9/7 Online Seats Game Thread: Daisuke Looks to Rout Rays

Tampa Bay Rays (83-54) @ Boston Red Sox (77-61)   David Price (16-6, 2.92) @ Daisuke Matsuzaka (9-4, 4.29) 7:10…

Money in the margins

What is the first thing a server asks you when sit down at a table? “What can I get you to drink?” Why is the desert menu usually separate from the rest of the menu? Because flour, sugar, syrup and water are cheap and not labor intensive. The profit on that steak may be 40 to 50 percent after labor is included in its preparation but the soda you have been chugging down in the mean time nets a 98 percent gain.

Where Theo Epstein truly makes his money is with the players on the margins, the soda and German chocolate cakes players who propel an 81 win team to a 96 win team.

Is Tampa Bay pitching overrated?

While Tampa Bay has had plenty of named talent over the last few years from Scott Kazmir, James Shields, Matt Garza and then David Price came along. This along with a top offense and elite talent has led to their recent success in the AL East. Perhaps overvalued is a bit harsh, but they have several pitching changes and again compared to their peers in the division have some flaws. Departing this year will be the presence of Kazmir at the top of the rotation, but that shouldn't be a bad thing. His walk rate was always high and with the drop in velocity it's likely the drop in strikeouts is going to stick around. He is surely not the ace of seasons before. That leaves James Shields as the team ace and that is a good start. He was the ninth most valuable pitcher in the AL last year based on pitching runs above replacement. There were some cracks in his season though as his walk rate climbed, but not an extreme amount and should regress in 2010.

9/3: Two young hurlers go at it

GAME NOTES: Buchholz has suddenly fashioned himself into a very solid No. 3. The key here is if Buchholz can keep it up amidst increasing pressure as October nears. Price has been a disaster on the road but kills it at home. It'll be up to Buchholz to match zeros.

8/5: Trying to bounce back.

The Red Sox try to bounce back from a game that not only exhausted their bullpen, but also may have exhausted their fans :)

Know Thine Enemy 2009: Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays are coming off their first successful season in the history of the franchise. Finally, they're not considered doormats with no vision of the future. Now the Pirates stand alone there. (Even the Royals are much improved!)

This club is scary in the pool of young talent they already hold plus more on the way in the minor leagues. The Rays will compete for a very, very long time. But will they be able to withstand the Red Sox and Yankees assault in 2009?

Battle For First Place: Sox, Rays open up three-game set

Sure, if all breaks right this upcoming series at the Trop, the Red Sox could find themselves in first place…