Zobrist looks really legit at the plate. He hit two balls last night ####ing HARD.

Don't underestimate the powers of Sweet Jesus He looks like a different hitter this year. He's really hitting the ball with more authority. He's still not all that great in the field, but he > Brendan Harris

Yea he's no Bartlett out there but he's sure no Harris either. Nice player to have around.

Between Benzo, Bartlett, Beckham and Brignac, I think we're pretty loaded at SS for a while.

Fox semi-national game today.

J - you think Aybar has enough bat to be full-time DH next year, from both sides of the plate? He is swinging it since Longo went down. They can also use him to give the corners and 2nd a day off, although I guess Zobrist can do the same.

I imagine Floyd is retiring this year so it should be a spot they need to fill.

Aybar's splits are pretty bad. He's a much better hitter from the right side. A lot of guys said just give Aybar an everyday job and he would rake. I think he's earned the chance at it next season and I like having a DH that can actually go out into the field when needed unlike our current DH.

Another great move by Friedman to get Aybar for 2 Krispy Kremes because he was out of options and Atlanta couldn't keep him. If he wasn't here, we'd be done right now. There is nobody else to play 3B at this time with Brignac also out with a wrist injury.

Cappy, two ?'s...

1) What is your playoff rotation looking like?

2) I like to make some cash during the baseball playoffs. If there is a matchup you
REALLY don't like for Tampa, will you be able to put your loyalties aside and let us know?

No Longo and no CC, and this team just bends the WS over.

Can't wait to watch this team in the playoffs. Great comebacks the past 2 nights.

I'll chime in

1 - Shields
2 - Kazmir
3 - Garza

Until this series, the White Sox matchup scared me but we're 5-1 against them this year. 5-3 against the Angels which worries me because their offense is very tough as is their pen.

Playing Boston in Boston has been a house of horrors for us forever so I'd rather not face them.

ALDS

Shields
Kazmir
Garza

Add Sonny as the game 4 starter if they make the LCS.

I don't like Boston in a short series matchup, but I think they can beat them. Angels too. I think they would (and I can't believe I'm writing/jinxing this) have a somewhat comfortable time with the WSox and/or Twins.

I think Boston is in their head in Fenway, or at least they were earlier this year.

Any reports on how Longoria is progressing?

We can't make any moves in our league after September 1st, but I'd take 3 weeks of Longoria over 4 weeks of Ronnie Belliard.

Yea reports are he will be back by September 1st.

Bad job by Zobrist today in the 9th on the throw but Riggans still needs to get that ball.

F the 2nd and 3rd base ump who totally blew the pickle call. Replay will show them just how badly they suck when they see AssJole Puzzinski cheat on yet another play and comes out on the good end of it.

I hope Maddon gets his money's worth in the post-game conference because that's 2x this week the umps have Dekinger'd a call.

Riggans blew the game and it should not have come to that bad call. Combine that with the unlucky bounce on BJ's double and it was an all-around deflating loss...even though they took 2 of 3.

So maybe that bad call will be a blessing in disguise if it pi$$es the guys off and they come out fired up instead of down.

Shields v Halladay should be fun on Tuesday

Moved to Rays thread...

Look, people who criticize excellent baseball fans for being irrational for thinking or feeling a certain way about their team have either never had their team be absolutely horrible for years and years, or are Red Sox, Yankees, or Cardinals fans who enjoy consistent winners and forget how it is to be a terrible franchise/team.

A lot of talk among Tigers fans given the very disappointing season is jumping on the Rays wagon and riding that all the way. I could never jump on an AL bandwagon and root for the NL every year except for 2006 (I have jealousy issues) but I knew the Rays would be pretty good this year and watching them be even better than I thought as a baseball fan is good stuff. I know they have never had a season where they didn't lose 90 games, and even if it's a new franchise I can empathize with a team who no one thinks can do it. Detroit fans are spoiled by the success of the Wings and Pistons who have been powerhouses in their sports for a decade+, and who dismiss the Lions because it's painful to have to have a team run like that for 50 ####### years. I'm not a Lions fan and I think I want them to win a Super Bowl so the fans can actually enjoy sports again, right now they treat the Tigers like the ugly chick who lost the glasses and showed some ### at a party who went back to being a prude. The chick is still nailable, but the whole forest through the trees thing escapes some. Baseball is simply just the most unique and American of sports and I love watching a Connie Mack game as much as I love watching a Mariners/Rangers game in May.

I might actually root for the Rays if they get to the WS if they play the Mets. Cubs, or Dodgers. Having something different in baseball is good, and I just can't stand the Red Sox and Yankees. Like I said I think they are a little short on offense but Kazmir and Shields can beat anybody, and if you get some bounces and your pen continues to pull the rabbit out of the hat, they have a legitimate shot. Probably TMI here but you and Capella have posted #### about this team for years here, I'll at least be thinking of you two n00bs when they are playing in October. :offmysoapbox:

I've been with this team since Wilson Alvarez threw the first pitch low and outside for ball 1.

I said before the season they'd finish 85-77 this year back in February because I liked the moves in the off-season. Had they won the game today, they could have eclipsed my prediction this month. As it is, if they play .500 ball here on out, they finish 95-67 and get into the playoffs. I thought playoffs were realistic before the end of this decade but never imagined it could happen this year. The odds are great, but I'm so accustomed to the bad stuff happening I still worry that this game here becomes a factor at the end of next month and we're in Baltimore having to beat Aubrey Huff to make the playoffs.

