The Ups and Downs of a Ten Game Roadtrip

The Rays return home from a ten–game, three city roadtrip tonight to face the Yankees in a potentially season–deciding divisional series. I just returned home to Tampa myself on Saturday, back from a 16–day journey that went through the backwoods of Gaskin, Florida; New Smyrna Beach, Florida; a family mini–reunion in Escondido, California; and back to New Smyrna Beach. Thanks to this vacation and the All–Star break, I didn’t watch a live Rays game for about two weeks. I managed to keep track of their progress via the Internet, but I only saw a few highlights until late in the White Sox series.

So how about that catch Carl Crawford made in the All–Star Game? He robbed Colorado’s Brad Hawpe of a game–tying home run. This marked the first time Crawford had ever brought a home run back, and the only time Crawford will ever save Jonathan Papelbon. Between that and a single earlier in the game, but mostly the catch, Crawford earned himself the All–Star MVP Award. Congratulations to him for representing the Rays appropriately.

Following the Rays’ sweep of the Royals in which they made three consecutive eighth inning comebacks, it was time for a series in Chicago — and a place on the losing end of baseball history. On Thursday, July 23, White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle dominated the Rays for nine innings with no hits, no walks and no errors. A perfect game. Not even the old Devil Rays were ever victimized by perfection. But Buehrle did just that. Center fielder Dewayne Wise, who nearly robbed Cliff Floyd’s walk–off home run last year, deserves a lot of credit. He made arguably the play of the decade in the ninth inning to rob Gabe Kapler of a home run. So the Rays have made history in one of the worst possible ways.

I honestly have thought since last season that this team was the type that could be perfected. They strike out all the time and have trouble with certain types of pitchers, most notably left–handers who change speeds. That is Mark Buehrle. Rays fans have to watch these highlights forever now, so I hope this is not all the 2009 team is remembered for. Congratulations anyway to Buehrle.

Saturday afternoon started out just as badly, but later became one of the Rays’ greatest days. David Price’s fastball only reached the high 80s and he was torched for six runs in three innings by the Blue Jays. Tampa Bay trailed 8–0 through four innings and later fell behind 9–1. At that point I said that the Rays could bring in Fred Flintstone to pitch and it would make no difference. Then it happened — professional hitters actually started hitting. Carlos Pena hit a three–run triple off the wall in right center field that instantly cut the deficit to 9–4. It was 9–7 by the time the ninth inning rolled around. The battling offense and good bullpen work kept the Rays alive. Pena hit a towering home run off Scott Downs to make it 9–8. Willy Aybar, who had handed the Blue Jays at least one first inning run due to defensive ineptitude, then proved his worth by blasting a pitch to center field, over the head of Vernon Wells and over the wall.

Tie game. The Rays had come back from eight runs down to even it up, on the road no less. The game dragged on into the 12th inning, when Tampa Bay castoff Shawn Camp surrendered a go–ahead double to Jason Bartlett. Joe Nelson (in because J.P. Howell had already been used) walked three of his first four batters to load the bases. Could this comeback really go to waste? Aaron Hill thought it could. He had already hit two home runs. No third time charm, however, as Nelson struck him out to preserve the lead. Adam Lind then fell to The Great Equalizer by grounding out to second base. Rays win 10–9, capping off the biggest comeback in team history. They desperately needed that game to keep up the pace with the Yankees.

After a 6–4 roadtrip, those Yankees are next on the schedule. They enter Tropicana Field for a huge three–game series that could drastically alter the playoff race. With the Rays pitching their aces in this series, it’s about time to show the old news who the new kids are, just like we did in 2008. The Rays might have a better team on paper, so they should prove that on their home field. Until next time, go Rays.

All-Star Break Happenings

Hello everyone, it’s time for my one and only All–Star break update. I have to sandwich this between a Thursday–Sunday vacation I just took in which I had no Internet access and a flight to San Diego tomorrow (Wednesday) morning. So I’ll do what I can in talking about my teams and their headlines.

