Rays will get first chance Saturday to clinch playoff berth
If the Rays want to clinch their first-ever playoff berth, they can do it with a win Saturday in front of a national TV audience.
With the Yankees beating the Orioles 3-2 Friday, that made it certain the Rays wouldn't have to wait late tonight for the seemingly unlikely scenario of the White Sox, Blue Jays and New York losing in the same night.
So, with the Rays beating the Twins 11-1 Friday night, LHP Scott Kazmir will get the chance Saturday afternoon to help seal the deal on a historic turnaround.
A few thousand tickets are still left for the game.
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Txs Dash 4 pregame pep talk, believe the hype....
Posted by: Raymond The Rays Mascot | September 20, 2008 at 01:45 PM
Today, Cinderella finds herself at a threshold of greater opportunity and planned destiny…Today; she will confront her own imagination with maturity and wisdom. She has reached another time in her short history where her future will be marked, forever.
Cinderella’s story has all the magic and pixie dust one can handle. This modern Cinderella story is so compelling that unrelated friends and families of many towns far away want to know how to tell this story with precision!
You see, there’s nothing like a feel good story!
And, when that feel good story touches your heart so deeply that you see yourself jogging side by side with the main characters, asking for advice in areas that never interested you and sharing insights as if they happened to you…well, that’s what special is saved for.
As Cinderella steps confidently up to today’s first threshold of destiny, she realizes that readiness now lives in the past and her future is determined by that little book of purpose.
For the MLB Tampa Bay Rays, the threshold reveals at 3:30 Eastern Standard Time. With one more win, The Tampa Bay Rays will cement into history a first ever, Playoff berth in the 2008 Major League Baseball chase for a World Series Championship.
In their 11th season, the Tampa Bay Rays have never come close to achieving the number of wins they have to date. The Rays stand at 91 games won and the best they have ever done before today is 70. They hold the second best winning record in all of baseball, just behind the Angels. Today, the Rays will play a game against the Minnesota Twins to cross the first threshold of this amazing season in baseball.
Their season can be summed up as “Just One More!”
Everyone who attends the game is hoping to witness a celebration of champagne and “fun on steroids”. And, how fitting that starting pitcher, Scott Kazmir gets the nod for this historic event. Kazmir was annihilated in his last outing against the Boston Red Sox. Kazmir just couldn’t get into any kind of rhythm from his first pitch and the Rays (THE TEAM) lost in embarrassing fashion. Today, Kazmir will look to his defense and his own personal conviction to pitch the game of his All-star career.
Yesterday, Edwin Jackson pitched with flawless accuracy, velocity and maturity to guide his team to an influential and transcending win over the Twins. The kind of win that will spill over to the “seasoned” Kazmir and as it has been said, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” For Kazmir, the perfect lesson plan was put on display, executed perfectly and ready for replication.
He most assuredly saw himself in Edwin Jackson’s performance on Friday night and is ready to be known as the pitcher of record when the MLB Tampa Bay Rays win their first ever playoff berth!
It’s funny how fate collides with will and intention. For Kazmir to fall into the rotation for this game is so fitting for this Team of Injuns!
Recently, the team’s moniker has been to sport Mohawk haircuts. Aussie, Grant Balfour is in charge of the identifying shavings. Balfour, a middle to end reliever out of the bullpen, has been shaving heads to create unity after the tension and pressure of getting near to the prize became just a little overwhelming. Hey, I’m all for a little diversion to take the edge off…it seems to have worked. Even manager, Joe Maddon is sporting his own version.
“Maddon and the Mohawks” have produced a floodgate of homeruns and run production that was so desperately needed in this final push. Just yesterday, they threw up 11 runs including a first ever Instant Replay Reversal of Carlos Pena’s, double turned three-run homer. After four minutes and ten seconds standing on second base, Pena was ordered to circle the bases and chalk up his 31st homerun of the season. He is giving this “Mr. September” bid a real run while bearing a little competition from, healed and ready for the race; Evan Longoria’s three homerun game on Thursday night. It looks like Pena has decided to serve the team with an abundance of “round-trippers”.
