Sweep complete, Rays end half with 7-game skid

CLEVELAND (AP) -- The Tampa Bay Rays lost their seventh straight game Sunday, sending baseball's feel-good story into the All-Star break on a sour note.

Jhonny Peralta drove in three runs and the Cleveland Indians beat Scott Kazmir and Tampa Bay 5-2 to complete a four-game sweep.

Peralta's two-run homer in the fifth inning off Kazmir (7-5) gave Cleveland a 4-2 lead and put the Rays in danger of dropping out of first place in the AL East. They started play Sunday a half-game ahead of Boston after leading the division by five games on Monday morning.

(Pictured: Rays ace Scott Kazmir hangs his head after giving up a two-run home run to Cleveland's Jhonny Peralta in the fifth inning. AP photo. Click to enlarge.)

Comments

[Boo Hoo Billy Beantown]

Waaah Wahhh ... sniff sniff ... we're not greeted with open arms and red caaaaahpits when we come to The Trop any maaaah

of course we really just stahhhhted to show up in the last couple yeeeears or so aftah we won another title ... we were lovable looosahs just like the cubs fans ... now we dont like the treatment

[Bill]

Did anyone else catch sportscenter today when they were comparing the Steinbrenners. What jumped out at me was the Yankmee attendance in 1976..........it was 15,000 per game!!!! Talk about your bandwagon team.......they were drawing 15,000 after having won several world series.

i wish you could trade futures for baseball team's standings. the play would be easy for the rays....long early in the season short as soon as they have one of these weeks.

[Jimbo]

Sox fan, we're still a young team; not "young" as in most of the players are under 30, but young as in this is only our 11th season. The Bosox, Yanks, Phils, Braves, A's, and numerous others have been around 100+ years; they've had time to build a fan base. We're still working on getting ours up there, so cut a little slack.

We're still going through growing pains, so of course there's gonna be more people liking other teams here. I get that, but you have to understand that there is NO EXCUSABLE REASON to be accosted in my home stadium by obnoxious and rude away fans. Unfortunately, your brethren's own medicine is coming back on them, and relatively-innocent people, such as yourself, will get caught in the crossfire.

Your son was perfectly fine in Pats attire at Ray Jay because they went through their upheaval about 9 years ago, when the Bucs were finally winning. They had the same problem with the lack of home-team fans in the stands, and the only way to flush the away team out was to be as rude and egotistical as they acted here.

Same goes with the Lightning, though that was, coincidentally, at the then-Thunderdome (today known as The Trop, for those who don't know), so the Ice Palace was a Bolts-only zone. I go there with my Flyers gear now, and I get razzed, but I don't expect to own the place when I go there, either. I know I'm on foreign territory, so I act accordingly.

Civility works both ways, Sox Fan, and while I don't agree with the whole fire-with-fire attitude, I completely understand the basis for it, and that's just something the non-Rays fans will have to deal with in the Rays' home stadium, Tropicana Field.

[Sox fan]

Jimbo...understood. I seriously can't imagine how awful that must feel, to have your stadium taken over by the opposing teams fans. I've always felt bad for the Rays players...never the Rays fans. But, again, I don't think you'll ever have the fan base that Boston, NY, or other major cities have because the reasons already mentioned. And I don't mean that in a my team is better than yours...yada, yada. Vacationers and transient residents...will always be here. I hope Tampa fans continue to support their team and attendance continues to rise, but I hope the Rays fans will, for lack of a better term, find some class in the process. My son wore his Pats jersey to a Bucs/Pats game last year. He had no problems at all. He said people around him yanked his chain a little, but were very friendly. That is the way it should be.

[Bodog]

Great Points Jimbo. Rays fans need to get a grip, we are in a lil slump and everybody wants to lay the blame on one of the coaches, some say Maddon for his decision making, some say batting coach Henderson because of lack of bat production. Rays fans need to remember it was Maddon and Henderson that got us to this point in the season. There are 70 plus games to play - don't go panicking on the Rays yet, they still need us fans to show solidarity. WE are not concerned about the Red Sox or Yankees - they are concerned about us. Why do you think the Sox keep looking over their shoulders. This pennant race will be won in Sept.

