Ray of hope?

Update 3:32 Kazmir's day is done after four innings as he threw 90 pitches. With a limit of 100 there was no point in sending him out for the fifth. Kazmir allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits and three walks. Update, 3:05 LHP Scott Kazmir hasn't been particularly sharp in his return, throwing 74 pitches in his first three innings and allowing three runs on five hits and two walks. He's also thrown a wild pitch, and another that glanced off Shawn Riggans' glove for a passed ball. Kazmir has been clocked mostly in the 89-91 mph range, though did hit as high as 93. The Rays got two bad breaks early - Jacoby Ellsbury, who went into the lineup when David Ortiz went out, made a running catch in the first inning to rob Evan Longoria of a two-run double that regular LF Manny Ramirez would not have caught. And Jonny Gomes hit a second-inning drive that clearly hit the yellow stripe in the leftfield corner, and would have been a double, but was called foul.

Update, 1:18 A break for the Rays - the Sox just scratched David Ortiz from their lineup due to tightness in his right knee. Jacoby Ellsbury will play left, with Manny Ramirez taking over at DH. The new Sox lineup is below. The Sox are already shorthanded, having not made a move to replace OF Brandon Moss, who had his appendix removed during Saturday night's game.

Update, 1:05 Not only does it look like there will be a game today, but it apparently will start on time and should be play uninterrupted as the rain has cleared out.

The Rays will have B.J. Upton back in the lineup, though there is still some concern how his strained left shoulder will feel on a swing and miss. And of course the big news is they will have Scott Kazmir back on the mound for his first start of the season.

The lineup:
Iwamura, 2b
Crawford, lf
Upton, cf
Pena, 1b
Longoria, 3b
Gomes, dh
Hinske, rf
Riggans, c
Bartlett, ss
Kazmir, p

Boston
Ellsbury, lf
Pedroia, 2b
Youkilis, 1b
Ramirez, dh
Lowell, 3b
Varitek, c
Drew, rf
Crisp, cf
Lugo, ss
Lester, p

It is cold and wet - again - in Boston this morning, but what was once a horrible forecast has been upgraded and it now seems possible, and even likely according to the smiling local TV weather folks, that today's game will be played. The forecast is that the rain will be down to a drizzle by the scheduled 1:35 start time. It is still cold, however: 46 a little after 10 this morning, with a windchill of 41.
The Rays leave after the game, or the postponement announcement, for Toronto with an off-day on Monday. The Sox play in Detroit Monday so they may be eager to make a decision if the rain is going to be an issue.

Comments

[Joe DiMaio]

Kaz needed this start and was way overamped. He'll look more like his
dominating high K, high whip self at home
vs.the Angels on Friday.

Joe
http://fantasyplayersedge.blogspot.com

[Jesse]

Well Balance is restored, Im sure when the Rays are around for 80+ years they will win a championship and be mentioned as a powerhouse..Since it is our 10th season, you should understand the strides we have taken ... And you cant even compare last years BP to this years..I remember watching AT LEAST, and I say AT LEAST 40 games that the bullpen (Camp, Fossum, etc) blew..Now its common for a few games to be blown here and there but there was at least 1 or 2 games per series that were blown buy those bums last year..And as far as Pena, he'll come into his own..Dont sleep on Hinske either..The Rays, WHEN HEALTHY, can match up position by position to anyone in the majors..And thats real talk..

[Bodog]

Hold onto your horses, Balance, SP - Rays 3 - Sox 3 there are 12 more games in this 18 game series. Normally the Sox would have won all six in past years, that's not the case. We'll definitely see them again and believe me - the Rays have you Sox fans as well as your team very concerned. You may talk BS on this blog but we know better. Until the next time pardner.

[Dr_Dug]

Just like the waterfront ballpark idea............LOSER!!

[pd]

Same old Kazmir half mile job. He was on a 100 pitch count all last year.

[antisoxantiyanks]

what's with these last 2 comments? are you red sox fans? get out of here and stink up your own boards you wusses.

[The Balance is Restored]

OK ... now can we talk some sense? I mean the way people were going nuts over last weekend's sweep of the Red Sox ... you'd think you were talking about a perrenial powerhouse. The Rays are decent and they are making strides but let's please not lose our minds and say ... we can compete day in and day out with the likes of the Yankees and the Red Sox .... sorry ... I just don't see that yet. You've got a Come Back player of the year struggling to hit over .200 and a bullpen that is anything but certain ... The Rays have 3 solid starters (with possibly one that will develop) and they have Evan Almighty, Carl Crawford , and BJ Upton .... that does not make a championship or even a Wild Card team for that matter. Enjoy the limited success they'll have this year (70 wins is a pipe dream .... maybe 62 ... at best) and keep from talking nonsense.

[SP]

Where are your cowbells now? Hope the Rays didn't print their world series tickets already. What excuse did Magrane have today?

[CharlieRay]

We want to play the game. If we are thinking we are going to loose then we will. I choose to play and win You know if we win tonight it’s not 1 out of 3, No Sir, It’s 4 Out of 6 or we loose it’s we won 50% against the 2nd best team because we are the best.
Always keep our glass half FULL

[Cinco Ocho]

Just think of it this way. If the Red Sox sweep y'all, they are just returning the favor from last weekend.

[raysfan]

I like monkeys in the forenoon.

I like monkeys in the afternoon.

I like monkeys with a spoon.

I like monkeys on the moon.

[Kazmir]

ROCKIN' WITH JEFF

[raysfan]

part of me wants to see this game and the other part of me wants it to be rained out so we don't get swept out on our butt by boston :(

[jeff]

ROCKIN' WITH KAZMIR