They've Got Spirit, but....

After an optional practice today, the Red Sox were upbeat according to an article by Adam Kilgore of Boston.com, the online arm of the Boston Globe.

"We've got nothing but baseball ahead of us," catcher Jason Varitek said. "Belief. It wasn't just '04, '07. We've been able to do it. It leaves an overriding belief. I believe. I believe that if we execute what we can do,we're going to present ourselves with a great chance to win."

Sure, the Red Sox have a chance to win. They've had three chances to win in their last three games.

But they didn't.

It doesn't matter what they believe because the Rays believe THEY can win. And WILL win.

Sort of negates each other, doesn't it?

The objective observer would look at the Red Sox and see too many problems for them to be able to pull off another 07 or 04. It would be a nice story.

If you can believe it.

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Tampa Bay Rays manager, Joe Maddon, adjusted his regular rotation to have Scott Kazmir start the next game against the Red Sox instead of James Shields.

I find this interesting because Kazmir was the only Rays pitcher the Sox were able to tee-off on. The Rays ended up winning Game 2 in extra innings but only after Kazmir was roughed up for five runs.

This rotation change will mean that Kazmir will go against Dice-K who won Boston's only victory in the series. I wonder if Maddon means for this series to go back to Tampa Bay, so they can celebrate on their home field.

I really do wonder that.

Really.