When It Pours Leave Your Umbrella At Home

Day 77: Baseball is Easier to Watch in the Woods...B.J. Complex...Let it Be Known

2010-07-01T00:17:00.001-04:00

That was my first victory shot in a long time.

I sit at my computer in my large, open, basement work space in a big house in Mount Gretna, PA. To explain how I got from New York and my regular bar to here would take much too long and also make any reader wonder what exactly it is I do now at twenty-four years of age. Needless to say if I had mile meter stored up my ass and anyone cared to look it would read somewhere in the thousands in the last two months. My guess would be about 4, 5 thousand, give or take. I have seen two Rays games away, in Anaheim and in Atlanta, both losses, plenty of Rays games at home, about a .500 record at those, and more than my share of frustrating, mood altering, fingernail destructor losses all over the place. I melted down in Carolina Brewery in Chapel Hill before listening as Miracle Sonnanstine pulled a victory from the sweaty jaws of an Indians 9 run 9th inning rally-style defeat on my At Bat ap while getting lost on the way back to my hotel room. I watched as, night by night, beating by beating, in this very house, the Rays were swept by the Red Sox. While pounding Bloody Marys back with French Toast at brunch after an all-nighter in New York I watched, distracting myself now and then with the Mexico-Argentina game exuberantly followed by the bar full of green clad fans, as the Rays fell despairingly 2-1 to the Diamondbacks, of all teams, completing a series that saw the Rays score 6 runs against one of the worst pitching staffs in baseball and perhaps alienating a longtime Devil Ray/Ray from his fans for good.

Yes, baseball has been better to me in the woods. I can step outside and sip a beer on the porch and let the fresh, cool mountain air calm me down if my blood manages to get hot, even after so many close victories and torturous defeats across the many years I've been a fan. A lot can be said about the baseball that occurred in the 55 days since I regularly wrote about it. A good third of that time the team played well. The rest, has been hard. I forgot in the euphoria of that season start that the idea behind when it pours leave your umbrella at home is supposed to go both ways. Despite what they say about the chances of rain you walk outside believing the sun can and will shine, as it did despite the 250-1 preseason odds in 2008. But just because it's sunny doesn't mean dark clouds won't gather. It's funny, because the predominant attitude in our culture is to be prepared for the worst. I selectively lost sight of that attitude. I like to think one should be prepared for the best and worst, and everything in-between.

Dark clouds certainly appear to be gathering around the head of the player that could be nicknamed Mr. Potential. A lot has been said and written since I glanced up from my egg soaked challah at the screen to see Longoria and Upton in each other's faces. Longoria had a point - Upton dogging it after the ball heading for the wall turning a double into a triple directly lead to the shot that put the game in the loss column. Davis most definitely pitched that next better differently with a runner on third with one out than if he was on second, especially considering how the Rays offense had been non-producing. The home run that came next was on Upton's head. Many things in baseball are at the whim of the gods - you must pay homage when the luck is with you and pay due diligence and penance when it is not. Part of that penance is to make damn sure every decision you make is the right one, and that you bring your heart and hustle to the plate for every at bat.

This is not for the feint of heart. When the luck is bad despite your best intentions it is hard not to become unhinged. Wander around enough casinos as I have and you will see this on full display. Baseball is not for the feint of heart. I have to wonder if B.J. simply isn't right for baseball, despite all his intentions. His response to Longoria didn't surprise me. He had already had one moment of boiled patience after striking out, screaming a profanity laced rant at the ump on the way to the dugout. And after his Longoria confrontation, when the glove was on his shoulder before his hand was close to first when he was picked off, he still managed to have words for the 1st base ump. Maybe he was saying, "I bet you agree with Longoria, don't you, you son of a bitch."

What the latest trigger of the B.J. complex is (sounds like another name for oral fixation) beyond losing, I couldn't tell you. The obvious theory would be he was jealous and crazy because his younger brother was dominating at the plate while he went 0fer in a series in front of his parents and family. When discussing this year in general, you can point to possible tension on the home front. He just had a baby with his girlfriend and he is still seen out and about in South Howard, sometimes, strangely enough, with Longoria. I was at Professor Thom's, sipping on vodka sodas, deep uncover in the den of the enemy, when my friend, a red sox fan, saw the footage, glee inspiring I'm sure, of the Longoria/Upton fight. "Probably over a girl," she said. Who knows? Could be. "Looks pretty gay to me" said another girl. Who knows?

I don't much care for the reasons behind this latest flare up. I care that there is such a thing as B.J. Complex, he's been dealing with it since his error wreaked days in the minor leagues, through the benchings because of lack of hustle to first, all the way up until now. He said at the start of the season this is the beginning of a new time, that the last twenty-five years of his life are over and he's ready to start the next twenty-five. Such statements are common case...in a rehab center right before a regression. These are the times when you can learn a lot about life from baseball..

What about life can Maddon learn from this whole scenario? That there is such a thing as being too optimistic, too kind...that sometimes it pays to be brutal and let the situation be honest to you. We as fans have learned this from the Rays this season. It's time the Rays coach and front office (or, fucked orifice, depending on your opinion) learned it about one of his players.

But let it be known: the Rays will be in the playoffs come October. I have been saying the opposite for a good week now and emboldened by a win and a Yankees loss and deepened by my time in the philosophical tank this evening I am ready to realize this team has already gone through much too much to quit. And take a gander at the competition - the Yanks need two arms - one in the rotation and one in the pen - they will likely only buy one. Tex is hitting shit and Cano and Pettite are due for a recession. These are clearer fact than a weather report. But let's not worry about the beast on top - how about the one I said the Rays would have to deal with sooner rather than later two months ago when the Rays were still riding high? It is now due for a fall. Did you see the procession of who the fucks? they paraded through the lineup tonight? This is the result of three regulars rotting on the DL. Broken feet and ribs and hands aplenty. Their second most consistent starter has also landed on the DL - there is no timetable for his return. The beast is wounded again, and might not have the power or resources to fully recover in time.

If the Rays are even a shot away with nine games left - if they are four, five games back - the schedule is in their favor to catch-up. The Red Sox and Yankees end with two three-game series against each other in nine games. The Rays have three against the Mariners, three against the Orioles, and three against the Royals. If the Rays have any sort of lead? In the words of the creatures that reside in the outfield of one of our enemies: Forgetta bout it.

You can take that dose of over-optimism to the bank...or to Vegas, depending on how the luck is with you.

The New Look Lineup

2010-05-28T19:01:00.001-04:00

Tonight Maddon is featuring a new look lineup bringing Ben Zobrist and his .302 avg and .373 obp to the top of the lineup where he belongs. When Ben started hitting again I started kicking around the idea (as did many Rays fans and writers I'm sure) of him leading off. The power isn't quite back with a vengeance yet and he's working many a quality at bat now that his batting eye is sharp again. Bartlett, meanwhile, has been absolutely struggling from the lead-off spot this year. With a .235 avg and .328 obp it looks like JB has not only come back down to earth as many national media pundits said he would, he's crashed through Earth and landed in hell. A move away from that top spot could be exactly what he needs to get toasty again. With the bases empty, like leading off the game, he is hitting .179. Maddon's joke about Bartlett being dangerous with the bases empty when he hit yet another solo home run was just that - a joke. The stats show Bartlett is not dangerous at all with the bases empty. He is, however, clutch with RISP - to the tune of a .341 avg. That explains the good RBI numbers despite his anemic average and lead-off function. Maddon gave him time to adjust as he should, but this move needed to happen. You can't start a fifth of your games with an out. That's just not sound baseball logic. And if you say - but you're wasting Zorilla's RBI potential by leading him off! This year's stats don't indicate that - a .250 with RISP and only two home runs (both solo). Smart move Maddon.

But what about the rest of the lineup? Considering Jaso is my new favorite player on the Rays as he is quickly spelling the end of Dioner Navarro you would think I don't have a problem with him hitting third. Well, I do. Because since the start of the season I have been reiterating that Longoria belongs in the 3 spot. He is our all around best hitter, you want to make sure he gets up in the first inning, you want to make sure he gets the extra at bat at the end of the game, Crawford will get better pitches to hit and therefor the lead-off (Zobrist in this case) will see better pitches, and it also means the rest of the line-up can shape up in a less rally-killing fashion. It's a no-brainer to me. I understand you want to give Longo his RBI opportunities, but he'll have a better chance of those RBI with guys like Crawford and Zobrist in front of him without the possibility of Jaso smacking into an inning-ending double-play.

You understand putting Pena at 5 and Aybar/Blalock at 6 though Blalock has been hitting better because the way the lineup is setup you basically have no choice. Pena/Upton back-to-back is the real cause of the Rays offensive woes. It is a black hole of strikeouts, pop-ups, and pained expressions after whiffing at the ball. They're also two guys responsible for a lot of wins because of their gloves, so they should be playing regularly (yes, even Upton). Pena seems to have a better approach of the two, and he also makes less sense hitting lower in the lineup. You can't have Pena hit 9. OK, so in order to split the two up you have to put Blalock/Aybar in front of them. But who's to say you can't split them up more? If you move Longoria to the 3 spot you can put both Blalock AND the catcher between the two.

But wait! It's true Bartlett has had success in the past in the nine-spot - that's where he racked up his ridiculous early numbers last year. But he's shown - probably because he doesn't feel the pressure to see a lot of pitches - he has an ability to hit well with guys on base. So wouldn't it make sense to have him in the 7 spot? That way you can move Upton to the 9 spot where he can get his timing right in the no-pressure position of hitting in the place where pitchers hit in a different league. That's if (big if) he doesn't go nuts because his pride is hurt. I would hope B.J. has the maturity these days to use it as motivation to turn his season (and career) back in the right direction he started towards in early April.

I like Pena hitting cleanup because a.) he doesn't kill a lot of rallies with the DP because of the shift b.) if he works on making contact and not striking out, the contact he will make will be in the air or to the right side of the infield in runner on 3rd less than 2 out situations c.) if he makes good contact, it is often a home runs, which means a lot of 2 run, 3 run home runs.

If you have him in that spot and B.J. at 9 you have the maximum amount of batter's between the strikeout machines. So, without further ado, the lineup Maddon runs out tonight (improved, but not ideal):

1. Zobrist
2. Crawford
3. Jaso
4. Longoria
5. Pena
6. Blalock
7. Upton
8. Brignac
9. Bartlett

My ideal lineup at this point of the season and probably moving forward:

1. Ben Zobrist (RF/2B) - S
2. Carl Crawford (LF) - LH
3. Evan Longoria (3B) - RH
4. Carlos Pena (1B) - LH
5. (against RH pitcher) Hank Blalock (DH) - LH
5. (against LH pitcher) Willy Aybar (DH) - S
6. (against RH pitcher) John Jaso (C) - LH
6. (against LH pitcher) Kelly Shoppach (C) - RH
7. Jason Bartlett (SS) - RH
8. (against RH pitcher) Reid Brignac (2B) - LH
8. (against LH pitcher) Gabe Kapler (RF) - RH
9. B.J. Upton (CF) - RH

Questions

2010-05-20T16:22:00.002-04:00

I've been away for a good two weeks now. The good news is not much has changed, except perhaps a few less brain cells in this writer. The Rays remain on top with the best record in baseball. But no one in the Tampa Bay area is sitting back and relaxing. The Yankees are four games back, as opposed to two and half games back two weeks ago. Again, nothing different. They are biting at the Rays heels...or lying in wait. This two game series will be an indicator as to which it is. And even if the Rays were five game ahead of anyone, persisting bad news about attendance, stadium quarrels, and injuries continue to nag at anyone with an ear to the pulse of this little underdog (or junkyard dog, as Rays Index nicknamed them). So as I work on an article for the month of May which I will begin to post in several parts as we near the end of the month and I settle down in one place for at least a week, I thought I would ask and address all the questions surrounding the tilted dome I've finally managed to make it to on at least a semi-recent basis of late.

And, rest assured, though I supported him early on, count me as one of the 99% majority that are OVERJOYED Pat Burrell is gone (at least for now - da da DA).

Anyone who happens across the blog if you want to email your own answers to the questions I raise please feel free to send them to eriklurz@gmail.com, and if you have a blog of your own let me know the address and I'll include all alternative answers and rebuttals in a forthcoming article.

Will the bullpen be OK even without the impending return of the Dude?

No. If the Rays don't pick up a left-handed reliever for the pen it will come back to bite them in the ass no doubt. They would most likely still make the playoffs, because of the start they got off to and the strength of the starting rotation. But in a possible seven-game series against the Yankees and Phillies they will have to have serviceable moving parts. Lance Cormier being brought into a tie-ballgame in Game Six of the ALCS with the bases loaded against Robinson Cano is not gonna cut it. I've highlighted possibilities on the trade market a couple of articles ago, and I continue to like the idea of a Morales (Rockies), Thornton (White Sox) type upgrade. If the Rays are truly going for broke this year a high-end prospect and some extra $$$ (not the issue) for a Series is a gamble I'd be willing to take. Given how many draft picks they'll be getting for Crawford, Pena, and Soriano alone they'll be able to restock.

Will the bats come around?

Tampa Bay is currently hitting .304 with runners in scoring position. That's tops in the league...by .021 points (Yankees next with .283 average). The last five years there has been at least one team that finishes around .300 with runners in scoring position - this is a sustainable stat (White Sox, Twins in 2006, Tigers, Yankees in 2007, Twins in 2008, Angels in 2009). While the Rays are in the middle of the pack in average, on-base percentage, and slugging, they are hitting when it matters. This is a trick question - the bats are there. If the Rays continue with their motto: GTMI (get the man in) they will be successful and score runs. That is a big if, but this seems to be the clutch team this year. Faith is a dangerous thing, but I have it. You can't slump much worse than they did on the West Coast, and they still GTMI when they had to. And if Carlos Pena and B.J. Upton find their stroke like they showed signs of doing early April, especially if it is at the same time, watch out. The Rays won't even need to be clutch. We could see a dominant month ahead (even more dominant than what they have been doing).

Can the starting pitching sustain the level it is playing at right now if the bats don't come around?

Not a trick question - the starting pitchers have been off their ass. Almost as if to prove me wrong (I mentioned in a previous post James Shields doesn't have "swing and miss stuff," he's one off the league lead in strikeouts. David Price is second in ERA only to the starting pitcher for the Yanks tonight. Price: 1.81, Petttitte: 1.79. Which one do you think has a better chance of sustaining that level? Price is also the only AL pitcher with 6 wins. Garza is tied for second with 5. As a staff they are pitching to a 2.59 ERA, a full run better than the nearest competition (Yankees 3.60). Also a full run better than any staff finished the season in the last three years (no use going further back, this is the new dead ball era). This is not a sustainable staff. But it is possible they finish with a 3.50, 3.75 ERA which would be more than enough the way they are scoring runs. Even through the nasty slumps the offense has been dealing with that is good enough. So, no, they won't sustain the level they're playing at now, but 1-5 this is one of the strongest young rotations the league has seen and they will continue to be nasty, definitely nasty enough to carry the Rays to a division title.

Who represents the biggest threat to the Yankees/Rays for control of the last playoff spot?

As of now the Blue Jays are only a game behind the Yankees in the division standings, five behind the Rays. They've pitched, and boy have they hit. But the guys hitting, Jose Bautista (10 HR) and Alex Gonzalez (11 HR) are on absurd paces compared to their career averages. What's going on here? Why are the Blue Jays so good? People were asking the same question last year, and the schedule is set up in a similar fashion. They haven't played anyone. They were swept by the Red Sox. The Rays won two out of three. Other than that it's been Rangers (when they sucked), Orioles, White Sox, Royals, A's, Indians, White Sox, et al. Now it's Mariners, Diamondbacks, Angels, Orioles in their next four series. They'll continue to seem like a serious contender until the end of the month. Then when they come across serious pitching staffs they will drop off. Guaranteed. Or I will run naked during tailgating time through the Tropicana Field parking lot. If the Jays are still third at the all-star break I will run naked through the parking lot of Tropicana Field during tailgating time. It won't happen. You got Rays, Yankees, Rays, Rockies, Padres, Giants, Cardinals, Phillies for their next eight series. Murderous stretch. Goodbye Blue Birds. The Tigers, however, have been playing serious competition and sticking with it. They could finish ahead of the Red Sox in the wild card standings, especially if they get another bat at the trade deadline. Watch out for the Tigers. In the end it's moot, though, it will be Rays/Yankees. The only question is: Who has to play the Twins?

We have seen in other sports in the midst of playoffs of late teams referred to as "regular season teams," that is, beating up on lesser teams and racking up impressive records only to falter in the playoffs (i.e. Cavs/Caps)...even if the Rays sustain their remarkable run and finish with the best record in baseball, is the team built for a 5, 7 game series against the best in the league?

To a certain extent, yes, they are better built for a regular season than a playoff series. Not because their star player is good at taking advantage of inferior defenses/goaltenders like in the examples I gave, however. They are young and deep, better built for the longest season in sports than the Yankees because the likelihood of injury is lower, and if an injury occurs they have guys (Jennings, Perez, Hellickson, Benoit, Dan Johnson) they can go to in AAA. And that youth can be better taken advantage of in a high pressure, elimination series than in a five-month stretch. The Rays show up to every game like it's single-elimination when they don't have to, but when the pressure is inherent will they ramp it up another level or start to sweat? Only time can tell. I think the difference between a 5-game series and a 7-game series is huge for this time, because of the aforementioned depth, especially in starting pitching. I like the Rays in a 7-game span because if one starter has a bad start or a great offense takes advantage of the bullpen there is more room for error. I'll take David Price against any fourth-starter in the league, and probably Garza over any second-starter as well. But in a 5-game series by the time they get to Price it could be 2-1, or worse. This is why every game matters. If the Rays do not win the AL East they will be playing the Twins with the Twins holding home field. The difference between the Rangers and home field against the Yankees and no home field against the Twins and Yankees is so black and white. No wonder the Rays play like they have to win every game.

Are the Red Sox buried?

No. The news of Beckett being placed on the DL is good news for the Sox - it means he's finally manning up and admitting something is wrong. Maybe when he comes back he will be closer to his old self. But for now you have taken out one of your least effective pitchers. Wakefield had been pitching better. Ellsbury and Cameron should be back in a week so the Sox don't have to play Van Every and McDonald. We are a quarter of the way through and this is an injury addled squad. If the Yankees continue getting dinged up the way they are and are throwing out Miranda and Winn every day you could see the Sox and Tigers challenging them for the wild card. I wrote earlier that the Red Sox were a sleeping rabid racoon (them and they're ferociously obnoxious band-wagon fans) - I stand by that. They will finish at least third place in the AL East.

Who will have the best record at the end of the season?

The Rays. For all the reasons listed in the answers to the previous questions.

Will Evan Longoria steal my girlfriend?

A Boston fan complained after the sweep to a local paper that Evan Longoria was texting his girlfriend constantly to hook-up. Clearly the only women in Boston up to Longoria's standards are taken - unlike Florida, specifically the Tampa area, where you can drown in all the beautiful single women (and the douches chasing them). So have no fear if your team is the Angels, Dodgers, Yankees, Mets, Rays, Marlins, Rangers, or Astros. The rest of you...maybe this picture published in the Men's Journal can give you solace.

What will become of Pat the Bat?

The Yankees need an outfielder and always love going the geriatric route. Although I speculated when he was DFA'd (Dick Fucked Ass, as a reminder to you new readers) that he would actually take his AAA assignment, as anyone looking for what he could offer can get it and some fielding from Jermaine Dye. But...the chance to show Friedman up is to tasty an opportunity for Cashman or Epstein to pass up, especially with all their outfield and DH issues. I say Yankees. And it makes me so happy.

If Carl Crawford wins World Series MVP, will the Rays possibly keep him?

There are two positions where the Rays aren't deep - corner infield and relief pitching. I think we have better chance of seeing Joakim Soria in a Rays jersey next year than Carl Crawford. It's part of what is motivating this team - whether they are willing to admit it or not - they are playing like this is their last year together. You don't see the kind of emotion the Rays display at the end of the game in another team. They are inspired. They know as any analyst knows that even if the Rays were an 80 million payroll team instead of the 60, 50 million payroll team they will be next year, it wouldn't make sense to devote 15 million a year to Crawford. He isn't a centerpiece. He is an amazing team player, and exciting role player, but he is not Evan Longoria. Longoria is carrying this team. Crawford doesn't have the power or run producing capability to be a centerpiece. If Mauer hadn't had the year he had last year, the Twins wouldn't have signed him to a long term contract. These are the choices you have to make as a team. Desmond Jennings and Fernando Perez are both hitting for average, playing exciting defense, and stealing bases in AAA. If the Rays have money to spend, they will spend it to address their needs. Wade Davis for Soria/AAA bat is more likely given Hellickson's status than Crawford 5 years 85 million. Last year's World Series MVP wasn't tendered a contract, either.

Will we see a Rays MVP or CY Young winner at the end of the year?

I give it a 4 to 1 chance, and will make that bet with anyone willing. The way Evan is crushing the ball and the way Garza, Shields, and Price are performing you have to believe one of them is going to continue this pace or up the pace as the year progresses and take some hardware, especially if the Rays have the MLB's best record which I think they will.