[Bodog]

Great Points Jimbo. Rays fans need to get a grip, we are in a lil slump and everybody wants to lay the blame on one of the coaches, some say Maddon for his decision making, some say batting coach Henderson because of lack of bat production. Rays fans need to remember it was Maddon and Henderson that got us to this point in the season. There are 70 plus games to play - don't go panicking on the Rays yet, they still need us fans to show solidarity. WE are not concerned about the Red Sox or Yankees - they are concerned about us. Why do you think the Sox keep looking over their shoulders. This pennant race will be won in Sept.

[Jimbo]

Sox fan, while your point is understood, the problem is that most Bosox and Yanks fans have been coming to the Trop for the last 10 years and experiencing a "non-hostile environment" because it's been mainly Bosox or Yanks fans in the stands. Not until this year have the Rays fans outnumbered the away team's. That being said, the Bosox/Yanks fans I've had to deal with over the last couple years have not been as hospitable to me as the Rays fans had been to you. I would be booed, jeered, and cussed out, just for cheering when the Rays would do something good...in the Rays' own stadium!

The Rays fans are tired of it, and unfortunately, we have been left no choice but to fight fire with fire. Until we can get the Trop to have the same level of home/away fans as Yankee or Fenway, it's going to be hostile. Once it's about 85-90% home fans, however, it'll return to normal. People, such as myself, also base trips around the Rays elsewhere, but they don't expect it to be as welcoming as the Trop in Fenway or even Safeco. It's the facts of sports; the vast majority of teams' stadia are filled with home-team fans. The fact that most Bosox/Yanks fans got away with being the dominant force in the Trop is nothing more than an anomaly, and it will (hopefully) be corrected soon. I'm sorry, but you'll have to hope tickets are available weeks in advance like I've had to do in the Big Apple before.

[Jerry from Boston]

Jimbo, Sox fan & baseball fan -

Enjoyed reading your comments!

[Sox fan]

The Rays fans at the Trop have become arrogant. "This is our house" attitude. What you have to understand is a lot of people vacation here and many plan their trips when their home teams are here. Get over it. Between the transient state of our residents and vacationers, you will always have a lot of visiting team fans at the Trop. You are getting a bad rep, not only in Boston and NY, but everywhere for being a rude and unwelcoming crowd etc. And yes, that will effect your team. Negative breeds negative. I remember catching a game last year and we sat on the Rays side. My young son sat near a young Rays fan and we found out they lived in our area. We chatted with the family during the game. They had a video of the Rays and Sox mascots chasing a NY fan while playing "why can't we be friends, why can't we be friends". The crowd went nuts...Sox fans and Rays fans...screamed and applauded. It isn't like that anymore. Sad. BTW...the Sox lost that day...as they have every game I've been to at the Trop. But we had a great time and we all got to see a good close game in a non-hostile environment.

[Jimbo]

See? baseball fan proves my point. We will get no respect until we can actually show everyone we, as fans, are for real. The team feeds off the fans, so if you continue to be negative they will continue to lose.

LET'S GO RAYS!

[baseball fan]

I enjoyed your city when I traveled there 2 weeks ago to watch my hometown BOSOX. I put up with a lot of "mouth" from Rays fans about my team and yours; a whole lot of them were negative. My comments were: (1) this is a 3 game series, not the World Series (2) we're not even at the All-Star break yet. Plenty of baseball left to play. Let's see what happens then.

So, here we are at the All-Star break, and the Rays are where ????

Can you spell SECOND place ??

[Jimbo]

Hey Reality, like I told the last person trying to "be cool" and say "some things are more important than sports," THIS IS A SPORTS BLOG!!! What do you expect here, reviews of the latest Oprah Book Club book? Get a grip, and if you wanna talk war, go to the "The Buzz" blog, where they'll be more than glad to listen to your sad stories of how are gov't is f'ed up. However, people come here to escape the problems with the country. So, get over your holier-than-thou attitude and leave this blog, since you're attitude is, "sports don't matter."

