Series preview: Sox @ Tampa Bay (aka the biggest series of the season)

Boston (90-63) at Tampa Bay (63-90)
3-game series @ Tropicana Field

The Trop, located in the skeevy outskirts of lovely downtown St. Pete, will be the site of Boston's biggest series of the season this weekend

Standings: Boston up by 1 1/2 gms ov NYY, 27 gms ov TB
Season Series: Boston leads 11-4

Probable pitching matchups:
GM1 Fri 710 Beckett (19-6, 3.20) vs. Kazmir (13-8, 3.54)
GM2 Sat 710 Matsuzaka (14-12, 4.41) vs. Sonnanstine (6-9, 5.68)
GM3 Sun 140 Wakefield (16-11, 4.73) vs. Jackson (4-15, 5.99)

Preview:
The Red Sox arrive here in the beautiful Bay area with their tails between their legs, losers of five of the last six games; with a charging New York team that has nearly devoured an entire 14 1/2 game lead in a matter of weeks nipping at their heels; and with blogloads of negative pub documenting every step of what could be the latest--and greatest--in a string of historical collapses.

Did I mention that Boston's bookend slugger Manny is still out with a nagging injury, their top two set up men are either injured or ineffective, their closer allowed a grand slam the last time out, and they will have to face Sox killer Scott Kazmir tonight in Game 1 at the Trop?

Not like there's any pressure this weekend or anything.

In a stunning turn of events in what has suddenly become a stomach-turning season, this final series against the division team with a mirror image record to that of the Sox has become the most important series of the season, because if Boston were to lose 2 of 3 here and New York was to take a pair from Toronto in the Bronx, then the division lead will have slipped from Boston's grasp for the first time since late April.

Like I said, no pressure.

The good news for Boston is they have their ace and most consistent pitcher throwing for them tonight, Josh Beckett, and he will be bidding to become the majors' first 20-game winner.

The bad news is he will have to defeat the man who treats the Sox like a AA affiliate, Scott Kazmir, who seems to save up his best starts for when he faces the Bosox.

Despite a 1-2 mark against the Sox this season, Kaz has enjoyed great success against the potent Boston lineup; last time out the lefty fanned 10 Boston batters in a 1-0 Rays win at Fenway on September 10th, and on the season Kazmir has struck out 40 Sox in 30 2/3 innings of work. He also owns a sparkling 2.41 ERA against them, and will be trying for his 5th consecutive victory when he takes the hill tonight.

Beckett, meanwhile, has become the most vital cog in the Sox championship machine, because it appears he is currently the only one of the staff who can secure a win for this team.

The only win for Boston in the last week came courtesy of Beckett's manhandling of New York and Chien Ming Wang in Boston's 10-1 victory last Saturday. Since then the Sox have dropped four straight in some unimaginable ways, and if they were to lose tonight they would own a 5-game losing streak for the first time since last August...

...a streak which we in the Nation refer to as the Boston Massacre II.

Their backs are against the wall, the chips are down, the odds aren't in their favor, they've got a long road ahead of them and any other doomsday cliche you can think of applies to Boston boys at this point.

Unfortunately I won't be able to attend any of the contests this weekend, thanks to my son's Little League and some anniversary thingy my wife keeps harping about, but the way things have been going it might be better to listen to the annoying anecdotes of Joe Magrane rather than be subjected to potential ridicule from Rays fans in person

But the equation is simple: win a pair of games here, then go home and do the same against Oakland and Minny and the division should be theirs and the Nation can take a deep breath, relax, and maybe enjoy the postseason baseball.

Lose tonight and it might be all over but the pouting for the Sox, as the dreams of a division title, home field advantage, and another championship could dissipate like plumes of smoke from one of Tampa's finest hand-rolled cigars.

No pressure though, Josh.

NOTES: according to the Globe, Manny will be out of the lineup again tonight, but Coco Crisp will return to action after missing two games with a minor back injury...Youk will also remain out of the lineup with the banged-up wrist, and Hinske will continue to spell him at first...Kielty will get the call in left over J.D. Drew, a no-brainer with Drew's .212 mark vs. lefties...Ellsbury will lead off again, while Lugo moves from nine to eight...the Rays will be without the services of left fielder Carl Crawford for the rest of the season; minor league phenom Justin Ruggiano was brought up to replace CC on the roster..Carlos Pena has 4 homers and 15 RBIs vs. Boston this season