Carlos and the Rays remind me why I love this team

I know I've been spewing a lot of negativity on this blog since the Scott Kazmir trade. But right now, I'm putting all that aside in honor of last night's beating of Boston and Carlos Pena's emergence as the true leader of this team.

For a few moments last night, things looked a little hairy.  J.P. Howell came into a base-loaded situation in the eighth and threw a wild pitch that scored the tying run. It looked like the 2009 Rays were going to come up just short again.

But here comes Robo-Los.  With a strength unmatched, Robo-Los picked up the team and put it on his back. He started the bottom of the 8th with a double, followed by a Pat Burrell RBI single which was in turn followed by an Evan Longoria homer.  Three runs, no outs, bye-bye Boston. It was a beautiful reminder that the Rays are still the thorn in the side of the Boston Red Sox.

The Rays did a good job of turning it around last night. Let's see if they can ride the momentum into tonight's game.

Here are some things I noticed in the Rays 8-5 victory over the Red Sox:

• Evan Longoria, Red Sox Slayer. In case you're wondering, Evan Longoria absolutely feasts on Red Sox pitching. He's batting .362 with 8 homers and 26 RBIs. Sick.
  

• Bullpen Moves. I heard more than a few Red Sox fans questioning Joe Maddon's match-up pitching changes over the last two nights. But, one big difference between Tuesday and Wednesday was Boston's bullpen.  Terry Francona used Jonathan Papelbaun 2 innings on Tuesday, making him unavailable for Wednesday.  That probably changed the dynamics of the 8th and 9th for both teams.
  

• Getting to Beckett early.  The Rays did a good job of getting to Beckett early before he settled it. Unfortunately, the Red Sox offense spent the evening chipping away at the lead the Rays built.
  

So, where is that "pitching depth" you were talking about Mr. Friedman?

No pitching depth here!. Photo courtesy of RaysRenegade via twitter.

I'm still  looking for that pitching depth Andrew Friedman said allowed the Rays to make a move during a playoff run. It was nowhere to be found. Instead, I saw a starter who is nothing more than a generic righty and a team that looks like it's playing without a hope.

How else would you expect the players to respond?  Across the field in the other dugout is a team that goes and gets what they need. They have a new catcher.  They have a new shortstop. They have a new middle-reliever.  The Rays? They replaced one of their most consistent starters with a guy who had trouble getting AAA guys out.

Of course, management will point to the stands and say that's why they had to move Scott Kazmir. But, isn't that putting the cart before the horse? This is only the Rays second winning season. It's only the second time games in September have actually meant something. You expect us to believe that Rome was built overnight? Last night's attendance was a referendum on the Scott Kazmir trade. If the Rays management doesn't think the Rays are making the playoffs, why should the fans? We know that the walk-ups are your bread and butter. Who's going to walk-up to watch a team playing the rival with one hand tied behind their back?

In the end, all of the Red Sox fans and all the Yankee fans were right. The Rays are nothing more than a farm team for the big boys.  For one magical year and a half, I was able to suspend that disbelief and think that this team may be something different. But I guess in the world of major league baseball, there will always be haves and have-nots. The Rays will always be the Yankees and Red Sox pesky little brother. The boy that every once in awhile gets one over on the big guy, but later learns his lesson.

Here are some of the things I noticed in last night's 8-4 loss to the Red Sox:

• Errors, errors, errors. I'm not sure who gave the Rays the dropsies, but they sure looked bad out there. If you want to contrast the difference between the Rays and the Red Sox this year and last, look no further than the defense.  Jacoby Ellsbury made to big stops in center field to prevent runs, while the Rays spent all evening giving the Red Sox extra outs. Last year, that wouldn't have happened.
  

• Robo-Los. I've got to tip my hat to Carlos Pena. He's single handedly trying to carry this team. I fear, however, it may be to little, too late. 

• Andy Sonnanstine. I'd really prefer never to see him pitch a game in a Rays uniform again. It looks like the league has figured him out.  But, I guess management thought he had enough left to trade last night's scheduled starter.

• Pitching depth, part 2. I misspoke early when I said I couldn't find any pitching depth. I found it in the bullpen.  Joe Maddon seemed to have a pitcher for every batter in the Red Sox lineup. We got to see all of them.
  

• Sean Rodriguez from the Angels. People tell me that's a good pick-up. I guess I would be more impressed if he played for the Rays last night.
  

• Attendance Woes. This will be talked and talked about today.  Fans will be called out. Management will use it to justify the Kazmir trade.  Don't worry, I'm sure the Rays will draw well on Saturday for the Beach Boys concert.
  

• Red Sox fans. I really dislike many Red Sox fans. At least Yankees fans were humbled a little by last year. Not so for Red Sox fan, who seems to think this one win justifies all their theories on how the best team did *not* go to the World Series last year.  Keep telling yourself that, Red Sox fan. I hope it makes you sleep better at night. In case you're wondering, you're no different than the Yankees. The only difference is that the Yankees signed their big guns before the season. You picked yours up during the season.
  

Beat Boston!

This morning I pulled myself out of the doldrums a little and sported my "Beat Boston" shirt from last year's playoffs. But for me, this series has lost a little bit of its luster after the Rays traded Scott Kazmir.  Tonight's game should've been the battle of lefties: Lester vs Kazmir.  Instead, the Rays subtracted from their team while the Red Sox shuffled their rotation and signed a veteran leader.

To be sure, the Rays playoff chances depend on a good showing the next three games.  Joe Maddon will tell you that it's only one game at a time, but in reality all these games count double. Andy Sonnanstine makes his triumphant return to the Trop where he's usually pitched well.  The Red Sox are red hot right now and the Rays are going to have their hands full slowing them down.

It's a big stage. Let's see if the Rays can still "Feel the Heat."

Here are some of the things I noticed in yesterday's 11-7 victory over Detroit.

• Winning record on the road. Give the Rays credit for overcoming adversity and still getting a winning record for the road trip.  It's just too bad they let two of the games get away from them.  Those games could come back to haunt them down the stretch.
  

• Lineup changes.  All year, Joe Maddon stuck with his "Vicious Circle" lineup regardless of slumps or match-ups. Over the last week or so Maddon's been more proactive in his lineup, moving guys all over the place with great success. Evan Longoria seems to be coming out of his slump a bit and Carlos Pena continues his tear.
  

• "Big Game" James Shields and run support. No more whining about run support for James Shields. Getting a 6-run lead before your first pitch goes a long way into making up for past inadequacies.
  

• Bartlett's Power. I just wanted to point out that Jason Bartlett has 12 homers this year. He had 1 last year.
  

• Brian Shouse's effectiveness. No wonder Maddon didn't bring that guy in the other day to face Granderson, I can't remember the last time I saw him actually get somebody out.
  

Pending Implosion?

If you thought the past few games were rough, get ready. It could get worse.

