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I LIVE FOR THIS.There, I said it. Playoff baseball represents all that is holy on this earth. It is by far the best time of year, and if it were up to me, which it sadly isn’t, playoff baseball would replace Christmas as the most celebrated holiday.

The Complete 2008 Divisional Series Playoff Preview

by Rory Davis (Analyst)

26

878 reads

Preview/Prediction

October 01, 2008


I LIVE FOR THIS.

There, I said it. Playoff baseball represents all that is holy on this earth. It is by far the best time of year, and if it were up to me, which it sadly isn’t, playoff baseball would replace Christmas as the most celebrated holiday.

We’ve all heard the stories of fathers missing their children’s birth for a prime-time sporting event, and ladies and gentlemen, that guy is me. Not literally, I’m only 23, but should the opportunity ever present itself, you can be sure I wouldn’t hesitate to miss that hospital visit for a seat behind home plate.

That’s how much I love playoff baseball. Even with my team far removed from the playoffs, I’m officially juiced for the 2008 Divisional Series to start.

Playoff baseball is so beautiful because every game holds such extreme importance. Drop Game One of a five-game Divisional Series, and there’s a great chance you’re done. Can’t maintain home-field advantage in the Championship Series? Then there’s a good chance you can kiss your World Series dreams goodbye.

Playoff baseball brings out the best in both players and managers. Sure, I love watching the best players in the world play on the biggest stage, but something inside me almost enjoys watching managers attempt to outwit their counterparts even more.

From setting their playoff rosters, to crucial in-game decisions, managers are truly put to the test come playoff time.

To think that 162 games of blood, sweat, and tears shed by your beloved team can evaporate with one hanging breaking ball is what makes playoff baseball so unbelievably excruciating, exciting, and enjoyable.

So, without further ado, I present to you my American and National League Divisional Series previews and predictions:

(All times Eastern Standard Time)

Chicago White Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays

10/2 - Chicago Sox at Tampa Bay - 2:30 PM
10/3 - Chicago Sox at Tampa Bay - 6:00 PM
10/5 - Tampa Bay at Chicago Sox – TBD
10/6 - Tampa Bay at Chicago Sox -  TBD
10/8 - Chicago Sox at Tampa Bay -  TBD

This is one of the more intriguing series, in my mind. We have the feel good Rays against the veteran-laden White Sox. In the season series, Tampa Bay held a 6-4 advantage over Chicago.

The Rays turned in one of greatest single-season turnarounds in baseball history, hell, sports history. They transformed a dismal 66-96 record in 2007 into a sparkling, A.L. East winning 97-65 record in 2008.

The Rays used a combination of young starting pitching, dependable bullpen arms, speed on the basepaths, clutch contributions from rookies, and brilliant managing to execute the best story of the 2008 regular season. If anyone predicted this astonishing 180 for the Rays this year, come down to Bleacher Report, and I’ll kiss the ground where you stand.

NOBODY SAW THIS COMING.

The Rays dethroned the Red Sox and the Evil Empire to win the A.L. East with style and flair. Their starting rotation of Scott Kazmir, James Shields, Andy Sonnanstine, Matt Garza, and Edwin Jackson, all under the age of 28, went a combined 64-45. These youngsters led the Rays to the A.L.’s second best ERA, 3.82.

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26 comments Last one added 9 months ago — Leave a Comment

  1. Dave Morrison 9 months ago

    The Cubs will find a way to lose, haha otherwise great article man!

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  2. Patti Rodisch 9 months ago

    GREAT ARTICLE!!!

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  3. Rory Davis 9 months ago

    Thanks Patti, I appreciate the support.

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  4. Nino Colla 9 months ago

    Does this mean, if Playoff Baseball was a holiday, I'd get off school for the entire month of October?

    Sign me up for that..

    Anyway, great stuff Rory, fantastic breakdown..

    Manuel put Werth in the two hole today.. Which was sort of a surprise to me.

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    • Rory Davis 9 months ago

      It does mean that you'd get all of October off..Just think about how unbelievable that would be!
      I knew Manuel was going to put Werth in the tole hole. I know I'm no expert on the Phillies, but this just doesn't make sense to me..Look at the stats I gave, Victorino's success against Brewers pitching, and just the simply speed factor..I dont get it.

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    • Isaac Barrow 9 months ago

      That'd be awesome.

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  5. Jeff Kneis 9 months ago

    I should have just skipped the regular season and then read this article now, it would have saved a lot of time. A lot of info I did not know about. Good work.

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  6. Joey Cinquegrana 9 months ago

    Great Article!

    I am really hoping for a Phillies-Cubs NLCS, and a anybody but Red Sox in it ALCS. So that would be Angels, and either Tampa, or Chicago.

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  7. J.C. Ayvazi 9 months ago

    Well Rory - nobody can say you're not out there. Time will tell, but I think you are only half right.

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    • M 9 months ago

      half right is probably a bit optimistic at this point

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    • Rory Davis 9 months ago

      Yea..my predictions didn't look so hot tonight..Lester owned the Rays, and Dempster and the Cubs looked flat. I guess that's why they make it a five-game series though..

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  8. Brandon Heikoop 9 months ago

    "If anyone predicted this astonishing 180 for the Rays this year, come down to Bleacher Report, and I’ll kiss the ground where you stand.

