HER RAYS!

The Rays keep on winning even when this blogger procrastinates. 

I missed the game on Sunday because I was watching kids play baseball.  Cliff Lee pitched a complete game and the Rays still won.  I didn’t really have too much to say about that except “Good on ya mates.”

Then yesterday the Rays squeezed out another win, but it was pretty late when they finished and I was falling asleep at the computer.  I figured since there was a day game in a few hours…

On to today.  Rays win.  Again.  They are totally ridiculous right now.  Half of the team is not even hitting well and they keep finding ways to win.

The pitching has been pretty great.  Even if they aren’t perfect they find a way to keep their team in the game.  Can’t ask for anything more than that.  The bullpen is pulling their weight too.  Ben Wha?  Been awesome.  Sonny has even been getting some big outs.

Pena had some big hits today, and BJ is smacking the ball it just happens to be right at someone.  Longo is on fire.  I can’t believe I’m going to say this but I agree with Kevin Kennedy that Longo should be the number three hitter. 

It feels weird not having anything to complain about.  Rays fans could get used to this.  Oh, I can think of one thing that annoys me.  Watching a third strike, with runners in scoring position.  Yeah I’m lookin at you Benny and Willy.  Those pitches were way too close to take.  Matter of fact the nickname Zorilla came about because Ben was an animal who was aggressive at the plate.  Time to let the Zorilla loose again!

Oh and from bummer central comes the news that JP Howell is probably done for a year.  There needs to be a full blown investigation here.  I need to know if I should be hating on Peggy Fleming for wrecking the boy’s shoulder.

Tomorrow the boys will face the big bad Yankees.  Let’s hope they just keep keepin on.  Go Rays!

Even though it doesn’t seem like it around here lately, I am still addicted to the Rays.  I love these guys, but they really have me torn this year between good baseball sense and basic emotions.

For example, I love Andy Sonnanstine and he’s really handsome but I did not want him on the mound Tuesday night.  I wanted Kazmir.  When I use my good baseball sense I know the Kazmir trade was smart, but my basic emotions thought the timing stunk because I wanted him to pitch against Lester.  I wish Scott well and I hope he gets a tan or something because he definitely looks better in blue.

BJ Upton also had me torn.  He is so great on defense and there’s nothing better than watching him gun down runners.  However I hear a sucking sound every time he comes to the plate.  Now last night he looked much better and I’m hoping he’s turning it around, because I was really starting to think they should pinch hit for him in big situations.  Come back to us Beej!

JP is causing me stress too.  Now is not the time for our bullpen savior to fall apart.  Send him to the guru stat!

Pat the Bat I thought you blew, but you can hit the ball, who knew!

Welcome back Mr. Longoria.  Perfect timing, now lose the beard.  I say that with nothing but love.

Team Barty!  WooHoo!

So what’s the biggest Rays question in my pea sized brain?  Are they still in it?  Tuesday I said no, Wednesday I said maybe so???  What’s a girl to think?  Go Rays!

Oh and Mr. Perez’s mustache is a thing of beauty.  It reminds me of someone???

As we speak the Rays are in Seattle.  They probably had an excellent cup of coffee this morning.  Now that they are awake, it’s time that we chat.

Rays,

Stellar job taking two from Boston and rockin the Trop.  That was so lovely. 

Now I must apologize in advance.  You see, I will be rooting for you this week, just not like usual.  I suck at west coast games.  I’m very sleepy by the time the game even starts.  So I want to admit to being a big bucket of fail.  That way you know what to expect.  I will however cheer extra hard for you during the afternoon games. 

That doesn’t mean that you can slack off though.  You’ve got these teams right where you want them.  Do not let up.  Got it.  None of the errors.  None of the disappearing bats.  No pitching of meatballs.  Pretend they are Red Sox if you have to.  Just get it done.  Mmmkay thanks.

In parting I would like to leave you with some famous lines from the genius John Hughes that remind me of a couple of you boys.

