Rays lose with chance to sweep White Sox

CHICAGO (AP) -- Alexei Ramirez singled home the winning run in the 10th inning after A.J. Pierzynski's bizarre trip around the bases, and the Chicago White Sox rallied past the Tampa Bay Rays 6-5 on Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep.

Jim Thome hit his 534th homer, and the White Sox tied it at 5 in the ninth on pinch-hitter Paul Konerko's two-out single off fill-in closer Dan Wheeler. Ken Griffey Jr. started the rally with a one-out double.

(Pictured - Shawn Riggans drops a throw from Ben Zobrist in the 9th, allowing Brian Anderson to score the tying run. AP photo. Click to enlarge.)

Comments

[jeff]

If BJ has ADHD please get him fixed Rays. The playoffs are coming and the ballet gets faster.

[jeff]

If BJ has ADHA please get him fixed Rays. The playoffs are coming and the ballet gets faster.

[9equals8.com]

Does anyone on this board calling for BJ's head not notice that we are 4.5 games in first place? How about a little excitement and positive thinking? Just enjoy the ride. That is, of course, unless you are a Red Sox or Yankees fan that is just trying to rile up the Rays... very possible.

[Thoughtso]

For all you people sticking up for BJ Upton and his lazy throw on the 10th inning catch, all you have to do is look at the tape of his double earlier in the game. He paused for about two seconds to watch the ball fly away after hitting it before starting to run. This guys just acts like he's too cool to play hard all the time.

[Richard]

The players should win and loose the game and not the umpires. Sure the Rays had the opportunity but the player made the mistake that cost the run. Then the Ump got in the contest and decided to postition a team to win.

[9equals8.com]

Mike - White Sox are just hoping they don't see us in the playoffs ;) As for the attendance, that gets way too much press. Here's a piece I wrote on the topic to give outsiders a little context regarding the Rays:

http://www.9equals8.com/2008/08/understanding-attendance-tampa-bay-rays.html

Hopefully, this will give you a little more information on the subject. Context is everything.

[Mike]

Wow! I was listening to the White Sox post game sports radio show up here in Chicago and they were reading some of your comments on the air. I think the consensus amongst listeners was that you guys are a little wound and need to chill a little. The Rays are in complete control of the East and can beat anybody in a five or seven game series, probably even the Angels. I think MLB would love to see a Rays/Cubs World Series, and have no interest in keeping you out of the post-season. My criticism of Florida teams, particularly the Marlins but to only a lesser extent Tampa, is that you don't put enough fans in the stands. Sure, your park totally blows for Baseball, but you've got a first place team that could go to and actually win the World Series; It looks bad to see so many empty seats especially against playoff contenders.

[Tony]

Jesse, I have played centerfield...and every other position except short and 2nd base. Centerfield is THE quarterback of the outfield and only second to the catcher as a leader on the team. If Upton can't handle that than he need not be a centerfielder. I don't want to hear this crap about this being only his first full year of playing centerfield. He's a Major League ballplayer for crying out loud!!! He's a professional!!! You don't need years of experience to know how to throw the ball in fast, or to run fast, or to hustle. What you do need years of experience for is to lead and he doesn't have that which is why he's not a good centerfielder. Crawford is a good leader but he doesn't like centerfield. Too bad. Upton needs to play a position where the pressure isn't on him as much.

[MIke]

all the comments about the umpires and instant replay make me thing of the comic strip "zits".

jeremy(star of the strip) has a message that his parents refuse to acknowledge "I'm right and you're wrong". he is showing it on an easel and saying "okay, let's try it again." until replay is used on any disputed call, will never happen.

[9equals8.com]

All the BJ bashers need to relax and think a little more clearly. BJ might not have played that ball perfectly (he actually got a late jump) and did't set his feet and throw quickly, but he still would not have gotten the dude out (no excuse, but this micro-analysis of BJ's every breath is ridiculous). He was just about on the warning track. Let's not forget that BJ would have WON THE GAME for the Rays were it not for a bad luck bounce on his double in the 9th (Aki would have scored easily if it were not a ground rule double). If you are going to take shots at the guy, at least be fair. Gabe Gross actually made the bigger mistake when Griffy's single was stretched to a double because the ball squirted by Gross. That was in the bottom of the ninth and Griffey ended up being the tying run.

Something needs to be done with the umpiring situation. I am not in favor of replay for anything other than homerun/foul ball calls, but this is ridiculous. Normally, baseball has some bad calls throughout the year and it makes for interesting things to talk about on boards like this. But, the bad calls normally average out (win some and lose some). In this case, it seems that every single call goes against our boys.