When a middle reliever starts questioning game strategy after a heart-breaking loss, you can just feel the implosion coming. The comments in question came from Grant Balfour, who gave up the game-winning 3-run homer to Placido Polanco.

Balfour said, "They come out and say can I pitch around him. I don't want to pitch around Granderson to be honest. I feel like I'm pitching on the defense them. I wish I never even got that in my head."

It sounds like the players aren't too happy with management these days. And that's the part of the equation that ownership didn't figure when they decided to trade Scott Kazmir. In order for this team to be successful, the players have to "believe." That was the rallying cry last year. Now, the Rays have put some doubt in their players head. They don't believe. They're not drinking the proverbial Kool-Aid.

John Romano of the St. Pete Times wrote a column this morning about the impact of losing players on the team from last year to this year. He talked to Johnny Gomes, Cliff Floyd, and Eric Hinske.  I think Hinske (who's on his way to another AL East Division crown) had the most telling quote of the piece.

He said, "The one thing that the guys upstairs on the computers can't assess is clubhouse chemistry. They can look at all the numbers they want, but chemistry in the clubhouse is a huge deal."

I think he's right. Chemistry and belief are something that the Rays need to place a premium on if they're going to compete with the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees.  This year, both are in short supply. Unfortunately, the team could use a little bit before facing the Red Sox this week.

Here are some things I noticed in the Rays 4-3 loss to the Tigers:

• Niemann still battling. Give credit to the starting pitcher yesterday. He battled like a champ for 7 innings.  Niemann is the one guy who seemingly still believes. He did exactly what he was supposed to, giving the Rays shut down innings and matching Tigers' ace Juster Verlander pitch for pitch. He gets to do it again on Friday.
  

• Aki-san homer. I've got to be honest, I didn't realize Akinori Iwamura hadn't hit a homer all year. It was good to see him go opposite field yesterday.
  

• Red Sox aren't discounting the Rays. The Red Sox are ready to put the wild card chase to bed this week. They shuffled their rotation so the Rays would get a rotation of Lester, Beckett, and Buchholz. The Red Sox have the chance to pretty much end the Rays wild card chances this week.  Andy Sonnanstine will get the nod on Tuesday.
  

• September call-ups. Expect to see some additional faces starting Tuesday.  Sonnanstine, Perez, a catcher, Wade Davis and a couple of others could be joining the team.  This is the depth Andrew Friedman was talking about when he said they could afford to trade Scott Kazmir. We'll see on Tuesday.
  

A Tale of Two Cities

It's a tale of two cities this morning.  In Boston, the picture of David Ortiz's walk-off homer swing graces the sports page. Here, it's J.P. Howell walking off the mound with his head hung as Rod Barajas circles the bases on his game-tying homer.  In Boston, the fans are celebrating a win on the same night the Rangers and Rays lost. Here, we're staring at September with a 4 game deficit.  In Boston, they're making trades to shore up the eighth inning. Here, we're still not sure what to do in the 9th.  In Boston, they're preparing for a post-season battle with the Yankees. Here, we're looking to 6 games in September to make up ground.  

Baseball is a remarkable game.  The Rays were just 2 outs from completing a sweep of the Blue Jays. Instead, they're left wondering what could of been.  Meanwhile, the Red Sox and their easy September schedule could prove that April was much more important than we thought. Don't get me wrong, the Rays are still in this.  But, all this team has shown me this year is their ability to flirt the big boys.  Every time they seem to get close, they can't close the deal.  And that's what September's going to be all about.  Can this team close the deal or will they end up just short like last night and the entire year.

Here are some things I noticed in the Rays 3-2 loss to the Blue Jays:

• Beam me up, Scotty Kazmir.  Another good performance from the lefty. He posted 10 strikeouts for the first time in more than a year. If I have any criticism of Kaz, it was the pair of doubles he gave up in the 6th.  The Rays really needed a shut down inning after Gabe Kaplar's 2 run shot.
  

• Umpire Craziness. I was getting ready to criticize the Rays bats a little bit, but I think I'll cut them some slack since they had to deal with 3 different home plate umpires.
  

• JP Howell. Not that I'm making excuses, but I'm not sure bringing Howell in the 8th was the best idea.  For some reason, I like Howell better when he starts the ninth. However, Joe Maddon was trying to save Dan Wheeler, so JP got the call in the 8th and did his job before the 9th inning meltdown.  Just remember Rays fan, no closer is perfect. It's not an easy job and even the best sometimes get hit.
  

• Speaking of closing.  Last night was the 7th time the Rays failed to close out a sweep on the third game of a series.  Think about that in comparison with their place in the standings.
  

• Double Play Machine. New Longo nickname?
  

I guess the Rays won last night?

That's what the computer, newspaper, and TV reports told me last night. Of course, I couldn't see it myself because the game wasn't broadcast on Sun/FSN. It's amazing how the change in fortunes of a team can change a fan's temperament. Just two years ago, I had no problem if a game wasn't on TV... especially a game in August. Usually by this time, the Rays had already had their "fire" sale and were playing a bunch of call-up Triple-A'ers.  Last night, I found myself especially bothered that the game wasn't on TV.  It reminded me of those Saturday night concert games last year that were blacked out because of their starting time. On the bright side, I'll now get to watch Sunday's game against the Detroit Tigers.

Here are some things I would've noticed had I been able to watch the game:

• Carlos Pena... on fire! Yesterday, I described him as "toasty." Today, he gets the "on fire" designation for his 2 homer night.  He now has 37 homers on the year, 200 in his career, and 117 in a Rays uniform. Not bad for a guy who barely made the squad in 2007.  Over the last couple of weeks, Pena has really stepped it up not only at the plate but as a leader as well. This is what leaders do. Hopefully, Pena can do this all the way to the playoffs.
  

• James Shields and some run support. I'm glad the Pena and Burrell show gave some runs to Shieldsy. I was getting tired of the "run support" garbage defending Shields.  "Big game" needs to find some more moxy like he had last night to keep this team going.  The Rays have to be able to pencil him in for a win every fifth day to catch the Red Sox and Rangers.
  

• Carl Crawford's back. I love CC, but it really irks me when I start hearing his complaints about too many games in a row on turf. I understand your back hurts, just take a couple days off and we'll see you in Detroit.
  

• Playoff watch.  The Rays didn't gain any ground last night because the Rangers and Red Sox both won. Get used to that. It's hard to pick up ground on teams when you're not playing them unless you go on a 10 game or so win streak.  September 1st to September 13th will probably decide this team's playoff chances.
  

• Some comparisons to last year. At 125 games this year, the Rays are at 69-56.  The 2008 Rays were at 77-48, eight games ahead of this year's pace.  The 2009 Yankees are 1 game ahead of the 2008 Rays pace.
  

• The 95 game mark.  I still say the Rays need to win 95 games to make the playoffs. Right now, that means they need 26 wins in the next 37 games. It can be done.
  

