11-10 CUP O' JO

TOMMY EVERIDGE - Los Gigantes de Carolina, Puerto Rico (1B, Oakland A's Organization - Midland Rockhounds, AA)  Tommy had a big game Friday night, "exceeding the horsearmour of the garden" with a 2 run homer in the first and another RBI late in the game for a 2 for 3 night as Carolina beat Ponce 10-9. Saturday, the boxscore says Tommy was hitless as Carolina blasted Arecibo 19-6 but a few newspapers credit him with another home run.  Officially, he lifted a sac fly, drew a walk and scored.   In yesterday's 8-5 loss to Arecibo he was 0-3 with 2 walks, a run scored, a ground out, two Ks and a truckload of good defensive work at 1B.  A little early to be talking about averages, but he's hitting .231 with an OPS of .912 if you've just gotta know ;-)  Sunday's loss finds Arecibo in first place with Carolina dropping into a two way tie with Santurce for second.  The local papers are excited about winter beisbol returning to Puerto Rico.  One Google-ator headline exclaimed, "With different balls in Puerto Rico also get the bulk." 

CHATTER...

• Kudos to American League Rookie of the Year Evan Longoria.  He led the class in home runs and his defense is shaping up to be Gold Glove caliber.  A unanimous selection and the first Ray to receive the honor after near misses by Rocco Baldelli and Jonny Gomes and some dude named Delmon Young in recent years.  Teammate Eric Hinske won the honor as a Toronto Blue Jay.  Tommy Everidge's Gigante teammate, Geovany Soto, won the 2008 National League ROY award becoming the first catcher to win since Piazza in 1993.
• Matt Holliday appears headed to Oakland in a trade that involves Huston Street, Greg Smith and Carlos Gonzales. If the deal happens, it quashes weekend Rays and Mariners rumors involving Holliday. There were reports of Rays interest in Holliday. Love Matt, but don't think the Rays need to spend the money with Fernando Perez, Carl Crawford, BJ Upton, Ben Zobrist, Eric Hinske and Rocco Baldelli more than capable of patrolling the outfield.  2009 could well find Rocco locking up the everyday DH spot. The grassroots "Free Jonny Gomes" campaign is revving up. If ever there was a change-of-scenery candidate, he is it.  The Yankees were also rumored to be interested in Holliday via a three way trade that would send Brandon Morrow's teammate Ryan Rowland-Smith to Colorado via the Yankees, Matsui to Seattle and a Roland-Smith/Cano package to Colorado. The Morrow and Rowland-Smith rotation combo is too tantalizing to tamper with. I say leave 'em be.   Stay tuned.

"Who Knew?"

"...And when did they know it?"   The interesting question posed by Mike and Mike on this morning's show as baseball fans boned up on one of the game's new rules allowing for the suspension of tied World Series games.  Tell you what.  This fan had no clue that the Rays weren't playing for their baseball lives in the top of the 6th. Apparently, Carlos Pena also thought it was do or die time with 2 outs, BJ Upton on second and the Phillie's leading 2-1.  So he did.  Pena laced a ball through to center just out of Rollins reach, and BJ navigated the inch deep pools surrounding third base well enough to beat the throw home and tie the game at two.

As the world drew a collective breath, the tarps finally went on the field. By the time the umpiring crew deemed the field unplayable, the rain was coming down in half frozen sheets on a 39 degree night. Drenched players were in Flaps Down mode in their new Elmer Fudd caps. And there was no end in sight. For what it's worth, I think MLB got this one right.  Try to get the game in and do the right thing when the field becomes an icerink.

It seems that the tied game triggered the new rule, but MLB Commissioner Bud Selig said he would have invoked an indefinite rain delay to ensure all 9 innings were played.  Apparently this issue was discussed at length with both teams prior to Game 3 which started 90 minutes late due to weather. For whatever reason, the teams kept that info under their hats and the players were unaware last night.  It explains why Joe Maddon wasn't feeling the excrutiating pain of Kazmir's 6th walk quite as keenly as the rest of us. He knew it would be a 9 inning game.  And it may have put a charge in Pena's bat and the run they needed to stay in this thing.

The suspended game is set to resume in the bottom of the 6th tonight at 8pm EDT but the forecast calls for more rain.  If necessary, the game will be completed tomorrow. Or whenever it clears up in Philly.  A Rays win brings the Series back to The Trop. She and her lovely teflon roof are suddenly the talk of the town in soggy Philadelphia.

