Tagged: Carlos Pena
Hey…It’s the REAL Rays
Finally the Tampa Bay Rays showed up in the 2010 ALDS.
Through Games 1 and 2 there was some team on the field playing against the big league Texas Rangers, but it surely wasn’t the Rays.
This imposter team had put up one measley run and only 8 hits in two games while giving up 11 runs AT HOME, no less.
Apparently, the REAL Rays were waiting in Arlington, Texas.
Want proof?
6 runs.
11 hits.
0 errors.
2 home runs.
1 W.
Now THAT’s Rays baseball.
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Emotions Were High
Around my home, the stress and worry levels were really high. We were wondering if we were about to see the final game of the Rays season. The final game of Carl Crawford’s career in a Rays uni.
There’s going to be at least one more.
What was great to see was while MY emotions were out of whack, the Rays’ were not.
There was Matt Garza calmly rebounding from an early run given up to retire Ranger after Ranger.
There was Joe Maddon keeping his temper in check, even after a few blown calls by the umpires tonight (seriously, blue, you didn’t see Elvis Andrus come off the bag on his stolen base attempt while Jason Bartlett had the tag on him? Seriously?).
This game was tight until the 9th, so the cooler head was going to prevail.
The cooler head and the guy with the bigger bat.
Luckily, that was the Rays on both account.
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Cameraman Longo
What was awesome to see was the Rays in the dugout messin’ around as they did all season long.
Watching Evan Longoria with a waterbottle holder on his shoulder, mimicking a cameraman’s pose, “film” the goings-on of the 9th inning. The guys around him were cracking up and suddenly everything was loose.
The Rays were back.
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The Rays Were Clutch
There were many events in this game that epitomized the Rays season, without which the Rays would be headed back to St. Pete with their heads held low.
–Carl Crawford had two big catches in the game, keeping the Rangers in check and preventing run-starting rallies.
–John Jaso had the biggest hit of the game in the 8th against the Rangers’ closer. Why isn’t this guy starting every game?
–The slumping and sub-Mendoza-line Carlos Pena took one down the right field line to drive in pinch runner Desmond Jennings with the game-tying run. Then Pena knocked one over the fence in the 9th to ice the game away.
–In addition to CC’s defense, Crawford hit a big home run in the 9th to put the Rays up 4-2 and take the pressure off of Pena. The loss of pressure made it just that much easier for the big first baseman to take one over the fence.
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3 Keys to a W
#1 Emotion–The Rays kept theirs in check AND loosened up the dugout in the process. Look out Rangers.
#2 Hit–11 hits and 6 runs make it clear that the bats were warmed up tonight.
#3 Patience–Colby Lewis did not walk a whole lot of guys this season. He walked 5 Rays tonight. That helped to put more pressure on the young righty, and it helped the Rays to a W.
3 out of 3 Keys Turned = W
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Game 4 is tomorrow.
How will it go?
If the Rays performance today is any indication, the Rangers have alot to worry about. They needed to put these guys away today.
They didn’t.
The Rays can be really streaky, and the losing streak appears to be over.
Catching Up
That title has so many meanings.
First, it is good to be back. Vacation was great. A week at a resort ain’t bad no matter what.
But, obviously, I have missed alot. Let me check that, I have not written about alot. I have missed nothing.
Second, it seems that “catchin’ up” is exactly what the Rays have been doing. They fought back in this tough division to take the lead by a game, only to fall back out of it before finding themselves back in the thick of it with a few strong games of late.
Here are some of the things I have seen over these last weeks.
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Rays Resilience
The Rays have not given up on this season at all. As I mentioned, they took the division lead a week or so ago, despite a 7-game losing streak. Then, just as soon as they got the lead, they relinquished it to the Yanks again.
Even though they currently sit in 2nd place in the division, they could easily have packed it in. They overcame a mini-losing streak in the last few weeks before getting a nice start from Jeremy Hellickson his last time out (before today). Then they seemed to hit rock bottom, being shut out by the last place Orioles on Friday. Now they have won 2 in a row (again, behind a strong start from Hellickson) and find themselves wrapping up the weekend in the thick of it once again.
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One Game Out
The Rays are sitting just one game behind the Yanks.
