Red Sox Can’t Beat Maddon ‘08 (ALCS)

Rays manager Joe Maddon was a leading candidate for the Red Sox manager’s job in 2004 when some guy named Terry Francona got it. This is not a mistake, people, that Maddon has led Tampa Bay (!) into the ALCS. Boston knew all about Maddon in ‘04. The Angels knew all about Maddon, everybody loved him–enough to wear spoof thick-rimmed glasses when playing in Tampa one night.

Now, we’re all about to know Maddon. You will like him. I will like him. When talking about his rotation, which sends “Big Game James” Shields out to face Dice-K in Game 1 Friday, Maddon said “I try not to think too much this time of year; the rotation worked pretty well against Chicago, so we stuck with it.”

Speaking of Chicago (oh my God, will somebody send that town some wins, Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls, whatever can warm the winter?), let’s hear one more thought from the always-colorful Ozzie Guillen about Rays slugger Evan Longoria, who looked so poised against the White Sox in Game 1 that he set the tone for the series–and erased all those silly remarks about that other Longoria.

“That’s a guy you want to stay away from,” Guillen said, when asked about walking Longoria in the fourth AB of Game 1 after watching the Rays 3B smack two homers and a rocket single. “There’s three ball marks on it, and they’re all in the same spot.”

Rays OF Cliff Floyd (everyone in baseball raves about this guy’s character) cracked, “I can’t say enough about him without feeling like I’m his dad.”

Floyd will get some PT in Games 1 and 2 against Dice-K and Josh Beckett, then likely sit against Jon Lester in Game 3 back in Boston. Look for him to do something special this weekend. Longoria, too, of course.

After Shields, Maddon picked Scott Kazmir second and the seasoned Matt Garza (his ALDS start? Ouch) to start up in Boston. Game 4 is Tim Wakefield for the Sox (he’s still pitching?), making his postseason debut vs. Andy Sonnanstine (another guy we baseball fans will get to know and like).

As all pundits rave about the Rays’ youth, let’s give a nod to Theo Epstein and his front-office seamheads for not being afraid to stick Jed Lowrie at SS and keep him there. And Lester’s rise to Bosox ace is pure good baseball scouting and coaching.

OK, nitty-gritty: Somebody explain how Dice-K went 18-3; he didn’t pitch that well, or did he? Beckett’s sharpness will be a series-turning point in Game 2. You have to like the pitching matchup from the Rays perspective in Game 4. And this series will no doubt get back to Tampa for Six and Seven. Tampa Bay is 32-4 at the Trop in games this year decided by one or two runs or less.

Rays in seven; as we all get our Maddon goggles’ worth.

–Bob Condor, Red Editorial Staff.