[Bartman]

Umps blow it... again... and again... and want to be allowed to continue to do so... either for the money like NBA prostitutes or simply because they enjoy having a big head. STOP THE MADNESS!!! Put an ump in the booth with the TV guys who can see what all the world is seeing and immediately correct any officiating errors made on the field. Then managers won't unnessarily get tossed and no one will have to wonder who really would have won if the umpires had not blown it... again!

Don't worry about the players. They will be held accountable for their errors. But the umps... they don't care if the best team wins or not just as long as no one questions their authority!

[Tom]

Bottom line is that Riggens booted what would have been the last out in a three game sweep,on the road, against a first place team that we probably will see in the post season under ALOT more pressure than this moment!
As for Upton, he has either gotta change his pad and get out of this funk he is in, or find another first place playoff team team that he feels
will truly understand his subtle "poor me" nuances that he brings to the park on a nightly basis!

[Tom]

Regardless of whether the game should have already been won by the Rays, that call by umpire Doug Eddings was inexcusable! The replays (that for some reason can't be reviewed) clearly show that Willy Aybar was already passed AJ Pierzynski at the time when Pierzynsk reached out and pushed him. However the head linesman actually backed up this lame call after the game by asserting that the call was still good because Aybar's position at the time would have prevented Pierzynsk from reaching 3rd. Aside from the fact that Pierzynsk was actually heading to 2nd at the time, and AJ had already run out of the base pass by then, it is more important to note that as Aybar threw the ball to Bartlett, he immediately ran away from the play entirely - towards middle field. While we Rays fans cannot forget the similarly bad call against BJ Upton a few days prior against the Angels, it is conceded that the two calls were by two different officiating crews. However, both incidents need to be investigated and the officials involved need to be reprimanded. Because of the severity of this particular incident, that it changed the outcome of a game, and the two teams involved are fighting for potential post-season action, Doug Eddings should be fined, suspended or both. Similar action should also be taken against the head linesmen in both games mentioned, as by later backing up these two horrible calls they have chosen to support their comrades over the integrity of the game. Finally, two such horrible calls over the span of a week shows the need to allow limited video reviews at the request of managers of more than just field lines. The advent of technology has for the first time given the fans a clearly greater ability to see certain plays on the field. Isn't it time that the umpires are also allowed access to these truths? Its true the Rays need to quickly put these officiating gaffes behind them, but its up to us fans to demand better in the future.

[Dean]

I can't fault Pierzynski's acting job if he gets away with it, but I can fault the Umpires Union for unnecessarily allowing umps to be so easily fooled. Want to keep the umps honest, keep them from being duped, prevent bad calls, managers from being unnecessarily thrown out, games decided by umps instead of players and improve officiating? Then replay the close plays on the Jumbotron over and over again from every angle until the umps finally see what everyone else in the stadium and on TV already saw in the first place. Then, if they still want to stand behind their bad calls get rid of them for someone with enough integrety and respect for baseball to change a bad call when faced with the factual evidence so that the team that actually plays better wins the game rather than the one that had the blown call go their way. Sometimes that would be the same team. But, as it is now no one can ever know. But, noooooooo..., MLB won't allow that! They know umps blow calls. They may even be paying them off to blow calls as they have been accused of doing and should rightly be investigated. Not because there is evidence that there are payoffs but because there is evidence they continue to cover for these arrogant umps rather than take them to task. They are afraid of the truth and probably the Umpires Union. Why? Fans want to know? They have cast suspicion on themselves by allowing this farce to go on far too long. Fans want to know why umps are not made to use the tools that would allow them to do their jobs better. The arrogant technologically challenged Umpires Union is in full denial with their head in the sand and like large flightless African birds leaving the fact they are presently a bunch of enormous asses clear for everyone to see. And, MLB is in denial right along with them. Umps are human. Umps make mistakes. Everyone except umps seem to know this. (They know it, they are just too ARROGANT to ever admit it.) If umps refuse to use the available technological tools to do their jobs better, then get rid of all of them and bring in a group less full of themselves willing to use the tools available to do a better job. Umps are elitist arrogant fools who think no one can do there jobs as well as they can with there many decades of experience. But the fact of the matter is a 10 year old with instant replay and a TV monitor with the supperimposed red strike zone rectangle could call a game more accurately than four umps on the field with 120 years of combined experience and no technological help.

Jessie,

You are wrong on your assesment of BJ. I have played baseball my entire life (4 years Division I in college & a few years of pro ball) and BJ did not field that ball correctly. He drifted back on the ball and caught it back peddling and after he caught it he did a 360 and tossed the ball in.

Had he done it correctly he would have gone back on the ball quicker and caught the ball moving forward to be in a position to throw. It was a fly ball and not a line drive and he had plenty of time to get into the correct fielding position to prevent the tag from AJ.

