No Reason to Start Doubting Rays Now

For all they accomplished in the regular season, the Rays ranked only ninth in the American League in runs per game. One reason: The team rarely had three of its best hitters — Carlos Pena, Evan Longoria and Carl Crawford — clicking at the same time.

Pena struggled for much of the first half. Longoria was injured for nearly a month in the second half. Crawford missed almost all of the final seven weeks. But if Crawford, as expected, rejoins the lineup for the Division Series, the Rays' offense finally will be complete.

Maybe the more experienced White Sox will get on a roll after winning three straight elimination games to reach the postseason. Gaining a split at Tropicana Field — where the Rays had the best home record in the majors in the regular season — would give the Sox immense confidence heading back to Chicago.

But the Rays, too, might be ready to peak.

Crawford, mind you, hasn't faced major-league pitching since Aug. 9, when he suffered an injury to his right middle-finger tendon. Still, his speed and defense alone should make a difference. If he is too rusty, the Rays can always go back to Eric Hinske in left field.

Scouts continue to question whether the Rays' bullpen will hold up in the playoffs, but three of the team's starters — righty James Shields, lefty Scott Kazmir and righty Andy Sonnanstine — handled the White Sox well during the regular season. Righty Matt Garza, who had mixed results against the Sox as a member of the Twins in 2007, did not face them this year.

Kazmir, after struggling in two of his last three starts, is something of a wild card — he looks "very, very mechanical," one scout says, mentioning that Kazmir is perhaps compensating for an injury. The Rays' rotation, though, has been far less taxed than the White Sox's overall.

Javier Vazquez, Mark Buehrle and Gavin Floyd all pitched on three days rest in two of their last three starts, and John Danks was brilliant in his first career start on short rest Tuesday night in the tie-breaker for the AL Central title.

Manager Ozzie Guillen could start Buehrle on short rest again rather than the struggling Vazquez in Game 1. Or, he could go with Vazquez in Game 1 and Buerhle in Game 2, ensuring that each of his starters will work on normal or extended rest in every game of the series.

The White Sox's biggest advantage will be their power — they hit 234 home runs this season, most in the majors, and the Rays' defensive superiority will be negated if balls start flying out of the park. But the Rays' edge in speed might be an even bigger factor in this series.

The Rays led the majors with 142 stolen bases this season. Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski threw out only 10.3 percent of opposing base stealers, the worst percentage among major-league regulars. Crawford, B.J. Upton and Jason Bartlett could drive Pierzynski nuts.

Win this series, and the Rays would answer yet another challenge in a season in which they have passed every test.

Win this series, and they would stand a decent chance against the Red Sox or Angels in the ALCS.

Prediction: Rays in 4.

This article originally published on FOXSports.com.

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