JP Howell – “The thing is, I’m kinda like the leader.  Kinda like the king of dipshits.”

Joe Maddon – “We’re all gonna have so much fu*king fun we’ll need plastic surgery to remove our smiles.”

Longo – Oh he’s very popular Ed.  The sportos, the motorheads, geeks, sluts, bloods, waistoids, dweebies, dickheads – they all adore him.  They think he’s a righteous dude.

Joe Nelson – Long Duck Dong

Go Rays!

Pardon me fella, but could you please sit your ass back down. 

Holy crap I got everything I asked for in my last post.  The trip to the Guru worked and Garza found his zen like state, enabling him to pitch up to his potential.  The Rays pulled their heads out of their behinds and scored some runs, and they took down those birds dressed in baby blue.  Sweet! 

Seriously though Matt Garza was phenomenal when all anybody could talk about was how great Roy Halladay is.  Matt has won this match up several times.  I for one appreciate it, especially tonight.  He went the distance pitching nine innings.  Thank God.  For a minute there I saw some guys up in the bullpen who I did not want to see in this game.  I won’t name names but some rhyme with boat and dealer, and the other is the opposite of strike three.

Thanks to BJ, CC, Barty, Pat and especially Longo for getting hits tonight.  It was very nice to see the offense come through and get Matt the win.  It sucks when a pitcher goes nine innings and gets a loss.  Just ask Roy.

How happy were you to see JP Howell come in?  Watch out JP, Rays fans are getting attached to your comfortable presence at the end of the game.  You make us feel safe.

Here’s the plan for tomorrow.  Price finds his way again, and everybody hits giving him a comfortable lead.  Oh and the Yankees and Red Sox manage to lose their games.  Go Rays!

Thanks for being good at baseball and saving the bullpen and staying focused and striking out AJ and fighting for the win.  You’re cool big guy.

I feel like I should maybe thank Bobby Jenks a little bit too?

Others deserving fist bumps…
Barty – Nice night at the plate, especially the lead off single in the ninth against the guy who struck you out to end the game last night.  Right back at ya, Bobby.

Longo – Nifty defense and a timely sac fly.

Burrell – Bases loaded walks are RBI’s too.

Joe D – Pretty good D at second for someone who hasn’t played in a while.  ( I still think he got busted doing something and was grounded?)

Navi – Two hits and a good night behind the plate.  Can we get an encore tomorrow?

JP – Saving the day.

I know the games are only an hour later but it’s killing me.  Yes, I’m weak.  I must go sleep now.  Go Rays!

Since it was a day game with a rain delay, I did a kind of drive by viewing.  However after the final pitch I let out a girly “Yay!”  That’s what it’s come to in close games this year.  It’s sort of suprising when the Rays find a way to win.

Know who I cheered the most for today?  Mother Nature.  When they pulled out the tarp, I was just hoping it would keep raining.  That’s called avoidance but today I was okay with that.

Wasn’t it nice to see a Rays starter not have a shitter inning where they walk people and then give up a home run.  Thank you James Shields.  You were excellent today.  Please share the secret of your success with the others.

Plus the offense was able to score against Santana.  Johan Santana.   What a treat, like pie and coffee.

Oh and Wheeler and JP finished the Mets off nicely.  All in all a good game that ended with a W for the good guys.  Let’s hope they can keep it going tomorrow.  Go Rays!

I have to be honest though, that gave me a freakin heart attack.  James Shields was great.  He was like a security blanket, making me feel all warm and fuzzy.  Matter of fact I was so comfortable that I had a tantrum when Mr. Maddon came to take him away.  I’m terrified of the bullpen after that traumatic trip to Cleveland.

Luckily JP came in and held the Twins.  (hee hee TWSS)  It wasn’t pretty but he got the job done.  As did Wheeler, whom I have no confidence in.  C’mon, admit it, when he walked that batter you were preparing yourself for the worst.  If you weren’t you are a better man than me.

How annoying is Joe Mauer with all the hitting and stuff.  What must it be like to have a catcher that hits?