  • Jeff Francoeur got traded to the Mets? Seriously?
  • Carlos Pena competed in last night’s Home Run Derby, where he narrowly missed advancement to the second round. Albert Pujols would like to thank the fan who brought an out over the wall and turned it into a home run. Pena had a bad pitcher, Scott McNulty, who threw the ball outside 90% of the time. And he’s an assistant baseball coach at my school. Maybe I should interview him about the experience. I’ll leave out the “bad pitcher” part.
  • Speaking of the Home Run Derby, I thought Nelson Cruz, who lost in the finals to Prince Fielder, was quite impressive. Looking at him, I can see that he’s a good all–around player with an easy power swing. I would like to see him go on to big things. He has already shot up from “Four–A” journeyman to All–Star.
  • Despite my approximately 3,300 votes for Pena, he did not win the Final Vote. I also voted against Shane Victorino because he’s a Phillie, but he won anyway. I would like to thank Dustin Pedroia for opening up a spot for Pena, though I’m surprised Ian Kinsler isn’t there. He should be, he deserves it.
  • The Rays stand at 48–41, 3.5 games behind the Yankees and six games back of the Red Sox. They have started slowly making their move lately, though the last place Oakland A’s have inexplicably given them a lot of trouble. At least here there was no long losing streak prior to the All–Star break. The Braves are 43–45, a half game ahead of the Mets, which is hilarious. I hope the Mets crash and burn for the rest of this season. And beyond.
  • Jeff Francoeur got traded to the Mets? Seriously? He was sent packing for Ryan Church in Thursday night’s trade, the first between the Braves and Mets in more than 15 years. Francoeur had been on the chopping block for several weeks as the Braves had run out of patience, but I never thought they could send him to the enemy. Church didn’t think he would be a Brave either, but here he is. He’s been the better player since last year, and his left–handed bat gives the Braves options between him and right–hander Matt Diaz. This may be a good deal.

I’ll be watching the All–Star Game tonight as I pack for San Diego. I’ll be staying for six nights at a little family reunion in Escondido. We should be seeing about 30 of our relatives, including a few that I haven’t met. Hopefully we have some baseball fans in the house. News just broke that Evan Longoria, the first ever Rays starter in an All–Star Game, is out due to an infected ring finger. I hate that for him and the team. Good luck to the remaining Rays and Brave in the game tonight, and until I’m back, go Rays.

Your 2009 All Stars

Rather than dwelling on the embarrassing Rangers series and the Rays giving back their goodwill as they are ever so accustomed to doing, I would like to address the 2009 All–Star Game and its participants. Four Tampa Bay Rays, breaking last year’s record of three, made it into the game with the possibility of a fifth.

Evan Longoria won the voting at third base by a landslide, and for good reason. He has hit 21 home runs and is up about 20 points on his batting average in 2009. He is still doing just about everything he did last year and making his case as a top MVP candidate. Congratulations to the first ever Tampa Bay starter in an All–Star Game. Now do us proud.

Jason Bartlett was voted in as a reserve shortstop by the players. He should have been the starter, and would have been if not for the reputation and Yankee votes for Derek Jeter. He is hitting around .360 with eight home runs — he had one last season — and has stepped his game up in just about every possible way. And he was already the team MVP last year.

Carl Crawford is another very deserving name. Hitting around .320 for most of the season, Crawford now has eight home runs and a blistering 41 stolen bases. Add a few more walks and he would be Rickey Henderson. This lineup falters without a jump start from him. This will be his third All–Star appearance.

Ben Zobrist was a controversial, but sensible, selection by Joe Maddon. Not even a regular starter for nearly two months, Zobrist has hit home runs and done all the right things when games were on the line. He has 16 home runs, eight stolen bases and about a .400 on–base percentage. He has elevated himself in literally every facet of the game. Just like in the regular season, Maddon can play him in several different spots here. And I know he is not the guy to let this get to his head.

Carlos Pena can also be voted in as part of the Final Vote on MLB.com. He leads the league in home runs and usually plays an outstanding first base. I would like to see him finally have this honor and share it with many other Rays and their loyal fans.

On the Atlanta Braves front, they only managed one representative: catcher Brian McCann, who had the credentials to start despite a slow start to the season due to eye injuries. Those have obviously since been corrected. He has been the bright spot in the lackluster offense for the Braves. Chipper Jones is still doing well, Yunel Escobar is having a good year and Nate McLouth was a welcome boost, but McCann is gluing them all together. He has also had to work with a 60 percent turnover in his starting rotation and has done a very good job with them.

I think the biggest name left out was the Rangers’ Ian Kinsler. He was only hitting .255 as of tonight, but was already near 20–20 and has been the spark plug to the Rangers in the absence of Josh Hamilton (who won a starting job anyway). He is in the Final Vote, but I have to vote for Pena. Our apologies to Mr. Kinsler, though his team beating the Rays makes me feel less sorry for him.

