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Saturday, October 11, 2008, 9:33 am
Loss quiets Rays
There was no music blaring.
Very few players were milling around.
The ones who were in front of their locker spoke in soft, hushed tones.
It was a feeling the Tampa Bay Rays haven’t felt at Tropicana Field since Sept. 21.
“We don’t like losing at home,” designated hitter Cliff Floyd said.
The Rays not only lost at home, they were shut out.
Tampa Bay suffered a 2-0 setback to the Boston Red Sox on Friday in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series.
The shutout was the first at home since April 20 to John Danks and the Chicago White Sox.
“Tough night,” Floyd said. “Sometimes you have to tip your hat.”
Boston starter Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched six innings of no-hit ball. Three relievers, including lights-out closer Jonathan Papelbon, shut the door for the final five outs.
“A lot of it had to do with Daisuke,” Rays catcher Dioner Navarro said. “A lot of credit to him.”
“He pitched a good game tonight,” left fielder Carl Crawford said. “He had a good two-seamer (fastball). He threw harder tonight and made the pitches when he needed to.”
When the Rays spoke, they said all the right things.
“There’s nothing we can do about it now,” center fielder B.J. Upton said.
“We think, ‘What could we have done better?’ ” first baseman Carlos Pena said. “They just did a good job.”
The reality is Tampa Bay must face right-hander Josh Beckett, who never has lost the postseason, and left-hander Jon Lester, who might be Boston’s best pitcher right now.
“We have to come back tomorrow,” Pena said.
“We’ll come back tomorrow,” rookie third baseman Evan Longoria said.
The Rays also know if they are going to win the series and advance to the World Series, they will have to win at least one game at Fenway Park, since they squandered home field advantage.
“We’ve won at Fenway,” Longoria said. “The first thing we have to do is win tomorrow.”
“We still have confidence,” losing pitcher James Shields said. “We’ve done it all year long.”
“We did lose games in the regular season,” Pena said. “We can come back.” -
Friday, October 10, 2008, 9:25 pm
Not many Boston fans inside Trop
Not many Red Sox fans made it inside Tropicana Field for Game 1 of the American League Championship Series.
If Red Sox Nation was represented, it was drowned out by the rabid Tampa Bay fans, who were loud long before James Shields’ first pitch. -
Friday, October 03, 2008, 9:24 pm
Rays rally to take 2-0 lead in series against White Sox
Akinori Iwamura Tampa Bay Rays' Akinori Iwamura, right, is congratulated by Carl Crawford after hitting a two-run homerun in the fifth inning against the Chicago White Sox during Game 2 of the American League division series game on Friday. (AP)Kazmir lasted until one out in the fifth. He departed with Juan Uribe on second. Uribe singled and was sacrificed into scoring position by Brian Anderson.
In the much-anticipated move of the night, Grant Balfour came on to face Orlando Cabrera.
The two had words Thursday night.
Cabrera objected to Balfour yelling after throwing a pitch.
Balfour got the final word, or yell, after striking out Cabrera with two outs and the bases loaded in the seventh inning with the Rays ahead 6-3.
Friday, Cabrera stepped in to the batter’s box to a chorus of boos and the White Sox trailing 3-2 in the sixth.
The first pitch was high, real high.
Cabrera swung and missed a belt-high slider.
He fouled the next pitch back into the seats.
Cabrera grounded out to second with Uribe going to third. Cabrera passed near Balfour on the mound, but no more words were exchanged.
Switch-hitting Nick Swisher turned around to bat left-handed against the right-handed Balfour. Swisher flied out to left, keeping Kazmir in line to get the victory. -
Thursday, October 02, 2008, 8:58 pm
Players get feisty during the late innings
Tampa Bay Rays' Evan Longoria (3) runs to first base still holding his bat after hitting a solo home run against the Chicago White Sox during second-inning baseball action in Game 1 of the American League division series in St. Petersburg on Thursday. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)Chicago first baseman Paul Konerko started to first on a 3-2 pitch from Rays reliever Dan Wheeler to start the ninth inning, thinking it was ball four.
Konerko ended up homering to close the gap to 6-4.
Wheeler got the next three outs.
Rays win, go up 1-0 in best-of-5 series. -
Friday, September 26, 2008, 3:08 pm
Clip and save
The Florida Everblades 2008-09 home schedule kick off when they begin their 11th season on Oct. 17 against the Charlotte Checkers.
A list of dates that have been secured for the current 2008-09 promotion schedule is as follows:
Oct. 17 - Opening Night - Light-up Necklace giveaway
Oct. 18 - Magnetic Schedule giveaway
Oct. 24 - Nominate your Bobblehead Candidate!
Nov. 14 - Scout Night
Dec. 12 - Beach Night! Jersey Auction follows game
Dec. 13 - Teddy Bear Toss!
