Dragnet Battle Royal, Redux: Rays at Sox

Does anyone else feel like this weekend's Red Sox series against the Rays is actually last week's series with the Rays, except for the fact that someone pushed reset on the MLB '08 "The Tour" game on your x-box after thinking "There's no way the Rays could have swept the Sox ... even in Tropicana!"


Well, it happened, and now this weekend's series with visiting Tampa Bay has added significance since, and don't blush here, the Rays sit in first place in the AL East. By percentage points, but in first place nonetheless.

Now, if you're a fan of good pitching, tonight shouldn't disappoint. Clay Buchholz takes the Fenway mound for his first start since last week's near one-hitter turned into a truly heartbreaking and unfair loss. And who's he facing off against? None other than Edwin Jackson, the mercurial speed man who dazzled the Boston bats in setting up a second-straight Tampa win during that fateful weekend sweep.

Of course, lots of people have been dazzling lots of Boston bats lately, so maybe that's not saying a ton. Jacoby Ellsbury is back atop the lineup, which could provide a bit of a spark and get hitters like Dustin Pedroia out of a mighty slump. Then again, that's all assuming that Ellsbury's not pushing the button to early in his return, thereby setting the stage for what would be a seriously deflating injury. At least we know that won't happen with J.D. Drew.

Then again, all of this could be purely academic. There's a steady rain at Fenway which could delay things quite a while. Or so it seems. We'll see. Eventually.

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