Here are the starting lineups:

American League:

C – Joe Mauer
1B – Mark Teixeira
2B – Dustin Pedroia (Should have been Kinsler)
SS – Derek Jeter (Should have been Bartlett)
3B – Evan Longoria
OF – Jason Bay
OF – Ichiro Suzuki
OF – Josh Hamilton (Should have been Crawford or Torii Hunter)

National League:

C – Yadier Molina (Should have been McCann)
1B – Albert Pujols (Obviously)
2B – Chase Utley
SS – Hanley Ramirez
3B – David Wright
OF – Ryan Braun
OF – Raul Ibanez
OF – Carlos Beltran (Will not play due to injury; replacement to be announced)

On an unrelated note, I would like to mention that pitcher Alex Koronis has made his professional debut with the Princeton Rays as a late–inning reliever. The former Tampa Spartan earned a save in his debut on June 30 and has pitched two scoreless outings. This is the first time that I can say a player that I covered, no matter how briefly, has gone on to bigger things. In addition, former Spartan Jose Jimenez hit his first professional home run with the Arizona League Angels on June 23. Keep it up, guys.

Now we have to find out who the starting pitchers and the final men will be. I’m voting for Pena and alternating between Pablo “Kung Fu Panda” Sandoval and Matt Kemp. Anybody but Shane Victorino because we don’t need any more Phillies. Congratulations to the All Stars, and until next time, go Rays.

Rays Win First Blue Jays Series

The Rays finally had their first meeting with the division rival Blue Jays on June 29 in Toronto, starting a three–game series in which the Rays won the first two.

Roy Halladay’s return in the first game was quickly shot down by Jeff Niemann, who outpitched him in one of his greatest performances to date. Carl Crawford’s second deck home run opened up the scoring and a Pat Burrell home run (how about 30 more of those?) extended the lead. Tampa Bay won 4–1 and dropped Halladay’s record to 10–2.

The Rays repeated their 4–1 victory the next night as Matt Garza defeated Scott Richmond. B.J. Upton hit Richmond’s first pitch for a home run. Crawford and Willy Aybar later piled on with home runs of their own. First batter Upton hit one his first time up, second batter Crawford hit one his second time up and third batter Aybar hit one his third time up. The team extended its winning streak to seven games.

The third game proved to be the Rays’ downfall. James Shields pitched against Ricky Romero, who had dominated the Phillies in his previous start. Shields on the road is never a safe bet. Sure enough, Adam Lind, Rod Barajas and Scott Rolen homered as the Blue Jays took a home a Canada Day victory, 5–0.

The Rays still won the series, which they can always hold over Toronto’s heads. Now it’s time to face the Texas Rangers. Saturday night’s game will be televised on MLB Network and Sunday night’s game will air on ESPN. This bodes well for us. I hope Ian Kinsler beat Dustin Pedroia in All–Star voting, but let’s shut him down for a few days. Until next time, go Rays.

Citrus Series Sweep

The annual Citrus Series ended with three games at Tropicana Field, in which the Tampa Bay Rays swept the Florida Marlins by scores of 7–3, 3–2 and 5–2.

The crowds for the weekend games were not bad — 35,790 for Saturday’s game featuring Pat Benatar, then nearly 30,000 Sunday. That is a good sign, right along with the five–game winning streak.

The pitchers did very well throughout the series. James Shields earned a quality start Friday night and his bullpen shut it down for the win. Scott Kazmir returned Saturday and went back to throwing 92 MPH fastballs. He wasn’t horrible, which is an improvement. He allowed two runs in five innings with one walk and five strikeouts. David Price allowed two hits, but five walks, in more than six innings on Sunday. Chad Bradford and J.P. Howell teamed up to give the Marlins loaded bases with just one out, then a walk forced in a run. Howell realized where he was, then struck out Ronny Paulino and Ross Gload to end the sweep.

The bullpen has been great since June 8, as they have allowed seven runs in about 55 innings. Howell started out slowly, but has reverted to last year’s success. Dan Wheeler and Grant Balfour have also improved following bad beginnings. Balfour is even striking out hitters with the slider now. By comparison, the Mets bullpen has lost nine games this month. I knew they were due to implode.

Speaking of imploded teams, the Toronto Blue Jays will host the Rays for the first time this season, which has been a long time coming. Roy Halladay returns from the disabled list just in time to face the surging Tampa Bay lineup. This concludes our five–game winning streak. It’s been fun. Well, maybe a loss is not entirely automatic, just probable. Jeff Niemann needs to bring his two–hitter A–game tonight. Until next time, go Rays.