• Programming note. Friend of the blog "Sam from Tampa" will be guest hosting on 1040 AM Espn radio this afternoon.  Even though he's a U of M guy, he knows his Rays and will be giving plenty of air time to the Rays.  Take a listen, starting at 3. Here's the link: 1040 ESPN.
  

Back in the saddle

To my loyal readers: I apologize for my abrupt absence from the Rays' blogosphere. For the past week, the Rays were on the back burner in my life. However, I'm climbing back in the saddle today to give you the Rays Revolutionary opinion on the state of the team!

Last night, the Rays battled back from plenty of adversity in yet another battle against the Toronto Blue Jays and their ace, Roy Halladay.  They did a good job of staking a lead against Doc early, only to see it evaporate with a Rod Barajas grand slam.

Fortunately, Carlos Pena once again put the team on his shoulders and knocked his 35th homer of the year.  Pena lead a devastating offensive comeback that showed no resemblance to the farce we saw on Sunday.

And you've got to give credit to Jeff Niemann. He really battled back after the nasty 2nd inning, took control, and pitched like a veteran.  If all the Rays pitchers can summon that kind of grit, the playoffs are a no-brainer.

Here are some of things I noticed in the Rays 12-7 victory of Toronto:

• The hunger. I will say one thing about the 2009 Rays, they certainly don't let the Toronto Blue Jays off the hook too often.  Last night's victory was one of those that showed me the type of grit and determination this team is going to need to make it to the playoffs. The only problem is that we need to see that every night.  At this point, every game is a must win and should be treated as such. A bad inning out in the field needs to be countered with a good inning at the plate.  A good inning at the plate needs to be followed by a quick inning in the field. That is what will get the Rays back into the playoffs. Last night, the team showed no signs of folding after that Grand Slam.
  

• Toasty Pena.  Pena's hot bat is going to translate all the way down the lineup.  Managers are starting to fear him again and that only means good things for Ben Zobrist and Pat Burrell.  Both need to make the other team pay dearly for their fear of Pena.  As for Carlos himself, he needs to keep it going and continue to carry the offensive load for this team.  It will go a long way in catching the Boston Red Sox or the Texas Rangers.
  

• Crawford's Back.  The Rays are saying that Crawford's back isn't serious and he should be back in a couple of days. That's very important. The Rays are going to need CC in the upcoming days. If he's not available by the time the team gets to Detroit, the Rays may have to make a roster move.
  

• James Shields, do your thing. Don't worry about run support. Don't worry about anything but getting Blue Jays out. I know you've had a run of bad luck this year, but now is the time to start running good. Keep your head in the game and let it fly.
  

• Which mullet is better? Gregg Zaun or Jeff Niemman. I'm not sure. But, I'm already working on mine. Expect some pictures in a few months.
  

Rays on life support.

Matty from St. Petersburg sent me a simple text after last night's game: Time to write an obituary for this team.  I'm not sure I agree, but this team is definitely on life support now.  Showing the same sort of passiveness that permeated the west coast trip, the Rays came out and laid another egg at home.  Granted, they were facing Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay.  But, the ol' Doc didn't have anything to do with the 5 runs given up in 3 innings. That was all on "Big Game" James Shields.

At least some of the Rays understand what's at stake.  Carlos Pena called a team meeting before the game to discuss the need to "pause" and not overreact to recent result.  Carl Crawford showed his leadership on the field, going 4 for 4 with only a homer away from the cycle.  BJ Upton went 2 for 3 and had a couple of nice defensive plays. And catcher Gregg Zaun introduced himself to fans at the Trop with a homer.

But in the end, it wasn't enough. This game started at 7:38. It was over by 7:45. Spotting Doc Halladay a 2 run lead won't win you too many games against the Blue Jays. Starting pitching like that brings us back to the Devil Ray days, when guys who shouldn't be starting for the Durham Bulls used to grace the roster.

The Rays are really running out of time. Last August, the Rays lost 7 games all month. Last night, they tied that... and there's still half of the month left. Let's hope the Rays can finally create that mythical "run" we've been looking for all year.

Here are some things I noticed in last night's 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays:

• Middle of the lineup goose eggs. The 4 through 7 hitters didn't have too good of a night. They only accounted for 1 hit- and that was from Willy Aybar who didn't even start.  With that kind of production out of the middle of the order, it's no wonder Carl Crawford can go 4 for 4 and only score once.
  

• Ben Zobrist's bat. I know it's vogue to criticize Pat the Bat and BJ Upton for their miscues at the plate, but Zorilla hasn't made an appearance in awhile.  He's only got 4 hits in his last 10 games. His average has dropped from .294 to .282.
  

• PtB's stiff neck.  That's not a good sign. Honestly, I was hoping this guy wouldn't turn out to be a bust. But if he goes on the DL with another stiff neck, I'm going to have to give him the "bust" label for the 2009 season. Maybe he can turn it around next season.
  

• Zaun learning the pitchers or the pitchers learning Zaun. I'm just going to throw this out there: The Rays starters haven't looked too comfortable since Zaun took over primary catching duties. Don't get me wrong, I like the guy. He brings a spark to this team. But, I'm just wondering if changing catchers mid-stream is causing just a little bit of problems for the starters.
  

• The Angry pitcher takes his act to Durham.  It didn't take long for the Angry Pitcher's act to get tired here.  The Rays optioned Jeff Bennett to Durham last night.  Looks like Reid Brignac is going to make a Tropicana Field appearance. You know the season's getting rough when I'm actually looking forward to Brignac bringing a little energy to the team.   
  

I would also like to thank Southernmojo and djberg on Twitter for volunteering to help me with the Twittering the #Rays fan page on facebook.  I would like to bring a little diversity to that page for a little extra value instead of rehashing all of my thoughts.  If you haven't become a fan, go click on it and get a quick "facebook" dose of the Rays.

Disapointment settles in

I'm finally experience a new emotion as a Rays fan: Disappointment.  Never in the history of the team have I ever really felt this level of disappointment in the Rays.  The World Series? Nah. The fact that they were so far beyond my expectations last year lessened the sting.  This west coast trip was like a tornado ripping through my expectations.  When it all settled in Anaheim yesterday afternoon, I finally realized that I'm looking at a team that's probably not going to make the playoffs.

Coming into this year, I scoffed at the experts who picked the Rays 3rd in the AL East. The pitching rotation was pretty much intact.  The Rays added a few bats to the lineup.  The young guys were a year more experienced. BJ Upton was going to be the best lead-off hitter in baseball. Pat the Bat was going to bring a power element to the Rays that was going to benefit both him and Carlos Pena.  Evan Longoria was going to cruise as the AL MVP. And the Rays were going reaffirm the new AL East pecking order... showing the Yankees that money can't buy a championship.

