Quick Game 7 thoughts ALCS- Tampa Bay vs. Boston- The Fight to the Finish

First, TPC would like to apologize for having all the Jewish holidays scheduled on Tuesday and Wednesday's. It really has thrown a wrench into the TPC Blog publication. It wont happen agian next year.

Some ALCS thoughts.

When Big Poppy hit that HR a few days ago to get the score to 7-4, I had flashbacks of 2004 and Dave Roberts steal of 2B.

As much as I hate the Sox, you have to admire their guts, their testicular fortitude and championship like aura. Reminds me of the late 90's Yankees when you could never count them out.

Beckett was as big game as ever yesterday pitching with that strained oblique. Most people cant even shower with a strained oblique and this guy just pitched them into Game 7.

Pappelbon might not be Mo, but he's pretty close. In 16 games he has an ERA of o.oo. WOW.

No matter how it ends for Tampa (and it says here it won't end pretty) you have to like the future of a squad that features the next two great AL players in Upton and Longoria.

You also have to like a staff with Shields, Kasmir and Garza going forward.

And you also need to realize that teams with Great Closers have a huge advantage over teams with good-average closers. Except the Yankees in recent years (and thats because they couldnt get to Mo) almost every team that had the better closer usually won. In the postseason, you need starting pitching that can get you deep into the game, a good bullpen and the GUY when your team needs the big outs (like Paps did the last two games for Boston and Wheeler, who failed in Game 5 for TB when the wheels were falling off). Hitting in the postseason is overrated. Timely hitting is what's needed. Look at Drew and Ortiz. They've done nothing except for each of their two biggest spots, when they both came through. Otherwise they have been awful. Arod needs to take lessons there.

If the rumors are true and Peavy goes to Boston in the offseason, I'm going to be very cranky.

Terry Francona needs to be mentioned in the conversation the great Sports Coaches of the last 20 years at this point. His first WS came at the expense of the mighty Yankees and their 3-0 lead (not to mention al that 1918 stuff). This year, no matter what happnes, he got them to a Game 7 of the ALCS with the Manny stuff, Ortiz being a major shell of his former self, a hurt Beckett, an ineffective Wakefield and a guy named Masterson who is his bridge to Pappelbon. A great, great job.

With all that said, LETS GO RAYS!!!!!!!!!!!