Time for Red Sox to make statement in AL East…
Tuesday night, the Red Sox begin a 3-game series with those pesky Blue Jays, 2009’s subject of the “Is this team for real?’ conversations.
The Jays, who last week had their first series with one of the big three teams in the American League East (Losing 2 out of 3 to the Yankees), just finished a series sweep against the White Sox, in which they dominated the South Siders so convincingly, the talks about the White Sox being too old and washed up were ignited, much to the dismay of President Obama.
So now, the flying high Jays will come into Fenway and face the team who’s been pushing at them all season long. The Sox plan on having Youkilis and Ortiz (coming off his 0-7, previously written about performance), back in the line-up. Unfortunately, the Sox will be sending two of their least favorable pitchers to the mound during the series. The, “Is the knuckleball, knuckling tonight?” talents of Tim Wakefield and the quickly, “this move didn’t work out the way we hoped”, pitching of Brad Penny.
Regardless, it’s a great opportunity for the Red Sox to get inside the Jays heads early on in this young season. Here’s a chance for the Sox to kick the Blue Jays in the ribs, before they can even attempt to make a mark as a serious contender in the American League East.
Watching the Jays with this early lead in the AL East is a reminder of the bizarre 2005 season, where at the All-Star break the Orioles were out ahead in the AL East, and the newly founded Washington Nationals were top dog in the NL East. Neither of those teams stuck around very long after the Mid-Summer Classic.
Will the Jays?
Your probables for the series are…
Tuesday Night – Tallet vs. Wakefield
Wednesday – Cecil vs. Penny
Thursday – Ray vs. Lester
