Joe Maddon's Glasses

Black, thick-framed glasses, like the musical genre they're most commonly associated with -- emo, which hasn't produced a good record since "Something to Write Home About" in 1999 -- have probably been reduced to caricature by now. Over-intellectualism, introspection, introversion, bad lyrics, etc. That's why it's so nice to see them on the face of Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays manager Joe Maddon every game.

Managers, by nature, have to be even-keeled and reasonable -- they oversee an office of egomaniacs for at least 162 games per year -- but usually they seem like the aged jocks they are, somewhat kind but also somewhat gruff, without too much, oh, well, introspection. (Not that I have much against jocks.) But Joe Maddon not only looks intellectual thanks to those frames, hearing him explain his managing philosophy on TBS a few nights ago, he sounds compassionate, genuine and thoughtful. While someone needs to tell the Rays that the ironic mohawk is so fall 2002 (you remember, when the Yeah Yeah Yeahs became thrilling and were poised to do something big), giving himself one and inspiring all the players to do the same is about as cool a thing as a manager can do to lighten his team's spirit. He almost makes me want to root for the Rays, even though they play in a city that probably doesn't deserve a professional franchise.

Making a prediction for the rest of this series is hard: The Rays were so thoroughly dominant for two and two-thirds games, it seems impossible they could collapse. But then, their loss last night was so flabbergasting that it proves as cursed as the Sawx were for 86 years, they're certainly making up for it these days, and could ride the momentum for the next two games. Either way, the Sawx have cemented themselves as the team of the oughts. And, as much as their management perpetuates the myth that they're the scrappy underdogs compared to the corporate behemoth of the Yankees, the Sawx have ascended to the top for the same reason the Yankees did the previous decade: a core of homegrown talent in the lineup and pitching staff, complemented by shrewd trades and free-agent signings.

Greater point in this series, though: Even though they lost last night, the Rays still scored seven runs, and the Sawx pitchers don't seem to know to control them. Rays in seven.