Where will the Rays be playing in 5 years?

"Now is the time for fans of the Tampa Bay Rays, stakeholders of Downtown Tampa and the Bay area region to come together."

This is how builditdowntowntampa.org begins. All you have to do is stare at the map they put on there for five seconds to understand downtown Tampa is the only place for a new stadium. Five years from now the Rays will be playing in downtown Tampa or they will be playing outside the region. If you call yourself a Rays fan man up and take a stand. The rest of the country and major league baseball doesn't care about the truth. They don't believe our arguments proving there is an area of support in the region until they see people in the seats. And all this stuff about TV ratings and merchandise selling or whatever doesn't matter - it doesn't put money in Sternberg's pockets which means the product on the field will suffer which means the TV ratings will drop and on and on and on. The Rays belong in downtown Tampa. Go to the website. Sign the petition. Show your support.

Hiatus

2010-05-06T13:41:00.000-04:00

one of my notes while traveling thus far, about a week in to this three week trip, reads as follows...

when on the road, dont stay at home.

what i mean by this is that all the habits you are used to in the place you rest your head need to be left behind, or else how can you possibly immerse yourself in the new place you are visiting? one of my main habits would be spending three hours every night watching the rays and anywhere from an hour to a couple hours writing about them. even if there were time to do this on the road, i cant distract myself from the task at hand, and that task is the road. im sure the few people who read regularly can handle a couple of weeks absence. the rays certainly are doing just fine without me.

Day 22: Ahhhh! Florida

2010-04-30T19:07:00.001-04:00

I should have written on the plane. Fear really makes the words come. Now I'm comfortable and placid, a poodle on my lap and sun streaming in through the windows. It's amazing how you get used to the gray, the brown air, the congested streets. You come into Florida in the sunshine and the clean air and let out a sigh of relief. No wonder people don't want to go to ballgames, it's so easy to just sit back and chill out. My goodbyes were easier than I thought, which means I'm so clearly making the right decision I can't even trick myself into being sentimental. It just makes sense. On the matters of baseball I'll leave you with a text from THE Patrick Mulhearn, who you'll be hearing a lot about in the next couple of days:

"I figured out why nobody comes to rays games..."
"They are so good they are boring"

Day 21: Road Games

2010-04-29T16:06:00.001-04:00

It's 3:36pm, I sit at the computer I've written a lot of these articles on, and write another for the last time. It is my last day of work here at the Coles Sports Center. I taught my last yoga class yesterday, the day the Rays thrashed a strong left-hander, Dallas Braden, took their 4th straight and 8th of their last ten, and remained on top as best team in baseball for at least another couple days. Around 6:30 but more likely 6:15, perhaps even earlier, I will pick up my bag and walk the five blocks I walk regularly to get to Triona's bar, where I will watch my last Rays game at my home bar before going on the road. Some friends might meet me there - most likely I will get drunk. I'm not good with saying goodbyes, though I should be used to it, not with people, or even places. I will patch together some kind of narrative in my next article, which I'll write on the plane to Sarasota, FL, tomorrow afternoon. It won't be a good one, due to the inevitable hangover and my fear of flying. Remember, I've been good with my predictions lately, sorry to lay that bummer on you. It will, at least, be entertaining, one thing I try to contribute at the very least if I don't come through with actual baseball analysis.

I won't get into the gritty details, but the move from New York to Los Angeles I have been planning since January will begin in earnest with this twenty-four day trip around the country, which I've been planning even longer. My days of living in New York are through, at least for some time. There have been some nasty occurences lately, but overall I wouldn't trade any of my time here for anything. The last six years have been incredible, really. Say what I will about the Yankees and what they represent, the city they reside in is everything it claims to be. Unfortunately, like Yankee stadium, it is now built for the rich, underpay and you end up in the bleachers with a guy that will elbow you in the face and steal your Budweiser if he gets a chance.

I hope I am as good on the road as they Rays were, but I promise you even if I am good the articles will be short, save the accounts of the two games I will be going to, May 1 in St. Pete against the Royals and May 10 in Anaheim against the Angeles. The articles will also be pure Gonzo Journalism, the attempts at lineup analysis and cohesive theses are over for a time. I will hope that the Rays win more than ever while I am on the road, as they did while I spent a month and a half in Europe in the summer of 2008. However, I'm ready to rock the Rayshawk, so a three-game skid wouldn't be too bad. And so I bid goodbye to the belly of the beast - next article I publish will be from the Sunshine State.

Day 20: Lineup Tweaking...A One-Sided Debate (Jaso Over Navarro)...What Could Be A Lethal Bullpen...Let Sleeping Rabid Racoons (Red Sox) Lie

2010-04-28T17:16:00.004-04:00

It might be time to move Ben Zobrist down in the lineup. My pre-season article on the lineup suggested it, and as I have been most of the time throughout the life of this blog, I think I may have been right. Not to brag, I'm genuinely surprised. But like Rays wins I'm beginning to expect it. I'm not gonna write about attendance, I already wrote about that, remember?

Keep your ear to the ground, after the two-game series against the A's (15,000 average?) there will be rumblings: "You dumb degenarate beach bum pieces of shit. You can't support a team that has the best record in baseball while playing in a division with the Yankees?" And so on and so on." (Day 18)

And since the rumblings of every other sports writer in baseball have now taken over for me, I'll leave it to them. You can read my last two articles to get my take on the "attendance issue." (St. Petersburg = Bad, as simple and powerful a message as 9=8). Back to Zobrist, in my second article I stated my lineup would be as such:

1. Bartlett
2. Crawford
3. Longo
4. Pena
5. Zobrist
6. Upton
7. Burrell
8. Shoppach
9. Rodriguez

I followed that by saying, "Ideally if Bossman puts up July 2009 numbers consistently he can be moved to the five spot to be a true 1-5 guy to add balance to the lineup and provide the sort of role that Carl Crawford filled in that spot during the 2008 playoffs." Well, Bossman is starting to put up those kind of numbers, so I now see him ideally suited for the five spot. He can knock a guy in, function as the 2nd leadoff whether Pena strikes out to kill a rally or hits a homerun to clear the bases, steal bases, hit home runs. I really like Upton in that 5 spot. Also, I'll say again that Longoria should be hitting third because you want him up in key at bats late in the game. If Longoria was hitting third, it would have been him up in that key spot instead of Zobrist (who ended up striking out) at the end of the Rays last loss, against the Blue Jays Friday night.

My blood begins to boil when thinking about the eight spot. It's past absurd now, it's comically illogical to keep Dioner Navarro. Jaso fields better, hits waaaaaay better, runs better...the only edge Dioner might have is in throwing and calling a game. But it is not a clear enough edge to overweigh Jaso's clear advantages. Has he not earned it? Does he have to hit .700? Even if it were a wash between Dioner and Joltin' Jaso, which it clearly isn't, Jaso hits left-handed, much better against right-handers. Shoppach hits right-handed, much better against left-handers. Dioner doesn't hit. It isn't even up for debate. Dioner is Deadweight. Deadweight Dioner. It's not even a matter of looking out for the future - no way the Rays Fucked Orafice keeps Dioner next year. So...huh? Let's compare:

14 G, 44 AB, 6 H, 4 R, 2 RBI .136/.208/.159
8 G, 18 AB, 9 H, 3 R, 7 RBI .500/.625/.833

Clearly Jaso can't keep those stats up, but shouldn't the Rays take it at a sign he will at least hit significantly better than Navarro? The Rays won't keep up their hot start (.750) and the Orioles won't be as bad as they're playing, but you don't see pundits saying, well, the Orioles have been around longer it would still be a better bet to stick with them the rest of the way. DFO him, he'll pass through the waiver wire anway. If he plays as well as he "should" be playing (1/2 '07, 1/2 '08) you can always bring him back up from AAA. I understand Burrell. I get Kapler. Choate makes sense. Navarro defies reason.

And so Maddon, Maddon the White, here is your lineup:

vs. RHP                                             vs. LHP

1. Jason Bartlett - SS - RH            1. Jason Bartlett - SS - RH
2. Carl Crawford - LF - LH           2. Carl Crawford - LF - LH
3. Evan Longoria - 3B - RH           3. Evan Longoria - 3B - RH
4. Carlos Pena - 1B - LH               4. Carlos Pena - 1B - LH
5. B.J. Upton - CF - RH                5. B.J. Upton - CF - RH
6. Ben Zobrist - RF - S                  6. Ben Zobrist - 2B - S
7. Pat Burrell - DH - RH                7. Pat Burrell - DH - RH
8. John Jaso - C - LH                     8. Kelly Shoppach - C - RH
9. Reid Brignac - 2B - LH               9. Gabe Kapler - RF - RH

Bench: Willy Aybar (DH, 1B), Sean Rodriguez (Super U)

How about pitchers? Well after today the pen will look like this:

Soriano (CL)
Wheeler
Balfour
Cormier
Benoit
Choate
Sonnanstine

Great. Now what happens when Howell comes back? (cricket, cricket) This is why it is interesting to look ahead. With Hellboy and A. Rodriguez pitching lights out in AAA Sonnanstine is clearly expendable. The Rays might just be waiting until he gets a couple of innings following a blown start to show of his stuff (lets hope, if that's true, he puts up zeroes) to then flip. If they can't trade him Sonny has an option and you can expect him in Durham when Howell returns. Choate is too important a roll-player to lose, Cormier's been great, Wheeler is a consitent veteren, Balfour is well-established, Benoit's been throwing fireballs in Durham. The only way Sonny doesn't stay is if Benoit lays a turd when he returns to the show - I don't see that happening. He's a man on a mission with amazing stuff - he's driven. He wants to play, and win. And he's confident. He said when he didn't make the club: "we'll see what happens in four-six weeks." Well, here we are, and he's on his way up, I think to stay. I'll reiterate if we buy a reliever it should be a lefty, unless Balfour begins to struggle or Benoit doesn't pan out. That way Choate goes, Howell takes Choate's place (significant upgrade) and our shiny new aquistion (Oliver from Rangers, Thornton from White Sox, Morales from Rockies, Rhodes from Reds) sets-up our shiny new closer. If the Rays are to improve, this would be the way to go. So then our final bullpen for the stretch run would look like this (I'm going to make a guess here, based on a certain team's need for starting pitching because of injuries and the quality of that certain reliever):

Soriano RHP (Closer)
Morales LHP (Set-up)
Wheeler RHP
Balfour RHP
Howell LHP
Benoit RHP
Cormier RHP (Long Reliever)

Considering Benoit will do what Balfour did in '08 and come up pitching lights out and Cormier has proven in that turning-point game against the Red Sox he can go 3 solid innings, this "weak" bullpen suddenly looks like one of the team's many strengths, not weaknesses. If it takes Anneury Rodriguez to make that Morales trade happen, I say pull the trigger. Try with Sonnanstine (suddenly both soft-throwing, pussy "control" Rays find themselves in Coors Field) but if it takes Rodriguez, or Hernandez, do it. Because that's a World Series bullpen for a World Series team.

I love that picture of Burrell being pelted by rain as he slammed that 2-run go-ahead run in the top of the 12th in that first game of the series sweep against the Red Sox, it's just dramatic enough to give an inkling of how important that moment is (in addition to the previous half-inning, the five-infielder stop with bases loaded no outs). The entire season has tilted on that game. The Red Sox fell apart afterwards, and have been fighting and clawing and scraping their way back to respectability since, while the Rays are red hot. I try my best to stay ahead of the action, to peer into what's coming; it is the job of anyone who claims to be covering a team, a season, a sport, to do so. Why people continue to kick the Red Sox right now is beyond me. It's like kicking a giant, rabbid racoon after it was hit by a car as it begins to stand-up to fight. Would you laugh at such a beast as it prepared to sink its teeth into you? Newsflash: The Mets are in first place - do you really think it's above the grounds of reason the Red Sox could win the AL East this year? I don't. All the Mets need is one more arm and all the Red Sox need is one more bat. They're making their way back to .500 with Bill Hall starting and their top three still not pitching to their potential. They will be a force, a stronger force than the Tigers in the wild card hunt, that's for sure. That's why it's important the Rays keep striving to make all those tiny all important decisions to keep the edge over the beasts. What else can a little guy do?

Day 19: King David Prevails...A Poor Bastard of a Red Sox Fan...Predictions, Lighthearted and Ominous

2010-04-26T17:22:00.018-04:00

"The Rays are the best in baseball for at least another day, love," I said to Triona. She wrinkled her nose as she poured my vodka orange juice shot to cap a 6-0 win over the Blue Jays that completed the series victory, and ensured the Rays continued to hold the best record, at 14-5. "Yeah, yeah," she said. Triona, the least fanaticalb baseball fan of the bar's AL East triumvirate, normally treats my gloating with sarcasm and nonchalance...except the one game the Rays beat the Yankees head-to-head. I feel like warning her more such defeats are to come but she'd just wave me off. Like most Yankee fans her confidence is ripe until the very last out, the out that ends the season. After that victory in the first game of the three-game Yankee series, the one series the Rays have lost this year, I was swooning over David Price's performance. I touted him as the club's ace. Then Garza did what he did his next couple of starts, Price regressed a bit, and I changed my thinking over exactly who the strongest in the rotation is. I ordered it Garza, Niemann, Price, Davis, Shields. Now, after Price twirled the first complete game in his young career, a nine strikeout shutout at that, I might have to rethink things. Could it be Price, then Garza? No, because Price still has an ERA north of 4.00 on the road, Garza had his best stuff on the road. This is because of what seperates them, experience. I think in two years Price will be a better pitcher than Gonzo, but for now, I think Garza has the edge. The rotation as I see it now: Garza, Price, Niemann, Davis, Shields. But Davis pitches Tuesday, and if he stops walking so many batters, watch out.

As I swallowed down my victory shot Mike sat down next to me, craning his neck to peer at the screen. "Some dominant showing," he said, "Some dominant pitching performance...who pitched today?" "Price," I said. He shook his head and sighed out, "Jesus, you got a good team this year." I had a flashback to when a construction worker cat-called something almost identical to me as I passed by in my Rays jersey a week or so ago. How is it as a fan you feel like you're an actual part of the team? Such vicarious bullshit. I wish I could include myself in the "we" of the Rays, instead I can only write about them and what I believe they stand for.

Mike's breath smelled like cigarettes and defeat. "I'll have another, Tri," he said. I watched as Triona poured a Stoli Mandarin and coke. I choked down the vomit over how sweet that must be (I am a firm believer in stiff drinks) before trying to think of the last time I had seen Mike drink liquor, especially during the day, especially before a shift. Nothing came to mind. Every once and a while he would have a Heineken, but I'd never seen him drink before now. Well, hell, if half the pundits predicted the Rays to win the AL East and they started 8-10 and were losing a game in extra innings to the 2-16 Orioles, I'd have been in the bag, so I'd say he held up pretty well. When you win, you win. When you lose, you lose. Put simply, if their paces were to continue, the Red Sox would win less than 70 games and the Rays would win more than 120. Now, neither of those things are going to happen, but this might put things in perspective: If the Rays played .500 ball the rest of the way they would still win more games than they did last year. The Red Sox would have to play .600 ball, 87-56, to win what they won last year, 95 wins. For the Rays to reach that total, and more than likely the playoffs, they would have to play .560 ball, going 81-62. Given the way the teams are playing and how the seasons look to pan out, which do you think is more likely?

Predictions

We can start with this week, a two-game series against the A's and a four-game series against the Royals at home. The A's and Rays are both off to fantastic starts - they're 1 and 2 respectively in team ERA, and are both near the top of the league in runs scored while being in the middle of the pack in team average. The A's have a 2.93 ERA, the Rays not far behind with a 3.21. But which stat is more impressive? The A's played 6 games against the Mariners, 12th in runs scored in the AL. They also played 14 of 20 at home, while the Rays, meanwhile, have played 10 of 19 on the road. Beyond that simple advantage, the Rays have played in hitter friendly parks such as U.S. Cellular Field, Fenway Park, and Camden Yards. The A's have played most their games in the pitcher friendly Coliseum. In 3 games against the Rays the White Sox managed 6 runs, 2 per game. Against the rest of the league the White sox had 68 runs in 16 games, 4.25 runs per game. In 4 games agains the Rays the Red Sox managed 9 runs, again at around 2 per game. Against the rest of the league? 4.8 runs per game. Starting to see a trend here? I believe Oakland's pitching, especially their starting pitching, is showing stats that are far better than what they will be the rest of the year. The Rays? Just getting started. Putting the over/under at 8 1/2 runs scored for the Rays and 5 1/2 runs scored for the A's, I will take the over for the Rays and under for the A's. I do think the A's offense is legit, but they lost one of their best hitters, Deric Barton (.328 average) for the series, and would play way below their average for the series anyway, stifled by the Rays unbelievable rotation. The Rays could easily take both games, but because they're going up against a lefty tomorrow with Shields, their highest ERA starter to date, squaring off against him, I'll go conservative and say 1-1. The Royals, meanwhile, bring their AL worst ERA and four right-handed pitchers for the series over the weekend. It will be a bloodbath. If one of those right-handed pitchers wasn't named Zach Grienke, I would confidently predict a sweep. I'll go conservative, again, and say 3-1. With the Royals bullpen I would say a 4-game sweep is still a distinct possibilty. So, OK, we got a conservative 4-2 estimate for the Rays for the week. The Yankees have three against the Blue Jays and two against the Orioles on the road. I would say the only one you could plan on the Yankees losing is the one pitched by Vazquez, so lets say they go 4-1 to remain a half-game behind the Rays in the AL East. The Red Sox have three games at Toronto and three games at Baltimore, an easy trip but not as easy as the Rays homestand. But we'll be aggresive and say they'll win both series but not sweep either. So, at the end of six games, things are....the same. The Red Sox still being 6-games back. You can see how this goes, the Red Sox have their work cut out for them. They have to be that much better the rest of the way. Good luck to you, poor bastards, I was there last year and it isn't much fun.

I can confidently predict at this point the Rays will make the playoffs, by at least the margin the Red Sox had it by last year. But the Rays shouldn't rest on their laurels: I've already pointed out success or failure in the the playoffs will depend who wins the AL East for two reasons: 1. homefield advantage in a possible yankees vs. rays series 2. if one of the teams were to not make that ALCS series, it would be because the Twins got there instead. I can more confidently predict the Twins will win the AL Central than the Rays the wildcard, and whoever takes the wildcard has that tough task ahead of them.

My other prediction isn't as favorable to the Rays. Considering the numbers for a weekend series against the Blue Jays I would be surprised if we had 18,000 for the game Tuesday night. The Rays can hope to have an average of around 21,000, but it could easily dip below 20,000, despite ZZ Tops best efforts. This is a team I fully expect to remain the best team in the major leagues at the end of the week, finishing the first month in that situation. Is this not a sign the Rays should move to Tampa? It should be noted that I will be at least one figuring into those numbers. I leave for Tampa on Friday, and will be there for the concert game Saturday night. Rock on.

Day 18: Oh So Good To Be Wrong (And Right)...Joltin Jaso...Uh Oh, Attendance Sucks

2010-04-25T11:39:00.001-04:00

I stood off to the side of the bar, next to a power outlet. My cellphone was running out of battery so I had to plug it in. Thankfully, Mike had the same charger as I did. He was in a fine mood, running around, drinking as it was his night off, cursing at TV screens. While I "play" against the oddsmakers it seemed at least last night that he was doing it for real, and, like me, losing. Also, though they ended up winning, the Red Sox looked far from impressive against the Orioles last night. "God we suck," he said, shaking his head, "Yeah you do," I responded. As most sports fans and most American males in general, we were acting ridiculous. Me, leaning against the wall, sipping my whiskey, pressing a headphone in my error like a news reporter. Him, taking his Heineken from bar stool to bar stool to follow multiple games, jabbering away to whoever would listen to him, hopping outside every now and again for a cigarette.

I was worried. I listened as the Rays faced another situation where it made sense to pinch hit Reid Brignac for Gabe Kapler. It was an equally important situation. Two nights ago the Rays were down one run in the bottom of the ninth and Brignac (Or Braniac as my roommate calls him) would have lead off the inning. Instead Kapler dribbled one down the 1st base line. Now, the bases were loaded with no outs and the score tied in the bottom of the eighth. This time Maddon pinch hit Braniac. And he was rewarded with the go ahead run. It felt oh so good to be right. It also felt very good to be wrong. I thought for sure we were going to have a cardiac special, a 3-2 loss or a 4-3 win like I predicted yesterday before the game. In my Lurz vs. Vegas section I made all sorts of "bets" taking the under on runs scored, hits, etc. I was right on one - the best one to be right about - Blue Jays under 3 1/2 runs. All others I was wrong on, including my prediction of a 3-2 game. Standing there I felt like Ian Malcolm in Jurassic Park, "I hate it when I'm right" - I knew it was going to be 3-2, I had hoped we'd be on top but it didn't look like it was going to turn out that way. Then the Rays blew it wide up and I could relax.

