The Rays Blog 2008-08-21T19:39:49Z http://raysblog.joesportsline.com/atom.aspx Quick Blog First Half Round-Up tag:raysblog.joesportsline.com,2008-07-13:fdf1ccc4-967d-4dbb-b0f3-c765f16793ad Joe 2008-07-13T20:31:30Z 2008-07-13T20:20:00Z Sunday, July 13, 2008

OK, how about we all just take a deep breath for a minute...

...Now, that's better, isn't it?

The Rays have lost seven games in a row.  Their once strong pitching has evaporated and their timely offense has disappeared completely.  Watching the Rays for the last week has been like watching them all last season.  And the season before that.  And the season before that.

The starters can't get out of the fifth inning.  The bullpen gives up home runs and extra base hits left and right.  And the offense, well, the offense is just plain awful.

All is not lost, though.

Really, it's not.

The Rays have played 94 games so far this season, and they've won 55 of them.  They are not in first place anymore, but they trail the World Champion Red Sox by just half a game (and actually have one less loss) in the A.L. East standings.  They are being represented, for the first time ever, by three players at the All-Star Game, and one of them - Evan Longoria - is participating in the Home Run Derby.  They are no longer the laughing stock of Major League Baseball, and, if the season were to end today (I know, I know, it doesn't, but if it did), they would be the wild card team in the A.L. playoffs.  Oh yeah, and that's not to mention that next season, not this one, was supposed to be their coming-out party.

The baseball season is a long one.  Over the course of 162 games, there will be highs and there will be lows.  The Rays are not as good as their stretch of 11 wins in 12 games would indicate.  Nor are they as bad as their current seven game losing streak would suggest. They are somewhere in between, somewhere, it seems, closer to the winning side than the losing.

When the season started, could we as Rays fans have hoped for anything more?

Are the Rays good enough to make the playoffs this season?  Absolutely.  Are they good enough to win the World Series?  Maybe not.  But is the mere mention of the Rays and the World Series in the same sentence reason enough to smile?  It sure is.

The seven game losing streak is unfortunate.  But the All Star break has come at the right time and hopefully, will give everyone some time to catch their collective breaths and realize how far this team has come.

After all, we have a playoff race to get ready for.
]]> The All-Star break is here, so it's time for a look back at the Rays' first half, and a look ahead at all we have to look forward to the rest of the season. THE PRODIGAL SON RETURNS! tag:raysblog.joesportsline.com,2008-06-29:387e6470-c9d8-4c7f-8ab6-6c7e89d44e6e Joe 2008-06-29T20:40:14Z 2008-06-29T18:51:00Z
Well, we meet again.  

So much has changed since we last saw each other, and yet, so much remains the same. OK, actually very little remains the same, but it just sounds better to say that it does.

To review: Last time we met here, the Rays were actually not the Rays at all.  They were the Devil Rays.  And what a sorry bunch of baseball players they were.  But today, they are the Rays, and what a phenomenal bunch of baseball players they are!  (And those new jerseys are just smashing, aren't they?)

Actually, this year's Rays look a lot like last year's Devil Rays (with a few notable exceptions - Evan Longoria, Jason Bartlett, and Troy Percival come to mind), but by golly, their performance sure has changed.  What's in a name?  Well, apparently, more wins.

Last time we talked about the (D)Rays, I suggested they invite Barry Bonds, Jose Canseco, and Ricky Henderson to join the roster. I showed pictures of the Rays as comic book heroes, and, perhaps most memorably, as icons of a past decade.  I was clearly delusional. But to be fair, could you really blame me?

It's hard to find something nice to say about a 101-loss team on a regular basis.  Heck, it's hard to find anything AT ALL to say about a 101-loss team on a regular basis.  There are those out there who do it, and God bless them, but let's be honest, it's a difficult proposition.  I clearly wasn't up for the task.

But after an extended, let's say, sabbatical, I have returned to present my, let's say, interesting, commentary about all things Tampa Bay Rays.

So, where to begin?  I can think of no better place than with these:

 














As you can see, just because the Rays are now winning, not much else has changed around these parts.  I think everyone can agree that the Rays look just as, um, good, decked out as 80s stars as they did last year in their 70s get-up.

In terms of baseball, however, there was no comparison between the two nights, as the Rays' 4-3 walk-off win that moved them to within striking distance of first place in the AL East on 80s night last week was a far cry from the 8-1 beatdown at the hands of the Indians they suffered on Disco night last year.  That loss was the Rays' 76th of the season, and it came in just their 122nd game.

At this - their exact halfway point of the 2008 season - the Rays are closer to 76 wins than they are to that same number of losses.  Their 4-3 win over the Pirates on Sunday, thanks to a stellar performance by Andy Sonnanstine, whose seven innings allowed Joe Maddon's bullpen to rest a day after a hard-fought 13 inning loss Saturday night, moved them a half-game ahead (yes, AHEAD) of the Red Sox in the division.

Those same Red Sox come to Tampa for an AL East showdown that begins tomorrow and culminates with the 9-1 Dice-K Matsuzaka taking on the 7-3 Scott Kazmir in a nationally-televised broadcast that I plan to attend Wednesday night.  July 2.  With first place in the division potentially on the line.  Wow.

How 'bout them Rays?

It's good to be back.
]]> After many phone calls and e-mails from my legions of fans (OK, my mother) pleading for the return of my one-of-a-kind Rays commentary, I am happy to announce that I AM BACK! And what better time to reacquaint ourselves with the Rays than at this, the halfway point of their season, as they take over first place from the Red Sox. Off-Season Ideas tag:raysblog.joesportsline.com,2007-08-23:545ed4b3-414a-49e2-b84f-b5cf3a1b2624 Joe 2007-08-23T19:19:55Z 2007-08-23T19:01:00Z
The idea that Curt Schilling might be considering a move to Tampa Bay when he becomes a free-agent this off-season is an intriguing one.  Not intriguing because it will actually happen (because it won't), but intriguing because if the Devil Rays are actually considering it (which, in light of owner Stuart Sternberg's recent comments, doesn't seem all that farfetched), one wonders what other off-season acquisitions the Rays' front-office people may also be contemplating.  Here are some (not-so) serious guesses:

- Barry Bonds   



Of course, several people have suggested Tampa Bay could be a good fit for Bonds.  If San Francisco cuts ties with him after this year, and if Bonds continues to maintain he wants to play another season, how many teams will be willing to take him on?  No contender is going to want the scrutiny and media circus Bonds brings with him, so a team willing to spend a little money in order to garner a lot of publicity (sound familiar?) would be a logical choice.  Plus, the Devil Rays play in the American League East, which means two things: Bonds could DH, and he could play 36 games against the Yankees and Red Sox.  Honestly, what would make Bonds happier than irritating legions of baseball fans without having to play the field?

- Jose Canseco



Ok, stick with me on this for a moment.  You know it wouldn't take much convincing to get Canseco to return to baseball (especially to a team he's already played for), and can you imagine a situation where Canseco and Bonds played on the same team?  Plus, I'm sure the Devil Rays could get the rights to Canseco's memoirs included in his contract, and with the stuff Canseco's been known to write, can you imagine how much intrigue there would be surrounding his stories about a year sharing the same locker room with Barry Bonds?  Pedro Gomez just passed out thinking about it. 

- Rafael Palmeiro, Sammy Sosa, Jason Giambi, Neifi Perez, Jason Grimsley



Since we're going the way of steroids anyway, why not bring in a high-profile group of convicted or supposed steroid users to complement the Bonds/Canseco pairing?  Think of it this way: the 2008 Rays could be the test dummy for how much of an impact steroids actually have on performance.  The only problem I see here is getting all these guys together on the field at the same time, what with the possible suspensions and all.  And, come to think of it, is Rafael Palmeiro even still alive?

- Jose Offerman



Everyone knows the Rays love a good promotion, so how about Jose Offerman bat night?  For the low, low price of free, you could have the distinct honor of allowing Offerman to swing a bat at your face.  What fan doesn't want that opportunity?  Of course, I guess the whole jail thing could be a problem, but maybe the Rays could work something out with the Connecticut authorities.  You know, kind of like that guy in The Replacements. 

- Rickey Henderson



Rickey Henderson can still play baseball better than half the guys in the big-leagues now because Rickey Henderson is one of the ten best players of all-time.  All you've really got to do is give Rickey Henderson the opportunity to play and Rickey Henderson will perform for you.  Rickey Henderson can steal two, maybe three, bases every time he gets on.  Rickey Henderson can draw a walk.  Rickey Henderson can even hit 20 home runs for you if you just give him the chance.  And Rickey Henderson will never allow anyone - not even Curt Schilling - to upstage Rickey Henderson in the press.  Rickey Henderson will start a blog if that's what it takes to compete these days.  Rickey Henderson will do his own sports-radio talk show if you just give Rickey Henderson a spot on the airwaves.  Rickey Henderson will single-handedly transform the Devil Rays into World Series champions because that's all Rickey Henderson knows how to do.  Rickey Henderson is a winner.
]]> The Devil Rays love themselves a good free-agent acquisition. Next year could be a big year for the Rays if they take a look at these guys. Or, you know, maybe not. Disco Inferno tag:raysblog.joesportsline.com,2007-08-20:ffc763d4-060a-409c-b61a-acd07ecfdeac Joe 2007-08-29T22:13:36Z 2007-08-20T21:40:00Z Saturday night was 70s Disco Night at Tropicana Field, and the Rays hitters had a bad case of Saturday Night Fever.  But all was not lost, for, as you are about to find out, the real entertainment at the ballpark didn't take place on the field.  I believe the pictures speak for themselves...

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Manager of your Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Joe Maddon!



Leading off for the Rays, third baseman Akinori Iwamura!



Hitting second, the leftfielder, Carl Crawford!



In the three-hole, the centerfielder, B.J. Upton!



Hitting clean-up and playing first base, Carlos Pena!



Hitting fifth, the rightfielder, Delmon Young!



