HER RAYS!

Rays fans are wondering this morning why their team is trying to kill them! 

First Matt Garza gave up home runs to the two guys we’d all like to thwomp, Youkilis and Pedroia.

Then the offense couldn’t seem to get anything going.

Then the bullpen bags sucked in the game winning run, and we had to listen to the announcers go on and on about it.

Then there were the men on base that never got to come home.  Over and over again.

Thankfully the Rays bullpen was brilliant, when I really thought they would blow it at anytime.

Thankfully the Rays defense held up.

Thankfully the Sox decided to pitch Longo, and he took matters into his own hands.

The game was never boring that’s for sure.  However many Rays fans are now staggering around work with coffee IV’s wondering if they can fit in a nap at lunch time.

Plus to make matter worse it’s raining where I am.  That means I can go back to bed right?

Way to go Rays!  See you in a couple of hours.

For years the Red Sox have been looking for some way to stop Carl Crawford.  After the game several boxes were discovered in the visitors dugout.  They all had the ACME logo on them.  Anti Carl Mission Equipment.  You know the end of the story though, dude kept flying around the bases ala…

                           What a weekend.  How did Pedroia get from the Derby to the game so fast?

The Rays took three from Boston!  Very cool.  I also wonder how that third game might have turned out if Maddon would have made a pitching change.  You know something is up when all the Rays bloggers agreed that Shouse shouldn’t have been pitching there.  Coulda Shoulda Woulda.

Rays fans far and wide were happy to see them come back to life.  I hope they can keep up with this intensity, because it’s becoming pretty obvious that this division is going to be a dog fight to the end.  Go Rays!!

(photo Espn.com)

Okay I don’t know if Spring is in the air or what but that was so hot.  Mister Garza was damn near perfect.  The team really needed a charge and boy did he deliver.  He even proved that Pedroia can’t hit the high inside fast ball.  If only Jacoby Ellsbury wasn’t so bloody fast…  Barty made a great play on that ball and a slower man would have been toast.  Oh well it was still fantastic to watch.  Way to rock and fire Matt.

Mr. Hernandez deserves some credit tonight too.  After watching Navi’s horrible performance last night, Michel really looked like a pro.  He helped make Garza perfect, and he hit too.  What a concept.  Hopefully that’s the little prod that Navi needs.

I don’t know what turned these guys around but I hope it’s here to stay.  Everybody was hitting, even Gabe Gross.  I hope they saved some runs for the rest of the series!

Did anyone else notice the music as Josh Beckett was leaving the field?  So ya had a bad day…That cracked me up.

A couple more observations:
The Red Sox catcher Kottaras is very cute.
It still hurts my heart to see Rocco in the wrong dugout with the wrong clothes on.
Every team needs a Van Everything.  Where can we get one?  Can Zobrist pitch?

Hey Rays, how about winning two in a row. 

Think Dice-K got tired of seeing Longo today?  Or did Garza’s face give Pedroia even more hell?  Either way that was a sweet win today.  Sweet I say!

The Rays won their first series, against the Red Sox, at Fenway, and I saw the game!  Ironically the game started with a Knology commercial that spewed about us all being connected.  To which I replied “not anymore, Brighthouse is coming tomorrow.”  Evidently in this area to get all the Rays games it’s either Brighthouse or a dish.

Did I mention that the Rays won two in Boston? 

Garza was fantabulous.  I wish I could enter the drawing to take him to school.  I was so glad to see him shut down the little guy with the neck beard, since he’s been on my nerves what with the getting a hit every time he’s up to bat.  I especially loved the time Garza just made him look silly.  Josh Beckett would have had his arrogant smirk if he would have struck someone out in that fashion.  I think Garza needs to work on something like that.  I wonder if he can raise one eyebrow, because that would rock.

Shirley you didn’t call him Joyce.  I think it is simply a case of love at first sight.  Pretty good play in center and a homerun.  I dig that about you Matt.

Oh and have I declared my love for Evan Longoria lately?  Not to mention the cherry on top of the day Shawn Riggans.  Yeah I know, I love almost everyone on the team.  Almost.

I missed the Zobrist debacle, so we won’t go there.  However Percival makes me blue.  No seriously I stop breathing when he’s in.  I guess I should give him credit.  He got the save.  Good thing.  Don’t want him getting on Garza’s bad side.

WooHoo Rays.  Hope tomorrow really is a good Friday!

(photo ESPN.com)

Nothing better than blowin off work and spending the day at the ballpark.  I’ll be seeing the Rays later this month, but today I got to check out Team USA as they took on the BlueJays.  I had a great time, since it was almost like going to an all-star game.  Plus as a bonus I got to see JP Howell pitch a scoreless inning, complete with pimp walk off the field.

He started out with two strikeouts.  Then he got bored and gave up a couple of hits, but he recovered and got a fly ball to end the inning.  JP representing.