In an earlier piece, my Day 9 article, I highlighted some fatal flaws in the Rays machinery. The main flaw I pointed out was catcher. Citing the promotion of Lobaton, the starting AA catcher, to AAA, I predicted Shoppach would be out longer than expected. He had surgery and will hopefully be back after the all-star break. I was hoping for a trade for Miguel Olivo, John Baker, or Jeff Mathis, but now that such a trade may be more likely (still a longshot, but with a pending Navarro suspension and Shoppach out for months it actually could happen) I'm pulling my support for such a thing? Why? Joltin Jaso, of course! Understanding a major catcher trade was unlikely, especially considering we just made one in the offseason, I wrote, "One thing is for sure, in the two, three starts Jaso gets...I hope he rakes. I mean, 5-8, 6 RBI type raking." Jaso is 4-11 with 4 RBI, and would have more if the three or four near home runs he almost got had carrried a little further. What a pleasant surprise, Jaso's carrying a big stick. I like the way he's swinging. And even if he was hitting worse than Navarro (is that possible?) his fielding is a big upgrade. The stop on Wheeler's ball in the dirt at the top of the eighth was absolutely critical, and one Fat Ass would have poked at and let slip by. I was mad about Navarro's ridiculous ejection and bump in the previous night's game but it may turn out to be great for the team. Joltin Jaso and Rodzilla, one and two in the depth chart for catcher, love it. Only in the weird world where a Rays team with two starting catchers to start only to end up with John Jaso and a second-baseman as their catchers could they have the best record in baseball after eighteen games.

Mike had said earlier he'd have the goldshlagger chilled for me. I gave him his charger and toasted him with my vodka orange juice. "They won?" he asked. I took the shot. "What a shitty night for baseball," Mike said. Funny, I was thinking the exact opposite.

Poor Navi and his sore legs. Jaso is once again in the starting lineup. Eureka! Jaso is getting a legit shot at winning the starting job. The more games he plays the better he hits than Navi the better he fields than Navi the harder it is for the Rays not to give Joltin Jaso more playing time once Navi comes back from his lame-o injuries and useless suspension. Then it will be decision time when Shoppach comes back - and I hope the fucked orafice will look at the stat lines, Jaso's high ceiling, the impossibility of signing Navi once the season is over, and make the right decision. DFO Dioner Navarro at the halfway point. The team will need an actual catcher plattoon for the stretch run (shazaam! Jaso's a leftie Shoppach a rightie, there's your plattoon). Even more telling about this week's starting lineup is Reid Brignac perched at the top filling in for Jason Bartlett, who finally gets his first day off. If Maddon was considering moving B.J. back to lead-off now that he's hitting again Briganc would be hitting seventh and B.J. would be hitting first. Luckily, Maddon knows better. Sure JB had his slump, but he's rebounded nicely and now sports a better average than Upton. Moreover, B.J. has shown himself to be a great run producer, not table setter. We need him in that RBI spot, the 6 hole, much more than we need him leading off. JB is a talented base stealer as well, and the idea of Pena and Burrell hitting 5, 6 is too disturbing to consider. Looks like Lurz and Maddon the White are back on the same page, good to see.

What's not good to see is the attendance. Remember yesterday when I saw the 22,000ish figure for Friday nights game and predicted a near 25,000 average for the series? Well the Bay area folk farted on that yesterday - Foggerty brought under 25,000. Normally the Rays can count on good attendance for at least the Saturday concert games, especially when they're blacked out for television audiences. 23, 870. I can't believe no one's talking about this. That's only a couple hundred above last year's average attendance, the year we need to do much better than to keep our players, for a concert night. Keep your ear to the ground, after the two-game series against the A's (15,000 average?) there will be rumblings: "You dumb degenarate beach bum pieces of shit. You can't support a team that has the best record in baseball while playing in a division with the Yankees?" And so on and so on. And with these rumblings relocation talks, and the fire sale talks will spark up again. This is not a game about performance - we are reminded time and again it is a game of money. The problem with these talks (Fuck 'em! Right?) is that the players could start believing them. Why aren't those beach bum pieces of shit supporting us more? If it doesn't serve as motivation to win more it will be a nasty ingredient added to the team's chemistry. Then...watch out. The Yankees will be "Doooo-Doooo-Dooo knocking at my back door." And Carl Crawford will be answering.

Day 17: A Win Loss...Kevin Kennedy - The Steven Seagal of Announcers...Matt Garza's Mojo...The Exploding Dioner and Other Fuck-ups...Lookin Ahead to Lefties

2010-04-24T15:09:00.005-04:00

Upon arriving to work, my cushy job where a lot of the writing for this blog gets done, monitoring at a gym, I was suprised to see all the basketball courts covered. "What's going on?" I asked another employee. "Relay for life," she responded. "Oh," I said. After several paces walking along I prodded further, "What's that?" She laughed, "A bunch of people walk around in circles all night for charity," she gestured down to the court, "It's covered in case someone passes out." My brow furrowed slightly - I got it but I didn't understand. "It's a fundraiser," she added. Yes, of course. For some reason it's easier to ask for money by saying you're doing something absurd for it. I guess it's an ice breaker. Not to knock them, I've done them, but I imagine the main reason for such events is to feel like you're doing something. Money isn't enough. When something awful is happening in the world, and there are a lot of awful things happening in the world, engaging in some vigorous physical activity in the face of it feels more proactive, no matter how silly it may be at heart. Next time the Rays are rallying and I want so much to help I should run around in circles in the bar or my apartment - maybe then Zobrist won't take strike three to end the game.

After Garza gave up a lead-off single in the top of the 2nd inning I had given up on last night's game. Sometimes it's just clear that the forces of destiny are against you. Maybe it was the fact that Garza wasn't just walking people, people were making hard contact on it. Laser fly balls. Maybe it was all that talk between Staats and Kennedy about Kennedy's role in subduing an unruly passenger on a flight. Maybe there were distractions that night, something about the look in their eyes, something that was on my mind. Whatever it was I tuned out for most of that game. I would have said that it was nice not to hear about Kennedy's XM Radio Show or his glory days of catching for once, but both ended up playing into the discussion. Although maybe now that Jonny Gomes is gone Kevin Kennedy, our new enforcer, will smash the window of the press booth, paraglide down to the diamond, and kick some serious ass if a fight breaks out.

In the end last night's game should be considered a win loss. The fact that the Rays sucked me back into it with a four inning rally and almost stole one says something about the quit in this team (it doesn't exist). Also the attendence was over 20,000, which means the average attendence for the series will probably be around 25,000. Not spectacular, sure, but not bad, either. It's a weekend series with a concert night, but it's also a weekend series with a concert night against the Blue Jays. The team from the north doesn't help with attendence figures. I take this as a sign that, although the area might not be throwing their support behind the Rays full force, it's there. All the Rays need to do to tap into it is keep winning. That, however, is where the problem lies. If the Rays lose the series as seems likely to me, that doesn't bode well for the attendence for the Tuesday and Wednesday night games against the A's. Expect 15,000, tops. If this happened any normal season with the Rays, it wouldn't matter so much. With the added national attention of the best start in franchise history, too poor attendence will cause the masses to chastise the Tampa Bay area once again and start to ask that lovely relocation question. It's not enough to tell them the Trop is in St. Petersburg and attendence would be doubled with a suitable Tampa location. The mob, so to speak, will all talk about how much we suck. That's we as in fans, not the Rays. Whatever, with my imminent move to LA I'd be OK with a Vegas team - but only a Vegas team, not Charlotte. And if they move to Vegas they have to be called the Gamblers or the Shooters (as in Craps) or the Aces, or something cool to do with gambling like that. Or I'm out.

Seriously, though, Garza's put me in a real bind. This was the sure win game, the one that would make a Blue Jays series win a near impossibility, not an imminent possibility. But I have the scoop as to why he was off. Garza flew home Thursday night to be with his family and get a "good night sleep" before starting last night's game. You know what that means. Bow-chika-rawr-rawr. Gonzo was getting laidzo. After a ten day road trip coming back to his beautiful young wife you know Garza didn't give the whole not-before-the-game bit. He would have gotten his nuts removed. He did the nasty. And every sportsman knows no sex before the fight. Ever. Of course he was sharp on the road, he had all that testosterone and frustration fueling every pitch. Haven't you ever seen Bull Durham, Matt? Don't fuck with the mojo! You might have just cost me my hair. I wrote yesterday whenever the first three-game losing streak occurs is when I'll shed my long locks for a mohawk. I was not prepared any time soon to have to pay that bet. With the Jays, A's, and Royals in town it seemed unlikely three games in a row would occur. Now, the Rays face Romero who's been pitching his ass off and also happens to throw with his left-hand which would have been good enough, and Morrow who is inconsistant but pitched a really good game last time out. It is now definitely possible we get sweeped at home by the upstart Blue Jays. This is why I now include them in "The Score." I now consider it a possibility they finish third and the robotic Red Sox finish fourth. I was really hoping to do the mohawk on the road. Way to rain on my parade, Matt. You couldn't have waited one night? Put that energy into your pitching? Well, I hope you've learned your lesson. It should be noted, however, that Evan Longoria probably operates on the opposite side of this rule. With how he pulls, he probably would start getting cold if he goes through a cold spell in the hotel room. Lucky for us Rays fans, this seems close to impossible at this point.

My favorite Ray got scratched from the lineup today with leg soreness. Yes, our fatass, underachieving friend Dioner followed up a foolish explosion out of nowhere at the ump yesterday with some bitching and moaning about his "sore legs." Now Jaso, a AAA player not really ready for the Show, is our starting catcher. The upside to this is Rodriguez will be our back-up catcher, and could even catch a full game in the week to come should Dioner get a suspension for his inane display. Maybe the experience behind the plate could fuel a position change. How does that sound? Rodzilla the catcher. I like it.

I'm not one to normally question Maddon the White - mostly because I've come around to his wavelength and would make the same decisions as him. It's gotten to the point where I can almost predict which pitchers will come in, who will be standing in the on-deck circle to pinch hit before they even shine a camera on him. After the top of the ninth when the camera was focused on Kapler I said to my roommate (slash the television), "Why are you focusing on him? He's not hitting next inning!" I took it as a foregone conclusion Brignac would come in to pinch hit. Surprise surprise when Gregg finished his last warm-up pitch guess who was in the box? Kapler. The result? Free out! He rolled it along the first base line and barely jogged as Overbay snatched it up and stepped on the bag. Sure, Kapler hit a home run (against a leftie) and managed to work a key walk against a rightie. But the dude does not hit right-handed pitching well. And Brignac has done nothing but play well, with heart and passion, since getting the opportunity to break with the club at the start of the season.Why not pinch hit? I wonder how the texture of the game would have changed with him picking up the bat. I hope this isn't the start of Lurz vs. Maddon the White. Something tells me that's unlikely.

We do really have a problem here with the whole leftie thing. Four of our five losses have been against LHPs...I need to come up with a nice dirty subsitute for that acronym just like DFA and FO. Nothing comes to mind now, but sooner rather than later I'll be starting to say, woops, here comes another ____ ____ ___, not much chance today. Tonight Niemann should keep the overachieving Jays offense in check, I have full trust in him, but I no longer have trust in our offense against lefties. I expect a score of 2-1 or 3-2 or something like that tonight. Don't know which will be which, I hope it will be the Rays on top. I'd like to keep my hair a little longer. Looking ahead, especially to a seven-game series, the Rays will need to address this issue or will be toast. Think about it: Liriano/Slowey, Sabathia/Pettite...it's not like we're dealing with right-handed heavy rotations for our playoff competition. Although I'm thinking Angels out west at this point, and their strongest leftie is the 5-inning wonder, Mr. Kazmir himself. Another reason to win every game possible, even if we're not chasing/staving off the Sox...a first round match-up against the Angels is an infinitely better match-up than against the Twins.

First pitch is sneaking up on me, Goddamn Foggerty, earlier start time than I was expecting. Forgot about this rock and roll, early bird special time. Last thing - with all this national attention rest assured no one is really worried about the Rays. They got the respect, but no one in New York is thinking they will be facing anyone that can actually beat them in a seven-game series until Hallady says hello. Graphic summarizing their season on Fox coverage of the game today: "Championship Begginings.......11-5 record....small type, in parentheses: (2nd in AL East)." The gall! Those arrogant motherfuckers! How I want to take them down to size. But...all I can do is watch and write and maybe run around in circles. If the Rays are looking for a team yoga teacher though, to give them an extra edge, my services are available. I can also get extended on a high and outside pretty good, if they're looking for a bat.

Day 16: Best in Baseball...A Big Contract for a Huge Heart...Re-ordering the Rotation

2010-04-23T19:17:00.001-04:00

It's 6:48pm as I sit here, drinking a Spaten Optimator, a beer my roommate introduced me to that is one of the best I've tasted that came out of a bottle. There's not much to say that hasn't been said - I feel like a broken record - the Rays are just flying high. I don't want to gloat but to hear all this national attention for a team that they all said had no chance of making the playoffs feels very good. 16 games into the season the Rays are the best team in baseball. What more can I say? Even 2008, at this point, doesn't compare.

OK, there is one more thing I can say. Today the Rays signed Ben Zobrist to a three-year guaranteed contract that buys out his arbitration years with two years of team options for his first two years of free agency. If the options are picked up the contract is worth around $30 million dollars. This is a guy of enormous faith, a huge heart, and a commitment to put all that great energy into winning baseball games. Every time he is on the field, the basepath, or in the batter's box he is doing everything he can to help. Off the field, the same can be said. It is telling in the end he got a contract, I believe deserving despite the gap in talent, over B.J. Upton. This isn't a knock on Upton, it's a compliment to Zobrist.

Beyond that, a couple of new things on the sidebar. In addition to the bets I actually have made I've started a running game against the Vegas odds makers, in a sort of "college economics project" as my brother put it. I'm seeing how good my Rays knowledge is and instincts are by making "bets" and seeing what sort of fake $$$ I can put up. Another test of this knowledge, trying to win the MLB.com Beat the Streak game with ONLY Rays hitters. I may regret this if I get to 30 games and the Rays are facing C.C. Sabathia or Danks, but, what the hell. Lets see what happens. If I win 3 million dollars thanks to the Rays I'll do the team's laundry for a month.

Other tidbits, if the Rays lose three in a row the next day I'm cutting off all my hair and going with a rayhawk, all the way this time, too. Why? Because the Rays are going all the way this time. If they keep going without losing three in a row, why change? I'm not cutting it. It's already about halfway down my neck, pretty long for me. I hope it's all the way down to halfway down my back at the end of the season.

Also, my Dad sent me at text with how he sees the rotation now. 1. Garza 2. Davis 3. Price 4. Niemann 5. Shields.

My response: 1. Garza 2. Niemann 3. Price 4. Davis 5. Shields

What's interesting is we both have Shields at 5. This isn't to say Shields is our 5th worst pitcher, I think our playoff rotation will still include him, mostly because Davis or Price have the stuff to transition easier to late innings in the bullpen. Shields also has a more consistent chance than probably any of them except Garza to win each time out (I would argue Niemann as well). But if they are on, I would choose any of the other four any time. Because they're all swing and miss guys. Shieldsy isn't going to be throwing a no-hitter anytime soon. On Niemann ahead of Price and Davis...this is just an experience thing and also considering what he did in spring. Niemann looks sick, I expect him to win at least 15 this year, possibly more. It's a nice argument to be able to have - Longo was right in the end...The Rays are the strongest rotation 1-5. And the deepest with Sonnanstine and Hellickson hanging around.

ps. Take a look at Sonny's ERA. Someone's adapting as I hoped.

Day 15: Getting Over an Underdog Complex...the Madness of a Stadium in St. Petersburg...A Vote Against Buying (or Selling)

2010-04-22T16:25:00.002-04:00

Again I had issues with my MLB.TV last night. Rather than get frustrated, though, my roommate Cameron and I worked it out. It wasn't MLB.TV's fault, but our wireless network router, which is located in Cameron's room. So I had to sit in there, in confinement, and watch the Rays on my computer in a room I hadn't been in for longer than ten minutes since I moved in last September. Cameron, also from Florida, was in the living room enjoying watching the Magic on the big screen. Cameron's from the landlocked portion of the peninsula, you can tell by his slight, sort of southern accent. He's a big basketball fan and cares not about baseball, or the Rays. The reason for this is simple, although Orlando is an hour, hour and a half from the Tampa Bay area, the drive across on I-4 into downtown Tampa into the crush of rush hour and then joining all the Bay area folk traffic in the slow stampede across the Howard Franklin Bridge is comparable torture to putting cigarettes out on your eyelids. Having grown up in Sarasota, it is one of my more familiar drives, and an easy one, up 75 to 275 across the Sunshine Skyway Bridge into St. Petersburg on my way to the Trop. I still get chills driving uphill on 275, winding around to reveal the curved dome of the Rays home. I feel comfortable in there - it's the "Pit", as Maddon referred to it at one point, I almost can't imagine the Rays playing anywhere else.

I've been accused, despite being 6'2, of having a little guy complex. I told my friend Sherin, a Yankee fan (one of the most intense I know), recently that I no longer hated the Red Sox so much, that the Yankees were square in my crosshairs. He responded with, "You're just as bad as a front runner. You're a back runner." And it's true. I'm not too into psycho-analyzing myself, I used to do it quite a lot and I wouldn't reccomend it to the sanest person, much less someone as clearly crazy as I am. I do, however, have a couple possible explanations. Perhaps it's a mix of self-sabotage and self-deprecating tendencies that makes me naturally sympathize with the Devil (Rays). It could be my own ego, which is substantial although a bit calmed down of late. As a libra I naturally need to balance - my version of balance is swinging to the opposite extreme that I'm tending towards. Most with egos would root for the Yankees, for fear of having their egos bashed. But I'm used to having my ego bashed in, which gives me a less abrasive, less cocky form of confidence that remains no stranger to the previously mentioned self-deprecation. Christ! I've started again. Enough with the self-analyzing, lets just say when God made me he couldn't have drawn up a better blueprint for a Rays fan (or possibly a Cubs fan, if I had stayed in Chicago rather than moving when I was eight to Florida). I'm a natural underdog, I love it. In the end it might be my proclivity for getting bored that made me choose them - just more interesting going into a season this way. Like the horse player who always bets on the ones with late life, there's a thrill in seeing the underdog come from the back of the pack to surprise everyone.

But now that the Rays have come from the back of the pack (2008) and are poised to surprise again, I'm done with the Devil and the struggle of being an underdog. I'm ready to win - and as famously uttered in Major League - "the whole fuckin' thing." No mercy, boys. I can also now imagine the Rays playing somewhere other than the Trop. My experience seeing the Rays in a new, far superior spring facility to the other teams a couple of months ago might have something to do with it. I'm now all for a revolving dome, state of the art, landmark type stadium rather than the delightfully absurd "Pit." Of course, this is dependent on the designers and architects making it really fucking cool (not Disney and campy, like their in-the-closet mascot). It is ludicrus for someone who lives in the Orlando metropolitan area to have that hard a time getting to see a ballgame. If the Rays want a convenient location, the obvious choice is the Tampa Fairgrounds area recently bought up (with the door open to build a ballpark). If the Rays want the best location in terms of surrounding area and amenities, the Channelside area as proposed at the start of the year would be best. St. Petersburg is shit either way. This is coming from someone who would have to drive further to get to a stadium in Tampa. Having grown up in that area I can tell you the geezers that reside in Sarasota and Venice are not only less likely to go to a game, but aren't the crowd you want to attract as a baseball franchise. I was told by an older "fan" once to "give it a rest." He was reffering to cheering and general noise, including some heckling. If I was at Fenway would this ever have happened? "It's been seven innings," he said, "I want to take a nap." That last part I might have made up, but you get my point. If the Rays want a younger, more energetic, more active fanbase, they need to stand up to the Politicians and move North.

How do you get that stadium built? Same way you get over an underdog complex: "Win the whole fuckin' thing." The Rays have a pretty damn good start. Ken Rosenthal wrote today on FoxSports.com that the Rays, surprisingly, should be buyers at the trade deadline rather than fire-sellers. He wrote, "The great Tampa Bay Demolition looks unlikely." If he is referring to demolishing the team, brick by brick, Crawford by Soriano by Pena, I didn't believe that was ever going to happen. If he means Tropicana Field, well that's another matter. Recording the final out of a World Series victory most likely would mean pushing the plunger on that dome, because of the support it would rally and because the team would be displaying its ability to remain competetive...two world series births in three years means a lot, especially coming out of the AL East. And I'll be the first to cheer when that beloved "Pit" is blown to smithereens.

Rosenthal theorizes that it would be Heath Bell the Rays would be bidding on. I've already cast my vote to aquire a catcher, however all three of the teams that I listed as having an extra, quality backstop seem to be planning on competing long term. I don't think the Angels, Marlins, or Rockies are selling. The Padres, meanwhile, won't be .500 a week from now, and will be well under it within a month, so they'll be looking to sell. And Bell is more likely to be moved than Gonzalez. I personally would like the Rays to pay a little lower a price - the Padres surely would be asking for prime prospects for their closer. The White Sox are deep in the bullpen and would be requiring a major league ready left-handed bat with pop, most likely a corner outfielder. We should be having a quality left handed bat coming off the disabled list by the deadline we won't know what to do with...would Joyce be enough to pull Thornton or Jenks? I don't know, nor do I know if the Fucked Orafice would be willing to part with him considering what they paid to get him...but I think it would be a smart move.