Dec. 19 - Boys & Girls Club Super Card Giveaway
Dec. 20 - Holiday Game! Team Calendar Giveaway, skate with the players following game
Jan. 10 - College Alumni Night
Jan. 23 - Pack The House Night
Jan. 24 - NHL Jersey Night! Jersey Auction follows game
Feb. 11 - Ladies Night
Feb. 13 - Faith & Family Night
Feb. 25 - Super Card #2 Giveaway
Mar. 1 - Kids Day!
Mar. 6 - Pink in the Rink! Cancer awareness - Jersey Auction follows game
Mar. 7 - Fire on Ice charity firefighters game before the Blades game!
Mar. 17 - Green in the Rink & Team Photo giveaway - Jersey Auction follows game
Mar. 18 - Super Card #3 giveaway
Mar. 27 - NASCAR Night!
Mar. 28 - Bike Night
Apr. 3 - Bobblehead Giveaway!
Apr. 4 - Fan Appreciation Night!
Visit www.floridaeverblades.com and www.germainarena.com or call 239-948-PUCK for more information on ticket packages, pricing and upcoming Germain Arena events. -
Sunday, September 21, 2008, 6:58 pm
Riggans attempting to work his way back
Shawn Riggans won’t be making the trip with the rest of his teammates.
The catcher won’t be part of a second celebration, if the Tampa Bay Rays clinch the American League East title either in Baltimore or Detroit this week.
Riggans will remain behind, doing something more important.
He will be attempting to get back into baseball shape.
Riggans had a harrowing ordeal during the past trip to Boston. His bursa sac in his right knee became infected and had to be removed.
After four bedridden days, Riggans rejoined his teammates during the recent homestand and was part of Saturday’s playoff-clinching celebration at Tropicana Field.
Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said he wouldn’t use Riggans until he could perform baseball-related functions.
So, instead of going to Baltimore and Detroit, Riggans will head cross-town to the Naimoli Complex, where the Rays Instructional League will begin play.
There he can attempt to get back into baseball shape and possibly work his way onto the postseason roster.
Maddon commented Sunday on how well catcher Michel Hernandez handled the Rays’ pitchers, particularly starter Andy Sonnanstine. Rookie John Jaso is the only other backup to Dioner Navarro.
So, Riggans has his work cut out for him.
But he said his rehab is going well, quicker than expected.
So anything is possible. -
Friday, September 19, 2008, 1:15 am
Rays can clinch playoff berth tonight, if …
Upon further review, the Rays can clinch their first playoff berth in team history Friday night.
Four things must happen:
First, the Rays must beat Minnesota.
Then, all three of these instances must occur:
The Yankees lost to Baltimore.
Toronto loses to Boston.
And
The Chicago White Sox lose to Kansas City.
Stay tuned and keep an eye on that out-of-town scoreboard. -
Thursday, September 18, 2008, 9:44 pm
With Red Sox gone, Trop returns to normal
Back to normal.
With the Red Sox and their Nation face down in their chowder, the scene at Tropicana Field returned to a sea of blue.
Empty seats, that is.
The crowd to see the Minnesota Twins for the first time this season was announced at 17,296.
That’s 18,752 less than Wednesday’s sellout.
Or 48 percent full.
Owner Stuart Sternberg said Monday less than 20,000 were expected for Thursday’s game.
Guess the fans wanted to prove him correct.
Attendance has been a steady topic in this space.
Good or bad.
Mostly bad. -
Wednesday, September 17, 2008, 11:35 pm
Rays driving near improbable destination
The Rays are almost there.
With different bus drivers along the way, they are near their destination.
A couple of victories during the upcoming four-game series against Minnesota that begins Thursday night will clinch a playoff berth.
Not a small feat for a team that never won 71 or more games in its first 10 seasons.
It’ll take more, wins over Baltimore and possibly Detroit, losses by Boston to any team remaining on the Red Sox schedule to raise the American League East flag.
A playoff berth is great.
A division title is better.
Either way, a trip to the playoffs clearly is within sight after taking the final two against a Boston team that suddenly resembles the New York Yankees.
As the post-game note sheet states: Plenty of seats remain for all four games against the Twins.
That’s about 15,000 Thursday, 10,000 Friday, Saturday and on NFL Sunday.
Coming off the sixth sellout of the season – extending the previous record of four set last year – would it be asking too much to have 30,000 or more when the Rays clinch?
They are 20-1 in front of 30,000 or more, the lone loss on Opening Day, when no one thought any of this was possible.
Now, it not only is possible, it’s probable. -
Wednesday, September 17, 2008, 11:33 am
Tuesday's game had pennant fever
That was more like it.
A game that goes down to the wire.