Longo also returned to the productive part of the lineup last night. He drove in Carlos Pena to put the Rays on the board in the top of the 4th.  Pena had doubled off the top of the wall in right, the ball barely escaping the webbing of Werth's to the delight of Rays fans from coast to coast. The boys are back.  In the nick of time.

Pena and Longoria somehow navigated the most bizarre and frustrating strike zone configuration the Rays have encountered all year.  For a birds eye view of what Home Plate Umpire Larry Kellogg saw, fast forward this YouTube to the 32 second mark. 

And speaking of birds eye views, let's wrap up this post with a time warp. Remember Dave Winfield's Fowl Ball?  God Bless Billy Martin in his front row seat: http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/2003/10/29/2003-10-29_fowl_ball__dave_winfield__bi.html

Tug McGraw Conjures Up A Game 3 Win For The Phils

The Battle Of The Baseball Supernaturals  World Series took an eerie turn last night.   Reminiscent of The Rays inexplicable Game 5 loss to The Red Sox last week, the Phillies came out on top last night despite another umpiring non-controversy that broke the Rays Way. Here's the bloody game recap. Crikey.

You see, the ghost of Tug McGraw was quietly wrecking havoc with the Rays' 9th inning defense as the team tried to send a tied game to extras. At 1:47am.  His long lost, then found son, Tim McGraw of country music fame, walked the game ball out to legendary Phillies hurler Steve Carlton for the first pitch ceremony last night.  Seems he walked a little bit of Tug around the mound as well.

Explains a lot:

• Jamie Moyer's Game Of A Lifetime while sick as a dog. From the looks of things, might be tonsilitis.
• Matt Garza's Which Matt Is That performance
• Longo's wind shortened longball to LF in the top of the 6th with 2 out and one on
• Utley and Howards' back to back wind lengthened jacks to RF in the bottom of the 6th
• The Mad Australian's plunking of Santa Rosa's pinch-hitting Eric Bruntlett in the bottom of the 9th
• The Mad Australian's Wild Pitch in the 9th allowing baserunners to advance
• Navi's bad throw on a 9th inning attempt allowing baserunners to advance
• Carlos Ruiz dribbler down the 3rd base line with bases loaded and a 5 man infield shift
• Evan Longoria's Hail Mary lob of Ruiz' dribbler over Navi's head
• The Phillies' walk-off dribbler is only their second base hit of the night 

And wouldn't you know it... the lead baserunner who was advanced all the way to walk-off run scoring status was Philly Eric Bruntlett, a guy who lives 20 miles up the road from PTown.

So, in a magnaimous return to The Pearls' roots... giving kudos to PTown area pros in pursuit of America's Game... Eric, here are your kudos.  Your second Pearlacious World Series Moment has been duly noted.  And my journalistic responsibilities have been met. And we expect to see you at Camp next weekend.

The Rays must win tonight or tomorrow to bring the Series home to Tampa Bay.  Where The Trop can work her much more potent magic.

Rays Chew Up A Pair

Yowza. The Rays offense stuffed a sock in Boston again last night. When it was ovah, The Monsta said "TB 13. BOSTON 4".

Carl Crawford and Willy Aybar feasted on Wakefield whiffleballs and Boston relievers. Crawford set a Post Season record with his 5 for 5 performance that included everything but a dinger. Aybar's 5 RBIs once again demonstrated the Rays incredible depth. Tampa Bay wasted no time establishing the momentum with one out in the top of the first. A four pitch walk to speedy BJ Upton of a knuckleball pitcher guarantees a stolen base. Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria followed with back to back home runs. From there it just seemed easy.

Sonny was superb again, going 8+ and giving up his first three earned runs to Boston of the entire 2008 season.  Jackson closed it out setting the radar gun on fire with a slew of 95 mph plus heaters. He may just become the Rays 2009 closer

The Rays broke several post season records last night. It's tempting to get swept up in the hoopla, but here's a sobering fact. 15 teams have trailed 3-1 in a League Championship Series. 4 have come back to win in seven games. 3 times, it was The Boston Red Sox. 1 year ago, Boston trailed Cleveland three games to one and you remember the rest. But the 2008 Sox don't have Manny or Mike Lowell producing buckets of runs.

