Rays get back to business

After Sunday's morning-after loss, the Rays are back to their usual lineup for tonight's game in Baltimore as they seek to move closer to securing the AL East title. If the Rays go 4-4 in their final eight games, the Red Sox have to go 6-1 in their final seven to finish ahead of them and win the division. The Rays already own the tiebreaker.

Tonight is also a big night because it's the first major-league start by LHP David Price, the top pick in last year's draft who worked through three minor-league levels this season.

The lineup:
Iwamura, 2b
Upton, cf
Pena, 1b
Longoria, 3b
Floyd, dh
Navarro, c
Gross, rf
Hinske, lf
Bartlett, ss
Price, p

Comments

[JeffC]

....so all week at work I'm telling everyone (not a lot of baseball fans) that 9=8.

Now I'm getting called in for a "random" drug test.

LOL

GO RAYS.

DH Aybar tonight.

[joeknowsbaseball]

Red Sox lose.
Red Sox lose.
Red Sox lose.

[HERBan Cryer]

attn Rays,
thanks for allowing my family to be publicity wh0res and jump on your bandwagon ... and remember, if you're going to break the law, do it in alachua county --- we'll make the charges go away and simply take care of it internally

[harold]

Psychology
not "pschology"
I was so eager to get to the Red Sox Gerbil part I got ahead of my self

[harold]

To Joisey
Longo was looking at his glove most likely as a way to focus on something other than the error. Sometimes player will look atsome inanimate object, any object and focus on the details of that object as a tool for clearing the mind.
i know that longo uses visualization techniques and other sports pschology tools. THe difference among good and great athletes is the mind not the body
Of course I could be wrong.
He might have been lookinbg to see if there was a evil weasel in his glove.
They can get in there and really mess with your fielding.
Not to be confused with the Red Sox Gerbils.

[Joisey]

Not fer nuthin but just a few observations last nite-when the O's had a man on second Price stretched but twice didn't check runner on second base? After the A.L. Leagues Rookie of the year made an error why was he looking at his glove so long? Gomes is always the first in dugout to congrat anyone who does good!

[mm]

9 guys play as a team for 9 innings and they will be one of the 8 teams in the playoffs.

[JC]

Can someone explain the 9=8 thing?

[Bill]

Price is the real deal........no hitter through 4.................

[Fernando Perez]

I told you guys I was coming in. I did go to Columbia University where they teach you to predict the future....DUH!

And didn't Price look good tonight? 5.1 IP and only 4 hits and 1 earned run? Sounds like a pretty damn good ML debut to me. Let's hope Mitch can duplicate that tomorrow. AND the Red Sux LOST AGAIN!!!!!! MAGIC # IS 4!!!!!

HOOOOOO-RAYS!!!!!!!

[Rays Fan]

By the way, we took "timely hitting" to a new level tonight. 3 hits and 4 runs, are you kidding me? Bartlett was huge!

I thought Price looked good - if he really can master a change-up in the offseason, he'll be unstoppable next year. Balfour and Howell save the day again, what a year for the bullpen!

[Rays Fan]

Idiot? I thought that fan was smart - he saved his O's a run by grabbing that ball that he obviously knew was fair. They were probably over there giving him free tickets for tomorrow's double-header!

I thought it was a shame that the umps rewarded that fan when Perez obviously would have scored.

[Jon]

Kathleen: I got an email about the playoff tickets tonight. I can get up to four. Pre-sales start tomorrow at 9am.

[CJ]

same thought here Jessica, what a tool

[Jessica]

I really hope that Oriole fan got kicked out for grabbing that ball. What an idiot.

[Amanda]

"Joe just told me that he is gonna put me in after the 7th".
Haha Ok,that's a little creepy!

[Kathleen]

Has anybody heard from the Rays about their play-off ticket lottery? They sell them tomorrow. I signed up but no word yet. I'm concerned. Gotta be there!!!!

[Saint Bobby Bowden]

Longoria looks like he's still hungover..... But, dadgummit, it ain't like he shot the President. And after all, boys will be boys.

[Fernando Perez]

Ok, I agree that we need to make sure Hinske satys fresh, but everyone needs to remember that I am in my early 20's and can outrun a Corvette. Fact of the matter is that we are in a pennant race and I give us the best chance to win. But it's ok.....Joe just told me that he is gonna put me in after the 7th and I am gonna smack another homer just for poops and giggles.

Also, at Columbia we studied a course called "the probabilities and actualities of strike-outs in the Major Leagues and the results and damages inflicted upon the opposing team by a power pitcher with a first name starting and ending with the letter "D" and a last name starting with "Pri" and ending with "ce" in thier first major league start"......and based on the computer simulations and statistical analysis, the results were astounding!!! It turns out that the probabilities of David Price really whooping some @$$ on the 22nd day of September, 2008 are approximately 3,593%.

Just thought I would share my findings with everyone else.

Mi Gusta Fernando!!!!!!!!!

[Brian J]

Hinske had some really good at bats early in the season, seeing a lot of pitches. I would be nice to see him get back to from.

[Amanda]

FP-
Agreed, Perez is better out there than Hinske. I think Maddon's just going with Hinkse because Perez (remember, a rookie who just made his ML debut a couple weeks ago) hasn't had a day off in well over a week, and has started every game since the 13th. Hinkse hasn't started a game since the 15th (came in as a pinch hitter a couple times since, but not a starter).
I guess Joe wants to both rest the kid and keep Hinske from getting too rusty.

[Fernando Perez]

Why are they playing Hinske in left instead of me? He sucks at fielding and has he even gotten a hit in the past month? Hinske SUCKS and I am faster than a cheetah, hit the ball hard, switch hit, BUNT, and I don't suck overall like Hinske does.

But I hope Eric makes a diving catch that ends up on ESPN's top 10 and hits 3 jacks. And, of course, we win. I am predicting we win 8-4. And Price will pitch 6 innings, give up 7 hits and 3 earned runs, and strike out 7.

GO RAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Amanda]

Melissa-
They noted in another article that both Price and Talbot will be limited to about 100 pitches for their first starts. Good thing Kaz isn't limited to the same, or he'd never get out of the third! (I love Kaz, but man, he needs to get that count down)
Looking forward to see what the new kid can do tonight!

[melissa]

CornTooTH,
LOL Say what?

I can't wait to see Price's first start. I wonder if they are putting a limit on his innings or pitch count. Any ideas?
Melissa

[CornTooTh]

This here feller Price better eat a couple of CorNdOgs before he pitches. Them thar Oreos are gonna be sittin on that heater.

Ya-hoo.

[Price]

Me belly so hot

[Richard]

Maybe a Price win can make the fire hotter in the Ray's bellies.

[David]

Can't wait, who else can say they have two power lefties in their pitching staff?