It seems there is some early opinion on the board that the Red Sox will take game one. I love this board for handicapping, and respect many on here, but I really really like the Rays in this game, and think there is good reason to back them tonight.
Many signs point towards Boston as the strongest team left in the playoffs for multiple reasons. Defending champs, eliminated the 'supposed' best team in the playoffs, swept that 'best' team at home, by far better experience, pitching edge, etc.
On the other hand we have Tampa, a perennial loser, no playoff experience whatsoever other then the series they just won against arguably the worst team in the playoffs. Major question SO MANY keep asking: is this team for real?
Well the answer is... maybe? I don't personally know if this team is 'for real', but I do know they are for real enough to win this first game. Main points:
1. This Boston team got lucky, the Angels are a team that feels bullied by the Red Sox, winning the battles along the regular season, all while knowing the war was over, just like it was last year and years before that. Maybe the Angels will get over the hump one day, but we all saw the better team lose that series. I believe Lester is almost unbeatable in his current mindset, but other then that Boston made themselves beatable, and the Angels tried and tried but only Torii Hunter seemed to actually care when it came time to throw down. The Rays will not have that problem come clutch time. Don't forgot how close all the games were for Boston, this time that won't be a good thing for them.
2. Matsuzaka vs Shields, this is an obvious pitching discrepency despite Matsuzaka being pretty golden against the Rays this season. Rays are playing patient ball and getting it done. BJ Upton isn't going to make this staff look like little kids, as he did in the previous series, but he'll get his money shots, as will Longoria. Those two alone will be more explosive then 8 out of 9 Angels, the "BEST" team in the league these mighty Red Sox took out.
3. Rays at home, Rays haven't lost at home in this playoffs, doesn't mean that much, but this teams homefield advantage is formidable!
4. Joe Maddon.
Anyways, I could go on about this game forever, but in the end don't be wooed over by Boston's past, I honestly don't know how this series will end, and I give Boston the edge in game 2, PROBABLY, still need to think about that. But I got Tampa -117 tonight. I don't like to convince people to bet, but I LOVE this game tonight and think some of my points are valid.
BOL to everyone!
Many signs point towards Boston as the strongest team left in the playoffs for multiple reasons. Defending champs, eliminated the 'supposed' best team in the playoffs, swept that 'best' team at home, by far better experience, pitching edge, etc.
On the other hand we have Tampa, a perennial loser, no playoff experience whatsoever other then the series they just won against arguably the worst team in the playoffs. Major question SO MANY keep asking: is this team for real?
Well the answer is... maybe? I don't personally know if this team is 'for real', but I do know they are for real enough to win this first game. Main points:
1. This Boston team got lucky, the Angels are a team that feels bullied by the Red Sox, winning the battles along the regular season, all while knowing the war was over, just like it was last year and years before that. Maybe the Angels will get over the hump one day, but we all saw the better team lose that series. I believe Lester is almost unbeatable in his current mindset, but other then that Boston made themselves beatable, and the Angels tried and tried but only Torii Hunter seemed to actually care when it came time to throw down. The Rays will not have that problem come clutch time. Don't forgot how close all the games were for Boston, this time that won't be a good thing for them.
2. Matsuzaka vs Shields, this is an obvious pitching discrepency despite Matsuzaka being pretty golden against the Rays this season. Rays are playing patient ball and getting it done. BJ Upton isn't going to make this staff look like little kids, as he did in the previous series, but he'll get his money shots, as will Longoria. Those two alone will be more explosive then 8 out of 9 Angels, the "BEST" team in the league these mighty Red Sox took out.
3. Rays at home, Rays haven't lost at home in this playoffs, doesn't mean that much, but this teams homefield advantage is formidable!
4. Joe Maddon.
Anyways, I could go on about this game forever, but in the end don't be wooed over by Boston's past, I honestly don't know how this series will end, and I give Boston the edge in game 2, PROBABLY, still need to think about that. But I got Tampa -117 tonight. I don't like to convince people to bet, but I LOVE this game tonight and think some of my points are valid.
BOL to everyone!