Other than the last comment and the first few ones, I haven't had a chance to read 162 post. From what I saw, however, I'm disgusted. We have one 7-game losing streak, and you'd think the freaking world was falling apart. The Rays are 55-39; this time last year, they were 35-54. Let's use some perspective: Scott Kazmir just beat The Tainted Rocket and the Yankmee$ 6-4, with Gary Glover getting his (ready for it?) SECOND save! Yeah, he was replacing the injured Al Reyes, but it's still shameful that, after 2 weeks of being the closer, he had only 2 saves. We were 4-16 over the previous 20 games (with an 11-game slump mixed in for good measure), and we'd go 7-13 over the next 20. We hadn't had a 3-game winning "streak" since June 9-12 against the Marlins and Blue Jays, and we hadn't had a a sweep since the Orlando series vs the Rangers back in May 15-17. The attendance to that game was about 29K (lower than any Yankees game this year), and the Rays were about 18 games back of 1st, long gone from the race.

Fast forward to today, where we have had a total of 8 sweeps thus far this season and have gone 11-9 in our last 20. We've also been in 1st place longer than any of our previous seasons COMBINED (last longest was 5 DAYS in 2004), and we're still only 1/2 game out of 1st, and 2 1/2 up on the Twins in the Wild Card race. So what? We lost a few games, every team does; look at the '83 Orioles, who had, not one, but TWO 7-game losing streaks. They went on to win a ring that year, BTW. the '04 Bosox (which some posters above apparently believe came the year after 1918...not 86 YEARS LATER) had multiple losing streaks throughout the year (they were the WC, not the Yanks), yet we've all been reminded about the outcome of that one.

Point is, people who are crying the team is doomed and that October is out of reach either need to shut up (since you apparently don't know baseball) or learn to support your team NO MATTER WHAT! People of Philly have done it (124 years of futility, one year of glory...now THAT'S bad), people LIVING IN Boston (not just "fans of Boston") have done it, and they got their reward, and we need to do it, too. There is nothing more irritating than hearing in the media how our fans don't support a winning team. Newsflash: 55-39 is still a winning record!

Get your a$#es out to the Trop on Friday, and show the rest of the country we're for real. Otherwise, people from Boston and New York, whether we're ahead of them or not, will continue to walk all over us and treat us like the bandwagon fans that most of this area acts like.

[Reality]

Does any of this REALLY matter? By the way, NINE soldiers died in Afghanistan. A whole bunch of folks just lost their houses in foreclosure, and gas prices still rise. GET A GRIP! Yes, baseball and footbal are fun games, but dear Gawd, keep these silly things in perspective. If all the prissy players (in both sports) were sent overseas with a rifle in their hand, then maybe I could give them serious consideration. But as it is, who cares? Does their "job" REALLY affect reality? No. Do you think those pinheads worry about how well YOU are doing in your job. No. Keep these fun (but virtually useless) games in persepctive and quit ripping each other. Geez.

[Lou]

Told you last week that things would get back to normal - you looking up at us.
That's normal for a city that cannot fill its minor league stadium.

[Edgar]

Hey PERSPECTIVE, if you are satisfied with a 81-81 record, boy you are sad. .500 record is unacceptable; imagine New Tork and Boston fan saying that. That is an insult. To me as a Rays fan, finishing .500 is not good enough. If you are rooting for a 26-42 second half record PERSPECTIVE, boy u are a loser. The best the Rays can finish is the Wild Card and the worst is 3rd place. Other than that, it is a disappointing year. Let the team acquire Fuentes and Nady and a bench player, this team can make a run for the playoffs.

[Ahhhhhhhhhhh ha ha ha]

For the benefit of management, would you guys rather see billy ray cyrus concerts or monster truck rallys after games? We need to find a way to get the park at least 1/4 full after the break

[joey]

now guys i know were in a funk right now and i agree things need to change. but look percy is out bartlett is out. our guys are tired. and were only a half game out. you people are talking like our year is over lighten up a little and lets see what happens after the all star break. we need to stay supportive of our rays and all need to make it out to the trop in this series against toronto

[joey]

i agree with edgar completly.
the rays are stinking it up and its getting kinda embarrasing. i finaly thought this was the year we do something. maddon needs to get his stuff together and get this team winning and who the hell is brignac this guy is a complete loser. to you red sox fans ask coco how it felt to have his face shoved into that filth you call fenway park. and Go Bucs Baby

I do believe this is a public site and anyone can go on that wants. GO SOX!!

