Tagged: Boston Red Sox
Main Event
(yes, I know it’s Friday)
I remember getting super excited when I was a kid and the WWF (it wasn’t the WWE back then) had its “Saturday Night, Main Event” that came on after Saturday Night Live.
Mean Gene Oakerland would come on and get everybody excited while Vince Macmahon and Jesse Ventura would do the play-by-play. Hulk would come out and rip off that muscle shirt and Jimmy Superfly Snuka and Ricky The Dragon Steamboat would do their thing.
It was great.
I can feel that excitement coming on right now as we are getting ready for this weekend’s Main Event.
VS 
Yes.
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Last Year
The Rays and Sox split last year’s series, 9-9.
However, the Rays dominated those Sox early on, going 9-5 in the first 5 months of the season.
Late in September, though, Boston got its revenge, taking the lats 4 games of the series to help knock the Rays out of playoff contention. I remember being pretty bummed out after that final Sox series, knowing my guys would not be making a repeat trip to October.
Certainly it is early in the season, and certainly last year was last year. But I am sure that Joe Maddon and company would like to put together a little streak here at Fenway to send a message that the Rays are for real again in 2010.
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The Pitchers
Game 1
Wade Davis vs. Josh Beckett
Davis did an ok job against the Yankees last weekend. Not great. Not terrible. He gave up 4 runs in his 6 innings of work and came away with the loss. Of course, he was dueling with a guy who gave up only 1 hit all game long in CC Sabathia. Beckett is always tough on the Rays, but he can be touched up, especially at Fenway.
Game 2
James Shields vs. Clay Buchholz
Shields has a decent 3.97 ERA right now, but no wins to show for it. As the team’s ace, he needs to dominate a little more. Buchholz is one of the Sox’s young hurlers they are hoping will get them through the next few years–he has the stuff to dominate.
Game 3
Matt Garza vs. John Lester
Garza has been amazing this year. The Red Sox will have their hands full as long as he can control his emotions. Lester is one of the other youngsters who has the stuff to win a Cy Young.
Game 4
Jeff Nieman vs. TBA
Nieman showed well in his last start against the Orioles after being hit by a line drive in his first start. He didn’t get the win, but his 3.24 ERA so far in the season seems just a precursor of things to come.
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Three Keys to a Series Win
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Emotions must be kept in check. This is a big divisional series. Guys like Shields and Garza need to keep their emotions under control or the Fenway fans will eat them alive.
Burrell has to hit. He seemed as if he might start coming out of his season-long funk near the end of the Baltimore series, but the fact is that the Rays have to have their veteran DH do SOMETHING this series.
BJ post- postseason success? He had an amazing run in the 2008 postseason at Fenway. Is it too much to ask for us to see it again. If he and Burrell can start playing pepper with the monstrous green monolith out there in left field, a 3-1 series win is not out of the question.
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I don’t think that the Rays are totally ready for a series such as this.
Sorry.
They played the Yankees at home, so they had the fans behind them. In the other two series they have played this year they have faced off against the Baltimore Orioles.
Ahem.
The Rays will have to have alot of things go their way if they are to split or win this series. If they don’t, it might be a rough weekend.
Either way, I am looking forward to seeing this Main Event get started!
So, Red Sox…
Whatcha Gonna Do!!!
9 Games In–History Already Made
The Rays beat the Baltimore Orioles Wednesday to improve on the season to 6-3.
Who cares, right?
Well, that mark is the best record to start a season in the franchise’s history.
Of course, there were some dismal years in St. Pete. However, if you consider the Rays have been well above .500 the past few seasons and even won a the AL East in 2008-over the vaunted lineups of the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox-you have to look at this start as no small feat.
They began the season by taking 2 out of 3 from the Orioles. Over this past weekend the Rays fell back to earth a bit, losing 2 of 3 to the Yanks. Then there is this series, where the Rays swept the Orioles on the road in 3.
Not too shabby.
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Two Sides to This Impressive Start
First, the only area of concern would be the level of competition in this first week or so of the season.
The O’s are not considered a team that will compete for the division title. Their best finish will be 4th, if things go their way. So it is difficult to consider the 6 games the Rays have played against them (5-1 in those games) a true measure of where this team is.
