Rays the roof!
If the cover of Tropicana Field were ever to come off its hinges, it would have happened last night when the Tampa Bay Rays finally knocked off the defending champion Red Sox in the seventh game of the American League Championship Series. Have you ever heard that place that loud? Unreal. What a series. From the epic back-and-forth, five-hours-plus Game 2 to the sick comeback by the Sox in Game 5 to the nail-biter of a Game 7 pitchers’ duel with Matt Garza outpitching Jon Lester and rookie David Price closing it out, there was something for everyone.
And now the Rays go from worst to first to the World Series, with the National League champion Philadelphia Phillies heading to St. Pete for a Wednesday night Game 1 date.
Before we get those blog posts started, here’s a quick rundown of Game 7:
* I wonder how many Boston fans thought it was going to be a rout when they saw my AL MVP this year, Dustin Pedroia, do this to Garza in the first inning:
* I wonder how many Rays fans, including Dick Vitale, breathed a huge sigh of relief when they saw Evan Longoria tie it up:
* And what about Willy Aybar? Seriously … the dude has been raking all October, bringing to mind countless unsung heroes that spring to life at the right time of year.
* Two words. David. Price.
So … let’s get the World Series started already!
Give me your picks and let’s get some discussions going. Only two more days until showtime!
O.G.
October Gonzo 
WH-HOO!!! GO RAYS! OMG! THE RAYS ARE GOIN’ TO THE WORLD SERIES!!! CINDERELLA STORY TIME!!! (hahaha boston stinks :P)
The Rays dream season will end at the hands of the Phillies. Similar to the Rockies of last season, the magic can only last so long and the better team will have to win eventually. I know, it saddens me, but the Rays season ended on Sunday night when they knocked out the champ.
honestly, phillies in 6, this is a fluke, the rays will NOT do this again next year, let me say this again, FLUKE and NOT do this next year. that was a great series though.
I hope that who I pick will not get me banned from Lenny’s Restaurant in Clearwater until after the World Series. I got to have my Firehouse omlette.
I will just say that the game will be equal on offense, and defense, and the starting pitching will play to the stadium the game is in on that day. The Rays can dominate at home, like the Phillies have this season.
Truthfully, I think whoever’s Bullpen has the most problems will lose this series. I know Madson and Brad Lidge have been “light’s out”, but the Rays boast a pretty good Bullpen too. After playing a team 25 times in a year, the Red Sox knew the tendancies of the Rays in their relief pitching.
I will predict two thing here fast. Rays centerfielder B J Upton will hit 2 homers and become the new HR king of the postseason, and David Price will make a mark on this series somewhere in the 7 games. That’s right, 7 games…….with the Tampa Bay Rays pulling it off on a 6th inning 2-run bomb to take their first World Series title.
It is not science, but it works for me.
Rays Renegade
http://raysrenegade.mlblogs.com
I’m glad to see the Rays make it to the WS. But thats as far as they go. too bad. Phillies will take it in 6 in a great match up. Don’t miss a game, this is gonna be a good one.
Like I said before – Phillies in 6. No one gave this team a shot. No one expected them to beat LA; they did. Everyone said they couldn’t hit home runs in LA’s “bigger” park – well, they did. And who would have imagined the Phillies going to the World Series without Ryan Howard hitting ANY home runs in the entire Post-Season? Not too many. But it happened. And it happened because the Phillies are a true “team.” When one guy is down, another steps in to pick him up. And now we are considered the underdogs, yet again. Good. That seems to have worked thus far :O)
Jenn
http://www.PhightinPhils.com
http://PhilliesPhollowers.mlblogs.com/
Looks good for the Phils. Do not understand how you can call the hardest working baseball team in the bigs a fluke. No matter what happens in game 5. Not a thing has been handed to this 11 year old franchise. The Rays should make every baseball fan in America proud they are Americans. You cannot beat the Rays this team has more heart than any team to play the game and that magic will never fade. Phillies fans play the Rocky song but forget the story. I believe its about an underdog. Lets go Rays.