ALCS GAME 7 - NOT MUCH MORE NEEDS TO BE SAID

LOOKING FOR HELP FROM ABOVE?? - IT COULDN'T HURT - REMIND HIM YOU GOT RID OF THE DEVIL

The Red Sox have responded and pushed the series to a Game 7. They showed the heart of a champion and, in many respects, have taken advantage of the Rays inexperience in these matters. That's to be expected. The surprise would have been if the Rays had finished the deal in Boston in Game 5.

From the moment Joe Maddon lifted Scott Kazmir to start the seventh inning of Game 5, momentum has shifted to the Sox side. Not to second guess Maddon but in that situation, unless Kaz had a history of arm difficulties after a long inning, he's in there until the Sox hitters tell you he's done or his arm comes flying out of it's socket. Kaz had shut them down until that point and he may have done it the rest of the evening if allowed. He should have been allowed to start the inning, if the hitters catch up to him, fine, lift him. But not until then. Bad move. Serious momentum shifter, both within the game and for the series overall. Rays will have a tough time getting old Mo back on their side now. Old Mo is a serious front-runner.

It's strange and almost inconceivable that the Rays could take two of three from Boston in Fenway and come back disappointed, but that may be where we stand. When the teams left St. Pete to head up there, the best most Rays fans were hoping for was to come back to St. Pete at all. If you're down 3-2, with the chance to play at home again, that's still not a bad deal. But they came back UP 3-2. In a sense, they are still playing with house money. That may sound like it's whistling past the graveyard, but that's how players need to think.

The Rays have to believe that the Sox may have grown weary from the uphill climb from 3-1 to 3-3 and have used up their reservoir of clutch, two out hits. Because whereas Old Mo is a consistent front-runner, Clutch is a fickle mistress. As predictable and fair as a seeing eye single that scores two late in the game or a hump back liner off the fists that wins the game. Sox fans are hoping for old Mo to continue to be on their bench and clutch to continue to embrace their hitters. The Rays want to lure clutch back knowing that Old Mo will follow. That's the way I see tonight.

Now, about last night.....

Game 6 was a disaster from the start, but mainly due to TBS. "The Steve Harvey Show"???? Instead of Game 6???? I'd have rather have watched twenty minutes of a test pattern. And thanks for not posting a trailer explaining the blackout for at least ten of the twenty minutes. That had to be good for ratings as casual viewers across the nation assumed rain-out or cancellation. I know, I know, the game's being played in a Dome, but casual fan doesn't know that.

I'm not going to go all Oliver Stone on TBS here either but, if you're going to show the Pitch Trak results when they confirm the umps made the right call on controversial ball-strike calls by Derryl Cousins, then you simply MUST do the same to show when the Trak shows he may have blown the call. Otherwise I think we're on safe ground assuming that since you didn't show it, the ump missed it.

We know from MLB's own reports using Questec that the umps blow somewhere between 5-10% of the ball-strike calls. Given Cousins recent history with the Rays, I'm not sure having a close eye paid to the calls is unwarranted. By positioning yourselves as watchdogs and then only showing a one-sided view puts your integrity and credibility as a network--and that of your announcers--at risk.

You'll either be a watch-dog acting on behalf of the fans or a lap-dog acting on behalf on Major League Baseball. Pick a side and stick with it. Stop dancing from side to side like a spasmodic ballerina

I don't like to see anyone get hurt but I'm just saying Cousins getting drilled in the mask, forcing his removal from the game was a sign. That's all I'm saying.


POETIC JUSTICE?? - WHO'S TO SAY??

None of that matters once tonight's game starts and none of it will matter once the game is over. The potential story lines of a Rays gag job or the phenomenal comeback saga of the Sawks have BOTH been written in the minds of most sportswriters and whichever way the game eventually plays out will determine which copy we see Monday A.M. In a sense neither story line in entirely true, but it makes for the best reading.

I don't think you can make a case that the Rays have done anything more than outperform and over deliver this season. If they don't do it on one night in October it doesn't wash away 162+ games worth of achievement. As Bobby Bowden once said, you have to experience a few "wide right" type of disappointments on the way to becoming a championship caliber team.

If you had mentioned to Rays fan at the beginning of the season that in late October the Rays would be playing at home for the right to advance to the World Series, they would be more than happy. You might have received very generous odds in Vegas on such an event occurring and you would be a bit wealthier today as a result.

This is still a young, talented team on the ascent with more talent in the pipeline. The Sawks are in the midst of a reloading effort similar to the Yankees, albeit they are continuing to win while they retool the franchise. What we are seeing in the Sawks is a proud, veteran team that is well aware of the fact that the clock is ticking on the core members that remain from the first World Series winner. They are making a gallant last stand on this season confident in the knowledge that future Sox teams will likely have a different look and feel to it for Sox Nation.

Sox Nation will not see Manny anymore. Schilling, Lowell and maybe Varitek and Ortiz are soon to follow to other teams or retirement. It's a Custer's last stand for the Sox vets. A last hurrah. Of course they want to milk it for all it's worth.

There's always been a rule of thumb in heavyweight title fights that you have to knock out the champ in order to take the crown. The Rays clearly had the champs on the ropes in Game 5 and couldn't put them away. In Game 6, the Rays did not find the knockout punch. They better find a way to put them back on the ropes early in Game 7, because a decision goes to the Sox.

P.S. to Joe - I've seen enough of Balfour and Wheeler out of the pen. Go to Edwin Jackson early and Bradford and/or David Price to close. Why not find out what you have in Price? You spent a lot of money on him, if he's Rick Ankiel, he's Rick Ankiel. But you need to find out. One of the earlier games might have been a chance to get his feet wet. Wheeler hits too many bats and Balfour seems to be trying too hard not to hit ANY bats. Neither will get the job done for you tonight, both are pitching with fear.