HER RAYS!

I’m a Little Miffed!

I’m lookin to get out to a Rays game soon.  I thought about going tonight, but I’m extremely allergic to country music, and you can’t convince me that they weren’t going to play any country music during the game.  I also have no desire to own a Rays trucker hat.  So I’ll wait for a better day, but that doesn’t change the fact that I really would’ve liked to watch this game on TV!!!  I’m not the only one either.  I overheard several people mention it today.  Scott Kazmir on the mound, sold out crowd, c’mon!  What?  I have to get a life?  Read a book?  It just ends up driving me to drink!

So in between beers and chapters, I checked the score, and after the game I read through the play by play.  This just irked me even further.  There are so many things I would like to have seen.  Not to mention all the stuff that looks basic but could have been stellar.  Here’s my list.

CC and Upton double steal with error?
CC double
BJ’s RBI
Clifford’s homerun
Pena’s double
Fielders choice to SS, but Pena’s out at third.  Why did he run?
Kazmir 7IP, 3H, 0runs
Howell’s two strikeouts
Miller’s battle to get Pierzynski to fly out.
Balfour closing it out.
The crowd.
Rays win!  Chicago 0 – Tampa 2

And you know what’s going to cause me to get really drunk?  There’s a freakin local telethon on NBC here instead of the Stanley Cup finals!

Sonny better have gotten cleaned up so he can bring it tomorrow, and the Rays can pick up another series.  Go Rays!!

Another Game, Another Hero.

Clifford hit a walk off homerun!  He’s not a big red dog, but he’s large and he can wail.  Rays win!  Final score Chicago 1 – Tampa 2!

Mr. Maddon must have got my memo since he went back to my preferred line-up.  Now if only he would give Ruggiano a chance.

James Shields is such a trooper.  Last time out he didn’t have great stuff but pitched eight innings anyway.  He was off again tonight, but he kept going after them, and he kept his team in the game.  I dig that about him.  He really only made one big mistake and that was to a guy that nobody knows how to pitch to anyway.  Oh, and his wife is really cute too.

The relief corps did their jobs, when any slight mistake could have cost the Rays the game.  Excellent work men.

BJ Upton is looking great at the plate right now.  He’s the guy I want up there in the big situations.

Pena is not the guy I want up there right now.  He had two more strikeouts tonight in key situations.

Aki had a couple hits tonight.  He’s really stepping it up.

The defense was excellent again.  Couple huge double plays.  The only blip was the fly ball they let drop in short center, but BJ was able to make a play at second anyway for the third out.  Nice job by Longo to be covering there,  or as Magrane called him “Johnny on the spot.”

The big guy deserves three beers cheers for creaming that fast ball to center, and leveling the series with one swing of the bat!

Let’s hope Kazmir can keep it going tomorrow!  Go Rays!!

Dang Danks.

The Rays had trouble with Danks and his southpaw again last night.  Sox 5 – Rays 1. 

Jackson just couldn’t keep the ball down, and he paid for it.

Runners were stranded on 3rd at least three times that I remember.  Barty’s base-running in particular was excellent.  I find him excellent on many levels though.

The Rays still played good defense.  BJ gunned down a runner going for a triple.  Really cool.

Jonny Gomes struck out four times.  Four.  Excruciating.

Pena is coming up in a lot of key situations and not getting the job done.  Hope he turns that around tonight.

Maddon keeps messing with the line-up.  Doesn’t he respect the streak?  Don’t ruin their chemistry Joe!

So let’s hope the Rays can get back on track tonight.  Go Rays!!

Oh, all night I was wondering why Nick Swisher kinda creeps me out.  Then I figured it out.  He looks like a ventriloquist doll.  No, I wasn’t smoking crack last night.  Next time you see him you’re going to be like “Oh, my gosh she’s right!”

Matt Garza is one bad mofo.

Just look at that shit eatin grin.  He wasn’t scared of no stinkin Rangers.  He went out there and got his team a series win, because he is the man.  The man with lots of spit that’s stringy like spiderman’s webs.  He pitched eight innings and only gave up two runs.  Which is much easier to handle than say like TWELVE runs.  Too bad he wasn’t on TV so everyone could appreciate his badassness.

Rays win.  Texas 3 – Tampa 5!  I can totally see why those Mets fans want to join the party.

