You gotta feel for these guys. They go from spring training where it’s 80 degrees and sunny to Baltimore where it’s 49 degrees and soupy. Dewayne Staats and Joe Magrane welcome us back with their familiar voices. I’d hoped Dewayne would have updated his permed coif, but no such luck. All I can say is “Welcome back Mr. Kotter.”
I never minded the Rays old uniforms. The color was different from other teams, which was a good thing and I also really liked the vests. That being said the new uniforms just look more professional. The hat in particular is a major upgrade.
Top 1st – Aki dribbles out, CC has a nice hit up the middle, when Magrane totally jinxes Pena. He goes on and on about how great it would be if Carlos could start out right where he left off last year. Pena did hit it hard but it was caught right at the wall. BJ flies out too.
Bottom 1st - Shields walks Roberts. Mora flies out. Markakis sneaks a hit into left. Am I the only one that doesn’t like to see Carl Crawford, the face of the franchise, running full out in the cold on wet grass? After a double steal, Millar doubles off the left field wall. 0-2 Orioles. I think the Rays have some jitters today. Shields doesn’t look loose and CC just misplayed that ball in left. A couple of pop outs and they are out of the inning.
Top 2nd – Cliff Floyd, who I think I’ll call Clifford because he’s huge like the big red dog, grounds out. Aybar get a base hit, but Hinske hits into a double play.
Apparantly Joe Maddon, Carl Crawford and Cliff Floyd don’t smoke. Good to know.
Bottom 2nd – Shields settles down for a three up three down inning.
Top 3rd – Base hit for Navarro. Bartlett gets hit by a pitch. I like this guy, way to take one for the team. Aki hits into fielders choice. CC gets on because of an error by the shortstop, and Navarro scores. 1-2 Orioles. Pena gets a base hit to load the bases, and BJ gets one through for a couple of RBIs. 3-2 Rays. Floyd and Aybar fly out.
Bottom 3rd – Roberts gets a base hit, but Shields sits down the next three. Bartlett really ranges a long way out into the outfield on fly balls. CC just caught one right over his head and trotted off the field, as if to say “get out of my space.”
Top 4th – Hinske cracks one! And I think Manny might have had a little influence on him in Boston. He seemed to admire his homerun for a bit. 4-2 Rays. Navarro, Bartlett and Aki go down.
Bottom 4th – Huff and Puff gets a base hit up the middle, but the Rays turn a sweet double play, and Jones strikes out.
Top 5th – Three up Three down.
Bottom 5th – Stu Sternberg has made some nice decisions for the Rays however the scarf he’s wearing tonight is not one of them. Ground out followed by Roberts getting on base again with a walk. CC makes a nice catch in left, and Navarro actually looks spry and throws Roberts out at second.
Top 6th – Clifford doubles and Aybar moves him over with a ground out to the right side. Hinske walks. Navarro hits a hard ground to load the bases. Gotta say I’m not impressed with the Orioles shortstop Hernandez, it’s like visions of Rays past. Bartlett comes up with a big base hit and get two RBIs. Glad the play wasn’t close I don’t want to see Hinske barrel over a catcher just yet this year. Aki grounds into a fielders choice then the Rays try to sneak in a run with the double steal but to no avail. Navarro might not have been the best one to try that with. 6-2 Rays.
Bottom 6th – Shields loses the strike zone for a bit and walks Markakis, but gets him later with a double play.
7th – both teams cruise through and retire the side
Top 8th – Rays go down one, two, three again.
Bottom 8th - Trever Miller in to pitch. Pop up. I got it, no I got it, I got it, You got it. Luckily Aki got it. Roberts singles. I think he’s been on base all night. Short outing, Al Reyes in to pitch. He strikes out Mora with a called strike and gets a bonus out because Mora was pissed off and blocked Navarro’s path to throw out Roberts at second.
Top 9th – Navarro doubles. I could definitely get used to saying that more often. They leave him stranded.
Bottom 9th – Dan Wheeler in to pitch. 1st pitch hit to left but CC makes the play. 2nd pitch pop out. Grounder to Pena for the final out but Wheeler biffs it and drops the toss. So much for that errorless game. He gets the next batter and THE RAYS WIN 6-2.
There seemed to be some jitters, but it is the first step in the right direction. Go Rays!