I won’t bore you with my pictures since they all have that netting in them, and most of them are players from the back.  There is one that’s kind of odd though…

It was funny, these two and David Wright spent most of the game on the top step of the dugout, just shootin the breeze.  It was driving their fans crazy.  I think they really wanted them to hate each other.  I just wanted to know what they were talking about?  How Pedroia got time off from his reality show Jockies?

Some other HerRays observations from the day…
Ted Lilly is good at baseball.
Chipper Jones is a big dude.
Adam Dunn is ginormous, and a better first baseman than Kevin Millar.
Jimmy Rollins is little, but he has big range.
I didn’t see the Hawaiian fly?
Derek Jeter is captain America.  No really, he’s the Michael Jordon of baseball.
Mark DeRosa is kinda hot.  I like Aki and all, but maybe we could make a trade.
Curtis Granderson looks bigger in person, and man is he built for speed.
Barry Larkin looks like he could still play some good ball.

It’s quite a team.  Hopefully they can put it together and do well in the tournament.  In the meantime, now I’m really excited to see the Rays.  It’s baseball season people!

This…

is not helping.  Really, was a kleenex inducing ad necessary?  You look way too cute in the picture and what’s with all the niceness?  This would be way easier if you would just say “later sucka.”  Just go be with your new buds.  You can dance with Papelbon, hunt with Beckett, use Pedroia’s head as an arm rest, and feel free to smack Youkilis in the dugout.  I think it’s customary.  

Because that was exhausting!  The post season is supposed to be all about pitching right?  Not last night.  It was like a study in opposites compared to the first game.

Kazmir had a painful start, giving up two runs in the first.  Not the tone the Rays wanted to set, but you can’t count the Rays out that early in the game.

In the bottom of the 1st.  Pena doubled and the Longo hit a two run homerun to get right back into it.  That was huge against Beckett.  Longo looked more like himself.  Could have been the pep talk he got from Maddon, or maybe my idea worked.  IBT* squad to the rescue.

Both pitchers got through the 2nd inning.  Then Kazmir gives up a homerun to Pedroia.  Ugh.  3-2 Boston.

In the bottom of the 3rd BJ homers right back to tie it.  Longo doubles and Crawford singles to score him.  This game is officially wacked at this point.  4-3 Rays.

Floyd hits a bomb to center in the 4th inning.  5-3 Rays.  Rock on!

Top of the 5th.  Kazmir gives up another homerun to Pedroia.  Two homeruns to mighty mouse!  Yes, I yelled at the TV.  Then he follows that up with another long ball to Youkilis.  Aaaaagh!  Maddon’s seen enough.  Balfour is in.  He promptly serves one up to Jason Bay!  Can no pitcher hold the game tonight?!  Balfour even walked the next two, and JP had to come in to end the inning.  6-5 Boston.  Dammit.

Bottom 5th.  Upton walks and then steals 2nd.  Pena singles and BJ scores.  Unfreakingbelievable.  Tie game.  Longo doubles and scores Pena.  7-6 Rays.  Pitching smitching.  CC singles and scores Longo.  8-6 Rays.  Can they keep it that way?

Top of 6th.  Howell walks Pedroia.  Maddon comes to the mound and says “focus dude, if you only do one thing for me today, strike this mofo out!”  JP strikes out Ortiz.  Bradford comes in and gives up a single to score that pesky Pedroia.  Just like that, the lead is cut to one.

The pitchers actually hold in the seventh.  Totally amazing at this point.

Top of the 8th.  Pedroia singles off of Bradford.  The kid is everywhere, it seems like he’s up to bat every inning.  Miller comes in and walks the only guy he’s asked to get out, Ortiz.  Maybe Maddon should have given him the focus speech.  Wheeler comes in and gets Youkilis to ground into a double play!  Sweet, except now Pedroia is on third.  Then came the wild pitch that was heard around the world.  Pedroia scores.  Tie game, again.  I can’t handle much more of this.

Wheeler actually did a great job except for that wild pitch.  He pitched the Rays into the 11th inning, where he was rescued by Mr. Price.  Price came in with one out and a man on first.  He walked Drew, but then regained his composure and got out of the inning.  You know he had to be so nervous.  Great job chosen one.

Bottom of the 11th.  The Rays face Mike Timlin.  Navi walks and Perez comes in to run for him.  Zobrist walked.  Barty had a timely chopper down to third and moved the runners over.  They walked Aki, and the bases were loaded with one out.  BJ hits a short sac fly to right.  No problem for Speedy McSpeedster, Perez scores.  Rays win!  Rays win game two!

In this case 9>8!  Go Rays!

Get some rest today people.

*itty bitty titty

Doubting the Rays would be pretty foolish at this point in the season, but they definitely have a challenge ahead of them.  They got past the White Sox, but can they wear out the Red Sox?  It ain’t gonna be easy folks.  The Rays are going to have to lay it all on the line.  Just ask the Angels, any little mistake can cost you against Boston.  On the other hand, the Red Sox are going to have their hands full with the Rays too.

Yeah I just wrote a whole paragraph trying to say that this series is going to be intense.  I’m antsy just thinking about it.  At first I didn’t want the Rays to play Boston, but now I see that to be the best you have to beat the best, and it will only be that much more rewarding.

