2009 American League Championship Preview

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How they got here:
Tampa Bay was one of the best bang for the bucks teams this year with a payroll of $54,777,357. The scariest part of this team is they are still one of the youngest teams in baseball averaging 28.35 yrs old. They won the AL East with 96 wins and by 7 games over Boston Red Sox.

Tampa got the best record in the American League with 96 wins. Behind Carlos Zambrano and Jake Peavy the Rays boast a top 10 pitching staff and arguably the best young 1-2 punch in the rotation of the teams remaining. Their offense produced the most HRs and 3rd highest team batting average which is a dangerous combination regardless of who they are playing.

Boston won the wild card on the back of being the AL Road Warriors boasting a record of 51-30 away from historic Fenway Stadium. Unlike Tampa Bay Boston has had to take advantage of oppertunities when they arise on offense. They have an overall average offense but made it work to be top 5 in runs scored.

Soon team break downs.

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Catchers:
Neither Yorvit Torrealba or Ramon Castro will ever be mistaken for Mike Piazza with the bat but their value comes holding runners where they are at and help calling games for this very young pitching staff.

Infielders:
The entire infield could be an all star quartet in the future Khalil Greene (29) and Jorge Cantu (27) are the free swingers up the middle for this team both producing 20 HRs but Greene led the Inf in K's (142) while Cantu had 110. The big names in the infield is Ryan Zimmerman producing 92 RBIs and scoring 100 runs this year. The old man of the bunch (30 yrs old)Ryan Shealy and the future Chase Ulrich will split time at 1b as Tampa attempts to keep the bench fresh for key moments. Jack-of-all-gloves Miguel Cairo and D'Angelo Jimenez don't look to make an impact on this series but provide some flexibility if needed for Tampa late in games.

Outfielders:
Wily Mo Pena was by far one of the freest swingers in baseball leading the D'Rays in HRs with 32, he also led the team in Ks with 197!!! If he makes contact its going FAR. Along with the bat Pena has been very very good in limited time in CF, only 2 errors in 90 starts (92 games total). Delmon Young set career highs in just about every offensive category, and seriously cut down on his k's (from 110 to 88). He maybe one of the keys to the series if he can find the stroke that made him an all star this year.James Poulin is one of the leading ROY candidates coming out in his first year posting numbers of .304 ba, .852 ops, 24 hrs, 100 rbis, 97 runs. Leading off gives the D' Rays a very unusual combination of power and speed most people wouldnt expect to see. Francisco Peña and Ryan Church will split time as DH and 4th outfielder on this team.

Rotation:
Carlos Zambrano and Jake Peavy will try to get Tampa off to a good start in the series. After this you get a couple "average" options. Jon Garland won 20 games with an era of 4.31. Brian Finch wont likely strike out a lot of guys, but he won't walk a lot. But he likely won't last very deep into games average just above 6 IP per start this year.

Bullpen
Scott Kazmir will probably see time in the pen due to control concerns bumping him from the rotation in this series. Closer Ryan Wagner lead the AL easily in saves with 45 and posted a 2.17 ERA and only 3 blown saves all year. Midseason signing and Former Brewer Jorge De La Rosa brought a solid lefty to a pen that needed it. Posted an ERA 2.08 in limited time after spending the last year and a half at AAA for Milwaukee. Fireballer Marcos Carvajal gives a change of pacep reliever for tampa to try and speed up bats after facing good fastballs for 7 innings. Former Red Scott Williamson bounced around the league a bit, until finding his groove in Tampa in 08 posting eras of 3.82 and 4.18. Williamson made his case for a playoff spot with his Sept/Oct of 1.80. Much like Williamson Chad Orvella made his case in Sept/Oct posting an ERA 1.10, he is largely a 1 inning guy. Wade Davis rounds out the bullpen.

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Catchers:
Kenji Johjima is the archor at catcher, put up good numbers with .253 avg, 13 HR, 88 RBI, and .739 OPS, an injury mid-season hurt his production when riding a hot start. Corky Miller is a great defensive catcher with no bat.

Infielders:
Josh Barfield leads the young players in the infield, Barfield is not one to take lightly at 2nd, he has decent power numbers. hits for average, and has speed, a perfect no. 2 hitter for anyone. Ian Bladergroen and Chase Headley hold down the corners at 1B and 3B, solid hitters in their own right but still green around the edges, Headley is a dangerous switch hitter that kills LHP. The short-stop job been handed to rookie Nicholas Guthridge since no one stepped up during the season. Don't forget about David Ortiz at DH, the power hitting monster led the team in HR (34) and RBI (118) , disappointing .246 avg during the season but led the charge against the Angels who beat the Red Sox in the 2008 ALCS. JULIO LUGO SUCKS!!! Alex Cora and Jason Bartlett provide some depth up the middle but very little bats and JASON BARTLETT SUCKS!!!

Outfielders:
Vladimir Guerrero is the offense for the Red Sox, put up very good numbers during the season (.280, 30 HR, 112 RBI, and .895 OPS), if Vlad can't get going the team will be hard pressed for runs. Vernon Wells has to step up in CF a big name signing with poor power numbers won't cut it in Boston, dissapointing season with only 19 HR, but had good RBI numbers with 91. LF Walter Talamantez starts the offense by getting on base anyway he can with his speed, .304 avg, .818 OPS, and stole 44 bases. Little used Brandon Moss will be the 4th of for this series.

Rotation:
Boston has decided to go with a somewhat unusual plan going with a 3 man rotation. Josh Beckett will go games 1, 4, 7 (if neccessary). 2.90 ERA and thats a "bad year" for him. Kris Benson will be asked to try and take on the other half of Zambrano/Peavy in this series. Benson had a nice year with a whip of 1.29 and an ERA of 4.06. He won a team high 16 games. This is where Matt Clement could be useful but he has been lost to yet another significant injury early in the year. But Boston is going with the young stud Andrew Dobies, who turned it on in Sept/Oct posting an era of 2.56 and going 5-1 in 6 games started. He's got the talent to give Tampa a tough matchup but can he turn in the type of start that his talent shows? Veteran and Milwaukee Legend Eric Milton will be in a position to take over as a Long Reliever or emergency starter in this series.

Bullpen:
Much like his counterpart in Tampa Jon Papelbon dominated in 9th innings throughout the year. Finishing second in the AL in saves with 39. Including a spotless ERA in July and allowing only 1 ER in Sept/Oct. It would be an intriguing matchup if this came down to the closers of both teams. Fireballer Kyle Farnsworth returns to post season play as the setup man posting a very tough .206 ba against this year. Along with a whip of 1 and an ERA of 3.13. Beyond that there will be a lot of ?s for Boston. Can Eric Milton show the Milwaukee Milton and how will David Riske handle the curse of Boston watching him (ERA of 7.67 at home, while only 3.48 away). Manny Delcarmen has not yet been able to really have the breakout type year he is capable of in the pen and usually dependable Ray King has tired through the season with his best months being Mar/Apr and July (arguably around the All Star break). The pen may make or break the team this series as the 3 man rotation will be very demanding on Beckett, Benson, and Dobies.

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Boston has just too many ?s for a 7 game series IMO. The duo of Zambrano and Peavy leads Tampa Bay to the pennicle of Baseball the World Series.

Prediction: Tampa Bay in 6.

Game 1, 2, 5, 6 Zambrano and Peavy reign supreme.