Nick Cafardo's Sox-Rays ALCS matchups breakdown

Lineups With their $43 million payroll -- about one-third of what the Red Sox spend on theirs -- the Rays won the American League East title and have home-field advantage for the series. The Sox have better numbers and more depth than Tampa Bay, but in the regular season that didn't seem to matter as the Rays won 10 of 18 matchups. Both teams can beat you with their speed. The Sox have Jacoby Ellsbury and Coco Crisp; the Rays have B.J. Upton, who hit three homers in the ALDS, and Carl Crawford (pictured), who has been used lower in the order since returning from a finger injury last month. The Rays led the majors with 142 stolen bases, and like the Angels will force the issue on the base paths.

Lineups

With their $43 million payroll -- about one-third of what the Red Sox spend on theirs -- the Rays won the American League East title and have home-field advantage for the series. The Sox have better numbers and more depth than Tampa Bay, but in the regular season that didn't seem to matter as the Rays won 10 of 18 matchups. Both teams can beat you with their speed. The Sox have Jacoby Ellsbury and Coco Crisp; the Rays have B.J. Upton, who hit three homers in the ALDS, and Carl Crawford (pictured), who has been used lower in the order since returning from a finger injury last month. The Rays led the majors with 142 stolen bases, and like the Angels will force the issue on the base paths.
(AP Photo)