (its actually snowing right now). But the rest of the week is suppossed to be in the 60's.

[SportsChick]

snow? ewwwwwwww

[landlocked]

Well the weather is throwing a monkey wrench in this series a bit now isn't it?

That's big $$$ sports for you.They have more playoff games,to generate more money,and the world series gets pushed back farther and farther into the fall.I can't wait until 4 more cities get MLB teams so they can split the divisions again and have another round of playoffs and I can watch the series just as the college bowl season is starting.The world series should be played in the 1st or 2nd week of October,at the latest.

[Philly Fin Fan]

Game 5 will not resume tonight due to inclement weather. It is scheduled to resume Wednesday evening.

[YoFuggedaboutit]

That's big $$$ sports for you.They have more playoff games,to generate more money,and the world series gets pushed back farther and farther into the fall.I can't wait until 4 more cities get MLB teams so they can split the divisions again and have another round of playoffs and I can watch the series just as the college bowl season is starting.The world series should be played in the 1st or 2nd week of October,at the latest.

That will never happen, considering they were talking about contraction just a couple years earlier.