At second base, John Travolta Brendan Harris! 



Hitting seventh, the Designated Hitter, Jonny Gomes!



Catching and hitting eighth, Dioner Navarro!



Hitting ninth, shortstop Ben Zobrist!



Replacing the injured Zobrist, Josh Wilson!



And on the mound for the Rays, your starting pitcher, Jason Hammel!




Of course we couldn't leave the Indians out, so here's a sampling:








Enough said.

]]> You're going to want to look at this. Trust me. It's the Rays as you've never seen them before. The Rays Heroes tag:raysblog.joesportsline.com,2007-08-19:4cd403b4-a9e4-43e0-90e6-b52060f2cdca Joe 2007-08-29T22:14:09Z 2007-08-19T21:52:00Z As you may or may not know, the Devil Rays are superheroes on Sundays.  Or, at least, they play them on T.V.  But it's not just Joe Maddon, Carl Crawford, Scott Kazmir, Rocco Baldelli, and Don Zimmer who get to have all the fun.  The P.R. department decided to let the rest of the Rays get in on the action too, so here's a sampling of the other comic book characters:

First up, we have THE BRILLIANT BRENDAN HARRIS:



Now, I'm as big of a Brendan Harris fan as the next guy, but isn't "brilliant" a bit overboard for a journeyman infielder who's getting his first real shot at proving he's got major league talent?  Maybe THE BRAND NEW TO THE BIG-LEAGUE STAGE BRENDAN HARRIS would've been more appropriate.  What, too long? 

Next up, we have THE BODACIOUS B.J. UPTON:



B.J.'s had a pretty good season so far, and "bodacious" seems to fit his personality, so I would say we've got ourselves a sure fire superhero here.

Following B.J., THE BODACIOUS, we have THE COOL CARLOS PENA: 



Cool as in that's what his bat has been of late.  Still, it's hard to complain about a guy who's third in the American League this season with 27 home runs, especially considering he's hit those homers in far fewer at-bats than his fellow stat-sheet pals.  Plus, he is a cool dude.  You've gotta give him that.

Batting behind THE COOL CARLOS PENA on most nights is THE DYNAMIC DELMON YOUNG:  



Consistent bat?  Check.  Strong arm?  Check.  Quick wheels?  Okay, let's stop while we're ahead.  "Dynamic" Delmon works for me.

Honestly, who can forget THE GREAT JONNY GOMES? 



Considering his reputation around the clubhouse, THE GOOFY JONNY GOMES probably would've been more appropriate.  But that wouldn't hold up on Monday Night Raw, so given that we're sure to see Jonny in the WWE within five years, let's all allow him to relish this moment as JONNY, THE GREAT. 

Following Gomes is everyone's favorite Designated Hitter with a .288 slugging percentage, THE GUTSY GREG NORTON:



Hmm..."gutsy?"  Well, I guess when your average has been hovering around .200 all season long, and when you have only 2 home runs and 12 RBIs in 132 at-bats, "gutsy" is about the nicest adjective one can use to describe you.

And finally, last and certainly least, THE DAZZLING DIONER NAVARRO:



I guess THE BAD DIONER NAVARRO would've ruined the alliterative theme, huh?  How unfortunate.]]> The Devil Rays as comic book heroes? Comic, sure. But heroes? See the pictures for yourself. Let the Good Times Roll tag:raysblog.joesportsline.com,2007-08-09:77e5c452-040a-4af8-99d1-aed3343a0b25 Joe 2007-08-10T01:54:31Z 2007-08-09T23:26:00Z Thursday, August 9, 2007
Keep On Smiling

Sometimes, watching the Devil Rays gets tiring.  Sometimes, following the Devil Rays gets frustrating.  Sometimes, it's really hard to find anything positive to say about the Rays' play (although you can be sure Joe Maddon will try).  Sometimes, it's just plain easier to be critical (which, in case you haven't noticed, is my specialty).  But sometimes, sometimes, they do something that makes you proud to be one of the 22 people who still care about what the Devil Rays do.

Perhaps it was just the free donut I had today thanks to the Rays' recent success - the first free one I've had in what seems like a while - that has made me so happy with the Devil Rays.  Or perhaps, just perhaps, it's because there is actually something to be smiling about.

The Rays beat the Tigers.  Twice.  They split a four-game series with the team everyone seems to think is the best in baseball.  Their two best pitchers - James Shields and Scott Kazmir - pitched like two quality major-league starting pitchers should pitch.  Their All-Star, Carl Crawford, hit like an All-Star is supposed to hit.  Their talented youngsters - B.J. Upton and Delmon Young - performed at a high level that makes a fan believe they have the chance to be potential superstars in this league.  Even their starting catcher, Dioner Navarro, came to play, finally showing an inkling of the talent that enabled him to beat out All-Star catcher Russell Martin for the Dodgers' starting job in spring training 2006 (and even got his average over .200 along the way!).  In short, the Rays acted like a major league franchise the past few days, and that, in a season with little else to be happy about, is something to be proud of.

Over their past ten games, the Rays' record is 5-5.  That's .500 baseball.  That's a better record than those Detroit Tigers (3-7), the N.L. Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers (3-7), and the Chicago Cubs (4-6), who are chasing Milwaukee.  It's the same record as the A.L. East-leading Boston Red Sox, the A.L. Central-leading Cleveland Indians, and the A.L. West-leading Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.  That's right, the Rays can be included in the same sentence as the Red Sox, Indians, and Angels without the words "lost to" anywhere in there.

I told you to keep on smiling.  Now if you'll excuse me, I have another donut to eat.
]]> I know I've been critical of the Rays a lot over the past few weeks. Perhaps a little too critical. Perhaps not. Either way, it's time to lighten the mood, and what better way to do that than by celebrating some D-Rays victories? A[nother] D-Rays Blog Special Report tag:raysblog.joesportsline.com,2007-08-07:9d8e17a3-fdb5-4f38-ad5e-54eb8dc90dcf Joe 2007-08-08T01:18:02Z 2007-08-07T23:52:00Z
We interrupt our regularly scheduled blogging to bring you this important information...

The Devil Rays' bullpen imploded once again [Tuesday] evening. 

Tonight's culprit has been identified as [29]-year-old and [eight] year Major League Baseball veteran [Dan Wheeler] of [Providence, Rhode Island].  Mr. [Wheeler] surrendered [three] runs on [four] hits in only [one and] one third of an inning tonight in Detroit.  Authorities are still investigating why [Wheeler] was allowed to continue pitching under such brutal circumstances, but as of yet, have failed to provide any illuminating insight into the matter.

It remains unclear whether or not [Wheeler] will be allowed to continue serving in his current role as [eighth]-inning reliever for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.  For the time being, however, we here at the D-Rays Blog are able to confirm that [Wheeler] ruined another fine outing by Rays' [designated hitter Jonny Gomes], and in the process, raised his ERA to [7.36] and picked up his [first] loss [since joining the Rays]. 
 
We invite you to stay tuned in the following days as the Rays do their very best to make the Tigers' bullpen look like the equal of the 1996 Yankees'. 
 
For now, we return you to your regularly scheduled life, already in progress...   
]]> We interrupt our regularly scheduled blogging to bring you this important information... A D-Rays Blog Special Report tag:raysblog.joesportsline.com,2007-08-06:319a29bd-6552-43cd-a328-2ffa3945e1bc Joe 2007-08-07T01:31:02Z 2007-08-06T23:06:00Z We interrupt our regularly scheduled blogging to bring you this important information...

The Devil Rays' bullpen imploded once again Monday evening. 

Tonight's culprit has been identified as 30-year-old and six year Major League Baseball veteran Gary Glover of Cleveland, Ohio.  Mr. Glover surrendered four runs on five hits in only one third of an inning tonight in Detroit.  Authorities are still investigating why Glover was allowed to continue pitching under such brutal circumstances, but as of yet, have failed to provide any illuminating insight into the matter.

It remains unclear whether or not Glover will be allowed to continue serving in his current role as seventh-inning reliever for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.  For the time being, however, we here at the D-Rays Blog are able to confirm that Glover ruined another fine outing by Rays' starter Edwin Jackson, and in the process, raised his ERA to 5.40 and picked up his fourth loss of the season. 
 
We invite you to stay tuned in the following days as the Rays do their very best to make the Tigers' bullpen look like the equal of the 1996 Yankees'. 
 
For now, we return you to your regularly scheduled life, already in progress...   ]]> We interrupt our regularly scheduled blogging to bring you this important information... Baseball - It's Just Throwing and Catching and Hitting and Running. What's Simpler Than That? tag:raysblog.joesportsline.com,2007-08-05:70086d0b-1f07-47ee-b48d-0e7f9871205e Joe 2007-08-06T02:40:11Z 2007-08-05T23:14:00Z Sunday, August 5, 2007
On the Latest Things Rays

On Friday's 3-1 Loss to Baltimore
It was the Aubrey Huff and Danys Baez show at the Trop...only Huff and Baez now play for the Orioles.  Former D-Ray Aubrey Huff hit a three-run home run in the fourth inning, and that proved to be more than enough for Daniel Cabrera and the O's, who cruised to an easy win against the offensively challenged Rays hitters Friday night.  Baez, another former Devil Ray, came in to record his first save of the year for Baltimore, which improved its record to 9-1 this season against Tampa Bay. Must be all those team secrets Huff and Baez have been giving their teammates that have made the Orioles so unbeatable against the Rays this year.  "Psst...Daniel...Daniel. Lemme tell you a little secret.  All you've gotta do is throw it right down the middle against these guys.  Here's what I learned in my seven years there: They can't hit!"