Also, you have to consider their disappointing weekend against a team that could be considered the Rays’ chief rival for the division title, the Yankees. The Yanks really took it to them in games 2 and 3 of their weekend series (of course, the Rays dominated game 1).
So you could argue that the Rays are going to be great against the bad teams and horrible against the good ones, right?
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Flipside of the Discussion
The other side of this talk about who the Rays are beating and who they are losing to is simple:
Who cares!?
Good teams do not just beat the other good teams in the league. If they did, their record would be horrible.
Good teams are competitive with the other good teams in the league and destroy the bad teams in the league.
That is just what the Rays are doing now.
Sure, we are only 9 games into a 162 game season, so saying that the Rays are off to a great start means little in the grand scheme of things.
This weekend’s series against those pesky Red Sox will show just how serious we should take the Rays start to 2010.
But let’s keep in mind that every World Series champion has to get off to SOME kind of start to begin the season.
Why not make it the best start ever?
Reality and a Haircut
I got a haircut this morning.
Nothing special, just a trim on the sides and a straightening up on the top. It was pretty run-of-the-mill.
As I sat in the chair, though, a dose of reality was thrown my way via my barber-ess and those around her.
She wanted to know if I was watching the big game today.
You know, the Bucs vs. Cowboys game.
I also heard others in the shop being asked the same question, to which the response was pretty much a resounding “Yes.”
I responded to my hair cutter that I would be watching, but with 3/4 of an eye on the Rays game.
Luckily, she had put down the hair shears before I threw out that little nugget because her response was one of disbelief. She assured me that she loved the Rays, but that they had fallen out of it; that it was time to see if we could get a winner on the gridiron intstead of the Trop field turf.
My first reponse was going to be one of frustration, that the fans would not want to watch a double header with one of our biggest rivals while also keeping an eye on the football game.
But then, I thought….(this was pretty much during the time when I had to close my eyes while she trimmed the front).
And I came to a realization:
I don’t blame her.
Before you get all disgusted and self-righteous, bear with me…
Why should we watch the Rays right now? No doubt, die-hard fandom rules dictate that putting your hometown baseball team on the tube whenever they play is a no-brainer until the season comes to a halt. That simply watching your guys play is always a good time.
But I would argue that that time came and went weeks ago.
Don’t me wrong, I love the Rays. Always have, always will. But the last few weeks have been a display of brutal baseball followed by worse baseball.
I know that people get on fans–especially baseball fans in this area–all the time for lack of committment. It is kind of en vogue–for fans of other teams AND for fans of the Rays.
When do the fans get to get on the team for lack of committment?
Not doing so should lead many to be committed, but not in the good way!
I “kept an eye on” the first game of the double header today against Boston only to see the bullpen blow another game and the offense sputter again. We scored 1 run for the 2nd game in a row against Bawston and for the 4th time during this now 10-game losing streak.
Yep, that’s right, we have scored 1 run 4 times in the last 10 games.
Isn’t this supposed to be a playoff push?
Aren’t we supposed to be contending with spirited efforts and dramatic play?
If we are, our guys have missed the memo.
Don’t give me the crap that we have lost Carlos Pena for the season or that BJ Upton’s sprained ankle has pushed us into the doldrums. I don’t buy it. While those two guys have been a big part of our success the last two years, the fact is that their production could have been mimicked by any number of players in the short term who have had to step up in the last few weeks. That’s what good teams are able to do.
Yet, none have stepped up.
And that is not just offensively. Our pitching has fallen apart–especially at the end of games–to complement the extreme lack of hitting.
I don’t think that there is anything wrong with voicing a concern about the team you love so much. How could there be? That is what being a REAL fan is about.
Accountability.
To simply accept with a wink and a smile the garbage that the Rays have spewed on the field the last 10 games would be asinine–an exercise in insanity.
We don’t have to turn our backs on the team, of course. But it is the responsiblity of the fans to keep our boys in check. To let them know that their effort as of late has been unacceptable.
Going through a small losing streak that might cause you to fall out of contention in the last month of the season is one thing. It happens all the time. You drop 3 or 4 in a row and find yourself outside looking in.
But losing 10 games?
Seriously?
Something far more grievous is going on here, though I’m not smart enough to figure it out. The Rays have–gulp–seemingly quit on the season and are enduring the punishment that comes to all quitters.
