Slide show: Tampa Bay Rays 5, Washington Nationals 4

Click here for a slide show of the Tampa Bay Rays win over the Washington Nationals on Sunday.

Rays receive AL championship rings

Twenty-three players, eight coaches, Manager Joe Maddon and 14 members of the front office staff received their American League Championship rings in a pregame ceremony tonight at sold-out Tropicana Field, according to a news release issued by the team.

Rays Principal Owner Stuart Sternberg, President Matt Silverman and Executive Vice President, Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman presented the rings.  All fans in attendance received a replica ring as well.

The top of the 14k white gold ring features the Rays primary logo set against a diamond background.  Atop the raised outline of a baseball infield is “Rays” in blue letters with a specialty cut yellow diamond in an 18k gold starburst inlay. The oval section panel contains 48 diamonds of various sizes.

On one side of the ring in raised polished letters are the words “AL East Champs,” and just below it is the American League logo with a wraparound banner containing the words “1st Pennant.” The recipient’s name, the “TB” logo and the Rays 2008 regular season record “97-65” are embedded on the other side of the ring.

The Rays produced 480 rings for players, staff, employees, and ownership.  Rays full-time employees will receive their rings in a private ceremony tomorrow.

(Photos courtesy Tampa Bay Rays. Click to enlarge.)

Poll: Alex Rodriguez's admission

Alex Rodriguez
What did you think of his interview with Peter Gammons?
At least he was more forthcoming than Bonds, Clemens or McGwire
He's hiding more about his steroids use than he's revealing
He showed he is a stand-up guy by admitting to his use of performance-enhancers
He didn't admit to anything; he only acknowledged that he'd been caught

AL MVP ballot

This made the print edition today, but may not have made it online. So for those who have asked (and there are one or two who know who you are), here it is:

Times baseball writer Marc Topkin was one of 28 BBWAA members to vote for the AL MVP award. His ballot:

1. Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox
2. Joe Mauer, Twins
3. Josh Hamilton, Rangers
4. Frankie Rodriguez, Angels
5. Jason Bartlett, Rays
6. Carlos Quentin, White Sox
7. Justin Morneau, Twins
8. Kevin Youkilis, Red Sox
9. Carlos Pena, Rays
10. Grady Sizemore, Indians

The ALCS broadcast schedule

Here is the broadcast schedule for the American League Championship Series, according to mlb.com. All games will be broadcast on TBS. Games start 37 minutes after the start of the broadcast.

Game 1
Red Sox at Rays, 8 p.m. Friday, Tropicana Field

Game 2
Red Sox at Rays, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Tropicana Field

Game 3
Rays at Red Sox, 4 p.m. Monday, Fenway Park

Game 4
Rays at Red Sox, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Fenway Park

Game 5 (if necessary)
Rays at Red Sox, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Fenway Park

Game 6 (if necessary)
Red Sox at Rays, 4 p.m. Saturday, Tropicana Field

Game 7 (if necessary)
Red Sox at Rays, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Tropicana Field

*

Sounds like "whew" ...

That rustling in the air through downtown St. Petersburg may have been a sigh of relief coming from Tropicana Field.
Don't think the Rays weren't happy to see Johan Santana traded to the Mets.
Not only did the pending deal get Santana out of the American League, but more importantly it kept him from coming into the AL East, where as a member of the Red Sox or Yankees the Rays could have had to face him four or five times a season for the next half-dozen years.
Santana's bottom-line numbers against the Rays aren't staggering - he is 3-2 with a 2.79 ERA in 11 career appearances - but he has dominated them at times. Rays batters had just a .195 average against him, and struck out 76 times in 61 1/3 innings (including 62 in the last 50 2/3 innings).
Now they can hope the Orioles trade Erik Bedard (who is 10-3, 2.94 in 19 games against them), and the performance-enhancing drugs controversy proves to be too distracting for the Yankees' Andy Pettitte (13-2, 3.53 against the Rays).

Would you want Manny on your team?

"There is no question  that Manny Ramirez is an elite hitter and belongs among the best of all time. But as good  a hitter as he is, he’s just as bad (if not worse) a ballplayer,'' staff writer Anthony Perez writes in a point-counterpoint  in Friday's St. Petersburg Times.

Counters Tom Jones, "Manny Ramirez can play for my team anytime. In fact, if I had to win one game and there was a draft to pick a team, Ramirez would be my first choice.''

What do you think? Would you want Manny on your team? Leave us a comment below.

(AP photo. Click to enlarge.)

Pena wins comeback player of year

Rays first baseman Carlos Pena on Tuesday was named AL Comeback Player of the Year by Major League BAseball. The award is given to the player who "re-emerges" on the field. Pena who was released in spring 2006 by Detroit and spent most of the season at Triple-A with New York and Boston, hit a team-record 46 homers for the Rays and knocked in 121 runs.

Pena came to spring training with the Rays on a minor-league contract and had been reassigned but was brought back when Greg Norton sustained a knee injury. Pena, showing much better pitch selection than he had earlier in his career, took it from there. His career high for homers was 27 and the Rays record was 34. The RBI record was 117.

Lugo back; Kazmir out

SS Julio Lugo returned to the Devil Rays lineup on Wednesday after missing three games due to a bruised middle finger. But as the Rays sorted through options of trading Lugo (to the Blue Jays or Red Sox) or, perhaps now more likely, signing him long-term, they have another problem.

Lefthanded ace Scott Kazmir has some soreness and tightness in his left shoulder and won't pitch during the upcoming series in New York. Both Kazmir and Rays manager Joe Maddon stressed that they don't consider the situation serious. Maddon said he will move Kazmir to the back end of the rotation and expects him to pitch Aug. 1 against the Tigers. "I have no major concerns,'' Maddon said. "I think the extra rest will do the trick.''

Tim Corcoran will start the series opener against the Yankees, followed by Jae Seo and James Shields.

Lugo still not playing for Rays

SS Julio Lugo remained out of the Devil Rays lineup Tuesday due to what is being described as a bruise on the tip of his right middle finger, but Lugo said he was "almost positive" he would play in Wednesday's matinee.

Lugo has not played since Saturday night, when he left the game after hitting two home runs in the fifth inning. He is the subject of considerable trade speculation, with the Toronto Blue Jays considered the most likely suitors.

Manager Joe Maddon also changed the lineup for Tuesday, dropping LF Carl Crawford back to the second spot, where he is most comfortable, and trying Rocco Baldelli in the leadoff spot.

The Rays on Monday reached the 100-game point of their season with a 41-59 record, which matches their third best mark at that point in a season. They had a club-best 47 wins in 2004.