Shop Online
Archive for the ‘Tampa Bay Rays’ Category
Slow Start? What Slow Start?
OK, time to stop the MLB nonsense about whether the Indians are for real.
They’re as real as Justin Masterson’s sinker, Shin-Soo Choo’s right arm, Carlos Santana’s batting eye, Orlando Cabrera’s experience and Asdrubal Cabrera’s talent.
Try this for real: The Indians own a majors-best 66 run differential and an MLB best 18-4 home record. They’ve scored the second-most runs in the A.L. and have the fourth-best ERA. They’re 7-2 against the A.L. East with the revived Red Sox returning to Cleveland looking for revenge after that three-game sweep they absorbed in the season’s first week.
Ron Washington knows they’re for real. Asked if he knew the Indians would be in first place when in spring training he asked Manny Acta to be an MLB All-Star coach, the Rangers managed replied, “I knew the Indians would be tough. They have some talent.”
Washington might have been one of the few to believe that two months ago. But he’s no longer alone. The Indians sit atop the MLB Power Poll for the fourth consecutive week. The Poll is convinced.
1. Indians (1). You can ask the Reds if the Tribe is for real. The Indians’ weekend sweep was first over Reds since 2004.
2. Cardinals (14). When talking about N.L. MVP candidates, Matt Holliday would be the place to start. Unless you started with Lance Berkman.
3. Red Sox (13). About that 2-10 start, perhaps the Red Sox just wanted to play fair and give the rest of the league a head start.
Adrian Gonzalez has provided the offensive punch the Red Sox were hoping for when they traded for him this offseason. (AP Photo)
4. Giants (6). Latest wrist injury to Mark DeRosa could be the end, making his the saddest in a season that has seen more than its share of injuries.
5. Phillies (4). Chase Utley is back in time for rematch of last year’s divisional series against the Reds. Time for the rest of the Phillies’ offense to return, too.
6. Yankees (15). What a debut: Right-hander Hector Noesi gives Yankees four scoreless innings to win 15-inning marathon in Baltimore, providing the difference between a so-so and a good week for the club.
Bosom Brothers
Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon, together again.
“We’re baaack,” Ramirez said Tuesday as he and Damon settled in for their first meeting with the media as members of the Tampa Bay Rays.
The event at times bore a closer resemblance to a scene from a buddy cop movie than the usual collection of introductory platitudes before the television cameras, perhaps an indication that 2011 at Tropicana Field should be nothing if not entertaining. The longtime MLB pals and former Red Sox teammates were fully at ease with their shtick, seeming at times like a couple of guys sitting in the back of a classroom rather than the main attraction they were.
At one point, Damon referred to the Rays as his “dream team” and Ramirez turned to him and said, “What?” before delivering a high-five.
Damon will make at least $5.25 million this season and could add $750,000 more in incentives, while Ramirez will collect a mere $2 million. Those numbers pale in comparison to the contracts these two have enjoyed throughout much of their careers, but they had their reasons for coming to Tampa Bay.
For Damon, geography certainly is a factor. He lives in nearby Orlando and has indicated more than once the last few years that he’d like to play for the Rays. For Ramirez, it’s an opportunity to prove he still has something left after mostly forgettable stints with the Dodgers and White Sox. And he’s taking that chance seriously, at least for now, saying he’s down to 225 pounds after playing last season at 237.
Yankees Rays Stalemate
Maybe it’s fitting that Monday night’s marquee pitching matchup between CC Sabathia of the Yankees and David Price of the Rays ended in a classic stalemate. The pair traded zeroes for eight innings. Five hits total twinkled from the Tropicana Field scoreboard. Both left-handers deftly avoided potential trouble late.
Trouble eventually struck the Yankees’ bullpen, however.
Reid Brignac homered on a full-count pitch leading off the bottom of the 11th inning, lifting the Rays to a dramatic 1-0 victory and into first place in the AL East over the reeling Yankees.
While the Rays enjoyed their first 1-0 walk-off win in franchise history – not to mention their first 1-0 extra-inning win ever – the Yankees have lost a season-high four straight and seven of their last eight. New York also relinquished first place for just the second day since moving atop the standings on June 20.
While Sabathia and Price didn’t disappoint, their body language and tone spoke volumes following the game. Read More >>
Yankees and Rays Clash in Pivotal Series
Who will come out on the other side of this weekends series on top as MLB’s best baseball record holder.
This weekend, in Florida, the two best teams in baseball this season so far, New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays, will meet in the headline series this weekend.
The champion of the World Series, the Yankees, will lead the 2008 American League champions by two games. Although the New York Yankees won best record in the majors, it won’t help them try to get to the World Series this Fall.
Here’s the lineup for the weekend with New York: Phil Hughes, on the mound Friday night with 21 ER in last 29 IP, Javier Vazquez Saturday with 4.54 ERA, and CC Sabathia Sunday with 10 straight starts of three ER or less. The lineup for the Rays will go as follows: Wade Davis, who has five ER last 21 IP, the No-Hit kid Matt Garza, and James Shields 154 hits in 135 IP.
When Hughes and Sabathia start, the Yankees will be a 29-11 this year combined, but when Vaquez hits the hill, it’s only 9-9. When Davis and Shields start for the Rays, they will be a combines 20-20, but when Garza takes the pill, its a mere 13-7. Read More >>
Tension Rises After Upton’s Laziness Was Called Out
What started with inner team frustration turned into what looked like more then a simple heated arguement from the perspective of the caqmera.
B.J. Upton and Evan Longoria were in each others faces over a defensive depute. I can understand the frustration a team can have amongst themselves when things don’t seem to be moving in a favorable direction. In a 21 loss against the Diamondbacks, the Tampa Bay Rays, certainly could have pulled it together.
In what turned into a very heated argument for a couple of seconds before teammates immediately stepped between the two players. Read More >>
Rays Emerge as Early Season Favorites
Despite being in the toughest division in baseball, the Rays have still managed to maintain the best record in the MLB. It is difficult to pinpoint a particular reason for the team’s success; they have a well-balanced squad, featuring one of the best pitching staffs in the league as well as a prolific offense. This combination has garnered them the best run differential in the Bigs and has them primed for a deep run in the playoffs.
At the end of May, the Rays lineup boasted six hitters with an average above .290. And their rotation has four pitchers with four or more wins. With the exception of Evan Longoria, who certainly drives sales of Rays jerseys, there are few bona fide superstars in the lineup. That fact doesn’t seem to be hampering them at all, and if they continue to get production up and down their lineup and rotation, they will certainly be the team to beat come October.
Entries (RSS) and Comments (RSS).
The views, opinions and information are unofficial, independent and are not otherwise affiliated or represent the views or opinions of Custom Authentic Jerseys not any team, league or organization.
Recent Comments