Last season was wonderful. A time that all Rays fans will never forget.
There was a run a little more than a month ago that was just as memorable; a run that made this year fun and restored hope to the masses.
But this last month has shown that the magical mix that we have loved for the last two seasons is a little out of whack. That something has been added too much or too little.
This offseason things might change a little bit.
This offseason, get ready for a trim. And it ain’t gonna be pretty.
Never Finished–Rays Republic Stands Tall
VS 
Nice finish, guys.
After a game that had Rays fans doubting the sincerity of their team, and others doubting the sincerity of the team’s fans, the Rays came out and blasted/shouted/ran/dove/gutted their way to a big victory.
The outcome was in doubt late, but, as usual, the Rays were able to put on the finishing touch with a flurry in the 8th that helped restore faith across the republic.
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Garza Guts
He was not sharp tonight. His off speed junk was weak and his fastball was spotty. He threw near 30 pitches in two separate innings and went to a full count 4 TIMES in the 4th inning alone.
But he kept his team in it by slowing down one of the best teams in the league.
Can’t ask much more.
Matt Garza gave his team 6 strong innings, throwing 119 pitches, before being pulled in the 7th. He left with a 5-3 lead and had a chance to be the victor in another big game against the Red Sox.
He didn’t get the win, as the ‘pen was not a strongpoint tonight, but he did get greater respect than ever for being a big-game pitcher and being able to shut down teams when his own team needs it.
Without Garza’s gutty performance, the Rays do not win tonight.
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Key Inning: The 8th
The 8th was crazy.
The entire game was a battle. No team could really pull safely ahead.
Rays were up by 3, then up by 2, then 3, then 2, then 1.
The the top of the 8th came and the bullpen decided it had had enough. Randy Choate walked Ortiz, Grant Balfour walked two guys to load ’em, and JP Howell–what has happened to our splendid JP?–threw another wild pitch to tie up the game.
Jeez! I yelled at the plasma! (Actually, I had some other words of choice but I don’t like to print that stuff)
Game tied at 5.
The Rays fans were keeping the faith, though.
In the bottom of the frame Carlos Pena–the only reliable guy these days–knocked a double.
Ah, that NEVER QUIT Rays spirit.
Boston’s Ramon Ramirez seemed rattled at that point as he struggled to keep the game tied.
The cowbells were ringing, the fans were cheering, I was screaming at the tv. I could see fans banging the too-many-empty seats in front of them. Anything to make some noise!
It worked.
Pat “The Bat” Burrell lined a single to right to score Pena and give the Rays a 1-run lead. It was nice to see Pat contribute. He’s got that average up to a ******** .240 now.
In all seriousness, though, Pat homered early in the game and then drove in what turned out to be the game-winning run. I’ll take that.
But it wasn’t over.
Evan Longoria, batting 6th in the lineup (and I hate it, by the way), launched a long ball over the wall to increase the Rays lead to 8-5.
And the Republic rejoiced.
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3 Keys to the Game
1– Don’t chase Beckett’s junk. NOPE The first two Rays hitters of the game chased off speed stuff that either bounced or was in the dirt to strike out. Beckett got touched up, but his stuff was not that bad.
2–Garza’s gotta show that savvy. YEP!!! Matty showed that he is the real “big game” pitcher on this team.
3–The ‘pen must stop the Sox hitters. YEP/NOPE The bullpen did allow the Sox to tie it, but when they had to shut the door to end the game they were able to do so. Not terribly impressive, though.
1 1/2 OUT OF 3 “YEP” = RAYS WIN!?
OK!
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The Rays’ pitching staff was far from dominant tonight. Garza did well, but even he had to leave the game under duress. The bullpen bent heavily, but it did not break.
The offense was a big hero tonight. We kind of had to outscore the Sox.
Ok, sometimes you have to do that.
The end result is that the Rays got back to being 5 games out of the wild card and have given them a chance to win the series, something they desperately have to pull off.
Tomorrow’s going to be a big one.
A chance to get to within 4.
I’d like an easier win tomorrow night, but I have to admit…
This is just too much fun!
Boston Bummer–Time to Look UP
Last night was not pretty. Not at all.
I have never been so “up” for a game, only to have it stink so much.
