Nick Cafardo's Sox-Rays ALCS matchups breakdown

The Red Sox and Rays have gone punch-counterpunch all season, and now it's time for a final showdown. Always a title contender, the Red Sox have advanced to the ALCS four times in the last six seasons, so they know what it means to be a champion. Tampa Bay won the AL East and dispatched the White Sox in four games, and while this is their first time on the ALCS stage, the Rays are more than capable of delivering a knockout blow. Who will be left standing? The Globe's Nick Cafardo weighs in on the matchups, and we ask you: Who has the edge in each aspect of the game?
The Red Sox and Rays have gone punch-counterpunch all season, and now it's time for a final showdown. Always a title contender, the Red Sox have advanced to the ALCS four times in the last six seasons, so they know what it means to be a champion. Tampa Bay won the AL East and dispatched the White Sox in four games, and while this is their first time on the ALCS stage, the Rays are more than capable of delivering a knockout blow. Who will be left standing? The Globe's Nick Cafardo weighs in on the matchups, and we ask you: Who has the edge in each aspect of the game?
(AP Photo)