:-( ... says everything

[Bullshiznitz]

From the horrible attendance for what amounts to a playoff game for the Rays.....to the absolutely horrible defensive play tonight....this game is almost unwatchable.  Sad thing is that its still a close game and that they could pull out what should be an unwinnable game.  9 hits, 6 walks and 3 errors through 5 1/3 innings.....ouch

[Joe]

Football season has killed the Rats attendance?

[flsportsfan83]

should have been the rays hottest pitcher on the mound tonight, but he is no longer a  ray

[Matt]

need to win these next 2 games.  stranger things have happened for a team to make the playoffs....see the mets collapses recently that allowed the phillies to gain, i think it was 5 games in the last week and a half of the season last year.

but with the additional of billy wagner the redsox are a real tough time and i doubt they will lose many more games from here on out.  rays just need to play great baseball.  gotta win 75% of the games going forward.

[Joe]

Matt, it's over.

6 back with two teams in front?

We'd need to win 75% and hope the Sox go 15-16 and the Rangers go 19-11...

[Matt]

Matt, it's over.

6 back with two teams in front?

We'd need to win 75% and hope the Sox go 15-16 and the Rangers go 19-11...

geez!!!

you give up way to easy. 

sure, its not looking good but to say it is over is quiting.

we are 6 games back with 5 h2h match up's left.  it would  be tough to sweep the sox in sept at fenway but it can be done. 

id say we need to see how the rest of this series plays out (we can easily get it back to 4 games) and then go from there.

[Joe]

And ignoring Texas the whole time too? We have 13 games against playoff hunt teams and need to win too many...oh and they're all on the road.

Is it mathmatically possible? Yes...likely? No.

The day the Rays traded Kaz you knew they were thinking the same.

[Matt]

yea im not saying i expect the rays to make the playoffs but they still do have a chance.

i really wish jp howell didnt just throw a 40 ft pitch to give up another run on passed ball.  atleast this wasnt a walk off game winning pass ball

[Bullpride08]

yea im not saying i expect the rays to make the playoffs but they still do have a chance.

i really wish jp howell didnt just throw a 40 ft pitch to give up another run on passed ball.  atleast this wasnt a walk off game winning pass ball

I still see the Balfour homer on Sunday in my sleep.  Not over, but it's coming close.  Like joe said we're chasing two teams which makes the odds twice as difficult.  We'd need slight meltdowns from two ball clubs, not just one.  I could see one coming from the Soxs, they've got the Yanks this weekend, and to be Beckett has been wearing down the past two years at the end of the season, Lester is vulnerable...if those two continue to struggle then the Bosox could run into some trouble.  But Texas...they seem to be hitting a stride right now.

What the Rays need right now to have any chance is three things, 1. Pat Burrell to go on one of his patented hot streaks, where he hits .310 for September, and 14 homers, and BJ to warm up just a bit too. 2.  Starting pitching to tighten up, 3. Bullpen to have a stretch like they did in June/July.

Those are now pie in the sky prayers though, Pat has struggled all year as a DH, and hacking way to much to get streaky, BJ has just been a pure disappointment and seems content with it; the best starting pitcher is our #4 guy- any day Shields, and Garza can step up to 2008 form, and Bullpen is make shift, without a true closer we're just throwing guys out and no one is comfortable in their role.

Oh well, live to fight another day in this league.  The move of Kazmir should give them some room.  Aki's gone next year, and so is Jack-As* Percival's...that alone frees up around $12M of current salary, and $14M of future salary.  To me that's more than enough to grab a quality closer (the bullpen would be fine with a good 97MPH heat type guy closer- but with a ball that moves unlike Balfour), and a solid catcher that can at least bat closer to .250 then Navi.  Burrell is starting to warm up to the DH spot 12 of his 13 homers have occurred since July 8th, and climbing the average from .217 on that day to a current .243.

BTW, we should rejoice the Angels showed us some mercy too.  The PTBNL was Sean Rodriguez who's a real nice looking youngster, who's bounced from the majors to minors for the past three seasons.  He's a decent defending 2nd baseman but a guy that has serious pop in his bat at 2nd base, and he's a FL boy who should be pleased to get back home.  The team can now move Zobrist/Joyce to RF, with Rodriguez at 2nd for next year.  You dumb the two Gabes, and that line-up looks pretty darn good with Barlett at lead-off.

Another BTW, the great Jeremy Hellickson has finally moved to Durham, and is already 3-1 there with a 2.60 ERA and continues with the strikeouts greater than innings ratio too.  Desmond Jennings is also at Durham, and continues to hit for average and steal bases at a frantic rate- he has 54 so far this season.

The addition of Rodriguez is big because that should solidify the line-up for 2010 so the future is still quite bright.

[flsportsfan83]

The day the Rays traded Kaz you knew they were thinking the same.

DING DING DING. There is a voice of reason on this board.