The Tampa Bay Rays are trying to do something that only one team has done in the history of the ALDS, and that’s come back from an 0-2 deficit to win the series. The only other team to accomplish that feat was 01 Yankees against the Oakland A’s.
Thus far, this is the biggest game of the MLB season. It’s the only series to go to 5 games and it will feature two of arguably the top 5 pitchers in the game going tete a tete. David Price, the Rays Cy Young candidate will face the playoff stud Cliff Lee. Lee was masterful in Game one of this series against the Rays and though the Rays are slightly favored to win this one at home, it’s tough to bet against Lee.
This is the exact reason, the exact game, the exact circumstance that the Texas Rangers picked up Cliff Lee for, you’re on the road, you’ve lost two straight, it’s win or go home, the Rangers wouldn’t have any other guy on the mound but Lee. And thus far in the postseason he’s delivered, can he do it again? Can David Price shake out the memories of his first outing of this series in which he got touched up for 5 runs? Can the Rays carry the momentum back home? There’s too many questions, thankfully we won’t have to wait long for the answers.
Will it be the Rays or the Rangers that move on to face the Yankees for AL championship? If I had to pick, I’d take the Rangers to upset just because of Cliff Lee and the filth he brings. But all things considered, the Rays couldn’t ask for a better situation, they’re back home in front of their bandwagon fans, and they have their ace on the mound, statistically, the chances of a win are at their highest in baseball in this situation, but forget the stats, that’s why they play the games.
Ultimately, this one is going to come down to the team that makes the fewest mistakes in the field.
