don't come into Cleveland thinking your gonna win anything Rays!
Sox are only 2 games in the L column behind the Drays despite having Ortiz out. When this team can get Papi back, they are going to be rolling! DRAYs lost their big lead they had on the Sox. You guys have your work cut out for you now. Here comes the champs!
Rays have posted a respectable .667 winning percentage post All-Star break, and while that ain't bad they've got the defending WS champs in the rearview and the Yankees fast approaching.
They understand their weaknesses and have been looking to acquire a right-handed hitting outfielder (RF) and a lefty for the pen. That's why it's troubling that in the last few days they've missed out on trading for both Casey Blake and Xavier Nady.
The sticking point thus far is Tampa's unwillingess to include any of their top 3 pitching prospects (Price, Davis, ickson) or top position prospect (SS Reid Brignac) in any deal.
The other options available (Texiera, Fuentes, Bay) all would likely command at least one of those, so they're likely out as well. Then there was a report published that the Rays may stay in-house and call-up Baldelli and Price if they need the extra help in RF and the bullpen.
Price is intriguing and has the tools and mental makeup to pitch in September and October, IMO. But they may actually need him at the tail end of the rotation before all is said and done. And Baldelli is a good guy, but being diagnosed with a disorder that causes extreme fatigue isn't exactly promising for someone who is supposed to contribute...even if it is a platoon situation.
Bottom Line: Rays are probably doing the smart thing by not selling the farm to rent talent, but they need to do SOMETHING or they'll be the team that had a hot first half and proved they weren't ready for the big time when push came to shove.
Looks like the Rays stood pat after all was said and done. In all reality, the Rays are not going to be challenging for the le this year so it was probably smart not to leverage their future on a guy like Bay.
I guess it now comes down to Baldelli/Gomes/Ruggiano to be the RHB outfielder. Not the greatest proposition, but if they flame out in the next few months I think the Rays will DEFINITELY upgrade in the winter or spring.
Oh well, it's Aug 1st and the Rays are STILL in 1st place in the AL East. Here's hoping their bats come alive and they're in it for the long haul.
While all the talk is revolving around Manny Ramirez and his Boston replacement (Bay), the Rays are keeping up the pace.
They've won 7 of their last 8 games...the latest of which was a come-from-behind, six-run rally in the 9th inning highlighted by two bombs courtesy of Gabe Gross and Carlos Pena.
They're coming up on a milestone for the franchise (eclipsing 70 wins), and it looks they're showing no signs of slowing down. Keep in mind, the Rays are still expected to call up their stud LHP David Price to solidify their bullpen and will add more RHB depth with Baldelli, who when healthy can be a valuable contributor to the team.
I'm excited about this team's potential and think for the first time they're believing they can make some noise in October. Good time to be a Rays fan!
Just watched a replay of the comeback....awesome! They sent six batters to the plate and got six runs, two doubles, a single, a walk, and two home runs....walked off with no outs.
What's crazy...they manufactured 10 runs without Crawford or Upton in the lineup. Guys like Hinske, Gross, and Bartlett continue to step up for them....not to mention the steady production of Evan Longoria and the emerging play of power-hitter Carlos Pena.
This team is good....really good.
Rays just eclipsed their previous season high of 70 wins...
And they did it by getting contributions from their utility infielder and backup catcher.
It was also the first game back for Rocco Baldelli...who is another good story, like J-Hamilton w/o the drug abuse.
Rays keep on rolling.
Rays got hit pretty hard in the past week with the loss of Carl Crawford (hand surgery) out for the remainder of the regular season and their stud ROY candidate 3B Evan Longoria (fractured wrist), who will be out until at least September.
And now it looks like their steady bullpen veteran Troy Percival is headed to the DL as well.
Just when it looked like the Rays could potentially run away with the AL East and make a deep run in the post-season they've hit a big wall. But, with the help of guys like Willy Aybar (3B), Eric Hinske (LF), and Dan Wheeler (CL) they'll be able to tread water and keep themselves in the race.
Here's hoping...
Garza w/ a two-hit shutout and Aybar/Hinske/Floyd/Gross with dingers.
As of today, the Rays have the best record in baseball.
Here's another little known stat....
If the Rays only play .500 ball the rest of the season (18-17), the Red Sox would have to play .647 ball (22-12) just to tie them...and the Sox are under .600 for the season.
