(I am SOOOOOOO pissed off right now. I spent forever on this stupid post, and then my GD browser ate the whole thing. I tried to recreate it as best as possible, but… ARRRRGGGHHH!!!)
No interviews. No crazy stat breakdowns that no one understands. No gimmicks. Just straight talk (and not the kind that John McCain says will keep us in Iraq for 100 more years).
I’m not sure what exactly has made me feel this way lately, but over the last few weeks, I’ve really started to believe that the Rays can compete for a playoff spot in the AL East. Maybe it’s because the Yankees have a bad pitching staff. Maybe it’s because the Blue Jays aren’t as good as everyone thinks. Maybe it’s because I hate the Red Sox with all the venom of a rattlesnake.
Or maybe it’s because this team is actually good for a change.
The more I think about it, there isn’t a single move that FreidCo. made over the offseason that I disagree with. Certainly this team is built for the long-run – 2009, 2010, and 2011 – but I think this year is as good as any for the Rays to finally make some noise. There are a lot of really good teams in the AL – a lot of teams that are likely to beat up on each other when they play each other. That could really give the Rays a chance to slip in there and win a few extra games, picking off some teams coming off tough series against divisional rivals. Before you know it, we could be right in the middle of the race when September rolls around. Hey, if the Rockies and D-Backs can do it, why not us?
Plenty of little notes from this past weekend as the Rays wrap up practices and get ready to begin playing exhibition games later on in the week. Let’s get to it.
- Rays Anatomy managed to get their hands on David Price for an interview. I gotta admit – I’m a little jealous. Mostly stock answers from Pri¢e, but still quite cool that Easy E managed to get him to answer a few questions. (Rays Anatomy)
- Delmon Young is all of a sudden singing a different tune. He must already be having nightmares about a Matt Garza fastball to the small of the back. To be honest, I can’t blame him. (TBO.com)
- St. Pete Times notes from Sunday: Jolly Guzbar and Juan Salas are still stuck in the Domincan, Edwin Jackson will get the first start of the spring against the Reds on Friday, and Carl Crawford got plunked by a Trever Miller pitch. Miller must be a Delmon Young fan. (St. Pete Times)
- The Joe Maddon Death Watch? I like this DRG guy. (Rays Index)
- According to the Tribune, Guzman and Aybar should be in town by Wednesday. Not so much on Salas. (TBO.com)
- Grant Balfour is ready to throw down if that’s what it takes to win the final spot in the bullpen. Okay, so maybe he didn’t quite say that, but he doesn’t know that he’s facing a battle for it. (TBO.com)
- Jason “BSSE” Bartlett gives a “Hey guys! Over here! Matt Garza’s not the only guy from that trade!” (Bradenton.com)
- At least one writer likes how Carl Crawford bitch-smacked Delmon Young last week. (TBO.com)
- When I see the term “erudite” I naturally think of the race of characters from Everquest. I’m also a huge nerd, though. Bill Chastain whipped out his baseball thesaurus on Fernando Perez. (MLB.com)
- What does Tom Foley bring to the Rays? Golf ability. Don’t believe me? Ask Joe Maddon. (MLB.com)
- Curt Schilling finally has someone to join him at the all-you-can-eat buffet. The Sox inked Bartolo Colon to a minor league deal. (ESPN.com)