Yet, here we sit. 114 games into the season and the Rays are chasing a wild card. They're 10 games behind the Yankees in the AL East and 3rd among 3 teams in the wild card standings. With a chance to pick up some ground over the last week, the Rays folded and went right back to the mediocrity that they've shown all season.

Of course, this team could still get hot and make a run. It's happened before. But, was there anything that really showed us this week that the Rays are capable of making the type of run needed to get back into this thing? I'm not sure there was.  All that I'm sure of is that the Rays are in third place this morning and that each day that goes by the playoff hopes grow dimmer and dimmer.

Here are some things I noticed in the Angels 10-5 victory over the Rays:

• Carlos Pena, team leader and home run leader. I will give Pena credit for picking up his game yesterday. He looked like a man trying to get his team out of a funk by example. Unfortunately for 'Los, his power surge was wasted with a homer by the 8th guy in the Angels lineup.
  

• Jason Bartlett, the good and the bad.  You really can't argue with 4 for 5 from the leadoff guy, unless the throws a ball away and gives up an extra run. Or maybe he lets a flyball drop between him and the left fielder. Don't get me wrong, I love 4 for 5... but, the Rays need tight defense more than offense from their shortstop.
  

• Jeff Niemann's day.  Give the big man credit,  he was able to keep the damage to a minimum most of the game. But just like Price and Garza before him, he fell victim to the Angels lineup. Some may complain that Joe Maddon pulled Niemann too early. To that, I say didn't you watch the other games against the Angels?
  

• Bullpen problems. The bullpen seems to not be immune to the funk going around the team. Grant Balfour served up a nice one to Gary Matthews, Jr to blow the Rays lead.  Dan Wheeler didn't fare much better.  Kevin Kennedy seems to believe that the lack of quality starts is causing the bullpen to fall apart.  I just think they've got the same funk going as the rest of the team.
  

• The Angels are really that good. I've been harping on how bad the Rays look, but let's face it... the Angels are a pretty good team in their own right.  That team comes at you from every different angle. It doesn't matter who's up to bat. It doesn't matter how many outs there are. That team knows how to win games.  The Boston Red Sox took the same 6-game west coast road trip in May and went 2-4.  The Yankees got a series in Seattle coming up... and in September, they get to do the Seattle/Anaheim roady.  If the Rays are close enough to strike....
  

One more day in west coast nightmare

The last few days have become a nightmare for Rays fans.  After winning 5 of 6 at home against the Royals and Red Sox and picking up some ground in the wild card race, the Rays have completely fallen apart during the 1st 5 games of their west coast swing.  Right now, they've only won 1 of 5. Two of the games were winnable. The other 2 were blowouts. Last night was a blowout... even after it started so promising.

Like I've said before, anything can happen before the end of a baseball season.  Right now, I think the Rays are at the lowest point in the season.  All year there's been "time" to come back. But that "time" is ticking away and the Red Sox seem to be back on track. The Rangers are still out there and Seattle's beginning to make a move in the wild card standings.

Maybe today the Rays can end their little west coast nightmare with a win in a getaway. It would make the return home trip a little more tolerable. And it might give Rays fans a little sliver of hope in a season that's rapidly become a letdown.

Here are some things I noticed in the Angels 6-0 victory of the Rays:

• Yes, the Angels are that good. While it would be easy to blame the Rays for all their woes this week, a tip of the cap is due the Angels. Like the Yankees, you got to respect how good they are. They keep coming at you. They make you pay for your mistakes. They seem to be flawless. The Rays had trouble in Anaheim last year, so it's no surprise they're having trouble against one of the hottest teams in baseball.
  

• Dr. David and Mr. Price.  Things fell apart quickly for the Rays rookie. After 4 innings of no-hit ball... a single up the middle lead to a complete breakdown. The Angels aggressive base running and timely hitting allowed them to put up 3 on the Rays in the blink of an eye. They did it again the next inning making it an almost insurmountable lead.
  

• Glad Gregg Zaun decided to show. It seems like the Rays crusty new catcher was the only guy that decided to show up offensively... getting two hits off Ervin Santana. Evan Longoria got the only other hit.
  

• So long my old friend. Troy Percival will be calling it quits. Percy made a clubhouse appearance yesterday with the team. He told reporters that his body just isn't able to do it anymore.  I know Percy was a favorite whipping boy of Rays fans, but he was an extremely important piece to last year's squad. He helped the Rays early in the season both on the field and off the field. He was one of the veteran leaders that helped the young Rays realize their true potential.
  

Rays make sure status quo remains in AL East.

Just like that, all is right in the world of Red Sox Nation.  Yankees lose. Check. Red Sox win at Fenway. Check. Rays lose on the west coast. Check. The reason Red Sox fans can be so smug this morning is that they woke up and realized their 6 game losing streak didn't really hurt them that bad.  They're still in 1st in the wild card standings. They're still within striking distance of the Yankees. And the Rays missed the opportunity to slingshot themselves past them into the wild card driver's seat.

It's time to face facts. The Rays are not a playoff team.  They lose games they should win. They're not getting quality starts out of their starters on the road.  The bullpen is a ragtag group of other people's has-beens. The center fielder is moping. The high priced DH doesn't come through in the clutch. The manager's forcing lineups. And they just can't get the bounces.

I'm not writing the season off, just yet.  But time is running out on these guys. If they're going to turn the corner, they need to do it now.  Pitching performances like we saw from Matt Garza last night and Scott Kazmir the day before are unacceptable.  The starters have to go out there and give their team a chance to win. The Rays need to make their own luck.  They need to stop hanging their heads and get angry... show some heart.

The Rays are doing just enough right now to keep us interested. For every step forward they take, they go back a step. That's not going to be enough to get it done. At some point someone's got to step up and say: We're not going out like that! I'm not sure who that person is, but they better hurry up. Time is wasting and everything is right in Red Sox Nation.

Things I noticed from last night's 8-7 loss to the L.A. Angels:

Just a few more inches higher, please? Ben Zobrist was so close, yet so far.

Matt Garza turns in to Scott Kazmir. Honestly, that was the worst I've seen Garza pitch all year. The Angels really could've broken this game open in the 4th when Garza went into full meltdown mode.  Fortunately for him, Lance Cormier came in and got a double play ball to keep the damage to a minimum.  The Rays can't afford those kinds of starts from Garza. 

No love from the bottom half of the order. The radio guys kept harping on this last night. One hit from the bottom 4 of the line-up.  That's unacceptable.  It's hard to keep a rally going when you've got that kind of dead zone going.

The Willy Aybar at 2nd experiement. Still a failure. I'm not sure why Maddon keeps running Aybar out there at 2nd base.  Last night his error gave up an early run and in a 1 run ballgame that could be the difference in the game.  Of course, we'll excuse those kind of miscues if we get the Applebottom Bat... instead, we got 0-3 with 2 strikeouts.  One thing this experiment is showing me: Expect Akinori Iwamura to take his rightful place at 2nd when he comes of the DL. Ben Zobrist will probably become the everyday right fielder.

