2008 ALCS: Boston Red Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays

[garfieldsnose 0]

That's what sucks about network television. They care about ratings too much when it comes to sporting events. Phillies/Rays is possibly the best series matchup for the true baseball fan, but all the Hollywood lovers and casual fans want Dodgers/Red Sox.

[devo 0]

I think FOX can push the whole Tampa Bay Magic Season story well enough to draw in some extra viewers and Philadelphia's a big enough market that the ratings won't be horrible. Not great, but respectable.

[Slayer 0]

They went with the middle of the week schedule because they don't want any games on Friday nights since it's the worst night of the week for t.v. ratings.

But there weren't any Friday night games under the previous schedule either, when it started on Saturday (Sat-Sun Tu-W-Th Sat-Sun)

[Bored 0]

And that's what I get for actually believing something ESPN.com printed.

 

Okay best I can find is they changed it because middle of the week t.v. viewership is higher than Saturday night viewership. I suppose the theory would be that the more people they can get to watch Game 1 means more people will stick through the whole Series.

 

But whatever, I could careless about ratings talk and if FOX execs are upset that they might not get the match-up they were hoping for. If it is Phillies/Rays, then the Bored T.V. Ratings will be the highest they've been for a World Series in over a decade.

[cabbageboy 0]

It's easy to say Rays/Phillies would be the lowest rated series in history, but why? I am quite excited about the Rays, since they've seized the AL East away from the NY/Boston strangehold and become a force. I'm certainly more interested in the prospect of that series than I was for nearly every post 2001 WS. Actually I was interested in Cardinals/Red Sox in 2004 but that ended up being a sweep.

 

But really, would this series draw less than White Sox/Astros or Cardinals/Tigers?

[bob_barron 0]

Yes.

 

The Rays have no fans to speak of.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Anyone find it interesting that the last 4 Expansion teams will have made the World Series in the past 5 years with an opportunity for 3 of them to win the WS in the past 8 if the Rays were to win?

[KingPK 0]

I think it's safe to say the Wakefield experiment has failed almost immediately.

 

And I was mocked when I said I didn't want him on the postseason roster.

 

I'd love to say "WE GOT 'EM RIGHT WHERE WE WANT 'EM!", but last year there was '07 Beckett waiting in the wings. This year it's Double-Sided Dice-K so he's liable to follow up a damn good Game 1 with a damn shitty game 5 performance. If he can hold them off, though that might not matter since the bats still need to wake the fuck up, there may be something with Beckett and Lester wanting a second crack at the Rays.

 

As far as the broadcasting team, I like Darling and Martinez, but I'm fucking sick of Caray orgasming over a Rays seeing-eye single in an 8 run game like it's a game-winning hit. Plus, his knack of acting like EVERY long fly ball is going to end up in the upper deck is terrible. If TBS gets a new PBP guy, they'll have a pretty good team.

[Guest C*Z*E*C*H]

Plus, his knack of acting like EVERY long fly ball is going to end up in the upper deck is terrible.

Ugh, tell me about it.

BELTED! A HANGER AND A BANGER! Hidalgo makes the catch 20 feet from the wall! We'll be right back!

 

[Guest Vitamin X]

That's what sucks about network television. They care about ratings too much when it comes to sporting events. Phillies/Rays is possibly the best series matchup for the true baseball fan, but all the Hollywood lovers and casual fans want Dodgers/Red Sox.

 

Wait, what?! I'm as casual a fan as it gets (witness my Brewers/Phillies going 6 games prediction in the last thread- d'oh! Didn't realize it was a 5 game series to start with..) and my ideal matchup would be Dodgers/Rays. Everyone in this country outside of New England is sick of Boston sports right now, and is glad to see them fail at anything. That would kind of suck for both the Dodgers and Lakers to make it to the championship round and lose, though.

 

The Rays are an awesome story. This is a team that's been perennially awful in a sport that, to the casual fan, is just as skewed towards the traditionally large, money making programs as college football is, only without the inane rankings bullshit and a playoff system. And with a young, talented team, they're one game away from the World Series. Just making it there would be a hell of an accomplishment.

 

Also, consider the weirdness that this is the first year they got rid of "Devil" in their name, and you get all the Christian fans excited too.

