PRays The Lord And Pass The Advil!

The Rays deserved a celebraytion.

And they got one. Which might explain why the B Team took the field in the final game of the Twin series yesterday at The Trop. Sonny pitched another great game but didn't have the customary and ultra reliable infield to back him up. Longo was the only regular infielder and his aim was a bit off yesterday. At the end of the day in front of another sell-out crowd, the Rays came up short in a 1-4 loss to Minnesota. No action for the hometown boy. That swing is sure gonna be rusty if he ever gets a chance to air it out. The Magic Number clicker is still stuck on 6 with a Red Sox win yesterday.

Photo Steve Nesius (AP)

The drive for the AL East begins today as the Magic Bus rolls to Baltimore.

The last week of the regular season will feature rookie starters on the mound. David Price gets the ball tonight. Mitch Talbott tomorrow night. Garza, who threw on a quick turnaround last week, gets a rest until Saturday. Meanwhile, Percy's back is still in knots and he'll have a second set of epidural injections Tuesday and be available to pitch on Thursday. If things go well. He pitched an inning in relief on back to back days this weekend and wiggled through them with only a slight bit of drama. Joe's got some mighty heavy closer dice to roll in about a week. Percy better level with him to keep the 9=8 equation in balance. If the math on the t-shirts is new to you, it's been Joe Maddon's mantra all season. That's 9 players playing hard for 9 months = 8 teams that play on. Hey, it's worked so far :-)

Post-Season Roster Prognostications.

Carl Crawford's hand is still not cleared to swing a bat. He may be available this week as a defensive replacement or to pinch run. A reinjured tendon could be career ending. He didn't have a career year and may not be able to pick up where he left off. Rocco Baldelli is a great story and we love him, but he seems to need several days between partial games to recover. When this roster is whittled back down to 25 players for the playoff run it will be a tough call between two guys who could be out for the season, or worse, with one wrong move... or a few healthy guys who can be personally credited with the single game or two that will probably decide the AL East. Ruggiano, Perez, Gomes, Johnson, Baldelli, and Crawford. Oohhh-eee. Tough call.

Woo! The Other Johnson Gets Rays Back On Track

Lotsa chatter that Jonny Johnson Gomes will finish his season in Tampa Bay once the Governors' Cup International League Championship is in the bag. But the plane ride was pushed back a day when the Bulls dropped the opener last night against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.  The Bulls took the lead with an 8th inning rally, but the Yanks came back with 2 in the 9th to win it 8-7. Gomes was 1-4 with a single and a run scored at DH and is batting .263 in the post season.  Newly minted Minor League Player Of The Year, David Price struck out 9 in his 6 inning appearance and may be on his way to The Rays as soon as today.  Cannot wait to see that boy throw.

Meanwhile, Dan Johnson has been quietly getting it done all season.

The left handed batter was claimed off waivers from the A's in April and many Rays fans wondered what the plan was for another 1B with limited experience at other positions and a 5 pound medical record. Johnson was in Tampa Bay just long enough to get a uniform when the Rays right field platoon swelled yet again and Dan was Durham bound.  The popular former A played some outfield and 3B for the Bulls but was used primarily as the DH, swinging the bat well  with a .307 average, 25 home runs and 83 RBIs. He got the call to Fenway yesterday and arrived too late to start, but just in time to save the day.  The Rays were up 3-2 in the 8th with 2 outs, a Sox runner on, and a textbook matchup at the plate.  Jason Bay was just 1 for 18 against Rays reliever Dan Wheeler. Naturally, Bay launched a 1-1 pitch over the Monster for the lead.  On his reputation for working the count, Dan Johnson got a last second call to pinch-hit and lead off the 9th. Against Papelbunion Papebon. No pressure.  He saw three balls, then a strike and hammered the 6th pitch into the right field stands. The first Papel-bomb since June 14th.  Johnson snapped a career 0-15 pinch hit streak as a Major Leaguer and what a time to do it.  The speedy Fernando Perez drilled a double off the monsta. My hero Dioner Navarro, hit yet another clutch double to plate Perez and put the Rays back on top 5-4.  With Percy set to close, Rays fans chanted their favorite motivational quotes and popped a Rolaid.  The Rays closer managed to get it done but, as usual, it was an E-Ticket ride instead of a Brandon Morrow mow down. Whatever. We won and we're still on top in the AL East.

As for Jonny Johnson Gomes... the Rays are still convinced Jonny is a lefty specialist in the batter's box and opted for left handed hitter Dan Johnson given the series of RHP they'll face the next few days.  Jonny's Durham splits?   .171 vs LHP in 35 ABs.  and .292 vs RHP in 72 ABs for a combined .252.  But what do I know.

Hey, Longo is back this weekend if everything stays on track with that mending wrist. Love him, but he'll have to put on quite a show to knock Navi off PTownFan's pedestal for Rays MVP.