The smartest move, though, would be the move we made in 2008. When a team is meshing, don't fuck with it. I almost cried when the Jason Bay trade fell through at the last minute. But in the end we beat the team that got him, and look at him now. The Rays are better than that, we don't need the Jason Bays (or the Pat Burrells, as much as I support him now we made that stupid move). Think about what we would have given up - certainly at least one piece of the crazy chemistry this team is working right now - either Wade Davis or Reid Brignac probably woud have been the cornerstone. Speculation is nice, Rosenthal, but as far as I'm concerned, when it comes to Heath Bell, the Padres can keep him.

There we were, two roomates in different rooms shouting at each other, neither listening. "Rodriguez just got his hand stepped on and then hit a home run next at bat!" "There you go Carter!" "Nice" "Woo!" and although it seems pretty insane it was therapy, like all sports. It is an escape from the brutal grind of it all, a switch you can flip to give your mind a rest from the sort of mad psycho babble that this author displayed earlier in the article. And, as with anything, as long as you keep your insecurities out of it, it can be damn healthy therapy as well.

"Stomp on them," I yelled, "No mercy." No mercy, indeed, until the last out is done and people can stop calling me a backrunner. I don't like the sound of it.

Day 14: Old Lady Smell...The Hooded Army...Something No Words Can Help

2010-04-21T19:08:00.003-04:00

I sat at the bar, with my beer, staring off. The middle-aged Irish woman sitting next to me smelled like old-lady, which wasn't helping much with my thought process. Rubbing up against another deadline, first pitch less than an hour and a half away, and all I could do was drink more and think about how weird it was that the woman next to me smelled like my Grandma's house used to smell when I was a kid. Sometimes it comes easy, and I write and write and write. Other times, I go to Triona's and hope someone says something that sparks something that turns into an article. Nothing happening now. Nothing but old lady smell. And I damn well don't have time to delve into some in depth baseball analysis, like maybe coming up with a thesis why the Rays are so fucking shitty against left-handed pitching.

I ordered my hoody online today. Have you ordered/bought yours? If Maddon identifies with that "subculture" I figure I might as well join and see what it's all about. I have my own favorite hoody, an ugly green-brown number that's comfortable as hell, so I get where he's coming from. The MLB told Maddon he couldn't wear his a couple of days ago, and then became the subject of such mockery and ridicule they "reinterpreted" the rules and let him wear it. There's a picture from yesterday in the dugout...everyone was wearing a hoody. Is the hoody this year's mohawk or this year's demon-black hair fiasco? Don't know but I'm too reckless not to jump on as soon as possible, just like with the goth styling. No matter what it should come in handy come October.

The old lady smelling woman started dancing to a song I hate, things falling apart fast. Triona came in and started jabbering cheerfully to me but I was too tired and fuzzy to understand a word she said. She had to repeat herself at least three times every sentence. You'd think I'd be a little better at understanding Irish, but today it was not the case. Everyone was a little restless in there because there was nothing to direct their attention, except their own madnesses. The cable was fucked up and none of the TVs were on - God forbid. My Dad recently called and left a three minute message about how he couldn't get Rays games in Austin, despite his efforts. He ordered the AT&T version of Fios, which included all the regional Fox sports networks and YES. But all the games were blacked out the first night he had the package except the Astros and Rangers. Why, he wondered, would anyone pay for YES if it wasn't to watch the Yankees games? A good question. I know better than most the bullshit that goes into retransmission agreements and affiliate stations and how channels end up in those cable or satelitte packages, I could probably write about that stink of bullshit better than baseball. But it seems to me if someone wants to watch a baseball game, a game that involves their team, and are willing to pay, then they should be able to watch every game. It's just another example of how a corporate system works - you put together data on the biggest lump of people per given area and you cater to them, ignoring anyone who doesn't lump in with the mainstream. This wouldn't be such a big deal if not for the fact that no matter where I go I'm never in that mainstream, and therefor, never catered to. I rely on my luck, which has been good most times, instead, using said luck to do my best to disrupt this medieval practice. I wish there was something I could do for my Dad so he could watch this season, it isn't one he is going to want to miss.

I thought about my trip as I wiped out my second beer. I was behind because I spent most my time today arranging for accomodations on strangers couches (couchsurfing.org) for my trip that will take up most of May. I wondered how I would deal with my baseball writing deadlines then, when I had real distractions. I also cursed the gods briefly for lining things up so that the first west coast trip the Rays had this year, which would be a three hour reprieve on my deadline, I'll be on the west coast, too. Expect articles even more meaningless than the one I'm struggling through now, I guess is the message there. Which tattoo should I get? I thought. There's the band I want to get on my left arm, "I am free" in Hungarian, and a Libra sign, half on each foot. I decided on the Libra for now. It shows my sign, represents balance, and also how that balance is maintained - my reason and rationale is incomplete without my insanity.

I guess I'm having such a hard time because I wish I could write something, anything, that imparts some sort of meaning on the tragedy that occured yesterday. The problem being a writer, especially a young writer, is I expect of myself the ability to transcend the cold realities and harsh bummers that permeate through the modern world to shine a light in a way that inspires or comforts, but most times I end up succumbing to those forces myself. Any chance I have of understanding anything most time happens by accident. With the beautiful night I had with my best friend, really the second most amazing woman (and by default, person) on the planet next to the one that concieved me, and the fantastic sadness that overcame any walk-offs or strikeouts that occured, I don't feel like writing about baseball...but I can't write about death either.

The president of the Rockies, Keli McGregor died at age forty-eight yesterday, cause unknown. A jersey with his football number, eighty-eight, hung in the dugout. Manager Jim Tracy patted the jersey before the start of the game, and you could see the emotion on his face. Maybe that's why I watch baseball and largely ignore superman sports like Basketball and Football, it's closer to me, and more real, both in the triumpths and the pain. Batting coach Clint Hurdle said it best, I think: "This is one you don't have any words for." I'm unsure of a lot, but that is something I can most definitely agree with.

Day 13: Where I'm Coming From...The Story I Was Hoping For

2010-04-20T18:48:00.001-04:00

It was a gorgeous day in New York today. Perfect, just about. It was good enough I did yoga outside in the park. After doing it there I can't imagine doing it inside again as long as the weather's descent. There was a girl sitting not far off on a blanket. Every now and again she would look up and watch me. You should have seen her body. So much for calming the mind - but in the end, the sun, the girl, the clouds, the air, it all made for pretty much the quintessential yoga experience to me. You should know if you've read on here up to this point I'm not your everyday yogi, doing ohms and preaching serenity while ignoring the restlessness in the world. Speaking of restlessness, it looks like no matter what I have the story I wanted when I started this hallucinatory journey. There is no doubt this will be an interesting season - so much for starting and ending looking like a third place team like all the pundits predicted. And looking ahead I find it relevant to look back - this is what I wrote on a yoga retreat during my training, immediately following the 2008 postseason, November 2, in the Catskills. We were silent and fasting, and in the midst of that I found myself thinking about baseball...among other things.

What to Do with Rain

I suppose times are bad,

That’s what we’re lead to believe,

People called experts say

It is only going to get worse –

That’s right,

People will lose their jobs,

Lovers will part bitterly,

Meteors will piss down on our luck

And the gods will vomit on our skyscrapers,

Because times are bad,

Or so they seem.

But I can still feel a cigarette

Part from my lips

As one star in the sky

Still has the guts to show some fire

On a lovely night;

I can still watch as a giant

Rounds the bases

From first

Slides into home

And jumps dancing in the air

Greeted by his teammates

Celebrating wildly

Safe in their victory from the madness for now;

I can still look into two grey-blue eyes

As they burn back at me

And feel something dissolve

And something ignite all

At once inside.

Because I know the reality of it is

If we spent half as much time

Hungrily devouring our

Numerous joys

As we spend obsessing over our

Many miseries

Perhaps times wouldn’t be so bad

After all.

The way I see it we have reason to dance,

And we must,

We must.

It’s hard after you’ve been

Caught in the rain once

Not to bring the umbrella every

Time you’re leaving,

Or worse,

Never leave at all.

But I’ve found the most happiness

In this short, infuriating life

By ignoring all reports.

Even if it rains every day

For a month

I greet the day expecting

The sun to be laughing,

I know from experience

If I wait long enough

It will happen in time.

It’s best

Every now and again

To remind your veins

That you’re alive,

Whatever it takes,

We are alive,

Alive, alive, alive,

And that’s enough to call these

Supposedly bad times

Better than I could imagine.

Yes, when it rains it pours,

But when it pours leave your umbrella at home.

Day 12: The Conversations Tell the Story...What Crazy Son of a Bitch Schedules a Game at 11 AM?

2010-04-19T10:46:00.004-04:00

"You got a good team this year there guy."

-Construction worker

"we are going to tear them a new asshole."

-text from my brother

The really amazing part is the #Rays offense has put up all these runs this series without their leadoff hitter getting a hit. JB slumping

-my tweet during yesterday's obliteration of the red sox

"Garza is ridiculous" -patrick mulhearn
"Yeah, I know, Rays are ridiculous right now. My bartender (red sox fan) is starting to act like a devil ray fan, goofy and self-deprecating." -me
a text thread between my friend in Tampa and I

"This season keeps getting worse and worse and worse.."
"No you can't get a fucking vodka orange juice, no fucking way...5 seconds later...it's on the house brother."
"We come back yet?" (double play) "ah, fucker."
-mike, my bartender, the red sox fan

"no hitter is up, guess I can eat now.."

"Dude just take pat burrell back, u don't have to give us anything, we'll pay him, just get him off our team."
-a text at one point to my phillies fan friend in LA
"burrell gave you one win."
-a text from a different phillies fan yesterday morning

"get the brooms ready"
-text from my father

The conversations yesterday really tell the story, in this day and age sometimes I don't even have to write. Garza speaks for himself. In three starts he is a half run ahead of anyone else in the AL in ERA. He is also 3-0. At this point I almost feel sorry for the Red Sox, but I can't, 'cause God knows the Yankees won't. And winning the AL East would be absolutely key for the postseason given the Yankees and Rays separate home field advantages, and the Yankees look primed to win a whole lot of games, so every. single. game. matters.

On another note, what sort of crazy son of a bitch schedules a baseball game at 11am? Especially on the day before my day off, no reason to hold back, a recipe for disaster. On that note I'll end with a tweet from Jonah Kerri, a blogger writing a book on the Rays, and my reply.

"Unfortunately no days off from finishing the book. But I will be watching baseball + I am drunk. Chapter 4 is going to be VERY interesting." Kerri
"@jonahkeri drunk is the only way to write a book about the Rays" Me

Day 11: Flashes of Redemption...Maddon the White...The Great Game of Inches...Knife to the Jugular

2010-04-18T12:17:00.003-04:00

Books could be written about last night's baseball alone. I could go on here and write 60 pages and still feel I'm leaving something out. There was a blown save by the Mets closer...in the bottom of the 19th. There was a no-hitter, the first for the Rockies franchise, by Ubaldo Jimenez. There were five infielders brought in to stop a rally in the cold rain in Boston. There was a 20-inning win, and a 3-inning win from a continuation of a game from the previous night. Rafael Soriano recorded two saves four hours apart. I could go on and on, but instead I'll start with another cold, rainy night in October of 2008.

The rain was pouring down, drenching me. I've never been one for umbrellas, metaphorical or otherwise. I always lose them, and if I don't lose them, they end up being completely ineffective due to the wind in New York City. Also, I hate the way people make sure to grab an umbrella if there's an inkling of rain. People consider 50% a good chance of showers. What happened to glass half-empty or half-full? I don't like to believe the worst is going to happen. I understand it might rain, and if it happens it happens, but I like to believe despite my better judgment that the best will happen. Even if it is an 80% chance of rain I like to leave open the possibility the sun will shine, and in that situation I wouldn't want to be stuck carrying around an umbrella. The downside to this is sometimes I end up getting soaked. Although it happens less than you would think, this was one of those times.

I was on the phone with Julia, a cute blonde I was doing a scene with for acting class at the time, who I generally liked except for the problem that she was a Phillies fan gloating to me about the lead they held, and how this was the night they would clinch it. She was only doing this because she knew how crazy I was about the Rays, especially this year. I quizzed her for details but she didn't know too much about baseball, all she could give me was that the Rays were up to bat, the Phillies were ahead and it was pouring down rain. She told me the third out was recorded. My heart sank. I later found out Bud Selig had informed the teams prior to the game no team was going to clinch the World Series in a rain shortened game, but I knew the rules normally: After five innings are in the books the game could be called. The Rays needed a run. Was this it? As rabidly as I had followed the Rays that year, I cut my Goddamn hair for them, was I not even going to see how it ended? I felt like a phony. Other than Game 2, which I had flown from New York to Tampa and back in a 24-hour period to attend, I hadn't watched a game of the series. I was busy training for my yoga certification, and besides, my attention peaked with the ALCS Game 7; the Red Sox were our arch enemies, after beating them I was satisfied.

Friday night, it was cold and rainy in New York. I was trying to work my MLB.TV, but every time we would get it set up, hooked into the big screen, game playing, it would freeze. We reloaded over and over again. "Got it working, I think," I would say, and then three minutes later, "Motherfucker!" It was maddening. This year is different than 2008, I want it all for the Rays, they almost need it, and I want to catch every moment along the way. Even though, according oddsmakers, it is more than an 80% chance of rain, they're 25-1 to win the World Series (down from 20-1 when the season started). But I still believe they can and will win it all...just like I believed in Burrell. It's very easy to be cynical right now, and though I can't maintain such rays of hope about my future or the future of this world, in baseball, at the very least, I can still be an optimist.

She was wrong, I saw it with my own eyes as I rushed in and turned the television on, soaked, dripping on my rug. She had thought Upton was out stealing second, but in the worst conditions you can imagine, creating a great wave as he slid into the bag, he made it in safe. I got home just in time to see Carlos Penas cut the ball the other way into left field and B.J. round third to slide into home head first - safe. 2-2.

This game was saved for suspension not by a run scored at the last minute, but by a play at the plate to keep the Red Sox from going ahead. I didn't see it, I was listening to the Andy Freed's audio feed via my MLB At Bat on my droid phone. This isn't an MLB plug, believe me, I only had to resort to listening to it via that app after the utter fucking failure of MLB.TV. David Ortiz pulled a double down the right field line with Youklis at first. That big bearded uggo stormed around second, then rounded third, eyes wide and bloodshot heading for home. The Rays stressed two things in the offseason, getting back to 2008 defensive form and a hot start in April. The former came through for them to make the latter happen. Zobrist dug the ball out from the corner, zipped a throw to Brignac, the cutoff, who wheeled around and fired it to Navarro at the plate who tagged Youklis out with room to spare. Still 1-1.

When the game finally resumed on a crisp night October 29, it immediately seemed inevitable that the Rays were sunk. I sat there in my apartment, alone and prepared to watch the end. It started right away. Double by Geoff Jenkins, who pinch hit for the pitcher spot, bunted over by Rollins, knocked in by Werth. I thought that was it, those who paid attention for the 2009 season and the bullpen fiascos that happened every other night for the Phillies forget just how unhittable that same bullpen was a year before.

But then stepped up Rocco Baldelli, who got his hands around and turned a high-inside fastball and deposited it the left field seats. This was a no doubter, a towering blast through the cold and the frostbite on the Rays chances for redemption. It didn't take long for their chances to cool again, and hope to be lost. That night, redemption belonged to Rocco. He had his key hits throughout August and September, for sure, but this was his first postseason home run. How bittersweet it must have been, as he rounded those bases, and came home, knowing the Rays had only tied it, and the Phillies were still up 3-1. It's why he wants back, he sees as I saw this year as the Rays pivotal year. The chances are ripe, and the consequences are brutal. He wants to contribute, he wants the sweet without the bitter. He was seen taking batting practice a week ago, and what a shot of life it would be to this club if he came back. I've said my share of nasty things about Rocco, for two years I referred to him as Porcelain Man. This came only from my dissapointment in someone who, along with Carl Crawford, represented the talent and potential on some terrible teams, talent that deserved to win. He still deserves to win, if not necessarily for his potential but because of all he's been through and what it would mean for the franchise. If Evan is the face and the future, and Carl is the spirit, and Carlos is the soul, Rocco is the heart of the team. You can't not want him in that uniform to win. Unfortunatly we're still missing the balls, though (Jonny Gomes). Baldelli wants to contribute. The man Raysheads are annointing Rocco to replace doubled to start the bottom of the 7th in that game, and became the winning run when Eric Bruntlett crossed home as his pinch-runner.

Top of the 12th inning - last night. Longoria walked to start the inning against Manny Delcarmen, who replaced a seemingly unhittable Josh Bard. Our hopes went from good - with Carlos Pena and B.J. Upton coming up with a man on - to awful - with Pat Burrell, no home runs, no RBI, no chance, up with two outs. It was a crucial moment in a pressure cooker situation, one any young player could easily crack under. I wrote Tuesday, April 14th in my "Pat Burrell Defense" article, "Pat Burrell can and will be a lethal weopon to bludgeon the beast," and also, "...for an important series on the road against a veteren team...you need your own veterens, like Pat Burrell, to come through." This was running through my head as I stood there, hunched over the bar, watching the screen. Burrell was patient, as he has been all season, working the count to 3-1. I don't know what happened but for some reason I took my eyes off the screen for an instant. When I looked back, I saw the ball going up and over the green monster. I didn't believe it. I couldn't. Not until I saw Burrell trotting around the bases, with an inkling of that smile I saw in Spring Training, did I understand what had happened. In the two suspended games in Rays history, Pat Burrell was the winning force. "Holy shit," I screamed above the cacophony of the crowded bar. Rather than lose my shit I took a move out of the 2008 playbook, one I used probably four or five times. I bolted out of the bar and ran around and danced about and let the passer-bys try and figure out what had caused me to enter into this mad state of ecstasy.

A shot of goldshlagger had been sitting in front of me at the bar the last thirty minutes, since the 11th inning. In case you're new to the blog, goldshlagger is my defeat shot, a tropicana orange vodka orange juice is my victory shot. I don't want or expect much from doing this gig, but to the Rays fans that come across this blog, I beg you to follow my lead on at least the victory shot. It is a sincere, stupid, slightly ego-driven dream to see a crowd of Rays fans toasting with orange shots and downing them after the final out of a World Series victory. Anyway, bullshit aside, Mike, the Irish Red Sox fan bartender, placed the goldshlagger down in front of me, laughing. He was giddy. No outs, bases loaded, neither of us thought there was any chance I wouldn't be taking that shot, and soon. "It's on the house, brother," he said.

I walked back in from my victory dance, got Mike's attention, "Mike, I'm gonna need a shot of vodka orange juice." Mike now had the eyes of someone with murder on his mind, "Ok, Erik, but this one isn't on the house." "I don't blame you," I responded. As he mixed it he stared at me. "I don't believe it," was all I could offer him. "You don't believe it? How the fuck do you think I feel? It's Papi, it's fucking Papi. I don't blame Beltre. How can you possibly be the DH on a fucking team and not be able to put the ball in the air? Not even get a hit - at least put the ball in the air." What a fickle, nasty game baseball is. Gone are the Game Fives of two years ago where Papi was the beastly hero that put the ax on the upstart's dream of a 4-1 ALCS pounding, belting that three-run homerun that brought them back from the dead. Now Papi was the enemy of all Red Sox fans, my lord how they've turned on him, and with good reason. Meanwhile, gone is...well, yesterday, when even I who defended Burrell did so hesitantly and realistically. It's moments like this that can bring a man, and a team, back...or sink them. The Rays are now 8-3, tied with the Yanks, who the media are swooning over as unbeatable. The Red Sox? 4-7. Never in my wildest hopes for this season, hopes that drove me to write daily about the goings on of this team, did I think it would it start like this. I can only say it's a long season, but for now I feel pretty damn good.

Remember that part in Lord of the Rings where Gandolf the Grey rides in on that white horse and is all dressed up in a white robe and says, "I have come for the turning of the tide!" or whatever it is. And at one point he goes, "I was Gandolf the Grey, I am now Gandolf the White." Well, Maddon's always had the white hair (except when he, the team, and I went demon goth black and proceeded to lose thirteen straight), but last night was definitely one of those moments. After the two games were over, he had succesfully employed a cover two, and brought Soriano in, twice, to record two saves. I was Maddon the mortal, now I am Maddon the White! It was bases loaded, bottom of the 11th inning, nobody out. Almost everyone who wore blue that night was thinking that was it, I guarantee you. Maddon walked out to the mound, and met with the team. I stopped paying attention because I thought he was changing pitchers...Cormier had worked a lot that night, and now bases loaded, thought they would bring in Soriano to try to get a couple of strikeouts. When I looked back Maddon and bench coach Dave Martinez were waving and gesturing and patting their chests. What in Christ? I thought. Then I saw, Zobrist had ran in, grabbed his infielders glove, and joined the dirtbags as a fifth infielder. I had seen Maddon employ this once before, I don't know if he's done it any other time other than that...unsuccessfuly. Whoever he had tried it against before walked off against him. This time, though, this time Papi rolled one along the line to Pena, who threw the runner out at home. One out. Then, a gritty Cormier worked Beltre threw a long at bat before getting him to ground to third. Longoria stepped on third and fired it to first for the double play. An hour later the Rays had won.

