Joe Maddon errs in assuming Rays will be in Series  —  Figuring his Rays are shoo-ins for Series has feel of grotesque error  —  Joe Maddon has made few missteps this fall.  But the Tampa Bay Rays' manager made a doozy in the aftermath of the Boston Red Sox's late-inning resurrection Thursday night at Fenway Park.

Rays Lost a Game, but Not Their Confidence  —  BOSTON — Joe Maddon wanted this.  Not the forehead-smacking, Red Sox-rousting defeat, of course — the 8-7 loss at Fenway Park early Friday morning that sent his Tampa Bay Rays back home for a precarious Game 6 Saturday night.

A can't-lose situation?  —  For those Sox fans who take comfort in statistical patterns that suggest a Boston victory, we offer this tidbit from the Sox' PR staff in their notes before tonight's Game 6 of the American League Championship Series:  —  SERIES AT 2-3: This is the eighth …

ALCS offday notes: Papi being Papi  —  By Joe McDonald Email this author |  Email this entry  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Red Sox slugger David Ortiz was in great mood when he arrived at Tropicana Field Friday afternoon.  —  Big Papi, who hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning …

Peavy unlikely to go to Astros  —  Dodgers, Braves likely front-runners for right-hander  —  HOUSTON — Jake Peavy became the hottest name on the trade market before the World Series has even started, but it's possible that his future destination could be decided well ahead of the official start of the Hot Stove season.

Sveum strikes out  —  Brewers interim manager told team is looking for more experience  —  St. Petersburg, Fla. - Dale Sveum went from having a coaching job he loved to getting “the chance of a lifetime” to manage to being unemployed.  —  Sometimes, working in major-league baseball stinks.