The Trop has so much anticipation you can cut it with a knife or hopefully a 98 mile an hour fastball that blows by Big Papi for strike three!

It’s crazy in Tampa Bay with Evan Longoria shirts flying off the shelves!

It’s crazy in Tampa Bay when Yankee fans are routing for the Rays to stuff the Red Sox!

It’s crazy when BASEBALL in Tampa Bay is hotter then Hockey OR Football!

The lights are ready, the Rays are ready, hopefully your quality adult beverage of choice is ready and let’s get ready to PLAY BALL!

It’s up to Matt Garza, the second half ace for the Rays, to help the good guys take the battle to the south side of Chicago today. The North Side Cubs have already been eliminated from post season play by the Dodgers. Now, the speedy Rays can take care of the White Sox. But the good guys can’t underestimate the WhiteSox, After all the Brewers are still in it! Last time around, Aki and Kid K helped the Rays get the job done. Who will step up to the plate today to help the Rays win their FIRST ever ALDS?

Here are “just the facts” from MLB.com:

Rays starter: RHP Matt Garza

2008: 11-9, 3.70 ERA

2008 on road: 4-6, 4.53 ERA
2008 vs. White Sox: Did not face White Sox in 2008
Career vs. White Sox: 1-1, 4.97 ERA
Career postseason: First appearance
White Sox starter: LHP John Danks
2008: 12-9, 3.32 ERA
2008 at home: 5-6, 3.66 ERA
2008 vs. Rays: 2-1, 1.86 ERA
Career vs. Rays: 3-1, 2.96 ERA
Career postseason: First appearance

Rays lead series, 2-0. Twenty-seven of the 31 teams to take a 2-0 lead in the Division Series have advanced.

Game 1: Rays 6, White Sox 4
Game 2: Rays 6, White Sox 2
Did You Know? Danks generally had better stats on the road this season (7-3, 2.92) than at U.S. Cellular Field (5-6, 3.66). However, opponents hit just .238 against him at home, 18 points lower than his road average.

The Rays get the all important first game win.  Can Scott Kazmir get it together? Is Carlos Pena all right? Who will be the hero for the Rays tonight?

“Just The Facts” from MLB.com

Game 2: Just the facts
Tropicana Field, 6:07 p.m. ET

White Sox starter: LHP Mark Buehrle
2008: 15-12, 3.79 ERA
2008 on road: 4-9, 5.05 ERA
2008 vs. Rays: 0-1, 4.58 ERA
Career vs. Rays: 6-2, 4.24 ERA
Career postseason: 2-0, 3.42 ERA, 1 save (two relief appearances)
Rays starter: LHP Scott Kazmir
2008: 12-8, 3.49 ERA
2008 at home: 8-2, 2.90 ERA
2008 vs. White Sox: 1-0, 2.08 ERA
Career vs. White Sox: 3-1, 3.34 ERA
Career postseason: First appearance
Rays lead series, 1-0. The team that has won Game 1 of an ALDS is 12-14 in those series.
Game 1: Rays 6, White Sox 4
Did You Know? The White Sox are now 4-17 on artificial turf this year, including Thursday’s loss. They’ve lost 12 of those games by two runs or fewer.

Ben Zobrist got things going for the Rays with a 1^st inning solo home run blast to get the Rays out to an early 1 – 0 lead. Detroit answered in kind with a solo home run blast of their own and just like that it was 1 all. Kazmir then helped the Tigers get things going with a walk but the Rays defense saved the day with a double play. While the Rays didn’t score again until seventh, the Tigers scored one RBI in the 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th innings. The Tigers lead 4 – 1. Santiago of the Tigers seemed to really have Kazmir’s number, knocking in solo dingers in the first and in the third. Evan Longoria helped with another home run to cut the lead deficit 4 – 2. Detroit then had a 3 run 7^th and the score was 7 to 2. The Rays scored three more in the 8th that AGAIN to Ben Zobrist’s 3 run homer and the score was now 7 to 5 but that’s all the offense that the Rays could muster.

Scott Kazmir had been relieved after 5 innings, and was replaced by Jason Hammel. Scott Kazmir had a rough day again, 5 IP, 6 Hits, 4 Runs (all Earned 4 HOME runs), 2 Walks but on the good side Kaz did have 8 strikeouts. Hammel also gave up 2 earned runs, Bradford gave up another earned run but Troy “Cardiac” Percival only gave up one walk. The Bullpen looked tired (as did the entire Rays team from their road trip) and didn’t strikeout a single batter.