The save was recorded by Soriano, who came in after Cormier warmed up on the mound to start the 9th. In another tricky move, Maddon made sure the Sox didn't get a look at his new closers stuff. This would become increasingly crucial four hours later, when they would see him again. When Maddon brought in Wheeler for the eighth with a taxed Balfour, a lame Eckstrom, and a used Cormier and Soriano, who had been used the previous game, left in the bullpen, I was confused. Great, I thought, we got Wheeler in the eight, but who'll work the ninth? I thought of the possibility of Eckstrom running out there, puked in a trash can, and came back up to watch as Wheeler worked through some trouble in the eighth. Then the unthinkable, Soriano, already cold and stiffened up after throwing in the first game, warmed up and came out again in freezing weather to work the 2nd, and pitched better. One two three went down the best of the Red Sox order.

What a great game baseball is, and the reason it is so great is the sheer possibility of it. The nuance it takes for a matter of inches, of seconds, to be of such great import is astounding. I think about what would have happened if the ball had bounced an inch to the right or left or came up a little differently when Pena one-hopped it to Navarro. Would Dioner have been able to make the play? Or what would have happened if a millisecond was different, and Ryan Ludwick had safely stolen second in the bottom of the nineteenth? You think, OK, Pujols had doubled, he would have scored Ludwick and then Yavier would have scored Pujols for the walk-off...instead of it having to go another inning and the Mets winning. But that's not true! IF Ludwick was on second they would have WALKED Pujols, and so a whole other game would have developed. The situations shift so much so quickly it really does take a wizard to stay ahead of them. Think about a no-hitter: How many near misses and just got 'ems did it take to make that possible? The Dexter Fowler catch comes to mind, or the Wise catch over the wall to perserve Buehrle's perfect game. It's just like life: It's not simple, you can't coast through and hope for happiness and meaning...everything matters.

Before I lose whatever readers are actually insane enough to still be trudging on through this almost book-length article I'll quickly recap the keys to the series, why the Rays can and should sweep:

*Vision Impairment: In the first two games the Rays stole seven bases against the Red Sox, on track for an incredible fourteen in the series. The Rays shouldn't think fourteen, though, that's craziness...they should think at least twenty.

*David Ortiz: It seems clear how that turned out.

*Bench: What makes Maddon reach a new level warlordness after last night was the whole depth and breadth of what lead to it, mainly his super-utility brain child, Ben Zobrist. If he had Mike Cameron and J.D. Drew and Jeremy Hermida in the outfield, how would Maddon have felt bringing them in? And it's not like Zobrist's outfield skill is Bill Hall-like, Zobrist was responsible for keeping that game at 1-1.

*Injuries: Count up the errors due to replacements and miffs likely due to injuries (Cameron's costly 1st inning error of game 2).

*Reeling: If I thought they were reeling then....boy oh boy...

The knife is in the jugular, don't let up. And leave your umbrellas at home, even the rain can't save them now.

Day 10: The Wounded Beast

2010-04-17T14:18:00.001-04:00

This isn't one of those years that I consider Boston the greatest rival and threat to my favorite squad of underdogs. In 2008 I absolutely loathed them. They were coming off a championship year, their second in three years. Their fans were unendurable, arrogant, loathsome, disgusting. They were on top of the world, no one could beat them. Funny, but this year it is the Yankees that are in the exact same situation, as are their fans. I don't have the same heat going into one of these Sox series, but I hope the team does. They will need it. Make no mistake, Boston is a wounded beast, but it is early in the battle. The Rays must take advantage of the situation at hand before they get strong again, or possibly even stronger. What would the Red Sox sacrifice to make sure they don't miss the playoffs this year? Enough talent to ensnare Adrian Gonzalez? A scary thought, especially since it means there wouldn't be that dead hole in the middle of their lineup. Included are the reasons why the Rays can, and should, win - not just split - this series against the Sox.

*Vision-Impairment: The Red Sox catchers, like Posada, just can't keep the Rays runners in check. This is why I like watching them play, the Rays have guts, they're aggresive. Rather than thinking after a couple of stolen bases, well, we had our opportunities, they'll be looking for it next time. They keep after you. Crawford stole six bases in one game against them last year, tying a record. For the next four days they will run crazy on them, this impacts every aspect of the Red Sox defense and pitching. A huge impairment.

*David Ortiz: Of all the pieces that make up this malfunctioning monster, the worst is the most beloved. This is one of those situations where whoever wins that wildcard spot might be the one who is more willing to be more ruthless to one of his own. Luckily, Pat Burrell has never been loved in Tampa Bay, except maybe the months following his signing before he picked up a bat (and left it on his shoulder). Ortiz is the stuff of Red Sox mythology, they can't just DFA him. And they won't. Even if he isn't sitting his slumping ass in the five spot of that could-be-potent lineup he will at least be taking up a spot on that bench, killing their depth. If Burrell doesn't produce, he will be gone. Cut. Kablooey. And good riddance. That just could be the difference.

*Bench: Speaking of depth, they're already limited by Lowell's hip in that regard. In the outfield they're left with Bill Hall, who's completely inept as an outfielder, in CENTER FIELD. They don't have a quality outfielder coming off the bench. Basically Hall is the back-up everything - he isn't a quality fielder and he hasn't been a quality hitter for years. If an infielder gets knicked up and Cameron is still passing kidney stones, it means Lowell will be in, and that means infield hits. Not only are the Rays deeper because all their guys can field well, but Zobrist and Rodriguez can play anywhere, so if they do get knicked up the way the Red Sox are, they have moving pieces to fluidly address those issues should they arise.

*Injuries: You couldn't think of a worse pair to get injured than Ellsbury and Cameron, except maybe Pedroia and Scuturo. And the situation is such that not only are they injured, they're not injured bad enough to put on the DL. The Rays have this beautiful window to take advantage of the Red Sox being slower, much worse in the field, and having less pop in the lineup. They can't let the beast get up, put the knife to the jugular while you have the chance.

*Reeling: And this is our chance. Their bullpen is reeling almost as much as the Rays bullpen is, with a 4.84 ERA and no crazy outliers like Ekstrom to rationalize it. Papelbon can only pitch one of the two games going down tonight. And then only one other game after (they won't pitch him four in a row, and if they do...good). Lester has gotten off to a very rocky start facing Garza who is riding high and has always feasted on the Sox. We've gotten through the worst pitching match-up with an opportunity to win, that leaves Shields vs. Bucholtz, Nieman vs. Lackey, and the aforementioned Garza vs. Lester. None have the same ominous tone as Davis vs. Beckett.

The only way for the Red Sox to escape and regroup is if it were to rain tonight. Rest assured the Red Sox will be doing their rain dance...and if both games mange to go down tonight, the Rays need to be vicious and unmerciful. Think sweep, and stab that knife into the throat.

Day 9: Big, Ugly Dragon in Philadelphia...The Series of Trials...Mechanical Flaws in the Little Guy's Engine

2010-04-17T11:07:00.006-04:00

I sat silently, beer in hand, watching a particularly ugly display. The Washington Nationals are a young, up-and-coming team...some said before the season it was possible they could do what the Rays did in 2008. Although I think they're more comparable to the 2007 Rays until they can get Strasberg spitting 98-mph fastballs on a regular basis next year, they are far from the woeful team they were last year (it seems Houston has taken over that role). The Rays had already finished their incredible thrashing of the Orioles to finish a sweep in their first road series, a good sign considering how bad they were on the road in 2009. Far be it from me to actually be a realist for once, but I wasn't exactly jumping high in the air and clicking my heels together with glee. Not yet. At that moment I was considering the behemouths the Rays would have to behead in order to complete an improbable championship run. It was beginning to seem comparable to the quest Hercules had to conquer - a test of endurance, spirit, and determination. The Dragon that lays and waits guarding the magical castle - a castle that stores a treasure chest with a new stadium, renewed franchise hope, and possibly a piece of paper with Carl Crawford's name on it (a truly magical castle) - is not a beast from the AL East. It is the same offensive ogre that slaughtered the upstart Rays in 2008 at that very same castle.

The Nationals...I was going somewhere with this. They had put up a three spot in the first inning against the Phillies Wednesday night. I sat down with my beer for the bottom of that first inning. Shane Victorino, no Rollo no Problems, singled to lead off the game. Polanco followed with a single of his own...thought it was impossible for that lineup to get even better? Look at what Polanco has done this year. Then Utley was walked. Next? "Release the Kraken!" Howard came up and knocked two in with a single. Long story short the Phils got two more, matching three spot with a four spot. Next innining the Nationals got three more. Were the Phillies worried? Three more of their own. The Nationals ended up putting up seven runs. The Phillies racked up FOURTEEN. This very same offensive superpower has Roy Hallady. There is no question, despite some questions about the bullpen (like every freaking team in the league) and some possible holes down in the rotation, no question the Phillies will make the playoffs. Once they do...watch out. They have an almost guaranteed two, maybe three wins wrapped up in Hallady, who will without a doubt be like a king demon unleashed from hell when thrown into a playoff situation. You think Lee was unstoppable after a couple of years of being an ace on a team that didn't compete? How about a perenial Cy Young contender who has been waiting for this chance for 11 years rotting away in the Rogers Center. Of all my bets, the $100 for the Rays to win if they make it back to that castle seems the least safe.

A day later, meanwhile, the Twins, the other team of destiny with a spankin' new stadium and a hero of actual Herculian proportion in Joe Mauer, obliterated the Red Sox 8-0 to take two out of three from them. A more in-depth discussion of the Red Sox will follow as I preview the four-game series (yes, that's right, preview! I thought the Goddamn game would get rained out, so I find myself lucky I can still preview the series without a game gone to completition yet). Let's just say if the Yankees are a smiling, giant Ogre in a suit and the Phillies are lethal, ugly dragon, the Red Sox are an old, fat, drunken cyclops with blurred vision so they can't see the Rays running in circles around them, tightening the rope. On the other hand, the Twins are this fantastic night riding along on a white-horse wearing one of those floppy Fargo hats, glancing at the Rays, a distracted Sonic the Hedgehog running around in the circles with a Jar Jar Binks-type sidekick, gay Raymond the Mascot, flopping along beside him with his tongue hanging out. Make no mistake, there is a lot that can happen in a season that is only 1/16th finished, but ten games in I feel I can see the Rays playoff trials before them so clearly -

1.) As the wildcard winner they will begin with the better club of the other two division winners - the Twins. Any Rays victory against such a strong, balanced team will likely be from exposing the depth issues in their rotation, and would need a 2-0 showing in Tropicana Field because the Florida boys will not be able take any more than 1 in freezing Minnesota. Yes, my assumption is the Twins will have a better record than the Rays. That Central division is the second weakest in baseball, next to the floundering AL West that has the A's looking like a likely contender. So, step one, drag down the media annointed "cinderalla" team off his white horse, do one of those Hedgehog spin hops onto him, and then teabag him for good measure. It will be a rough and tumble match that will take aggresiveness and guts, on the mound, field, basepaths, battersbox. The Rays have more depth, wear 'em down and wear 'em out. If the Rays survive this trial, it'll be 3-2.

2.) Next the Ogre, who likely will smash and sweep up the remains of the Rangers, A's, whoever comes away with that awful division. It will be all about Sonic's speed and the Ogre's Ogreness to defeat them. Ogre is old, and likely more placid than last year, when he was determined after missing the playoffs, and was years away from his last championship. A combination of Posada behind the place, A.J.'s wildness and lack of effectiveness in the playoffs, and an inability to use that three-man rotation Girrardi won with last year exposing Vazquez, who the Rays batters have already raped this year and raped in 2008 in the playoffs as well. That fourth start will be pivotal, as it will be in Tropicana field and the Rays will most likely be in a must win situation down 1-2. The Rays have a ridiculous record with a big crowd in the pit, though, so I trust they will take that one and the next to go ahead 3-2. What happens next will test that endurance and determination of the young team. The Yankees easily could take the next two in the stadium they're so comfortable in, especially considering we'll be dealing with October weather. But all the Rays will need is one...game 7 - Garza vs. C.C.?

3.) I'm too exhausted with preposterous early predictions to consider what the Rays would need to do to slay that dragon. They will be hungrier than 2008, with the goal this close in sight and the team close-knit through a long playoff run unsure if they'll play together again, there's no question they'll want it. You also should consider, as difficult a task as it will be to take down such a lethal foe, Halladay is 11-9 lifetime against the Rays, and that includes the Devil Dogs. They won 3 of the last five games Halladay started against them last year. The Rays can make an ace uncomfortable with their aggresivness on the basepaths, no doubt. Another interesting tidbit in this particular Little Guy vs. Beast showdown, Carl Crawford vs. Roy Halladay: 23 for 74 lifetime. That's an above .300 average. Could the Rays be the most adept at slaying the Phillies of any American league team? No they can't slug it out the way the Yankees would be able to in a rematch, but they can probably pitch better 1-4 (gasp!) and can manufacture runs better if Hallady is as unstoppable as I predict he will. Another mad theoretical question: If Carl Crawford is the World Series MVP on a Championship Rays team.......will that be enough to get the Rays to pony up a Joe Mauer deal for him? And if that happens...will they be right to do so?

The reason why they play 162-games is to prove me wrong, so most likely in hindsight I will be laughing at all my insane baseball prophesies. But I'm not here to give educated baseball analysis and conservative predictions, I'm a one and done sports writer. So fuck it, right? Throw hindsight to the wind and live to say I wrote with passion, bravado, and hope about the dealings of this stick-and-ball game. That said, an injury here, a slump there, knocks the whole house of cards down, which is why I will be writing for all 162 games, barring death or finger amputation.

If it sounds like a rough road for the Rays, and it is, the road will be rougher if they're engine sputters, and this will happen unless the oil is changed regularly, the machine stays hungry, and the little mechanical short-circuits and fatal flaws aren't taken care of.

And what are those flaws? I see two glaring, Toyota-level kinks in the Rays mechanical structure. And one flat tire that is looking like it will never get refilled.

1.) Bullpen. The Rays have a 3.90 team E.R.A, which ranks 11th in the MLB. Not bad, huh? Well, their bullpen has a 7.61 ERA, ranking 2nd to last, ahead of only the Royals. That says two things: Something is fucked, and something is extremely good. Starting pitching for the Rays is 4th after 9 games, with a 3.10 ERA (and that's with Shields having 2 sub-Shields starts). The 2-3-4 starters for the Rays right now are looking lethal, and Wade Davis will find his legs and could end up being Rookie of the Year. Shields is as consistant as they come, he will get back on track and be making it regularly into the 6th and 7th innings again. But even if we regularly have starters finishing deep in games, unless they make it to the 8th every night we're going to have problems. Balfour is throwing regularly around 92-mph on his fastball. For a guy that doesn't have much movement that's not going to cut it. He needs to combine the location he seems to have found and an ability to throw that slider (which he seems to be doing well) with at least something close to that 96-mph he was throwing in 2008. Balfour is the key to the pen, if he can get back up to 94-mph on his fastball, bring the intensity he showed two years ago, we can have two guys to put in during high leverage situations and feel comfortable instead of just Wheeler.

2. Catcher. Dioner. I knew the instant after I published it - showing a glimmer of hope for the fatman was premature. He is just. not. driven. His defense is bad, his offense is bad, and his pitch calling? Davis cited not feeling comfortable shaking Navarro off as a reason for his terrible start first time out in Fenway. It is beginning to look like the torrid first half he had in 2008 (and second half in 2007) was either luck or just an outlier. With Shoppach injured Dioner's deficiencies are becoming more and more glaring because of the playing time he's being allowed. Jose Lobaton, on the Rays 40-man roster, was called up to AAA-Durham yesterday (Biscuit Crumbs), assumingly to start. Either the Rays are giving Lobaton ten games or so to cut his teeth in Durham before sending him back down once Shoppach comes off the DL (unlikely), the injury to Shoppach is more serious than first believed and he will be missing more time than expected (God I hope not) or they're giving Dioner a similar timeline to Burrell (God I hope so, but also unlikely). Perhaps ten, fifteen games from now when Shoppach comes back if Dioner continues to suck nuts the Rays will designate him for assignment (DFA him, sounds so dirty, a perfect acronym for basically cutting a guy loose). A fun drinking game would be to come up with all the filthy combinations DFA could stand for that can also apply to the actualy meaning. I like Dick-Fucked Ass. I sincerely hope the Rays Dick-Fuck Ass Dioner. He is just no good.

3. I've already addressed Burrell last article. But with each day that passes my hope in him slowly distinguishes like a dying star (sad string music). I am still with the Rays FO (front office, or fucked orifice) praying he'll start hitting. However, now I am worried he WILL start hitting and then SLUMP at the exact wrong time in August or September. THAT would be a digusting destiny.

It seems there is no hope for an aquistion in the bullpen. I think it is a foregone conclusion in the next week we will see Benoit up here and Eckstrom DFA. Benoit might play the role Balfour played in 2008 and be a go-to guy in the 8th inning. One thing is for sure, if J.P. comes back full strength, and plays four months like the first four months of last year, that would be the blockbuster-type addition to the bullpen we need. Burrell I think has until Joyce is ready to come off the disabled-list, because the fucked orifice doesn't want to leave Joyce in AAA (as pointed out earlier on this blog). I think Kapler's on a short string too, they could easily bring up Joyce and Blalock, DFA Burrell and Kapler, and let Zobrist and Rodriguez deal with lefties.

When it comes to the catcher position, the only possibility I can hope to consider is another pitcher-for-catcher trade. It's unlikely, but I like to consider the possibility that we swap with either the Marlins, the Rockies or the Angels. I do hope Sonnanstine makes a similar mid-level starter to solid reliever switch that Howell did a couple of ears ago. But I would gladly give him and Navarro up if it meant Miguel Olivo or John Baker sharing time with Shoppach (once he gets back) behind the plate. You also can consider the history the Rays and Angels have for big deals. They gave up some great prospects for a necessary cog, I would be overjoyed if we gave up a prospect or two for Mathis, I really like him as a player. I consider the chances of a trade like this to be 60-1 or so, but I can hope and dream it happens. One thing is for sure: in the two, three games Jaso gets in the next two weeks, I hope he rakes. I mean, 5-8, 6 RBI type raking. No choice but to keep him up with the big league club and say goodbye to Dioner, the biggest flaw on a team poised to enter into the series of trials.

Day 8: What a Difference a Rotation Turn Makes...The Pat Burrell Defense...An Unlikely Underdog

2010-04-14T13:32:00.002-04:00

What a difference a turn in the rotation makes. When King David last made his start I was absolutely glowing over the prospects of the upcoming season - warning the beast New York they should be worried. The beast responded with a laugh and lowered the ax, obliterating the Rays in the next two games, almost no hitting them Saturday and feasting on our bullpen on Sunday. Then we came back and won another two off struggling Baltimore, though they feasted on our bullpen as well. Our bullpen has been feasted on a lot this year. It's funny, such a difference from one Price start to the next, but at the same time it's all the same shit the (Devil) Rays have been dealing with from the beginning: a weak bullpen that gives it away late in the games, making the last three innings at Tropicana Field more drama filled than a reality TV show, and players falling way off their primes, sitting their fat asses in the middle of our lineups, collecting absurd paychecks and playing way below expectations, soaking up our Florida sun, fucking our beautiful women, and treating a 162-game season like a year long Pro Bowl. You know I'm talking to you, Jose Canseco, Greg Vaughn, Ben Grieves, Aubrey Huff...And now, the infamous Pat Burrell.

I won't talk Carl Crawford's contract every time he makes an amazing play or hits 4-4 (he did both Monday night - and all the vultures were dancing and buzzing), but I will speculate on the future of Pat Burrell. Why? Because I like to day dream, hearing he's been axed by Friedman and Co. is one of my top fantasies, up there with a threesome with Rihanna and Katy Perry. It's already been reported on Rays Rev that Burrell is on the way out. The article sights signs such as Willy Aybar starting last night against a left-hander and Rays management saying Burrell is "working hard." I'm sure this is just speculation (and fantasy, similar to my pop diva threesome) but I think it's premature speculation. It's easy to get wet over the idea of Aybar or Joyce or even eventually the Porcelain Man himself Rocco Baldelli getting swings instead of Pat Burrell (although Burrell doesn't swing often). But recent reports had the timeline at at the end of May at the earliest the Rays would cut ties with Burrell IF he continues to struggle like he has. Cork Gaines at Rays Index has also shared doomsday prophesies of the end coming soon for PtB, so this fantasy is a popular one. Slow your roll, guys, if Seattle keeps running Milton Bradley out there every day rest assured the Rays will have no problem jogging PtB out there unless he gives management no choice. And you know what? .200 avg, .305 obp and 3 runs in 6 games is pretty bad - but not bad enough to not continue giving him chances. Try not to vomit when I say this: Pat Burrell can and will be a lethal weapon to bludgeon the beast, and could be the key to any deep postseason run the Rays manage in 2010.