On First Base
Riddle me this: With Ty Wigginton now gone, who is the Rays' backup first baseman?  Think long and hard about that.  I'll wait. Considering the Rays have only three position players available off their bench every night - whomever is not catching, whomever is not playing shortstop, and Greg Norton - one would have to assume Norton is technically Carlos Pena's backup.  Anyone out there feel comfortable knowing that if Pena pulls a hammy in the bottom of the first some night, Greg Norton (along with his outfielder's glove and .191 batting average) will have to step in and play first for at least the remainder of that game and possibly until a real first baseman can be recalled from Triple-A Durham? (Oh wait, who's playing first for Durham now?  Yes, Johnny, that would be third baseman Joel Guzman!).  I wonder if Rays' Executive VP Andrew Friedman thought about any of this before pulling the trigger on the Wigginton-Wheeler trade?  For his sake, I kind of hope it slipped his mind.

On Evan Longoria
Speaking of questionable decisions on position placement in the infield (and it seems I have been a lot lately), what is with all this talk of moving Akinori Iwamura to second base next season in order to make room for Evan Longoria at third?  Why in the world would the Rays want to move a six-time Japanese League Gold Glove award winning third baseman to second in favor of a 21-year-old rookie?  Longoria very well may be the third baseman of the future for the Rays, but he need not be the third baseman of the present. I'm all for adding his big bat to the lineup, but there's no reason Longoria needs to play third base immediately upon his arrival in Tampa. Let him earn that right.  If the Rays were intent on making Longoria their third baseman, then why did they invest $12.2 million in Iwamura this past off-season? Again, did Andrew Friedman consider any of this before making these various moves?  I'm sure he learned many things at Tulane University, but I wonder if how to run a baseball team was one of them.  His decisions make it hard to believe it was.

On Saturday's 9-2 Win Against Baltimore
The bats showed up.  Scott Kazmir showed up. Delmon Young's arm showed up.  And wouldn't you know it, the combination of those things was enough to get the Rays their first victory in their past nine games against the O's. Amazing how that works, huh?

On Delmon Young
We all know Rays' right fielder Delmon Young swings at the first pitch more often than not. But even if he doesn't swing at the first pitch he sees, he rarely works the count before putting bat on ball. In 561 career at-bats, Young has walked only 21 times.  I have a theory as to why that is.  Obviously, Young is just an aggressive hitter, which suits both him and the Rays quite well. But I believe his bat-throwing incident in the minor leagues has something to do with his current approach to hitting.  Because he knows he is unlikely to be given the benefit of the doubt when it comes to close calls (the result of his errant bat toss hitting an ump), I think Young is less inclined to make his at-bats come down to umpire's discretion.  What better way to do that than to remove all subjectivity from the matter by simply swinging early in counts?  His Vlad-like ability to hit bad pitches only helps his cause, which so far this season has produced terrific results.

On Sunday's 11-3 Loss to the Orioles
Here's a little glimpse into how I'm feeling about the Rays right now.  With the score tied at three in the top half of the fourth inning Sunday afternoon, Baltimore had runners on first and third with two outs.  At this point, I was getting ready to leave my house, so I had to turn the game off.  My dad said, "It's too bad we're not going to get to see how this game ends.  It's been a pretty good one so far."  To which I replied, "It's no big deal, I know how it ends anyway.  The Rays lose."  And, sure enough, the Orioles tacked on four more runs in the fourth off Rays starter Andy Sonnanstine, added three off Casey Fossum in the fifth, and cruised to an 11-3 rout at Tropicana Field to take the rubber game of the three-game weekend set against the Rays.  If only I'd seen it coming...]]> This quote seemed an appropriate title for today's post, considering it came from former Baltimore Orioles manager Paul Richards. If only the Devil Rays could take it to heart. Read my thoughts on their weekend series loss to the O's and various other things here. Today Brings New Beginnings tag:raysblog.joesportsline.com,2007-08-03:d35f72b5-1172-42b0-a492-dfd54bde5753 Joe 2007-08-03T18:41:19Z 2007-08-03T18:25:00Z Friday, August 3, 2007
Catching Up on a Busy (Kind of) Week

A lot has seemingly happened since the last time we gathered here, and yet, I have very little to say about it. Seth McClung was traded for Grant Balfour.  Yawn.  Shawn Camp was demoted to Durham and was flabbergasted by the move. (Seriously?  I mean, he was actually surprised? Really?).  Jorge Cantu, Double-A Montgomery's Shaun Cumberland, and cash were sent to Cincinnati for two lousy minor league pitchers (one of whom, Brian Shackelford, has already established himself as a walk-off home-run giving up machine and therefore the logical heir apparent to Brian Stokes) and "future considerations."  Big upgrade, huh?  And, of course, in one of the biggest moves before the trading deadline, Ty Wigginton, one of the Rays' most dependable and loved players, was shipped to the Astros for Dan Wheeler, a guy who has already played for Tampa Bay and is married to Dewayne Staats's daughter...wait, Dewayne Staats is Wheeler's father-in-law?  Well, to be honest, I originally sort of thought the Rays should have gotten more for a guy of Wiggy's character and talent, but now that I know the Staats-Wheeler relation, I've changed my opinion.  The Rays DEFINITELY should have gotten more for Wigginton.  But I'm glad Dewayne has himself a new favorite player on the team, because, as we all know, it's important to be close to your family.

In other news (you know, the kind that involves actually playing baseball), the Rays played two extra-inning games this past week, the first to the Red Sox (a Saturday loss) and the second to the Blue Jays (a thrilling, come-from-behind Monday win). Those two games were sandwiched around a great win against Boston and Daisuke Matsuzaka last Sunday that saw Scott Kazmir give arguably his best performance of the year.  Then, the Rays put up a pathetic outing Tuesday, getting shut out 2-0 to the Jays, but rebounded with a quality game (especially for the bullpen, which allowed only two hits over six innings) Wednesday to take the three-game set against Toronto.  Thursday was an off day, and the Orioles come to town to begin a weekend series on Friday.  So, for those of you still keeping track, that makes the Rays' record 4-9 over their last four series, which were played against the Yankees, Orioles, Red Sox, and Blue Jays. That's an average of one win per series.  So, using that pace (which, let's be honest, is being a little bit optimistic), the Rays will end up with a final record this season of 58-104.  At least they have that to look forward to.

The biggest story of the past week, and one that has, for no apparent reason, received very little attention in the press, was the questionable decision to recall shortstop Ben Zobrist from Durham and move Brendan Harris to second base.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is the same Ben Zobrist who earlier in the season was demoted to Triple-A because he was under-performing.  And by under-performing, I mean playing terribly.  And this is the same Brendan Harris who stepped in at shortstop and has been arguably the Rays' most valuable player this season.  So, to sum up, a guy who can't even hit .300 in the minor leagues is taking over at shortstop (the most important position in the infield) for a guy who is hitting .304 with an .805 OPS.  As if that wasn't enough, Josh Wilson has begun to play short on days when Zobrist is out of the lineup. In other words, not only has Zobrist become an option at shortstop, but he has pushed Harris over to second for what appears to be the long haul.  All season long, Brendan Harris was good enough to play short.  Now, without Wigginton on the roster, he suddenly is playing second base even on nights when Wilson is in the lineup.  What a great way to reward a guy who is finally getting an opportunity to be a regular fixture on a ball club and is performing at a high level - change his position in the field.  And, for all the talk about Zobrist's defense, he is hardly an upgrade over Harris.  I've watched Ben Zobrist play shortstop.  He has average range, at best.  He has an average arm, at best.  And, in only his second game back in the big-leagues (Tuesday), Zobrist committed an error that led to Edwin Jackson getting a loss despite giving up zero earned runs.  By contrast, Brendan Harris ended his last game at shortstop (Sunday) by making a diving play on a ground ball up the middle with two outs in the ninth to seal the Rays' victory.  And then he was promptly moved to second base to make way for the Gold Glove, as Zobrist will be referred to from this point forward.  Maybe Joe Maddon could think about putting the Gold Glove at second base instead of Harris.  I think they've both earned that right, albeit in vastly different ways.

Despite the upgraded bullpen, series win against Toronto, and positive energy the Rays seem to be exuding, I'm having a hard time getting overly excited about the team as it is currently structured.  Maybe it's because we've been through this before without seeing different results. Maybe it's because Buccaneer football is just around the corner. Or maybe it's because this team is still not one that can compete every night over an extended period of time.  I'd like to say things seem to be headed in the right direction.  I think they are.  But I've said that before, only to find myself wishing I hadn't spoken so soon. So for now, I'm reserving judgment on everything - the new bullpen, the Wigginton trade, even Joe Maddon's managing.  I'm not convinced the Rays are better off today than they were yesterday or the day before that. I want them to prove it to me.  Here's hoping tonight is the beginning of that process.
]]> Despite a flurry of activity at the trade deadline, three wins in their last four games, and a new and improved bullpen rotation, something still feels like it's missing from this Rays team. I haven't yet figured out what that something is, but I'm trying. This is my first attempt at sorting everything out. Making All the Right Moves...Again tag:raysblog.joesportsline.com,2007-07-28:3a45cd9f-ba3e-44bd-aba0-1d69fc8c1620 Joe 2007-07-29T00:47:56Z 2007-07-28T16:00:00Z Saturday, July 28, 2007
The Orioles Series (yawn) and the Start of a Red Sox Sweep

The Rays were swept in Baltimore.  By the Orioles.  That's about all I have to say about that.

As for the beginning of what will surely be another sweep, this one back at home to Boston, I'm going to go ahead and hang the first loss Friday night on Joe Maddon. Surprised, right?

