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After Battling All Season, Red Sox Fitting Opponent

The Associated Press

Carlos Pena gets the throw just in time to get Boston Red Sox's Jason Varitek out at first at Fenway Park in Boston, Monday, Sept. 8, 2008.

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By MARC LANCASTER

mlancaster@tampatrib.com

Published: October 8, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - The Angels posted the best record during baseball's regular season, but the teams that dueled atop the game's toughest division most of the year will face off for the American League title.

It's only fitting, said Rays manager Joe Maddon, whose team will meet the Red Sox in a best-of-seven set beginning Friday at Tropicana Field.

"I like the fact that it's all-American League East," Maddon said Tuesday. "I think that speaks to the division's strength."

So even though there would have been abundant storylines to mine had Maddon faced off against his former team while bringing native sons like Evan Longoria and James Shields back to Southern California, a winner-take-all showdown between the Rays and Red Sox will suit the skipper just fine.

"Honestly, it didn't matter who. Just to get to this point is a tribute to what our guys have done all year. The fact that it's the Red Sox makes it even more interesting - we've played them so often this year between spring training games, regular-season games and now into the playoffs."

Tampa Bay and Boston spent much of the season exerting their will over other opponents around the league while running neck-and-neck with one another. The Rays ultimately finished two games ahead of the Red Sox in the standings and held a 10-8 edge in head-to-head play, earning them the homefield advantage that could prove crucial in this series.

That aspect of the series will be watched closely, as will the way Boston replaces Mike Lowell, the October stalwart who is off the roster with a lingering hip injury. The Rays will again face an experience deficit as they take on the defending World Series champions, but not having been there before didn't seem to bother them in their Division Series win against the White Sox.

Maddon and Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman both said they're expecting close games that could come down to avoiding key mistakes.

"At the end of the day, I think it's going to be won with pitching and defense," said Friedman, "just like a number of our games were this year."

Reporter Marc Lancaster can be reached at (813) 259-7227.

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