It was a crisp, spring day, March 22, a monday, when my attitude towards Pat the Bat softened from hard-edged cynicism to mockery, flavored by actual tiny crystals of hope. The smell of rain was still in the air - it had rained all night last night and that morning, as the Rays came out of the dugout one by one to take the field. There's Carl Crawford, laughing and smiling. Carlos Pena, shouting jokes, switching with ease from English to talk to the fans to Spanish to small-talk with the other Latin players. Then came Pat the Bat Burrell, wearing wayfarer sunglasses (ready for risky business). I was expecting that stone cold, douchebaggy expression I saw on his face time and again as he watched strike three float over the plate. Instead, he was smiling. He joked back and forth with some of the regulars, clapped enthusiastically and shouted out encouragement as they started drills. I saw Burrell a part of the team, not a big weight sitting like trash can Toby Hall on the team's chest.

The team started batting practice. The first four were Carlos Pena, Pat Burrell, Ben Zobrist, and Jason Bartlett. That was the order they settled into after the first couple of rotations. It was a little more mixed up the first time. Los came out and took his first couple of swings, as did Burrell. Then came Zobrist. Zorilla stepped up in the left-handed side of the batter's box, his power side, and belted a line-drive home run and a bomb home run in his first two swings. After his turn was done, JB wasn't next in the box. It was Pat Burrell, again. Smiling, he ran, almost skipped back into the box, and in five swings knocked two home-runs himself. One conclusion to take from this is that Zobrist is translating practice into game time situations better than Burrell but that's another discussion. I saw his competitive drive to succeed. Later on, rather than hanging in the dugout or hitting on one of the several cute girls that seemed to be milling about the cage, Burrell took to right-field. On one hit he ran back to the wall and leaped up to catch a ball on the warning track. After the catch First Base Coach George Hendrick strutted out to right-field, holding a bat on his shoulder, immediately jawing at PtB, "Why did you jump? Any real outfielder would not have to jump at that ball." Burrell's response? The same laugh I had seem all practice, "I'd like to see you catch that one." "I don't have to," replied Hendrick. He could have added, "And you don't, either."

But Burrell knew he didn't belong out there in right field, but he was trying. Because he wanted to, and wants to be, more involved. People ridicule him, "how can you be bored in a professional baseball game?" I for one, think it's a good sign Pat's bored, it shows his drive, it shows how much he wants to be part of the team. We have a chance to distinguish ourselves from Philadelphia fans - Philadelphia fans, guys - and be patient and show something approximating support until he gets hot, which I think is ready to very soon, within a couple of weeks even.

I put up a Bukowski quote a couple of days ago: "All gifts must constantly be earned and re-earned." There is no place on earth where this is more true than in a 162-game baseball season. No one gets hot and stays hot for a whole season. It's a game of constant adjustments, streaks, and work. Pat Burrell is working. I believe Maddon that no one wants Pat Burrell to help the team more than Pat Burrell.

But he can no longer go a season based on the contract he earned from the 2008 season - he must re-earn his place on the squad. He will get time to do this - a month or so, and before you start thinking "a month or so? that long?" imagine someone coming to your job and saying you have to do X in the next month or you are fired, most likely to be paid a tenth of what you made this year. That is an enormous amount of pressure, pressure he puts on himself with his propensity for slumps, but pressure he has to overcome nonetheless. You can't rest on your laurels and rely on team momentum, everyone has to work. Everyone, especially the golden boy coming out of Spring, Sean Rodriguez. He started the season slumping, and if he continues this way for a month, might be in AAA. Even as things are rosy as the Rays go for a sweep against the Orioles this afternoon, a four-game showdown looms this weekend with a beast, the Red Sox. And for an important series on the road against a veteran team, you can't rely on the Sean Rodriguezes and the Reid Brignacs to come through - you need your own veterans, like Pat Burrell, to come through. For the sake of the Rays I hope he does. And before you crucify me for coming to the defense of a $9 million underperformer, understand that a month to come out of a year-plus slump is a long-shot. His legacy is on the line - Pat Burrell is as much an underdog and has as much at stake this year as the franchise he is playing for. So play on, Pat the Bat, I'll be rooting for you.

Day 7: Knocked Unconscious Taking a Shit...The Theoretical Rampage by Crash Gomes, Instigator Mulhearn and Me....For Better or Worse

2010-04-13T19:10:00.003-04:00

I woke up this morning to use the bathroom. As I bent to sit down on the toilet I head butted the towel rack. The towel rack didn’t punch back, but I’ll go on record against slamming your head against rock hard inanimate objects. Most often, you won’t be standing afterwards. Neither was I – I succeeded in my goal of sitting down on the toilet, such a difficult task, but I was holding my forehead in searing pain. “Owwww,” I groaned, laughing. When I removed my hand from my forehead it was covered in blood. I looked at myself in the mirror – it looked like someone just hit me with a two-by-four. I felt tough (minus the truth of the story), decided I would round up Jonny Gomes from Cincinnati and Pat Mulhearn, Rays fan and expert instigator (he’s started two fights without knowing it) to go on a Road House type rampage, beating in the heads of any Red Sox or Yankees fans or players we could find. As great as it would be take this fight against the beasts and make it literal, I came back to reality and realized I didn’t get this wound in a drunken brawl – I got it in my bathroom stone cold sober at 6:30am. I no longer felt stupid as I did on Sunday for becoming so emotionally invested in a baseball team, especially that early on. I felt stupid for knocking myself unconscious trying to take a shit. “I yam who I yam,” Popeye said it best. After all, I chose this season to dive straight into my Rays baseball addiction for a reason. I felt I could learn from the events that will happen this year, and as a writer perhaps take what I’ve learned and provide some insight to the world – insight beyond just balls and strikes. For better or for worse, I’m in this for good. Take my victory shots with my shots of defeat, my vodka/orange juice with my Goldshlagger straight, the sweet with the abhorrent.

You’ll forgive me, I’ve been on my ass all day with an icepack above my eye, so I now have two minutes before first pitch, my deadline, to come up with some actual baseball analysis: Andy Sonnanstine and Dioner Navarro are two players that, in the last three years, for better or for worse, are always in our fucking lives as Rays fans. Just when you think they’ll disappear here they are, back, in pivotal rolls. For Yogi Sonnanstine I’m starting to believe it’s for the better, he seems to have bounced into his new role nicely, and could adapt strongly. Few remember how bad of a starter J.P. Howell was - I do. Sonnanstine could become the right-handed version. Fatass Navarro, however, I’m thinking more and more is someone we are stuck with – not necessarily for his often anemic hitting stats and his wild bore-like base running abilities, but because his lazy oops the ball got by me defense. And guess what? At least for the next thirteen days we’re stuck with him full time. Shoppach inexplicably has disappeared to the disabled list. Goddamn. Well, I’m five minutes past deadline. I don’t think I’ll lose any sleep from it.

Day 6: Honeymoon Over...Back to the Self-Depricating Rays Fan I've Always Been

2010-04-11T17:20:00.002-04:00

"Triona, what's the highest proof you have in the bar?"

"Belvedere 100 proof."

"Sounds expensive."

"No, not for you."

"You don't have Goldschlagger? That's 100 proof."

"Yeah, we have Goldschlagger."

(Triona makes a face.)

"I'll take that."

(Triona pours a Goldschlagger.)

"I don't want a shot of Goldschlagger!"

"I don't either. It's for him."

"Ugh."

"I have to see this."

"He is a Rays fan after all."

"True."

(fifteen minutes later after the game's officially over, I take the shot. I had designated my victory shot Friday night - this was my defeat shot. No one was paying attention - everyone had forgotten by that time.)

Baseball is baseball. It has far less rabid fans than football, even basketball. And the fans mostly don't pay that much attention the first couple of months - how can they? It's a 162-game season. If you watch every game it must be an addiction. And what does it say about me to be addicted to Rays baseball?

That's about all I have to say right now.

Day 5: A Letter to Yankees Fans...The Beast Lowers the Ax

2010-04-11T10:24:00.003-04:00

Dear Yankees Fans,

I am quite aware there are many of you who are decent, intelligent human beings. This letter is not for you. But just in case you are one of the slobbering morons this letter is intended for you should read on. It is my firm belief that the juiced-up, brain-dead oafs I encountered while watching the Rays pathetic attempt at baseball aren't aware of their brain-deadness. So for all I know, you could be one of them, so if you're a Yankees fan - please, read on.

I'm sure to you it sounded like a fantastic idea. You're late-twenties, early-thirties, and hear about this New York City pub-crawl. Great. In your small, acorn sized brain you probably thought two dollars for a ten-ounce Miller Light sounded like a deal. Did you know you can buy a six-pack of that same miller light for eight dollars at any deli, probably for less at your neighborhood Food Emporium? I'll do the math for you as you are clearly incapable of it - that's an extra two ounces per beer for the same price. Or better yet, get a fucking pint of it at the very same bar for five dollars and you won't have to pay the pub crawl fee! But then you wouldn't have gotten that sweet blue plastic cup that you keep chucking at my bartenders demanding more Miller Light. News flash shit for brains - they know what you want, they took part of this moronic ritual so they can STEAL YOUR MONEY, they are aware what the "deal" is and that you wouldn't have the class to order an actual drink.

Steal your money? That's right pinstripes, they knew you are too cheap to spend five-dollars on an actual beer and not racoon piss on any given Saturday afternoon, so they signed their bar up for this pub crawl. They knew all the organizers of said pub crawl had to do to get your money was put a couple of pictures of hot, slutty looking girls looking drunk and make it seem festiv. It's the same reason I have no plans to go to Mardi Gras in New Orleans and haven't, though I've lived here going on six years, stayed in New York for New Years. Assholes like you. I'm sure you didn't notice the looks on the bartender/owners' faces, one of whom, by the way, is one of those intelligent Yankees fans I mentioned at the start, but I did. They were miserable, this close to kicking your sweaty, valueless fat asses out the bar. But they endured, because Miller Light by Miller Light you were racking up a bar tab more sizeable than mine.

What was I drinking? Stoli and soda, a drink with actual alcohol in it, that won't leave me feeling like I've just injested sewage waste the next morning. I had three, and my tab ended up being ten dollars. But wait, aren't those eight dollars a pop? Why yes, they are, I got the discount of them actually wanting me to return, not the once a year retard discount.Why would they want me to return? It might have something to do with the value of my business, coming a couple of times a week and having a couple of drinks is a lot better than coming only for the ten dollar pitchers of Bud or a bottom feeder fest like this once or twice every couple of months. It also might have something to do with my behavior. The night before the Rays won handily. At first I clapped, would have an outburst or two...but then I settled down because it looked clear we had it. I did not CHANT and CLAP every time the Rays got a hit.

That's right. "Let's go Yankees!" clap clap CLAP CLAP CLAP. I am very familiar with this hurrah, it's the same thing the douchebags who crowd into the Trop start up ONLY WHEN THE YANKEES ARE WINNING. It'd be one thing if you were just dumb and simple, knowing only one way to support your team, one tone to do it in, and one volume (loud). But you are simple, dumb, AND insecure. You are not urging your team on, you trying to feel better about yourself once your team has done the work and taken the lead. If the Rays had rallied, your chants would have turned to boos and profanities thrown at your team, before leaving so you wouldn't have to deal with my form of celebration: sitting back and smiling, maybe throwing a good natured taunt or joke at whichever bartender's team the Rays managed to take down.

And the second part of your concerto? "Fuck the Mets," clap clap CLAP CLAP CLAP, while pointing at me? Now I realize I wasn't wearing my Rays gear that day, I didn't feel the need, and that a Rays fan is a rarity in New York, but if I was a Mets fan, don't you think I would be watching the Goddamn Mets? The game was on two screens to the right. And also, I know it makes you feel good to rouse up all the dumbasses with blue cups in this ridiculous chant, but you're not in a stadium: Hey! - YOU'RE IN A FUCKING BAR. Not everyone was there to watch a sports game - some were trying to have an actual conversation. I understand your lack of comprehension, it's OK, I realize you are incapable of having a real conversation, that's why you're chanting.

I also understand a lot of you are from out of town, you heard beers were $10 in New York, thought you had a deal. You heard New Yorkers were rabid Yankees fans, so you were trying to fit in. You didn't know who the Rays were, so you assumed I was the other New York fan (or maybe Red Sox fan). You are one of the half-breeds all across the country that rather than invest yourself in the local scene, or pick a team worth rooting for going up against the same big money I'm sure rips into your blue-collar asshole on a daily basis, you make the simple decision to join the mass. This is what has me steaming. You showed up to the Trop, too. I heard you. You don't understand anyone who has the balls to root for the underdog, so you berate them. I haven't had any choice, I can't root for the Yankees, because of what they represent and also because it is not how I operate. It is not in my blood, it is boring, I have to be an underdog, it's no fun for me to conform, I'm much more comfortable throwing rocks at beasts. So I suppose I'm soiling my own nest a little bit here, berating for berating, putting down sports fans when I am one myself, but pardon me if I think there is a difference that isn't so subtle between the two of us.

By the way, if you're going to be without class do it right, you amateur drunk. Anyone who can get bonkers off six miller lights out of a sippy cup obviously doesn't let loose or party that often. You're one of those repressed people that picks a couple of days a year and goes INSANE rather than kicking it on a regular basis. Again, this is why I try to stay away from you on New Years. And please, for the love of God, from now on, make some effort to stay away from me? I know you enjoy that pained expression on my face, but I'm not wearing it because I'm losing. I'm wearing it because of you.

Sincerely.
A fan with testicles AND a brain

ps....to the woman who brought her child in to the workout room I moniter, sat him next to me, and shouted at him from across the room as you nervously used the eliptical - I escaped back to work as a safe haven to finish the rest of the game on the radio in privacy. I did not want your munchkin next to me wheeling around, spinning in circles, and humming creepily like the omen kid right next to me. thanks.

Day 4: King David Crushes Skulls...Crisp Fall Momentum...Relay Race to a Win

2010-04-10T13:57:00.001-04:00

The six foot six inches tall left-hander stood in the box and stared. He looked mean, ready to swing an ax or pulverize a skull with his bare hands. He got set, wound up, and threw. What you would expect from King David Price is what you normally get - 96 mph of hard to hit heat. This time, though, he spun off a 76 mph curveball, a long, looping thing that settled in at the knees over the plate for a strike. Nick Johnson, known for his keen eye and his quick bat, could only watch, stupified. I mentioned David Price's curveball was working better than any of his pitches. Someone watching turned to me after that pitch and agreed, "He was already so good - he keeps throwing pitches like that he might be unhittable." Two pitches later Price laced his four-seam fastball and Johnson could only watch that one steam in for a strike as well. When the difference between your fastball and breaking ball is 20 mph you have some deadly stuff - and that he did.

How's this line for a first start? 7.2 innings, 7 hits, 7 strikeouts, 3 earned runs. The story of the night was David Price - he was more than dominant, he was so good the first three innings I couldn't stop thinking no hitter. I jinxed him, of course, but the elecricity of his pitches and the energy in the air had that feel - even over a thousand miles away in New York. It is an energy that is permeating through the entire team, through every glove, bat, and arm. Even Mike Ekstrom pitched a scoreless inning to finish the game.

Look at B.J. Upton - he's not stroking home runs or getting three hit games yet, but his average sits at a cool .286 with a .375 OBP and three strikeouts in four games. He's spraying the ball, too, opposite field (like the RBI double last night) and pulling the ball (like another double down the line in an earlier game). When Navarro knocked his RBI single the opposite way to score B.J., I stood up and yelled, "Di-ONER," as I was accustomed to in 2008. His stats so far? 8 AB, 3 hits, a walk and 2 RBI. Is it just me or are those around his totals in all his at bats last year? The guys that weren't producing last year - this year are. And the role player combo of Reid Brignac and Sean Rodriguez are making me forget all those games last year with Gabe Gross in the lineup. But that's the way momentum works, it's electricity, heat, it pervades the atmosphere like a crisp fall air, an air the Rays will be playing in if they continue playing the way they are.

On the flip side, if events were to take a nasty turn, like the start they had in April last year, expectations can bog you down rather than lifting you up. A lack of momentum hangs in the air like the humidity the Rays would be playing in if not for the dome. The difference between these two are almost impossible to manage, it is little, tiny sparks and rain drops of plays, words in the club house, thoughts while in the batters box. But if anyone can manage them, it's the wizard wearing the hugo boss glasses - Joe Maddon. When breaking down the differences between the two teams that played last night, that might be the most stark, the most important. My boss, Joel, is a Yankees fan, but unlike a lot of the pinstriped mass, he is a realist. He was running down the list of worries he had over this year's team, seemed to be done, on his way out the door, when he turned back around: "Also, I hate to admit it, but...I think the Rays have the better manager, by a lot." "No shit," I said, "I'd like to see what Girardi would have done with the Rays 2008 personel."

After three games against the Red Sox Joel said, "I got to say, I'm not impressed with them, the Red Sox. I think, at this point, it'll be the Yankees and Rays. I'm not worried about the Red Sox, I'm worried about the Rays." Case and point, I was standing at the bar, listening to Mike grin and gloat about the Red Sox staff, saying Wakefield will win the Cy Young, should have won it last year had he not been hurt, and I was thinking: Please God let the Red Sox lose, too. Sure enough, when I woke up this morning, I found out the Royals rallied and beat the Red Sox. The Royals. How bad must your bullpen be running if the Royals can take it from you in the bottom of the eighth? (Mike turned out to be joking about the Cy Young, obviously. I offered him 100-1 odds he would win it, but he wouldn't bite).

I had two notes from last night's game:

Posada's arm: have to throw 2 pitch-outs w/B.J. on first, count ends up 2-0, what a disadvantage to the pitcher.

Dioner's not so fat Posada can pick him off at 2B

Both notes concerned the giant defensive liability behind the plate. Sure, Posada can hit, but if there wasn't the "storied franchise effect" I mentioned last blog there is no way he would be catching. He never had that great an arm. Now, because of his knees and age, his entire defensive approach looks lazy, abysmol. If he hadn't won them world series and felt entitled, the way so many of the players of the beasts feel, the logical choice would have been to aquire Bengie Molina or Rod Barajas (who hit 2 home runs that same night) to split time with Cervelli behind the plate and play Posada every day at DH. Instead, the Rays ran a relay race around him: Bartlett, Upton, and Crawford all swiped second base. It wasn't even CLOSE any of the three times. All three scored. Now Cervelli is starting for today's nationally televised game. And the Yankees "key" off-season aquisition? Many analysts said it was Javier Vazquez. Before the game I stated on Twitter I remember last time the Rays faced him: Evan Longoria had two home runs against him in his first two at bats...we obliterated him in Game 1 of the ALDS. His ERA last time he was in the American League, that season with the White Sox, was 4.67. I had faith in Price last night, and was rewarded plentifully by a 9-3 route. I don't think the Rays are the only team the Yankees should be worried about, Boston is a beast - if you cut its head off, it will grow another one back; but Joel, and Yankees fans and evil executives should be worried. They should be very worried.

Day 3...A Grumbling Red Sox Fan...Lightening Up on Sonnanstine...A Break from Baseball

2010-04-09T18:00:00.001-04:00

I sat down at the bar, had an hour or so to kill before meeting up with my best friend to not think about baseball for the next eight hours or so. But before that Mike sat down next to me to eat before his shift. Now, I frequent a bar near the gym I work at. It's called Triona's (3rd and Sullivan), a great place if you're ever in the area (there aren't nearly enough people that read this blog yet to get money for saying so, so you know I'm not full of shit). Mike's one regular bartender, Triona's the other. Mike's a Red Sox fan, Triona's a Yankees fan (as are most that are regulars there), and I'm a Rays fan. It makes for a nice balance. Mike, understandably, wasn't too happy. The Red Sox had dropped two out of three games at Fenway to the Yankees. Beyond that, their starting pitching hasn't been sharp yet, their relief pitching has been fucking awful, and even when their pitching was good (Lackey) the offense couldn't come through (one run) thanks mostly in part Big Crapi. "Maybe we should make another bet," I said, "This one on who will be worse this year, Big Papi or Pat the Bat." "Pat Burrel ain't hitting in the five spot in one of the best RBI spots in baseball," Mike replied (you'll have to imagine the Irish accent). No, he's hitting seventh. "They're stuck on the fact that Big Papi is Big Papi and Big Papi would be too wounded to hit lower or split time with Lowell, but it's fuckin' the whole lineup up." I guess, in the midst of all those disadvantages people highlight, that is one area where the Rays have an inherent advantage over the "storied" franchises.

