The Rays Tank: Benoit allows Ortiz to Slam

If you're anything like me, the idea that the Tigers or the Red Sox will be playing in the world series makes you a little sick to your stomach.

The Tigers have an organization built upon scouting and have done an excellent job in all their free agent signings and acquisitions, but their lovable manager shuns advanced metrics as if they're irrelevant, so that rubs me the wrong way. I would have been nice to see the a smaller market team that leans on saber to move forward, like the A's and Rays, but that's not happening this year. Then there's the option of watching the Red Sox, which is just unbearable considering my anger has yet to subside from the ALDS and the general snobbery of Boston fans.

Apparently, the Red Sox got one hit in Game 1 of the ALCS, and were facing another no-hitter at the hands of Max Scherzer last night until the sixth inning. Detroit is now the only team in baseball history to have five post season games with ten strikeouts or more by their pitching staff, and that's much in part due to some inept hitting by Boston the last two nights.

Regardless, the game was tied last night on a two-out grandslam that David Ortiz had to give everything he had, and which lo and behold was another Fenway Park home run (387 feet). Torii Hunter whiffed badly on the line drive, and flipped into the Red Sox bullpen.

If you need me, I'll be watching the NLCS.

LINKS

- There's deferring opinions on who will join the bidding for David Price this winter, and Nick Cafardo's sources chimed in. An AL GM said Price is the kind of guy you trade your best prospect for, and an NL GM thinks, "you'll see teams that don't even need him step up." (h/t generaltso)

- David G. Temple looked into the resurgence of very young post-season starters.

- Wendy Thurm has the scoop on San Jose's push for the new A's stadium.

- The Hardball Times on all things Miami baseball. Tagline: "The Marlins' ballpark has its pluses (several) and its minuses (the team)."

- Sports Illustrated gave Bill Simmons a platform to discuss the inter-workings of ESPN, if you're in to that sort of thing.