- Field Day |
- Buildings Alive |
- Visions |
- CLGBT |
- Green Community |
- Fun & Free S#!T |
- Crossword |
- CL Space |
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Time to pay attention to the Tampa Bay Rays again
Posted by Eric Snider on Wed, Jul 1, 2009 at 11:26 AM
For all you casual Rays fans, and for those of you who witnessed the early part of this season and figured last year's World Series run was a fluke, it's time to start paying attention again.
• The Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays last night 4-1, and now have a season-long seven-game winning streak.
• After hovering around .500 for several weeks, the St. Pete club has busted out to a record of 44-35, nine games over for the first time this year.
• The Rays are four games behind AL East-leading Boston and a game-and-half behind second-place New York, which currently holds the wildcard playoff spot. Their record is better than Al Central-leading Detroit (43-34) and AL West-leading Los Angeles (42-33). (Yes, it's early — with only 79 of 162 games played — but I tell you this just to reinforce the idea that the Ray are back in the hunt.
• Third baseman Evan Longoria, who's been hobbled with a hamstring injury in recent weeks, was voted by the fans to start in the All-Star Game. Left fielder Carl Crawford is having a career year, and should be chosen to the team, as should shortstop Jason Bartlett. Utility man Ben Zobrist and relief pitcher J.P. Howell have drawn serious consideration, but Joe Maddon, who will manage the American League in the All-Star Game, may find it all but impossible to place either one on the squad.
• The Rays are fun to watch again, hitting homeruns (three last night, a team-record-setting 41 in June) and stealing bases. (They're one of five teams to notch 100 homers and 100 steals before the All-Star break, and did it faster than any other team in Major League history.)
• They're defense has improved (centerfielder B.J. Upton has made several extraordinary plays in recent games, making them look kind of easy.)
• The pitching has found its equilibrium. The bullpen, vulnerable as recently as three weeks ago, has shut down teams in the late innings.
Comments (1)
Showing 1-1 of 1
This is why nobody needed to panic in April and May. Shit, it's probably still too early to draw any real conclusion from the Rays' performance, other than they finally had a great month. Can I be the first to say they're peaking too early?
like
dislike
Latest in Daily Loaf
-
V.M. Ybor neighbood to City Council: We don't want Trinity Cafe to relocate here
Dozens came out to protest the facility coming into their neighborhood.
-
USF held hostage by legislative terrorism
What's JD Alexander want? Simple. A new, taxpayer-funded university in Lakeland that he can take credit for and potentially lead.
-
Mitch Perry Report 2.16.12 - Iorio calls out J.D. Alexander
- More »
Author Archives
-
CD review: Pontiak, Echo Ono
-
Concert review: Richard Thompson at Tampa Theatre 1
The British musician offered up an evening full of jaw-dropping guitartistry at his Feb. 3 show.
- More »
Top Commenters
