HER RAYS!

Baseball season is a long winding emotional roller coaster.  After the Rays lost to the Yankees Sunday, this fan was feeling a little depressed.  The Rays only won one game in the series and it seemed like all three games were there for the taking.  I felt this sense of urgency.  Why wasn’t Joe Maddon doing everything he could to win those games?  Where was Soriano?  Andy Pettitte is out after three innings and the Rays don’t find a way to win?

The Orioles are the perfect prescribed medicine for depressed baseball fans.  The Rays bats came back to life.  Wade Davis aka WD40 looked slick.  Rays win, and they’re basically right back where they started before the ugly series with the Yankees.  I should know better than to panic.  It’s a marathon right?  The Rays are in second place and half of their guys aren’t even playing up to their potential.  Yep the O’s were my chill pill.

There is one other minor thing that made this Monday a happy day.  A minor league contract that is.  Rocco Baldelli is a Stonecrab!  I’m sure his goal is to get a September call up.  I would be so stoked if he could contribute this year, since you know I happen to love him.

photo by Dennis Maffezzoli

Well I really didn’t expect the Rays to pull off a win against CC Sabathia, but he was a bit off and they definitely had their chances.  What did they do with these chances?  They squandered them!

The Rays picked away at CC and came up with three runs.  Shields was cruising, only giving up one.  Kapler made a great catch at the wall to save his butt.  Then it all went awry.  James gave up two home runs and the lead.  Bummer but the Rays still had their chances.

In the seventh one of my favorite things happened.  BJ got on base in front of Carl and soon after they were on second and third with no outs.  Can I have more of this please?  The Rays only got one run out of it, but that could have been a game winner. 

Balfour handled the seventh.  So the Rays have a one run lead going into the eighth.  I’m thinking no problem.  Benoit for the eighth and Soriano for the ninth.  Well Benoit was a little off.  I knew he wasn’t going to be perfect, but he picks now to be a little off!  He gave up a home run to Nick Frickin Swisher.  Plus he was super scary getting out of the inning, but he did keep the game tied.

Girardi makes the call to Mo Rivera to come in and shut down the Rays so the Yankees have a chance to win it.  BJ miraculously gets a broken bat single.  However he kills the rally himself by getting picked off first for the gazillionth time.  Not even close.

Maddon does not make the call to his closer and give the Rays a chance to win the game.  Instead he goes to Choate the lefty specialist.  The lefty specialist who let the two lefties he faced get on base.  I think specialist is the wrong term.  I have another term but we try to be nice around here.  Wheeler was then brought in with the daunting task of sitting Derek Jeter down in a clutch situation.  It took him four strikes but he did it. 

So who does Maddon bring in to face Swisher with two outs in the ninth of a tie game.  Lance Cormier.  Wait what?  I like Lance, but he has been struggling this year.  This game must not be as important as I think is?  Yankees win.  Rays fans go home totally confused.  After Mariano Rivera the Yankees bullpen is shaky.  The Rays would have had a chance if they could have gotten that far.  I know it’s not a save situation, but it’s a win situation.  Where was Soriano?

Time to turn it around tomorrow.  Go Rays!

Tight, beast, ninja, these are the popular words among kids these days.  For example if you were telling them about tonight’s game you might get these responses.

The Rays scored three runs in the top of the first.  That’s tight.

Benny Z hit his first home run.  Yeah he’s beast.

James Shields worked through some troubles, including home runs and multiple bunts.  That’s tight.

BJ hit a home run to retake the lead.  Bossman is beast too.

Did you see him lose that fly ball?  Yep, fail.

Carlos Pena hit two home runs and made some really great defensive plays.  That dude is ninja.

The Rays are five games up and have swept the Red Sox and the Yankees on the road.  They are so tight.  The defense is beast and the pitching is ninja.

Here is the key.
tight = cool, sweet
beast = really good, super
ninja = freaking awesome
oh and fail is self explanatory

Anyway you say it, these guys are really fun to watch.  Plus it’s going to be even more fun this weekend in Houston.  Pitchers get to hit, now that is ninja.  Go Rays!

Well Jason Bartlett set the table beautifully with a lead off home run. 

The meat and potatoes was provided by Wade Davis.  Rays fans are very spoiled to have a fifth starter that can hold the Yankees to two runs.  You gotta love the guy.

Defense was a key side dish to break things up.

The offense was gravy.  Lots of gravy.  Everyone contributed.  To the tune of 10 runs.  Rays fans haven’t been treated to that in a while.  Matter of fact their stomachs must not have been ready for it…

However it’s good thing they fattened up on gravy, because one of the Rays pitchers was too tired to serve.  Sonny, grrrrr. 

Benoit is a relief pitcher, he provided the Tums. 