MVB, almost a cycle.  Jason Bartlett knocked off the hard part of hitting for the cycle: the homer, triple, and double.  He couldn't close the deal in the 8th, striking out in his final at bat. The Rays have never had a player hit for the cycle.

Entertained in Anaheim. If nothing else,  Angels versus the Rays series are always entertaining. I would love to see these two teams and their managers get the chance to battle it out in a postseason series. It would be fun to watch.

B.J. Upton. Really? You're better than that. 

Seattle series leaves a sour taste

As many of you know, I'm a regular optimist when it comes to the Rays. The glass is always half full and there's always tomorrow. But, this morning, I'm feeling especially pessimistic about this team's chances of making the playoffs. The "it's early argument" is over. Now, it's time for "it's getting late."

Each time the Rays make a little progress, like sweeping Boston at Tropicana Field, they seem to take leave it on the table and regress just enough to stay in 3rd place.  This weekend was the perfect opportunity to take the wild card position by storm. Instead, a combination of bad luck and bad play keep the Rays at 1 1/2 behind the Red Sox and Rangers.  If anything, the Rays have shown an inability to get over the hump and to the next level.

And if you're wondering where the Rays may end up at the end of the season, look no further than the 2008 New York Yankees.  Last year's Yankees squad was just good enough to be dangerous, but never good enough to get over the hump.  All year they just seemed to hang behind the Red Sox and the Rays. When they got a little traction, something always knocked the back.  They always looked threatening without ever really threatening.  At 111 games last year, the 2008 Yankees were 60-51... the same record the 2009 Rays hold today.

Mathematically it's not over for the Rays, but they're running out of chances.  Teams have to make up ground when they can.  This weekend, the Rays gave up a golden opportunity to a Seattle Mariners team ready to make its own mark on the wild card hunt.

Here are some things I noticed in the Rays 11-2 loss to the Mariners:

• Will the real Scott Kazmir please stand-up? I like Scott Kazmir. He's probably been my favorite player on the Rays for the past few years. I cannot forget the way he owned batters and the way we counted strikeouts every time he came to the mound.  Like the Rays, Kazmir seems to take a step back every time he gets some success. His pitching is like a microcosm of the season.  The Rays gave him a 2-1 lead, but he could not keep it... giving the runs right back on a Franklin Gutierrez homer. Not Kazmir's brightest day. Rays fans can only hope *yesterday* was the anomaly, not his 2 previous performances.  Like it or not, the Rays need Kazmir this year.
  

• Bad luck. One big difference between this year's team and last year's team is plain old luck.  Last year's Rays had it, this year's team doesn't. A perfect example was Pat Burrell's at-bat in the 1st inning. Bases loaded with one out, all PtB has to do is hit the ball hard to the outfield and a run probably scores. Instead, PtB's liner up the middle gets snagged and Evan Longoria gets doubled up.  Rays score 0 in the 1st.  If that ball gets through, it could've been a whole different game.
  

• Getaway days. Rays Index pointed out on Twitter after the game that the Rays are 6-13 on road getaway games... 4-13 in their last 17. Something doesn't seem to be working there.  Maddon may want to try something different.
  

• Scheduling Seattle. I'm usually not one to complain about scheduling, but how did the Rays get 6 games in Seattle and only 2 games against them at home? 
  

• The Angry Pitcher wears out his welcome.  It didn't take long to figure out why Bobby Cox had no more use for the Angry Pitcher in Atlanta. Jeff Bennett really likes to walk guys. If he isn't walking them, he's hitting them. If he isn't hitting them, he's giving up grand slams.  All the walls were trembling in fear after Russel Branyon's homer.
  

• Bossman batting 9th.  B.J. Upton doesn't like batting ninth.  In fact, he calls it a "kick in the face." Look, Bossman, I'm going to give you some free unsolicited advice: Keep quiet!  The Rays fan base already dislikes your "work ethic." Spouting complaints about your batting order position isn't going to gain you any friends. In fact, you should model yourself after Jason Bartlett.  Instead of saying anything about his position in the batting order, he just went out and performed. 
  

Rays shake off Saturday morning loss Saturday night

One sign of a good team is the ability to shake off a rough loss and come back and get 'em the next night. That's exactly what the Rays did last night at Safeco Field in Seattle. Instead of dwelling on "what could of been" the night before, the Rays took care of their own business and, thanks to the New York Yankees, got themselves within 1 1/2 games of the wild card lead. 

"Big Game" James Shields finally got some run support, gave it up, and then got some more... before turning it over to the bullpen to finish the job. The offense even tacked on some late runs to make sure that the Mariners didn't have any thoughts of another comeback.

Here are some things I noticed in the Rays 10-4 victory over the Mariners:

• Big Game and his runs. Run support has been a major problem for Shields this year. In fact, until last night, he hadn't won a game in 8 starts. While I understand the frustration, I still think Shields has some responsibility in his struggles. He still has a tendency to give up sloppy innings here and there... innings that come back to haunt him.  He gave up a couple of sloppy innings last night, but the offense picked him up.
  

• Longo/Pena combo.  Maybe it's just me, but these two are starting to get a little "toasty."  Nothing but good can follow when they're hitting homers in the same inning.
  

• More arms. The Rays are playing with an extra bullpen arm instead of a bench of a position player.  I really don't think it will be a problem unless someone gets a minor injury. The fact is, Joe Maddon hasn't used Joe Dillionaire much at all. Might as well use his roster spot for a pitcher.
  

• 4pm game. I, for one, am happy today's game goes down at 4.  These late night games can play havoc on my sleeping schedule.
  

Rays send message to AL: We're not going away

For Boston Red Sox fan, Tuesday and Wednesday was going to be the chance their team needed to finally put away the pesky Rays.  It was a chance to show that the standings are correct, the Red Sox are a better team. It was a chance to show that last year was a fluke and those "Devil Rays" in Tampa were still the little brother of the AL East. It was a chance to show off their new 1B/DH/Catcher. A chance to show off their new bullpen phenom.  A chance to right, what to them was wrong.  

But, the Rays had other plans. The Rays showed the Red Sox and their fans that they're not going anywhere. They're in it for the long haul. They showed that the Red Sox are not going to cruise their way into the playoffs this year. They're going to have to battle, every night, with the Rays right on their tail.  Tuesday night was a marathon test of wills.  Wednesday night was the shorter sequel. In both cases, the Rays prevailed.

The series when was nice and provides the perfect momentum going into a 6 game west coast swing.  For the Rays, it's all about the game in front of them. Win today's game and worry about tomorrow when it get here.  The Rays have had some other momentum swings during the season, but failed to take advantage. Let's see how they play this one out.

