OK. So none of the cool stuff I wanted to happen happened.
There was no three-way tie that forced all the Wild Card teams to play an extra
game. Neither the Rays/Rangers game nor the Rays/Indians game went 19 innings.
The team the Red Sox face did not have to blow through their bullpen to get to
Boston. The Rays actually come to town in pretty good shape. Thanks to an oddly
scheduled off day, they’re pretty well rested and ready to play.
Oh Well.
The Sox are still the better team. They showed that time and
again over the last six months. An unfortunate day of rest isn’t going to
change any of that.
Can things go wrong against the Rays? Of course. Can Lester
pick the absolute worst time to have a bad game? Sure. Can David Price pitch
the best game of his life? Absolutely. That’s why the whole idea of a playoff
to determine the best team is stupid. But you have to think the Sox should end
up on top. Their depth and balance should be able to shine through in a five
game series.
Do the Sox have weaknesses? Yes. But, some of those can be
covered up in a playoff series. The middle relief is sometimes a question mark.
But, in October you don’t have to deal with the question marks. You can roll
out your A-team over and over. Some of the things that worry you during the
season don’t show their head in the playoffs. Dempster and Doubront aren’t in
the starting rotation any more. Any contribution they made to the season is
irrelevant.
All you can do is look at how the Sox are constructed going
forward. The four starters the Sox will throw in the ALDS might be the best
foursome in baseball. If you’re looking to win a five game series, that’s a
damn good place to start. Their closer has been as good as it gets. The line-up
can put up runs against anyone. The bench has all the required parts to win
close games. Speed. Defense. Pinch-hitting.
Oh, and nobody in baseball won more games than they did
during the season.
What more could you ask for?
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