"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

Home Run Derby Ices CelebRAYtion

Last fall, the MLB Schedule Wizards thought the Rays would be a good draw for the final series in Detroit.  Good call.  But a 1:05 start after a night game in Baltimore?  What's up with that? Senior Citizen Day. That's what.  Well, I hope there were a lot of Seniors on hand for the Home Run Derby.  Kaz gave up four jacks for the second time in two weeks.  Can't pin it on lack of sleep.  The team sent him to Detroit a day early in anticipation of the sleep depriving journey.

The Rays lost a game that most assumed would clinch the AL East yesterday.  Kaz tee'd 'em up and the Tigers knocked 'em out, celebrating a 7-5 win and prolonging the Magic Number = 1 drama. Who wants to party on a Thursday afternoon in Detroit anyway?  Today's the day.  I feel it.

There was a silver lining to yesterday's slugfest.  Ben Zobrist hit two taters himself.  You remember him... he's leads the team in frequent flyer miles between Durham and Tampa.  He was the Rays punching bag at SS last year before the upgrade to Bartlett.  He started the year on the DL and became the backup backup utility infielder.  Then he started to hit.  In clutch situations.  Long balls.  Lately he's been playing some mighty fine outfield too. Who knew?  Yesterday, Ben Zobrist hit a ball where only 28 others have landed.  Over the fence in dead center in Comerica Park. 424 feet.  Ben is now Zobie.  With a hawk. And we love him.

Jonny made a pinch run appearance in the 9th yesterday.  Defensive indifference took away an SB as he moved into scoring position, but it was good to see him on the basepaths.  Hopefully it won't be the last time.

Oh.  Percy was back after another epidural.  He threw a scoreless 8th and has declared himself fit as a fiddle for the playoffs.  Maddon says it depends on how he does in back-to-back appearances tonight.  Hopefully the back IS back.  Otherwise, Percy needs to take himself out and spare Joe the wrenching decision.  There are other guys on this roster that have worked just as hard, deserve it just as much, and don't have a World Series ring yet. 

Did yesterday's loss really matter in the scheme of things?  The team with the best record has the choice of starting the ALDS round on Wednesday or Thursday next week.  Let's hope that is the only thing that was riding on yesterday's game. 

The Pearls are morphing toward a Rays only blog in a few days, but there's one more chance to give props to Brandon Morrow.  The Rohnert Parkian :-)  pitches tonight as the Mariners open their final series of the season in Seattle.  He was brilliant last weekend in Oakland and we wish him well tonight.  I plan to watch with a bottle of bubbly right after the Rays clinch in the Motor City tonight.  Cheers!

Uno Mas, Por Favor!

One more Rays win (or Boston loss) is all it will take to crown Tampa Bay as the American League East Champions.  Wow!  Pinch me again!

The comeback kids did it again last night, rallying from a 6-0 deficit to overtake the molting Orioles... and then some.  Edwin Jackson was lit up in a disasterous 5 run first, but true to form, settled in after a few innings.  The Rays' scored 5 runs in the 5th and took the lead in the 6th. Bartlett was plunked a few times last night and the O's issued some bases loaded walks to tally more ribbies for the Rays later in the game.  Navi was Mr. Dependable with men on base.  Again.

Good to see the Rays hitting well going into the final 4 game series in Detroit. 96 wins with 4 games to go. A 100 win season?  You gotta believe.

All eyes were on the scoreboard last night.  Three wins separate the Rays and Red Sox. The tiebreaker (head to head record) has already gone to the Rays. So, with the Rays comfortably on top in Baltimore, the real drama last night was happening in Bean Town. The Tribe battled hard for another win over the Red Sox, but came up a run short.  The bubbly was carted into the Visitors' Clubhouse at Camden Yards when it looked like Cleveland might score the go ahead run.  But the corks will fly in Detroit instead.  A 1pm ET start after a late night plane ride could make for a tough game today.  Rays starter, Scott Kazmir, flew ahead yesterday which seemed like a party pooping bummer at the time, but now could determine whether the bubbly will flow today or later this week.  The early start complicates PTownFan's celebration.  With the game over in the early afternoon on the west coast,  Mamma could be a little tipsy by the time PTownJr gets home from school.  It's not good to drink alone.  I should probably postpone the party.  What a problem to have...

Uno mas, por favor.  Hoy!