HER RAYS!

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!

Jose Molina has a go-go gadget arm.  He will throw your ass out.  If he can throw Carl Crawford out TWICE, he can throw anybody out.  Why keep trying? Does it become like a Tin Cup moment?

They have a Molina, so what the Rays have a Price.  You see you don’t need to throw out runners if your pitcher doesn’t let them reach base.  David Price sent the Jays home today without even so much as a parting gift.  He was filthy and efficient, a wonderful combination. 

It’s so much fun having a catcher that can hit!  Jaso was 2 for 3.  Think Navi gives him the stink eye the whole game?

I love Barty, but it was awesome to see Brignac at short today.  Like Natalie Imbruglia, I’m torn.  At least Jason came in and drove in some runs.

BJ, Longo and Pena have been pretty solid lately, just quietly going about their business.  This team is so groovy.

Speaking of groovy, Mr. Garza and Aybar were groovin in the dugout.  I think we need an encore. 

There was a Matt Joyce spotting.  Somebody twirl that boy in bubble wrap, until he gets better.

In conclusion, the Rays are awesome right now.  Baseball is fun.  Let the good times roll.  Go Rays!

I got my free t-shirt.

I’m surprised there weren’t more men going for these shirts.  I know guys who have way bigger crushes on Longo than I do, and that’s say something.

The place seemed pretty empty, but then the people just kept rolling in.  22,000 is not bad for Friday night, and I would think there will be more over the weekend.  Plus wasn’t there some sort of draft going on?

So I’m not going to lie.  When Matt Garza’s other personality showed up I was squirming in my seat.  You see my mind is warped and I was starting to wonder if this was all my fault.  Did I break the streak by not being in my comfy chair at home, where I was for the first three of his awesome starts.  Then I decided to get over myself, and hope he’d snap out of it.  It turned out to be the first inning from hell.  Matt did better after that, but I don’t think he was ever feeling good out there.  Remind me to never piss him off in person.

I wish I knew if he was getting squeezed on pitches.  The Navi ejection made me think so, but it’s hard to tell without foxtrack.  Cecil seemed pretty comfortable.  Plus he looked badass in those glasses.

The Rays had quite a hole to dig out of and they just came up short.  Willy Aybar got things started with a home run, but Grant Balfour came out and gave it right back.  Mood killer.

The boys kept picking away though.  Benny doubled in Kapler to add one.  Kapler homered to add two.  He and Willy had great nights.  BJ singled to add one more.  Plus he’s awesome to watch roam centerfield.  So they are down by one, with two on and Jaso hits one hard and far but…it’s caught.  Tease.

Oh the bullpen did a good job of keeping the game within reach.  On to the bottom of the ninth, which puzzled me.  Why didn’t they pinch hit for Kapler?  Barty struck out looking.  Where was that pitch?  Looked too good to take.  Carl singled.  Which brings up Benny.  Once again, I don’t know where the pitches are but man it looked like they were close to take.  I’m surprised he wasn’t more aggressive there?  I’m not going to doubt him though since he’s pretty good at baseball. 

It was a bummer, but exciting to the end.  It’s not easy to win games when your starting pitcher is human and gives up five runs early.  Let’s hope Niemann gets back on track tomorrow.  The game is not on TV, so someone will have to let me know how he looks.  Go Rays!

Do we honestly need to worry that every time the Rays face a left-hander, not only will they lose but that there’s a good chance they might get no-hit?!  This is troubling indeed.  Jon Lester is the only lefty they’ve seemed to figure out.  Do you know who pitches tomorrow?  Mark Buerhle.  Anybody have any Rolaids?

Thank goodness Carl Crawford was in the building or this would have been downright ugly. 

A couple of relay throws made me wonder if the Red Sox defensive woes were contagious.  However no defense was going to matter tonight since the Rays couldn’t hit the ball or even work a walk.  You have to tip your hat to Danks, but it doesn’t change the fact that this is troubling.

David Price didn’t seem comfortable all night.  Maybe it’s because he knew in order to get a win he’d have to shut down the White Sox.  He gave up three runs, two of them homeruns.  He threw 95 pitches in six innings and he still looked pissed when Mr. Maddon came to get him.  I think Maddon just realized that if the Rays wanted a chance to win this game they needed to keep it close, and Alex Rios had put good wood on one earlier in the game.  

I think Zorilla needs bananas.  He seems to be missing something, and not just the ball.

Balfour was really good for two innings.  I hope to be able to type that sentence a lot more this season.

Wheeler fell prey to Konerko but I’m pretty sure Cy Young would have been gobbled up by Konerko tonight.

