Rays, Red Sox readying for Game 4

UPDATE, 5:35 Manager Joe Maddon just acknowledged what has been speculated upon the last few days, that it was "possible" they would change their rotation and not have James Shields start Game 5 on Thursday. He likely would be replaced by LHP Scott Kazmir.

Maddon said it depended on what happened in Game 4 tonight, and wouldn't get any further into it.

What that likely means is this: If the Rays win and go up 3-1, they would switch to Kazmir, who has struggled recently but has pitched well in the past at Fenway, and have Shields for a potential Game 6 at home, where he pitched very well (plus, he has struggled at Fenway). But if they lose tonight and the series is 2-2, they would stick with Shields, and have Kazmir ready for Game 6 at home.

"Let's see what happens tonight,'' Maddon said. "It's possible.''

UPDATE, 4:52: The Rays are starting Fernando Perez in rightfield and Willy Aybar at DH.

The lineup:
Iwamura, 2b
Upton, cf
Pena, 1b
Longoria, 3b
Crawford, lf
Aybar, DH
Navarro, c
Perez, rf
Bartlett, ss
Sonnanstine, p

Red Sox
Drew, rf
Pedroia, 2b
Ortiz, dh
Youkilis, 3b
Bay, lf
Kotsay, 1b
Crisp, cf
Cash, c
Lowrie, ss
Wakefield, p

The Rays and Red Sox are getting ready for Game 4 of the ALCS, and the first bit of news is that the Sox have shaken up their lineup, moving J.D. Drew to the leadoff spot and replacing struggling Jacoby Ellsbury with Coco Crisp.

Drew batted leadoff eight times this season (hitting .172) and 14 times last season. Ellsbury was 0-for-14 in the first three games, and 6-for-32 overall for the postseason. Crisp was 3-for-6 in the ALCS and and 4-for-10 for the postseason.

The Rays lineup is expected to look different, too, as manager Joe Maddon favors righthanders against knuckleballer Tim Wakefield.

Comments

[Amanda]

CJ, where ya been all night?

[CrackerJack]

Well at least Novangelus has the backbone to show his cyberface in the middle of the worst homestand in Fenway Park since September '78. Though the past exasperation with him is understandable, he deserves a lot more credit than Anthony (where oh where has our .... oh, yea - been there done that).

Very quiet tonight -- it's quite obvious both sides are drained, and perhaps stunned by the surreal, even profound, destruction of a once great team, and, if events hold out, a stillborn dynasty. Didn't the Globe say the Sox were Series bound after Game 1?

Anyone out there in the wholesale Grouper business? Looks like some Chowds need a change in diet.

-till Thursday.

[Novangelus]

"Trollin" ??? I'm talking baseball with fans of an opposing viewpoint.

Your name makes no sense. The pot, if it had called the kettle black, would have already met the kettle. So I think what you're trying to do is something like: 'Pot - look in the mirror - but even if you did say it the logical way you'd still be wrong. I wasn't yelling at a Rays fan - I was yelling at Anthony the annoying and deranged Sox fan, whose posts are always immature and never about baseball.

[Pot Meet Kettle]

Nova-Anus is here trollin' on a Tampa Bay blog and he's telling someone to get a life?

[Novangelus]

Anthony get a life dude.

[Amanda]

So, by your directive, when we're ready to piss our own pants we should shut our pieholes? So since we're NOT disgusting enough to do that, we SHOULDN'T shut our pieholes? Got it.
Pissy pants does not a committed fan make. It proves nothing other than that guy is completely gross.

[Anthony]

hey Devil Ray fans, when you are committed enough to pissin' your pants after a win, shut your pieholes

[Tampa Bay Rays]

yes, yes, Novangelus....trust me we know about the BoSox come backs, we watched all those games, not participated in them remember? Besides, how could he forget with the media constantly reminding us and begging us not to win the series so their lovers, the Red Sox, can play in the WS. Guess we will just have to ruin their honeymoon!
P.S.- I did love your soundtrack to Blade Runner though, Novangelus

[Novangelus]

Oops, I was wrong though Amanda it was 8 straight in 04, 7 straight in 07 (did not lose again after going down 1-3 in ALCS).

Sorry for the error - I promise I'll go back to being perfect from here on in.

[Amanda]

I actually agree with everything Nova said in his last post. This is just weird. Maybe I should go lay down for a bit.

[Novangelus]

Hey yeah it was me - cool it folks, cool it. I was trying to be sarcastic - tonight it's my Sox getting desperate. Drew batting leadoff? I don't get it. I hope Tito knows what he's doing.

I stand by my claim that winner takes all. NL is weak.

Congrats on last night Tampa-wagonners. You better not give us a bit of momentum tonight though - once we get hot we're pretty sick (8 stright victories to finish 04 and 07 postseason).

In Wakefield We Trust.

[Razzlegator]

The BeanTown boys are probably doing their laundry after all of that pants crapping they were doing yesterday. Nah, they're probably still sitting there in it.

[MikeD]

looks like I was mistaken about the capital "N" thing, but I still don't believe that's the "real" Novangelus

[GostManOn2nd]

Does this give us the best/fastest defensive Outfield ever?? I honestly believe this worth a debate, if there is any close.

[Caleb]

I see the Nov shows back up, what a loser, can't even take the heat from last night. BANDWAGON ALERT!!!!!

Perez and Aybar owned Wakefield this year. Right field is platooned every game and Aybar is a hotter bat then Floyd.

You know nothing, just go back to reading your sex novels.

[MikeD]

that isn't the "real" novangelus, I don't think, folks. If I remember right, he doesn't capitalize the "n", and I do believe there's an extra dose of snark in that there post.

[Amanda]

Yeah, Nova, they're pretty desperate for actually understanding the logic between lefty/righty match-ups!
Idiot...

[Tim]

Would love to get one more at Fenway ...
Yesterday makes it 3 in a row there ..
I guess they're not bulletproof at home after all ..

[Mike]

Wow, dead-on-logic, Novangelus; except you need to come off your high and switch Rays for Red sox, and Sox for Rays in your statement. Although I wouldn't sell short the NL teams.

[cg]

Perez in OF and Rocco as DH?

[cg]

hmm.

[9equals8.com]

Didn't you say something similar yesterday? How about we let the players play the game as we did last night (didn't really turn out like you'd predicted, eh?).

I wonder if Perez will be in the line-up tonight (can Rocco go 2 nights in a row in LF?). I'd like to see him get a shot as he, Carl and BJ make for a constant running threat and will keep the Sox stressed all night. Maybe we end up with Perez in LF and Rocco at DH.

[Novangelus]

Rays are really getting desperate by changing up their line-up. If Sox win tonight they pretty much clinch the series (and WS too since the NL is so weak).