Here’s a list of what goes thru my mind when I see certain Red Sox players…

DiceK – his Indian name would be “man who throws too many pitches east”, because Kazmir is “man who throws too many pitches west”
Lester – ace of hearts, just need to get to the bullpen
Beckett – smug
Varitek – the glue
Casey – Mr. Ed
Youkilis – whiny baby who doesn’t suck at baseball
Pedroia – classic case of shortman syndrome
Lowrie – squeaky clean
Lowell – distinguished gentleman
Bay – coulda, shoulda, woulda
Ellsbury – annoyingly good
Drew – suddenly clutch
Papi – does he miss Manny?
Crisp – not kid appropriate, involves many four letter words

Oh and y’all thought I was crazy, but evidently I’m a trend setter.  Girls everywhere are going for the rayshawk to the south idea.  I think we should let the Red Sox players in on this phenomena.  That way maybe they’ll be distracted when they see a cute girl in the crowd, wondering if she’s really supporting her team.  Go Rays!!

Thank you Sonny.

Sorry for the late post, but sometimes real life gets in the way of blogging.

Andy Sonnanstine can hang with Josh Beckett folks.  Who would’ve thunk.  I for one think that is superb, since Josh seems so smug out there on the mound.  Like he can hardly be bothered to even continue with these peasants.  He was down right pissed when the academy award nominated Justin Ruggiano was “hit” by a pitch.  The best was when he totally smirked after striking out Perez.

Do you think he’s so arrogant in everyday life?  Do you think super confident Pedroia doesn’t even mess with him.  I can see Beckett flicking Dustin off like a flea.  Be gone.

Anyway how bout them Rays!  Pena keeps riding the wave and hit a major game tying homerun off of Beckett.  That was huge considering nobody else was able to touch Josh until that point.

The bullpen was stellar again.  Love you boys.  You know who else I love?  Jason Bartlett.  He got things started in the ninth, and scored the winning run.  Then there’s Navi.  I don’t love him like I love Barty or Longo, because of the hotness factor, but I do have a lot of love for that husky catcher.

Let’s hope they can do it again tonight.  Maybe they need more mohawks?  I for one want to see a Gross mohawk, if you know what I mean.

Go Rays!!

Gettin away from Garza.

Everything was getting away from Matt Garza tonight.  His pitches were getting away, and since they were comin up and in the batters started getting away, and then in the sixth the game got away from him.  Did he have onions at dinner? 

The Rays lost one tonight even though they didn’t play bad.  I’m still waiting for the night that offense clicks from top to bottom though.  Final score Tampa 4 – Boston 7.

Aki started it off on a high note with a home run.

Speaking of notes, has anyone else noticed that Garza seems to be singing to himself in between pitches?  I noticed it on his last start.  I wonder if he’s trying to keep himself loose?  What do you think he’s singing?

Pedroia’s beard is scraggly.  Ick.

In the bottom of the second I thought it was over.  Garza gave up a hit, home run, and a double with no outs.  Apparently he listened to me, since I was pleading with him “Settle down!”

He was dodging the bullet all night.  In the third he was in trouble but miraculously got Manny to ground into a double play.

Masterson buzzed BJ, and BJ was like, oh no you didn’t, and responded with a double.  Pena copied him and the Rays tied the game.

Nancy Drew should change his name to Rob, since he robbed the Rays a couple of times tonight.

Then to make matters worse he creamed one off of Garza.  2-3 Sox.

In the sixth BJ singles, steals second and then Pena hits one out.  Mmm Mmm good.  4-3 Rays.

That fuzzy feeling didn’t last though.  It all unravelled in the bottom of the sixth.  Garza hits Youkilis.  Then Manny hits a ground ball to short that Bartlett can’t handle.  Lowell fouls out.  Then Drew walks.  So bases loaded 1 out.  Varitek singles up the middle, scores 1.  Tie game.  So do you take Garza out?  My thought was no since he’s got the 8 and 9 hitters coming up.  I was wrong, Crisp hits a double that Hinske misplays.  4-6 Sox.

So Balfour comes in to relieve, and promptly walks Lugo.  Lugo.  You’ve got to make Lugo hit the ball.  Were they trying to set up the double play?  If so I don’t agree since Ellsbury is on deck.  He ends up hitting a sac fly, 4-7 Sox.  Balfour gets a strike out to stop the bleeding.

You better sit down for this news.  Glover pitched two scoreless innings.  No shit.

Why don’t they show the fan running on the field?  That’s must see TV.

The Rays never ending list of outfielders came in handy tonight when Maddon was playing bait and switch with Terry Francona. 

I get bummed when the Rays lose now, even when I knew it would be tough to win at Fenway.  Longo was robbed by Drew, and drew a walk but he also looked awful at the plate a couple of times.  Barty had an error at a bad time and was 0 for 4.  I still love you guys.

Let’s hope the Rays can shake it off, and come out swinging and pitching tomorrow.  Go Rays!!