They are heading into a very difficult series with the AL West division leading Texas Rangers. There will be no easy wins there. The Rangers are as good as it gets, and the Rays will have to be on top of their game if they want to get closer than they already are.
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Hellickson is Awesome
How good is this kid?
His win today pushed his record to 3-0. He has given up almost no hits in his starts; specifically, he has not given up more than 3 hits in any of his three starts. And he is still a kid. He has stopped any bad baseball played by the Rays to inspire them to wins in each of his starts this sesaon.
In other words, he is exactly what a contending team needs down the stretch.
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DL? What DL?
You would have thought that the Rays would have faltered when 19 wins of their starting rotation left at the exact same time with shoulder injuries.
I know that I was very worried when Jeff Nieman and Wade Davis went on the DL together. However, Andy Sonnanstine and Hellickson have not missed a beat, pitching solid baseball over these last few weeks to bridge the gap to the two starters’ return from their respective ailments.
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What’ll Joe Do?
Finally, there are some really important decisions Joe Maddon will have to make in the coming days.
First, he will have to decide what to do once Nieman and Davis return from the DL. Does he replace a hot Hellickson and solid Sonnanstine or does he ride the hot hand and send the incumbant starters to a “rehab” in the minors? You would think that Sonny’s move to the ‘pen is a foregone conclusion–he’s a great spot starter, but it is tough to rely on him longterm–but you really don’t want to send down Hellickson. Tough one.
The other decision will be what to do when Carlos Pena returns from his plantar faciatis issue. Maddon has already said that nobody from the bullpen will be sent down. So, does that mean Dan Johnson’s days are numbered? They might be. He has a ******** .405 OBP, but his average (.125) is pitiful, even when compared with Pena’s.
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Caught up. Now let’s get ahead.
Love the Home Run Derby! Go Young, Cabrera, and Holliday!!
So, the Home Run Derby is going on right now.
I just think that this is a great event. Can’t help it. I know that some people whine about it being meaningless or messing up guys’ swing, but I think it is great entertainment and I love watching it each summer.
Maybe I love it because guys’ I have rooted for have taken part in the derby over the years. Sammy Sosa, Andre Dawson, George Bell, Carlos Pena, and, of course, my favorite player of all time, Ryne Sandberg.
So I’ve had lots to cheer for over the years.
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Who Ya Pickin’?
I decided to chronicle the derby as it goes along. Why? Mainly for my own fun rather than anybody’s real entertainment.
Here are my picks to win it:
Chris Young
Matt Holliday
Miguel Cabrera
I went with 3 guys just because it’s my blog and I can do what I want.
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Round 1
Chris Young Wow, this guy did not look comfortable at all. He hit one nice dinger, and that was it. I think he has a ton of talent and is going to be in more All-Star Games in the future, but this was a dismal display.
Outcome: 
Matt Holliday Wow, that was awesome! He had 9 outs and 1 dinger. Then he proceeded to fire up the launch pad! Wow. He only ended up with 5, but one of those homers was 497 feet!! He is in second place right now. We’ll see what happens.
Outcome: 
Miguel Cabrera He really launched some long balls. Wow. He sure showed what kind of a hitter he is: complete. I loved the long ball in the water that Big Papi said, “In the water…you see that?” Funny. Overall, a great performance.
Outcome:
Other Ruminations
Corey Hart put on a great display in Round 1. Honestly, I did not think he would do well at all. He blasted 13 homers and boy, oh boy, were they long! He had a 464-foot shot that was just majestic. Man, was it annoying to listen to A-rod talk while Swisher was hitting. I do not respect that guy at all, and to hear him try to talk about respect for the game makes me want to puke. Hanley Ramirez was great. I have to admit, though, after his disrespect of the game earlier this season, I was rooting against him. He sure showed me.
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Round 2
So, all I’ve got left is Miggy. I suck.
Miguel Cabrera Damn. This has been great to watch, but none of my guys did anything! Right now my wife is rubbing it in that she chose Big Papi and that he might win. There is a foot rub riding on it! Miggy really let me down. Don’t know who to root for now. Maybe Corey Hart.
Outcome:
Other Ruminations
Ramirez looks good. Wow. He is really surprising me. Not the biggest surprise, though. Corey Hart’s first round was something else. I’m rooting for Hart to move on to the finals and win it all. (Wow, Hart really stunk it up!)