[Marc]

There is no.. zero.. nada.. excuse to lose seven straight games.. not with a Carl Crawford, Upton, Hinske, Pena, Navarro, Longoria, etc on your team.

5 games.. yes.. even the Red Sox do that.

But not seven.

Maddon's low key approach may well be what got these guys 23 games over .500.. but he looks clueless at the moment at how to fix it.

Now I know Joe doesn't play the game.. but surely he sees what we see..

Crawford swinging at the first pitch on nearly every at bat.
Upton loping in the outfield and consistently throwing to the wrong base.
Crawford, Upton, Pena and Zobrist swinging at pitches clearly out of the strike zone.
Kazmir tossing 100 pitches in 5 innings every outing.
Gomes trying to knock the ball 500 feet on every swing he takes.
Iwamura "stepping in a bucket" every time he swings on a 3-2 pitch.


Point is.. this is not rocket science.. these are mistakes which are not professional Big League mistakes.

Add to that the fact that when Sonnenstine doesn't properly locate his pitches, it looks like batting practice or home run derby.

And though Edwin Jackson has improved over last season, it's really tiring to watch him walk the 8th and 9th hitters in the lineup on a consistent basis.. which usually come around to score.

So i guess what I'm saying here is that there are some remedies to these problems.. that's called coaching.

And when the players don't respond, that's called fines and bench sitting.

If I had my way, some of these guys would be gone. Gary Glover and Hammel would quickly be out the door. Brignac is obviously way out over his skis and not ready for the majors.

Ruggiano, who was batting .290 with a slugging % of over .450 would be back here and I would find some way to deal the fan favorite Gomes ASAP.

And i would bring up one or two pitchers from the minors or get myself another pitcher in a deal before the trade deadline.

That and sit Joe down and explain to him that seeing these guys make the same mistakes over and over again is not acceptable.. but it is correctable.

So Correct it!

[Mr. Joshua is 100% correct.]

Since Devil Rays will finish in 4th place.

Everyone root hard for the Yanks in '08

JOBA FOR CY YOUNG 2008!

[Vinny Vincenzo]

My god, look at this team's payroll.

$43.7M. They are amazing.

http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2005/01/tampa-bay-devil-rays_112131227267025321.html

[Mr. Joshua]

As a die hard Rays fan, it's time to start really pulling hard for New York. With our season effectively ended in Cleveland, we can NOT let the Red Sox win this division. The old adage is that one has no permanent friends or allies, just interests. We've got to return to that and really rally behind NY.

[Russ]

This guy Joe Maddon has to go. He thinks he is a computer whiz. When he came to the Rays he said he relies on his computer statistics. Well Joe, do you got it all wrong. First, why, when the team is hitting, you don't have them stealing more. Runners on first and second with no outs and you don't bunt the runners over. I seen that three times in one game, only twice to hit into a double play and no runner scoring. The other time was with runners on first and second no outs we scored one run when we had the opportunity to score at least two. Whats wrong with squeezing a run home Joe. This manager is not aggressive at all. His line up needs to change and ownership should bring Maddon to the carpet and let him know that a first place team with five games ahead does not lose seven in a row to bring you to second place. Fix the problem Joe or we will get someone that can. And Joe, remember little league Joe, remember if your hitters are not hitting, let them bunt, they have the speed to get on Joe so lets use your baseball intelligence Joe and play street smart let them bunt. If you can't fix this problem Joe Maddon then be a man and say so and lets get someone that knows the game to make this a number one team again.....

I agree completely Homer except for one: Crawford's got more than Damon. Yes, Damon is a much better hitter but he's not much in the field and lacks speed.

[Homer]

There is not 1 player I'd want on TB over Yanks.

Arod better than Eva
Jeter better than Bartlett
Cano better than Iwanora
Giambi over Pena
Damon over Crawford
Cabrera over Upton
Abreau over Gomes

Cowbells have no pitchers as good as Joba or Mussina.

Forget about Mo vs Troy Percival.

See you in 4th place!!!

JOBA FOR CY YOUND 2008!