Rays fans winning back over Tropicana Field, out-yelling the Red Sox fans.
Checking the scoreboard for the Twins score.
Playoff atmosphere?
I think so.
After all, it is September.
This is what a pennant race is all about.
Not 13-5. -
Monday, September 15, 2008, 11:25 pm
Boston's big inning sends Rays' fans home
If there were 30,000-plus fans at Tropicana Field for the start of Monday’s game between Boston and Tampa Bay, there certainly weren’t 30,000 when the final pitch was thrown.
Or in the fifth inning, for that matter.
A seven-run Red Sox uprising in the fourth quieted the Rays’ fans, many of whom were home by the time the game ended.
Of course, with the liberal substituting in the middle of the game, it resembled a spring training affair. -
Saturday, September 13, 2008, 8:09 pm
ESPN wants you to think they have the information first
The bottom line or scroll is a great device, especially when looking for a score quickly.
It’s also an informational tool.
Many times, it can be seen this ESPN reporter is reporting this or that ESPN reporter is reporting that.
Late Friday night, ESPN was reporting the Rays recalled left-handed pitcher David Price from Triple A Durham.
They must have received the same e-mail from the Rays’ public relations staff, which sent out the memo on Price and outfielder Jonny Gomes and pitchers Jeff Niemann and Mitch Talbot.
That memo was sent out around 11 p.m.
So, ESPN wasn’t the only information outlet reporting the news.
But they wanted you to think that. -
Friday, September 12, 2008, 9:23 am
Hot action on the volleyball court
It was hot.
Along with the action on the court, the gyms at Port Charlotte and Charlotte were blistering for volleyball earlier this week.
When the Pirates played host to DeSoto County on Monday and Port Charlotte visited Charlotte on Tuesday, there was no air-conditioning in the respective gyms.
The atmosphere at Tony Cicchella Gymnasium on Monday was bad, but that didn’t compare to Tuesday’s environment at Wally Keller Gym, where the doors were open making it muggier. That’s because Monday’s match lasted three games. Tuesday, the Pirates and Tarpons went five long games.
It wasn’t the norm for Charlotte County schools.
Thursday at Thomas Catanzarite Gym on the campus of Lemon Bay, the air was working just fine, when the Manta Rays played South Fort Myers.
A quick preview of the four area teams: All are young and somewhat inexperienced on the varsity level, but all have the potential to be a factor in the districts. -
Wednesday, September 03, 2008, 11:54 pm
Instant replay has maiden voyage at Trop
Instant replay works.
The process, anyway.
The question remains: Is it effective?
The Rays and the Yankees were the first guinea pigs for instant replay in Major League Baseball on Wednesday night at Tropicana Field.
It took an A-Bomb from A-Rod (quoting Yankee broadcaster John Sterling there) to get the wheels in motion.
When Alex Rodriguez hit a Troy Percival into the stratosphere of the Trop, he stood a couple of steps out of the batter’s box awaiting the original verdict.
Third base umpire Brian Runge looked high and hard before pointing to the field of play, signaling home run.
Tampa Bay catcher Dioner Navarro quickly protested, yelling “replay, replay.”
Rays manager Joe Maddon came out to challenge with out throwing the red flag.
He just wanted the process to begin.
After a brief discussion among the four umpires, Runge, Jerry Layne and crew chief Charlie Reliford took off for the visiting dugout, leaving only home plate umpire Greg Gibson on the field.
In the hallway leading to the visiting clubhouse is a monitor. Officials in New York were contacted, the umpires had several looks and returned to the field in 2 minutes, 15 seconds.
Reliford raised his right hand and twirled his index finger.
Home run.
An unscientific survey in the Rays clubhouse after the game brought mixed results.
Percival thought it was fair off the bat. When he saw the replay, he wasn’t sure.
Maddon couldn’t tell, but it was close enough to call for a second look.
Navarro said he saw it was foul, but admitted everything happened so quickly that it deserved another look see.
Yankee manager Joe Girardi said the umpires got the call right.
The umpires “believed” it was a home run on the field, according to Reliford.
After reviewing the replays, Reliford said they were “conclusive” the correct call was made.
It didn’t take that long.
When it was over, it went in the book as a home run, the one that vaulted Rodriguez past Mike Schmidt alone into 12th place on the all-time list.
But it could be debated for a long time. -
Tuesday, September 02, 2008, 11:45 pm
New York win could bring out more Yankee fans
There were definitely more Rays fans than Yankee fans.
For the most part, the Rays fans were more vocal the Yankee fans.
But when the Yankees did something positive, their fans could be heard throughout Tropicana Field.
Chants of “Let’s Go Yankees” quickly were drowned out.
The fact the Yankees took the first game of the series could result in more Yankee fans making their way out to the next two games.
Dennis Maffezzoli