There is a story deep inside this magical baseball season that has yet to be revealed…one that is of the compelling nature of 40 guys and a common objective. A story of what one can do when the power of the individual spirit is allowed to shine brilliantly.
This Tampa Bay Rays Team is genuinely poised to continue to impose their will on the game of baseball until they have reached the pinnacle.
How will they sustain their concentration and create an unbearable momentum over the rest of the league contenders?
It’s rather Simple…this team was built with a foundation of Love for the Game and an attitude that nobody is a stranger in the dugout. You know those people; when you walk up to them and they don’t have a pretentious bone in their body and they give from the get-go! They give it all…and they give all out. Well, that’s the personality of this team.
This team has installed a system of beliefs that begets achievement:
They believe that in order to receive, they must give.
They believe in the prose of; “that which you give, multiplies.” and “that which you save, diminishes!” They believe in leading by example and following a model of excellence.
They believe that having fun is a part of getting their work done.
They believe that beauty has nothing to do with age.
They believe that contribution and generosity have everything to do with power.
They believe that the ultimate ingredient in their team’s destiny is implicit trust.
Will this Cinderella provide more magic on this last Saturday of summer?
Why not…Why not, now?
Go young Rays…play today like tomorrow is not just another day and today is all you have.
Play today like it is the last time you’ll smell that sweet smell of dusty red clay blowing about the infield. Play today like you’re hearing the sound of a cowbell for the first time and every ring is a call for “Just One More!”
Play today like the number on your back is destined for a locker in the hall of fame.
Play today like the baseball Gods’ can hear your most inner thoughts on every pitch and those thoughts are screaming in your head; “I am, I will.”
Play today like you can see the face of every little kid in the stands who desperately wants to be like you when they grow up.
Play today for the kids that will never get your chance in baseball because of their physical impairments…the little ones that touch, move and inspire you; the physically gifted.
Play today for someone who told you, “Yes, you can do it...Scott…I believe in you!”
Play today because you see that real life episode of You in the 2008 World Series Game 7 with two outs and the bases loaded.
Play with a heart so swelled that you explode through every pitch and every race to first base.
MLB Tampa Bay Rays…your secret is out.
Joe Maddon has told us…“The goal is not just to WIN the division.”
Be present for 9 innings, 27 outs, 3 or more quality at-bats, and the millions of faithful who expect you to cross the 1st threshold, today…because today is “Just One More!”
Play Positively Passionate…today!
Peace.
DASH
Posted by: DASH | September 20, 2008 at 12:14 PM
Ed - I was in the Bullpen Cafe last night. As the game wound down, I asked Bobby Ramos "If you guys win tomorrow, BIG celebration, or small, celebration."
He looked at me and said "BIG CELEBRATION."
We'll see. I'll be there today and I know I will be celebrating a win big time!! GO RAYS!!
Posted by: JeffC | September 20, 2008 at 10:41 AM
Agreed CharlieRay. You can't control human emotion and I doubt the players and fans will be able to contain their enthusiasm once a playoff spot is clinched. To all Rays fans: I live in NY (don't worry I'm a Mets fan not a Yankees fan) but have family in Tampa so I have been following the Rays all year on the MLB package. It really has been great to watch a team come together like they have accomplish great things. Good luck in the playoffs!
Posted by: Ed R. | September 20, 2008 at 09:33 AM
They should have 2 champagne celebrations. Of coarse the division is the best but you can't waite 10 years and tell them not to celebrate now.
Posted by: CharlieRay | September 20, 2008 at 09:08 AM
Interesting question: If they win tomorrow do they do the whole champagne celebration thing in the locker room or does that wait to see if they clinch the division next week?
Posted by: Ed R. | September 20, 2008 at 12:34 AM
Is Fox picking up the game, that would be awesome. Let's hope Kaz recovers well, it would be so appropriate for him to clinch our first playoff spot.
Posted by: Brian J | September 20, 2008 at 12:01 AM