A face all Rays fans love.
I’m not sure how coherent this post is going to be since you know I’m totally stoked for Matt. He threw the first no hitter in Rays history! What a game.
I got home a little late and picked up the action in the 4th inning. It took me a little while to figure out what was going on since frankly it was a long day and I was just glad to be sitting at that point. First my frazzled brain goes to the score. 0-0. Oh, pitchers duel is my next thought. Slowly it sinks in, they are both throwing no hitters. Then as a Rays fan my thought was “not again.”
Both pitchers were dealing until the 6th inning when Scherzer started to show signs of weakness. He struck out Shoppach, but walked Zobrist. Carl gets on due to catcher’s interference, and Longo walks. The Rays have bases loaded but still no hits. Pena strikes out for the second out. Who’s up? Surely you didn’t call me Joyce! What does he do? He HITS a grand slam! How does he look? Super cute! How loud was it in my living room? The squirrels outside ducked and covered. IT WAS AWESOME!
Meanwhile Mr. Garza just goes about his business. Carl Crawford as usual made a great catch and then followed it up with a home run.
Then things got tense. It was on to the 9th. Todd Kalas pointed out that all the starting pitchers in the dugout were staying in the same seats so they didn’t mess anything up. Of course I then felt the need to stay in the same spot even though I was super antsy. Matt did a great job of keeping himself calm. Me, not so much. There was nail biting, knuckle cracking, and whisper chanting. None of which mattered because he did it. Matt Garza pitched the first no-hitter in Rays history! IT WAS AWESOME!
You know it’s great when you’re compelled to watch all of the post game shows. Congrats to Matt and all the Rays on a great night. He had his own headline on the ticker! Go Rays!
Yep the Rays finally got that Cleveland monkey off their backs.
The first game was really dumb. Niemann did okay, but his night was shortened due to rain. There was a delay and then they came out and played like an inning and a half only to have the game called.
Saturday was interesting. Mitch Talbot started off the game unhittable, while David Price struggled. As the game went on though David started to roll and Talbot started to get rocked. The Rays found their power strokes and Zobrist powered them to the win in Cleveland.
Today Wavis was far from boring. It seemed like he had runners on in every inning. Give the big guy credit though he held them to two runs. His defense was very helpful. He should buy them a cheesecake or something. Reid Brignac deserves the biggest piece, since he drove in three of the Rays runs with one swing. Can he come out and play more now?
So the Cleveland curse has been broken. Perhaps the Rays can work on the Friday night problem now? Go Rays!
This is one of those games that you could tell your friends about and it sounds so far fetched that they’ll think you’re making the whole bloody thing up.
You – Carl Crawford got picked off first. Guess where the ball hit him? In the hoo-hoo.
Friend – No way.
You – Way. He left the game. Nobody had the balls to call him tater-nuts though.
You – Garza gave up back to back to back home runs in the second.
Friend – Get outta here.
You – Seriously I thought his head was going to explode.
You – BJ Upton hit a home run.
Friend – Because he wanted to jog around the bases instead of running hard?
You – Hardee Har Har
You – Garza gave up another home run to Luke Scott in the 3rd.
Friend – Bringing the total to four? This story is getting deep.
You - Seems like it.
You – Matt Joyce hit a home run.
Friend – Now that I believe.
You – Plus he’s cute.
You – The Rays scored 4 runs in the 6th inning.
Friend – It’s the Orioles, that’s possible.
You – Benny made a boo boo in right and two runs scored.
Friend – You are a liar. Take it back.
You – It wasn’t the only weird route he took.
You – Choate was only able to retire one of the lefties he faced.
Friend – That sounds about right.
You - No, I said left.
Friend – Right.
You – Brignac homered to take the lead back to two.
Friend – He’s no Sean Rodriguez.
You – Reid my lips, I love that kid and I will throw you down.
You – The Rays had a two run lead going into the ninth. Bring in Soriano.
Friend – Game over.
You – Not so much. Soriano’s a tad rusty since he’s been on the shelf FOREVER. Tie ball game.
Friend – That blows.
You – Chunks.
You – They go to extra innings. The Rays take the lead in the top of the 12th.
Friend – But?
You – But they give it right back in the bottom half of the inning.
Friend – This story is getting tired.
You – You’re telling me.
You – Guess who blew the game?
Friend – Lance Cormier?
You – Oh you’ve heard this story before.
