YOU KIDDING?
These are the odds on the eight playoff teams winning the World Series according to the betting Web site Bodog. Can you believe the love the Tampa Bay Rays are receiving?
Chicago Cubs 3/1
Tampa Bay Rays 7/2
Los Angeles Angels 5/1
Boston Red Sox 11/2
Philadelphia Phillies 17/2
Los Angeles Dodgers 9/1
Chicago White Sox 10/1
Milwaukee Brewers 10/1
PLAYOFF TESTED
This may be the first playoff go-round as a team for the Rays, but a number of players have postseason experience. They are Grant Balfour, Jason Bartlett, Chad Bradford, Cliff Floyd, Eric Hinske, Trever Miller and Dan Wheeler.
Floyd (1997 Marlins) and Hinske (2007 Red Sox) have played on World Series winning teams.
Wheeler reached the World Series with the 2005 Astros.
Also, manager Joe Maddon was the bench coach for the 2002 World Series champion Angels. Troy Percival (below) was the closer on that team, but he is not on the ALDS roster.
WHAT'S IN A NAME
The Rays are the fourth professional franchise to reach the postseason the year after they changed their name.
The others are the 2007 Anaheim Ducks, which went from the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim to Stanley Cup champions, the 1999 Tennessee Titans, who went from the Tennessee Oilers to the Super Bowl, and the 1975 Denver Nuggets, who were known as the Denver Rockets the year before.
FIRST AND FIRST
The Rays are the first team in the 48-year history of the draft to have the first overall pick in the draft and advance to the playoffs in the same season.
TODAY'S GAME
WHITE SOX AT RAYS
2:30 p.m., TBS, 1250-AM
Tampa Bay will host Chicago in Game 1 of the American League Division Series at Tropicana Field.
The White Sox beat the Minnesota Twins 1-0 in a one-game playoff Tuesday night to win the American League Central title.
The Rays will start James Shields in the opener. The right-hander was 14-8 with a 3.56 ERA this season, tying the franchise's single-season record for wins. Shields made 33 starts and pitched 215 innings, including three complete games and two shutouts.
The White Sox will go with Javier Vazquez (12-16, 4.67).
- Herald Staff
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