2008 AL East Title: The final stretch

[Disco Volante]

AL East Standing

1) Rays (90-60)
2) Red Sox (89-63) [2 GB]

Rays Magic #: 10

Head to Head

Winner: Rays (10-8)

Remaining Schedule

Rays (11 games)
vs Twins (4)
@ Orioles (3)
@ Tigers (4)

Red Sox (10 games)
@ Blue Jays (3)
vs Indians (4)
vs Yankees (3)

Record Combinations that will win Sox the East

Sox (10-0) Rays (7-4)
Sox (9-1) Rays (6-5)
Sox (8-2) Rays (5-6)
Sox (7-3) Rays (4-7)
Sox (6-4) Rays (3-8)
Sox (5-5) Rays (2-9)
Sox (4-6) Rays (1-10)
Sox (3-7) Rays (0-11)

Red Sox need to pick up 3 games on the Rays in the last 10 games due to the tie breaker.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Well we are 2 back again ... So far the Rays are our daddy.

Hopefully by next month we are their daddy.

 

[patsfanofNC12]

We have a great chance at pulling this off considering we play 4 games at home against a disaster of an Indians team, 3 games at home verse a Yankees team just focusing on getting to the offseason, their new stadium, and next year, but the 3 games away against the Jays will be no easy series. They always play us hard, and we don't have the homefield advantage this time.

 

[Double G]

If the Rays don't go at least 9-2 down the stretch, I'd be shocked. They are catching the Twins at the right time, who are sinking faster than the Titanic, then the pathetic Orioles and the overrated Tigers.

They've earned the division title, they are 12 games over 500 in one run games, the Red Sox are 5 under, enough said.

If the Red Sox are to get to the World Series, they'll have to go through the Angels and the Rays on the road..........

 

[Real World]

We have a great chance at pulling this off considering we play 4 games at home against a disaster of an Indians team, 3 games at home verse a Yankees team just focusing on getting to the offseason, their new stadium, and next year, but the 3 games away against the Jays will be no easy series. They always play us hard, and we don't have the homefield advantage this time.

The Indians are 10 games over .500 since the All-star break.

 

[Disco Volante]

Minnesota puts together a 5 run ninth inning tonight to beat the the Rays 11-8.

 

[Run DMC]

why the hell can't we do that?

 

[patriotspride]

wha wha wha . the redsox are a freakin playoff team for Christ sake relax. they are still only 2 back in the loss column in the division for those of you obsessed with first place.

 

[JAYHAWKS34]

wha wha wha . the redsox are a freakin playoff team for Christ sake relax. they are still only 2 back in the loss column in the division for those of you obsessed with first place.

1 1/2 to be exact but whose counting (tampa lost last night)

 

[patriotspride]

1 1/2 to be exact but whose counting (tampa lost last night)

i said two back in the loss column and thats exactly what they are. its all about the loss column.

 

[scout]

i said two back in the loss column and thats exactly what they are. its all about the loss column.

Bingo. Always look at the losses as you can't subtract them.

 

[JAYHAWKS34]

i said two back in the loss column and thats exactly what they are. its all about the loss column.

touche I stand corrected

 

[scout]

touche I stand corrected

Admirable, we need more of that around here.

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

i said two back in the loss column and thats exactly what they are. its all about the loss column.

Tampa has 8 games left, all on the road where they are 35-38. If they go according to form, they should go 4-4 and end up 96-66....
Sox have 7 games left at home where they are playing .700 ball. That translates to an estimated 5-2 homestand and 96-66 record...
If it happens, who wins the tie breaker????IIRC Tampa had a better head to head record.....

 

[TheBetterFaulk]

This should be one hell of a final stretch, if you also consider the battle between the Twins and the White Sox and then all the battles in the NL.

 

[Disco Volante]

9/21

Red Sox 3
Blue Jays 0

Twins 4
Rays 1

 

[D-Money]

The rays play the orioles 4 times.The orioles have tanked it in.We would basically have to take 3 out of 4 against the indians and hope they split with the orioles 2-2

 

[tedylb]

The Angels are a better team, but I don't think it matters who we play first. It all depends on the Red Sox. If they are on top of their game, as they were in 2004 & 2007, we'll beat the Angels or the White Sox. If we're not, we can easily lose to either team.

It would be a great story line to play the Cubs in the Series-the two oldest stadiums by far-and to continue the Cubs 100 years of frustration. But whoever we play, the Red Sox just need to TCB, and they'll be fine. I think this is the deepest team the Sox have ever fielded-especially on the mound, which is where it counts the most.

 

[D-Money]

The name of the game is pitching.Its a short series.Knowing Beckett, he would keep us in the game.The bottom line is this team hitting on the road.They have struggled somewhat.

 

[O.Z.O.]

Don't give up on the O's playing Tampa tough. They have a lot of guys playing for roster spots next year. Tampa is already in the playoffs, wonder how much intensity you'll see.

If the Sox can pick a game either today or tomorrow, you'll really start to see the Rays press. OTOH, if the Sox drop a game today or tomorrow, might be time to just start prepping for the playoffs.

Remember, in '78 the Sox won 8 straight at the end of the season to force a 1 game playoff. The division is still attainable.