It's killin' me, but today it will be Humble Pie.  The tasty Boston Creme(d) Pie can wait a few more days.

Oops. They Did It Again

Jon Lester IS hittable. Two thirds of the Rays had hits by the time Byrd relieved Lester in the 6th with the Rays up 5-0.  Rocco Baldelli tacked on a 3 run homer in the 8th and Carlos Pena added a solo bomb in the 9th to seal the Sox fate. Rays 9, Sox 1.  8 hits off The Unhittable One snapped Lester's 24 2/3 scoreless inning playoff streak. And had Fenway "Faithful" headed for the exits in droves well before the last pitch.

And Garza. Other than a few distracting smacks from Pedroia, Kotsay and Cora, he shut down the Sox.  Youkilis just couldn't figure him out. The bullpen came through again. JP Howell dealt red hot Dustin Pedroia a double play ball with 2 on in the 7th and pitched a scoreless 8th to quash the Red Sox attempted comeback.  Jackson showed he didn't need a three inning warmup for his heater with a 1-2-3  9th inning. 

It's Wakefield vs Sonnanstine tonight. Whiffleballs vs. Every Other Form Of Deception. Could be an interesting night for hitters. Ellsbury and Ortiz are way overdue. Could be an interesting night for Rays pitchers. But as long as we end up with one more run than the Beantown Boys, it's all good.  9 home runs between Upton and Longoria in October. A roster full of singles, doubles, stolen bases and go ahead runs. Best defense in the American League. I like our chances.

There will be more post-season baseball at the Trop this year.  The only question is whether the next ball thrown in St. Pete will be in Game 6 of the ALCS or Game One of the World Series. Believe.

RAY-DEMPTION ! ! !

Your 1:39am EST update... Rays win on a BJ Upton bloop sac fly in the 11th that scored Fernando Perez, pinch running for Navi. Didn't I tell you the Magic Bus needed Perez' speedy wheels? Ray-demption.

The series is tied. Tampa Bay, the boys will be back for Game 6. To win the ALCS at home.

Evan Longoria, BJ, and Dan Wheeler ... Game 2 Heroes . And we needed some.

A 9>8 win. How perfect. PollyAnna is gonna sleep like a baby tonight.

Two! Woo!

2 many good things to count 2day:

• 
  
  2 = Rays Magic Number:  A Rays win and a Red Sox loss today and we can avoid the whole Magic Number = 1 drama.

• 
  
  2 = Doubleheader Sweep in Baltimore Yesterday:  2 wins. Twice as nice. 2 games closer to the AL East Title. First twin bill sweep in franchise history.
• 
  
  Shields needed 2 innings to get in a groove for a career best 14th win:  The rotation was juggled to line him up for the Game One start because he goes deep into games, sparing the bullpen on a doubleheader day.  His pitch count was mighty high after two, but then he locked in and was awesome.
• 
  
  2 Baggers key a game one win:  Navi , Perez, Bartlett.  
• 
  
  2 awesome not to mention:  Perez' sac bunt to drive in the final run in a 5-2 win. Speedy Perez can fly. A flippin' fast Ray OF that WANTS to bunt... and CAN.  Love that. 
• 
  
  2 out rally in game 2:  Top o' the 8th.  Bennie Boo Boo Zobrist, the Rays latest Left Fielder (seems "Utility Infielder undershoots the mark) outdid his actually awesome defense with a monster triple to get something going for the Rays. Down 4, the Rays needed much more and got it.  Aybar grounded out but scored Zobie. Dan Johnson K'd and Rays fans fluffed up the mohawks under their rally caps. Long-o drove a first pitch fastball 410 feet.  Rocco singled his booty on base and Gross walked.  2 on. Barty drives in 2 more with a pinch hit single. Baseball God and my personal hero Dioner Navarro scores 2 in a pinch hit appearance. BJ Upton, you guessed it, hits a 2B to score Navi. Rays 7- O's 5.
• 
  
  2 many errors and 2 pitchers later, a 2 run lead for the Rays.  The Orioles played the sloppiest defense I have ever seen last night.  They are done plucked.
• 
  
  2 scoreless innings and a save for Closer By Committee Member JP Howell.  He hails from Sacto by the way.
• 
  
  2 few Jonny Gomes sightings.  C'mon JoJo.  Not 2 many chances left.