Friend – Tragically.
You – Know what else is tragic?
Friend – What’s that?
You – The Yankees finally freakin lost a game.
Friend – Well you always have the day game after a night game to look forward to.
You – Yippee. Go Rays.
Baseball season is a long winding emotional roller coaster. After the Rays lost to the Yankees Sunday, this fan was feeling a little depressed. The Rays only won one game in the series and it seemed like all three games were there for the taking. I felt this sense of urgency. Why wasn’t Joe Maddon doing everything he could to win those games? Where was Soriano? Andy Pettitte is out after three innings and the Rays don’t find a way to win?
The Orioles are the perfect prescribed medicine for depressed baseball fans. The Rays bats came back to life. Wade Davis aka WD40 looked slick. Rays win, and they’re basically right back where they started before the ugly series with the Yankees. I should know better than to panic. It’s a marathon right? The Rays are in second place and half of their guys aren’t even playing up to their potential. Yep the O’s were my chill pill.
There is one other minor thing that made this Monday a happy day. A minor league contract that is. Rocco Baldelli is a Stonecrab! I’m sure his goal is to get a September call up. I would be so stoked if he could contribute this year, since you know I happen to love him.
photo by Dennis Maffezzoli
Well I really didn’t expect the Rays to pull off a win against CC Sabathia, but he was a bit off and they definitely had their chances. What did they do with these chances? They squandered them!
The Rays picked away at CC and came up with three runs. Shields was cruising, only giving up one. Kapler made a great catch at the wall to save his butt. Then it all went awry. James gave up two home runs and the lead. Bummer but the Rays still had their chances.
In the seventh one of my favorite things happened. BJ got on base in front of Carl and soon after they were on second and third with no outs. Can I have more of this please? The Rays only got one run out of it, but that could have been a game winner.
Balfour handled the seventh. So the Rays have a one run lead going into the eighth. I’m thinking no problem. Benoit for the eighth and Soriano for the ninth. Well Benoit was a little off. I knew he wasn’t going to be perfect, but he picks now to be a little off! He gave up a home run to Nick Frickin Swisher. Plus he was super scary getting out of the inning, but he did keep the game tied.
Girardi makes the call to Mo Rivera to come in and shut down the Rays so the Yankees have a chance to win it. BJ miraculously gets a broken bat single. However he kills the rally himself by getting picked off first for the gazillionth time. Not even close.
Maddon does not make the call to his closer and give the Rays a chance to win the game. Instead he goes to Choate the lefty specialist. The lefty specialist who let the two lefties he faced get on base. I think specialist is the wrong term. I have another term but we try to be nice around here. Wheeler was then brought in with the daunting task of sitting Derek Jeter down in a clutch situation. It took him four strikes but he did it.
So who does Maddon bring in to face Swisher with two outs in the ninth of a tie game. Lance Cormier. Wait what? I like Lance, but he has been struggling this year. This game must not be as important as I think is? Yankees win. Rays fans go home totally confused. After Mariano Rivera the Yankees bullpen is shaky. The Rays would have had a chance if they could have gotten that far. I know it’s not a save situation, but it’s a win situation. Where was Soriano?
Time to turn it around tomorrow. Go Rays!
How many people were excited and planned ahead so that they could be in front of a TV for the game, only to realize that after all the ceremonies the game wasn’t going to start for another hour! Anyway here are some of my thoughts.
Salma Hayek is gorgeous. I want to look like her when I grow up.
White shoes don’t look so bad with white pants.
Jeter finally got rid of that flat top hair-do he sported forever.
Rod Carew threw one of the best first pitches I’ve seen. Impressive.
David Price made me proud. You know how when you have a new boyfriend and you think he’s really great, and you introduce him to your friends for the first time. All you want is for him to make a good impression. Well David did great. He even made my friends jealous that they don’t have one. How do you think he felt when Pujols stepped into the box?
This game was full of bizarre things, like Josh Hamilton grounding into a double play.
Cano’s defense brought on Uggla flashbacks.
No worries, Longo saved the day with his awesome glove skills.
I’m not even a Brewer’s fan and I was holding my breath when Braun made his diving catch.
More bizarro, Joe Mauer throwing the ball into center field when David Wright stole second.
Longo walks. He’s not impressed by these all-star pitchers. Especially when they airmail a throw to first and he ends up on third and eventually scores the only run for the AL.