It looks like the Rays winning the AL East is a real possibility at this point. HOW CRAZY IS THAT!?!
Rays with ANOTHER come-from-behind win! Can they ing lose? Seriously! They're doing all this without their perennial all-star LF Carl Crawford and their likely ROY 3B Evan Longoria.
Someone take notice and recognize what the is going on!
Going into the last day in August the Rays have the best record in the American League and are winners of four straight.
They continue to get contributions from guys like Willy Aybar, Rocco Baldelli, and their pen while Longoria, Crawford, and Percy are out.
Percy should be back later this week and Longoria not too much longer after that. If Crawford can get healthy by the post season, this team has enough talent to make a deep run into the playoffs.
Also, look for them to shore up their weakness of LHP by adding super-prospect David Price and maybe making a run at Brian Fuentes if they don't get blocked.
Update: Rays won their game today and Cubbies are down 3 going into the 9th....so it looks like the Rays may go into September with the highest winning percentage in baseball!
Last edited by AFBlue; 08-31-2008 at 04:06 PM.
With a win today over the Twins, the Tampa Bay Rays have clinched a spot in the post-season!
Oh, and Boston lost....so that puts them 2 1/2 games up on the Sox WITH the head-to-head tiebreaker (essentially a 3 1/2 game lead).
I thought with their talent and a few lucky breaks they could be contending for a playoff spot, but they have eclipsed any expectation I had for them.
And they've done it without great years from their superstars (Crawford, Upton, Kazmir). Unlikely role players have stepped up and provided a spark here or just some solid play there. And their nerdy-looking coach with all his crazy catch phrases (9=8?) has got this team believing in themselves.
I can't believe I'm saying it, but I think they have a legitimate shot to be World Series champions!
Of course I'm incredibly biased, but I have to say they are the best TEAM in the league.
Rays won both games of the double-header today and the magic number is now down to 2 for them to win the AL East....
And Evan Longoria hit another home run, his fourth since coming back from a fractured wrist....I guess it's fine!
Congrats to the Rays.
I lived in St. Petersburg during the period that we had no team, and the Tampa Bay Lightning used the Florida Suncoast Dome as the "Thunder Dome." Good times. Tampa had the biggest facility in the NHL at the time, and tickets were CHEAP.
One of my biggest disappointments ever was Bonds signing with the Giants and effectively killing their move to St. Pete.
Unfortunately, I have never followed the Rays much, because I graduated and moved in 1994.
AF Blue,
Are you from the Tampa area?
I ask because I just realized that I have seen more baseball games at Al Lang Stadium than all other facilities combined. Is it still just a grandstand and bleachers down the lines? That stadium is crazy. I almost fell into the harbor a few times trying to go after foul balls from the left foul line bleachers.
Well I figured Rays were gonna be good this year but I didn't know they gonna be this good. Not bad.
Rays rallied from an early six-run defecit to beat the Orioles last night and sweep that series.
Magic Number to win the AL East down to 1....a Tampa win in Detroit this afternoon or a Boston loss in Cleveland tonight could do it.
Unfortunately I'm not from the Tampa area and haven't been there to see a game...spring training or otherwise. I moved to the Southeast (actually closer to ATL) about 4 years ago and have been following the Rays since then.
Well it may not have been the ideal way to clinch the AL East le, losing two straight to Detroit and relying on the Yankees...yes the Yankees to beat Boston and clinch it for the Rays.
Congratulations to the Rays for not only making the post-season, but finishing ahead of the powerhouse Red Sox and Yankees w/ their bloated payrolls!
Now it's time for the Rays to focus on the post-season and begin preparations for whatever team awaits them. They've got a winning record against the White Sox and have split with the Twins.
It should be interesting...
For the Rays and the Rays's fans sake. I hope they haven't peaked and are wearing out.
The question I have is about pitching. More specifically, how will Scott Kazmir, who has been terribly inconsistent of late, handle the post-season pressure and will Troy Percival be able to stabilize the bullpen for the post-season run.
They are two very legitimate and currently unanswered questions facing the Rays.
Generally, a young team isn't conditioned to play almost 180 games. OTOH, it seems like the problems always show up in the pitching staff the next season, not that postseason. 2004 Cubs, 2007 Tigers, and others come to mind.
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