Sunday in the park ...

The Rays look to win another series in the last of the four games with the White Sox today, though with a bit of a different lineup. Manager Joe Maddon is giving Carl Crawford another two-day break (the Rays are off Monday), and giving Gabe Gross a rare start against a lefthander.

Maddon said the main reason for giving Crawford the day off was to rest his legs after playing straight games on the Trop turf. Crawford said he was fine with it.

The result is a lineup that looks like this:
Iwamura, 2b
Bartlett, ss
Upton, cf
Pena, 1b
Longoria, 3b
Aybar, DH
Gomes, lf
Riggans, c
Gross, rf
Sonnanstine,p

Comments

[ben]

To the clown: Pena did not, has not won a gold glove. Kevin Youkilis did last year for Boston. Also his salary is 6 mil this season, not 8. A day or so off won't kill him or the team. He isn't hitting right now and the team is doing fine. Let him get straightened out so that he can have a good second half.

[Caleb]

Whoopdy-do, he can play first base. Too bad he can't communicate with the ball with his bat.

[the clown]

Caleb... you obviously know nothing about baseball Pena is a gold glover he stays in the line up no matter what he is getting paid 8 million a year he is going to be on the field unless hes hurt

[Jim]

Could you please stop feeding the trolls? All they do is come back for more!

[Ben]

I think what you were trying to say Bill Shut Up guy is:
" To BE the best, you have to Beat the Best". Nice try though jacka$$.
Out? What is that from Ryan Seacrest or something. Oh wait, your trying to impersonate Jim Rome now. Ok I got it.

[ben]

Hey Bill Shut Up guy, last time I checked Pena is Dominican. Idiot!

[willy]

SORRY! I guess I'll use Willy from now on.

[Bill]

Please do not use my name, the last post is not me.

[Bill]

Has anyone seen the Foxworthy-ish "You might be a Rays fan if.." that was on the Jumbotron at the game Saturday night published anywhere else. I'd sure like to get another look at it.

[Bill]

I just want the Rays to win and I'm fearful that 'waiting this out' could cost us a few games(it hasn't so far.)

Pena is a career .249, 163 K's with only 78 walk, and .489 slugging kind of hitter......hardly anything spectacular. Go to baseball-reference.com and they will sort player stats and list players who have similar career stats. Look at Pena's list of people who 'hit like him.'........hardly anything impressive.

Don Mincher
Jim Gentile
Andre Thornton
Mike Epstein
Dick Stuart
Bob Robertson
J.T. Snow
Dan Pasqua
Fred Whitfield
Dick Gernert

Granted, I want to make one thing clear.........I do NOT want Pena sitting, he is sick with the glove....he's played great defense this year. I would just prefer if he's down in the order until he finds his swing again.

[Caleb]

I'm glad to know the maturity of internet users in America...

*sigh*

Pena isn't turning anything around; one good season doesn't make up for all the lost seasons he's had and will continue to have.

[Caleb 8----------> Ben]

Dang Bill Shut Up! That's some high heat brotha....on the inside! Why hate on America so much...code red in St. Pete cause the Taliban is on this blog. Go Pena, Go USA, Beat the Sox and wave the red, white and blue in Paul Revere's back yard.

[Bill Shut Up]

Caleb 8----------> Ben, Right on brotha! The truth hurts these America haters - You want the truth? THEY CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH! Checkmate. Gameover. If you hate the Rays so much - stay off this blog and go back into your mom's basement to drink the funky kool-aid. And if you hate our country so much - leave. It's that simple. I can't spell it out any more clear for you goobers. Now batting: Carlos Pena! And the crowd goes nuts! USA! USA! USA! To beat the best, you've got to beat the best. Whooooo. Consider yourselves SERVED. Out.

[ben]

Caleb-if you look at posts before you, I suggested before you did that Pena be sat for a couple days. I too, think jury is out on Pena if you look at his career stats. Whatever Bill Shut Up is, needs to get off the USA,USA thing. Were all Americans what is his point with that?

[Caleb 8----------> Ben]

Bill Shut Up....please don't shut up. Ain't doing nothin but speaking the truth. In a couple of years Pena will be hittin em in Tampa Bay instead of Guantanamo Bay. Keep him in the line up! Anyone catch that Trace Atkins show? USA!! USA!!

[ben]

What is Bill Shut Up? Get a life. You can't even post a name. What does loving this country have to do with Pena hitting .221 thru 56 games. Your not American, your MENTAL!!

[Bill Shut Up]

To all you America haters: I love this country and Pena stays. END OF STORY! You all go bashing the Rays like some communist dictatorship - leave our FREE country for crying out loud! Prediction: Pena turns it around and you all go crying to your mothers and eat some good 'ol red, white, and blue CROW! USA! USA! USA! Pena stays and you all are old farts!

[Caleb]

Hey, "Bill Shut Up", do you actually watch baseball or just watch the game?

Pena sucks and needs to be benched for a game or two just like the Twins are doing with Delmon Young(except Young is leading the AL with strikeouts). After his break on the bench, sitting in the No. 6 or No. 7 spot in the lineup should allow him to fix these "mechanic problems".

I'm still calling one year wonder on Pena.

[Bill]

"This is the land of the free and home of the brave." So I'll say whatever I want.

[Bill Shut Up]

ben and Bill - Why do you both hate America so much? Just move to Iraq! This is the land of the free and home of the brave baby - love it or leave it! USA! USA! USA! That's what the ROCK is cookin' baby! Pena stays and I love this country. OUT!

[Bill]

Just pointing out the obvious.......we can't continue to keep asking the bullpen to hold a team down and then expect a walk off hit.......we need more production early in the game if we want to go far.........that's all I am saying.

[ben]

Shut your yap? What is hockey. Relax last poster. Pena does need either a day off or two, to work on some things. Or keep him in lineup and move him down. Thats just common sense.

[Bill Shut Up]

Bill - Are you still an old fart or what? Shut your yap dude! This team is the best in the AL and all you can do is complain about one player. I'm sure you were at the game? Or are you just a big ol' complainer that is bitter about others having success? Shut your yap! USA! USA! USA!

[rayray]

We're winning despite his rally killing on offensive, he did manage to get BJ home & saved a couple of possible errors w/his glove today.

Big 9 games/3 city road trip vs Sux, Rangers, Halos, all high quality teams that we've already played this yr. Then we come home to Trop & play 9 games vs. Marlins, Cubs, & Astros. At this point, if we're still in 1st, watch out MLB, we are indeed in for something really special this summer/fall in St. Petersburg, and how sweet will that be!

[Bill]

Good GOD will they move Pena. 1-19 in with 12 K's his last 19 AB's? Come on Maddon................we can all see the problem with the offense and it starts right there. You say that he's working on his mechanics......can't he work on them in the 8 hole!