Mercy Percy what are ya doin to me?  He left the game with a hurt hamstring?  Please let it be minor, he’s like the mental warrior in the bullpen.

Another sad note, we never got to see CJ Wilson of the Rangers.  Word on the street is he’s pretty hawt.

Now the White Sox are coming to town, and Nick Swisher is the opposite of hawt.  Let’s hope the Rays can win the series this time around.  Go Rays!!

What do you mean?  The Rays aren’t invincible?

They have been flat out awesome lately, but tonight they just couldn’t pull it off.  Sonny was pitching batting practice and the score was 7-0 when the second inning was done.  For a moment it looked like they might make a comeback, but they couldn’t hold off those Rangers.  Final score Texas 12 – Tampa 6. 

Seriously analyzing this game would be painful so here are some wacky observations from tonights game.

Aki’s hair issues are contagious.  Sonny needs a good cut and shave, and he’ll be back to his shut out self.

Padilla reminds me of someone.  He’s like a cross between Jimmy Smits and George Lopez.

Pena is looking to win the longest at bat title this year.  Bobby Abreu better watch his back.  It’s annoying Carl Crawford when he wants to steal bases though, and they need him to fly.

Did anybody see the shot of Howell after the top of the 7th?  He totally smacked himself and rattled off some choice words.  They didn’t show him after he gave up a grand slam in the 8th, hope he’s alright.

Hinske laid out for a fly ball but missed it.  Here’s the thing, does Gabe Gross make that play easily?  Doesn’t matter, Hinske hits lots of homeruns.

Two things I found unbelievable.  That Sonny came out to pitch after the second.  That Glover was the go to guy.  Even before the grand slam, Glover was the guy getting ready?  Why?  I’m obviously missing something.

BJ was cranky all night.  Didn’t like the strike calls, and was pissed when no one was covering second when he thought he had a play. 

Let’s hope Sonny goes to the barber and comes back fresh, because his last two starts were nothing to brag about.

Another series win would rock.  Go Rays!!

Great Scott What a Memorable Memorial Day!

The great Mr. Hinske once said “We’re just havin fun and ridin the wave.”  So are your fans sir, so are your fans.  The Rays took the first game of the series from the Rangers tonight.  Texas 3 – Tampa 7.

Scott Kazmir was phenomenal.  He pitched seven innings and struck out ten.  He only gave up three hits and one run.  He just kept sitting them down.

The Rays offense on the other hand annoyed the Rangers pitchers all night.  They scored seven runs, but they also left 15 on base. 

The horns annoyed me all night!  It was like kids learning to play the trombone.  I’m getting a tick in my eye just thinking about it.

Bottom 1st – Aki walks, but CC hits into a fielders choice.  BJ basehit followed by Pena base hit scores Crawford.  0-1 Rays.

Bottom 4th – Bartlett bunted out.  Aki base hit to left.  CC ground out but moves Aki over.  BJ hits another base hit.  Aki scores.  0-2 Rays.

Bottom 5th – Clifford had an infield single.  You had to see it to believe it.  Navi walked.  Hinske hits a three run shot!  This is where you pump your fist and say YES!  0-5 Rays.

Top 6th – They actually got to Kazmir a little bit.  A single, double and sac fly later it’s 1-5 Rays.  Two nice plays this inning.  One great catch by our resident superhero Crawford, and a nice throw down to third by Navi to get the little bugger trying to steal.

Bottom 6th – Longo basehit.  Love him.  Navi doubles and Longo scores from first.  1-6 Rays.

Bottom 7th – Bartlett and Aki walk.  CC hits one of his yucky choppers, but beats out the double play.  BJ hits a sac fly to make it 1-7 Rays.

Reyes got them in order in the eighth.

Glover in the 9th.  No comment.  He is the only player that routinely gives me flash backs to last year.  Okay I guess that’s a comment.  He promptly gives up a double and a homerun.  WTF?  Is he on the hotseat with Willie Randolph now?   3-7 Rays.  Miller came in to save the day, and the Rays now have the best record in baseball.  Did you hear that…the best.  Unbelievable.

Let’s hope the Rays can keep ridin the wave tomorrow.  Go Rays!!

