Tomorrow, the series to decide the 2008 A.L. Champion will commence. In one corner will be the former whipping boys of fate, now the most successful baseball franchise of the last five years. In the other corner will be a team experiencing the playoffs for the very first time after making 90 losses a yearly tradition.
Will the Red Sox continue atoning for 86 years of failure or will the Rays continue their worst-to-first ascent? What are the key factors for the ALCS?
KEY FACTOR 1: HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE
The dome in St. Petersburg has become a tool the Rays feed off of and use to their advantage. With the crowds showing up at games and banging their cowbells, there’s a reason they’re 23-2 at home with crowds larger than 30,000.
Meanwhile, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman says the final nine outs as an opponent are the hardest in Fenway. The crowd is right on top of the action and can swallow you up if you aren’t careful.
The Rays hold home field. To win the series, at least one game must be won on the road. It’s not going to be easy.
KEY FACTOR 2:
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