In the end, Boston won 8-4 and the Rays fell another game out of the wild card lead. It was the start to the biggest series of the season for Tampa Bay that no Rays fan wanted to see.
Let’s hope our guys can put it behind them and get “up” for tonight!
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Quick Recap of Last Night
The Pitching
Andy Sonnanstine was NOT the answer last night. Did anybody think he would be?
I know that Sonny came into last night’s game fresh off the plane from Durham. I know that he had a 5.06 ERA at the Trop this year. I know he was facing one of the best teams in the league in one of the Rays’ biggest games of the year.
I know he blew it.
Sonnanstine went only 4 innings, and while errors might have dampened his start, he did little to pick his guys “up.”
Sonny was knocked around more than a pinata, and Boston endured an 8th inning bases loaded scare from the Rays to hold on to the win.
I yelled, I screamed, I cried.
None of it did any good. Boston was better last night. And the Rays left their “A game” somewhere they couldn’t find it.
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3 Keys to Last Night’s Game
1–Lester is get-able. NOPE He wasn’t even close. He torched the Rays’ K-susceptible lineup and dominated throughout.
2–The crowd must step up. YEP Despite what others might think, the Trop was rolling for the Rays. The intense moments felt intense, and the cowbells were out. The problem was that Boston did what good teams do on the road–TAKE THE CROWD OUT OF THE GAME EARLY.
3–The bullpen must pitch well. NOPE The ‘pen came in and gave up 3 runs in its 5 innings of work. Before you argue that that ain’t bad, remember we lost 8-4. Who knows how the Rays’ hitters–and the crowd–responds if it is a 1-run game in the 9th.
2 OF 3 “NOPE” = LOSS
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GAME 2
VS
The Pitching
What a great matchup tonight. The Rays put Matt Garza on the hill to face off against a guy who is a little epicureal, Josh Beckett.
Garza owns the Sox. He is 5-1 with a 2.98 ERA against them. Unlike Sonny last night, though, he also has decent numbers at the Trop. I am hoping that those two factors come together to give the Rays a nice start in a big game for a change.
Beckett is as “get-able” as Lester is.
I said that last night, too.
And look what that got us.
But apparently Beckett has been slumping lately (as read on raysbaseball.com) and is more vulnerable than ever. But he is the Sox big game pitcher, and while tonight is not as big for Boston as it is for the Rays, I expect to see nothing less than his best.
The Boston hitters should be susceptible to Garza’s mixing of pitches–if he is able to get his fastball over for strike 1. If not, then his off speed stuff won’t be as enticing–as is the case with most pitchers–and he WILL get rocked.
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3 Keys to the Game
1– Don’t chase Beckett’s junk. Sounds weird, but the Rays chased all of John Lester’s lesser offerings last night to the tune of 14 Ks. Can’t win with totals like that.
2–Garza’s gotta show that savvy. We need Matty to go out and dominate the Sox as he usually does. His numbers against Boston need to hold up tonight.
3–The ‘pen must stop the Sox hitters. If we are behind or if we are ahead, whenever the bullpen gets the nod from skipper Joe Maddon it has to be ready to shut things down. They have been far from trustworthy. This is a night we might need them.
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Final Thoughts…
I don’t know what to expect tonight. I thought that the Rays would have a real shot last night, and they did. They loaded the bases multiple times last night against the Sox, but they were unable to punch through.
The Rays sit 6 games out.
That does not sit well with me.
Dropping another game tonight to Boston might well put the Rays into a hole they can’t dig their way out of.
A win tonight will catapult them into a huge rubber game Thursday that could spell the return of the Big Rays Mo and help them to a series win.
It starts tonight, though. We’ve got to forget the foibles of last night.
I’d love to see a complete performance from our Boys in Blue.
I’d love to see some passion from the players and the fans.
I’d love to see a W-I-N.
Who knows, with a win tonight things could really start looking “up.”
The Republic vs The Nation
Sounds like a geography lesson, eh?
First, let’s review a bit.
The Rays played a heck of a game today, winning 11-7. While the pitching left something to be desired, the hitting was just what the doctor ordered.
Carlos Pena’s big home run helped to cap the matinee tilt today. Congrats on the win, guys. It got us to within 5 games of the wild card.