:thumbup: you're a good man.

This is my most exciting/satisfying year as a sports fan. When the Bucs won it in 02 it was a relief that the great defense wouldn't just be a footnote and despite two horrid decades, the team had been playoff bound for five years prior. When FSU won it in 99 it was expected and the Bolts in 04; well that just kind of happened. They just got hot in the second half and rode it out.

But this team - they were ####ing awful the first 10 years and even last year they crept up on 100 losses. Yet, I had faith and so did Knightro. It feels good, as good as being a sports fan can feel I imagine.

If they somehow win it all this year, I'll flip. It's a feeling I imagine Yankee fans could never have.

What in the world were the odds in Vegas before the season for Tampa winning the WS?

A bajillion to one?

Even to win the East, it must have been amazingly long odds.

they were 10:1 when I was out in Vegas last month

I think before the year they were 350:1 to win the WS.

Don't know about the division, but I imagine that was 150:1.

Before the season started my sportsbook was offering only offering 25:1 to win the AL and 35:1 to win the AL East. I can't remember what they were to win the WS, but it definitely wasn't over 100:1. I'm not saying these were the best lines out there, but these were the ones available to me.

Big night with the RSox playing the Yanks and Shields going against Halladay.

9 game home stretch coming up - Jays, Os and Yanks. Hoping for 6-3.

Shields has been great at home and we've had some success against Halladay. Tough game for me to watch because Halladay is my favorite pitcher in baseball. The game could be over in 2 hrs flat tonight as neither of these guys walk anyone.

Seriously? WTF is up with that?

"Stadium is too far away"

"Too many people from out of state"

"Team sucked for too long"

"There's no tradition to fall back on like other teams"

blah blah blah. I've always supported the Tampa Bay fan base, and they've done well by the Bucs and Lightning...but this is horrible.

I'm loathe to even mention this, but the magic number for a playoff spot is now 25 games. 28 for the East.

guaranteed to finish at least .500 this year

34000+ on Saturday afternoon and the place was rocking. Is that a little better for you?

It was a great game...glad that I went.

I went to the Friday night game. I left my office at Sea World at 3:40 and we pulled into the Trop parking lot at 5:45. 2 hrs and 5 minutes for a drive that is 95 miles and should take 1:35 according to Google Maps.

Traffic hits an absolute standstill from where I-4 and 275 merge and continues up until the Howard Franklin Bridge (one of 2 ways over to St Pete). It continues once you get over the bridge for a few miles. It took us an hour to get to the Trop from the time we passed RayJay stadium and that was at 4:45. Anyone leaving work at regular time would have had even worse rush hour traffic.

Traffic is nowhere near as bad on the weekends making it easier to travel. Both Saturday and Sunday had crowds over 30,000.

The Trop is in the worst possible location for the Bay area. It would be like putting Wrigley Field out in Geneva or Yankee Stadium in Pearl River.

A lot of interesting moves yesterday. They called up and then placed Ryu on the DL to clear up two roster spots for October. Also called up Perez for late innings speed and defense and Jaso for when Navarro's body finally dies.

I really want to see Jaso. Criminal how underrated he's been.

Nice win tonight.

I actually like that they're facing a tough September schedule, they can ride that right into the playoffs. A team like the Angels are going to clinch this weekend and then will likely mentally check out a bit,

I can't imagine that will be good when the Rays or Red Sox come calling.

If the Rays underachieve and go 12-12 here on out, the Twins would have to go 20-2 just to tie them.

In other words, get your playoff face ready.

Cool promo coming up...

In NYC during the ASG...there were 7 ft Statues of Liberty around Manhatten painted like various MLB teams. The Rays version was in Time Square near the Champs there.

Majestic has purchased the Rays version, and will unveil it at the Trop on Tuesday Sept 16th vs the Red Sox.

In conjuction, there will be a tee made with the Statue of Liberty and the Paul Revere statue "de-faced" with Rays marks. Fans can bring in their old Yankees or Red Sox tees to exchange for a free Rays tee.

Looks like Duemig will be doing a remote live to help promo...

Will one of you baseball stat gurus please show me why Maddon keeps going to this guy?

I understand he's a team leader. I understand he's a proven winner and a fierce competitor. I also understand he horrendously out of shape and is throwing BP fastballs.

That's almost as good a response as the Red Sox down 7-1 in the 2nd inning.

Good comeback...8-3 Texas since the 2nd inning.

Celebrating a Rays loss is independent of the Sox' outcome...

Unfortunately they should roll today against Purcey, guy is awful.

Oops, just checked his stats more closely, looks like he has had one good game this season, shutting down the Rays in 8 innings. So maybe there is a chance...

Despite themselves, the playoff magic number is down to 13.

I think you mean 'in spite of themselves'...

Honestly, how boring is your life?

Cappy,
Don't feed the animals.
Life is better that way.

you ever pay your debt to Jag player?

Just going on record here this should be a great series.

I know I'm a massive Sox homer but if we were a lock for the WC and it Didn't mean we'd have to face the Angels I'd actually be rooting for the Rays to win the division just because I think it would be such a cool story.

I know the Rays have a 98% chance to make the playoffs but as an extremely pessimistic Rays fan who is conditioned for the worst, all I can stare at is the 2%

Poor Cap

Is this the part where we compare message board posts?