Sox fan here. I actually didn't start watching until Paps came on in the 7th. I was at a dinner meeting in Boston and when we turned on the car radio it was 2-0 Rays, then next thing we hear were the home runs by Pena and Longoria and it is 5-0 Rays.
Got home by the fifth inning but didn't really pay attention until the 7th.
Although some fans left, I doubt it was as many as half, but unlike '04 and '07; there really wasn't anything that you could point to in this series to inspire much hope of a comeback. I really started to watch just hoping that the Sox would make it interesting and not go down without a fight. I got my wish.
I've seen that look in Wheeler's eyes sometime before, wait a minute, oh yeah, it was October 1986 Sox reliever named Calvin Schiraldi, Game 6, pre-Buckner.
My advice to the Rays is to win tomorrow night in Game 6, (and as banged up as Beckett appears to be, this is the most likely outcome) because you can check with the Indian and Yankee fans, your players start to get a little lump in their throats and play a little tense when you find yourself in Game 7 against a team that you had down 3-1 (or 3-0 in the case of the Steinbrenner A.C.
.
On a serious note, what percentage of the playoff Trop crowd is rooting for the Rays and how many for the Sox? During the regular season, I think the Sox have the edge, though I understand, Rays fans may be outnumbering them now.
On an obnoxious note, you have to love the Rays fans that showed up at Fenway last night. I give them props for bravery and loyalty; even if thier intent was to dance on the grave of the champion in the champ's house. That didn't work out so well, did it.
I do hope that they enjoyed the game and their time in our fair city.
I'm still pulling for the Rays to win a game, cuz I think it's cool that a small-market, low-payroll squad could put it to the "big boys" & I've wanted to see a Phils-Rays World Series since the playoffs were set. C'mon Rays, close this thing out.