Not only did it help with our wild card chase, but it also gave the Rays a little bit of the Big Mo’ as they left Motown to come home to face the guys from Beantown.
Now the Rays enter one of the biggest series they’ve played all season long.
And it’s against the Red Sox.
Let the insanity begin.
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GAME 1
VS
Pitching Matchup
When you look at the matchups, it looks like you are seeing two teams in the playoffs ready to get into some serious fighting. I’ll preview the pitching matchup as each game comes around.
Andy Sonnanstine vs. John Lester
Sonny is fresh up from Durham, which could be a good thing and a bad thing. Good in that he has had a little extra rest and has been facing lesser AAA hitters–his confidence should be fairly high. His arrival is not the best, though, because, well, he was sent to Durham for a reason.
And, um, there’s the little thing about his 5.00+ ERA at the Trop.
Lester has simply been on a roll. He hasn’t lost in 7 decisions!
His success against the Rays is far from guaranteed, though, as his career ERA against our Rays is a robust 4.66!
Somethin’s gotta give here, but I don’t know where. It could be that both starters struggle and the bullpens will take over.
Judging from our lack of bullpen consistency in our last 8 games, I would say that it sounds like a scary proposition to allow our bullpen to figure too much in the decision right now.
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#3’s Been Missing
Where have you gone, Longo?
The Rays seem to have been playing without a 3B lately, as Evan Longoria has pretty much disappeared from the lineup.
I think it is pretty easy to surmise that without a strong Longo, the Rays will find it difficult to compete against the BoSox.
It would be difficult to compete with a Longoria hitting on all cylinders, too.
In the last week–and this is WITH his 3/5 day today–Longo has hit:
.160 1 HR 2 RBI
Ouch.
In the month, and this will make you cry, he has hit:
.243 4 HR 12 RBI
Hmmmmm, I wonder why the Rays have fallen to 5 games out of the wild card.
Surely, it can’t all be pinned on him. No doubt, the pitching has struggled just as much.
BUT
Imagine a Longoria hitting the way he is capable to go WITH a Pena who has been hitting everything except the wall (I was going to say “momma,” but it sounded bad) and we could have a Rays team that is part of the conversation.
Instead, our Rays have to hope to win the series if they want to stay in contention in the least.
Sure, in his last three games he has put up some decent numbers (a homer the other day, a 3/5 day today). And maybe those numbers indicate a turnaround.
But “maybe” won’t be good enough for a series such as this one.
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3 Keys to the Game
1–Lester is get-able. The Rays hitters have rocked him this season (see May 9th: 4.1 IP, 10H, 8 R). I don’t care what his recent string of success might portend, the Rays have the ability to knock him out of the game early.
2–The crowd must step up. The Trop can rock. No doubt about it. It can get hitters and pitchers alike off their stride. The Sox have been to the Trop plenty, and they STILL call it a “House of Horrors.” Let’s scare the living S—- out of ’em!
3–The bullpen must pitch well. Sonny might not have alot to give the team. He might leave early. That means that the ‘pen must come in and slam the door shut. Joe Maddon won’t have alot of patience for Sonnanstine if he falls too far behind.
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This series CAN make or break the season.
I’ve said that before, but not without great thought.
This series is HUGE.
These are the possibilities:
If the Rays sweep, they’ll sit (likely) 2 games out of the wild card with 4-5 weeks to go.
If they win the series, they’ll still be 4 out, hardly encouraging.
If they lose the series, they’ll be 6 out. Ugh.
If they get swept, the season is over. 8 games out of the wild card is too much for any team.
There is only one scenario I’d like to see. A series win won’t do it.
I want the sweep.
Who doesn’t?
In the Rays Republic, of course, everybody wants it.
Republic vs. Nation.
Playoff chaser vs. Playoff leader.
Rays vs. Red Sox.
Are we feelin’ it yet?
Detroit Disaster
Things seem to be blowing up a big in MoTown.
It isn’t end-of-the world type stuff, but it sure feels bad.
Today’s game seems indicative of a team that is losing that killer instinct that playoff teams must have.
The Rays had this one wrapped up.
Then the Tigers unwrapped it.
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Bal-FORE!!!
Jeff Nieman had just completed 7 solid innings. His performance paired with Saturday’s game from David Price gave the Rays back-to-back 7+ inning, quality start outings in Detroit–not the easiest place to win.
