Rays, Red Sox readying for Game 2
The pre-game interview parade has started, and the teams will soon be on the field preparing for Game 2 of the ALCS.
No major news with the lineups, though the Sox are starting Coco Crisp, sure to be a favorite among the Trop fans for his actions earlier this season against 2B Akinori Iwamura and RHP James Shields.
RED SOX
Ellsbury, rf
Pedroia, 2b
Ortiz, dh
Youkilis, 3b
Bay, lf
Lowrie, ss
Varitek, c
Kotsay, 1b
Crisp, cf
Beckett, p
RAYS
Iwamura, 2b
Upton, cf
Pena, 1b
Longoria, 3b
Crawford, lf
Floyd, dh
Navarro, c
Gross, rf
Bartlett, ss
Kazmir, p
Follow Tampa Bay Rays baseball from spring training to the World Series with Marc Topkin, Joe Smith and the St. Petersburg Times sports staff. From Evan Longoria to B.J. Upton and James Shields, we're your source for Tampa Bay Rays scores and schedules.
Anthony Anthony Anthony
You sound so angry. I didnt know I was supposed to call. I didnt know I was supposed to check in. Heck Anthony, I didn't even know we were dating. I think maybe You are getting a little too attached. I know its cold up there But Im not the snuggly type. But I do think it really cute the way you spend all your after school hours on a Rays Blog. I guess they really dont have one thats worth a crap up there where you live. I think you're probably a closet Rays fan and are ashamed to come out. Dont worry Anthony. I wont out you. But Im not going to play broke back with you either.
Cower. Thats funny. Little Anthony. Have a fun day. Make mommy proud.
Posted by: harold | October 13, 2008 at 09:04 AM
"And yet another soothsayer needs a new job!"
Wow, your team wins a game and you're an internet tough guy again! Way to cower the last couple of days!
The pain train is going to hurt even worse now that you've fooled yourself into thinking that the Rays have a chance. They had to win both at home to have a shot. Fenway sweep, no more superball "warning track," thank god
Woo woo!
Posted by: Anthony | October 12, 2008 at 09:34 PM
Brian J-
Not conceding! Just hypothetical, that's all.
Posted by: Amanda | October 12, 2008 at 04:54 PM
Hour and a half, Caleb! Hey Tampa Bay, here comes the pain train, woo woo!
Posted by: Anthony | October 11, 2008 at 06:33 PM
And yet another soothsayer needs a new job! BUT I hear the job market in the Northeast is even worse than the Tampa Bay area.
Posted by: harold | October 12, 2008 at 12:10 PM
Amanda I hope the beating we give you tonight and in games 3 and 4 teach you guys never to take our AL East again.
I will be drinking delicious pints of beer in nyc tonight gloating about my Sox. (my Wakefield jersey will remain in the closet though - for my own safety!)
Posted by: Novangelus | October 11, 2008 at 06:06 PM
No Nostridamus here
Posted by: harold | October 12, 2008 at 12:07 PM
I'm pretty sure that was the latest finish to game at the Trop, 1:36am by my count.
But was that the longest game ever played at Tropicana Field in terms of time?
Posted by: Big Pauly | October 12, 2008 at 10:11 AM
Game MVP would have to go to BJ, in my estimation. But, Danny did go a great job, other than that wild pitch.
Posted by: MikeD | October 12, 2008 at 03:12 AM
Heh. Helene=selective memory. Wheeler pitched so well afterward that I forgot he was the one who threw the wild pitch that sent it into extras. So his Game MVP Award gets retracted. Still a great 3 inning effort though.
Posted by: Helene | October 12, 2008 at 03:04 AM
Wow, what a game. I am going to bed now, but it might take me a while to get to sleep after all that excitement. Go Rays - I will post pics from Game 1 and 2 tomorrow on www.9equals8.com for those of you that have an interest.
Go Rays!
Posted by: 9equals8.com | October 12, 2008 at 02:04 AM
Wow! Now let's win a couple at Fenway.
Posted by: Brian J | October 12, 2008 at 01:53 AM
Dear Rays,
One of these days, you are going to kill me.
Love,
Helene
PS--Awesome win. Dan Wheeler=MVP
Posted by: Helene | October 12, 2008 at 01:48 AM
Back to your hole Anthony!
Posted by: Caleb | October 12, 2008 at 01:39 AM
Frank,
I hope the Sox win another WS too. Just not in my lifetime.
The corner to hide in Ant,is the one with the medicated boy with the pointy hat. Woo Woo(not too brokeback)
Posted by: Razzlegator | October 11, 2008 at 10:55 PM
More pain to come from the Rays my friend, THE RAYS.
Posted by: Caleb | October 11, 2008 at 10:38 PM
aaaa yaaaa sox bullpen rox
Posted by: Caleb | October 11, 2008 at 10:38 PM
What a fan, hiding in the corner until your boys spark up. Guess what, there's more pain to come
Posted by: Anthony | October 11, 2008 at 10:36 PM
WHERE IS THOU BECKETT ANTHONY!
POOR MANAGEMENT BY THE GREAT FRANCONA.
Posted by: Caleb | October 11, 2008 at 10:35 PM
Wow Anthony, I see Josh Beckett is doing as well as Kazmir, which isn't saying much.
Stop slapping yourself in the face with your own trash talk.
Posted by: Caleb | October 11, 2008 at 10:16 PM
1. i hope the sox win another world series.