Now it is definitely time for a nap so that we have a chance at handling the next course.  Go Rays!

Word – Anemic
Lacking vigor or energy.
Can you tell me the origin?  Ancient Greek.
Can you use it in a sentence?  The Rays offense is anemic.

Garza pitched just fine, holding the Yanks to three runs.  This loss rests on the offense.  The bullpen didn’t help the cause but it didn’t matter since nobody was hitting the ball.

The Pena Burrell combination is just ducky right now.  Does Pat always look at the first strike?  It bugs me.  I mean even against Mo Rivera.  That guy hardly ever throws a ball, so why give him anything?

Mark Teixeira is really annoying.  He’s made at least four plays in this series that Giami would never had made.  Get out of town. 

Might be time for Mr. Maddon to shake up that line-up.  Can’t make it worse.

Enjoy your off day tomorrow Rays fans.  Let’s hope the front office comes up with something great.  Let’s hope the guys regroup.  Let’s hope Friday is a better day, cause tonight’s game kinda sucked.  Go Rays!!

Scott Kazmir was faboosh tonight!  He actually pitched seven innings.  Seven.  He outdueled Sabathia.  Unbelievable.

His name has come up in trade rumors, and as is typical I have a total chick reaction to that.  I know it might be best for the team, but it’s Scott Kazmir.  He was good for the Rays when no one else was.  I’m kind of attached to him, especially when he shuts down the Yankees or Red Sox.  Can’t they fix him so we get this result everytime?  I know, I’m just a silly girl.

It was great to see the offense show up too, minus Pat Pena.  Let’s not dwell on that…Rays win!

Tomorrow should be fun.  Garza vs. Joba.  Whoa, smokin.  Actually it might come down to who ever can control their emotions.  Remember Matt, baby steps.    Go Rays!!

This game made me grouchy right from the get go!  Why the heck wasn’t it in HD?  Come on!

Where is Brian Anderson?  I want Brian Anderson.  Come on!

What is it about AJ Burnett?  The Rays seem to be rendered useless when he’s on the mound.  Is the snarl his source of power? Come on!

Shields had his normal rough inning early, but what was up with the back to back homers in the 6th?  Come on!

Time to order new bats, because these ones aren’t working.  I don’t have the energy to look up the stats, but the Rays seem to be down in the count a lot.  New York looked a lot more aggressive at the plate.  Granted they were getting fatter pitches, but they really came out swinging right from the beginning.  Take notice fellas.  Come on!

Joe Nelson scares the crap out of me.  He comes in a throws a wild pitch then walks the guy.  Come on!  (he was able to work out of it though)

Evan the RBI machine had a rough go of it tonight.  Unless you count the RBI GIDP.  Come on!

Balfour made me yell at the TV during the Jeter at bat.  He blew two fast balls right by the swinging shortstop, then instead of throwing some junk he decided to press his luck.  Big surprise Captain America singles to right.  Ugh.  Come on!

Albaladejo better watch his back.  Do not hit Longo.  I WILL come down there.  Come on!

Is it bad that I wished Pena was batting 6th when he came up with a chance to pull the Rays within one.  Fail.  Come on!

Shouse.  No other words are needed.  Come on!

Pat, nice home run, but you are late to the party.  Please bring more tomorrow.  Come on!

Yes this game made me Ms. Grouchy McGrouchypants.  The Yanks looked like the much better team.  I hope it made the Rays grouchy too.  Time for them to score some runs, and they have their work cut out for them tomorrow.  CC vs. Kazmir.  Oy.  Let’s hope for the best.  Go Rays.  Come on!

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!

All in all a split with the Yankees is not so bad right now.  The Rays aren’t necessarily fielding their star players.  You could even be pretty stoked about them beating CC Sabathia.

I can’t lie though, I am on edge watching the later part of these games.  The bullpen is severely lowering the comfort level.  I have no confidence in them what so ever, and I really don’t want to be that fan again.

What is the plan going forward?  Do they need to see the team shrink?  Do the Rays seek replacements?  Do they just keep going to these guys even if they can’t get the job done?  I mean the Rays are fielding their B team and they are getting the job done, until the bullpen comes in and blows it.  Saturday the offense had to beat Mo Rivera in order for the Rays to get the win!

A good friend of mine thinks they should be fired.  For him it’s simple, they are getting paid to do a job and they are flat out not getting it done.  Give them a couple of chances and then find someone else.  Why not? Sometimes, like this weekend, it is easy to get on board that train of thought.

One thing is for sure.  If the Rays want to compete in this division the bullpen needs to step up their game.  Stop the sucking!

I hope tonights game is a little more comfortable to watch.  I know, don’t hold my breath Sonny’s pitching, and the relief corps will be deployed. 

Please for my sanity let Longo play!  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.