It began with a great performance on the mound by Jason Hammel, who went five and a third innings, allowing only one hit and two free passes while striking out four.  Then, apparently because he was on a pitch count, Maddon pulled Hammel out of the game, electing to bring steroid man Juan Salas in to pitch.  Salas promptly gave up a three-run home run to the first batter he faced, Kevin Youkilis, and Hammel's solid outing was immediately negated.  As if that wasn't enough, Maddon brought Shawn Camp into the game in the eighth inning, after one of Casey Fossum's better (only good?) performances of the year, and Camp's line ended up looking like this: 0.2 IP, 4 hits, 3 earned runs.  Good choice on that one, Joe.  I just don't get it.  If Hammel was on a pitch count, then, well, I guess that was just bad luck (and bad pitching by Salas...although, here's a novel concept - DON'T HAVE HAMMEL ON A PITCH COUNT!). But the decision to take Fossum out of the game in favor of Camp was just plain stupid. Normally, I'm no fan of Casey Fossum. Actually, I'm the guy who screams at the T.V. every time I see Casey Fossum's mug on my screen.  Even if he's just sitting in the bullpen, I think his performance merits a boo (the man needs to sit up straighter in his chair, you know?).  But if he's actually pitching well (1.2 IP, 0 hits), why take him out?  WHY?  It makes no sense. It's not feasible that two pitchers in the Rays' pen could have a good night at the same time (isn't it amazing one of them could have a good night?), so if Fossum is dealing, there's really only one logical option: LEAVE HIM IN.

In other Rays news, catcher Raul Casanova was designated for assignment to make way for Josh Paul, who was activated off the Disabled List.  Yes, that's the same Raul Casanova who, in only 21 games this year, was hitting .250 with six home runs, 10 RBIs, and a .607 slugging percentage.  According to the Associated Press article about the move, Casanova "struggled defensively" in his time with the big-league squad, and it was basically for that reason that he was optioned to the minors in favor of "starting catcher" Dioner Navarro.  Yes, that's the same Dioner Navarro who is currently hitting .184 with two home runs, 20 RBIs, and a .265 slugging percentage in SEVENTY-THREE games this season (which, for those of you non-math majors, is just about three and a half times more games than the "struggling" Raul).  Oh yeah, in case anyone was wondering, Raul Casanova has a caught stealing percentage of .333, compared to Dioner Navarro's .303.  Just thought I'd point that out since Joe Maddon seems to think Navarro is a tremendous defensive catcher.  So, it's nice to see the organization once again making all the right moves.

The Rays will try to end their current seven game losing streak tonight against Red Sox starter Jon Lester.  Maybe Carl Crawford (who left four runners on base Friday) and the rest of the Rays offense will decide to show up for the game.  If, you know, it's not too much to ask.

As a side note, congratulations to Cal Ripken, Jr. and Tony Gwynn on their inductions this weekend into the most prestigious sports Hall of Fame there is.  Their plaques in Cooperstown are well-deserved, and it would be hard to find two better personifications of all that is right with baseball and with sports than these two gentlemen.
]]> It was a lousy sports week. The Rays were no exception, extending their latest losing streak to seven along the way. Memories of Skip Prosser tag:raysblog.joesportsline.com,2007-07-26:130b4d6b-bff2-4acd-9a2c-9937c2c57117 Joe 2007-08-29T22:14:41Z 2007-07-26T21:23:00Z
I did not know Skip Prosser, but I was a member of his family. 

I did not know Skip Prosser, but that didn't diminish my opinion of him.

I did not know Skip Prosser, but news of his death Thursday shocked and saddened me as though I did.

To say I did not know Coach Prosser was to say that I never had a real opportunity to meet him.  But that's not to say I never came in contact with him.  As a former student at Wake Forest, I would see him around campus, always with a smile on his face, always upbeat.  He would acknowledge me as our paths crossed, even though we didn't know one another, because to him, I was a student at his school, and that was good enough for Coach P. 

I didn't know much about Prosser when I enrolled at Wake, other than that he knew his basketball.  The first time I heard him speak was at a gathering of the Screamin' Demons, the student ticket and fan organization for basketball and football at the university.  It was largely due to Coach Prosser that the program became as successful as it is today.  He is the reason a school of only 4,300 undergraduates can have one of the best home court advantages in college basketball, comparable to that of schools with 10 times as many students.  It is through this program that my finest memories of him come.

I remember Coach Prosser speaking to the packed gym at that first meeting of the year in the fall.  He made the students feel like they were part of the team.  "This is your team," he told us.  He meant it.  
 
Before virtually every game, an e-mail would arrive in my Inbox from Coach P.  Sometimes it would be a scouting report on that night's opponent.  Sometimes, if the team had recently suffered a loss or two, it would be a pledge to keep working to represent the students and the university in a first class way.  Sometimes it would just be a reminder to show up and support the team.  His team.  Our team.     

Skip Prosser cared.  He cared about his family, his players, his coaches.  He cared about students, about the university, about people.  

Professor and writer Leo Buscaglia once said, "Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around."

Skip Prosser never underestimated that power.  He was a class act, a quality person, and a man who profoundly cared.  The world just lost one of its finest.         

I did not know Skip Prosser, but I sure felt like I did.  
]]> This is not a post about the Devil Rays. This is a post about life and a man whose was taken far too quickly. Today we were reminded that sports are about people, and there were few finer than Wake Forest University men's basketball coach Skip Prosser, who died this afternoon at the age of 56. Making A Case For Change tag:raysblog.joesportsline.com,2007-07-24:6829cc89-e696-476e-83b7-10bc38da5926 Joe 2007-08-29T22:16:02Z 2007-07-24T20:29:00Z Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Why Carl Crawford is More Expendable Than You Think

The Devil Rays must - absolutely must - trade Carl Crawford.  There, I said it.

This isn't about money, although that's a reason to do it too. It isn't about productivity, although Crawford is having a down season statistically.  It isn't about dumping salary or making a splash at the deadline or giving fans a reason to scream and yell. It is about one thing and one thing only: doing what is right for the team.

Let me repeat that.  It is about doing what is right for the team.

Now, you may think I'm crazy for suggesting this.  And maybe I am.  After all, I can say pretty much whatever I want from the comfort of my living room sofa without any repercussions. Rays' Executive Vice President Andrew Friedman doesn't have that luxury.

What he does have, though, is an All-Star leftfielder who will certainly run as fast as he can (which, if you haven't been paying attention, is really fast) in the opposite direction when his contract expires in 2010 - that is, if the Rays decide to pick up his two option years for a combined $18.25 million, which, let's be honest, seems like a lot of money for the Devil Rays' front office to spend, even for a player of Crawford's talents.

So, what it basically comes down to is this: the Rays can trade Crawford for a lot in return now, trade him for less later as his contract gets nearer to its end and teams are more inclined to wait it out, or pay a lot of money over the next three years for a guy who's as sure as gone after that.  It actually sounds like a no-brainer to me.  Okay, maybe not a no-brainer.  But it's not as hard of a decision as you may think.

Look at it this way.  Crawford is not a power hitter, so it's not like the Rays would lose a home run-capable bat in the middle of their order.  He is not a Gold Glove-caliber outfielder, so it's not like they would lose a tremendous arm on defense.  He is not, by all indications, thrilled to be a Devil Ray anyway, so it's not like they would lose a committed talent who could be the focal point of the team for years to come.  By all accounts, he's not even a vocal leader in the clubhouse, so it's not like the youngsters in the organization would suffer greatly from his departure.

I haven't always felt this way.  When two of my buddies, Alex and Sean, first suggested the possibility of a Crawford trade, I was anything but receptive to the idea.  Actually, I was totally against it.  That's because I think Carl Crawford is one of the good guys.  Every time he laces up his cleats, Crawford does everything he can to help his team win.  And when the game ends, unlike some of his teammates (not mentioning any names...), he doesn't go looking for trouble.  I don't blame C.C. for being tired of losing all the time. Heck, no one can blame him for that.  Imagine how deflating it must be to stand in leftfield while the likes of Shawn Camp and Casey Fossum give up hit after hit after hit, knowing there is nothing you can do about it.

But I've changed my mind on the question of whether or not he should be traded.  I still believe Crawford is a good player; it would be foolish to argue otherwise.  But that's not the point.  This is: he's become more valuable to the Rays as trade bait than in the lineup.  And here's why.

First, his value to the Rays is somewhat overstated because he is one of the few players on the team who is known to baseball fans outside the Tampa Bay area.  He's been to two All Star games, his peers consider him one of the most exciting players in the league, and he is more likely to make a highlight reel on Baseball Tonight than any of his teammates.  But that doesn't make him the Rays' most important, or even their best, player; it only makes him their most high profile.  B.J. Upton and Delmon Young have proven this year that they are the future leaders of this team, and the way Carlos Pena has been swinging the bat since becoming the Rays' everyday first baseman has added some extra "pop" to the starting lineup that, coupled with his desire to remain in Tampa, should continue for years to come.  Crawford remains one of the Rays' best players, but he is no longer their only potential superstar.

Second, there is no reason to believe the Rays couldn't improve their team by making the right trade for Crawford.  Again, acknowledging his talents, exactly how many games have the Rays won since Crawford's rookie season in 2002?  If you said an average of 63 per season, you're right. That makes it pretty hard to argue that Crawford is an essential piece to the winning puzzle.  Look, what's holding the Rays back right now is two things - pitching and consistency on offense. Oh yeah, and did I mention pitching? Consistency will come as the youngsters mature as big league players and gel as a team (and, perhaps, when the Rays change managers).  Pitching will come when the organization finds good pitchers.  Sure, they have a few promising candidates in the minors, but none of those is a sure thing.  And, honestly, who can sit here now and worry about the Rays having too much pitching in the future?  If Carl Crawford could be used as a way for the Rays to shore up their pitching staff for years to come, I don't see how the Rays could possibly not make that deal. Remember, pitching wins championships.

Third, winning requires team chemistry, something the Rays clearly don't have now and are unlikely to develop until they assemble a team that has a fighting chance of being competitive. There's no way that's going to happen before 2009 or 2010, at which point Crawford will already have one foot (or, maybe in his case, one and a half feet) out the door.  Why keep a guy who has no intention of being here beyond his current contract around when there is no chance of him being part of a winning team before that?  Of course you don't want to give him away for nothing, but there are plenty of teams who would love to have him, and certainly Rays management should be able to put together a nice collection of talent as compensation for Crawford and his proven abilities.

