Series Preview: Tampa Bay @ Sox

Tampa Bay Devil Rays (60-83) @ Red Sox (87-57)
Fenway Park 3 game series

Probable Pitching Matchups
GM1 Mon 705 Kazmir (11-8, 3.79) vs. Schilling (8-6, 4.04)
GM2 Tue 705 Sonnanstine vs. Wakefield
GM3 Wed 705 Jackson vs. Lester

Season Series: Sox lead 9-3

Preview:
Let''s face facts: Boston has now played these guys enough in the past two months to be able to exchange Christmas cards with Rays players and their families, and we all know that anything less than a sweep of the cellar-dwellers is considered a failure.

So I'm not going to add anything else that we don't already know.

The Sox need to win all three games to keep the 5 1/2 game cushion over the New York A-Rods, who have the night off tonight before the start bludgeoning the Jays in Toronto tomorrow.

The only things you really need to know heading into this series is that Manny will probably miss this set so he can try to get back for the Stanks series this weekend, and it looks like Big Papi's balky knee will keep him out of at least tonight's game if not more.

That leaves Boston with a quizzical lineup for tonight's opener. Not only will Lugo leadoff as the DH, but Pedroia will bat third, Kielty will play right and Alex Cora, in the midst of a horrid 1-20 slump, will play short and bat ninth.

Combine that lineup with Sox killer Scott Kazmir and you got the recipe for what could be a tough game to win in the opener.

Let's hope Schill continues top progress from his midseason malady and can go six or seven strong innings, get enough offense to take a lead into the final frames, and then let the rested bullpen steer the game into the winners garage.