Rays try again against Red Sox

The Rays are sending out the same lineup tonight as they try to reclaim sole posession of first place from the Red Sox, with the tough assignment of facing ace Josh Beckett. The game - once again - is not sold out.

*CF B.J. Upton (strained left quadriceps) took some swings again today, one day after running on the Tropicana Field turf. Upton said he's "definitely" not ready to be back out in the field, and doesn't know when he'll return to the lineup.

Upton mentioned possibly pinch-hitting, but manager Joe Maddon said he still isn't sure when and if that would happen.

*Speaking of Maddon, he sported a new mohawk of his own today, joining about a half a dozen Rays with the same haircut. Maddon had it cut last night in the name of "unity."

Backup C Shawn Riggans returned after spending several days in the hospital following a surgery to clean up an infected bursa sac. Riggans didn't know if he'd be able to return at all this season, saying that he was merely glad doctors caught the infection when they did, as "it could  have been a lot worse."

*On the Red Sox side, J.D. Drew has returned but will not play. And Jason Bay, who has been a Rays killer as of late, left the team this afternoon to be with his pregnant wife, whom he expected to soon go into labor.

RAYS
Iwamura, 2b
Bartlett, ss
Pena, 1b
Longoria, 3b
Floyd, dh
Navarro, c
Hinske, lf
Gross, rf
Perez, cf
Sonnanstine, p

RED SOX
Ellsbury, lf
Pedroia, 2b
Ortiz, dh
Youkilis, 1b
Lowell, 3b
Kotsay, rf
Lowrie, ss
Varitek, c
Crisp, cf
Beckett, p

Comments

Red Sox zre still the better team come October. Just wait until Kazmir has his first career playoff spot.

[MD]

Who wants to go & sit next to Boston or Yankee fans? I had to put up with one banging those blow up stix & shouting yoouuu & pappi for 4 hours. I do go to about 15 games a year though.

[joeh]

If Boston spends about 150 million to put a team together and the Rays 50 million. I am OK with attendance. If people from Florida were leaving to live in Mass. the same thing would happen. Boston press makes this a story just bait the hook, don't bite. Who's in first. The Rays.

[Cowbell]

Stop hitting me! It hurts me and it hurts the ears of all those poor overly-sensitive people who go to the games!!! Go with cymbals instead!

[McLovin]

I don't know Mr. Walken. Apparently if you get too much cowbell, you get some Rays fans p___sed off at you because they can't deal with it.

I'm going to cowbell it 1000x more now just for them.

You want some earplugs people, you come talk to me. But don't complain if you don't take them like I've seen happen before.

I am McLovin!!!!

[Christopher Walken]

I've got a fever, and the only thing that can cure it is MORE COWBELL

[Larry]

Anthony...put on your red slippers and keep clicking your heels and repeat after yourself and everyone else..."The Rays are moving to Vegas...." NOT. It will be a long time (if ever)that any pro sports team will be in Vegas. The leagues will not have it with the gambling, get it. Besides, you talk about no fan base!!

Just because you hear it on Ron and Ian and Ian Beckles (the former NFL lineman and Blimpie store owner) tells you there is a 50% chance the Rays will move to Las Vegas, it does not mean it will happen. (Those guys are idiots when it comes to their knowledge of the Rays and MLB but that is a different story)

All that said, you made your post 3 times, we got it. You think the Rays will move to Vegas. Now run along and get ready for school,,,oh and as usual do not wear your Sox stuff today, they lost last night. Like most Florida Sox fans (who dusted off their loyalty to the Sox in 2004 -"I have always been a wicked Sox fan)you only admit to it while on top!!

Anthony...You like apples? The Rays are in first, the Sox are in Second, your team lost last night you lllloooossseeeerrr....How bout them apples?

[Helene]

Y'know, Sonny doesn't get enough credit 'round these parts. Awesome, awesome job to right the ship after Kazmir got shelled. And once again, he gets screwed out of his 14th win because we can't give him run support.

And thank you too, Navi, for getting that pitch in the air. I don't think my heart could've taken extra innings again!

[todd]

Someone call a doctor I've got BASEBALL FEVER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
on second thought,,,,,don't call, I love it baby.

Priceless! I don't care what tickets, gas, parking, food costs, beating the Redsox and being on top of the division and on our way to the Post-season is Priceless. 2008 best year in my long life !!!

[Edgar]

need a big win tomorrow. go to put this red sox team away

[McLovin]

All Sox fans are clowns.

We all know you p___sed yourselves when Navarro hit that 2-2 pitch.

[zeke]

Having Bay out of the line-up is great for us, having Lowell's hip act up is great for us. Having (as Kaz eluded) Sonnanstine pitch his butt off and silencing Boston's bats for two consectutive games speaks volumes. Maddon will have some tough pitching choices in postseason and I believe he is either scared or at least hesitant to throw Kaz back out there right away.

[zeke]

Having Bay out of the line-up is great for us, having Lowell's hip act up is great for us. Having (as Kaz eluded) Sonnanstine pitch his butt off and silencing Boston's bats for two consectutive games speaks volumes. Maddon will have some tough pitching choices in postseason and I believe he is either scared or at least hesitant to throw Kaz back out there right away.

[kaz]

Man, Sonny threw two great games in a row, both against the Red Sox and he made them look bad with his stuff. I just wish my stuff was as good or I could get the ball over the plate or I could go deep into the game or I was in control of myself. Gosh darn, when I saw film this morning, I really sucked bad. Sonny has been a whipping boy but he knows how to pitch and I don't.

[Josh]

If you didn't see it on television, you probably didn't catch the fact that Ruggiano was totally faking when he acted like he got hit on the hand. Replays showed it hit flush on the bottom of the bat. Got him on first, though....even though he got stranded that inning.

