Sunday, October 10, 2010

Divisional playoff returns to St. Petersburg

Yes, I granted the Texas Rangers the advantage over the Rays when I made predictions for the AL playoffs.

I just didn't know if the starting pitching would come through, nor if the Rays' bats would return to life from late-season slumber.

It took long enough.

Texas pitching gave Rays batters fits through almost three full games, coming within two innings of a sweep.  Since then the Rays look like the team that won 96 games with many of those games against the toughest division in baseball, the AL East.

So now it comes down to a Tuesday night showdown rematch between the Rangers and the Rays and between aces Cliff Lee and David Price.

Lee is a terrific veteran pitcher.  Price is a terrific young pitcher.

The advantage again belongs to Texas based on that matchup.  But the Rays have spent much of the season producing wins against great pitching.  Just ask Cliff Lee and C. C. Sabathia.

I don't know who will win, though I'll naturally root for the Rays.  But in any case the full five game series has done more to fulfill my hopes for the Rays than a three game sweep by Texas would have done.

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