Series Preview: Home sweet home! Tigers vs Sox

Tigers (0-6) vs. Red Sox (3-4)

Game 1 Today 205 Rogers (0-1, 3.00) vs. Matsuzaka (1-0, 2.31)
Game 2 Wed 705 Bonderman (0-1, 5.68) vs. Lester (1-1, 3.38)
Game 3 Thu 705 Robertson (0-0, 9.00) vs. Wakefield (0-0, 4.50)

What to watch for: two teams with high expectations and even higher payrolls will go toe-to-toe to prove their horrendous start is just an early-season fluke

Players to watch: the Tigers lineup was being compared to the '27 Yankees this spring, but with Gary Sheffield, Miguel Cabrera and Curtis Granderson all hurting, the potential Murderer's Row has resembled Training Room Terrors. 2007 MVP candidate Magglio Roidonez has no homers or ribbies yet this season, so keep an eye on him to bust out. If he's on a cycle right now.

Preview:
To paraphrase the immortal words of the late, great Dr. Martin Luther King, home at last, home at last, thank God almighty the Sox are home at last!

After 2+ months abroad, traveling from Florida to Japan to Southern California to Northern California to Toronto, spanning over 16,000 air miles, the World Champion Boston Red Sox finally make their 2008 home debut this afternoon on what will be a chilly day at Fenway Park. But something tells me the players will embrace the spring chill a bit more than the spring rolls of a few weeks ago.

Never in the history of sports has a team had to endure such a grueling schedule to open a season, let alone the defending champs of the sport, so it goes without saying that the boys were a little gassed when they finally reached Toronto on Friday.

That ultimate case of jet lag combined with a hungry Jays squad added up to a debacle of a 3 game sweep at the Rogers Center, lowlighted by games filled with shitty pitching, shoddy fielding and spotty hitting.

But at least the Sox have a legitimate excuse for their doldrums.

Detroit spent lavishly in the offseason to acquire a couple of young Marlins, slugging third baseman Cabrera and struggling former ace Dontrelle Willis, and by the time the shopping spree was finished the Tigers had the 2nd highest payroll in the majors at $139 million, trailing only the Stanks' $208 mil ledger.

Where did all that free spending get them? To the bottom of the division they were supposed to run away with, the AL Central, after a winless first week that featured 6 straight home losses in which they were outscored 39-15.

To be fair they have had a number of unfortunate injuries. Stud relievers Fernando Rodney and Joel the Guitar Hero Zumaya both missed most of spring training, starting centerfielder Curtis Granderson suffered a broken hand at the end of the spring, a rib injury recently sidelined Cabrera and a the perennially injured Sheffield just dislocated his finger the other day.

But the team is still loaded with quality hitters (Ordonez, Guillen, Inge, Polanco, Rodriguez) and pitchers (Bonderman, Verlander, Jones), so there's no reason they couldn't have finished with a Sox like record of 3-3 or 2-4 at least.

Either way the slow starts make this series all the more meaningful. Neither club wants to get into any deeper of a hole, and both want to prove that not only were the lofty expectations of reaching the playoffs and winning it all warranted but absolutely attainable.

All we in the nation care about right now is the fact that our team is finally back on home turf. Back to the cozy confines of the field by the Fens, where the hot dogs are warm and the seats will be as cold as the beer.

Rings will be presented. Banners will be draped. Fighter jets will roar overhead and the packed house will roar in approval for the first game played at home by the defending champs.

Makes me wish I could be there in person instead of having to watch it on DVR later.

All I can say is Play Ball!

And welcome home.