This is from mlb.com:
"The White Sox are a quality baseball team with veteran leadership," Rays left-hander Trever Miller said. "Those guys have been to the postseason before. They've gone all the way and won a World Series. They know what it takes. The manager has been there before."
"They have good left-handed hitters -- two guys on their team with 1,100 home runs in their career," Miller said.
Rays manager Joe Maddon also pointed to the White Sox's power.
"The White Sox to me, offensively, are similar to the Tigers in the sense that they want to hit the ball over the wall all the time," Maddon said. "Plus, the White Sox ballpark is a homer park. Pitching-staff wise, they always have good starting pitching. Bobby Jenks is still one of the best closers in the game."
Rays Rookie of the Year candidate Evan Longoria said he would have rather played the Twins.
"The White Sox are much more of veteran club, much more of an experienced postseason club," Longoria said. "And they have patient big league hitters. Jim Thome, Jermaine Dye, I don't think Carlos Quentin is coming back, but Ken Griffey, Jr. You go up and down their lineup -- guys who have played a lot of years in the big leagues and know how to handle the pressure."
Ben Zobrist, who split American League Player of the Week honors with Hank Blalock of the Rangers for the final week of the season, noted the White Sox could be tough with their starting pitching. He also cited how the White Sox were erratic over the course of the 2008 season.
"With the White Sox, you are not really sure which team you are going to get," Zobrist said. "If they are on, the White Sox can be a dangerous team."
Zobrist felt like surviving the tiebreaker could build momentum for the White Sox.
"You never know," Zobrist said. "... Sometimes one team comes out of that feeling better or feeling a little bit hotter than they might have been at the end of their season."
One thing is for certain. With Ozzie Guillen managing the White Sox the games will always be interesting.
"It's going to be a really fun series to play," Rays catcher Dioner Navarro said. "Having Ozzie Guillen on the other side. ... He keeps it fun, which is good."
Miller concluded that the White Sox are going to be a challenge, yet he likes the Rays' chances at Tropicana Field, where they cobbled together the Major Leagues best home mark in 2008 at 57-24.
"We know going in they are not going to be easy to beat," Miller said. "But they also know that coming in here's not going to be easy. I love the fact we have home field advantage against these guys to maybe get two up on them before we go to Chicago. That would be nice."
Well Julie B.,
Guess we gotta leave Mr. Incredible alone, him and Paulie peanuts pretty much picked up their lumber the last 2 months. Alexi, YESSS!! Did Eric Wedge get fired yet??? The hater Cub fans stopped blogging on our Sox. We get to go down now and drink some Tropicana lemonade and kick some Rays. They're still Devilrays, and they still suck until they win a playoff series. Hope it's not against my White Sox though. What a clutch team, 12 more wins!
This should be a good series, I put Sox in 6, if Javy gets it, Sox in 5.
And Keith, you flip flopping on me again? The Sox really hurt you this year, huh? We might have to take that lifetime southsider tag off you at this rate. Anything can happen in a 163 game season.
Chuck it didn't look good for us! They didn't step up like the veteran club they are. They pulled it out in the very last second like Neo from the Matrix Reloaded!! I never stopped hoping or believing, but i doubted. And I am just happy the won the Central from those classless Twinkies! Umps cheated for them! I don't care what nobody says!!
Rays are smart. And have some class.
when did this become a SOX blog?
i will say, i am pumped to see two chicago teams in the playoffs.
civic pride!!
I'm just happy to be here. I'd really like a rotation of Buerhle, Floyd and Danks, but since they didn't get a chance to set up the rotation, Javy must pitch game 1. So be it, although I'd seriously consider starting Clayton Richard. I think Oz can squeeeze on more start on 3 days rest from Buerhle, then Floyd and Danks can pitch on 4 days rest if they get a day off. If they pitch like they did the last 3 days, we have a shot, maybe a very good shot.
The mindset should change completely now that they have made it to the post season. I hope so, because no one liked the way they played most of the year. Sox in 4, but I'm keeping my money in my pocket.
Go Sox!!!!!!!
cough cough choke choke. TB is out with SIX on fire
Roman, I was so upset Network TV or channel 26 or 9 didn't pick the game up! I was listening to the game on the radio. It never dawn on me to turn the computer on.....*smile*....Thanks for the invite though, it is cool and I will try to get in on any others you will have in the future.
The game played last night is why I was glad it was outside. Did I expect the picthers duel that was displayed last night? No! But I felt the weather would bother those damn Twinkie Toe players....Ha ha Ha ha... Our weather will always give us an advantage over certain teams.
GO WHITE SOX!!...Now this is what I call exciting baseball.
Hey Julie, too many cocktails during the game (lol)? How can the Sox win in six, when it's a best of five series? Rays will manufacture runs and that will be the key. Sox just don't match up with the Rays.
It wasn't Julie B., it was me. Thought they went to a NBA format. Sox in 5 without Javy, in 4 with him. Keith, it did look bad, welcome back. Can't stop the heart of a champion, though. 3 clutch victories.