Peaking @ the right time!

It's been a few days since my last post, but this should be worth the wait. The Sox seem to be rolling along and playing their best baseball at the right time, not to mention the additions of Josh Beckett, Mike Lowell, Youk, and Sean Casey back from the DL. Everyone but Casey made an immediate impact over the weekend as the Sox took yet another series in Texas. Beckett looked like he was returning to form, and both Lowell and Youk had the long ball working. Now entering this week, and a huge 3 game set with the Rays, the Sox have cut the lead in the A.L. East to just a 1/2 game! Unbelievable!

I have to honest and say that I didn't think the Sox would be able to have battled back to get this close. I also didn't think that Tampa would be hanging around this long as I'm sure many people thought. It might be a good, feel-good story but around here... I mean it's Tampa! The same team that has spent the better part of the last decade looking up from the cellar of the A.L. East. The same team that served as "welcome mat" for the league to flex their muscle around and beat up... over and over again. The same team that when Bostin is in town, the Tampa faithful are vastly outnumbered by Red Sox Nation! The same team that has seemed patient, while drafting well each off season, developing promising young talent, now is starting to show signs of life. Is it luck? Is it talent? Does anyone have an explanation for their sucess? Are there some people out there who are tired of seeing the same teams succeed every season? I hate to say it... are there any Rays fans that might be reading this that want to chime in? What is a Rays fan? Or is "band-waggon" a better term? I'm a frequent listener to sports talk radio in Boston, and I get a  kick out of all the "Rays Fans" that call in. Are you serious? Rays fans? Where the heck have all of you been for the past decade? When the team pulled off losing season after losing season. Not just a losing season, but a dead-last finish. Rays Fans??? I'm sure there are some. Some that have been threr since the expansion draft, and have been following ever since. I'm also sure that there is some truth to a sucessful program or franchise energizing their respective city or town, creating revenue, and keeping the turnstiles turning; thus creating mass interest from a fan base. All of that is great... I mean isn't that how it's supposed to work??? Again, this is a great story, but don't act like you belong where you are. You have played well for better than 2/3 of the season, and in a way have earned where you are. BUT, you don't win playoff games, or World Series games in August and September. Will it get that far for the Rays??? Who knows.

I'm in no way knocking Tampa. I think everyone knows where my allegiance lies. I'm simply fascinated by this story, and the closer it gets to October, the more incredible it becomes. For Red Sox Nation's sake, I hope it doesn't last, nor do I think it will. What it will ultimately will come down to is experience. Boston is battle tested, has a tremendous amount of "big-game" experience, and a great home field advantage! Did I mention that it looks like they are playing their best ball at the perfect time of year? Jon Lester, who was flat out dominant last night, striking out 9 batters while allowing no runs. Dice-K takes his 16-2 record to the mound tonight against Scott Kazmir which won't be easy, and never is. With Josh Beckett going in the series finale, I  like our chances to take at least 2 out of 3 and re-take the lead in the A.L. East. If the rain can hold off, I'll definitely be watching!