The Rays bats did fairly well behind Ben Zobrist’s 4 RBI day but couldn’t keep pace with the Tigers, Every time the Rays got close, the Tigers tacked on runs. When it comes down to it, the Rays do their best when pitching keeps the score low and the Rays only need one or two runs to take care of business. The champagne will have to be on ice yet again today, hopefully Andrew Sonnastine will pitch like he did both times he opposed Josh Beckett. The Red Sox won their game yesterday, which means the Rays magic number still remains at one.

Personally, though I did want the Rays to clinch the East yesterday (it was my birthday) I’m glad that they didn’t win it because another team lost it.

Here are the MLB.com Pitching Previews:

Pitching matchup
DET: RHP Justin Verlander (10-17, 4.87 ERA)
Verlander said after his last start that he had some of the best stuff he has had at this late stage of a season. The results haven’t caught up. Saturday’s loss at Cleveland, where he gave up four runs on five hits and four walks in four innings, was his fourth straight defeat since his last victory Aug. 22 at Kansas City. He moved into the Major League lead in losses by himself with the highest single-season total by a Tigers pitcher since the infamous 43-119 season of 2003. Much of those struggles, however, have been against AL Central teams, and he has a chance to close out on a high note in his first start against the Rays since Aug. 6, 2006.

TB: RHP Andy Sonnanstine (13-8, 4.27 ERA)
Sonnanstine is coming off Sunday afternoon’s loss in which the right-hander allowed four runs (two earned) in 6 2/3 innings. The 4-1 loss to Minnesota came just a night removed from the Rays’ playoff-clinching win and Sonnanstine was the hard-luck pitcher in the flat game. The right-hander fanned four and walked two in the performance, but remains winless since Aug. 18. He will be facing Detroit for the second time this season, winning Aug. 2, when he tossed six innings of two-run baseball.

Looks like the Rays will have to face Ramon Santiago again today (bet Kaz loved hearing Santiago’s name called over the PA when he was pitching yesterday…) according to MLB.com Tidbits’s

Tidbits
Ramon Santiago is expected to get another start at shortstop on Friday in place of Edgar Renteria, who missed Thursday’s game with a strained left pectoral muscle. Renteria was examined by the team’s medical staff after complaining of chest pains, but there was nothing serious. … Placido Polanco is expected to be back in the lineup after he was rested on Thursday with back soreness. … The Tigers will have their annual team photo taken on Friday. Owner Mike Ilitch is expected to appear at Comerica Park to take part in the photo.

 Okay so maybe that last one was a bit of a stretch but who cares…the Rays can, quite possibly clinch the American League Eastern Division Crown tonight. Ahem. Let me say that again one more time. THE RAYS CAN CLINCH THE AL EAST TONIGHT! With a combination of a Rays win and a Red Sox loss, it’s in the bag, book it done, we”ll get the gusto… (takes a breath) well let’s just do it first, right?

And the Rays stand a good chance of clinching tonight. James Shields had seven good innings for the first game leading the Rays to a 2 – 1 win. For the second game the Rays came from behind thanks to Evan Longoira and Dioner Navarro and a six run eight and ended up winning 7 – 5.

Boston has so far split the series with Cleveland taking the middle game of the series (a Cliff Lee loss, no less!) setting up tonight’s game (Carmona for the Tribe and Byrd for the RedSox) as the rubber game for the series. As Richard mentioned, let’s hope that the Tribe plucks Byrd’s feathers tonight!

So let’s all think positive energy to EdWIN Jackson. For Jackson could very well help his team win the AL EAST tonight!

An interesting tidbit from MLB.com on the Orioles and doubleheaders:

Baltimore played its fourth doubleheader of the season on Tuesday. The O’s have been swept three times and have split once.

It looks like the O’s were in the right place in the schedule after the buzzsaw of AL Contenders that the Rays had to face earlier this month.

Probable Pitching Previews (Also From MLB.com)

BAL: RHP Radhames Liz (6-6, 6.69 ERA)
Liz achieved two milestones in his last two starts, marking the first time he’s completed six innings or thrown a quality start in back-to-back outings. The right-handed rookie appears to be coming along, mastering the use of his fastball and mixing in his offspeed stuff for the second and third times through the batting order.

TB: RHP Edwin Jackson (12-11, 4.19 ERA)
Jackson extended his career-high season win mark to 12 with a dominating 7 2/3-inning performance Friday night. The hard-throwing right-hander allowed just one run to the Twins, retiring nine straight batters at one point. Jackson threw 78 of his 114 pitches for strikes, fanning five and walking just one. He is 1-1 in four starts against the Orioles, with a 7.50 ERA.

