04/26/24
October 19, 2008
Hello World! Rays beat Bosox in Game 7, Advance to World Series : The young Rays completed a stunning run to their first pennant,...behind Matt Garza's masterful pitching in Game 7 of the AL championship series.
When rookie David Price struck out J.D. Drew with the bases loaded to end the eighth inning, Tampa Bay showed it had plenty of resolve.
posted by tommytrump to baseball at 11:57 PM - 16 comments
Maddon's conficence in Price's nerve payed off. Think about being a rookie coming into Game 7 of the ALCS to earn the save with the bases loaded without earning a save in the majors before that. Remarkable job. Also, after the Pedroia home run in the first at-bat of the game, Garza was exceptional and deserving of the MVP, wonderful start. Congrats to the Rays, and what a series.
My dad called me right after the game got done, and I mentioned the fact that had I said eight months ago that the Rays would be in the Series, I might've been sent to an asylum.
posted by boredom_08 at 12:34 AM on October 20, 2008
The rays are a nice story, but.....
Phillies in 6
posted by sportsblitz at 02:21 AM on October 20, 2008
Well that brings me back to the field. Got both of them wrong. I was hoping for some serious East Coast versus West Coast rivalry.
posted by owlhouse at 05:01 AM on October 20, 2008
But at least there's an Aussie in the World Series.
posted by owlhouse at 05:02 AM on October 20, 2008
I think the Rays have a shot against the Phillies. There is a difference between October nights in Phila. versus places like Cleveland and Boston. It's a bit balmier down in cheesesteak country.
The Rays have already shown they can hammer the ball in cool weather during their tear through Fenway last week.
They have enough talent and guts with their pitching to hold down the Phillies bats, at least some of the time.
Sad but true, Maddon will likely have his head in the game more than Manuel will, given what Manuel has just gone through with his personal life.
The Rays are new at this, so they don't know what they can't do. Plus they just came back from a monumental collapse and won a "to the brink" series.
The Phillie fans will probably not handle World Series adversity as well as Rays fans. They've endured a lot in the past and have more to dwell on than Rays fans. A bad game will seem more like fate than another day at the office.
The Rays fans, many of them are late to the bandwagon, and they feel like their team is playing with house money at this point. Other than what happened in Game 5 of the ALCS, they don't know from devastation yet.
The Rays also have the home field edge in the series.
posted by beaverboard at 08:46 AM on October 20, 2008
This was a good news - bad news thing for me. First, the bad news. As a die-hard BoSox fan for the last 55 years, I am disappointed that they didn't go one more step. With the injury problems they have had and the lack of hitting at crucial times, I'm surprised they got this far. Now the good news. My son, if anything a more rabid fan of "The Sawx" than his old man, will not have to barricade his dorm room at Penn State. I imagine he might even be rooting for the Phillies, but we'll see.
It was gratifying to me to hear the "Beat LA" chant during the NLDS. That actually originated in Boston during an NBA Conference Final when the 76ers were eliminating the Celtics. The fans in the "old" Boston Garden began the chant to encourage the 76ers to beat Boston's old nemesis.
posted by Howard_T at 11:35 AM on October 20, 2008
Matt Garza pitched the game of his life.Boston took them to seven games but just couldn't get the timely hits that was needed to win.Congrats to the Rays and their fans.I'll be rooting for them to win it all.The bad part is the Red Sox lost.The good part is that it wasn'to the Yankees.Rays went from worst to first which is quite an accomplishment.Just wondering what the Cubs and their fans are thinking what they have to do just to get to the World Series,never mind win one, after watching what the Rays did this season.But the Rays are facing a good Philly team.Phillies in 6.
posted by Ghastly1 at 01:12 PM on October 20, 2008
I was so nervous by the game last night I could hardly watch it. Fantastic. Upton should have been the ALCS MVP. Anyway, it is okay by me that everyone is picking the Phillies to win. Underdog has been a winning formula for the Rays all season long.
posted by bperk at 02:20 PM on October 20, 2008
I think the Rays have a shot against the Phillies. There is a difference between October nights in Phila. versus places like Cleveland and Boston. It's a bit balmier down in cheesesteak country.
Boy, no kidding. It's forecast to snow here tomorrow night.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 02:24 PM on October 20, 2008
In a postgame radio interview, Garza praised Price's sack. Jon Miller and I were amused.
posted by Hugh Janus at 02:27 PM on October 20, 2008
I will be rooting for the Phillies, but I think the Rays have history on their side. Rays in 5.
posted by Joey Michaels at 05:06 PM on October 20, 2008
I'm really happy for the Rays. Over the years, I got to watch a few of them when they were playing for the Durham Bulls. My favorite all time Bull is Fernando "bunt anytime nobody is on first" Perez. Go Rays!
posted by NoMich at 07:00 PM on October 20, 2008
I think the Rays have a shot against the Phillies.
Flip the team names and I agree. Call it my AL bias, but I don't see Philly having the pitchers to compete. Regardless of who wins, it'll be a good story. Really enjoyed this year's playoffs, even if the Sox didn't make it.
posted by yerfatma at 02:55 PM on October 22, 2008
Shows what I know.
posted by yerfatma at 10:20 AM on October 27, 2008
It was a great ALCS series and ultimately the Rays earned the win. I thought Maddon was nuts with his pitcher changes towards the end there, but his approach ultimately held off the Sox.
As a Sox fan, I was, of course, sorry to see them lose, but the Rays are a hell of a team and deserve their shot in World Series. Best of luck to them and their fans!