Morning Round-up: Edge of your seat Percy edition

That's it. The Rays started the season much the way they ended it... handling the Red Sox in Fenway. It used to be a house of horrors for them until a Dan Johnson home run changed the balance of power.  Now, the Rays seem to know how to get it done.

He's a round-up of what they're saying around the web:

Times writer Marc Topkin gets some quotes from closer Troy Percival and manager Joe Maddon about yesterday's wild 9th inning.  To sum it up: A save is a save is a save.  I agree with the manager on this one, for now.  I thing there's really not a better alternative until Izzy gets healthy.  The business of closing baseball games is a bottom line-buinsess. It's all about the saves and blown saves.

Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe wrote an article reminding Red Sox fans "Just in case you forgot who carried the banner of the American League into the 2008 World Series . . ."  Nice article.  I'm not sure people around baseball are yet convinced that the Rays are still for real. But, I will say that there's no doubt in the minds of Red Sox nation that the Rays will be around all year.  Honorable mention for the Sox fan who commented after the story that "We'll show these Devils a thing or two once we get our SS back and the weather warms up." The weather warms up? Really?

The Boston Herald's John Tomase acknowledged the Rays defense as a big reason for the series victory. The Rays defense will only get better with Upton back in the lineup.  But, Carl Crawford looked absoulely sick during this series. It's good to have him back healthy.

Looking ahead Baltimore Sun columnist Rick Maese sums up some of the Orioles' bullpen concerns in this article following their series victory of the New York Yankees.  I didn't watch too much of the Orioles/Yankees series except for the final game.  The big key for the Rays will be not to overlook this team ahead of the home series against the Yanks.  The Rays will get their 4/5/1 pitchers.  Hopefully, they can get to the bullpen early.

It's not your Daddy's AL East anymore!

I know. It's only the first series of the season. But, wasn't there something real satisfying about the way the Rays took it to the Red Sox at Fenway? We're only three games into the season and these guys are already playing like it's the ALCS all over again.  That, my friends, is what winning will do to a franchise.

To be honest, there are still some problems The Rays had some issues knocking runners in. And the bullpen gave a little bit. But, overall two great performances after the Game 1 loss.  The Rays put the Red Sox and their fans on notice that last year wasn't a fluke and any team that wants to win the AL East is going to have to scratch and claw its way all year.

Maddon Quote of the Day on Troy Percival:

 "It doesn't always have to be an oil painting to be successful," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "He's probably amped up, man, and I don't blame him. It's a Fenway moment."

Here are some of the things I noticed in Game 3:

• Matt Garza continued his domination of the Red Sox. The way he handled Dustin Pedroia in the 3rd inning was masterful. He got two called strikes, threw a brushback pitch, then got swinging. Filthy.  Except for Youk, none of the Red Sox had an answer for Garza.

• The Rays have really figured out how to play defense at Fenway Park. One of the reasons they struggled there last year was defensive miscues common at Fenway.  But, over this series, the Rays outfield really looked like they knew what they were doing out there.  Carl Crawford looked more comfortable than he ever has effortlessly playing balls off the wall, throwing out runners at third, and getting good jumps on liners in the gap.  Kaplar and Joyce also played some solid center field for the most part.

• I know Troy Percival makes many people sweat out there, but he got the job done.  A closer is not always going to be pretty. They're not always going to strike out the side. Right now, Percy is the best closer on the roster.  Balfour is needed in his setup roll and I'm not sure Wheeler can handle all the pressure with the game on the line. The Rays and Maddon will have a short leash with Percy once Izzy is completely healthy. Just be patient and celebrate any time Percy gets a save.

• The Baltimore Orioles are next on the schedule.  They're coming off a thumping by the New York Yankees following 2 straight wins.  We'll see the 2009 version of Andy Sonnanstine for the first time along with new #5 starter Jeff Niemann.

Morning Round-up: Kazmanian Devil Edition

Here are some thoughts about the Rays victory over the Red Sox last night.  As always, my comments are in italics:

- The Boston Herald ran a poll: What was the Red Sox' problem of the game on Wednesday? As of this morning, it's split pretty evenly between poor Red Sox pitching (39%) and Tampa Bay's pitching was too good (41%). As much as I like to hate on the Red Sox, I have to give their fans credit for really knowing the game. Even the most die hard, chowdah-head can acknowledge a great performance by the Kazmanian Devil. 

- Herald columnist Steve Buckley tries to calm Red Sox Nation down with this column: Two sides to this loss.  I like the guy's optimism. He breaks down the fifth inning and tries to absolve Lester a little bit.  But, no matter how you slice it, Lester's walk of Kapler and Pena's home run ball both fall squarely on Lester's shoulders. You can nit pick all you want about what happened in between.

