Just one loss. That’s all last night was. But it was enough for some people to begin whispering that “the Rays can’t handle September.” It caused Rudy Guiliani to say that the Yankees were still alive. Both false, of course, but still the overreactions of a quote-hungry media.
Let’s shut those people up tonight with a win on national television.
What to watch for: Carl Pavano’s arm could fall off at any moment.
Scouting Report on today’s starters from MLB.com:
Edwin Jackson - Jackson picked up his career-high 11th win of the season Thursday night against the Blue Jays when he allowed just one run in seven innings. Jackson threw 70 of 106 pitches for strikes and scattered six hits with two strikeouts for his sixth win in seven games. The young flamethrower is at his best when he is locating his 97 mph fastball, which sets up an array of other pitches, particularly his slider.
Carl Pavano -Pavano delivered six impressive innings Friday night to pick up his second win of the season in as many attempts, and his first at Yankee Stadium since 2005. He quieted the Blue Jays’ bats, holding them to one run and just three hits. He recorded one walk and one strikeout. The strikeout came against the final batter he faced before exiting after 72 pitches. Pavano said he had to work throughout the game to keep the ball low, but he retired 18 of the 22 batters he faced, including 12 straight hitters. He has not faced Tampa Bay this season.
Check out the Rays’ career numbers against Carl Pavano.
View the game preview from Baseball Reference.
| TAMPA BAY RAYS |
NEW YORK YANKEES |
| LINEUP 1 | LINEUP 1 |
| LINEUP 2 | LINEUP 2 |
| LINEUP 3 | LINEUP 3 |
| LINEUP 4 | LINEUP 4 |
| LINEUP 5 | LINEUP 5 |
| LINEUP 6 | LINEUP 6 |
| LINEUP 7 | LINEUP 7 |
| LINEUP 8 | LINEUP 8 |
| LINEUP 9 | LINEUP 9 |
Be sure to join us in the chat room for some good Rays talk during the game!!!
Tags: Yankees
September 4th, 2008 at 8:54 am
Okay, we need to get back on track here. There is no way the Yankees should be beating us at our own game right now, but they are. They are out-hustling us, and that can’t happen.
September 5th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
AJ and Scott, Where did everyone go? JUmp off the band wagon?
September 5th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Seems no postings from anyone…. Abandoned the site?
September 5th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
Balfour did something unusual tonite. Rays out hit them but couldn’t score. I am a little concerned but not panicing. Would kind of like him to switch to a four man rotation and use Sonny as the long reliever. I think Sonny’s good for one time through the line up and then it’s batting practice.
September 6th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Not looking too good with Toronto today either so far. Hopefully, Texas can beat Boston later on today.
September 6th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
Percy has an ERA of 4.91. A championship run is not going to be made with a closer with that ERA. Percy is no longer a “lights out” reliever. I personally believe that the Rays made a mistake by not acquiring such a high end reliever prior to the trade deadline….it will come back to bite them in the butt.
September 6th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
At least Texas beat Botson 15 - 6 but the Rays lead is down to 2.5. How does everyone think the Rays will do on the “running the BOS/NYY gauntlet” road trip?
September 7th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
Scott, are you back on strike? Where is the site management?
September 8th, 2008 at 9:14 am
I agree with Richard in, to switch to a four man rotation and use Sonny as the long reliever but when Price comes up to give him a start to see how he looks.
September 8th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
Sorry to see this blog go dead, Wish I could write would try to give Scott a hand. Was a hot area when Rays were loosers and now we’re pennant contenders and everyone leaves. Hope Jackson can be on tonite and we win the 1st one of the three in Beanie town. Hope get big enought lead Merlow won’t bring in over the hill Percie. Note to Joe, His legs are gone Joe and he is one pitcher that really uses his legs, not high kick to volt his arm. Hope to see more of you guys back. Go Rays.
September 8th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
Rays would do well to take 2 out of 3 from the Sux. This would 1) give them an emotional lift, 2) shave some more of Sux magic elimination number down and 3) give them a bit more gap in the standings between the Rays and the Sux.
The bats have to wake up and the pitching remain steady…go BULLPEN!
September 8th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
From RaysIndex: “Juan Salas will not be available tonight after suffering an epileptic seizure. This is not new for Salas and Rays expect him to be fine.”
September 8th, 2008 at 7:34 pm
Rays’ bats are asleep again…in the smallest part in the American League. I have heard all this BS about the Rays being statistical shoe-ins for the playoffs, but ending the year like this 1) might lead them to follow the Mets’ example and totally collapse, or 2) play so poor at the end of the year that they will be out in the first round of the playoffs.
I still wish they would have picked up Ethier or Nady, plus a good reliever, prior to the trade deadline.
September 9th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Kaz has got to prove he’s the ace again tonite.
September 9th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
And the Rays need to bring a bag of bats too. Merlot Joe was great in his interview, wondering why a lack of hitting seems to result in people “magnifying the negativity” of the situation. Ya think?!!?
September 9th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Perhaps Red Sox nation got to the site and are holding the hosts hostage?
While the CC and Longo injuries were hardly forseeable, you have to say that the front office’s refusal to spend some $ and bring in a right-handed bat are the chickens coming home to roost this past week. Rocco has been so courageous, but is it really a credible team to have a guy who is handicapped under any federal definiton of the word be your clean-up hitter? His magic disappeared the last two games, and the scores of guys left on may haunt this franchise for a while. The OF against lefties is embarassing.
Maybe the NY whiz kids in the front office should stop doing national press (E:60; NYT) and start working the waiver wire. Theo is kicking their ass since July 25th.
September 9th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
First inning at Fenway and Kaz does NOT look like the staff ace. He is all over the place and does not have his A-game today. Hope he heats up soon. …at least he got out of the inning only surrendering one run.
September 9th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
Tied @ 4 thanks to Johnson!
September 9th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
The Rays FINALLY win at FENWAY!!!
September 9th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
Jason Bay, meet Dan Johnson (Crash Davis). Unreal, and hopefully a turning point vs. the Red Sox. Now if we can only get Price on a plane out of Durham, we’d be covered.
September 10th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Great game; Merlot Joe is now more like Mad (as a hatter) Maddon, the Magnificent Manager. Welcome back to the Show, Crash.
On a sad note, I always hoped that Joel Goose-man would end up as a thumping slugger. A good example of how highly touted “prospects” do not always make it to the big time. Wish you well.
Here’s hoping that the Dirtbag comes back rested but with a calibrated eye.
Go Rays.