Had it been the Los Angeles Angels, well, there would have been some questions, some concerns. Scouting reports would have been read and reread. Tendencies would have been studied. Habits learned.
But it is the Boston Red Sox who will play the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Championship Series. It will be a best-of-seven series high on drama and intensity, but lacking in mystery.
"It's pretty even based on the familiarity of the two groups, the number of times we have played against each other," Rays manager Joe Maddon said.
The Rays and Red Sox play each other 18 times a year in the regular season and once or twice during spring training.
They know each other well.
Now they have to play again, possibly for seven games, for the right to advance to the World Series.
"I like the fact that it's an all American League East (ALCS)," Maddon said. "That speaks to the strength of the division. But we're just very pleased we're able to advance at this point."
The Rays won the season series 10-8, including eight wins at Tropicana Field, where the series opens Friday.
The Rays, who have the best home record in baseball, have home field in the series, their reward for winning the American League East title.
That should play big since the Rays won just twice in nine games at Fenway Park this season.
"We do have a unique field that does cause an advantage," Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman said.
The Rays are 2-0 at home during the postseason.
The Red Sox are 2-0 on the road, having won both games of their American League Division Series in Anaheim.
The Red Sox also are the defending World Series champions, which means they are used to winning games in October and winning some of those games on the road.
The Red Sox, who finished second to the Rays in the division and earned the American League Wild Card, will be without third baseman Mike Lowell, whose injured hip will keep him out of this series.
The Rays, on the other hand, could see two injured players rejoin the team.
Maddon said the reports on Troy Percival's outings in two Instructional League games this week were positive, and catcher Shawn Riggans is progressing from the knee surgery that ended his regular season in early September.
Percival could be available to pitch in the ALCS. The status on Riggans is not yet known.
Both teams are allowed to juggle their rosters before each series, and the Rays are discussing the possibilities of adding an 11th pitcher or staying with the 10-pitcher, 15-position-player roster that worked well in their series win against the Chicago White Sox in the ALDS.
"I think we'll debate it again like we did before the division series," Friedman said.
Even though the series could go seven games, there are three off days that would create enough rest so the Rays could stay with their current four-man rotation of James Shields, Scott Kazmir, Matt Garza and Andy Sonnanstine.
The bullpen will be well-rested heading into Friday's series opener, and with their being no more than two consecutive games, there is ample time for rest during the series.
The debate is whether the 15th position player is more valuable in the seven-game series than an extra reliever.
"There are great points both ways," Friedman said.
What's not debatable is this series won't lack for intensity. There is some friction between the two clubs. They brawled June 5 in Boston. And the Rays took what the Red Sox wanted - the division title and the homefield edge that comes with it.
"I think you expect a lot of what you saw during the regular season," Maddon said. "A lot of tight games, and both sides have good starting pitching and bullpens - offensively, they probably have a little more hitting ability overall, but we have that ability to hit in the clutch. I just think you're going to see a lot of the same, what you saw during the year."
E-Mail
Print
Quick Job Search
@Nyx.replyAnswerText@