Fourth and finally, I simply no longer believe Crawford is the right guy to build a contender around. That's a hard thing to say when he's been one of the only bright spots in the entire history of the Devil Rays franchise, but it is unfortunately a reality.  He's not a Derek Jeter or a Vladimir Guerrero or even a Jose Reyes, players who can single-handedly take over games with their leadership or with one swing of the bat or with cunning instincts. Crawford's game is better suited to being on a team with a couple of power hitters, a decent starting rotation, and a schedule that doesn't include 36 games every year against the Yankees and Red Sox.  He's a fine player, no doubt about it.  He's just not the right player for the Rays anymore.

For all those reasons, and because it would be nice to see him have a chance to win, the Rays really ought to consider trading Crawford.  If the right deal doesn't come around before the July 31 trading deadline this year, then maybe not until the Winter Meetings.  If the right situation doesn't present itself there, then maybe not until next season.

You still might not agree with me.  But I'm now convinced it would be in the best interests of the organization and the future success of the team to make a trade.  If there is one thing we all know for sure, it is that the current state of the Rays remains atrocious. The strategy so far isn't working. It's time for a change. Sometime very soon, Carl Crawford should play his last game in the green and gray.

The Rays wish list pretty much looks like this:

1.        Bullpen help
2.        Bullpen help
3.        Starting pitching
4.        Bullpen help
5.        A catcher who can hit
6.        A power bat
7.        Bullpen help
8.        And, of course, bullpen help

When you need as many things as the Rays do, it really shouldn't be all that difficult to find a reasonable trade scenario for Crawford. Think you've got a good one?  Post a comment here with the details.  If we come up with enough that make sense before the July 31 deadline, I'll send the three best to Rays' Executive Vice President Andrew Friedman for his consideration.  After all, what General Manager doesn't want a little help from the fans?

So, in the spirit of Monty Hall, and with the hope that the Devil Rays will one day be able to compete, LET'S MAKE A DEAL...


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]]> Brace yourselves. I'm about to suggest something pretty bold. But before you yell at me right off the bat, read the full entry. You just might change your mind. If not, feel free to yell at me then. How Low Can They Go? tag:raysblog.joesportsline.com,2007-07-23:92fdb34b-0179-41d2-a3f3-38ac14dac756 Joe 2007-07-23T22:09:08Z 2007-07-23T20:37:00Z Monday, July 23, 2007
An Absolute Embarrassment

I try being optimistic and this is the thanks I get?  That'll teach me.

Because it was just too darned good to be true, the Rays fell back to Earth this past weekend after taking three out of four from the Angels and Yankees earlier in the week. And boy, did they fall hard.  How does 38 runs allowed in a two game span sound?  Or how about 45 hits over that same time period?  Or, even worse, how about the 29-run differential between the two teams in those games?

Yes, folks, apparently it can indeed get worse. After letting the day game of Saturday's double-dip get away from them in their usual fashion (via the bullpen's ineptitude), the Rays decided to state their case for why they remain the undisputed worst team in the league.  And boy, what a case they have.  I'm not sure even Denny Crane (Denny Crane!) could come up with a way to prove them wrong, as they followed up their 17-5 shellacking Saturday night with an absolutely terrible performance Sunday afternoon that resulted in a 21-4 defeat.  It is my official position that the entire Durham Bulls team should be allowed to play Tuesday's game in Baltimore in place of the Rays squad because, quite frankly, I don't see how they could do any worse.

James Shields had his least effective start of the year Sunday, allowing 10 runs on 10 hits in only three and a third innings (although, in his defense, Casey Fossum let in two of those 10 runs just by stepping on the mound to replace him).  Shields was bound to get roughed up sooner or later, but the Rays' bullpen actually managed to top his effort.  Way to pick up your guy when he was down, fellas.  Here's the line on that juggernaut that is the Devil Rays' pen: ELEVEN RUNS on FIFTEEN HITS.  Allow that to wash over you.  11 runs...on 15 hits.  The total number of outs they had to get was 14.  I haven't been this mad about their performance all season.  Considering what has happened so far this year (giving up six runs in the bottom of the ninth to lose in Toronto on a Tuesday in June and then turning an 8-2 fifth inning lead against the Marlins into a 14-8 defeat three days later on Friday...just to give one example), that is really saying something.

There are times when your devotion to the Devil Rays is really tested.  This is certainly one of those times.  The way they performed over the weekend was a complete and utter embarrassment and everyone on the team ought to be ashamed of how they played.  
It's not that they lost that bothers me.  It's not even that they got blown out that is so disappointing.  The worst part about it is that they lost in ridiculous fashion in back-to-back games, and nobody seemed to care about it. Pride alone should have dictated a better performance on Sunday after being swept in Saturday's twin billing, but alas, the effort on Sunday was somehow worse than the day before.  I know everyone said the right things after the loss (thankfully, even Captain Optimistic, Joe Maddon, was unimpressed), but saying "we need to get better" and actually getting better are two completely different things.  It's time for results, or, at the very least, for a change.  I don't know what that change is right now, but I don't get paid to figure it out. There are plenty of people in the organization who do, including Andrew Friedman, who, in my estimation, has done little to celebrate this season.  There is no other occupation in the world where you can perform so consistently poorly and still get a pat on the back and be expected to return to work the next day.  Someone needs to be held accountable for the beating the team took over the weekend.

There is one question mark about the Rays that may have been answered during the Yankees series, though: what Joe Maddon is doing in the dugout while the bullpen continually blows up. He's not managing, that much we know.  Aside from the obvious reasons why not, his lineup card is turned the wrong way for him to be doing that.  So what is it then that he strains so hard to decipher on the back of his folded up card?  My friend Sean believes he has the answer.  Maddon, he says, is struggling to determine the next number in the Sudoku puzzle he's attempting to complete.  That must be one hard puzzle, but at least Casey Fossum, Shawn Camp, Brian Stokes, Scott Dohmann, and the rest of the crew are giving Maddon plenty of opportunities to work on getting it finished.  Good job being there for your skipper, guys.

For those of you who are still paying attention (Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?), the fourth-place Orioles are next up on the schedule for Tampa Bay.  Scott Kazmir is on the mound for the Rays in game one of the three-game set, which means...drum roll, please...more action for the bullpen! Whoo!  I'm sure everyone is happy about that.

P.S. Here's a shout-out to the Palm Harbor Junior Baseball Little Leaguers, who came up just short of reaching the State Tournament Sunday afternoon in Dunedin.  Congrats on a good run, boys.]]> The Rays are not very good at baseball, which is problematic since they are supposed to be a "professional" baseball team. My how quickly things change. Click to read about the huge swing in momentum (and in the Yankees' bats). A Whole Lotta Baseball Going On tag:raysblog.joesportsline.com,2007-07-21:c0dbe857-ece1-4e00-973a-d69a3f94599a Joe 2007-07-21T19:23:50Z 2007-07-21T19:09:00Z Saturday, July 21, 2007
The Angels Series, a Yankee BEATDOWN, and a Predictable Letdown

I really shouldn't say anything.  Baseball is a game of superstition, of ritual, of karma.  Since I started this blog, the Rays are 10 and 25. That's bad karma.  Take out the two games they won against L.A. of Anaheim (which, by the way, is annoying even to type) earlier in the week, and the 14-4 thrashing of the Yankees Friday night, and they've only won seven of the 32 games they've played since I began this little adventure.  Given their recent winning ways, I really ought to keep my mouth shut.  But I can't.

Not when Edwin Jackson pitches six shutout innings and Dioner Navarro hits a grand slam IN THE SAME GAME.  I'm pretty sure there are better chances of me winning the lottery tonight than of that ever happening again. And I didn't even buy a ticket.

A wise man once told me not to question good things that happen.  So I will only say this: even a blind squirrel finds an acorn every now and then.

The winning began when the Angels came to town Tuesday.  James Shields gave another quality start, the bats came alive, and the Rays were able to rebound from two tough losses to the Yankees the series before with an 8-3 victory in front of a pathetic crowd of 9,430 (following two straight sellouts of 36,048 against the Yanks).  Scott Kazmir carried the momentum with him Wednesday night, going seven strong innings in what was clearly his best outing of the year and allowing the Rays to capture their first series win since June 24 against L.A.'s other team, the Dodgers. Even the 3-0 loss Thursday wasn't terrible, as Andy Sonnanstine once again pitched well enough to win but was given the Roger Clemens treatment from the Rays' offense, which was held in check by All-Star snub Kelvim Escobar.  Still, taking two out of three from the A.L. West leader is nothing to hang your head about.

As if to apologize to Sonny and prove it was Thursday's performance, and not the first two games of the series, that was an aberration, the Rays pounded Mike Mussina and the Yankees Friday night in the Bronx.  Amazingly, every player in the starting lineup scored at least once in the victory, and B.J. Upton showed why he is rapidly becoming the best hitter on the team, going 3-for-6 with two home runs and three runs batted in.  Edwin Jackson's four-hit, six-inning performance seemingly came out of nowhere, as did the Navarro grand slam (even though it was off recently called-up Edwar Ramirez), and the Rays started off their long (four games in a 45 hour span) weekend series with a bang (literally).

Even though they had a predictable letdown in the first game of their Saturday doubleheader, there is still plenty to be optimistic about (look at me - I'm like a regular Joe Maddon here!). Rebound with a strong performance in the night game, and the Rays still have a chance to at least split the four-game set with a red-hot Yankees team.  For a Rays squad that is 38-58 on the year, they really ought to be happy about that.