2. listen more to amanda
3. last night was an amazing game that both teams can be proud of
4. this series ain't over
5. sorry for the obnoxious boston fans (though you guys ain't saints either)
6. Refer to #1
Posted by: Frank | October 11, 2008 at 08:35 PM
Why Caleb, because I'm so much smarter than you? DO YOU FEEL THAT TWO RUNS WORTH OF PAIN YET? KAZMIR CLEARLY DOES! WOO WOO!
Posted by: Anthony | October 11, 2008 at 08:26 PM
Please...leave right after the game...it's not about hope or your pissy attitude.
Actually, it has nothing to do with you!
You aren't playing tonight...the RAYS will win if they believe they will.
Yesterday was merely a conscious decision to let Boston win.
The Rays are clearly more talented, have more speed and have better pitching.
The question is will they bring the show, tonight?
Yes!
Game on.
Posted by: Get out of town | October 11, 2008 at 08:08 PM
That was an amazing comeback. I can really tell you're from Boston.
Posted by: Caleb | October 11, 2008 at 07:45 PM
Caleb, you should ask someone in homeroom on Monday morning then!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdd4LE54BH8
WOO WOO
Posted by: Anthony | October 11, 2008 at 07:25 PM
Amanda, let's not concede just yet. But I agree; but, why the Red Sox!?
Posted by: Brian J | October 11, 2008 at 07:19 PM
The pain train? Wow, I'm sure that one was very original. Never heard something like that in elementary school.
Posted by: Caleb | October 11, 2008 at 07:18 PM
Hour and a half, Caleb! Hey Tampa Bay, here comes the pain train, woo woo!
Posted by: Anthony | October 11, 2008 at 06:33 PM
OK, now you're getting really cocky dude. You guys can't make a single comment on anything without doing that, can you?
Nope.
Posted by: Caleb | October 11, 2008 at 06:22 PM
Amanda I hope the beating we give you tonight and in games 3 and 4 teach you guys never to take our AL East again.
I will be drinking delicious pints of beer in nyc tonight gloating about my Sox. (my Wakefield jersey will remain in the closet though - for my own safety!)
Posted by: Novangelus | October 11, 2008 at 06:06 PM
Alright, I'm probably going to be run out of town for being a horrible baseball fan for saying this, but...
if this is the end, and the Rays don't advance any further than the ALCS, I'm still proud of hell of them. Yeah, I'll be disappointed, but not devastated.
To me, they won't be losers for not making it all the way. Maybe my expectations are too low, I don't know. But every year they've finished either last or second to last. To make it to the ALCS this year, as the AL East Champs, is fantastic in my eyes.
With that said, taking the ALCS would make it even sweeter... Go Rays!
Posted by: Amanda | October 11, 2008 at 05:59 PM
The season is over. Home field advantage is gone. The young pitchers don't have enough left. Kazmir is almost an automatic loss and Longoria's bat is already starting its post-season vacation.
Thanks for ruining yet another aspect of my life. Stupid me; I should have known better than to have hope.
Posted by: Hopeless | October 11, 2008 at 05:50 PM
I wouldn't be surprised either, Nova. Intentional or not, their boy still got nailed in the head (though I heard it actually hit him the shoulder and then his head... I dunno, looked like the head from where I was sitting).
Just because it wasn't intentional doesn't mean it didn't happen. Probably a nice plunk for team morale - as if the Sox need it - tonight.
Posted by: Amanda | October 11, 2008 at 05:49 PM
I don't know Amanda - it looked like Pedroia mouthed "What the fluck"?
It most likely was unintentional but I would not be shocked if Pena or Longoria got one off the hip tonight once the Sox are safely ahead.
Posted by: Novangelus | October 11, 2008 at 05:45 PM
As much as I do enjoy some good drama, I just can't believe that hit was intentional.
1. Down 2-0 late in the game with a man on in a game as important as that?? Why on EARTH would you hit someone at that point?
2. Why Drew? No bad blood there. Especially a hit in the head...
3. This is Grant Balfour. As dominant as he is, he's been known to lob a pitch wildly to the backstop a time or two.
4. Check out the reaction from the Sox bench. Concern, but no anger. They sure didn't react like it was intentional.
Posted by: Amanda | October 11, 2008 at 05:42 PM
The thoughts of a common Rays fan:
Go Rays wooohoo our young pitchers don't need experience!
I used to make fun of the Rays and never went to a game until this year but now that they are in the playoffs I will go to games!
I can't wait to ring my cowbell at home tonight!
Fenway Park pales in comparison to the Trop!
JD Drew deserved that pitch last night because we're still mad Coco slid into second like a meany!
Joe Maddon is the smartest coach ever! Swinging away with a 3-0 count is the key to winning!
HooRAY hooRAY!
I bought a shirt that says we beat the yankees and redsox, before we even did it!
I have 5 eggs at home in an incubator which means I have 5 chickens!
We beat the Sox 10/18 this year so that means we will win the series because there is no such thing as playoff experience!
Posted by: Novangelus | October 11, 2008 at 05:37 PM
I agree Caleb - don't get angry though whoever posted probably just started rooting for the Rays a few months ago.
Something to note is Coco Crisp being in the line-up. I'd like to see the Red Sox get some revenge for that intentional throw at JD Drew yesterday.
Posted by: Novangelus | October 11, 2008 at 05:04 PM
J.D. Drew not being in the lineup isn't a major change?
Are you smoking something? That is a huge change, they've lost a power bat right there.
Posted by: Caleb | October 11, 2008 at 04:53 PM