Not quite a perfect day though.  PTownFan's name was not drawn in the Rays' "2 Cheap 2 Buy Season Tickets, But Wants A Playoff Ticket Anyway" lottery.  But, there's a 2nd chance drawing if the series returns home to Tampa Bay for Game 5 :-)

Rays Magic Number Is 4

Things to do, places to go, people to see today so let's keep it short and sweet:

• Rays plucked the Orioles in Baltimore 4-2. The Rays did that with only 3 hits. That's a rather paltry bit of offense guys.
• So there should be plenty of pop left in the bats for today's doubleheader. How 'bout a barrage of hits today. Thank you. Game one at 2:05 PTown time.
• David Price was Brandon Morrow-esque in his first major league start last night, taking a no hitter into the 5th inning. No decision, but an awesome effort. Happy to have him on board. Not sure I agree he should bump Sonny or EJax from the rotation in the playoffs though.
• The Tribe topped the Red Sox last night. Thank you v-e-r-y much. Sox are 2.5 back with 7 to go. The mohawks have far reaching mojo.
• MLB Player of the Week Honors for Senor Pena. He hit .318 (7-for-22) with three homers and 12 RBIs in his last eight games, and notched his 100th RBI on a bases-loaded walk last night. Two consecutive 100 RBI seasons. Cheers Carlos!
• AB's for Jonny today? Baltimore is throwing a lefty in game one today. Could happen.
• The Rays could clinch as soon as tomorrow with two wins today. Shields is going for his career best 14th win. Time to ice the bubbly.
• No bubbly for Longo. Evan had the post-bubbly bobbles last night. He's had two months worth of errors in about a week. I'm sending a case of Martinelli Sparkling Cider especially for him.
• Crawford starts swinging today. Gonna make it harder to find a post season spot for Jonny if Carl cruises back.
• 7 games left. 3 more in Baltimore then 4 in Detroit. GO RAYS!

Rays Playoff Bubbly In Bubble Wrap One More Night

PTownJr's Back To School Night topped the priority list last night. However, I managed to follow the ebb and flow of the Rays/Twins game on my most awesome and completely indispensable iPhone. Lot's of flow early. Followed by an ugly ebb. Really, it was more of a victory sucking vortex that swallowed the Rays 8-6 lead in the 9th.

Blowing a late lead has been a mighty rare occurrence this season so let's break it down with the return of The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly.

You owe it to yourself to cue the music for this one. Just click that play button on the right:

THE GOOD:

• A five run first!
• Three long balls for Long-o.
• Pena and Navi went yard.
• Pena and Longo went yard back to back, the 8th B2B set for the Rays this year.
• Some fine defensive plays... or so I hear. The iPhone MLB dudes were pre-occupied with the highly offensive top of the 9th.
• The home debut of David Price, the 1st overall draft pick of the 2007 draft. King David went 2/3 of an inning in relief of a somewhat shaky Shields. Coming in with one out and two on, he K'd two tough lefties after giving up a 2 run single.
• Percy pitched a scoreless 8th! !!!!! !!!!! !
• The Rays could clinch a wildcard spot tonight with a win. But only if the White Sox, Jays and Yankees all lose. I hope all 18 eyeballs are on the game and not the scoreboard tonight.

THE BAD:

• A crowd of only 17,298. People! What gives out there? Are all the Back To School Nights in Florida on September 17th? I don't think so!
• Those three long balls of Longo's tied Jonny's Team Record for most home runs in a game vs. KC in July, 2005. C'mon Evan. You're a stud, but is nothing sacred? You already have my vote for Rookie of the Year without raiding the trophy case.
• The dart board Joe is using to pick the Closer Du Jour needs some grease. Or fairy dust. Or something.

THE UGLY:

• The Twins scored 5 in the top of the 9th sparked by some local kid named Span playing in front of the hometown crowd for the first time.
• Delmon Young was among those that piled on. (Remember him? The Skipper got on him for not running out an infield hit last year so he declared a sick day and got himself traded... for Bartlett and Garza. Neener neener.)
• The Twins used a slug bunt to inflict more damange. Gardenshire credited head coach Paul Maytorena of the Casa Grande High School Gauchos for that move. Thanks Paul. You got some 'splainin to do. From now on, you're limited to one copy of the playbook.