Get off our site you Boston trolls !!!

[Bruce from Beantown]

In Boston, we would NEVER sign a r@pist to a contract. In Tampa, they do. JERRAMY STEVENS. So to decry our city is to ignore the blatant hypocrisy that exists in Tampa. Again, a r@pist. I'm not talking about writing a bad check or a DUI, minimal stuff. A R@pist. Sweet Caroline...good times aint never been so good! I've been inclined......!!!

[BG]

It sounds like Homer is jealous that Beanie Baby and Sox fan are at the gym together and wants to join in on the action.

[Bucs matter, NOT Rays]

I think Homer and Homer hit the nail on the head are the same guy. In any event, the Rays really do suck. But that said, who cares, because Bucs camp is upon us which will wipe out all of this stuff completely! Go Bucs!

[Homer hit the nail on the head]

As much as I hate the Yankees, Homer is right:

If Eva Longoria didn't sign that dumb contract, he would still be in the minors beacuse management would want to control his rights for another year.

Where would this team be without Eva? Definitely not in second place.

No way this orgazation ever wins. It doesn't matter how many more first overall picks they get. Devil Rays are the LA Clippers of MLB. A ton of first overall picks and always in the basement.

JOBA FOR CY YOUNG in 2008!

[russ]

half game out of first at the break. sounds good to me. lot better than ever before. rest of season will be fun.

[Homer]

The Devil Rays are bush league and will finish below the Orioles when it's all said and done.

If Eva Longoria didn't sign that dumb contract, he would still be in the minors beacuse management would want to control his rights for another year.

Where would this team be without Eva? Definitely not in second place.

No way this orgazation ever wins. It doesn't matter how many more first overall picks they get. Devil Rays are the LA Clippers of MLB. A ton of first overall picks and always in the basement.

JOBA FOR CY YOUNG in 2008!

[Elijah in Gibsonton]

Maybe Bruce from Beantown and Sox fan can go to the gym and pump each other.

[Gerry - St. Pete]

I agree RaymondFan. Those are great points, particularly the quick trigger at the plate. We've made some mediocre pitchers look like HOF caliber guys lately. I'd rather see a strike out than a first pitch weak ground out. It seems like our pitcher is nearing 90 pitches in the 4th inning and their guy is at about 35. And I think this feeds into the impatience of the staff. How couldn't it. When they take the mound, they feel that anything less than a 2-hit shutout isn't enough, so they press too hard.

I still look back at the KC game (game 4) as a critical lapse. had we closed the door then, I think we would have avoided this ghastly double sweep. Maybe 2-4, but certainly not 0-6.

[Sox fan]

Nope I think I'll stick around. It is comical watching y'all gloating one week and flailing the next. Admit it, your egos got way too big way too quick. It is kind of funny...I think the team and the fans are suffering from the same condition. Got too big...too quick...and you're both worrying about the other teams/fans a little bit too much.

[RaymondFan]

To date, even with today's seventh straight loss, this is a stunningly successful season. The Rays aren't in dire need of any major changes; I checked carefully, and their record is -still- 55-39. Not bad.

Three small items would make the season unforgettable: hitters gaining some patience and seeing if some of the bad pitchers they have recently faced can throw strikes for an extended time, rather than quickly swinging at anything; having the starters believe once again that the offense will be there to bail them out even after giving up some runs instead of starting to overthrow and being terrified of further mistakes; and a discussion forum that was an improvement over going to a bad bar and discovering everyone there was already drunk.

Perhaps I'll settle for two of these three.

W.

[Bruce from Beantown]

The Red Sox are the best team in baseball, and look for World Championship number 3 this year post-millenium. We are too good. Too much power, too much depth, too much hitting, and too many intangibles. Oh, and we have plenty of money to spend too. :) Smell ya later Rays fans, hope you enjoyed the ride!

[Rocky]

OK - Sox Fans and Yankees Fans go enjoy your local papers. Nice to see you are actually worried about us. Your ridiculous comments cannot spoil an unbelievable first half for the Rays. Sure this week we were 0-7 and last week we were 7-0...16 games above .500 was far more than any Rays fan would have dreamed of. And all you bandwagoners who are jumping off due to a 7 game skid can all jump back on as the Rays are here to stay. Wait until the Sox get away from Fenway again...we may be 1/2 game behind but we have 3 games in hand as well. GO Rays - playoff bound.

