Leave it to Bobby Valentine to take a bad situation and make it worse. Then again, Boston Red Sox management did the same thing when they hired him in the first place.
Headed towards their first losing season in 15 years, the Red Sox can't even master the art of playing the role of spoilers in the American League playoff race. They'll get another chance to do that this week when they travel to the Sunshine State to take on the Tampa Bay Rays, whosechances of a third consecutive playoff appearance are slowly disappearing. 
Monday's series opener is set for a 7:10 PM (ET) first pitch at Tropicana Field; Tampa Bay's Joe Maddon gives the ball to Alex Cobb who will be carrying some pretty big chalk into the game at -185. Boston counters with Aaron Cook and there is an 8.5 run total on the MLB odds board.
Tampa Bay RaysValentine was back in the news recently when he noted the Red Sox had "the weakest roster we've ever had in September in the history of baseball." Considering this is his first September on the top step of the Boston dugout, it was a bold statement indeed. 
Of course, quicker than GOP vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan could clarify his statement about running a sub-3 hour marathon, Valentine was back in front of microphones explaining his remarks. The Red Sox skipper noted he was referring to injuries to big league players and the inability to call up minor leaguers fromPawtucket who has been taking part in Triple-A playoffs. 
A back injury supposedly kept Paul Ryan from ever realizing that "crazy fast" marathon time he first claimed, and it's becoming increasingly obvious that a brain injury is behind Boston brass hiring Valentine, not to mention keeping him on. Injuries have certainly played a role in Boston's demise this season, just as every other club has dealt with banged-up players at some point. But deflecting the team's woes overall with a statement about the September roster certainly doesn't explain Valentine's club suffering a 9-20 month of August or a 12-14 July. His style simply doesn't play in Beantown.
The good news for Red Sox fans is they should only have to deal with this underachieving bunch for another couple of weeks before they can put a miserable 2012 campaign behind. They also shouldn't have to worry too much about Cook being in the rotation beyond this season. Bostonhas dropped nine of his last 10 starts while his ERA has jumped close to two runs. Combine his last two seasons, and anyone backing him at baseball betting outlets is a very red 9-23. 
Cook last faced the Rays in 2009 when he posted his only win in three starts against them. TheRockies were 1-2 in those games while he posted a 6.63 ERA. 
Cobb, a Boston native ironically, has strung together five consecutive winning decisions, andTampa Bay is 7-1 in his last eight trips to the mound. That mark hasn't necessarily been because he has been necessarily outstanding with just five of the eight assignments going into the books as quality starts, but it has still translated to wins while Cobb chipped about three-quarters of a run off his ERA.
He saw the Red Sox at Fenway near the end of May in his second start after being recalled when Jeff Niemann first went to the disabled list. His one and only career outing vs. Boston resulted in a Tampa Bay win (5 IP, 1 ER).
It goes without saying this 4-game series is huge for the Rays who will also be in Boston for two next week. They've won three of the five played at The Trop so far this season (2-3 O/U), and stand 26-15 vs. the Red Sox here since the start of the 2008 season.
With no confidence in either hurler, or either team at this moment for that matter, I'll just look for a bushel of plate crossings tonight in St. Pete. Check back the next few days as we follow the Sox and Rays from start to finish in this set.
My pick: Over 8.5 (+100) ---