While there were runners on, the Rays still had a 3-1 lead and were ready to hand the game over to our awesome Aussie, Grant Balfour.
He got two guys out.
It was the third one that was a little tricky.
Placido Polanco teed off and launched one over the wall to give the Tigers the 4-3 advantage. Fernando Rodney made it hold up in the 9th.
No, it wasn’t a 9th-inning wild pitch, but it was just as jolting.
Aren’t these games the ones we used to win?
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Good Starts, Bad Finishes
Today’s game seems to fit in well with the way the Rays have played recently.
Sure, the starting has been somewhat spotty, but it is the relieving that is killing us. And I thought that the bullpen was one of our strong suits in recent weeks.
Uh-oh.
Today it was Balfour.
Wednesday it was old reliable, JP Howell.
I know we’re talking about two games here, but these are two games that the Rays HAD to have.
Instead, these two wins were transformed into losses, making the Rays playoff squad slowly looking like they are transforming into also-rans.
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Unlucky 7
The Rays came into the last 7 games having gone 6-1 in their previous 7 games.
Things were good. Really good.
Our guys were starting to get hot just when they needed to and no team in the league wanted to play them. They were a playoff team. Taking the wild card was just a formality.
Then something happened when Texas shut us out on a Sunday.
Since then we are 3-4.
What is worse is that up to last Sunday we were in the wild card hunt. We had narrowed the gap to 3-3.5 games.
Now?
The Rays stand 5 full games behind the Red Sox in the wild card race, and 2.5 behind the Rangers.
October might be a mere 4 weeks or so away, but it has never felt so far out of reach.
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Kazmir Update
I read the recent MLB.com article about Scott Kazmir and how he felt about being with the Angels. It was a nice fluff piece profiling the newest left coast acquisition.
He sounded happy. He sounded excited. He sounded like he had already forgotten about his time in St. Pete.
When he reference the Rays, he did so to springboard into what he thought his current team could do.
“I got a taste of it last year. You want to go all the way. The Angels are a team that can do it year in and year out. It says a lot about the organization.”
Maybe it says alot about our organization too.
Bumpy Road Ahead–An Analysis of the Rest of the Rays Season
The Rays are now entering the final 6 weeks of the season.
They haven’t done so badly in the previous portion of the year, winning 67 games and finding themselves in the wild card hunt. While there are many teams out there within 7 games of first place of either their division or the wild card, the fact is that their seasons are pretty much over because of, oh, REALITY.
The Rays, though, are still going strong. Coming off of a 6-3 home stand, their confidence might be as high as it’s ever been.
Good.
They’re going to need everything they can muster in order to push through this brutal final portion of the season and make it to the playoffs for the second consecutive year.
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Strong Pitching Ahead
The Rays will find themselves taking on some of the better pitchers and pitching staffs between now and the end of the year.
It begins tonight against Roy Halladay.
It’s like Indiana Jones and snakes.
“Why does it always have to be Halladay?”
We haven’t fared that badly against him, but he did get the best of us the last time out.
Regardless, the Rays will be taking on many pitchers of his ilk in the final 6 weeks.
We are guaranteed to face Justin Verlander IN Detroit this weekend (he pitches tonight).
New York will more than likely throw CC Sabathia and/or AJ Burnett in one if not both of the final series we have with the Yankees.
Boston will have Josh Beckett on the mound in at least one of the final series we have with them.
Texas’ strong rotation will get another shot at us–with revenge on their minds and a playoff spot in sight, mind you–when we face them the final time in Arlington.
It’ll be questionable whether or not the Rays hitters will be able to weather the constantly strong pitching they will seemingly have to face in practically every series from now to the end of the season.
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The Bad News: The Road
Like the dystopic novel from Cormac McCarthy (a good read, if not depressing; check it out), the Rays will have to travel frightening pathways away from home sweet Trop for 21 of the final 39 games this season.
Their road record thus far?
25-35.
Uh-oh.
On those trips they will go to Toronto, Detroit, New York, Boston, and Texas. I don’t know if you noticed, but those are all teams that are clamoring for a spot in the final 8.
They ain’t going to be easy to beat.
The Rays have won 67 games thus far this year. If they have a realistic time in those final 21 games, we can probably expect 9-11 wins.
