Week 25: Embrace the drama

Wow, can you believe it? 25 weeks ago everyone thought they were a contender, after weeks of uncertainity and drama, we finally know who won the Emmys. Thank goodness that’s over, now we can focus on baseball again! Here’s what we have going for the last week of the 2008 regular season schedule:

The Rays woke up this morning with a game and a half lead over the Red Sox with 8 games left; Boston has 7 games remaining. To simplify things, if Tampa Bay goes 6-2 over their last eight games, they will win the AL East even if Boston goes undefeated. The Red Sox will win their second straight division if, at the end of the week, their total wins plus the Rays total losses adds up to the number 10. For example, if the Rays split and go 4-4 while the Red Sox end on a 6-1 tear, it’ll be another AL East banner for Fenway Park.

For the record, Boston ends the season at home where they are 52-22 this season, against two opponents who at the time of writing this are a combined 163-148 (70-79 on the road). Tampa Bay ends with back-to-back road trips, where they are 35-38 this season, against two teams who are a combined 138-170 (73-74 at home).

What2Watch: Here are the remaining games for both teams with probable starters listed

Monday
Tampa Bay at Baltimore, 7:05 (Price vs Bass)
Cleveland at Boston, 7:05 (Jackson vs Beckett)

Tuesday
Tampa Bay at Baltimore, 5:05 (Shields vs Olson)
Tampa Bay at Baltimore, 9:05 (Talbot vs Simon)
Cleveland at Boston, 7:05 (Lee vs Wakefield)

Wednesday
Tampa Bay at Baltimore, 7:05 (Jackson vs Liz)
Cleveland at Boston, 7:05 (Carmona vs Byrd)

Thursday
Tampa Bay at Detroit, 1:05 (Kazmir vs Galarraga)
Cleveland at Boston, 7:05 (Sowers vs Lester)

Friday
Tampa Bay at Detroit, 7:05 (Sonnanstine vs Verlander)
NY Yankees at Boston, 7:05 (Aceves vs Matsuzaka)

Saturday
Tampa Bay at Detroit, 7:05 (Garza vs Willis)
NY Yankees at Boston, 7:05 (Pettitte vs Beckett)

Sunday
Tampa Bay at Detroit, 1:05 (Shields vs Miner)
NY Yankees at Boston, 1:35pm (Mussina vs Wakefield)