Red Sox (85-59) @ Tampa Bay Rays (78-64)
SP - Kyle Weiland (0-1, 6.75) vs. Jeremy Hellickson (12-10, 2.90)
1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
4. David Ortiz, DH
5. Josh Reddick, RF
6. Carl Crawford, LF
7. Jed Lowrie, 3B
8. Marco Scutaro, SS
9. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
Three Strikes:
1. After losing 8 of their last 11 games, the Red Sox start the day 2.5 games behind the Yankees in the A.L. East and hold just a 5.5 game lead over the Rays for the Wild Card. Needless to say, Red Sox Nation is in a (justified) panic.
Let's hope Peter Abraham's note that Josh Beckett is throwing long toss in the Tropicana Dome outfield prior to today's key game is a sign that things are turning around for the BoSox.
2. Whether or not the Rays catch the Red Sox and make the playoffs, it is time that baseball changes its divisional format. It's time for Bud Selig to eliminate divisions and allow the four best teams in each league advance to the playoffs.
Not only would that save baseball from excluding a very good team from October - such as the Rays or (gulp!) Red Sox - because they're in an excellent division but it would also create better pennant races for the third and fourth spots.
3. Okay, who the hell starts Game 3 of the ALDS (if there even is an ALDS) now?
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