[KingPK 0]

So Kazmir is starting Game 5 over Shields. I can kinda see Maddon's rationale here (better Kazmir have another bad outing now than having him blow a series-tying Game 6), but I would throw the better pitcher out in this situation since you have the team on the ropes and you can stick the dagger in.

[cabbageboy 0]

Oh this is an ominous move from Maddon and I don't like it. Right now the Rays have the Red Sox flat out on the ropes and having Kazmir stink up the joint tomorrow night could shift the momentum. This eerily reminds me of the Cubs/Marlins in 2003 when Dusty Baker had a chance to finish it in Florida in game 5, but was content with taking the series back to Chicago with Prior and Wood waiting.

 

 

[sfaJack 0]

It's not even the same thing. First off, I don't recall the Cubs and Marlins having an extra off day built into their series schedule. You'd have been bringing Prior back on short rest in game 5. And for a marginally better chance at clinching in 5 instead of 6? A rested Zambrano was the better shot in that game.

 

Secondly, it didn't matter who the Cubs put on the mound that night. Nobody was beating Josh Beckett in game 5 of that series. Dude threw a 2-hitter!

 

As for this flip-flop by Maddon, I think we're nitpicking on the details here. Kazmir is fully rested and capable of pitching a good game. And Shields has been fantastic at the Trop all season, right? What's the harm in pushing him back to game 6?

 

Besides, the Rays have three chances to win this series. If they can't get it done, well, they don't deserve to win it.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

I am trying to stay optimistic about the rest of the series, but it's tough. On one hand, I have the recent memory of the Red Sox coming back from 3-0 and 3-1, but on the other I see a team that is hurting (physically) and struggling to find an identity. The Rays have had the superior pitching, hitting and defense and the game outcomes have reflected as much. The main difference this year is that even if the Sox were firing on all cylinders (and they aren't) I'm not positive that they are the better team.

 

All that being said, the Rays are treading in dangerous water by switching to Kazmir in game five. A team in control of a series should not be making the adjustments. Put the team away when you have a chance. If the Sox come out and win game five, the entire outlook of the series changes with Beckett and Lester on the mound for the final two. The Sox won't be as bad as they were the last three and the Rays should know that.

[Cartman 0]

I don't know if it's true or not but Rotoworld said the move was made because Kazmir didn't want to chance pitching game 6 with Derryl Cousins behind the plate.

 

I don't think it really matters anyways. The Rays are, and have been, the better team all year. Not having Lowell really hurts and the bullpen has sucked all year outside Papelbon.

[Guest Smues]

Wanted the Rays to win anyway, but I didn't get drawn for game 6 tickets, so I'd prefer they just win it tomorrow so the WS game 1 drawing is sooner.

 

I think Longoria is at 5 homeruns this post season. Doubtful, but I'd love him to hit 4 more and take the record from Barry Bonds.

[RepoMan 0]

But really, would this series draw less than White Sox/Astros or Cardinals/Tigers?

 

I don't see how rating could be lower for Rays/Phils. Philly is the #4 media market, the most passionate sports market in the US, and starving for a championship. It's going to get a huge market share. Plus there's enough fans in the Northeast he have reasons to tune in to root against either team. The Rays are a great underdog story that will draw in a decent amount of casual fans. It's easily the most appealing match up this decade. The last World Series I cared about was 2001 because I was sick of the Yankees getting all the 9/11 love despite being the evilest franchise in North America.

 

[CanadianChris 0]

But really, would this series draw less than White Sox/Astros or Cardinals/Tigers?

 

I don't see how rating could be lower for Rays/Phils. Philly is the #4 media market, the most passionate sports market in the US, and starving for a championship. It's going to get a huge market share. Plus there's enough fans in the Northeast he have reasons to tune in to root against either team. The Rays are a great underdog story that will draw in a decent amount of casual fans. It's easily the most appealing match up this decade. The last World Series I cared about was 2001 because I was sick of the Yankees getting all the 9/11 love despite being the evilest franchise in North America.

Are you serious? Red Sox/Cardinals from 2004 blows this matchup out of the water. And last year proved that fans don't tune in just to root for the underdog.

 

If the Rays make the Series, it'll be the lowest-rated Series ever. I don't say that to denigrate the quality of the matchup, because I think it could be quite a competitive series, but that's just the way it is.