Here are some things I noticed in the Rays 6-4 victory over the Red Sox: 

• Starting pitching.  It looks like the starters are beginning to bear down.  David Price looked like a veteran last night, cutting through the Red Sox dangerous lineup with precision. He really did a number on the reigning AL MVP, Dustin Pedrioia. He retired him 3 times and got him to strand 3 runners. That's the kind of performance that's going to win games in August. 
  

• Answering the call. I was very impressed how the Rays offense was able to answer back every time the Red Sox scored. Jason Bay hit a solo shot in the top of the 2nd and Carlos Pena answered with a 2-run shot in the bottom of the inning.  Victor Martinez homered in the 6th. Pat Burrell answered with his own solo shot. And when the Red Sox scratched one across in the 7th, Jason Bartlett answered.  The Rays offense never left Price out to dry.  They picked him up each time he gave a little. That will go a long way in helping the starters' confidence.
  

• "He-who-must-not-be-named-closer" It's real refreshing to see JP Howell embrace his new roll with such success. It's amazing how easy the end of the game becomes when you got a guy who can go out there and get outs.  His emergence as "he-who-must-not-be-named-closer" has swung the advantage toward the Rays in close games.
  

• PtB answers his call.  Joe Maddon repeated what I've been saying: The Rays need PtB to get hot to be successful here in the endgame.  Last night, PtB did his job... getting a solo shot to answer a Red Sox run. If PtB and Carlos Pena can both get hot, look out! This team's going to do some serious damage.
  

• Yankees or Red Sox? With no game tonight, you may want to turn on the Red Sox vs the Yankees on the MLB network tonight.  The question is: who to root for?  My gut instinct is to say root for the Yankees because the Red Sox are the team directly in front of us. However, the Rays seem to play better against the Red Sox, so it might be beneficial to see the Yankees lose ground and get closer. Either way, the Rays must take care of their own business. It doesn't matter who wins that series if the Rays lay a west coast egg.
  

• 35 games. That's how many games I believe the Rays have to win to get to the playoffs. It's not going to be easy, but it will sure be fun.
  

Longo brings spark Rays were looking for

All night, I was looking for the spark.  Something that showed me the Rays realized how precarious their situation was getting this year.  For the most part, I didn't see it.  Up and down the Rays went. Striking out. Grounding out. And flying out.  In the 8th, Evan Longoria looked like he had the spark... hitting a homer to tie the game.  But, then the Rays offense continued to putter and got no runs even with a bases-loaded, no out situation.

Then comes the bottom of the 13th.  By then, the game had become a battle of the wills.  Neither the Rays nor the Red Sox were giving an inch.  Each team was deep in their bullpen. The Rays had cleared their bench.  The rally energy was gone. Every one was looking for the big hit to end the game.  

It's moments like this that are the difference between good players and great players.  The great ones know they have to put their team on their back.  The great ones know that it's up to them. They know what they did before wasn't enough. They know they have to shake off their earlier failures and live for this moment. And that's what Evan Longoria did last night.  He responded. With his arms raised watching the ball go out of the park, Longoria once again showed what makes him so special. Longo showed why, at 23, he's one of the most popular players in the American League. He showed why he's the bane of Red Sox nation. Now, let's see how the rest of the team responds to that kind of leadership.

Here are some things I noticed in the Rays long 4-2 victory over the Red Sox:

• Run Prevention rules. Before Longo's heroics, run prevention was the rule of the day.  The Rays pitchers and defense did a real good job of keeping the Red Sox from getting a rally going. Their 2 runs came off of solo shots from the normal Rays killers: Kevin Youkillis and Dustin Pedroia. But, other than that, the Rays kept them at bay with good pitching and solid defense.  If the Rays are going to be successful in catching the Red Sox and Yankees, run prevention is the key.
  

• Line-up changes.  Joe Maddon kept his Sunday line-up intact for last night's game.  Jason Bartlett led off and B.J. Upton went down to the 7 spot. Meanwhile, Willy Aybar got the DH duties and Pat Burrell came off the bench. I'm not sure that the switch provided the "spark," I was looking for. The Rays entire offense looked listless against Jon Lester.  Bossman couldn't get anything going and Aybar's big play was a ground-rule double error (more on that later).  
  

• The case of the equipment bags in the bullpen.  Although I don't like it, the umpires made the right call according to the rule book.  The fact remains that the Rays needed to push those runs across, regardless of the play before.  Not only that, the equipment bags shouldn't have been there.
  

• The Red Sox upgrades aren't really that intimidating. The Red Sox were active at the trade deadline, getting Victor Martinez from Cleveland. But, to me, the Red Sox lineup was just as intimidating with a healthy Mike Lowell at 3rd and Youk at 1st.  Judging from last night's game, these teams are still pretty evenly matched.
  

• Send the Red Sox to New York beaten and broken. The Rays have the opportunity to send the Red Sox up to New Yankees stadium beaten and broken.  Hopefully, they can keep that spark going tonight and finish them off.
  

The 2009 endgame begins today

The endgame of the 2009 season begins tonight at Tropicana Field.  The Rays have 56 games to make up 5 games on the Boston Red Sox... and that's just to make the playoffs.  Whether we like it or not, it's no longer early. It's no longer a long marathon.  There's no longer time to make up ground later.  The Rays must turn it on now!

We can already see that Joe Maddon's thinking about the endgame. Yesterday's insertion of Willy Aybar in the DH spot and Jason Bartlett in the leadoff spot shows that skipper knows he's run out of time to get "streaky" players hot. Each game must be treated as a must-win.  Do the Rays have to win every game on the schedule? No. But they can't let games like Sunday get away from them. The offense can't take nights off. Pitchers can't work through their troubles.  All in all, it's crunch time.

So buckle up and get ready!  We, as Rays fans, have never got to see our team "chasing" in the last couple months of the season. Last year, the Rays were the hunted. This year, the Rays are the hunters.  I think this team has the roster to make up the ground and get in the playoffs. The question is: Do they have what it takes mentally to grind out a five game differential over the next 56 games?  And that's how Joe Maddon will earn his paycheck this year.

Here are some things I noticed in the Rays 10-4 victory over the Royals:

• Applebottom jeans, boots wit da fur.  Willy Aybar is a man of few words. Instead, he lets his bat do the talking for him. And, if yesterday was any indication, Willy's ready for a run to the playoffs. Aybar rewarded Joe Maddon's decision to start him at DH with not one, but 2 homers from each side of the plate. Aybar has now made Maddon's job of filling out the lineup card a little more difficult tonight.  Should he listen to the angry villagers and go with Aybar over Pat Burrell? Or will he keep his right handed DH in the lineup to do what he's supposed to do: hit lefties.
  

• Batting first, playing shortstop, Jason Bartlett.  Another Ray who decided to reward Maddon for a little change in the lineup.  MVB, as he's called in some circles, went 3-4 with 2 runs and 2 RBI's in the leadoff spot. More importantly, he started the game with a walk to get a 2 run rally started against Zack Greinke. How many times have we seen B.J. Upton start the game with a ground out? This is another place where Maddon will have to make a tough choice today. Stick with Bossman or go with the hot bat? Judging by his comments: I think we'll see a batting order change today.
  

