American League Champions!
No, that team in the World Series was not the same team we saw from May through the ALCS. I leave the Major League season frustrated, disappointed and totally 100% PROUD of my team!
Here's what they're saying...
St. Pete Times:
Rays miracle season over, but its effects will last - http://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseball/rays/article881466.ece#comments
World Series: Remember the Tampa Bay Rays' good times - http://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseball/rays/article881459.ece
Rays have less time to prepare for next season after World Series run - http://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseball/rays/article881410.ece
Tampa Tribune:
Dream Ends, But It Was a Summer to Remember - http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/oct/30/na-bell-tolls-for-rays-bell-tolls-for-rays/
Maddon Never Wavered - http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/oct/29/300044/w1-maddon-never-wavered/sports-rays/
Rays Come Up Short On Game's Biggest Stage - http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/oct/30/300033/w1-rays-come-up-short-on-games-biggest-stage/sports-rays/
Showing posts with label Tampa Bay. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tampa Bay. Show all posts
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Rays Wi.... CRAP, not again!!
So the Devil Rays rap out 17 hits and score 11 runs. They put an "insurance run" on the board in the top of the ninth, thanks to Carl Crawford beating out a dropped third strike, stealing second, going to third on a shallow fly ball, and then scoring on a single.
With how reliever Gary Glover had sailed through the eighth inning, I headed out to check on construction of my new deck. I mean 11-6 is insurmountable, right? WRONG!
Joe Maddon didn't send Glover back out to work the ninth. Instead, with closer Al Reyes "unavailable" due to recent workload Maddon went with Chad Orvella who proceeded to go WALK-DOUBLE-DOUBLE-2 RUNS IN.
Orvella was "relieved" by Shawn Camp who went WALK-force out-DOUBLE-2 RUNS IN.
The score was now 11-10.
Former starter Casey Fossum then took over and allowed a game-tying DOUBLE.
This brought in Tim Corcoran who intentionally walked Frank Thomas, then threw a wild pitch to Troy Glaus which left first base open with only one out. So he intentionally put Glaus on base.
Finally, Corcoran walked in the winning run.
Game - Set - Match - SportsCenter highlight.
As Carl Crawford told the St. Pete Times, "I've been through it. As you can see, I don't look surprised. ... We were definitely thinking we could win it, but in the back of your mind and you've gone through this for six years, naturally you think it's going to happen again."
That's the scary part of a game like this to me. I expect the Rays bullpen to fail. It's been pretty much the norm for ten years except for the 2005 season. The problem is that young stars like Crawford, B.J. Upton, and Delmon Young are having their hearts ripped out.
How long before they start causing clubhouse problems? How long before they start demanding a trade and not showing up to spring training?
There are so many young offensive stars - Crawford, Young, Upton, Iwamura, Dukes - that all they need is some help in the bullpen.
There is no way that 11 runs and 17 hits should not win a Major League baseball game - especially with a five-run lead going into the ninth inning.
I blame Maddon for not leaving Glover in after he only threw 13 pitches (10 for strikes) while striking out two in the eighth. I've got little leaguers who can throw 60 pitches, but Gary Glover can't start the ninth after throwing only 13? BS!! Put him out there, Joe!
I blame management - specifically Gerry Hunzeker for not trading for some decent middle relief to allow them to get to Al Reyes.
How about James Shields and Scott Kazmir and the number of wins they've had blown by the "bullpen" in the last two years? Think that's frustrating??
Keep Reyes and Glover, dump EVERYONE ELSE!
Give Seth McClung another shot.
Pull up some of those "promising young arms" in the minors and get them some MLB work!
DO SOMETHING!! Turn that "cow-pen" into a true bullpen.
With how reliever Gary Glover had sailed through the eighth inning, I headed out to check on construction of my new deck. I mean 11-6 is insurmountable, right? WRONG!
Joe Maddon didn't send Glover back out to work the ninth. Instead, with closer Al Reyes "unavailable" due to recent workload Maddon went with Chad Orvella who proceeded to go WALK-DOUBLE-DOUBLE-2 RUNS IN.
Orvella was "relieved" by Shawn Camp who went WALK-force out-DOUBLE-2 RUNS IN.
The score was now 11-10.
Former starter Casey Fossum then took over and allowed a game-tying DOUBLE.
This brought in Tim Corcoran who intentionally walked Frank Thomas, then threw a wild pitch to Troy Glaus which left first base open with only one out. So he intentionally put Glaus on base.
Finally, Corcoran walked in the winning run.
Game - Set - Match - SportsCenter highlight.
As Carl Crawford told the St. Pete Times, "I've been through it. As you can see, I don't look surprised. ... We were definitely thinking we could win it, but in the back of your mind and you've gone through this for six years, naturally you think it's going to happen again."