Any kid in high school would have done a better job.

[Josh]

Eddings has given the White Sox this type of break before. He was the man behind the plate during the controversial dropped-third strike call -- also involving Pierzynski -- against the Angels in Game 2 of the 2005 American League Championship Series.

F That ump and Pierzynski.

[Jesse]

And all of you who complained about his laxadasical effort on that throw in Cf must not have EVER played the outfield before..CF is the hardest postion to play, the winds, the sun and other elements make it hard to get under every ball..get with the program...try playing the outfield and see if you can track a ball hit to the track..EXACTLY

[Jesse]

Enough Bj bashing.. I have season tix front row LC field..he has saved us out ther sooo many times..yeah his numbers arent too high this year and besides a few lack of hustle plays, hes still one of the top 3 on our team, for all around playing..

[Sting Ray]

Upton is just freaky,a 10 year old playing for the last place team in a Little League game tries harder than the starting center fielder for the team with the best record in the majors? Hu? ...I hope Cliff has alot of free time to figure this kid out.

[Dan]

I didn't see it. It looks like Eddings belongs in the same tank as Meals & Darling. The three of you are a joke.

BJ, get with the program. Get your eyes checked. Your swing is way too late. I love your talent, son, but you have to develop some focus. Delmon & Elijah are gone, and that's in your best interests.

[ric]

BJ- Since you have mastered the game of baseball how about some math? BJ + Playoffs = $$$$$. Get your head in the game bro!

[John]

MLB would much rather see Boston win the division than the rays and the Yankees or somebody else sneak in for the wild card. Bigger markets mean more money for MLB

[Edgar]

NOTICE: AJ's foot was out of the base pass and his right foot was on the grass. Second of all, Aybar did not even come close to making contact of him; AJ was falling out of seat of his pants. Great acting job by this clown Pierzynski.

[Ray]

"Don't peg it on BJ. His momentum had him going backward."

Although Riggans had the game in hand, BJ was flat wrong by lolly-gagging it to 2nd. Watch the play again. And teams will continue to run on him til he gets the ball in quicker.

This isn't little-league BJ, get the ball in!

[Wewantwhiskers]

Shawn Riggans.......you really make us miss whiskers!! Nice blow on fielding what should have been the game winning out.

[William]

I've had it. Trade BJ Upton. Combine all his lazy base running and loafing with his lazy throw to second base after catching that hit to center in the 10th and you have a pattern of laziness. Sure he caught the ball running backwards, but he just casually paused for about two seconds and then turned and threw to second. Even if you can't make the play, you still hustle and try to keep the base runner honest and always guessing. Hey BJ, you're in the hunt for a pennant, so you bust your tail on every play no matter what. He's playing like they are the Rays of old with no hopes of the postseason. If I was his team mate, I'd confront him in the dugout!! Show him the replay of Pena sliding into first to make it. That's hustle. Get rid of Upton!!!!!!

[jeez]

BS. BJ F'd up that fly ball. He misplayed it to begin with, and even after he did, he assumed AJ wasn't going to tag up. That's what happened. AJ had no business being on second base. That play is on BJ 100%. It was just another veteran taking advantage of BJ.

[damn it]

Don't peg it on BJ. His momentum had him going backward. A perfect throw wouldn't have made that play close. Eddings smokes pole and apparently thinks AJ is the best player in the world because he was also the ump that blew the Josh Paul play in the playoffs a few years ago.

There is no excuse for a veteran umpire to blow a call that badly.

[Tim]

The Rays lost the game in the bottom of the 9th. We were one strike away. Despite that after the game whiny Rich Herrera was going on-and-on about the ump's call in the 10th, the Rays simply had a chance to seal the win the inning before and didn't.

Hey 2 out of 3 isn't bad in Chicago. We need to move on from this loss and focus on Toronto.

My point is the ump's call was bad, but the Rays shouldn't have been in that position since the game was in their hands in the 9th.

Go Rays!!!

[damn it]

Don't peg it on BJ. His momentum had him going backward. A perfect throw wouldn't have made that play close. Eddings smokes pole and apparently thinks AJ is the best player in the world because he was also the ump that blew the Josh Paul play in the playoffs a few years ago.

There is no excuse for a veteran umpire to blow a call that badly.

[d]

at least we took 2 out of 3 on the road against a top contender. I do question why we didn't leave our temporary closer in 1 more inning instead of mop up hammel. Oh well get some rest guys we have a hell of a schedule. Go Rays

[Mark]

Wow....trifecta...

1. Riggans not handling the throw

2. BJ playing a bit casual and AJ (only guy slower on WS roster is Toby Hall) tags from 1st to 2nd on fly to CF.

3. Umps blow it....again.

WOW. At least we meat loafed them.