Similar look for Rays

UPDATE, 5:50: Rays scouting director R.J. Harrison said they are "very optimistic" of signing No. 2 draft pick Kyle Lobstein before Friday's midnight deadline. Also, 21st round pick LHP Ryan Carpenter has opted to go to college; he has a scholarship from Gonzaga.

Cliff Floyd just walked for the fourth time in the game, tying a team record. It was the first time he'd done so.

- - -

The Rays will take the field for today's series-ending matinee against Oakland with the same lineup they used in Wednesday's win.

That means SS Jason Bartlett is still out despite considerable progress with his bruised right index finger, and Ben Zobrist is again at short. Maddon did say there was "a pretty good shot" Bartlett would start on Friday in Texas.

Otherwise, a pretty quiet morning (after a short night) for the Rays, who head to Texas after the game. LF Carl Crawford is having surgery on his right hand late this afternoon.

The lineups:

RAYS
Iwamura, 2b
Upton, cf
Pena, 1b
Floyd, dh
Aybar, 3b
Hinske, lf
Navarro, c
Gross, rf
Zobrist, ss
Shields, p

A's
Ellis, 2b
Gonzalez, cf
Thomas, dh
Cust, lf
Brown, rf
Crosby, ss
Suzuki, c
Barton, 1b
Hannahan, 3b
Gallagher,p

Comments

[george]

Jeff has got to be a jealous Sox or Yankees fan.

"Superior teams" like the Red Sox and Yankees? Have you seen them play at all this year? They have struggled mightily against supposedly inferior competition. That is why the Yankees are almost 10 games behind the Rays and the Red Sox are trying to catch up.

[terry Dunham]

jeff cites the rays' " lackluster road starting pitching and pathetic offense"

check the division stats: who's got the best w-l record on the road?

[Where's Jeff?]

Where are you Mr. Prediction? Wrong again buddy.

Razzle, Percy makes you nervous? You know they still haven't lost a game when he's entered in a save situation, right? It's mid-August. He's blown, what, 3 of 30 save situations? That's not bad. And they still didn't lose those games. How many closers can say that?

[joe]

Is Jeff ever right?

[Kanye]

Jeff knows he's got to be right now, cuz he can't get much wronger.

[Reality]

Jeff was wrong today, and will continue to be wrong.

[hockeyjoker]

way to call it Jeff, i will look to you for all my sports predictions

[Jeff]

Gotta be realistic folks. This is the MLB.

[andy]

I got news for ya---remember when everyone, including me, was screaming for Ruggiano?? We;;, from what I have seen offensively so far, he sure isn't the answer..Sure, he got a nice timely hit on a broken bat but he has looked lost and really really bad at the plate. Also, if you seriously take a long look at the Aussie, he only has one pitch and granted, that one pitch is a nasty fastball but he needs something to keep the batter off stride. Thomas knew what was coming and just waited for it. Percy makes me nervous as anything but now that Ballfour/Howell/Wheeler/Percy are gone, here comes the most hittable pitcher in the pen, Hammel...Time to squirm but I wouldn't bet on a favorable outcome in this game.

[Razzlegator]

Buckle your seat belts. Here comes Percy.

[Ray F]

Wow Jeff,

What a nice picture you paint.

How can you say the Sox and Yankees are superior teams???

Last I checked, the Rays are in first place and that determines team superiority. Factor in the payroll and the Rays are far more superior than those 2 plus the Angels.

It would be the same as comparing a Porsche to a cheetah. The cheetah can run 70 miles an hour and the porsche can go 140, but though the cheetah might lose the race in the quarter mile, i would be more impressed with his performance.

[Mike]

Jeff, You're a regular ray of sunshine pal

[Jeff]

The Rays will lose today. They will continue to lose when they play superior teams such as Boston, Anaheim, and NY. If they get the wild card, which I highly doubt given their lackluster road starting pitching and pathetic offense, they will get swept and everyone in the national media will have a good laugh. Thanks for doing nothing to help this team Stu.

[tony]

Totally agree with Zeke and Scott on Upton. Just watching someone with natural ability like he has, play the game the way he does, makes me sick. He lacks the basics, doesn't hustle, does draw walks but also strikes out waaaaaaaaaay too much. Problem is, where does Maddon bat him?? He would probably be a better lead-off man as he does have the ability to take pitches and gets on via walks. Batting him 2nd, defies logic to me as he can't sacrifice and as I said previously, strikes out. If I was calling the shots, from a ownership point of view, I would not sign Upton--we already offerred him a long term deal which he refused. Let him become a free agent, I just don't see this guy EVER becoming an offensive force and his defense is average, at best.

[Scott]

Yeah I'm not sure what Upton was thinking with that base running mistake. Even kids in little league know that rule. Those are the kind of mental mistakes we can't afford to make.

At least the Rays responded in the top of the 2nd to even the score.

[Dom]

Maddon is mad @ Ruggiano. Justin better learn that he can't win the game all by himself. He's also got to learn to pick his pitches. Justin stop swatting flies.

[zeke]

Can someone tell me where Upton learned any baseball fundamentals?? Know he came out of high school but he spent several years in Rays development yet he cannot bunt, makes several mental errors and I have to believe he just made one that I haven't seen since high school--trying to get back to the original base and not touching the base you just crossed..YIKES!!! OUCH, now the guy that struggles away from the Trop gives up a 2 run homer and probably should have been a 1 run homer as CC would have had the one that Hinske missed. Shields ERA on the road and W-L on the road are not impressive. Sure hope we can show some offene today--we have a rightie and maybe one of our best hitters of late (Zobrist?????) can knock someone in....At least 3 more weeks of this is going to take a toll on my nerves and this club's heart (and talent)...

[Ricky]

Go Rays!