Side note – A nice way to remember our troops is to pick up a flat rate box at the post office.  I usually grab an $8 one.  You can fill it with whatever you want.  I filled it with candy last time because it’s cheap and fun.  Then you can go to anysoldier.com and pick a soldier to send it to.  It’s a little thing, but it goes a long way to showing that we care. 

How much do you love the Rays right now!!

Let’s party.  The Rays swept the O’s.  In dramatic fashion.  They’re back in first place.  They are tied for the best record in baseball.  Tomorrow is a holiday.  Seriously, let’s party!

Some guys played great today, some guys not so much, but it doesn’t matter.  Right now I love every single one of them.  For fifty games now they have been a great team.  Let’s just enjoy the moment.

Have a Happy Memorial Day.  Hope the Rays can keep up their winning ways!  Go Rays!!

Not on TV!!!

This is a game I wish I could have seen!  Even if it was a bit like batting practice for the Rays.  What do Staats and Magrane do on these nights?  They wouldn’t want to miss the Commodores.

Evan Longoria is way hotter than Eva.  The fact that I’m not a switch hitter might have something to do with it but…  Evan hit two homeruns tonight.  In the first two innings.  Love him.  He drove in six runs.  Six.  That’s hot!

The super cool BJ Upton went 4 for 4 with two doubles.  Smooth.

Pena was rockin too.  Was he just a homerun shy of the cycle?

Can’t comment on any of the defensive plays, because the freakin game wasn’t on TV!

E. Jackson finally gets a win.  Although he pitched five innings and gave up three runs.  I’m going to venture a guess that he was struggling with control.  I’m not a professional, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

Howell did good in relief once again.

Glover did not good in relief once again.

Reyes finished it.  Oh and the Rays won big.  Baltimore 4 – Tampa 11!

Hope they saved some bat power for a sweep tomorrow!  Go Rays!!

Back in the saddle again.

You know what’s funny?  I could hardly wait for the game to start tonight.  Due to illness and off days I hadn’t watched the Rays in like four days.  I know I’m a dork, but I was going through serious withdrawals, and they didn’t disappoint.  Rays win!  Baltimore 0 – Tampa 2. 

Aubrey friggan Huff hits a triple his first time up.  A triple.  He’s so annoying, but three batters later Pena makes a great play and gets him at the plate.  Pena is the opposite of annoying.

Bottom of 2nd Longo hits a ball all the way to the wall but Markakis makes a nice grab.  Dagnabit.

The Rays had 2 on and 1 out in the 4th too, but Longo and Floyd struck out to end it.  I think Clifford should have to let me borrow his earring for that.  Did you see the size of that thing? 

Pena makes a nice catch on a foul ball in the stands.  He’s still got it defensively.

Hinske singles in the bottom of the 5th, and then sort of steals second.  He only reached because of an error.  Aki hits a long fly ball but the Orioles outfield makes another great catch.  Crawford gets a base hit, and Hinske scores!

 Pena had a nice base hit in the 6th, but the Rays left him stranded.  Yes I said he got a hit.

Garza pitched a great game.  It wasn’t without drama, but he shutdown the O’s for seven innings.

Huff and Puff thought he hit a fair ball by first base, but it was call foul.  Boy did he huff and puff!  ION never showed a good replay of it so I have no idea if it was a good call or not.  Miller got him to ground into a double play after that.  Huge.

BJ singles in the bottom of the 8th, then Sherrill throws away his pick off attempt and BJ glides on over to third.  Pena cracks one, but another Orioles outfielder makes yet another web gem catch.  They won’t let anything drop.  BJ tags up and scores so the Rays lead is extended to two.

Percy came in and finished them off like the closer he is.

The Rays played a pretty clean game tonight.  My only negative thoughts were that Aki hit a bunch of fly balls again, never good, and Longo looked a little lost.

Let’s hope for an encore tomorrow night.  Go Rays!!

Bossman Junior of course.

Was there any doubt.  BJ Upton is one cool customer.  Matter of fact I think people don’t appreciate him because he makes everything look so easy.  He’s a natural talent, and he’s so stinkin smooth.  I predict big things for him this year, and a memorial weekend. 

The only person that is cool enough to play him in a movie is Samuel L. Jackson. 

And I’ve found a perfect leading lady for BJ.

If only the rest of us had a little of his coolness.  Oh and let’s hope he gets a little cooler on the base paths, or at least starts getting the calls.  Go Rays!!