How about that for a week? Last Monday the Rays were on the receiving end of a BoSox beatdown that was horrible to watch. Tuesday had Andrew Sonnastine suprise everyone has he hung tot to toe with Red Sox pitcher John Beckett and Dioner Navarro had the walk off RBI single to win the game 2 – 1. Wednesday, the Rays had their revenge as rookie Fernando Perez, Willie Aybar and and Gabe Gross all homered off of Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield. The Rays went on to slam Boston 10 – 3 and win the series 2 games to 1. Thursday saw the Twins come to town and not even Evan Longoria’s 3 home runs were enough to beat the Twins, who rallied with 5 runs in the 9^th to beat the Rays 11 – 8. Friday had history at the Trop with instant replay going the way of the Rays and Carlos Pena was awarded a home run after the reversal. The Rays move one game closer to clinching at least the playoffs and killed the Twins 11 – 1.

Saturday was the historic Rays playoff clinching game as Scott Kzamir erased the demons of his previous shelacking at the hands of the Red Sox and helped to pitch the Rays into their first ever post season appearance. Carlos Pena had a two run double plus Cliff Floyd and Fernando Perez also had solo home runs in what had to be the clubs biggest win in the history of the Rays franchise.

Sunday saw Francisco Liriano get the best of the Rays as only Carlos Pena could get a single RBI for the whole team and the Rays lost to the Twins splitting the series 4 – 1.

Monday began the first of four games up at Camden Yards and the Rays bounced back as Jason Bartlett had two of the Rays three hits. Carlos Pena then had a bases loaded walk in the seventh as the Rays scored two unearned runs. The Rays ended up winning 4 – 2.

Tonight the Rays face a tough doubleheader. Pitching match ups are below. The magic number is 4 after a Rays win and a Red Sox defeat last night. The Red Sox fell at the hands of the Indians 4 – 3.

Mlb.com Probable Pitching Previews

Game 1:

TB: RHP James Shields (13-8, 3.61 ERA)
Shields earned his career-high 14th win of the season on Thursday night and was charged with six runs on eight hits in 6 1/3 innings on the hill against Minnesota. He has lasted at least six innings in 16 of his past 17 outings, dating back to a shortened stint in the June 5 fracas with the Red Sox. The Rays will look for another long appearance from their staff leader in wins. Shields will be facing Baltimore for the third time this season, and last faced the Birds in an Aug. 31 win. In that game, Shields tossed seven innings of one-run baseball.

BAL: LHP Garrett Olson (9-9, 6.75 ERA)
Olson has pitched relatively well in his last two starts, answering the challenge posed to him by manager Dave Trembley. The southpaw has worked erratically for most of the season, unable to secure a rotation slot for 2009. Trembley has said Olson needs to master the command of his fastball before he’ll have any big league success.

Game 2:
TB: RHP Mitch Talbot (0-0, 12.00 ERA)
The rookie right-hander made his Major League debut in relief of Scott Kazmir on Sept. 15, tossing three innings and allowing four runs. The 24-year-old was recalled from Triple-A Durham on Sept. 13 after going 13-9 with a 2.86 ERA for the Bulls.

BAL: RHP Alfredo Simon (0-0, 8.10 ERA)
Simon, who was signed out of Mexico earlier in the season, will make this start in place of injured ace Jeremy Guthrie, who has been nursing a tired right shoulder for the past few weeks. Baltimore hasn’t closed the book on Guthrie yet, but Simon’s emergency start reflects the uncertainty in the rotation over the season’s last few weeks.

Tonight, David Price makes his debut as an major league starter as the Rays begin a four game series on the road at Camden Yards. The Rays magic number is at six and they look to bounce back after yesterdays loss to the Twins. Can the pitching phenom from Durham take Baltimore by storm? Can the Rays get back on track? Can ESPN stop talking about Yankee Stadium for at least a few minutes? It’s your Monday night game discussion thread below! Play ball!

Mlb.com probable pitching previews:

TB: LHP David Price (0-0, 3.00 ERA)
The Rays announced on Sunday that Price will make his first Major League start on Monday in Baltimore. Price — the top pick in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft — was recalled from Triple-A Durham following its postseason run on Sept. 13. The rookie lefty has appeared in two games out of the bullpen — posting a 3.00 ERA — and last worked two-thirds of an inning on Thursday night.

BAL: RHP Brian Bass (3-4, 5.15 ERA)
Making only his second Major League start on Wednesday, against the Blue Jays, Bass received a no-decision. His outing was a Jekyll and Hyde performance. Through his first four innings, he allowed a total of three baserunners. Then in the fifth inning, the right-hander allowed the first six batters he faced to reach base as the Jays eventually scored five runs. He finished the day having allowed a total of five runs on seven hits over 4 1/3 innings. He threw just 55 pitches before being removed.