• Scott Kazmir, trade deadline acquisition. I know it's only been 2 starts, but the change in mound presence from Kazmir has been night and day over the last couple of starts. It's almost as if Mark Buerhle's perfect game inspired him in some strange way.  The Kazmanian Devil didn't go deep into the game, but he provided 6 solid innings and left the bullpen in good position. A solid Kaz during the endgame will be much more valuable than any trade deadline acquisition the Rays could've made.
  

• The Greatness that is Michel Hernandez.  I would be remiss if I didn't mention Hernandez's first ever triple.  He's another guy pushing for more playing time.
  

• Some 2008 vs 2009 comparisons. If you inserted the 2008 Rays after 106 games into the 2009 standings, the 2008 Rays would be in 3rd place. They would be 1 game behind Boston and 1 1/2 behind the Yankees. But, the 2008 Rays got really hot in August. They went 21-7. They only lost 2 games in row once in the month.  The Rays need that kind of August this year.
  

From near history to sad meltdown

View of James Shields from the upper deck.

We weren't talking about it, but we sure were thinking about it. Going into the 8th inning James "Big Game" Shields was tossing a no-no. He needed only 6 outs and I was going to be there for history. But somehow, as they have a few times this season, the Rays figured out a way to completely meltdown... ending a game that could've been special in a not-so-special way.

You have to give credit to Shields. The man was a pitching machine for most of the game. For those of us at the Trop, the excitement grew with each out.  Too bad the offense couldn't get anything going for Shields.  It just felt like 1 run would be enough.  But, maybe that was too much to ask.

If anything, yesterday's game tempered my enthusiasm about this team's chances of making the playoffs a little bit.  The complete lack of offense and the terrible defensive execution late in the game marks a stark contrast to what we saw last year.  If the Rays can't finish a game like this, at home, against the Kansas City Royals, what chance do they have head-to-head versus the Yankees and the Red Sox.  The next couple of weeks will be very telling.  The Rays have to have an almost perfect August to make a playoff run. Yesterday's game was not a good sign of things to come.

Here are some things I noticed in the Rays 4-1 loss to the Royals:

• Not saying "no-no."  This was the first Rays game I had been to where a pitcher took a no-no so long into the game. The fans were into the game, yet the talk was at a minimum. You could tell people were taking notice because nobody was leaving their seat... even to go get food. The stairs were empty and the movement was kept to a minimum. Too bad we weren't rewarded.
  

• Gross not laying out. I'm not going to blame Gabe Gross for not laying out on John Buck's soft liner.  I'm going to blame the offense. I have not doubt Gross would've laid out for that ball if the Rays are up 2 or more to nothing.  But in a 0-0 game, he made the right play.
  

• Dioner Navarro's troubles.  I haven't been incredibly hard on the Rays catcher since early in the season, but things are not going well for the catcher.  It's one thing to slump a little bit at the plate. It's another to slump a little bit on defense, but that error in the 8th was an absolute mental error.  Trying to go for the double-play instead of the sure out cost his team a run... maybe two.  That was *not* an example of the "run prevention" Andrew Friedman was looking for at the trade deadline.
  

• Little league play. To compound Navarro's error, Jason Bartlett made his own mental mistake in the 8th. The Royals perfectly executed the "little league" play where you attempt a steal at second with a runner on third.  The runner at 1st stops half-way and induces a rundown... while the runner at third goes home. Perfection for the Royals. Nasty for the Rays.
  

• Royals hideous bullpen. I'm sure the Rays figured, like I did, that there was no need to get to starter Brian Bannister because the Royals bullpen is so hideous.  However, Royals manager Trey Hillman hedged his bets... letting Bannister go an extra inning and then bringing in closer Joakim Soaria to finish the job. It could've backfired on Hillman, except the Rays let the Royals put up 2 insurance runs in the top of the ninth. I liked the Rays chances down 2 runs with Soaria in the ninth.  4 runs was a little much to ask.
  

• Bossman gunned down.  How big was the play where Mitch Maier gunned down B.J. Upton at the plate? To me, that was the turning point in the game.
  

Jeff Niemann, Rays' Ace

Jeff Niemann is the 1st Rays starter with double-digit wins. Let's repeat that, Jeff Niemann is the 1st Rays starter with double-digit wins. Not James "Big Game" Shields, not Matt "ALCS MVP" Garza, and certainly not Scott "AL Strikeout King" Kazmir... nope, it's Jeff "barely made the rotation because I'm out of options" Niemann.

Over the past couple of month, Niemann has become the most consistent pitcher of the starters. He's big. He's in control. And he's looking real good.  The Rays front office has been criticized all year for trading Edwin Jackson to the Tigers, but Niemann keeps showing why he's the #5 starter for this team.

Here are some things I noticed in the Rays 7-1 victory of the Kansas City Royals:

• The Rays love playing the Royals. For some reason, the Rays absolutely own this team. They're 8-0 against the Royals and have outscored them 49-19. It's too bad they can't play like this against the other last place teams in the AL. The Rays have had trouble with both Oakland and Baltimore this year.
  

• Scoring Early.  The Rays again set themselves up nicely, by jumping to an early 3-0 lead. Jason Bartlett got it going with a triple in which he scored on an error. That seemed to be more than enough for Jeff Niemann.
  

• Run Prevention.  Andrew Friedman says that was the Rays motto in the trade deadline and the Rays are keeping it going.  Carl Crawford nailed Royals catcher Brayan Pena at the plate... keeping a crucial run off the board. Pitching and defense... pitching and defense.
  

• The Angry New Pitcher. The Rays didn't waste any time getting Jeff Bennett, aka The Angry New Pitcher to the mound.  The came in for the last 2 outs of the ninth.  I saw Jason Bartlett run over to ANP and make sure everything was cool after he couldn't get to a grounder.  ANP's reputation precedes him.
  

• Today is Scott Kazmir bobble head day for the children. I already have mine at my desk, but my kids will get theirs.  
  

• Chicago White Sox vs AL East. The Yankees have lost 3 in a row, including an absolute annihilation at the hands of the Chicago White Sox. Ozzie Guillen really has his boys playing well against the AL East powerhouses. They're 8-2 against the Rays and Yankees combined. The good news for the Rays: They don't have to play them any more.  However, the Yankees still have 4 games versus the Sox and the Red Sox have 7.  Go Ozzie!
  

• Red Sox brutal schedule. In case you're wondering about the Red Sox, their schedule goes like this: @TB, @NY, DET, @Texas.  Time for the Rays to make up some ground.
  

No Deadline Deals. Rays say, so what?

Flo Rida peformed after the game. The Rays are 12-1 in concert series games. Apple-bottom jeans, indeed.