Breaking news, Carl Crawford is fast.
Eventually the game gets more bizarre like when you’re trying to win and Ty Wiggington is brought in for Longo. Huh?
So the game means something but the starters who are voted by the fans generally stay in for two at bats. Then the reserves, who are at times better players than the starters are brought in sporadically to finish out the game.
Congrats to Brian McCann on driving in the runs, and to Byrd for a fantastic play in right field to stop the AL in their tracks.
Soriano just keeps on keepin on. I dig that about him. Oh and cool sleeves.
The National League won but all in all it’s good to be a Rays fan.
RIP Mr. Steinbrenner and thanks for all that you’ve done in this area.
I’m finally home and slowly reconnecting with the world and the Rays. I left when our boys were limping into July. However a new month is all they seemed to need. Either that or the promise of a week off just around the corner improved their spirits. Whatever it was the Rays went 10-2 during my vacation. I’m trying not to take it personally. Plus I will totally be blaming it on the all-star break if they slump when it’s over.
You know what blows? The home run derby. Every year I kind of get excited, then I realize that I’m watching 3 HOURS of batting practice. This tradition needs a major overhaul. I can’t remember who it was but they suggested getting rid of the rounds and having it more like 9 innings. Who ever scores the most home runs at the end wins the game. Who can make this happen?
Congrats to our Futures. Hellickson and Jennings were impressive I hear. It’s good to be a Rays fan.
I’ll see you back here tonight with my thoughts on the All-Star game. Good luck to our guys Crawford, Longo, Soriano and Price. Go Rays!
It’s that time of year. I drove past Turner Field while the Rays were battling the Red Sox. I drove past the home of the Cincinnati Reds the next morning. Then yesterday we arrived in Tiger country. Luckily the Tigers had the day off and the Rays were on MLB. Rays win! Two in a row. Oh happy day! Sue me I’m excited after watching them tank for a month.
Anyway I’m going to be a bit out of touch with the Rays for a couple of weeks. I’ll try to pop in from time to time, but my hands might be sticky from the s’mores. I could probably update you on the Tigers while I’m here, but that would be whacked. Besides there’s a great site where you can do just that. Just don’t stay too long because her place is way cool and you won’t want to come back around these parts.
Also I’ve been meaning to give a shout out to the Baseball Wives blog. It’s a great place to go and remember that these guys aren’t just baseball players, they’re sons, and fathers, and husbands, and they have wives that keep it all together. Nichole Johnson is the heart and soul of the blog, but many wives have contributed stories. Her husband Elliot just made the all-star team. I have some pictures of him at spring training. Make sure you check their site.
Go Rays, keep up those winning ways!
The Rays are slumping. Inter-league play was dreadful. They were no hit AGAIN, by a former Ray no less. When Sunday afternoon rolled around everyone was pretty cranky. Perhaps BJ was more cranky than others. His whole family was in town to watch him. He was constantly being compared to his younger brother, and I’m sure the idiot fans who never have anything nice to say to him let him know who they thought was the better Upton. He wanted to win the series, but there’s also a good chance he wanted Calgon to take him away.
Some people are frustrated with BJ, others are defending him. Since I’ve been asked how I feel about “the incident” a lot in last couple of days I’ll give you my take.
If you are a fan of baseball you know that there are several different types of players. I would classify BJ Upton as a gifted player. He has talent that other players only dream about having. He can easily get to balls in the gap. He can easily steal bases. His bat speed is another gift. I’m sure he’s worked on these things since he was a kid, but I still classify him as gifted because regular dudes could work their whole lives and never have these things come easy.
Take Jason Bartlett as a comparison. He is a really good baseball player, but in order to get where he is he’s had to make sure to do all the right things. I know some people are down on Jason lately but he is a very smart player. He puts himself in the right place at the right time. If anything lets him down it is his athletic ability.
So why hasn’t BJ been able to take it to the next level? Because the elite players are gifted and smart. For example the guy who called BJ out on Sunday, Evan Longoria. Like Barty he’s in it. He’s smart and has great instincts, but he’s also a gifted athlete.
You can say BJ is lazy or whatever, but I’ve come to the conclusion that he’s just not that baseball smart. He’s easily above average on ability alone. The nice thing is, if BJ wants to he can change and become the player we always knew he could be. I hope he’s with the Rays when he figures it out, because believe me it will be a sight to see.