B. J. Upton is back in the lineup. Andrew Sonnastine is fresh off two of his best starts all year after going toe to toe with Red Sox Pitcher Josh Beckett. The Magic number is down to six! Can the Rays plow through the Twins one more time to get closer to winning the division?

MLB.com Probable Pitching Previews

TB: RHP Andy Sonnanstine (13-7, 4.33 ERA)
Sonnanstine fared well on Tuesday night, as the right-hander allowed just three Boston hits over six innings and was touched for one unearned run in the no-decision. A crafty pitcher, Sonnanstine is at his best when he pitches off his fastball and uses his command to his advantage. He threw 60 of his 93 pitches for strikes against the Red Sox and remains one win shy of the Rays’ club record. He will look to notch victory No. 14 facing the Twins for the first time in his career.

MIN: LHP Francisco Liriano (5-3, 3.62 ERA)
Liriano suffered his worst start Tuesday since rejoining the Twins on Aug. 1. The left-hander pitched only 2 2/3 innings while giving up eight runs (four earned). A penchant for the long ball — he gave up two in the contest — and an inability to put hitters away with two strikes proved costly for Liriano, as he picked up a no-decision. The road has not been as kind to Liriano as the Metrodome this season. He’s now 1-3 with a 6.41 ERA in six road starts this season. He’ll try to reverse that trend in his next start when he faces the Rays at Tropicana Field. It marks his first start of the season against Tampa Bay.

Can the Rays clinch the playoffs on National TV? Can Kazmir bounce back from Monday? Who will be supporting a Mohawk today? And how did a pitcher get a last name like Slowey?

Probable Pitching Preview From MLB.com:
TB: LHP Scott Kazmir (11-7, 3.50 ERA)
Kazmir is coming off a disastrous outing on Monday in which the Rays ace was lifted after tossing to five batters in the fourth inning without recording an out. He appeared to be off from the game’s onset, walking the first two Red Sox batters he faced before David Ortiz connected for a three-run homer. Four of Kazmir’s six hits allowed were of the long variety, as the southpaw was rocked for a season-high nine earned runs in the loss. Kazmir has struggled with his mechanics all season, particularly with his slider, which has historically been his best pitch. He will be facing Minnesota for the first time this season, and fifth time in his career. Kazmir is 1-3 against the Twins, with a 3.86 ERA.
MIN: RHP Kevin Slowey (12-10, 3.66 ERA)
Slowey gave his club yet another quality start against the Indians, allowing three runs on seven hits over six innings, but it wasn’t enough to earn him — or his team — a victory. Slowey suffered his second loss in his last three starts. He allowed two home runs in a start for the first time since his start against the Indians on Aug. 2. The road hasn’t exactly been kind to the starter this season. He’s 5-6 away from the Metrodome, and his next start will come against the Rays at Tropicana Field. It will be Slowey’s first start against the Rays this season.

Pitching Probable Previews From MLB.com:

TB: RHP Edwin Jackson (11-11, 4.33 ERA)
Jackson took his 11th loss of the season Sunday afternoon when he allowed six runs on six hits in two innings. The right-hander looked unsettled from the outset, when he gave up consecutive singles and a walk in the first inning before surrendering a grand slam to Alex Rodriguez. For Jackson, it was his shortest stint since June 13, 2007, when he lasted just one-third of an inning against the Padres. If Jackson is locating his 97-mph fastball, his other pitches can work well, particularly his slider. Jackson is 0-2 with a 18.90 ERA in five career appearances against the Twins.

MIN: RHP Nick Blackburn (10-9, 3.89 ERA)
Blackburn was ineffective at best in his last start, going just four innings and surrendering four home runs, two each to the Orioles’ Nick Markakis and Oscar Salazar. The rookie right-hander said he was having trouble mechanically, balancing himself with his back leg, and as a result, was leaving the majority of his pitches up in the zone. The outing tied the shortest start of Blackburn’s career; the last time he was only able to go four innings was June 6 against the White Sox. Blackburn has not pitched against the Rays yet this season.

Rays Mohawk Watch (also from Mlb.com)

The Rays’ clubhouse had several more Mohawks on Thursday afternoon, as Percival, Eric Hinske and pitching coach Brian Anderson all sported the popular unity-based ‘do. While many players said their wives were not fans, Hinske’s wife who has experience with professional hair styling, did the work.