So what’s the plan for tomorrow evening?  I think they need to shake up the line-up.  Bring in the kids.  See how Reid can do against a lefty and give Jaso a shot too.  Wade Davis definitely needs to be careful against those big boppers.  The plan is simple though.  HIT THE BALL.  Go Rays!

Wins are good.
Road wins are real good.
Price dominating is good.
BJ Upton mashing is real good.

However part of me felt a little bad today, for the Orioles that is.  It felt a little like…

David was mixing and matching and wheeling and dealing.  He had it all working for him last night.  It is a pretty awesome feeling to watch a game and know that your pitcher has the big bad Yankees under control.

I gotta say that I like Javier Vazquez too.  He looked good until the fourth inning when the Rays seemed to figure him out.  The bats came alive, even Navi’s! 

Maybe Pat Burrell will benefit from a little healthy competition, because Willy Aybar could be gunning for his job.

All in all this was a comfortable game.  David Price basically said “I got this.”  That’s probably a good thing, since today’s game will be anything but comfortable.  CC Sabathia will be in the house.  Go Rays!!

Yay, the Rays won the opener against the O’s.  Just some quick thoughts tonight.

BJ really likes Berken’s pitching.  He was a double away from the cycle.  Yep, BJ.  Can you imagine what this team could do if he were to get his bat going?  Besides he’s super cute in his post game interviews.

David Price didn’t really have it, but he still put the team in the position to win.  Unlike Mr. Choate who brought his team closer to losing.  Not good.

I’m sorry but I’m really tired of Kevin Kennedy.  I’m sure he’s a nice man, but can I have Brian Anderson back please.  I really like Todd Kalas in the booth, but he’s also a really good rover reporter.  Brian is fun.  Todd just blends in with the game, which is spot on for some people.  Kevin actually takes me out of watching the game because he annoys me.  Could just be me I guess.

Looks like Joe Maddon is going to need more ties.  That’s a joke grenade for all you FSN viewers.

C’mon Jefferson Niemann keep it going.  Go Rays!

All in all that was not a bad road trip.  It wasn’t pretty, but it could have been much worse.

Saturday I got home right in the middle of the Rays comeback.  That was fine by me because I missed all the bad stuff, and it hurts my heart when David Price doesn’t do well.  However my heart likes it very much when Barty drives in winning runs.

The game today stunk, but I really think the guys just want to come home.  So tonight they get to sleep in their own beds and catch up with their families.  Let’s hope that recharges them and they show up to the park happy and ready to play, because it’s crunch time.

The big bad Yankees are coming to town.  They are coming off a hella good homestand, so they need to be brought back down to earth a little bit.  That’s right, they must be crushed.  None of these super comebacks.  Well, if it’s necessary to come back then by all means, but the preferred method of winning would be showing no mercy right from the beginning.   It’s time to gain some ground in this division.  Do not let those bombers get comfortable.  Make them sweat.

Does anyone know how I can get a couple of notes to the dugout? 

Gabe Gross,
Fire up your cannon.  They’re used to pop ups to right being home runs.
Thanks.

James Shields,
Pitching to contact might not be the best idea against this line-up.
Best Wishes.

Pat the Bat,
Quit being so picky and hit the damn ball.
Sincerely.

Longo,
How you doin?
xoxo

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!

So Rays, you got that out of your system right?  I mean if you’re gonna suck, might as well all suck on the same night. 

From the beginning this game was extremely painful.  Longo made an errant throw and Jimmy Rollins ended up on 2nd.  Then Price walked Victorino.  That’s when the hitting started, and I wasn’t sure if it would ever stop.  The Rays were staring at six runs before they even got up to bat!  So painful.  Especially since I don’t like to be reminded that David Price is human.

Could it get any worse.  By golly George it could.  The fourth inning started off with another error. (you can decide who it belongs to)  Deja vu.  Four more runs for the Phils.  Agony.

Oh and just for good measure the home team only drove in one run.  Thanks to Barty.

I’ve got a way for the Rays to make it up to us.  They just made us sit through a stinker.  Well most of a stinker, I started watching the CWS after a while.  Anyway I think they owe us a super fun viewing experience.  There should be good pitching.  Preferably making all-star hitters look silly.  There should also be many Rays hitting, stealing bases and making fine defensive plays.  If they’d like to really make it up to us they would provide some entertainment from the dugout too.  You know like dancing, thumb wrestling, or anything else that strikes them.  Well not foul balls, we don’t want those striking them.

In closing I would like you to ponder one thing.  I have been watching a lot of That 70’s Show reruns, and I’ve gotta say I bet Matt Garza could do a mean Fez.  Just sayin.  Go Rays!