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Finals
Ruminations
Big Papi did not disappoint, that’s for sure. Man, that guy just launched moon shot after moon shot. Incredible. Ramirez just had nothing left in the tank (good!) and he could not find a rhythm in that final round. What I thought was pretty cool was watching Ortiz interact with his kid. It was really sweet.
Well, I’ve got a footrub to administer. I’m a loser…
Rays and Red Sox Get Ready to Throwdown
VS 
You surely want to get excited about the series that starts tonight between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Boston Red Sox.
You want to get hyped and break out the good snacks before settling down on the couch for a series between rivals.
You want to go through the ritual of getting mentally prepared for yet another series of insanity between to top-notch teams in the AL East.
You want to, but…
Let’s face it, the Red Sox are a long long long way from contending for the division. Heck, they have to crawl out of 4th place before they can contend for anything.
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Sweeps Is Sweeps
You cannot forget the hard-to-watch destruction that was the 4-game series sweep the Rays handed to the Red Sox last month. On the one hand, you do not want to put too much emphasis on baseball in April, but you can’t discount it too much, either.
I mean, the Rays outscored the Rouge Sox in that series by a 24-9 score and dominated pretty much every facet of the game. They outhit the Sox, outpitched the Sox, and outstole the Sox.
Sadly, while that series was simply legendary, you can’t transfer those good times to this series.
Damn.
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Pitching In
The Sox are going to throw 2 of their best in this series (all due respect to Josh Beckett, he simply has not been himself lately).
Clay Buchholz (who is pitching RIGHT NOW!) and Jon Lester are having solid seasons. Their ERA’s are in the low-3’s and they are a combined 9-5 this year. They typically have good success against the Rays, which could bode ill for the good guys.
They Rays will throw Wade Davis (who deserves SERIOUS Rookie of the Year consideration) in Game 1, which is not an issue because he has pitched in many pressure-filled games this season. He will be followed by the stellar James Shields and Cy Young-esque Matt Garza.
The Sox pitching in this series might be good, but the Rays’ should be better.
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The Secret? Stealing
In their series in April, the Rays stole the Red Sox blind. They took base after base with little resistance.
Carl Crawford, Jason Bartlett, and BJ Upton could not be stopped. And that could be acceptable, if you are a Sox fan, if those were the only guys who were swiping bases. However, the Rays rubbed it in by having Evan Longoria, Ben Zobrist, and Carlos Pena take bases as well.
The way the Rays will win this series, and the Sox will lose it, is if the Rays’ stealing success continues. But if the Sox keep the Rays off of the bases and prevent them from turning singles into doubles we could see another sweep, but this time from the bad guys.
Yikes!
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Closing Thoughts
Funny, when I started this post I thought of this series as yet another ho-hum series in 2010 a la the Royals or Mariners.
But when you look at the pitching matchups, the battles between base runner, catcher, and pitcher, and the drama that is Rays/Red Sox, I find myself starting to get more and more amped up.
Game 1 might not be looking so good thus far, but jeez I am starting to feel those competitive juices flow.
The Sox may be 8 1/2 back right now, but I would love to see the Rays bury these guys by the end of the series.
Ok, I’m officially pumped.
April’s Showers Not So Bad
Of course, all that was raining on the Rays during the month of April were W’s.
17 of ’em to be exact.
The Rays came out of April with a 17-6 record.
Wow.
Not only is that the best in the American League, it is the best record in the MAJORS.
Now,let’s recap.
Who doesn’t have the best record in the league?
Yankees
Red Sox
Phillies
(I just wanted to make sure that was clear.)
Sure, this season is just one month old, but you have to start somewhere, right? Last year, the Rays got off to a 9-14 start and, in the competitive AL East, pretty much sealed their doom early. They made a run near the end of the season to put themselves in contention for a wildcard spot, but injuries and bad baseball–and the aforementioned poor start–gave them no wiggle room for mistakes.
This kind of a start means that when that inevitable slump comes for the Rays, they WILL have some room for error.
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Amazin’ Pena
Sure, the Rays lost to the Kansas City Royals last night. But not for lack of effort by one Carlos Pena.
He made a great play to take away an extra bases hit down the line early in the game. Then he turned in an incredible “falling-into-the-dugout” grab of a foul ball in a 1-0 game to support his pitcher.