(Editor's Note: I decided to try an upbeat approach for the final two games of the New York series as a change to my usual "the sky is falling" tactics.  Let's see if it has the opposite effect.  Remember, it's all about karma baby.)
]]> It's been a pretty good week for the Rays. Wow, that felt good to type. It doesn't happen often, so let's savor the moment as I recap here the games that were. Meet the Rays tag:raysblog.joesportsline.com,2007-07-18:0de9d27b-4d0d-4ce4-86f5-2e9153f21053 Joe 2007-08-29T22:17:47Z 2007-07-18T22:03:00Z Wednesday, July 18, 2007
A Profile of Rays' Second Basemen

In his much-discussed interview on ESPN Radio last week, Deadspin's Will Leitch told Scott Van Pelt that more people know who Van Pelt is than know who the second baseman for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays is.  Of course he's right, but that's no excuse.  Because, after all, the Devil Rays are nice people too (well, except for when they're throwing bats at umpires and threatening to kill their estranged wives).  One of the problems for the anonymity of the Devil Rays' second baseman is that the Rays themselves don't seem to know who he is (that and nobody outside of Tampa cares about the Rays.  Actually, few people in Tampa care about the Rays).  Three different D-Rays have spent time at second base this season.  That makes it hard to figure out who these guys are.  So, in an effort to improve the sports IQ of every baseball fan who thinks Ty Wigginton sounds like the name of the lead singer of some garage band named "The Wiggintons," here's a look at who's on second in Tampa:

B.J. Upton     6-3, 180 lbs., R/R

Upton, a 22-year-old talent from Norfolk, Virginia, started the season as the Rays' primary second baseman, was listed as such on the All Star ballot, and played 48 games at the position.  Then, two things happened. One, he got hurt and was forced to miss over a third of the Rays' games in the first half of the year. Two, Elijah Dukes decided it might be a good time for attempted murder, so the Rays were forced to move Upton, a gifted athlete, to centerfield in order to fill the hole left by Dukes' extended absence.  As long as Dukes continues his shenanigans, it appears Upton is the centerfielder of the future for Tampa Bay (after all, it's hard to play the outfield from jail).  But since Upton is likely to spend some time at second base too, it doesn't hurt to learn more about him.

Born Melvin Emanuel Upton, his nickname "B.J." stands for "Bossman Junior," which comes from his father's high school moniker "Bossman" (his father, by the way, is now an ACC basketball referee).  At Greenbriar Christian Academy in Chesapeake, Virginia, Upton excelled in pretty much everything he did on the diamond, hitting over .600 with tremendous power, stealing bases at will, and even compiling impressive pitching stats, including two no-hitters.  The Rays drafted him with the second overall pick in the 2002 draft, and since that time, he has been considered one of their most promising young prospects. On July 31, 2006, not long after making some disparaging remarks about conditions in the minor-leagues and wondering aloud to USA Today why he hadn't been promoted to the big leagues sooner, Upton was finally called up from AAA Durham.  He largely struggled at the plate, hitting .246 with only one home run and 10 RBIs in 50 games.  In addition, the fielding problems he exhibited in the minors continued, as he made 13 errors at third base, prompting Rays' skipper Joe Maddon to try Upton's luck at second base this year.  B.J. wasn't much better on the other side of second, committing 12 errors in his 48 games there, and his success so far in the outfield suggests that his move there is likely to be a permanent one.


Ty Wigginton     6-0, 200 lbs., R/R

Despite looking like a rather intimidating fellow, Wigginton is, by all accounts, a stand-up gentleman who plays the game the right way and never complains about where he hits in the lineup or plays in the field.  Lately, he's been playing a lot of second base, where he has started 32 games so far this season for the Rays.  It appears as though Wiggy will finish the season as the Rays' primary second baseman, with some nights at DH sprinkled in here and there.

Wigginton was drafted in 1998 by the New York Mets and was called up four years later to be a utility infielder on their 2002 squad.  He served as their primary third baseman in 2003, playing in 155 games and hitting .255 with 11 homers and 71 runs batted in for a team that finished last in the N.L. East.  After a two-year stint with the Pirates, Wigginton signed with the Rays prior to the 2006 season and went on to have by far his most successful year in the big leagues, hitting .275 with 24 home runs and 79 RBIs.

Originally from San Diego, Wigginton is married with two young children.  He is considered one of Joe Maddon's favorite players, has his own fan group at Tropicana Field, and has befriended recent Rays acquisition Akinori Iwamura, who knew almost nothing about America before coming here from the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of the Japanese league prior to this season.  Additionally, Wigginton garnered national attention when, last offseason, he delivered his second child in the walk-in bedroom closet of his house in North Carolina after his wife unexpectedly went into labor at 6 a.m. one morning.  The experience landed Ty on the cover of a prominent parenting magazine and was surely the inspiration for the closet design in the master bedroom of LeBron James' new home.


Josh Wilson     6-1, 175 lbs., R/R

Remember that non-pitcher who came into a blowout loss early in June of this season and got a couple of outs?  Well, that was Josh Wilson, a 26-year-old utility infielder for the Rays who has also started 13 games at second base.  Wilson was acquired off waivers by Tampa Bay back in early May after struggling in limited playing time with Washington.  Since his arrival in Tampa, Wilson has hit .278 in 72 at-bats.  He has had the occasional clutch hit, and Joe Maddon has hinted that Wilson could be in for more time in the lineup in the near future.  Until then, he will undoubtedly be known more for reaching 88 on the radar gun in that June game against the Marlins than for his production at the plate.  Wilson surely isn't the best second baseman on the Rays' roster, but that night in Miami, he certainly was the best pitcher in the bullpen.


So there you have it.  Now, next time you run into Scott Van Pelt at a Delaware bar, at least you'll feel better about yourself for knowing who plays second base for the Devil Rays too.


CHECK OUT THE MAIN PAGE FOR MORE DEVIL RAYS KNOWLEDGE, OR VISIT www.JOESPORTSLINE.com FOR SPORTS ODDS AND ENDS 
]]> Apparently, there are people out there who don't know some of the Devil Rays' players. Gasp. Fear not, though, because I'm here to help those poor souls learn what they're missing. Find out here. Another Housekeeping Effort tag:raysblog.joesportsline.com,2007-07-16:4388a8b3-404a-4a3b-b308-c4a5fea66081 Joe 2007-07-17T03:03:38Z 2007-07-16T21:49:00Z Monday, July 16, 2007
Another Housekeeping Effort - the Royals and Yankees Series

Remember that thing about me posting once per series?  So much for that, huh?  On the bright side, I have been working on the parent site of this blog - www.joesportsline.com - so there is now plenty to see there in addition to the witty and insightful commentary that can always be found here.

It was tempting to write something after the Rays were swept for the third series in a row by Boston on July 5.  It was tempting to write something after they FINALLY won a game against Kansas City the next day.  It was even more tempting to write something after Shawn Camp and the Rays bullpen did what they usually do - gave up three runs in the bottom of the eighth and a walk-off hit in the bottom of the ninth - the night after that.  It was a little tempting to vent two days later, when, at the All Star break, the Rays had lost 13 of their last 14 games heading into the three-day break.  Then, Carl Crawford hit a home run in San Francisco and all was forgiven.  But the All Star break ended and the Rays lost three of four to the Yankees at home, re-igniting my passion for their losing and prompting my glorious return to D-Rays blogging.  And so, we meet again.

Not much has changed since the last time I posted two weeks ago.  Actually, check that, the Rays can no longer finish the season with 129 losses.  Their wins in KC and at home to the Yanks have reduced that potential number to 127.  So there's that.

Otherwise, the dismal play continues (the Rays have now lost 16 of their last 18) and Tampa Bay is now more than 20 games behind Boston in the A.L. East and easily the worst team in Major League Baseball as the only one with a winning percentage under .400.

The only place where there is any new news is on the Staats and Magrane front, where, as always, Dewayne and Joe are giving fans a reason to keep tuning in.  During one of the Yankees telecasts, they told a story about Rickey Henderson.  Now, this didn't come completely out of left field (although you can never be sure with these guys), as earlier in the day, the Mets had hired Henderson to be their new hitting coach.  What that had to do with the Rays and Yankees, we'll never know, but at least Rickey was in the news that day, so Dewayne and Joe took it upon themselves to tell a Rickey Henderson story.  It went something like this:

"In spring training 1999, Rickey Henderson of the Mets was reunited with first baseman John Olerud, who had been his teammate with the Blue Jays six years earlier.  As most people know, Olerud wore a helmet instead of a hat in the field for his career because in college he had an aneurysm which required brain surgery, so, to protect his head, he was allowed to wear a helmet in the field.  As the story goes, Henderson was talking to Olerud one day, noticed the helmet, and said, 'You know, when I played in Toronto, we had a guy who wore a helmet.'  'Rickey,' said Olerud, 'that was me.'"

Now, if you're thinking that doesn't sound like the way Dewayne and Joe would tell a story, well, you're right.  That was actually a quote from Tim Kurkjian's book Is This a Great Game, or What?  Coincidentally though (or perhaps not...), it was the same Rickey Henderson story Staats and Magrane so less eloquently described on the game telecast.  So if you're listening guys, and I know you are, I'm on to you.  Stop stealing Tim Kurkjian's material. Everyone knows you DO NOT want to be on Timmy's bad side.