That's the scary part of a game like this to me. I expect the Rays bullpen to fail. It's been pretty much the norm for ten years except for the 2005 season. The problem is that young stars like Crawford, B.J. Upton, and Delmon Young are having their hearts ripped out.
How long before they start causing clubhouse problems? How long before they start demanding a trade and not showing up to spring training?
There are so many young offensive stars - Crawford, Young, Upton, Iwamura, Dukes - that all they need is some help in the bullpen.
There is no way that 11 runs and 17 hits should not win a Major League baseball game - especially with a five-run lead going into the ninth inning.
I blame Maddon for not leaving Glover in after he only threw 13 pitches (10 for strikes) while striking out two in the eighth. I've got little leaguers who can throw 60 pitches, but Gary Glover can't start the ninth after throwing only 13? BS!! Put him out there, Joe!
I blame management - specifically Gerry Hunzeker for not trading for some decent middle relief to allow them to get to Al Reyes.
How about James Shields and Scott Kazmir and the number of wins they've had blown by the "bullpen" in the last two years? Think that's frustrating??
Keep Reyes and Glover, dump EVERYONE ELSE!
Give Seth McClung another shot.
Pull up some of those "promising young arms" in the minors and get them some MLB work!
DO SOMETHING!! Turn that "cow-pen" into a true bullpen.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
May 24, 2007
Elijah Dukes.... WTF!?!
I'm a Rays fan, and I want them to win badly. With Rocco Baldelli on the DL (again) and with how Dukes' bat has been heating up lately it sure would be nice to see him patrolling center field. However, if the allegations against him from his wife then the Rays need to cut ties immediately with him.
It's not exactly like Dukes has a spotless past, so the charges by his wife that he threatened her and her children's lives are believable. However unless she brings formal charges by filing a police report there is nothing the police can do.
St. Pete Times (2007.05.24)
Here's the problem. The Rays already have enough public relations problems without housing criminals on their roster.
I'm a Rays fan, and I want them to win badly. With Rocco Baldelli on the DL (again) and with how Dukes' bat has been heating up lately it sure would be nice to see him patrolling center field. However, if the allegations against him from his wife then the Rays need to cut ties immediately with him.
It's not exactly like Dukes has a spotless past, so the charges by his wife that he threatened her and her children's lives are believable. However unless she brings formal charges by filing a police report there is nothing the police can do.
St. Pete Times (2007.05.24)
Law enforcement officials, however, said they would not pursue
charges unless his estranged wife, NiShea Gilbert, filed a complaint, which she
reiterated Wednesday evening she does not intend to.
And unless Dukes were to be charged with a crime, it doesn't sound like the Rays will do much else. Their actions are limited because of an agreement between Major League Baseball and the players union, which has successfully overturned past disciplinary actions. The agreement also limits how the Rays can investigate Dukes.
Here's the problem. The Rays already have enough public relations problems without housing criminals on their roster.
- Their payroll is the lowest in baseball.
- They've got one of the worst records in baseball the last 10 years (their entire existence).
- Their former owner Vince Naimoli was a public relations nightmare in his own right.
- They let troubled former top pick Josh Hamilton go this spring and he's now tearing things up in Cincinnati.
- The highlight of their existence thus far is a FOURTH PLACE finish in 2005.
With his obvious talent (and the Hamilton experience) I can see why they'd be hesitant to dump Dukes hastily. However, Dukes' past shows a significant pattern of (shall we say?) 'questionable' behavior.
St. Pete Times again:
- According to court and law enforcement documents, Dukes has several arrests.
Hillsborough deputies were called to break up a fight between Dukes and NiShea Gilbert on Dec. 8, 2003, shortly after the birth of their child. According to an arrest report, Dukes threw a remote control at Gilbert and was arrested on an assault charge. Formal charges were never filed. - He was arrested again on Dec. 25, 2003, and accused of obstructing an officer without violence. Prosecutors allowed him to enter an intervention program.
- On Oct. 12, 2004, Dukes was charged with misdemeanor battery. The case was never prosecuted.
- He was arrested again on a charge of battery on Jan. 18, 2005. He did not contest the charge and the judge withheld adjudication, sentencing Dukes to one year probation and $549 fine.
- According to the Tampa Police Department, one of Dukes' ex-girlfriends filed a sworn request for prosecution against him on Jan. 24, 2005. The ex-girlfriend, Zanquesha L. Jefferson, told police that Dukes choked her with his right hand and forced her into a chair. He squeezed her cheeks while demanding a kiss, the records show. The outcome of the complaint could not be determined Wednesday.
- Dukes' most recent arrest was in January, when he was charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession. He pleaded not guilty.
So will the Rays dump Dukes? Who knows? I think they'll risk alienating some fans if they don't, however legally there is no reason for them to cut him loose without official police involvement in the case. Unless Gilbert files a police report, Dukes will continue to be a Ray (for better or worse).
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