That level of effort is why the Rays are not only the best team in the league right now, but also because watching them (in person or on tv) is one of the most entertaining 2-3 hours you can spend in your day.
Utter Domination
Rays 9, Yankees 3
And it wasn’t that close.
David Price, the Rays’ phenom 24-year-old lefty, led the team against the invaders from NYC and gave them more than they could handle.
The offense didn’t want to be outdone, so they put their best bat forward and put up 8 earned against the Yanks’ big offseason acquisition, Javier Vazquez.
In the end, there was not much to complain about.
If you are a Rays fan, of course.
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Price Was Scary Good
Price went out and simply gave the Rays his longest–and one of his more solid–performances of his young career.
7 2/3 IP 3 ER 7 H 3 BB 7 K
Through 6 innings, however, Price threw only 66 pitches. Aside from a double in the 2nd that brought home 2 runs by Alex Rodriguez, there was nothing scary.
When he reached the 8th inning, Price admitted he began to press a bit, which led to a bases-loaded jam and another run given up. But Lance Cormier came into the game and ended the frame with a strikeout.
It was an almost-effortless performance from a guy who is the Rays’ NUMBER 4 PITCHER!
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Big Inning: The 4th
The Rays almost batted around in the bottom of the 4th against Vazquez.
A few doubles, a few singles, a stolen base from BJ Upton, and a huge blast from Carlos Pena gave the Rays all the runs they would need for the rest of the game (5).
While the home run was fun, I was more excited about the double that just eluded left-fielder Marcus Thames’ glove from the bat of Jason Bartlett. It was one of those moments that you were hoping would happen (him missing the catch) and it led to two big runs. Whew!
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Sleeping Bats Awakened–Look Out!
Pena had been hitting terribly this season. And he had been suffering from a power outage, with no balls of his bat threatening to leave the yard. It was nice to see him take one out against a tough pitcher like Vazquez.
The other area the Rays are getting no production from is DH. I am going to lay off the Burrell Bashing–for now–and simply say that Willy Aybar’s big 2-run home run in the 6th was a respite from worrying about what to do with the DH position. After striking out horribly earlier in the game, it was great seeing him rip one down the line and out.
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Today’s Game
The Rays are going to have a tough one against the Yanks and CC Sabathia. Even though CC got knocked around pretty good by the Red Sox on Opening Day part 1, everybody knows he is a tough hombre.
The Rays are sending out youngster Wade Davis, who will make just his 7th start of his young career. He had to work hard to beat out Andy Sonnanstine for the 5th starter job, so it will be interesting to see how he fares against a tough Yankee club.
I’m excited. Can you tell?
Howell The Bullpen Survive (Get It!?)
Ok, corny puns aside…
Who’ll be the new JP?
When lefty JP Howell went down with an arm injury a little while ago, the season passed through all Rays’ fans eyes. The Rays’ plans for 2010’s bullpen were about to fall apart. And, with it, the season.
In 2010 the bullpen was going to be perfectly put together. The 6th and 7th innings would be manned by a combination of Lance Cormier, Grant Balfour, and Dan Wheeler. In the 8th Howell would make hitters look silly just as he has done the last two seasons, providing a knee buckling curve and low-key fastball to contrast with new acquired closer’s Rafael Soriano’s slider and blistering heat.
But a twinge of pain in Howell’s elbow caused the lefty, and the Rays, to shut him down for the time being. While the initial fear was season-ending Tommy John surgery, it turns out that Howell will just need some rest. That rest could take as long as a few months into the regular season, but better to work without Howell now than lose him, as the Rays pretty much did the last month last season, at the end of the year.
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In House, or Out House?
It would seem that the Rays might need another left-hander to fill out the bullpen and compliment the in-house lefty, Randy Choate. Who that lefty could be is up for debate.
The Boston Red Sox recently dismissed one of last year’s delights in the Rays bullpen, Brian Shouse.
Why they let him go only to sign another slightly older lefty (Scott Schoenweis) is up for debate. The veteran lefty only put up a 0.96 ERA for the Sawx and even earned a win in 10 games (9 1/3 innings). Last year for the Rays he got into 45 games and provided key lefty relief.