If we take the mid-point of that projection, then that would give the Rays 77 wins.
However, we have to figure that winning 10 of 21 games against competition such as that might be tougher than we think. And the Rays have had their issues on the road, obviously.
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The Good News: Home
(yeah, it’s a stretch–so sue me!)
Unfortunately, the Rays only have 18 games left at the Trop this year.
And, double unfortunately, they will spend most of those 18 games facing playoff-type teams in Boston, Detroit, and New York.
The Rays record at home?
42-21.
The most wins of any team in the majors!
And when you figure that during “crunch time” the Rays will play 12 of their final 15 games in the friendly confines of Orange Juice Central, then we should be feeling pretty good.
I can see our guys having the carrot of a playoff spot dangling there to be taken as they fight for it in front of 30,000+ every night in St. Pete.
It can be oh so sweet.
But they cannot ruin it on the road.
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The Rays begin battle tonight sitting just 3 games behind the Boston Red Sox for the wild card spot in the AL. Texas is just 2 games in front of the Rays, effectively making this a three-team race for the final space.
Our Boys in Blue will face those two teams 9 more times before it is all said and done.
You couldn’t ask for more.
If things go well, those 9 games will be some of the biggest of the season, by far.
But things HAVE to go well on the road, that is the key.
If they don’t, then we’ll be hoping to play spoiler for teams we could have, and should have, beaten.
So let’s buckle in and get ready for a fun ride down a bumpy road.
The best things in life ain’t free, eh?
“We Believe”
VS 
Those were the words of the Rays’ Carlos Pena just after his game-winning walkoff single in the 10th inning tonight.
When being interviewed by Todd Kalas he used that phrase to let us know that the team is not giving up on this season, that they still had alot left in the tank, that maybe there was more than just a glimmer of hope when thinking of the Rays’ playoff chances.
“We Believe.”
After watching tonight’s game, who doesn’t?
Rays win, 5-4.
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Pena the Giant
His performance tonight was huge.
HUGE!
Two home runs, a game-winning single, and four RBIs. He was a one-man wrecking crew, almost willing the Rays to a win tonight on his own. Sure, he had to have guys to drive in, but it seemed as if nobody else on the team wanted to take the lead in being Mr. Clutch.
Pena seemed to have no problem assuming that role tonight.
It almost seemed too good to be true, seeing him step to the plate with 2 outs in the 10th and a runner in scoring position. The fact that Evan Longoria was standing on 2nd base only because he was hit by a pitch and Zobrist walked was gift enough.
But to have the guy who had already homered twice come up in such a big situation, and then DELIVER in such a situation was something that was reminiscent of 2008.
Last year the Rays found ways to win these games.
Tonight they did too.
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Great Play
I was on the edge of my seat during Pena’s at bat. I love having butterflies in late August. That means the baseball is real and it is intense.
Pena really didn’t work the count much. When he got the fastball he was looking for from Jason Grilli, newly acquired by Texas, he put a good swing on it.
Thankfully, he left behind thoughts of pulling the ball. That kind of thinking has lead to his poor .218 average this season.
The ball seemed to come right out of the tv screen as he lined it straight up the middle.
My thought: he hit it too hard; Longo will never be able to score.
Tom Foley sent Longo anyway, and it came down to Longoria’s legs and the center fielder’s arm.
Thankfully the perfect throw (it was right on line) was a fraction of a second late and Longo put on a nifty outside slide in order to get in there safely.
Now THAT is how every game should end.
Then again, too many of those and I’ll be sitting around grey as the Seattle sky in rainy season.
(I would have more teeth, though)
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More Than Baseball On His Mind
What made the win all the sweeter was that Pena was playing the game with a heavy heart.
Apparently, just recently one of Carlos’ college roommates (who he mentioned only as “Greg”) passed away.
Pena said that he was happy his longtime friend was in a better place and that he was ecstatic he could dedicate tonight’s performance to him. You could hear him choke up during the interview.
Suddenly the man whose entire time with the Rays had been characterized by success and smiles wasn’t smiling much.
Not even his best game of the season was enough to coax out those pearly whites.
It was as if he couldn’t believe he could have such a game on such a momentous night for him personally.
Then he shifted and we saw the Carlos we all knew.
His face brightened.