- Boston Globe writer Adam Kilgore wrote this nice description of the Pena's homer:

Lester tried to sneak a cutter past Peña. "He pretty [well] knows what's coming," Lester said. "We're not going to screw around with him there. Threw it middle, middle" - over the plate's heart and at Peña's belt. Peña unleashed a vicious swing and then posed for a moment, sending the ball through the pitch-black night and into the first row above the triangle. A taut game had suddenly become a 5-1 beating.

That speaks for itself!

Kaz is back! Rays win 1st game of the season.

It seems like it was just a year ago when the Rays couldn't buy a game at Fenway. Now, it seems like they just go up there and take a workman's approach to grinding out a win against the Red Sox in their own crib.  Scott Kazmir looked like the ace from 2007.  He easily out dueled Jon Lester giving up 5 hits with only 2 of them being legitimate.  It was nice to see him go without worrying about pitch count from the 2nd inning on.

On the offensive side of the ball, a little small ball and a little long ball was all the Rays need to keep the Sox at bay and win their first game of the 2009 season.  Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria both went deep.  The Aki/Bartlett show proved once again the genius that is Joe Maddon.

Full Story:

MLB.com

Here are some of my post-game observations:

• Scott Kazmir is the ace of this team. If you had any doubts, tonight's performance shows it. He went into hostile territory and put the game on his shoulders.  It seemed like he wasn't pressing as much for strikeouts tonight as he was last year.  That's a good sign. Get the outs and the "K's" will come.

• Carlos Pena's 2 out home run was huge for a number reasons.  It knocked Lester out of the game (more on that later), it took almost all the energy out of Fenway and the Sox, it got Pena out of his 0-6 slump to start the season, and it pretty much put the game out of the Red Sox reach.

• Maddon continues to show his managing genius.  The safety squeeze to score Kapler in the 5th was a perfect way to really get that rally going.  But, it was the hit and run with Kapler on 1st and Aki at the plate that was key to that inning.  Aki was able to punch the ball into left field in the spot Jed Lowrie had just vacated to cover 2nd.  Great way to manage base runners in a game where runs could be at a premium.

• On the other side, Francona's decision to keep Lester in to face Pena came back to haunt him.  I can see the reasons why Francona wanted to keep Lester in, but he probably should've pulled the plug.  It just goes to show that Francona's still concerned about early middle relief against the Rays lineup (their achilles heal last year). 

• The Red Sox/Rays match-up is still one of the best in baseball right now.  These teams have truly become rivals over the past year.  It's good to see that the Rays didn't forget how to win at Fenway over the winter.

Bring it on! Opening day thoughts from around the web.

Surfing around the internet this morning, here are some of reaction to yesterday's opening day loss to the Boston Red Sox (my comments in italics):

- Boston Herald columnist Mike Silverman says Josh Beckett and Dustin Pedroia have the Red Sox thinking big. It's only one game, but I do have to agree that Beckett looked filthy yesterday. I also wish some would plunk Pedroia for me, just once.

- Much of the same from the Boston Globe. Vintage Beckett.  Both Boston papers went a little overboard with the poetry about opening day and the pre-game ceremonies. But, I guess that's what I get when I'm reading those rags.

- John Romano from the St. Pete Times talks about "Big Game" James Shields' struggles on the road.  I think this is the year that some of the newer Rays fans get a look at Kazmir as the true ace of this rotation. No offense to Shields, but when Kaz is on it doesn't matter where he is playing. As for Shields, he'll be fine.  He loves pitching in the Dome.  And he should have a little easier go of it on Sunday in Baltimore.

-And finally, MLB.com's game report was pretty vanilla... until you got to the comments. One game into the season and already the Yankee and Red Sox fans are verbally battling it out on any message board they can find. My favorite? The one where Yankee fan calls out Red Sox fan for getting excited about the beating their "little brother" the Rays.  Maybe he forgot that the Yankees lost to a less-than-steller Baltimore Orioles team on Monday.

Today's Game @ 7:05 on Sun Sports

What I'm looking for:

• Production from the 3/4/5 batters, especially Mr. Carlos Pena. Four strike outs is unexceptable. I know hitting lefties isn't always your thing Pena, but you've got to come with the stick tonight.

• The return of Kaz. A lot of talk in the rags about Beckett's redemption to 2007 form. I'd like to see Kaz get sick tonight on that Red Sox lineup.

• Rocco Baldelli in a Red Sox uniform. Hopefully, the Rays have enough scouting information on him to keep him from going wild.