Random Thoughts (October 22, 2008)

My obituary for the 2008 Red Sox will be forthcoming but for now I just want to extend my congratulations to the Tampa Bay Rays for winning the American League. The '08 Red Sox were a very good team but they were not good enough to overcome a very deep and very talented Rays squad. Yes, a healthy Mike Lowell would have made a difference but I can not say for certain if it would have put the Red Sox over the top. Tampa's pitching, defense, and offense were better than Boston's and that is why the World Series will open in Florida tonight and not Massachusetts. After fighting off the Yankees for the last decade, it is nice that the Sox now have a new foe in the A.L. East. The Sox should contend for the World Series again in 2009 but with the Rays, Yanks, and the Blue Jays in their division, just making the playoffs will require a great effort. Along with my look back at the '08 team, I will also provide a look into the immediate future for the Sox, which should surface at some point over the weekend... While the network executives at Fox are crying because they didn't get a Boston-L.A. World Series or a Boston-Philadelphia World Series, baseball fans should be looking forward to the Tampa Bay-Philadelphia matchup. The Rays are everyone's favorites right now if you don't live in eastern Pennsylvania or southern Jersey. They are young and exciting and new to most of the nation. If you have not watched that much baseball this summer, the Rays are a prohibitive favorite. I am not in that camp. I truly believe the Phillies are a better team. This is similar to the 2006 World Series when the Tigers came out of nowhere to win the A.L. but were knocked off by the Cardinals. The Phillies offense features the dynamic Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Pat Burrell. It is one of the few N.L. offenses that could survive in the A.L. Their starting pitching is deep, led at the top by Cole Hamels and Brett Myers. The bullpen is anchored by the dominating Brad Lidge. I have allowed doubt to cloud my judgement on the Rays all year but that is not the case here. I just believe the Phillies are a better team, plain and simple. Phillies in 6... I am going to miss Rodney Harrison. Harrison tore his quad during Monday's impressive 41-7 win over the Broncos and at age 38, that was probably the last game in the NFL for the hard hitting safety as a player. Well it is never easy to replace a player with the stature of Harrison, especially heading into Week 8, I expect Bill Belichick or Scott Pioli to place a phone call to veteran safety John Lynch, who has been sitting at home since being cut by the Pats at the end of the preseason. Lynch is older and has lost a step but so had Harrison. I would rather see Lynch in the secondary at this point than Brandon Meriweather. Meriweather has played better of late but I like him coming off the bench right now, it is a role in which he is flourishing. I'm still waiting for the call to Ty Law as well. A better secondary makes this a better defense and a better defense makes this team a contender in the AFC... My Celtics preview is on the way... How 'bout those Cowboys? Jerry Jones might be forced to get rid of the entire team if this keeps up... The Jerod Mayo Era is upon us. Enjoy it... The Bruins are creeping up in my rearview mirror. Phil Kessel is showing signs of being a S-T-A-R... Enjoy Cole Hamels tonight...