Kazmir and Bradford Up, Sonnanstine and Abreu Down

Mere minutes after the Rays defeated the Florida Marlins 7–3 in Friday night’s game at Tropicana Field, major changes to the roster were announced. Scott Kazmir returns from the disabled list, where he had been with a quadriceps strain/mechanical problem. Returning from elbow surgery, Chad Bradford will be making his 2009 Rays debut this weekend. The victims here were relief pitcher Winston Abreu, who was designated for assignment, and starter Andy Sonnanstine, whose 6.61 ERA this season ranked him the worst in the league among qualifiers and got him sent to AAA Durham.

Abreu didn’t do too badly from what I saw. He was dominating at Durham. Hopefully he stays in this organization and continues what he did before at that level.

Sonnanstine’s demotion to AAA has been long–awaited. This season, at least. His frequently giving up home runs and five–run innings became too much for everyone to handle. After two years straight in the Major Leagues, he now returns to Durham to fix… whatever his problem is. From the playoff starting rotation to this. I don’t know what’s wrong with him. Hopefully he, like Kazmir, figures it out.

Speaking of Kazmir, he will start the Saturday night Citrus Series game against the Marlins. He did very well in rehab, not only healing that quadriceps but finding and straightening out pitching delivery flaws. He wasn’t driving off of his back leg, which reduced his fastball to about a AA level pitch. He’s good at 94 miles per hour, but worthless at 88. He’s no J.P. Howell, but now he’s finally getting back on track.

Chad Bradford also makes his season debut. He was a major presence in last year’s bullpen after being picked up off waivers from Baltimore. His unusual delivery and high rate of ground ball outs make him a big time commodity. He’s a great postseason pitcher and tends to at least do well regardless of the situation. We needed him back, and now we have him to give us another intriguing option.

If you can attend these home games in any possible way, please go. The attendance is looking somewhat dismal so far. But I do hear that the Rays are considering a Hillsborough County stadium (finally, please build it soon), so revenue and higher crowds may be forthcoming. Until next time, go Rays.

Rays Beat Phillies Twice to Win Series

After the shellshock of the Rays’ 10–1 series–opening loss, the World Series rematch turned around in favor of the home team and Tampa Bay ousted Philadelphia with victories in the final two games.

David Price got hammered for six runs, five earned, in the very first inning of the series on Tuesday night, capped off by a three–run home run from John Mayberry, Jr. From that point on it was over. Once again Price threw strikes, but once again threw them right over the middle of the plate and got hammered. He should soon discover the balance between walking everyone and getting hit hard. Location becomes very important at this level. Though I still don’t think he should be sent back to AAA when Kazmir returns.

Matt Garza put on a show in Wednesday’s game, only allowing one run in eight strong innings. Pat Burrell greeted ex-teammate Joe Blanton with a towering two–run home run in the second inning. He now has just two home runs this year, but both have been long. And he hit one or two balls high off the Green Monster earlier this year as well. Maybe this series sparked his flame. The Rays also poured on five insurance runs in the eighth inning, all with two outs, against J.C. Roidmero and Chan Ho Park.

The rubber match started out as a hitters’ duel. Andy Sonnanstine further jeopardized his job status by surrendering four first inning runs. Not to be outdone, the Rays scored three times in each of the first two innings against the unluckiest name in baseball, Antonio Bastardo. Sonnanstine settled down back into good form and shut the Phillies down for the remainder of his start. Ben Zobrist (16) and Willy Aybar (6) hit big home runs in the Rays’ 10–4 win.

Jason Bartlett has broken the team record with a 19–game hitting streak. The previous record was held by Quinton McCracken, the Devil Rays’ first leadoff man, who hit safely in 18 consecutive games in late 1998. Bartlett proves time and time again that he is money in the bank and that the Twins were wrong to trade him. Had the Twins played Bartlett in 2008, they would have been in the playoffs and not the Rays, guaranteed. Keep it going, just stay in that comfort zone and keep on hitting.

As was reported a few days ago, Akinori Iwamura’s days in Tampa Bay might not be over yet. His ACL tear was discovered to have been partial, not complete as initial MRIs indicated. He had arthroscopic surgery and is now out 6–8 weeks. This means he could return in September alongside Fernando Perez. Even though Zobrist has effectively taken the second base job with his incredible season, Iwamura gives the Rays more options. We know how much Joe Maddon loves lineup options. And he had been hitting .300 prior to the injury, so this is very good news.