    NOBODY SAW THIS COMING."

    http://theoutsiderslook.blogspot.com/2008/03/division-by-division-preview-al-east.html

    Ummmm....

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    • Rory Davis 9 months ago

      LOL..Good funny stuff calvin

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    • Brandon Heikoop 9 months ago

      Hey Calvin,

      Just wondering where your picks are?

      How's my blindfolded dart of the Dodgers in the playoffs?

      Or the Tigers to finish 3rd in a division that everyone expected them to win?

      Also, to point out a few of your errors...

      Find me someone who expected the Twins to make the playoffs this year?

      Find me someone who expected the Marlins to be in the playoff hunt entering September?

      Find me someone who didn't expect the Cardinals to finish last in the Central?

      Find me someone who didn't expect the Mariners to have a winning record?

      You point out these supposed 'flaws' in my picks, but I'd say I was as accurate as it gets! Yes I made some mistakes, namely with the Red Sox and Mariners, but those were truly my only legitimate flaws.

      The rest can be accepted.

      Again, show me your picks, and maybe we can have a discussion.

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    • Brandon Heikoop 9 months ago

      Calvin,
      Check out the predictions of anyone else. I'll be you have a tough time finding someone who accurately predicted more then 3 of 8 playoff teams and an even more difficult time predicting more the 8 of 30 actual spots in the standings. That's right, I accurately nailed 27% of the team's ACTUAL position.

      I'm doing a season recap right now. It's actually making me feel even better about myself then I did at the end of the regular season.

      Also, feel free to drop by with your predictions.

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    • Brandon Heikoop 9 months ago

      Calvin,
      Where did Keith Law and Tim Krukjian have the Rays? 3rd? 4th? Maybe even 5th?

      The assertion in this article was that 'NOBODY SAW THIS COMING'. The fact is, I DID!

      You claimed that my predictions were poor because of certain rankings, well very few predictors do better then 8 of 30 EXACT spots, something I did.

      Now be a man and say that you were of the community that had the Rays way out of the playoffs, had the Tigers winning the WS, and the Mariners finishing 2nd (one spot lower then where I had them).

      Or wait, did you even do predictions?

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  9. Bob Warja 9 months ago

    Good article, despite the first loss I hope you'er right about the Cubs. I'm picking the Sox over the Rays only because I believe the Rays will just be happy to get there while the Sox have that 2005 experience behind them.

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    • Rory Davis 9 months ago

      I hope I'm right too, Bob...I went out after work with a buddy to watch the LAD-CUBS game at a bar across from AT&T Park (Home of the Giants). I had to watch next to a group of dickhead Dodger fans, wearing wristbands it made me want to throw up. Dodger fans cheering their second playoff victory in the last 19 years in the shadow of the Giants home ballpark...Really ticked me off.GO CUBBIES!

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  10. Collin Whitchurch 9 months ago

    Just a couple of things about your White Sox-Rays article:

    The White Sox' bullpen is anchored by Bobby Jenks and Matt Thornton. Dotel was the key setup guy a few months ago, but began to falter down the stretch. Dotel is still a key piece to be counted on in important moments, but for right now, the main man in the eighth inning is Matt Thornton, especially when lefties (Pena, Ortiz, etc) are up.

    Also, this series is more interesting in that both teams have won series throughout the season on the road. In April the White Sox took two of three at Tropicana and later in the year the Rays took two of three in Chicago. The difference in the season series is that the Rays took 3 of 4 in another series at the Trop, an INCREDIBLY hard fought series where every game could've gone either way.

    The fact is, nearly all 10 games the White Sox and Rays played against each other this year was very, very competitive and it should be more of the same in this series, which is why I give the White Sox the edge. Their momentum built from the past couple of days should carry over, and if, yes, that's a very big IF Vazquez can get the Sox a 1-0 lead today, they should win the series.

    Great preview Rory, well done.

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    • Rory Davis 9 months ago

      Thanks for your insight Collin...I admittedly don't know too much about the White Sox, so I gave it my best shot. I agree with you that this series is going to be heated...The White Sox could very well ride that wave of emotion from their last two victories to the ALCS and maybe beyond. Time will tell.

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  11. Ryan Staab 9 months ago

    Great insight. While I'd like to see the Halos [finally] make it past the BoSox in the postseason, I'm having a hard time believing it after last night's game.

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    • Rory Davis 9 months ago

      Ryan- Last nights game was rough..The Angels just couldn't come through with the one big hit they needed. Lester was dealing however, and Lackey only made one mistake..The run off Shields in the ninth wasn't helpful or settling for Halos fans.

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  12. Anthony Elias 9 months ago

    Wow, how could anyone not love that intro. My dad was watching the playoffs when my mom was in labor hahahahahahah!

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  13. Anthony Elias 9 months ago

    I do sir, I do. He is a great man who fueled my sports intensity since I was in the womb.

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  14. Kevin Paul 9 months ago

    Hey Rory,
    Just stoppin' by to check in on your latest...
    I see you had the same picks as me in the DS... though I had Angels in 5. The chances were there, but Boston just always capitalizes on any mistake, blunder, or opportunity...

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