Last week the BOSTON GLOBE reported that there were empty seats for some of the ALCS games at Fenway Park between the Rays and the Red Sox. Apparently people weren’t buying seats even at under-face-value prices.

Well, at the time, I found it pretty hard to believe that the honorable members of Red Sox Nation would abandon and embarrass their team in that fashion. It couldn’t be true!

Then I saw an ASSOCIATED PRESS report about the club’s return home to Boston this morning. Read more…

Evan Longoria isn’t playing like a rookie this postseason, but it appears as if he may be partying like one. Although the BOSTON HERALD isn’t exactly the finest example of journalism in the land, they are reporting that Longoria was living it up in Boston after Game 4 of the ALCS, declaring “It’s over now, Boston!” Oops.

(”Who likes hot girls and thinks we’ll win in five: this guy!”)

Longoria, who has already made headlines for his female-related exploits in Tampa, supposedly had a “star-struck” blonde girl with him all night,  but witnesses suggest that he might not have closed the deal, based on his reaction to some Game 5 heckling.

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The Tampa Bay Rays have become the country’s de facto favorite team, simply by playing against the Boston Red Sox. It’s understandably a thrill to have a nation rooting for you, but I think they’re getting a little greedy. There’s no justification for trying to claim Tampa fans have had it much worse than Cubs fans.

(Cover of the Rays’ 2008 Media Guide)

This is a likable young team with a fan base that has absolutely no idea what to do in this situation. This playoff thing is new to everyone, and it’s clear they’re determined to shoot themselves in the foot. A just God might favor the Rays, but they’re doing themselves no favors in the karma department.

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What should have been a pitcher’s duel quickly turned into a bullpen’s duel, and for once, the underdog prevailed. For as impotent as the Tampa Bay Rays were on Friday night (Carl Crawford on 3rd in the 7th with none out and you can’t get him home? Really?), Tampa’s offense took saved them tonight as they outlasted the Boston Red Sox, 9-8. While the Rays scored eight runs in the first six innings, those runs were largely in response to Sox offensives, as the game wasn’t anywhere close to won until an 11th inning sacrifice fly by BJ Upton plated the winning run.

The first half of the game was marked with a rash of solo shots, three on both sides, but when the bullpens buckled down, runs became much harder to come by.  An 8-6 lead for the Rays in the 6th was whittled down to an 8-8 tie by the eight inning, and neither team could plate a run in the next few innings.

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The Tampa Bay Rays are on the cusp of advancing to the ALCS (which will give them as many series victories as the Cubs in the last 100 years), and it looks like they’re going to be tough to slow down. But, that won’t stop the White Sox from trying, say the Rays.

Sox groundskeeper Roger Bossard working his magic

Joe Maddon tells the ST. PETERSBURG TIMES that the Sox are going to do everything in their power to hamper Tampa’s speedy lineup, including putting soft dirt around home plate and first base, and watering the field so heavily that it’s basically a mud pit. And the Sox don’t seem to be hiding their intentions all that well.

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After a successful 162 game campaign, where their Cubs easily rolled into the post-season, Saturday night fans of the cursed franchise found themselves saying “maybe next year” again.

The Dodgers took Game 3, 3-1 at Dodger Stadium sending them to the NLCS where they will take on the winner of the Phillies/Brewers series which was extended to a Game 4 following the Brew crew’s victory.

For Cubs fans it probably feel like it’s been 100 years since their team has won a championship, oh it feels like that because it has been 100 years. Sorry. After 100 championship-less years fans probably aren’t looking for moral victories, but I’ll give you one anyways — at least Game 3 was a close competitive game. Right?

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Just like their neighbors to the North, the White Sox find themselves in an 0-2 hole in the first round of the playoffs.

While Cubs’ fans are turning to Allah for answers to their suffering, White Sox fans seem to be handling their hardships a little better. There are two possible reasons why: 1) They were alive the last time their team won a championship and 2) the bars surrounding U.S. Cellular Field will be serving up the numbing effects of alcohol beyond the 7th inning of tomorrow’s Game 3.

CHICAGO BREAKING NEWS reports, “Chicago officials say they won’t ask bars around U.S. Cellular Field to take a voluntary break from selling alcohol starting in the seventh inning when the White Sox return home for Game 3 of the postseason playoffs.”

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• Ben Heller of CBS SPORTS wonders what would’ve happened had Sarah Palin stuck with sportscasting.

• Speaking of the VP debate, GIZMODO catches a CNN political analyst using his on-air laptop to check out the Cubs choking again.

• COLLEGE OFF THE RECORD learns Tim Tebow is a little bit country, as the Florida Gators QB sings on stage with Brad Paisley.

• DC SPORTS BOG notes it’s already been an up-and-down season for the Washington Captials, as the team takes some rollercoaster rides.

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While everyone is bemoaning or bemused by the Cubs’ inevitable playoff collapse for literally the 100th time, another NL Central club with its own postseason drought is about to be swept out of the park. After waiting 26 years, the Milwaukee Brewers are poised to watch their October hopes fall flat like a Miller Genuine Draft left out on the porch for three days.

So, who’s the scapegoat? Surprisingly, Prince Fielder is putting the blame on himself, describing his pitiful performance with a little trash talk.

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Your first victors of the 2008 MLB Posteason - the Philadelphia Phillies. And it was all thanks to Chase Utley’s bat & Mike Cameron’s glove.

Game 1 of the Phillies-Brewers series started out as a quick but deadlocked affair. Cole Hamels did his part keeping Milwaukee off the scoreboard, while Yovani Gallardo flummoxed Philly. But it all changed in the bottom of the 3rd.

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