[Josh]

Yeah, I have no problem with Sox fans either. Went to Fenway back in 2000 to see the Sox play the Tigers. It was cool. The people there were nice. Lot of history in that place.

[Amanda]

Me? Not sure why, but thanks?
By the way, sat next to some awesome Red Sox fans tonight. Flew down here just to catch a game. Proof that the good ones are out there...

[mo]

Whats the point of coming on here to bash the rays?? Good game sox fans now let's move on

[Josh]

No doubt. Beckett is awesome. And Ellsbury is fast, really fast.

But the Rays found a way. Pena is the man. Navi is the man.

[JeffC]

Amanda, I love you.

[JeffC]

Rays win, and no posts frome Zeke, Slappy and Edgar, etc?

SHOCKER!!

[Amanda]

Wow. Just.... wow.
Great game all around, Rays and Sox. Hell of a pitchers' duel for a while there.

[Sox Fan]

Long live free internet porn!!!

[Andrew]

Anthony,

Please show me a link that proves any of the Rays management has even mentioned moving the team out of the Tampa/St. Pete area. I'll save you some time because you won't find it.

All of these "moving the team" talks are rumors started by national media and then it keeps coming up from fans of other teams like you.

[Wally]

And keep away from the Kool-Aid

[Anthony]

I'm sorry. I'm just a little slow. Never been too good with the women either. This is all I have outside of the free internet porn.

[Josh]

I just read that Jason Bay was out because he's with his expectant wife, and that he likely won't return until Friday. That's a good thing.

[Wally]

Anthony, my poor boy.

Take another toke.

[Brian J]

I think that may have been the jolt we needed to push us through into the playoffs. As much as I hate to see the pink hats in the stands, it is kinda funny to watch them walk out after a walk-off.

[Anthony]

"for all of us, ray's fans or not"

Who's Ray?

[Wally]

I think Frank is coming around - he'll be a Rays fan before you know it!!

lol

[Frank]

anthony, saying it three times doesn't make it true. seriously, for all of us, ray's fans or not, find something more productive to do or say.

[Anthony]

"The Rays aren't leaving the Tampa area."

Talk about wishful thinking

[Wally]

Meal or Meals - not sure. Posted Meals earlier - lol Either way, he finds a way to be involved more than he needs to be.

[Wally]

You forgot to quote this part:
"It'll be over by 10:15"

I guess I gave the Sox too much credit - it was actually closer to 10:05

[Frank]

wally,

isn't it "jerry meals"? Anyway, yeah he sucks. yesterday was pitiful. and the warning--what a load of crap that was.

[Josh]

Isn't arguing about fanbases kinda silly? I mean, some cities support baseball by showing up for games and some don't. There's not much that anyone can do about it.

I don't see much sense in trying to defend the point. I think it's pretty obvious that there aren't enough Rays/baseball fans in the area to provide the attendance numbers needed for the Rays to stick around for long.

I do think a previous poster had a good insight, however. He mentioned that many people in the Bay area are fans of other teams. If that's true, there's not much the Rays can do about it.

I'm lovin me some Rays right about now, though. This season has been a blast. I've been to four games, and I can't imagine being able to afford going to many more than that, honestly. Can't blame 'em if they can't stick around because of attendance.

[Andrew]

Nice try, Anthony. I know that might be wishful thinking on your part. The Rays aren't leaving the Tampa area.

"Looks like you can chalk one up for the Florida hillbillies"

The players aren't hillbillies (well most of them), they couldn't care less about Florida - they can't wait for Vegas 2009

[Wally]

Give it a rest Anthony - don't just keep adding inane posts in frustration.

Besides, I lived in Vegas and the locals would never support an MLB team.

[Anthony]

Bet you guys feel like Cards fans in 2004 and Rockies fans in 2007, super pumped up and confident!

At least those teams stuck around after getting swept, I heard the Rays are moving to Vegas - you guys will be like the 20 people in Montreal who still remember the Expos

[Wally]

Not me Frank - I been a fan since the beginning.

I just think the personal attacks are stupid. Unless we're talking about Jerry Meal.

[Robert]

So there's this concern with attendance...Gee, back when the Atlanta Braves were constantly in the playoffs, there were many games that were not sold out. That's right, I said Atlanta Braves.
And now you have some clowns making a big deal of the Rays attendance or lack of a sellout. Just stay focused on the bottom line, and that's the pennant race. Don't be sucked into the frivolous discussion about attendance when you're about to win a division title. Go Rays. Year by year, watch the numbers grow as the team continues to put up the victories. Count on it.
Takes a real baseball fan to realize this I guess, as reporters will be reporters. Need I say more?

[Josh]

I never knew a baseball season could be this riveting. This is friggin awesome, man. I've been drinking a little more often as the intensity of the games have steadily increased, but I don't care. I'm cool with it for now. I'll dry up after the season, I guess. I'm lovin it! Go RAYS!!!! RAYS THE ROOOOOF!!!!

[Frank]

funny how ray's "fans" are afraid to sign their names.

[Yes!]

It's fun beating the Sox. Get used to it Red Sox fans because this is going to be a regular occurance for several years to come.

By the way, I bet Frank is curled up in a ball sucking his thumb right now...

[Frank]

attendance,

I would, but then you're not man enough even to sign your post.

[Attendance]

Frank, you can make it up to me by moving the F out of my community. Tell me where you live and I'll help you pack. I'll even pack everything you own (all 5 of them) while you watch the Pink Sox lose to your home team again.

[Warren]

Navvvvyyyy!

That's why we lost last night - we didn't get 30,000 people out

[Frank]

great pitcher's game, just like last week.