Longo’s error was fugly, but we’ll let it slide since he drove in three runs.  Plus we love him. 

We love them all tonight.  Rays win! 

This game was frustrating because the Rays really seemed to outplay the A’s.  It just felt like they would put that run up there first.  Let’s play the blame game.

James Shields pitched a helluva game, but his offense couldn’t help him out.  They deserve the lions share of the blame.  They had a runner on third in three separate innings with only one out, but there was not one single measly ground ball or sac fly in sight.  The 3 and 4 hitters put up zeros.

Jason Bartlett had a very untimely error in the 11th.  I blame this on Staats and Kennedy for going on and on about how great he is.  Yes he has been supremely awesome this year, but let him quietly go about his business.  Just because I write poems about him…

I guess Nelson deserves a little bit of the blame since he threw the meatball that Holliday put in the seats.

I would also like to give a big fat slice of blame to Joe Maddon.  What possessed him to bring in Navi?  That was the turning point in the game.  Gross struck out, and then all of a sudden Shields couldn’t find the strike-zone.  I understand that those things could have happened with Herny in the game but…I think he messed up the flow you know.

Oh JP and Willy don’t deserve any blame.  JP shut them down, and Willy is really looking good.  The Rays need to find him a starting job.  Oh, and I’ll take Zobrist over Kapler any day of the week. 

Tough loss but they aren’t going to win every game and there are quite a few more.  Go Rays!

The Rays must have been out to impress the chicks tonight.  You know since chicks dig the long ball.  They hit 6 dingers, two off of Mr. Rivera.  Obviously the new Yankees Stadium is some bizarro world of opposites.

Barty, who chicks dig anyway, got it started right off the bat.  Get it, right off the bat.  I crack myself up.  Sorry I get goofy when I’m tired. 

Pena was next to join the party.  Longo hit two.  He’s a bit of a show off.  Zobrist’s was the most impressive.  Carl Crawford’s was pivotal.  I declared my love for him quite loudly.

Pat the Bat deserves some credit too, he drove in a much needed run.  Also the defense was pretty solid all around.

This was a great win, especially heading into Boston.  However the pitching was scarier than Norman Bates or 2007.  Pick your poison.  Every time the Rays got a lead the pitching handed it back.  When are Davis or Price going to be ready?  Sonny was very good last night so hopefully he’s fixed, but Niemann is frightening.  I know he had his moments at the beginning of the season, but maybe the scouting reports are a factor now?  Will the Rays make a move, or am I doomed to be seriously stressed every fifth start?

At least Howell looked much better and a little fired up.  It’s weird that Wheeler kind of blew it, but then ended up with the win?  Whatever.

Time to take it to the Sox again.  Go Rays, keep climbing!

editors note* – Apparently the official scorer later awarded the win to Nelson.  Much better.

Nothing funny about tonight’s game, that sucked.  Garza pitched a good game.  He gave up two runs but most nights his offense should be able to help him out with that. 

AJ Burnett was nasty.  It wasn’t until the 7th inning that the Rays were able to scrape together some hits.  They fought hard the whole game and finally tied the score at two.

However it was all for not.  JP Howell came in and gave up a run, and Wheeler came in a gave up four runs.  No relief at all.  The opposite of Advil.

I was actually surprised that the Rays were able to get to Burnett.  Halfway through the game I figured he was going to pitch a complete game shutout.  I guess that’s why I was so bummed that the bullpen did the opposite of their job.

My mind kept going back to one thing tonight though.  Rays Index had a great piece a while back about situational pitching.  If you have time you should give it a read.  Anyway I guess I’m just wondering why JP pitched the whole 8th, and Wheeler pitched the whole 9th, instead of switching things up for certain situations.  I know the Yankees have quite a few switch hitters, so that screws things up but…
I’m tired, it could just be crazy talk.

Let’s hope Andy, Sonnanstine that is, can pick up the Rays tomorrow and they can win this series.  Go Rays!!