Down at the ALCS

Hello from the American League Championship Series at Tropicana Field.

Can you believe I just wrote that? That's something we were kidding about on the drive in today from Tampa, but it's no punchline -- the Rays are for real, and now everyone in the big leagues gets to see it. They're standing as one of the American League's top two teams.

Having covered the Yankees all season, it's a pretty natural fit to have the Red Sox and the Rays head-to-head here for the ALCS - at least they're a couple of teams you can be quite familiar with. I spent some time today talking to Jonathan Papelbon and the Rays' closer-by-committee arrangement for a story playing off the differences between the two.

Yes, I know Papelbon isn't the most popular guy around these parts, but it's hard not to like his enthusiasm. Yankees fans should know he spoke highly of Mariano Rivera again today, saying that he wants to be known as the kind of closer who can shut it down in the postseason and World Series. With 19 2/3 scoreless playoff innings, he's got a head start.

Today was workout day under the sloping roof of the Trop, where no fans were allowed in and each clubhouse opened for about an hour to the media. This was business as usual for the Red Sox, who are used to the national media contingent, but you could tell the crush represented a new environment for most of the Rays. Say it again, Tampa Bay in the ALCS. As Eric Hinske said, "Maybe that's our edge - that we don't know any better."

It should be a thrilling series and, my prediction, we're coming back here to the Trop for a Game 7, so I'll have to ask to have a few short-sleeve shirts shipped to my hotel in Florida. I'm still on the fence about who would win that deciding game, and while I should probably just flip a coin and get it over with, maybe it's better to leave it up for suspense.