Certainly, Shouse could be gotten for a song right now as teams often shy away from 42-year-old arms, lefty or righty.
So who else could it be?
I would argue that a great choice would be a suddenly relevant Heath Phillips.
Phillips’ numbers have been decent this spring, though not outstanding. His ERA is not great (5.62) but he has shown durability, pitching about 2 innings per appearance.
However, what makes him an attractive option in the Rays’ bullpen at the start of this season is simple:
HE’S A LEFTY!
He has had an outing this spring against the Twins vaunted lineup in which he pitched 3 scoreless innings. No doubt, this performance has made his case for a spot in the bullpen much stronger than it was before Howell’s injury.
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Lefty Impression
Remember, it was another long-shot lefty a few seasons ago who broke into the Rays 25-man roster after an injury occurred right around the start of the season.
It was 2008.
The lefty in question was Carlos Pena.
‘Nuff said.
The point is, that the Rays seem to have a run of success with lefties filling in for their starting counterparts.
Let’s hope that, should Phillips win the job, the Rays’ streak will continue.
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!
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?
Ring of Fire Tour Begins In “T” for Two and Maybe Three….
VS 
Toronto, that is.
Wow, what a difference a week and a half makes.
Just when things might have been looking rather bleak, the Rays have come out and, in their last 10 games, rattle off 8 wins.
That makes them the hottest team in the American League right now!
In fact, when fans and experts alike were looking at the team’s upcoming road trip as being extremely difficult and fraught with peril, our guys have done nothing more put together two impressive wins.
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Rays 12, Blue Jays 7
None other than Roy Halladay took the mound for the Blue Jays to kick off the Rays’ 7-game road trip. And immediately it looked like it was going to be a loss.
Jeff Nieman was not sharp at all, giving up a Rod Barajas grand salami right away in the game.
I’ll admit, I was cursing at the tv and ready to walk away. Glad I didn’t!
The Rays rallied to beat up the Doc and put together an impressive 12-7 win. The guy who had no business getting a win, our default ace, improved his record to a more than impressive 12-5.
You gotta imagine this guy is going to get some serious consideration–maybe along with Scott Feldman of the Rangers–for the Rookie of the Year award.
Carlos Pena remained hot by going yard for number 35 and Ben Zobrist knocked out his 23rd.
They looked like the Rays we love.
They looked like a team that wanted to win.
Most importantly, they looked like a team ready for October.
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Rays 7, Blue Jays 3
The story here was twofold:
1) Carlos Pena hit out two to give him 37 on the year and, more importantly, 200 for his up and down career.
Not too bad for a guy who had trouble latching on to a team before he landed in Tampa Bay.
2) James Shields finally got some run support! And, apparently, he celebrated with……some ice cream.
Ok.
As has been well documented in the Cowbell, Shields is a guy who never seems to get any help from his offense. Well, they scored 6 runs in the first 3 innings for the guy, and he made it stand up. That is definitely help.
I didn’t catch much of this game, but it was nice to see our guys follow up a great performance with one that was just as good.
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Tonight, Tonight
The Rays will send the suddenly reliable Scott Kazmir (7 of his last 8 outings have been 6 or more innings!) to the hill against the guy we have seen too many times this year, and whose name I am getting sick of trying to spell, Marc Rzepczynski.
Kaz’s ERA is still a nightmare at 6.17, but his record is over .500 for the first time in a long time at 8-7. He is trying to regain the “ace” label and, I have to admit, he has looked like one as of late.
One of the biggest knocks I’ve had against this guy is the fact that you can’t count on him. He’ll go 4 innings as likely as he’ll go 6. 7 is pushing it.
But lately he has been giving the Rays, and the Rays’ bullpen, plenty of innings.
They won’t need a whole lot tonight considering we have an off day tomorrow. Hopefully Scotty can give us a solid outing, though, and we can complete the sweep.
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The Rays remain 3 games behind those darn Red Sox. It would be nice to see them pick up a game there tonight considering the difficult series they are going to have to endure in Detroit over the weekend.
But you take what you can get.
The Rays’ offense has been clicking, albeit via the long ball.
Again, you take what you can get.
What I’m most proud of is the fact that this team is showing some serious resiliance. They are not backing down. And when people are counting them out, they are showing them that they are right back in.
Sweep ’em guys!
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