[Mike Sox]

Hey New (Fairweather) Rays Fans,

I hope you didn't put your Red Sox jerseys in the mothballs yet. I expect to see you wearing your them again in September when we come back!

GO SOX!

[Craig]

Yes, the season is now over. Morons.

Are you people really baseball fans? Enjoy the all-star game, and untwist your panties before the next homestand.

The sox are a mere half game ahead, and the Rays played the toughest first half schedule in all of baseball. It only gets easier for them from here on out. They need to figure out how to do better on the road, though. No question about that.

GOOD JOB RAYS - SEE YA AFTER THE BREAK

Isnt this the same paper that printed, 10 reasons to hate the Red Sox? Make that 11. We are in first place. All you Rays fans, time to turn on your team. Start with ten reasons to hate the Rays.Make that 100 reasons.

[BG]

Gut check time...The team has to decide for themselves whether they want this, or not. They have to decide whether they want to come out of this slump, or not. The fans will always be the fans.
Whether it is BoSox fans, or Yankee fans. We need to focus on ourselves. It is up to us if we want to be talked about with the greats. It is up to us if we want to be heard around the league. The players have to look in the mirror and say, " They won't beat us not today, or any day !" " I will not be beat by negative propaganda !" " i will not be beaten by the media, or fairweather fans!"
Look the demon right in the eye and go after it full force. Don't blame anyone else. The schedule didn't cause a 7 game losing streak. The players in the locker room did. They have to be qualified enough, or they wouldn't be there.
If I were them, i would focus on what is not working. (Hitting). OK well, now we need to focus and concentrate on pitchers to get onbase percentages up. If we focus on base percentages. The likelyhood we will score. I could care less about HR's. RBI's score runs. Hr's are nice, but you can't play that way every single time.
Like I said, it's up to the team in the locker room if they want an MLB Pennant. It's up to the team if they want average results, or not. In this case below average results.It is up to the team whether they want to play a full 9 innings, or not.
I tell you now. It's gut check time!!! Take your time off, but I would put more time into studying opposing pitchers and timely hitting more. I know they are doing that, but it can't be just bad luck at this point. A little praying wouldn't hurt as well. Not to contradict myself. If we get back to doing the little things right, then we are ready.
I saw a Super Bowl here, i saw a Stanley Cup here. I 'm ready for an MLB Championship. Are you ?

[Richard]

Don't know why every one is crabby. Remember everyone's goal, at least every one I heard and read, was that the Rays play 500 ball this season. Well what are they playing? You all got to ambitious when they grabbed 1st. I see evryone listing their wholesale changes. BS, it's only the all star break, not the end of the season and they are in second, half game out of first. There are no good road teams in our division. Relax, enjoy the all star break and then in September see where we are. Red Suxs are at home right now, wait till they go on the road.

[Philip]

This is the lineup we should have

1.Rocco Baldelli D.H
2.Carl Crawford L.f
3.B.j Upton C.F
4.Evan Longaria 3.B
5.Jason Bay R.f
6.Carlos Pena 1.B
7.Dioner Navero C.
8.Akinori Iwamura 2.B
9.Jason Bartlett S.S

[Fenway Frank]

Joey,

Steve's not my mom you can leave your teenie weenie in his mouth as long as you want.

[Dale]

Sox fans wern't faithful until 2004? Well, that explains the sell-out streak starting in the middle of 2003. And continuing through 2006 when they didn't even make the playoffs.

Rays also lost 2 of 3 to the Mariners, the worst team in baseball...at home. Not on the road.

[Bob]

I am a Rays fan and I am so sick of having to read about the Red Sox after every single article that is written. Can't the Rays fans worry more about our season and record than trash talking another team? It is ridiculous. We have a lot more to worry about after the last 7 games than Ted Williams or that Boston is a racial city.

[mainer]

the first game of the next road trip after the break, the manager should incite another brawl with the opponent. sure, the d-rays will get a few more sucker punching suspensions, but it will further galvanize them.