We get into these habits. I learned the sanskrit word for it that I've since forgot in the couple years since I was in training for my Yoga Alliance certification, but the literal meaning is a groove. You have to think Oregon Trail, you know, it's all wilderness and then these horses and wagons trampled through and other horses and wagons trampled on where they trampled until you have a trail. That's how habits develop - we're an empty slate, then we start doing certain things, and they get easier the more we do them, even if they're the wrong. This applies to my attitude towards Andy Sonnastine. I have not been kind to him in the past, but he was huge in 2008, and he came in last night and was a major league pitcher in a tough spot. There isn't anything more you could have asked of him. The funny part of this tangent is Andy Sonnanstine got really into yoga over the off-season. Need a teacher buddy? I promise not to call your stuff flat. Seriously, though, beyond Andy Sonnastine, it is only healthy to stop for a second a try to wipe the slate clean. This applies to baseball. After all, I can see it abstractly as something more, but in the end it is only a game. Especially now that I'm writing about it, it's good to turn off for a night to see the picture anew the next day. And beyond baseball...I'm in a situation as most people probably are where I'm too deeply involved, my perspective too influenced by history, to really see things with the unencumbered eyes of today. Not a month from now, not last year, today. I won't get into the details, because those are personal. If you want to read a blog that includes personal details, read my friend Brandon Kelly's travel blog once it goes up in May. As far as the Rays concerned, if they have any hope, they can't live in 2008 or 2009 and they can't live in this upcoming off-season, which is why they won't be discussing Carl Crawford's contract until this year is over. Whether the year is over in July or October will depend on their ability to wipe the slate clean, patch up the groundwork where those habitual grooves developed, and step into the wilderness. I was happy not to see most of last night's game, not because it was a loss, necessarily, but because I spent an amazing night with someone who knows all those things in me more important than a mere game. Perhaps tomorrow I will have more to say about the actual events of strikeouts and home runs.

Day 2: Longoria vs. A-Rod...Soriano vs. Percival...Rays still on top

2010-04-09T17:05:00.002-04:00

Two days and I've already resorted to running around making bets with people rather than make my futile attempts to understanding the machinery of Major League Baseball, blindly gambling I have it all figured out and hoping for the best. The Rays I can understand, sure, that's why I root for them and have kept most my analysis on them. This is, afterall, the story of the Little Guy versus the Beast - and who wants to hear anything about the Beast? Not me, there are better ways to occupy myself than trying to understand the shock and awe campaigns on the YES network and front office scroogery in Yankees Command Headquarters. I'd rather focus on the possibility of taking them down. Fight the brute with spirit, or something like that. There was a great quote in a yahoo article about how the Rays are destined to burn in baseball hell with the Steinbrenners cackling, reigning supreme of the MLB underworld. The quote was from J.P. Howell, and it reiterates the franchise's attitude towards all such articles and broadcasts calling for the Rays to be saved - we don't need saving.

"We are who we are because of the Yankees and Red Sox. They make us better. I like going up against all that money."

Hell yeah, this is mythic stuff we're dealing with, not just baseball, but the future of our country! How can a non-Yankee, non-Red Sock NOT root for the Rays? We can't let those big money bastards win, funneling in hundreds and hundreds of millions into the 3D machine while the independent film market rots in the sewers, it's not right, goddamnit! Hmm, maybe we've touched a personal nerve here? I was wondering why I get so emotional about this stuff. Anyway, I've settled on imposing a daily deadline and actually attempting baseball analysis rather than writing weekly opuses with too many obvious baseball/real world metaphors. On day 2 how have I responded? By making more obvious metaphors and drinking pint after pint in a bar while shouting out end of the year prophesies and daring anyone who would deny them to put their money where their mouth is. Do I have any strong, imperical evidence to support my claim that Evan Longoria will have more RBI at the end of the year than Alex Rodriguez? No...but let's see if there's reason behind my madness.

In 157 games last year Longoria had 113 RBI. Rodriguez had 100 RBI in 124 games. This means Longoria had 0.7 RBI per game, Rodriguez had 0.8 RBI per game...advantage Rodriguez, but by such a small amount, anything can happen right? Then again he was coming off a hip surgery, probably wasn't his full 100%. I mean, the previous year he had 156 RBI. Not looking good for my horse. I've been reading a lot of people mentioning CHONE and PECOTA and some other Baseball Projection Wizards since getting serious about learning the beat, what do these sounds like a hippy protest group gurus have to say?

CHONE: Longo - 88 RBI, A-Rod - 106 RBI
PECOTA: Longo - 106 RBI, A-Rod - ???

For some reason PECOTA threw the curtain up behind the Yankees, and reading other people quoting PECOTA no one got specific because you're not supposed to because it's a pay site...I'm not really interested anyway, my guess is the boys took A-Rod to out run produce Longo, too. Am I fucking out of my mind to make such a bet without blinking? I have made impulsive gambles before, this won't be the first time. But thinking about it I'm gonna attempt some rationale explaination:

First off, Longoria is hitting clean-up now, instead of the three spot, so he'll have more RBI opportunities on that alone. Second, when you look at the guys hitting ahead of him last year, it's easy to see his already impressive RBI total would go up significantly. Most of the year, one of two guys hitting in the lineup ahead of Longo was B.J. Upton, who hit .241, with a .313 OBP last year. Now Longo has Bartlett, Crawford, and Zobrist (who had a above.400 OBP last year) hitting ahead of him, as well as a strong hitter in the nine-spot (rather than last year's Navarro as it was even after they got Upton out of the one spot). Then you bring up the intangible understanding that Longoria will only be getting better, Rodriguez will get worse. One is rising towards his prime, the other is falling off his prime. In the end, following due consideration (after the bet was made, of course) I think the difference between the two, unless one is to get injured, will be ten RBI or lower. So I don't feel so bad about it. It is worth noting, too, that Alex Rodriguez is much more likely to get injured than Longoria.

The night I made the bet A-Rod went 0-fer and Longoria had 3 RBI and a home run. It was one those special moments where, going against the overwhelming majority, you make a statement and have it backed up. I am aware of how short the season is, but it was nice to see, sitting in the corner of the bar Triona put me in while the Yankees and Red Sox slugged it out at their normal snail's pace, for once I wasn't just being a jackass. Longoria is one of the brightest stars in the game, not only based on his play but his charisma, and the Rays could continue to battle it out with the beasts of the game for the next six years standing on his shoulders. I have an enormous respect for him - while all the analysts punk him over his contract, call him one step short of stupid, let him know he should fire his agent, he hasn't said boo. He is genuinely glad to play the game and play it right. And if he gets a commercial here or there to bring home more bacon more power to him.

It was the top of the ninth. Rafael Soriano strode out to the mound, wearing that same stone cold poker face I'm starting to get used to. Four pitches later Wieters looped a single to left field. The night before Soriano almost gave me a heart attack, so I sent a little prayer to whatever baseball god got stuck watching over the Rays once they took the Devil out that there wouldn't be a repeat performance tonight. That god must not have heard. Soriano got Reimold to pop out, but then came Garret Atkins, who stroked his first hit of the season to left-center field for a ground rule double. Longoria's third RBI of the day, the solo home run in the bottom of the eighth, was now what was left of the Rays lead. I stood up, started pacing. Some Yankee dumbasses (Yankee fans, on a whole, are more bearable than Red Sox fans - but winning a world series brings the dumbasses out of the woodwork) shouted at the lone Red Sox fan in the joint for golf-clapping at a Boston run. The fan, a mousy but cute girl in glasses with no Red Sox apparel on, sat with her knees up on the bar, trying her best to ignore the douchebags harassing her. The next batter was former Devil Ty "Wiggy" Wiggington. Soriano threw two straight sliders, obviously having lost faith in his fastball, the second of which Wiggy hit on the ground for the second out. Tying run at third, two outs, Brian Roberts, slumping to start the season as a result of an injury that kept him out most of spring, stepped up.

The first pitch was a 94 mile per-hour fastball that Roberts popped up to centerfield. I screamed, whooped, clapped, ran around a bit. I was wearing my big, custom Rays jersey. The Yankees fans paid no attention to me. The only interaction I had with them was later as I was standing next to them, watching indifferently the end of the Yankees/Sox game, when one of them said Brett Gardner was the fastest player in the major leagues. All I had to do was look at him - he said, "Maybe Carl Crawford." Yes, I thought, but B.J. Upton could probably challenge Crawford in a flat out race as well. Both are faster by a good half a pace than Gardner, and I also think there's someone in Boston that could outrun him as well. I found it amusing that I caught no flak from them in my corner of the bar, and wonder if tonight, when I show in the same jersey and root for the same team (against the Yankees) if it will be the same.

But I digress, the point of the story is Soriano. My brother sent me a text at 10:10pm that night (after the game had ended): "Soriano is pitching like an unemotional percival. every outing has felt like a heart attack." I first would like to address the "every outing" part. We're talking two games here. You meant both outings, which is nothing to get your panties twisted over. I almost had a heart attack, too, but my panties are fine. You have to wonder why all the comparisons to Percival are happening. One was over the hill at the end of the road, the other is at the top of his career shooting for the stars (his next contract). Surely, he is only warming up. After all, his last pitch was closer to his regular velocity, 94 instead of 92. Percival at one point was letting out these spastic grunts every time he threw the ball, Soriano is cool and collected and does his business. But not unemotional, there was an outburst once he got the final out - very Sandman-like. Just as I wonder how long it will take before fans turn so nasty on Pat Burrell the Rays have to outright release him if he doesn't perform, I wonder how long it will take for fans (and the team) to grow so comfortable with Soriano on the mound we can lean back and crack open a beer rather than pace around and crave a cigarette. I promise, Percival he is not, and I for one am still happy to have him. Maybe all the Percival comparisons are imminent no matter who is closing - because every game has the weight they did in 2008. If that is the case I don't mind the Percival comparisons at all.

Day 1: Cigarette Craving in the Top of the Ninth...A Rays Win...Standing by Dirtbag's Words

2010-04-07T17:22:00.005-04:00

Sitting down with a six-pack of Heinekin, burger frying in the kitchen, I felt as content as I could at the prospects of the next three hours or so. I had the three B's, baseball, burger and beers, and finally the baseball portion would be my Rays, starting the season at last at home in St. Petersburg, in the Trop, against the Orioles (or as the geniuses working at Fox STILL believe - at home in Tampa, but that's OK, deservingly so we haven't had that many national broadcasts through the years). I thought: I like the match-up, I like the line-up, I feel good about our chances and our season. I'd have a couple of beers, devour my burger, and watch the Rays take it probably relatively easily. I finished the half-pounder in five minutes, first beer the same. The Rays fell down thanks to a couple of home-runs, but there was the magic, it was there, I could feel it, I had no worries.

Flash forward to the end of the game, I had gone through the whole six-pack, was shaking with euphoria and the near heart-attack the game (and probably all those half-pound burgers I eat in five minutes) had induced. On top of that I was dealing with a cigarette craving that crept up on me in the top of the ninth and was going on strong, no longer to stifle the anxiety, but to calm down after the rush. Afterall, when are cigarettes best? After sex, near-death experiences, and down-to-the-wire ballgames. The Rays seem to have this type of game down to a science - they know how to keep you on edge (think ALCS Game 2). And when I say the Rays I refer to the Rays I know and love, the Rays that inspired me through five long months in 2008, the Rays that kept a full-time smoking habit going strong. The Rays of 2009 were not a team of last second heroics - they were a time of almosts and could have beens. I didn't need a cigarette to calm my anxiety and anticipation last season, I didn't enough faith for that. If they were behind surely they would fall just a little short, if they were ahead I did my best not to keep up hope, as they lost too many in the late-innings thanks to the lack of a concrete closer. This year, like 2008, we have a team of all those plays that turned out to be essential.

There was B.J. Upton chasing down a Wieters fly-ball and catching it on the run, extending the glove on the warning track. There was Evan Longoria gunning down Garret Atkins at home plate for the first out - and don't forget Navarro's role blocking the plate and skillfully applying the tag. There was Choate and Cormier doing their part, putting up zeros. How about the around the horn double-play to end the seventh inning? The Orioles announcers were shocked and appaled Maddon left Choate in...but Maddon had a plan from the beginning - he always has a plan. All these little things ratcheted up the tension and the possibility for Carl Crawford to hit that walk-off double, and what a walk-off it was. In a season mired in the business of baseball it was a thing of beauty to see Crawford rise above all the bullshit to toss his helmet and join the mob at the end of the game. At least for one game, the Rays remained pure and true to form, leaving behind thoughts of contracts and future seasons, dollars and cents.

Another essential ingredient to the ninth inning rally was its beginning. There was our new catcher, Shoppach, aquired in a round about way for another beloved Ray, Aki (see how quickly we forget a "franchise face?") His pinch hit for Navi was a feel good moment for the team because of seeing the new face succeed...but also seeing Maddon make the right difficult decision, pulling a guy who had two hits for another who could hit for power. Would Girrardi have made the same right choice? But in the end, had Sean Rodriguez not gotten the hit to start the rally I might be writing about the hangover that followed the awful binge that followed an awful loss, instead of a Rays win. Seeing him succeed in the 8 spot after his torrid spring was a gigantic upside to an already sweet, sweet moment. If we can get 20 home runs and seventy-eighty RBIs from that eight spot, Rodriguez could be the secret ingredient to a Rays post-season run.

But how many at bats will Rodriguez have? Maddon is starting Brignac tonight against a right-handed pitcher, and one would assume against a left-handed pitcher Kapler will start in right field and Zobrist would move to second base. That would be the assumption. But we will see how long that lasts. Rodriguez could easily see himself playing into a full time starting position. It would be easier from a managerial stand-point to run Zobrist in right and Rodriguez at second most nights not only because of defensive consistancy (I'm sure Bartlett would appreciate it) but because of the flexibility of having a strong left-handed bat and a lefty killing machine in Kapler coming off the bench. Between endlessly plugging his radio show and providing color commentary I would have listened to had I not been watching paint dry, Keven Kennedy actually said something I agreed with: "Sean Rodriguez is starting at second-base tonight, where he'll be most nights, I hope." This hope stems from finding the winning chemistry - which the Rays seemed to find in spring. Sean Rodriguez is a winner. Brignac most certainly belongs on this time, but there is no reason Kapler, Rodriguez, and Brignac should split playing time evenly. It's too confusing.

The wild-card in this discussion is Matt Joyce. He is being described as starting a "rehab" assignment at AAA, not joining the Bulls permanently. I wrote earlier that Joyce would probably make the opening day roster because of Brignac's roster status (he has not yet had a full-year in the pros, therefor has not begun his countdown to arbitration). Has Joyce's injury changed any of this? I don't think so, because Maddon will want to do exactly as I said, run Rodriguez and Zobrist out there at 2B and RF, to have his LH and RH batters off the bench. Since Brignac is more known for his glove, and Joyce more for his bat (with pop), the previously mentioned roster status, and the fact Maddon sees Brignac as eventually starting at SS (not 2B), I see Joyce coming off the DL and onto the 25-man roster and Brignac heading down...unless another injury happens (Aybar on DL?). Longoria did say, as quoted earlier in this blog, Rodriguez allows Zobrist to play everyday in RF. We wouldn't want to make Dirtbag a liar.

The magic has begun last night, and the ingrediants in place that stirred the magic should stay in place as consistantly as possible. Afterall, Rodriguez can provide 20 home runs and seventy RBIs from 2B, can Brignac? Is the difference between their gloves enough to keep Rodzilla's bat out of the lineup? Any which way I'm feeling the glow, feeling the hope, and the inspiration creeping up on me. As a fan who stuck through the Devil Rays years, I am an eternal optimist. All I ask is to keep the fires of optimism stoked through the dog days of summer.

Zobrist in RF

2010-03-27T10:21:00.003-04:00

In an interview on MLB.com, while speaking about the club's spring and the momentum carrying into the season, Evan Longoria let something slip:

"The versatility that (Sean) Rodriguez has shown this spring I think is a tremendous help for the club. You know, it really gives us the opportunity to, kind of, let Zobrist play right field, and just settle into that role, and let Sean...hopefully he's with us on day 1, he can be the super utility, which lets Ben do what he knows how to do."

Longo back tracked a little, afraid he was giving away that Rodzilla was going to be for sure on the team, but there was very little doubt about that. More telling, without missing a beat, Longo said Zobrist would be the everyday right fielder. This was said despite the fact that Zobrist has gotten the majority of his spring starts at 2B, while Rodriguez has gotten the majority of his spring starts in the outfield. I know this because Cork Gaines on Rays Index showed in a march 16 article the splits. Before the March 16 game against Boston Zobrist had started 28 games at 2B and only 4 in the OF. Sean Rodrgiguez, meanwhile, had 9 starts at 2B and 25 starts at other positions. Huh? Was Dirtbag spacing there? No. What he said makes sense, if you look at the starts since. After March 16 Zobrist had four starts at 2B and 3 starts in RF. OK, he's still started more at 2B, even though it's starting to even out. But what's really revealing is that since March 18 Sean Rodriguez has had 0, count 'em, 0 starts in the outfield. He played twice at 3B, four times at 2B, and once at SS. Obviously based on what happened the first half of spring Maddon and Co. decided to go in a different direction.

I remember writing a note in the Sunday, March 21st split-squad game against the Twins that the starting lineup included what would be the Rays starting outfield - Crawford in LF, Upton in CF, Zobrist in RF. I thought, OK, we got the starting OF here and the starting infield (Longoria, Bartlett, Rodriguez, and Pena) in Bradenton against the Pirates (the game was eventually cancelled due to rain). At the game I attended, Brignac played shortstop and Elliot Johnson played 2B. I thought, OK, if they were planning on starting Brignac at 2B he would be playing 2B today, they're either grooming him to be back-up for Bartlett or everyday shortstop in Durham. Then I remembered Cork's post and was very confused. Now it all makes sense. I was right, Zobrist is being penciled in to be the everyday right-fielder, with Rodriguez as the most days 2B.

So what does this mean for my assertion that Brignac will start the season in Durham? Well, it could still happen, because, essentially, the same thing can be done only flip-flopped. When Bartlett is being rested, Rodriguez would move to shortstop and Zobrist would play 2B and Kapler/Joyce would play RF. When an outfielder is rested, they simply fill-in. When Rodriguez rests, Zobrist fills in and Kapler/Joyce plays RF. It seems that Joyce or Aybar or both will be on the DL as the season opens. If they both are Brignac will be on the team, if just one of them is most likely he will still be in AAA while Blalock is on the big league roster. All this being said, since Zobrist is the everyday player, if he is playing every day at RF, it seems more likely that Brignac will make the team than it was if Zobrist was playing everyday at 2B. And given the infield play that Rodriguez and Brignac displayed in the games I attended, I can't argue with Maddon's decision.

Practice Right, Play Right

2010-03-26T18:02:00.004-04:00

While fans lounged in the berm, under the Arizona sun, Ichiro raced towards the fence. He wasn’t watching the ball, he said later, he was heading to a spot…but in order to make an attempt on the ball he had to take his eyes off that fence and look straight up. He jumped, an awkward kind of two-footed rabbit hop; but in baseball things that would look incredibly stupid if the ball drops look graceful and heroic if the ball lands in the mitt…which it did. After the hop basket catch, Ichiro had no choice but to go to the ground or he would have risked having the wire mesh fence for lunch. He rolled, dirt kicking up in a cloud, and in that moment there was not one pair of eyes in the Mariner dugout thinking about what a wonderful catch it was…they were thinking about a shoulder, an arm, what would happen if their star outfielder wound up missing a chunk of the 2010 season they hope to take away from the Angels. Then Ichiro bounced up, launching the ball towards the infield, and then, only then, could everyone start talking about the catch, how it was one for the ages, just like, Mays, etc. etc.

This is my first spring training – and by that I mean it’s the first time I paid attention, and the first time I attended games, despite the fact I grew up in Southwest Florida. Even in 2008, when the Rays were garnering headlines, I read about it in the next morning’s paper and listened to the assholes talk about it the next day on ESPN, I didn’t witness it myself. I was of the majority opinion that the games in Spring Training do not matter. That’s what I kept hearing through my weekend tour of three games, three parks, and an increasingly searing and debilitating sunburn – this is for the Fans and for the players to ‘get their work in,’ the numbers and results of the game don’t matter. Yet the very same fans that told me this was all just for fun were the same ones booing and groaning when the Rays launched their seventh homer on them to make it 11-1, and the players who testify this is the time to just ‘get their work in’ are the same ones risking life and limb and ACL tear to careen towards walls and crash into catchers. Ichiro, the consummate professional, demonstrated it with that catch. The Rays proved it when they parlayed an 18-8 Grapefruit League record into a 14-12 April, their first winning record in the month of April ever, which they then rode all the way to an American League Championship and World Series berth. There is a thing in sports called Momentum, and it starts as soon as the cleats hit the grass, and for that reason Spring Training most definitely matters.

Panic attack on a plane, nothing new there – the unfamiliar part was that it wasn’t just fear of flying that caused it. It’s funny considering the way I drive, like a madman but sadistically calm, the way my heart raced and stomach churned on a largely calm, smoothing sailing flight from Sarasota to New York.

What added to my sweating palms as I gripped my pen were all the experiences, chatter, home runs, batting practices, strikeouts and sunburns I had rattling around in my already regularly confused mind. I had to boil them down into some piece of journalism...suddenly making shit up didn’t seem so challenging. I hit pause on my writer’s block to glance at the screen next to me to see Taylor swift in black and white in some sort of profile speaking somberly. I almost puked. No wonder I was diverting precious time from my serious pursuits – screenwriting and acting – to write seriously about sports, of all things. When the entertainment industry takes so seriously little girls like this while it descends through tabloids, self-congratulating and pure bullshit to the ranks of scum and uselessness,

America

’s past time might be the purest form of entertainment left. Gone with DiMaggio and Mays are Cary Grant and Clark Gable, but to replace baseball’s heroes are Albert Pujols and Joe Mauer. In the meantime, Taylor Swift is accepted without question as an actor and given across the board, serious recognition as a performer and Sandra Bullock is given an Oscar for idiot-level saccharine.

