I suspect the rotation will be:Sometimes you're good, sometimes you're just lucky... :) As the Globe wrote, because the 1-2-3 starters would get two starts each in a 7 game series, the only important factor is not the order of the starters but more the rest period, which made it completely sensible to start the rotation in the order it pitched in the ALDS.
Game 1) Dice-K
Game 2) Beckett
Game 3) Lester
Tonight it's Dice-K v James Shields. The Rays and the Red Sox are going out of their way to play down the past skirmishes between the teams, and I think they're right. I doubt any Red Sox players would be so stupid to risk being thrown out of a CS game, but we'll see if the Rays are as cool headed, considering their lack of post season experience.
As ESPN pointed out, Varitek and Ortiz have on their own more post season at-bats than the entire Rays roster, but the Rays looked very composed against the White Sox. Peter Gammons asked for a 7 game classic and I think he will get one in this series. Shields has been solid, Sonnenstein has been outstanding but Garza and Kazmir has been below average recently. Kazmir had a good year, but has been lit up by the Red Sox, going 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA in the regular season. Similar with the Red Sox, Dice-K has been solid, Lester outstanding and Beckett has been hurting. It will come down to the rotation depth and form, but I'm predicting (with my heart), the Red Sox in 7.
8.37pm ET. I will be in front of the TV - where will you be?
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