Just in time for jokester Dioner Navarro to shove a shaving cream pie in it!
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Win, Interrupted
The Rays were headed for their 67th win of the year as JP Howell took the mound in the bottom of the 9th. They had just scored a dramatic run off the bat of Pat Burrell and all that was left was the Ranger crying.
JP got the first two guys out easily. As usual, his stuff was making hitters look like little leaguers.
Then Marlon Byrd jumped on a fastball that missed and sent it over the wall.
Damn.
Game tied at 4.
The crowd was silent. I was too.
A blown save.
However, that was when Pena said he talked personally to JP. He told him,
“We are going to pick you up. Don’t worry about it. We believe.”
Who knew that Pena and the Rays would back that up in their very next few at bats?
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Playoff Picture
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The Rays HAD to win tonight. The Red Sox had just pounded the Yankees (What is going on with that series all of a sudden? It’s all screwy. One team dominates, then the other. Weird, man) and the Rays had to beat the Rangers lest they fall 4 out of the wild card again.
There was alot riding on this game.
Luckily the Rays pulled it out to stay 3 behind the Sox and get to within 1 of the Rangers. Tomorrow might be one great day if the Rays can pull out a series sweep–payback for early July–and the Sox get trounced by the Yankees.
We could actually go into Monday 2 out of the wild card and tied with the Rangers for second.
Awesome.
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I’m really excited about tomorrow’s series finale as my butt will be in the Trop watching it firsthand. I can only hope for as exciting a finish as tonight’s!!
Whatever happens, I think that we all learned tonight that this Rays team is not to be doubted. That they know how to win and they are starting to gain more and more confidence.
Apparently, all of our faith might have been starting to wane a bit and the guys in the Trop were feeling it.
Carlos Pena wanted us to know that we should strenghten that faith. That they were still fighting.
We Believe, Carlos. We Believe.
This is Big
VS
Slice it any way you want, but this is do or die time for the Rays.
You may hear me say this again before the season is up, but this is the biggest series of the year. The Rays sit 4 games behind the Red Sox for the wild card, losing a game to them after their upsetting loss last night to the lowly Orioles.
However, before they can catch the Red Sox for the wild card lead they have to leapfrog the Texas Rangers, their opponents this weekend.
Where is the Pepto?
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It Starts on the Hill
Dustin Nippert (4-1, 3.52) will toe the hill for the Rangers while the Rays will send out inconsistent Scott Kazmir (7-7, 6.36).
Honestly, I don’t know alot about Nippert.
From what I’ve read it sounds like Nippert is a recent rotation convert, moving out of the bullpen just recently. This will be only his 5th start of the year. The Rays destroyed him last year, scoring 7 runs off of him in 4 innings.
I’ll take that.
Kaz is another story.
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We know too much about this guy. While he has pitched well enough to get his record to .500, he is far from a guy to rely on.
In the last month, though, he has looked like the Kaz of old. He has won 3 games, lowered his WHIP to 1.35, and struck out 24 in 29 innings. His ERA is still embarrassing (5.26), but it is better than his season ERA.
Still, we don’t know what Kaz will show up tonight, and that is scary.
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Do or Die
This is the series. There can be no excuses. A poor showing here will push the Rays out of the playoff picture altogether and launch the Rangers in a position of power in contending for the wild card.
The Rays (and Rangers) have a great opportunity this weekend to gain some serious ground on the Red Sox as Boston takes on the Yankees this weekend. If the Yanks pull out another sweep (doubtful) or win at least 2 of 3 games in the series (probable) then the Rays could crawl to within a game or better of the wild card lead.
How great is that?
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Gotta Do Better
Hopefully they will put forth a better effort than they did last night against the Orioles Their hitting was lax, their fielding poor, and their pitching was terrible.
Those types of descriptions do not often apply to playoff-bound teams.
If the Rays are going to have a chance they have to do better than they did last time against the Rangers in July when they were swept.
In that series the Rays were outscored 20-7.
Brutal.
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It’s gotta happen now.
The Rays are up against the wall. There are only a few weeks left and only so many more opportunities out there.
Teams that go to the playoffs are the teams that beat other squads who are trying to get there too.
The Rays can help secure a spot by taking care of business against the Rangers.
Let’s hope for a fun and run-filled weekend.
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