As for the Rays, they're just hoping to be on the winning side of a box score one of these days. As if they needed more bad news, Tampa Bay welcomes the team with the second-best record in MLB, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, who the Rays can never seem to beat anyway, to the Trop for a three-game set beginning Tuesday.  I anticipate having something to say about that at some point.  But not now.  Now, I must go bathe in the optimism that is Joe Maddon's post-game quote repertoire.  Remember people, the Rays are really darn good.  Actually winning is overrated.  Oh yeah, and that Edwin Jackson fellow?  He's got the heart of a champion...and the arm of a Single-A pitcher.
]]> I'm BAAAAAAAACK. Again. Catch up on the pre-and-post-All-Star break series against the Royals and Yankees by reading more. Rays vs. Red Sox, July 3 tag:raysblog.joesportsline.com,2007-07-03:f12a295a-ad40-4f97-a43d-93ddb5720d31 Joe 2007-07-04T02:31:34Z 2007-07-03T22:59:00Z Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Starting Pitchers: Scott Kazmir (5-4) vs. Daisuke Matsuzaka (9-5)
Game Time: 7:05 p.m.
Rays (33-48) vs. Red Sox (50-31)

7:08 p.m. - First pitch from Matsuzaka comes three minutes later than scheduled.  Doug Mirabelli is already on the Red Sox roster, right?  I mean, we're not waiting for another Boston Police escort, are we?
7:10 - Iwamura tries to argue a strikeout call. Hmm...that must be difficult when you don't speak English.  I wonder if he could get thrown out of a game arguing only in Japanese?  I think he should try.
7:10 (still) - Carl Crawford flies out on one pitch.  Way to make Dice-K work, All-Star.
7:11 - Brendan Harris is at the plate.  After Crawford.  Do you think Joe Maddon just does enee-menee-minee-mo to come up with his starting lineup?
7:13 - Harris delivers the first hit of the ballgame.  Sure would've been nice if that had come with only one out.
7:18 - Sox leadoff man Coco Crisp has been at bat for a while now.  Think the scouting report on Kazmir's pitch count problem is out?  I'm gonna say yeah.
7:19 - This is Delmon Young's 20th straight game in centerfield.  Joe Magrane says Young is still trying to get a feel for playing the position.  Do you think that's a sign he's just not a centerfielder by nature?  Wait, what's that?  Phone call from Carl Crawford telling me to keep quiet?
7:20 - Dustin Pedroia is fouling off a bunch of pitches too.  I think the plan is to get Kazmir out of the game after five innings and attack the bullpen.  I've never been a Terry Francona fan.  But that's just smart coaching.
7:28 - What's with Matsuzaka's red glove?  It reminds me of that blue glove Juan Guzman used to wear when he pitched for Toronto.  Only Dice-K's is infinitely cooler.
7:31 - Delmon connects for a single to center. Dewayne Staats says he's leading the charge among rookie hitters in so many categories. So, he's batting seventh tonight why?  Oh, yeah, enee-menee-minee-mo.
7:40 - Even Manny is making Scotty Kaz throw a ton of pitches.  Yes, free-swinging Manny Ramirez has worked the count to 3-2, fouled some close pitches off, and has now drawn a base on balls.  This is vintage Kazmir.
7:46 - Mike Lowell walks to load the bases with no outs on back-to-back-to-back free passes. I'm shocked.  Shocked, I tell you.
7:48 - Ty Wigginton misplays a double play ball and is only able to get the one out at first. Ramirez scores the first of what will surely be many runs this inning on the play.
7:51 - Former Devil Ray Julio Lugo breaks his 33 at-bat hitless streak with a two-on, two-out, two-RBI single to center.  You know what they say about two-out hits: they get you to heaven.  In this case, they at least buy Lugo another at-bat this game.  I'm glad the Rays could come to town to help get his career back on track.
7:53 - The second inning finally comes to an end.  Three runs for Boston...on one hit.
7:57 - Aww...I just noticed that Aki's bat matches Dice-K's glove.  How cute.
7:59 - Staats says Crawford is 3 for his last 30. He then grounds out to Lugo at short.  Make it 3 for his last 31.  Those are All-Star stats if I've ever seen them.  Come to think of it, why isn't Julio Lugo on the A.L. squad too?
8:03 - Magrane comments on how Kazmir must feel like he's right back in the fire after another 1-2-3 inning for Rays' hitters.  It's one of those rare moments where you think, "Wow, that Magrane guy just made a good point."
8:23 - Kazmir runs the count to full again, this time against Wily Mo Pena, another of the Red Sox's most free-wheeling swingers.  Even Staats takes notice of this.  That's when you know you've really got a problem.
8:25 - We're all reminded the Rays are already 17 games behind Boston in the A.L. East and this is only their first of 18 eventual meetings this season.  I guess finishing 35 games out of first place isn't that bad.
8:27 - B.J. Upton update time: he's not going to be back until after the All-Star break.  And the hits just keep on coming.
8:31 - YES!  The Chevrolet commercial finally makes an appearance. You know the one: "We love baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet.  Stolen bases, goat cheese pizza, bottled water, and Chevrolet.  Free agents, rally monkeys, fantasy baseball, and Chevrolet."  Any commercial that features the rally monkey is immediately in my all-time top ten.
8:33 - Staats says Lugo's average is now over .190 for the year.  He meant it as a compliment. He's spent way too much time covering the Rays.
8:43 - Iwamura barely makes it into second after scorching one off the bottom of the Green Monster in left.  Let's see if Crawford can have a productive at-bat with a runner in scoring position and only one out.
8:44 - Rays' principal owner Stuart Sternberg is in the crowd tonight with his son.  Nice to see him make it out to a Red Sox, er, I mean, Devil Rays, game.
8:45 - Crawford lines out to first.  Hey, give him a break, at least he made Matsuzaka throw four pitches that at-bat.
8:51 - Kazmir takes the mound for his final, I mean, sixth, inning of the game.
8:53 - That's 95 pitches through five and a third tonight for Scotty Kaz.  Nice to see him keep the pitches to a little lower clip so far this evening.
8:56 - Iwamura makes a throwing error on a slow chopper to third hit by Lowell.  Really, what else can go wrong at this point?
8:57 - Jason Hammel gets a little overexcited about coming into the ballgame after Joe Maddon makes a visit to the mound to discuss strategy with Kazmir.  He makes it more than halfway to the mound before being told to turn around.  Go away, Hammel.  Go away.
9:05 - The game is back from commercials, but it appears Dewayne Staats has stepped out of the room.  There is silence for a good 10 seconds before Staats announces that Carlos Pena is at the plate.  Wonder if the Rays' play has put Staats asleep like it has the rest of us?
9:08 - ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.
9:10 - I think Dice-K is the anti-Scott Kazmir. He never looks rattled, never seems to put himself into tough situations, works quickly and efficiently, throws relatively few pitches, and doesn't walk many batters.  I'm very impressed.
9:13 - Magrane says Matsuzaka has been under no stress tonight.  You think so, Doctor?
9:29 - Staats and Magrane have been all over the rightfield ball girl's struggles tonight.  I think that would be a great idea for a reality show.  Throw together a bunch of teenage kids, run them through rigorous fielding tests, and make the grand prize a Fenway Park ball boy/ ball girl position. Now I'd watch that kind of must-see T.V.  Why has nobody thought of this before?
9:37 - Todd Kalas reports on the guy who climbed Mount Everest with a Daisuke Matsuzaka jersey. Before he embarked on his adventure, Kalas tells us, he had the Dalai Lama bless the jersey. "So he's got that going for him," Kalas says.  Seriously, can't we just get rid of Staats and Magrane and have a Todd Kalas-only broadcast?  It would be so much more fun.
9:38 - Shawn Camp is up in the Rays' bullpen. Ordinarily, I'd boo.  But I'm beyond caring at this point.
9:40 - "That's a lot of Dice-K's for Matsuzaka," Magrane remarks after seeing the "K" signs being kept on a wall at Fenway.  Hilarious. Really.  I can't stop laughing.
9:46 - Iwamura is punched out for the second time this game on a questionable (read "bad") call. C'mon, blue, do you really need to help the Red Sox out any here?  They seem to be doing just fine on their own.
10:05 - Thank God for Carlos Pena.  At least the Rays didn't get shut out.  With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Pena curves his fly ball around Pesky's Poll for his 19th homer of the season.
10:05 (still) - Greg Norton check-swing pop-ups the first pitch he sees to Mike Lowell at third.  And that'll be the ballgame.
10:06 - "Hope you've enjoyed the telecast if not the outcome," Staats says in his signature sign-off.  I can't wait to see if he says it out of habit the next time the Rays actually win a game.  Oh wait.  That implies they're going to win again.  Quite honestly, I can't see that happening any time soon.  All is not lost, though.  If they lose the remainder of their games, they will finish the season with 129 losses.  Not even the 1962 Mets lost that many.  See, folks, there's a silver lining in everything.]]> The Rays finally - FINALLY - take on the Boston Red Sox in a match-up of A.L. East foes. With Daisuke Matsuzaka on the mound for the Sox, what better time for a running diary of the game? Click to see how the action unfolded. A Housekeeping Effort tag:raysblog.joesportsline.com,2007-07-01:2ba3383c-13af-4cb9-8a6e-c853b81326bd Joe 2007-07-23T22:13:17Z 2007-07-01T22:58:00Z Sunday, July 1, 2007
A Housekeeping Effort from the Dodgers, White Sox, and Indians Series

Miss me?  Well, did you?

Those of you who've been paying attention may have noticed that I decided to take the past week or so off.  I mean, if the Devil Rays' offense can do it, why can't I? Actually, I decided I needed a break from Dewayne Staats and Joe Magrane, so I took a little vacation, played a little golf, and enjoyed a little time away from the Rays' broadcasters. You try listening to them every single night.  I guarantee your head will feel like it's going to explode just like mine did.  But I'm better now. I promise.  Your concern does not go unnoticed, though.

In light of the events of the past week, which also included the Devil Rays dropping seven in a row, I'm going to restructure the blog a little bit.  Relax, I'll still be providing top-notch commentary and managing the team better from my couch than Joe Maddon does from the dugout.  And if something important happens relating to the Rays (say, if Elijah Dukes shoots, stabs, or brutally beats someone...it's just a for instance, it's not an idea!), I'll still be here for analysis.  All that's changing is that I'm scaling back the number of regular posts from one per game to one per series. And, I mean, honestly, can you blame me?  After witnessing the same thing night after night, what can I possibly have to say that would vary on an individual game basis?  Of course the bullpen is terrible.  Of course the offense is lackluster and inconsistent.  Of course there are plenty of managerial mistakes.  So, instead of listening to me wax poetic about those things on a daily basis, you can now look forward to it every third or fourth day.  Trust me, we'll get through this together.  And we'll come out of it stronger than we've ever been.