[naiwf 0]

But really, would this series draw less than White Sox/Astros or Cardinals/Tigers?

 

I don't see how rating could be lower for Rays/Phils. Philly is the #4 media market, the most passionate sports market in the US, and starving for a championship. It's going to get a huge market share. Plus there's enough fans in the Northeast he have reasons to tune in to root against either team. The Rays are a great underdog story that will draw in a decent amount of casual fans. It's easily the most appealing match up this decade. The last World Series I cared about was 2001 because I was sick of the Yankees getting all the 9/11 love despite being the evilest franchise in North America.

 

Is this the same Philadelphia that was drawing less than 2 million fans a year to Phillies games for the better part of a decade recently? If by most appealing you actually mean least, then I agree wholeheartedly. Even if EVERYONE in Philadelphia watched every game it would still be one of the lowest rated WS of all time.

[Guest Smues]

Clearly as a baseball fan I should care more about who other people want to see in the World Series than who I personally would like to watch, so on that note go LA and Boston.

 

Oh wait, I don't care what would draw better ratings? Oh yeah. Go Tampa and Philly.

[the max 0]

Somehow playoff threads always become a ratings argument and a census battle of some kind.

[Guest Smues]

The funny part is the hardcore fans are going to watch anyway, and most of the rating gain from a matchup like Boston vs LA is going to be very casual fans who aren't likely to attend games or otherwise spend their money on MLB.

[garfieldsnose 0]

But really, would this series draw less than White Sox/Astros or Cardinals/Tigers?

 

I don't see how rating could be lower for Rays/Phils. Philly is the #4 media market, the most passionate sports market in the US, and starving for a championship. It's going to get a huge market share. Plus there's enough fans in the Northeast he have reasons to tune in to root against either team. The Rays are a great underdog story that will draw in a decent amount of casual fans. It's easily the most appealing match up this decade. The last World Series I cared about was 2001 because I was sick of the Yankees getting all the 9/11 love despite being the evilest franchise in North America.

 

Is this the same Philadelphia that was drawing less than 2 million fans a year to Phillies games for the better part of a decade recently? If by most appealing you actually mean least, then I agree wholeheartedly. Even if EVERYONE in Philadelphia watched every game it would still be one of the lowest rated WS of all time.

 

 

The reason the fans weren't showing up for the Phillies games was because the owners never seemed to care about winning. They didn't want to spend and they didn't go out and get good players. It was more of a "fuck the owners" type attitude than "fuck the Phillies".

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Clearly as well, there's a difference between watching a team where Rico Brogna is your RBI man and one where Ryan Howard is the cleanup hitter. The Phillies became a better team, have a new ballpark, marketable players, and for only the second time in their history have established themselves as a long term winner. Philadelphia's fan base has really underwent a dramatic transformation the last five years or so.

[Guest C*Z*E*C*H]

Listen up, you bunch of shits-for-brains, the Phillies are not going to cause a ratings cataclysm.

[Cartman 0]

Who gives a flying fuck about the TV ratings any championship series will get? You think the leagues are gonna fold because the ratings aren't as high for a TB/Philly series as they would be for an LA/Bos series? It's a useless conversation really. Bottom line is the best 2 teams in the league will play each other for the championship and the fanbases of those two teams will enjoy it. The Rays are a really great team this year, and probably will be next year too since they are all coming back. The Phillies are a really great team and are easily the best team in the NL right now.

 

It's gonna be an awesome series for the people that actually do watch regardless of the ratings.

[CanadianChris 0]

Who gives a flying fuck about the TV ratings any championship series will get?

The league office does. So does fox. And if ratings get much lower, I wouldn't put it past them to make some drastic change that they think everyone will like but will really suck (kind of like This Time It Counts©).

[Cartman 0]

Change like what? I doubt it really.

[Guest C*Z*E*C*H]

Ratings matter, but they won't be as bad as 2005, you guys.

 

Also, would more than one shit-for-brains be a group of shits-for-brains? It's like three Attorneys General, or two Whoppers Junior.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Honestly, I find sporting events more enjoyable the less mainstream America is interested. How any football fan can sit through the Super Bowl is beyond me.