So the Tampa Bay Rays, clearly not the Devil Rays of a previous incarnation, have booked their place in the World Series, stiffening under pressure from a team that has walked the walk in recent times, and maybe learnt a little about themselves on the journey, the main lesson should be that they are a very good team and no one can say that they are not there on merit. And I hope this is the message that Maddon is preaching to his players and not the vacuous ‘Team of Destiny’ bilge. We only need to go back twelve months to see how a ‘Team of Destiny’ performs when presented with a demonstrably superior team; the Red Sox handed the Rockies their lunch in four straight. Any such comparisons do the Rays an injustice, the Rockies were a good team on a hot streak for the ages, the Rays are a very good team, they were at the All Star break, at the end of the regular season and have continued to show their mettle on their way to the World Series.
It should be a good series, the Phillies ought to offer a good test. I think the pivotal match up will be the Phillies offence, can the Rays pitching control Utley, Howard, Burrell, and maybe Victorino should be in the conversation. I don’t think the Phillies pitching can shut down the Rays bats, unless they can get it to Lidge with a lead, so it’s a matter of whether the Phillies hitters can get their licks in and at least keep it close with the starters on the mound and then look to get at the Rays bullpen. At the risk of looking like a goat by making meaningless predictions I’ll give it to the Rays in 6.