For now, I'll try to play a little catch-up with the 10 games I haven't written about.  The Rays started off that stretch by taking the final two games of their three-game set against the Dodgers to win their only series this season against a National League West opponent. And that's when it all went terribly wrong. Since then, Tampa Bay has lost seven games in a row to the White Sox and Indians.  They have looked tired.  They have looked unenthused. They have looked like they tend to look this time of year every season, when the losses start piling on, when you can see the frustration on the players' faces, and when a once promising year turns into another last-place season.  Here are some thoughts on the whole ordeal:

-  What's the best part of the Rays right now? That catchy advertising jingle!  "Take me out to the Rays game.  Take me out to the crowd. Give me some seats on the first base line.  Me and my friends will have a great time.  One, two, three strikes you're out at a home...RAYS...game. Ba-bada-badada-badada."  Man, I just love that song.

-  Why is it that Joe Maddon cannot pick a lineup and stick with it?  For a time there on the West-coast swing, he seemed to have settled on a Wigginton/Pena/Young 4-5-6 combination in the middle of the order.  I know there was no DH in the N.L. ballparks, but once the Rays returned to American League play, why couldn't Maddon have inserted Greg Norton into the seven spot (between Delmon Young and Jonny Gomes) and called it a day? I hope when B.J. Upton returns to the lineup, Maddon decides to pick a batting order and stay with it.  Maybe if the Rays' hitters could show up to the ballpark every day knowing exactly where they were hitting and playing, it would help with their consistency.  It couldn't possibly hurt, could it?  Here's a suggestion for Maddon that closely aligns with his opinion of the Rays' talent:
1. Iwamura, 2. Upton, 3. Crawford, 4. Wigginton, 5. Pena, 6. Young, 7. Gomes, 8. Casanova, 9. Harris.

-  Speaking of Upton, I attended his second rehab start for the Vero Beach Devil Rays of the Florida State League on Saturday night at Legends Field in Tampa.  Upton was 0-for-2 with a strikeout and looked rather unimpressive against Single-A competition. At Triple-A Durham Sunday, Upton was 1-for-3 with a home run.  At this point, how he plays is secondary to how he feels.  Aside from being fatigued after playing five innings Thursday in Tampa, all indications are that his quadriceps is doing better and he is set to rejoin the big-league team soon.  Anyone who has watched him play so far this season knows that is great news.

-  So Carl Crawford is the Rays' All-Star, huh? Really?  The guy with the fourth-best batting average, sixth best on-base percentage, and fifth best slugging percentage on the team is the Rays' representative on the A.L. All-Star team?  The guy who won't volunteer to play centerfield in the absence of Rocco Baldelli, Elijah Dukes, and B.J. Upton is an All-Star? The guy who is having his worst season in recent memory is an All-Star this year? Alllllrighty. For the record, though, Carlos Pena has a better batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage than Twins All-Star first baseman Justin Morneau. James Shields ranks behind only C.C. Sabathia and Dan Haren among all A.L. pitchers in innings pitched and is fifth in strikeouts.  Oh yeah, and Al Reyes has 17 saves in 18 opportunities out of an otherwise dismal Rays bullpen.  I'm not saying Crawford is a bad player.  I'm not even going to debate that he is the Rays' best player.  I'm just saying there were plenty of other Rays players who were more worthy of an All-Star selection this particular year.

-  While watching the Tigers/Twins game on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball, an interesting thought occurred to me (okay, it actually occurred to my dad, but I have no problem taking credit for it here).  How is it that the Twins, who play in a small market and have, outside of superstars Johan Santana ($13 million) and Torii Hunter ($12 million), a relatively small payroll (only $71.4395 million), manage to compete every season in the always-difficult American League?  The answer - good players and a good manager - is obvious, but the question of how they were able to build a perennial contender given all that is seemingly stacked against them, is what's so intriguing. Could the Rays eventually build what the Twins currently have?  Could David Price be the next Johan Santana? Are B.J. Upton and Delmon Young future M.V.P. candidates like Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau are today?  Will Rays ownership increase the payroll enough to keep young stars like Carl Crawford and Scott Kazmir from fleeing in free agency?  I don't have the answers to these questions, mind you; I just found them worthy of being asked.  If you'd like to venture a guess, I'd be more than happy to hear opinions on the topic.

-  Given that Scott Kazmir has walked the most batters of any pitcher in the American League thus far, coupled with the fact that he can't seem to go more than six innings on a good day, and it has some people wondering whether last year's overwhelming success could've been a fluke.  A buddy of mine recently suggested moving Kaz to the bullpen in an effort to solve two problems at once. I'm not ready to go that far, but I'll grant he has a point.  If the young arms in the Rays' farm system develop as they are expected to, and the Rays really do end up with an overabundance of pitching (which, quite frankly, seems more than a little farfetched at this point), then Kazmir in the bullpen sounds like a great idea.  After all, with his stuff and mental approach to the game, he could be a great 7th and 8th inning guy, and maybe even a shutdown closer sometime in the future.  But a good starter is always better than a great reliever, and until Kaz shows that he will be unable to consistently pitch deep into ball games for the remainder of his career, there's no way you can move a potential Cy Young winner out of the starting rotation.

-  The Rays have struck out 10 or more batters in six of their last seven games.  That's an incredible feat, especially when you consider that they haven't won any of those games.  At this point, they're going to have to try to get at least 10 K's in every game they play so that fans have a reason to at least pay attention.  That might be the only way they can get people to show up at the Trop for a game that doesn't involve the Yankees or Red Sox in the second half of the season. Oh wait, I forgot all you have to do is go online to get the free pizza coupon now.  Guess only Boston and New York fans will be attending D-Rays games from this point forward.  Terrific. Seriously.  I cannot wait.

Well, that's a wrap for now.  Look for a special post on the Elijah Dukes' situation coming in the very near future.  And expect something interesting when the Rays take on the Red Sox for the first time this season beginning Tuesday.  Until that time, I'm out.
]]> After taking a little vacation with the Rays' hitters, the highly-anticipated return of my commentary has finally arrived. Check out what I'm thinking now that the Rays have fallen back into last place, and catch-up with all the action of the past week, by reading more. Rays vs. Diamondbacks, June 19 and 20 tag:raysblog.joesportsline.com,2007-06-21:8a501c09-a698-44bd-a173-2a92dade44cf Joe 2007-06-21T19:37:44Z 2007-06-21T19:28:00Z Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Rays (31-37) vs. Diamondbacks (40-31)
Starting Pitchers: J.P. Howell (1-1) vs. Doug Davis (4-8)
Game Time: 9:40 p.m.

AND

Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Rays (31-38) vs. Diamondbacks (41-31)
Starting Pitchers: James Shields (6-1) vs. Micah Owings (4-1)
Game Time: 3:40 p.m.

Since Tuesday night's game didn't end until early Wednesday morning, and Wednesday's game was a day game, I decided to combine the two into one post and save us all a bunch of head banging, computer smashing, hair pulling out, and (insert preferred method of reacting to the sight of the Devil Rays bullpen here).

Tuesday night was one of the Rays' most debilitating losses of the season so far.  Given the way they've blown late-game leads in the past, that's really saying something.  I think the reason this one hurt so much was that Al Reyes, the one bright spot in a bullpen devoid of any light, was on the mound for the tying and winning home runs.  It was the first time Reyes had blown a save in 17 opportunities this year, so you knew this day was coming.  It just would've been nice if it hadn't happened in a game the Rays led 8-2 through five and a half innings.  And it would've been nice if it hadn't also resulted in a loss.  Maybe if Reyes had inherited a bases-loaded jam with no outs in the ninth inning, with the Devil Rays ahead by a run, and surrendered a bloop hit to left field, and there was a play at the plate, and the ump made a questionable call, and the Rays ultimately lost by one, then maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't have been as hard to see Reyes blow a save.  But I doubt it.  Watching Reyes walk Carlos Quentin before surrendering the home run to Tony Clark that tied the game was like watching a three-minute synopsis of the Devil Rays' entire 10-year history.  
To their credit, Dewayne Staats and Joe Magrane saw this one coming.  As early as the bottom of the 4th, with the D-Rays leading 7-1 and J.P. Howell still on the mound, Magrane commented on Howell's inability to shut the door on the D-Backs hitters after a productive top half of the inning where the Rays scored two runs on Ty Wigginton's home run.  Even though Arizona only scored once in the fourth, they left the bases loaded (something they would do three times in the course of the game), and from that point forward, Magrane, who has certainly seen enough of this to know better than anyone, was pessimistic about how the action would eventually play out. Unfortunately, he got this one right, as the Rays finally lost a game to the Diamondbacks for the first time in franchise history.  It was the way it happened that made it seem like a repeat.

Wednesday afternoon wasn't any better than early Wednesday morning.  James Shields lost for the second time in as many outings after beginning the season with 9 consecutive starts where he left with the Rays tied or ahead in the game.  It's too bad Shields had a bad outing in this game since SportsCenter included him in their list of aces pitching on Wednesday.  Out of C.C. Sabathia, Roy Halladay, Jeremy Bonderman, Dan Haren, and Shields, only Shields got a loss.  It seems the Rays can't even catch a break when it comes to their highlights.  In addition to that bit of bad luck, Wiggy went 0-for-3 with 2 K's, snapping his 13-game hitting streak and, in the process, contributing four runners left on base to the 14 the team stranded overall.  So, with the 7-4 loss to Arizona in the final game of the 6-game road trip, that makes three series in a row the Rays have dropped to N.L. West opponents.  They'll head home for a weekend series with the Dodgers before resuming American League play with a four-game set against Chicago beginning Monday. Hopefully a return to the Trop, where the Rays are 17-19 on the year, will get things back on track for a team that has lost 6 of their last 8 ball games.

Thursday's a scheduled travel day for the D-Rays, so look for my next post to come over the weekend, most likely after Scott Kazmir gets the home crowd free Papa John's pizza on Don Zimmer bobblehead night Saturday.  If I walk away from that game without either pizza or a bobblehead, look for it to come later.  Some things in life are just more important than the final score.]]> What does losing back-to-back games to Arizona mean? A combination post, that's what. Click here to read a synopsis of the final two games of the Rays' most recent road trip.