For the 2nd year in a row, Rays fans expecting some "big move" from the front office were left disappointed at the end of the trade deadline. No last minute deals. No Victor Martinez. No Roy Halladay. While a couple dozen players changed uniforms, the Rays stood pat.

Andrew Friedman said the Rays wanted to focus on "run prevention." He says he believes the team has the in-house options on offense. They may have just needed to shore up some pitching and catching. 

It's not that they didn't try. Friedman said they had some things going, but couldn't find the right fit. I'm fine with that. The Rays aren't the Yankees or Red Sox. They can't supplement their team mid-season. Don't forget, the the Red Sox held back on some moves in the off-season just to prepare for the deadline.  

While on the surface it looks like the rich got richer and the Rays couldn't keep up, just remember that the season isn't decided on the last day in July. Both the Red Sox and the Angels made moves last year that didn't help them get to the World Series.  There's still plenty of baseball left to play and the current roster has to show the front office that their faith in them is justified. 

We may have seen some of that last night.  The biggest public enemies right now among Rays fandom seems to be: Pat Burrell, Dioner Navarro, and Carlos Pena.  All three came up big last night showing that they've still got some worth to the team and can help lead this team past the Red Sox and Yankees.

Here are some things I noticed in the Rays 8-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals:

• Staking an early lead. One thing that's really bothered me about this team since the All-Star break is their lack of runs early.  It seems like they're always playing from behind. Last night B.J. Upton and Carl Crawford got hit... and Carlos Pena knocked them in for a 3-run homer in the bottom of the 1st. The Rays never looked back.
  

• PtB: Public Enemy Number 1. I guess now that Troy Percival is out of the picture, some Rays fans need someone to hat. Well, Pat Burrell has become the man. PtB is now getting booed at Tropicana Field. Many complained that the Rays need to dump him or at the least bench him. While I'm not pleased with his production, dumping him or benching him does nothing at this point. The Rays need him to get hot. The only way that's going to happen is if he gets at-bats. Maybe in a few weeks we'll look at his triple last night and say that it was where the "streak" began.
  

• Dionar Navarro, dead to the fandom.  Outside of Scott Kazmir, the catcher position has been the biggest source of rumors when it comes to the trade deadline.  The Rays were linked with Victor Martinez, almost from the start. I, for one, am glad he went to the Red Sox... so I can resume my dislike for him.  As for Navarro, I don't think Martinez would've been an upgrade defensively. While his bat would've helped, I don't think he was worth the price. As for Mr. Navarro, he knocked one out of the park. Maybe the rumors shook him up, just enough.
  

• Looking good, Mr. Price. He was throwing a ton of strikeouts, but he did keep the game in control and went 7 innings. Those are the kinds of performances we need to see from the Rays starting pitchers every night if the Rays are going to climb back into the race. Now, if we can just see 3 or 4 of those in a row from the starters.
  

• Bye-bye, Mr. Spock. I'm not sure why, but it appears Joe Nelson and his Vulcan change-up are headed to Durham. The Times said Spock learned about it after the game. The Rays said they would make a corresponding move today.
  

• I know the Rays are playing the Royals. But, this series could go a long way toward building some momentum.
  

• 39 wins to go. The Boston Red Sox needed 95 wins to get the Wild Card berth last year. I'm using that as a benchmark for this year.  After last night's win, they need 39 more to get to 95.
  

Still holding out hope, the season is not over

This guy's still holding out hope for a Rays turnaround!

I'm holding out hope.  I'm holding out hope that these Rays will somehow find what they're missing. I'm holding out hope that this team can get hot. I'm holding out hope that the starting pitching becomes dominant again. I'm holding out hope that Pat Burrell and Carlos Pena didn't forget how to swing the bat. I'm holding out hope that Dioner Navarro can get clutch hits. I'm holding out hope that the Rays will be a playoff team.

Last night's loss to the New York Yankees at Tropicana Field has a very demoralizing feel to it. Many are saying today that the Rays are done. Columns declaring their death were published and Yankee fan thinks the Rays were just a fluke. But, I say ... there's still hope. Somewhere, buried deep, is the Rays we know and love. We saw them Tuesday night. We've seen them in flashes during other parts of the season. Where are they now?

This team, as it stands, is capable of going on a run.  The Yankees did it. The Red Sox did it. Now, it's the Rays turn. And maybe, just maybe, if the Rays get hot at the right time... they can ride it all the way to the promised land. I know many of you may think I'm overly optimist. But, this is baseball, not football. One game or two doesn't get you eliminated. Baseball is 162 game marathon. It's a marathon that miracles can happen. The Rays have plenty of games against the teams in front of them. It's up to them to seize the opportunity.

Here are some things I noticed in the Rays 6-2 loss to the Yankees:

• Get some offense going, please! I'll say this for the Rays lineup, they really know how to stink up the joint. I've got to give some credit to Joba Chamberlain for his excellent performance, but the Rays gave him a lot of help.  For some reason, this team isn't making adjustments as they go through the order.  The Rays need to change their approach on the 2nd and 3rd trips up against a pitcher. The Yankees did it last night. Why couldn't the Rays?
  

• PtB Hate.  Pat Burrell has become the new Troy Percival to Rays fans. He got booed at the Trop last night as he continues to look absolutely lost at the plate. He went 0-4 with K's.  PtB even got his own "hate" column from St. Pete Times writer John Romano this morning.  He's an easy target. He wasn't part of last year's run. He's making a lot of money. And he's not doing what he was paid to do. I'm not sure there's any use of hating on PtB, because he's here to stay. It may be easier just to root for him to get on one of those "streaks."
  

• Carlos Pena's falling stock. Pena's starting to get some bad vibes coming his way from Rays' fans. It's a little harder to hate on Pena because he's such a nice guy and he represents so much about the Rays turnaround. However, if he keeps looking bad at the plate or something happens to PtB... Pena could be in for his boo birds at the Trop.  I've even heard some talk from fans that the Rays should trade Carlos Pena.  That's a subject I don't think I've ever heard until this week.
  

• Matt Garza and Derek Jeter.  If you want to point to one big mistake Garza made last night, it was giving up the triple to Jeter to begin the game. For some reason, that run loomed large all game. It seemed to give Joba some extra energy as he took the mound in the bottom of the 1st. For the most part, Garza was solid... just not solid enough.
  

• Good defense. One common thread among these games is the defense.  On Monday and Wednesday, the Yankees made some great plays and won. On Tuesday, they didn't look as good and lost. It's like Joe Maddon keeps saying: Pitching and defense will win games.
  

• Royals Relief.  This week would be a good time to start a win streak.  The Rays are 6-0 versus the Royals this year. Tomorrow night starts a 4 game set.
  

• 5 games back. The 2009 Rays are now 5 games back on the 2008 Rays.  But, the 2008 Rays would be 3 games back from the 2009 Yankees.