The Rays play the Marlins tonight in a battle of Floridian aces. James Shields faces the 7–1 Josh Johnson. Get some runs for your top pitcher, Rays. We know we can use all the wins against teams like this. Until next time, go Rays.

All Stars: Vote Today and Vote Ray

The 2009 All Star Game is quickly approaching. Live on July 14 from St. Louis, we will see the best (and most popular) players in the game on one field. So, as a Rays fan, I am heavily voting for my team’s players, especially Carlos Pena, Evan Longoria, Jason Bartlett, Carl Crawford and write–in Ben Zobrist.

Pena leads the American League in home runs, yet he trails the elite Chris Davis in the voting. Yes, the Chris Davis who is hitting .194 with 101 strikeouts and just 14 walks, with nine fewer home runs, who plays for the Rangers of all teams, is ahead of Pena. This is a travesty of the highest order. Pena is a much better player than Davis. He deserves more respect.

Longoria should be leading the league in votes. Until recently he was. He has been a key catalyst in a somewhat disappointing lineup. If he got in last year, why shouldn’t he start this year? He will… just keep on voting for him.

Bartlett should start too based on his stats and reputation as a winner. He is hitting .373 with a career–high seven home runs and 14 out of 15 stolen bases. He has also been a defensive wizard and the anchor of the infield. Derek Jeter leads him by a landslide in voting. Is he having a good season? Yes. Does he deserve to be there? Probably so. But he will be the starter solely based on his reputation and Yankee fandom. Bartlett should be this year’s starter, no question.

Crawford is currently fifth among outfielders. Several of them deserve to start, so Crawford should at least get into the game. His incredible 37 stolen bases and counting, added to his .307 batting average, make him a candidate for Comeback Player of the Year and for All Star consideration. The most exciting players should get in. Crawford is one of them.

Even though he is not on the ballot, the legend of “Zorilla” needs to go to St. Louis and be honored as he should be. Ben Zobrist has single–handedly won or sealed the win on several games this year for the Rays. His on–base percentage of .400 and 15 home runs only begin to tell the story. He has driven in 42 runs and hit most of his home runs with runners on base and/or in late, close game situations. He has played his best defense despite being moved around the outfield and middle infield. At age 28, he’s even running better (8–for–10 in base stealing). Most importantly, he has been the Joker card in the Rays’ deck. He can be placed in there anywhere at anytime and get the job done. With World Series home field advantage on the line, Zobrist is exactly the kind of player the American League wants. Take him, Joe Maddon — you won’t regret it.

I’m also voting for a few of my favorite Braves, notably Chipper Jones, Brian McCann and Nate McLouth. I am absolutely not voting for any Red Sox, Yankees, Mets or Phillies. I would encourage you to follow my lead.

Don’t forget to vote for the 32nd member of each league’s roster in the days leading up to the game. Then watch the game July 14 on FOX. I’ll be watching it the night before I leave for a six day trip to San Diego. Until then, vote today and vote Ray.

And watch the epic World Series rematch at Tropicana Field. Rays vs. Phillies starts tonight with David Price vs. Jamie Moyer. If you can get there (I can’t), please buy tickets and support your American League champions. Until next time, go Rays.

Mixed Roadtrip Ends in Victory

The Rays hit the road for six games in Colorado and Queens, New York, winning just once in Coors Field but taking two out of three in the new Citi Field.

The Rockies were very difficult to beat (though the losses were close) largely because they are on a streak nearly matching their huge run in late 2007. They have now won 16 of their last 17 games. The one loss was in the Rays series opener when five home runs helped beat them 12–4. Evan Longoria, Carlos Pena, Ben Zobrist, Gabe Kapler and B.J. Upton — quite a diverse group — hit the thin air for home runs. Zobrist and Upton hit long tee shots into the left field seats and Pena hit his about 400 feet to left center field, a hefty shot for a left–handed hitter.

New York was the next stop, not to face the hated Yankees, but the equally hated (by me) Mets. The Mets won the opener 5–3 because Andy Sonnanstine is just not that good this year. I think it should be him that loses his starting job when Scott Kazmir returns. He has been strong in rehab and Andy with his 6.60 ERA and 15 home runs allowed is just the odd man out. We shouldn’t be screwing around with David Price by sending him up and down. Just move Sonnanstine to the bullpen.

Thankfully the Rays won the Saturday and Sunday games by scores of 3–1 and 10–6. Saturday’s game on FOX with Thom Brennaman and Tim “Watch Darren Daulton use his mitt like a glove” McCarver showed once again that the Rays play better on network television. James Shields outdueled Johan Santana, pitching seven outstanding innings and picking up the win. Pena tagged Santana for a long straightaway home run and, after a rain delay, Zobrist joined the party with a shot over the right field wall.