This, more than anything, I have taken from my experiences in Spring Training: Baseball has emerged with grace from its scandals, mainly steroids, whiles the rest of entertainment and sports, the E and SP of ESPN, are addicted to such drap.

This sucks – did I drive an hour and a half south to watch the Rays get murdered by the Twins while surrounded by kids screaming in my ear? Apparently I did, because neither stopped until the game was over and I was mercifully spared from further torture. And after it was over the score read 12-3 in the Twins favor. They were strong, really strong, Baker was unhittable and the M and M boys made Wade Davis look like Sonnanstine if he were to pitch after an all night, all day binge on cocaine and Jack Daniels. I kept telling myself to cool it, it’s only spring, but I couldn’t help but feel down and shitty. Was it the losing or the way we lost? I tried to figure it out as I stood leaning on a rail overlooking the Rays team bus with three other haggard looking fans, one wearing an old Devil Rays Baldelli jersey. Goddamn, what year is it? I tried to put names to faces as the players shuffled out, looking as down as I felt, cradling paper plates of pizza, but the only one I could identify is Joe Dillon (because of the crazy eyes). My guess is most of the starters take their own cars. Finally Matt Joyce walked out, slow. “Joyce!” the guy in the Baldelli jersey shouted out. Matt looked around. “Joyce!” he shouted again. Joyce looked up and gave a dejected little wave. That was enough, Baldelli guy walked off. It started to pour, they had predicted the rain would come around the time the game should be ending, and the timing was perfect. Perfect. The rain drives off the other onlookers, which left only me.

Joyce was the story this game, starting at DH for the first time since tweaking his throwing elbow during a drill. The news was that he could swing just fine but as I settled to a seat on the berm with my beer and chilly dog it seemed to me Joyce’s practice swings were a little ginger. Even when it technically doesn’t have an effect physically any injury will fuck things up a little bit, this seemed to be the case. Further evidence was provided at the hands of Scott Baker, the Twins starting pitcher, who struck Joyce out on four pitches. Joyce managed two swings – after the first he rotated his left arm, favoring the elbow. Shit, I thought, having his left-handed pop in the lineup, even off the bench, would be really nice. And with news we would lose J.P. Howell’s left-handed arm out of the bullpen we needed good news on the injury front and it didn’t seem like we were getting any.

“Leave your hat on, it’ll keep the sun off your face,” the mother behind me nagged. “No!” one of an army of children under five that surrounded me said, “I’m hot.” Missing right field of the Trop on a Friday night, I dived further into my second beer. Being that close to the action was nice, and I liked the idea of lying in the sun on the grass while watching a game…but spring training is family central, and I’m not much for “family environments.” Kids that young can really fucking bug me. Besides, the reason why this family was so intent on protection from the sun despite the mostly cloudy skies came from staring at my flayed and severely burnt flesh on the back of my neck. I went without sun tan lotion for the previous day’s game and now had the look of a freak victim of being thrown into a garbage incinerator and managing to miraculously survive.

Crack. Nice interruption, whenever I got grumpy at one of those games that familiar noise always managed to lift my spirits – especially when it was followed by a double-play…or not. Blalock caught the turn with his foot off the bag. The very next play he wobbled back and forth trying to settle under a pop up in foul territory and flat out dropped the damn thing. Shake the rust off, Hank, get it together – we know how much you want to be on the team (because you don’t have any other options).

Extra outs, extra runs – the runner that would have been out or LOB if not for Blalock’s errors jogged across home plate. This was an example right in my face of the difference between the team we fielded in 2008 and the one from last year. Other bad signs: Dub’s fastball was in the 90-92 range instead of the 92-94 range, his curve was flat, and he and the whole team was seemingly playing underwater. They were lethargic, in a word, maybe they had a few too many the night before, maybe they were bored, any which way I didn’t appreciate the way they were playing and I’m sure Maddon didn’t either. The only bright spot of the day was when Joyce stepped up to the plate and knocked one over the fence. It was wind aided, sure, but the fact he had the leverage to put it in the air in right field and let the wind carry it over has to count for something, at least in my mind.

It rained – poured, actually. Isn’t that the way it goes? I, of course, left my umbrella in the car. Taking a metaphor too far are we? No, I just didn’t want to carry the fucking thing around all day. Joyce was the last one on the bus, and as it pulled off I was left with the general shittiness of getting rained on and the general shitty feeling that washed over me and had settled in on top of this country like the clouds cornering me on all sides. I kept wondering: Was it the losing or the way we lost?

1-5 Guys

2010-03-21T08:41:00.002-04:00

“…For my money, he can hit from one through five. He should be a one-through-five hitter.” –Joe Maddon (March 7, 2010, mlb.com, Bill Chastain)

That’s how Maddon described B.J. Upton when speculating this spring that Upton would be hitting 7th in the lineup to begin the 2010 season. Now, any discussion of the lineup must be tempered by the reality that #1, it’s spring, mid-spring at that, and #2, most lineups change often throughout the year, based on injuries and player performance (or lack thereof), so even the opening day lineup doesn’t mean much. But it’s meaningful to consider that a 1-5 guy is hitting 7th. Now, Maddon’s an eternal optimist, if B.J. is this year what he was last year, he is not a 1-5 guy. But the consensus opinion, based on his revamped attitude, his tireless off-season work with new hitting coach Derek Shelton, and what he has done so far in Spring (he did have a 2 HR game against the Marlins), is that Upton will approximate more what is his perceived “potential” than his abysmal 2009 totals. The same, hopefully, will be true of Pat Burrell.

Yet, following the Rays through Spring Training, what’s caused me to develop my own cautious optimism (“You were excited last year, too, Erik, and look what happened!” my regular bartender pointed out recently,”) is the other 1-5 guys – the Rays are stacked with them, not only projected in various spots throughout the 2010 opening day lineup but throughout lineups of the future. To clarify, a 1-5 guy must be someone who can hit for power and average as well as take walks and steal bases, so they can be put in any of those spots, setting the table or knocking em’ in, and be successful. Hanley Ramirez is the quintessential 1-5 guy. This versatility of power and speed is becoming what the Rays brand is being built on. Carl Crawford’s a 1-5 guy, as is Jason Bartlett, as is Ben Zobrist. Beyond lineup versatility the Rays can take it a step further – position flexibility. Sean Rodriguez is thriving this spring experimenting as a super-utility guy, playing five positions so far. Sean Rodriguez is a 1-5 guy of the future. With Zobrist already a multi-positional expert you’re looking at two guys getting regular playing time who can play ANYWHERE. This brings a smile to Maddon’s face I’m sure…because Maddon likes to manage, and having two regulars who can play anywhere really frees him up to play the match-up game without remorse. If only we didn’t have Pat Burrell on payroll, Maddon could theoretically have free reign to work in at his whimsy a rotation of Zobrist, Rodriguez, Aybar and Joyce at RF, DH and 2B, with Kapler taking spells in RF, and Brignac taking spells in the middle infield. That would be fun, if only because each night we’d eagerly be checking what mix Maddon is running out.

As it stands, though, we’re hoping Burrell hits 25-30 home runs from that 6th spot, so it’s more of a cycle in RF/2B. But that positional flexibility is still key for late inning substitutions, whether it be for fielding or for matching up in a pinch-hitting situation. The downside is that unless we drop Kapler, either Brignac or Joyce will start the year at AAA, and, barring injury will be there until September. There has been a lot of talk across the web and amongst fans about Kapler’s spring (2-19) versus the other three guys (Joyce 5-12, Rodzilla 13-30, Brignac 11-29) and how the Rays should release Kapler and bring all three up. After all, Kapler will be one and done, the other three will hopefully be staples in the Rays organization for years to come. But I would like to point out something I’ll call the Cliff Floyd factor. Cliff Floyd was a regular for the 2008 miracle Rays, playing in 80 games with a stat line of .268/11/38. Those are not fantastic numbers. But in retrospect Floyd’s veteran presence was a key cog in the Rays pennant-winning machine. Kapler provides that veteran presence, as well as a pretty skilled bat against left-handed pitching. Today he threw two, count them, two players out at home plate from center field. This is a guy we want on our team, his position is set, it was a game with mostly AAA guys, and he’s leading by example with maximum effort. Without this “clubhouse coach,” without at least a little Cliff Floyd factor…would the Rays have the leadership necessary to go deep into the playoffs? Plus the dude’s really ripped and looks intense whereas Joyce and Brignac look like a couple of kids…that’s got to factor in.

So then you get into the question of which of our future 1-5 guys get to hump the Durham shift. Surely Rodzilla has played his way out of danger – so it’s either Brignac or Joyce. Joyce seemingly has lost a step because of his injury – but he brings much more pop to the equation than Brignac. Plus, the way Rodriguez is playing, I keep finding myself singing, “Anything Reid can do, Sean can do better.” Then we get to talking Rays language – contract shit. Reid doesn’t have a full year in the pros, so he’s in the same situation as Wade Davis, whenever he gets through his first full year the arbitration time bomb starts ticking down. Joyce is already arbitration eligible after 2011, no savings there. We have Bartlett under our control until the end of the 2011 season; Brignac won’t be starting next season unless someone gets hurt. With Kapler and Crawford most likely gone after next year, Joyce is much more likely to command an everyday position. A full year in at least a platoon position would go a long way to making sure he thrives in that role. Also, the Rays nurture their players – Joyce spent a year in the Show, and then had to play a full year out in Durham. To have to stay there another would definitely start to fray the nerves. Durham’s a lovely town, but after you’ve been in the Show, it’s tough to eat at the kid’s table.

Honestly, whichever way you look at it, the guy you’re most likely gonna see commanding playing time out of the three is Rodzilla, that’s why I think the contract shit has got to play into the front office’s ultimate decision. Unless Joyce sits too long with his injury, or it gets worse, I think it’s going to be Brignac in AAA. Which leaves the lineup like so:

VS. RH Pitcher VS. LH Pitcher

1. Jason Bartlett – SS 1. Jason Bartlett – SS
2. Carl Crawford – LF 2. Carl Crawford – LF
3. Ben Zobrist – 2B 3. Ben Zobrist – RF
4. Carlos Pena – 1B 4. Carlos Pena – 1B
5. Evan Longoria – 3B 5. Evan Longoria – 3B
6. Pat Burrell – DH 6. Pat Burrell – DH
7. B.J. Upton – CF 7. B.J. Upton – CF
8. Kelly Shoppach – C 8. Kelly Shoppach - C
9. Matt Joyce - RF 9. Sean Rodriguez – 2B

Again, any talk of lineup cards in spring is pure, wild, useless speculation. We could just as easily see Zobrist run out pretty much everyday at RF, and Rodriguez everyday at 2B. I’ve liked Rodriguez’s outfield play a lot so far, though, and Zobrist plays a nifty second base. In the situation Rodriguez plays everyday Kapler/Joyce would play when Bartlett, Zobrist, Rodriguez, Upton or Crawford take a day off, depending on who is pitching. If one of the middle infielders were resting Rodriguez would fill in and Joyce/Kapler would play RF. Of course if any of the starting outfielders were to rest, Joyce/Kapler would simply fill-in. This would still give the “RF platoon” plenty of playing time but keep whom I believe to be our most talented players pretty much set in their positions. So, for what it’s worth, this would be my lineup:

1. Jason Bartlett – SS
2. Carl Crawford – LF
3. Evan Longoria – 3B
4. Carlos Pena – 1B
5. Ben Zobrist – 2B
6. B.J. Upton – CF
7. Pat Burrell – DH
8. Kelly Shoppach – C
9. Sean Rodriguez – RF

I think it’s a big mistake to put Evan Longoria, our franchise player (once CC makes his inevitable exit); a player many (including me) are predicting will be in the MVP race, 5th in the lineup. He should be getting as many chances to bat as possible in as many key situations as possible. No knock on Zorilla, but Evan is our star. Yes, Zobrist’s on-base percentage is nice, but wouldn’t it be sweet to have someone setting up the bottom of the order power guys and splitting up the strikeout guys? Pena, Longoria, Burrell, Upton would be like strikeout row. That’s why I have Upton in the 6th spot, if Pena strikes out and fails to get Longo and/or the other guys in (because it’s either a strike-out or a home-run with him), and the inning turns over, you almost have sort of a second 1-2-3-4 going in the next four, with Rodriguez being the second lead off guy. Ideally if Bossman puts up July 2009 numbers consistently he can be moved to the five spot to be a true 1-5 guy to add balance to the lineup and provide the sort of role that Carl Crawford filled in that spot during the 2008 playoffs. Any which way you look at it, the reason why we can even have this discussion is the lineup versatility these 1-5 guys provide – and all you who are preparing to sing funeral dirges after 2010 because of our supposed bleak chances for 2011 should stop to realize – Matt Joyce, Sean Rodriguez, Desmond Jennings – we have even MORE 1-5 guys waiting in the wings.

If the Yankees Are America's Team...

2010-03-06T22:31:00.006-05:00

I’m not one to bitch about hangovers. Complaining about the pounding throughout the vessels surrounding the brain, the searing stabbing sensations through one temple and out the other, is comparable to a pitcher complaining about neck tension when it was his flat, Sonnanstinesque stuff that got him homered on over and over again, causing that watch-the-ball-go whiplash. But to establish how terrible I felt the morning of March 5, 2010 is to impart the full extent of the drastic change that took place between the hours of noon and one-thirty. What caused this change?

Baseball. Baseball baby. To explain: while watching the first televised Rays game of spring training in my favorite bar, two arcade-golf playing, Budweiser swilling hipsters and one bartendress getting a little lit before her shift seperately made the comment that they were shocked baseball was back already. “Differences in perspective,” I announced, “To me it’s this great golden shining beautiful return after a long, long winter. I was like a kid before Christmas morning last night. I love it. Baseball is back.”

So I swallowed down the urge to vomit as I swung my legs over the side of my bed, stumbled my way to the kitchen and fed myself so I could take a handful of ibuprofen. I had to get up. I had to make my way downtown to my regular bar and my regular bartender with whom I shared so many hostile yet good-humored exchanges of conversation while the Rays and Red Sox were locked in their ALCS death struggle less than two years ago. I put on a pot of coffee and donned my jersey, a custom one, my name and Little League number on the back, a sign you could put in neon lights of my devotion to my team and the universality of America’s game.

But how universal is it? Is it really a sport that touches, inspires, unites as I so wish to believe? Not only did it wash away my hangover but the combination of slightly spring air, an actual strong bit of sunlight, and the viewing pleasure of the Rays beginning their trouncing of the Yankees while in a New York bar was enough to bring about all those warm feelings of blind idealism America was once known for. This was our spirit, and the Yankees were our team; an embodiment of that spirit, ripe with heroes, beautiful in blue pinstripes. This franchise in the 1950’s and 1960’s won on talent and desire, not solely on the ability to outspend. Hell, even as recent as 1999, just over a decade ago, the Yankees had a payroll of $92,938,260, while the then Devil Rays had a payroll of $64, 407, 910. That’s less than a $30 million difference. That dynasty was probably the last time we as a country could so unabashingly and unashamed back the Bronx Bombers. How can I, with any sort of gusto, balls and respect for healthy competition, spinelessly support a team north of $200 million when my own hometown team hit a payroll record this year with around $70 million? The Red Sox, who less than a decade ago were baseball’s loveable losers and the mascot of drunken underdogs everywhere, can’t logically reclaim that title either with a payroll around $125 million. Bud Selig claims that parity is at an all-time high – and how can you argue with him? In the last ten years there have been eight different World Series champions. In two of the last three years teams came out of nowhere to make the World Series, referring of course to the Rays remarkable turnaround and the Rockies incredible late-season run in 2008 and 2007, respectively.

But as exemplified in the comparable payrolls of just a decade ago it is clear we cannot understand what is to come by analyzing even our most recent history. In my view the best indicator of what is to come occurred last year, when the preseason favorites to reach and win the World Series reached and won the World Series. The Rays and Rockies managed to do something special those years, but can they expect to compete regularly with the likes of the Yankees, Red Sox and Phillies? Sure, another large market team like the Dodgers or Angels could easily make a run at them, and the Chicago Cubs, like the Red Sox before them, only wear the thorny crown of underdog in spirit with their $130+ million payroll. The last three champs were the Red Sox, Phillies, and Yankees – no surprises there. And the pundits seem to believe this year, as expected, the playoffs will certainly include the Yankees, Red Sox, and Phillies, and those three teams are the preseason favorites to win the World Series.

Bodog.com’s pre-spring training odds for the Rays to win the World Series were 20-1: the same as the Mets. Why? They have to compete with the juggernauts of the Red Sox and Yankees. Are they juggernauts because of superior scouting, player development, teamwork, and heroic performances? No, certainly not entirely. Projectionists and statistical analysists such as Baseball Prospectus insist that on paper the three teams are the strongest in the American League, perhaps the majors, and that the difference in strength between the three teams is a wash. Yet why are a majority of pundits predicting, with almost certainty, the Rays will finish third place? Because the Rays don’t have big TV deals and cha-ching ticket prices and spectacular attendance raising revenue to feed the beast. The 2009 Rays, with their lackluster start and subpar performances from key players, are an example – the margin for error is slim to none. If the Yankees or Red Sox have injuries or underperform they will buy or trade for players to fill the gap. If the 2010 Rays have key injuries or two months into the season find themselves behind the pack, we will lose our most tenured, beloved player, which will cause attendances to shrink below the already abysmol totals the Trop has managed, which will kill morale and make a run at the pennant near impossible. The Rays are at the whim of momentum – they will be magic, or they will be dead.

A Yankees fan asked me recently after I explained all this to him: “How can you root for a team like that year-in, year-out?” It took some thought before I could come up with the right answer. Was he right? Am I some sick masochist fixated on disspointment or starry-eyed optimist living the dream despite my knowledge of cold, concrete facts? Maybe. Afterall, I was a fan when things were worse, when things were truly shitty, when I shivered in the 72 degrees of that dome praying it would light up orange if only for the night so I could somewhat derisively taunt whatever giant monster of a team we happened to be throwing rocks at that day. My answer, though, finally, was: “Because I was able to root for them day-in, day-out during the 2008 season, and that was some fucking beautiful thrill ride.”

And it’s true – I could have turned off and tuned out after game five of the ALCS. Hell, I almost did. I listened to game 7 on the radio because I couldn’t watch, couldn’t deal with the consequences if we were defeated and I had to turn the other cheek again to Red Sox fans after swinging wildly like Big Game at that little punk Coco. But a part of me kept with it, kept one foot in the careening, crash-bound vehicle driven by that well-read, white-haired, wine-loving wizard. My father called me that night, after game five, when the sox came back from a seven-run deficit late in the game to walk-off with it (and the series, as far as the ESPNers were concerned). He was moaning and cursing and crying misfortune; he too believed we were done for. Calmly I explained to him we would lose game 6 as well; I had a feeling. “We can’t!” he exclaimed, “We go to game 7 we’re toast.” Logic would deem him 100% correct. But around every corner of that season was this ugly ogre called logic; ready to pound overperformers like RF Gabe Gross and some rookie with a name like Eva. We’d have stretches where the dark clouds were ready to overtake us, like a seven-game losing streak before the break. Or how about a hobbled star, Carl Crawford, oh man, I felt heavy droplets and lightining coming for us then. When Longoria got hit on the wrist I felt the sky opening up. So this was no different, it just came in a tighter spot. Sure, when it rains it pours. But where I go to ball games, when it pours, leave your umbrella at home. The sun will be out soon. “2-0 in game 7,” I predicted, “Garza will twirl a gem.”

Well when that Goddamn sun came out, it was a gorgeous feeling. I could feel blood pumping from my heart to my soul. I felt everything good sport can and should make you feel. Not dread that we wouldn’t win, but that lightning shot possibility that we would win. When that towering lefty of a rook shut them down in that spot, shouting who knows what, probably some profane triumphs, into his glove as he walked to the dugout, I was inspired. That’s hard to come by in a recession. The population seems hooked on dissapointment – not me. I’m a possibility junkie. And looking ahead at the changing mythology of baseball it shocks me more haven’t discovered that thrill.

If you want to root for the Yanks or the Sox, you go right ahead. Those of you who grew up in their respective cities or have lived there for some good amount of time should, despite the gross, corporate realities that exist behind the pretty dressings on those storied teams. But if I have to listen to another asshole talk about how his grandparents grew up in Main so he’s a Red Sox fan even though he’s lived all his life in a two-hundred mile radius of St. Petersburg I’m gonna take a swing, I swear to God. That’s not a fan; that’s a coward, a follower, and a loser in my book. I have another word for it that I’ll refrain from using, but you get the idea.

If you disagree and believe, against all possible arguments, that the Red Sox or Yankees are still America’s team, I have this to ask of you: If the Yankees are America’s team, what does that say about America?