Phils Win, Rays Need Not Worry

In what is one of the most surprising World Series match-ups of all-time, the Tampa Bay Rays took the field in late October for the very first time in franchise history. With one of the most talented young rosters baseball has seen since the start of the free agent era, the Rays entered the fall classic as not only the better team, but the team with America on their side.

However, the ultimate Cinderella story in the history of sports dropped the first game in front of a rocking Tropicana Field (sounds weird, I know). Reason to panic?

No, not at all.

This was supposed to happen. The Rays have a better lineup and a better rotation, and if they lose the series it should be considered an upset. However, the Rays don’t have a pitcher that could match up against Phillies ace Cole Hamels.

As a matter of fact, if the Rays beat Hamels in Game One then this series would be over faster than it started.

A few bright spots from the first game:

1. Hamels did his job. If the Phils’ had any chance to win this series Hamels had to win, and he did.

2. Brad Lidge continued his dominant season. A perfect save percentage for the entire season and playoffs is a remarkable feat, but given Lidge’s past and the law of averages that plagues baseball players year in and year out it seemed that Lidge was destined to blow a save at some point. As of now though, he’s still perfect and the Phillies need him to stay that way.

3. BJ Upton’s play at the plate. This guy is a bottomless pit of talent, but sometimes it isn’t realized. Look at it this way: during this season Upton his nine home runs, and yet during these playoffs he already has seven. His offense has come around, and hopefully his defense has too.

4. Rays mounting some sort of comeback. Hamels has been this years version of the 2003/2007 Josh Beckett. Scoring two runs against him while the Rays bullpen held the Phillies offense in check gives them some momentum going into game two.

5. No more “Frank TV” ads between every inning. Thank God.