The Tampa Bay Rays have themselves a new closer–along with their first American League pennant!
On Sunday, the Rays did what probably 85 per cent of baseball fans thought they would not do, and that is win a Game Seven against a steamrolling Red Sox team featuring its ace, Jon Lester. Among others, Rays manager Joe Maddon redeemed himself for that awful collapse in Game Five. Maddon managed the eighth inning of Game Seven as if it was the ninth inning–and that is exactly what he should have done considering that the Red Sox had the heart of the order batting. After relieving a tired Matt Garza and replacing him with Dan Wheeler to start the inning, Maddon played the matchups throughout the fateful frame. He skillfully used JP Howell, Chad Bradford, and David Price, taking away Boston’s platoon advantage whenever possible, And then Maddon showed true grit in the ninth, when he left the inexperienced Price, who has less than a year of pro ball on his resume, on the mound to finish off the game. Price has the best stuff of anyone on the Rays’ staff–and that includes Garza and Scott Kazmir–making him the best option to handle the bottom of the Sox’ order. Price will also become the Rays’ principal closer in the upcoming Series against the Phillies.
Along with Maddon, I feel especially good for Rocco Baldelli, who drove in the game-winning run for the Rays in the bottom of the fifth. No major league player has suffered the swarm of injuries and illness that has plagued Baldelli, a onetime top prospect whose career seemed over at more than one juncture this year. We now know that the former comparisons to Joe DiMaggio are ridiculous, but Baldelli still has a chance to become a serviceable major league outfielder. He can play all three outfield positions, has legitimate power, and has shown little fear throughout this postseason. Outside of Phillies fans, just about all of America will be rooting for Baldelli in this World Series.
As for the Red Sox, another incredible postseason comeback ended because of their inability to hit after the first inning of Game Seven. After Dustin Pedroia’s early home run against Garza, the Sox managed exactly one hit the remainder of the night. The Red Sox’ hitters still grinded out at-bats in typical Soxian fashion, fouling off pitch after pitch with two strikes, but they simply could not finish off those at-bats with a sufficient number of hits and walks. The Red Sox were also done in by the lack of right-handed bats available to pinch-hit in the ninth. Mark Kotsay, allowed to bat against Price, went down easily, as did Jed Lowrie, the replacement for Alex Cora. Here’s where the Red Sox may regret their decision to carry three catchers in the series, including two light-hitting backups.
With the Red Sox eliminated, the World Series ratings will suffer, but diehard fans of the game probably care little about the lament of television executives. Those fans will now prepare for what appears to be a very even matchup, featuring two franchises with a grand total of one world championship between them. Well, that total will double over the next 10 to 12 days.