Sunday was a back–and–forth affair with several lead changes. After Brian Schnieder, he of zero home runs all season, hit his second three–run home run of the series to give New York the lead, Tampa Bay stormed right back thanks in part to another long Upton home run. When he hits them, they come late in the game and travel far. They added insurance runs and won the game and the series. J.P. Howell did a good job closing out both games. Maybe he can be a closer now.

Next is the World Series rematch at Tropicana Field as the Rays host the inferior Philadelphia Phillies. Pat Burrell, who so far has hit more like Adam Everett, will be facing his former team for the first time. Hopefully that will set him off. I love seeing the Rays beat the Mets and I may even take greater pleasure in seeing them avenge last year’s losses to the Phillies. Until next time, go Rays.

Nationals Three Up, Three Down

Tropicana Field’s turf was not about to be sullied by the horrendous Washington Nationals, who despite having a few good players, entered this series at 16–42 with manager Manny Acta on the chopping block.

The Nationals’ ineptitude showed in droves against the Rays as Tampa Bay took the sweep to extend its winning streak to five games.

Friday night saw Matt Garza spot Washington three first inning runs, two of which were driven in by Elijah Dukes in his first at–bat against his former team. I wish he was banned from baseball. The Rays, however, shut them down after that and slowly came back. It culminated with a two–out, two–strike home run by Gabe Kapler of all people. He entered the series hitting .173 with that one home run in Yankee Stadium. He basically doubled his productivity for the entire season.

The great part about the home run was the event that led up to it. The usually reliable Nick Johnson, who had let the game–tying double bounce over his glove earlier, overran Kapler’s foul pop–up and dropped it. The very next pitch gave the Rays the lead. From that point it was game over as they won 4–3.

Early trouble hit Andy Sonnanstine on Saturday night. Ryan Zimmerman’s first inning home run (my annual salary says he’s on the All Star team) gave Washington a 1–0 lead. The Rays entered the bottom of the sixth inning down 2–1. Not for long. After starter Jordan Zimmerman was pulled following five good innings, Jason Bergmann came in. Just as I do to him in video games, the Rays teed him off. Ben Zobrist launched a three–run home run after hits by Evan Longoria and Carlos Pena. Then Gabe Gross promptly hit a two–run blast. Five runs, no outs. Longoria later hit a two–run double off former (Devil) Ray Jesus Colome. The Rays won 8–3.

The series finale should have been a lock as James Shields faced Ross Detweiler. But it certainly was not automatic. Again thanks in part to Dukes, Shields put the Rays in a 4–0 hole in the fourth inning, which quickly became 4–2. Two innings later after a Gabe Gross walk, Kapler struck again as he lined a game–tying home run over the short wall in left field. Now he’s finally hitting like Popeye — he already looks like him. Two more innings later, Carlos Pena doubled, then pinch hitter Willy Aybar stepped up. His routine ground ball bounced off third base and rolled into left field, becoming an RBI double. Since they are the Nationals, they got nothing done against J.P. Howell and the Rays won 5–4.

This was a sweep the Rays needed and should have earned. Sure enough, they did. Though Howell downplayed it after the game (“It’s difficult to sweep any Major League ballclub”), this just had to happen. It was a key series at home against possibly the worst MLB team ever assembled. Good thing they got it.

Not only did they get it, the bullpen rolled right through it. For the entire six–game homestand, in more than 20 innings pitched, the relievers’ ERA was 0.00. No earned runs for six full games. That entire crew did an outstanding job. For that we thank you.

I would also like to point out that B.J. Upton stole six bases in this series. He took two in each game, which is an amazing feat. Especially seeing as he was never caught. Carl Crawford also stole his 36th base, Zobrist his eighth, and Reid Brignac his first in the Major Leagues. The Rays are the fastest team to reach 100 stolen bases since 1991. I enjoy watching this team run. It’s arguably their greatest strength.

Now it’s off to Colorado, where the Rockies will enter having won 11 consecutive games. It’s like that epic 2007 streak cut in half, and it’s still great. Maybe this is a sign that they are due for some losing. The Rays are on a streak themselves. Can they keep it going? As Joe Maddon said after today’s game, “I was a power hitter when I played in Boulder.” So the power bats can certainly use the altitude. Until next time, go Rays.

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