The View From Wisconsin

Something happened after that long, 31-minute top half of the seventh inning last night in Boston. Somehow, the team that was supposedly the Tampa Bay Rays turned into the Tampa Bay Devil Rays of 1998.

The seven run lead should be considered a controlled substance by the FDA. Improper handling leads to the complete explosion that occurred two innings later.

I'm thinking that there were three mistakes made during those last two-and-a-half innings:

• Maddon should have brought in Wheeler to face Big Papi in the seventh. It doesn't matter that Ortiz hadn't gotten a hit in the LCS in whatever; this man could change the game (and maybe the series) with one swing of the bat. Which is exactly what he did.
  
• After Kotsay doubled in the eighth with two outs, he definitely should have brought in Howell to pitch to Crisp. I don't care if the one hit Howell gave up to Crisp was a homer; he's batting 1-for-7 against him. You have a one run lead after that short of a time, you need to do something drastic ASAP.
  
• After you walk Bay to face Drew, bring in either Bradford or Percival. You get that one out, you get the lead in the top of the 10th, then they come back in and slam the door in the Sox's face. Somehow, I suspect he didn't do this because neither pitcher has faced Drew before - which is managing by fear.
  

Of course, I won't say anything about Crisp's singling into the third out at second base, because he got away with it. I would hope that Terry Francona let him know that wasn't a great move in the long scheme of things, but I somehow doubt it.

Maddon's gotta learn to go for the jugular when he had them on the ropes. I suspect he won't let this happen again - but the damage may have already been done.

As it is, I'm suspecting the Phillies to win game one of the World Series, whether it's in Fenway or at the Trop. And though I wouldn't put the house on it (I know, bad choice of words in these times), I suspect the World Series will be over in four games.