Last But Not Least:

The Pearls have become pretty Rays centric of late, but we need to send some love to Brandon Morrow. His latest outing wasn't so pretty so we won't dwell on it, but just want to send the good vibes to a good kid who has pledged more memorabilia for the silent auction at our 2008 Camp For A Cure. More news on Camp coming soon.

Just like hitting bottle caps with sticks... Sox Meatloafed in 90th Win

"We were joking around in the dugout before he hit the home run," Pena said. "A popular game in the Dominican Republic is to hit the bottlecaps with the sticks. So I'm like, 'Hey man, Willy's played a lot of bottlecaps with sticks. It's a good matchup here."

That was Carlos Pena's reaction to Joe Maddon's light bending lineup card last night. Tim Wakefield has owned The Trop and lefty DH Cliff Floyd was just 1-11 against the knuckleballer. So why not try something new? Joe's solution... use untested switch hitter Willie Aybar's right handed bat against the softball server. Something about the bat path of his swing path from that side of the plate. Uh huh. Willie went yard in his first at bat and put the Rays up 3-2. They never looked back. Gross, Perez and Longo flicked a few bottlecaps before Francona pulled the plug and began the bullpen emptying procession of Sox relievers.

Meanwhile, Ortiz hit two home runs off Garza who held his ground but didn't dazzle last night. With a cushy but not comfortable 8-3 lead in the 5th and Ortiz coming to the plate a third time, Maddon went to the pen with a one-run mindset. Garza needed only one more out to be credited with the win, but in the other quote of the evening, Maddon later said:

""It isn't about Garza's won-loss record," Maddon said. "It's about the Rays' won-loss record."

We'll need that kind of thinking a lot during the next 45 or so days.

No bottlecaps for Jonny in the Rays 10-3 win last night. But I'm sure he's having the time of his life. The Rays Meatloafed the Sox again taking 2 of 3 and reduced their magic numbers to 10 for the AL East Championship and 4 for a wild card berth. They host the Twins in a four game series that begins tonight and finish the season with a 7 game road trip in Baltimore and Detroit. Let's hope a two game lead over the Sox is enough.

The Rays have now blown through all but the most Pollyanna-ish expecations, notching their 90th win. 95 is within reach. Whoda (really) thunk it?

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.

Jonny Gomes Optioned to Durham Bulls, IF Ben Zobrist Recalled

Infielder Ben Zobrist was recalled from Durham to the Tampa Bay Rays today and Jonny was optioned to The Bulls to create a roster spot.

Zobrist has been on a terror in Durham since he was sent down in July. He was just named International League Player of the Week in recognition of the .583 average he's put up this week, tops in the League by more than 100 points. He had 14 hits (2 homeruns and 6RBIs), a .630 on base average, a .833 slugging percentage and 2 stolen bases. It's mighty hard to argue the decision to bring him up with starting SS Jason Bartlett on a day-to-day basis after Sunday's injury to the index finger on his throwing hand. The Rays sorely need an offensive spark and it would be great to see Zobrist get them going.

Zobie's defense is a far cry from Bartlett's, but the Rays options are limited to 3B Evan Longoria or reserve Willie Aybar. Maddon said he hesitates sliding Evan to SS and interfering with the amazing work he's been doing at third. The Indians pitching yesterday clearly favored a strong 3B so they gave Aybar a shot at short for the first time in his professional career. His play was good enough to make The Days Top Plays on ESPN, but shaky enough, in part due to minor leg cramps during the game, that gambling more than a few games with that lineup is not a strong solution. My guess is that Bartlett's finger needs more than a couple days to heal.

Meanwhile, Jonny has struggled, even with increasingly regular at bats. Durham has always helped him turn it around and a red-hot Jonny Gomes will be just what the team needs in September as they make their play off push with a majority of games on the road. If Crawfords strained hamstring becomes a long term problem, Jonny could be back in the mix if he starts hitting. Jonny says he's "really excited about it" (the chance to play every day in Durham). More on Jonny's reaction from the St. Petersburg Times.

Meanwhile, Rocco Baldelli is still waiting for a decision. Gabe Gross or Willy Aybar are probably the guys on the bubble now unless the team sends Rocco to join Jonny in Durham and battle for a post season spot.