First let me say how awesome it is too see the Rays be 5 games over .500.  Can't believe it.  Crawford was definitley a clutch guy yesterday afternoon, and bout time ESPN gave the man some love.

For the series with the Yankees I do hope we have a good attendance of Rays fans at the Trop tonight.  Chances are the Yankees fans will be obnoxious as hell and may outnumber us, but lets show some love to our beloved home town team and hopefully if the Rays are winning by the 7th inning the sfans start piling out.  The one person I feel the most sorry for when the Yankees and the Red Sox come to town is Raymond the mascot.  It must difficult as hell to dance and sing for the Rays when the packed house is mostly Red Sox or Yankees fans.  Anyways I know Sternbeg reads this, so Raymond if you read this as well keep up the good work.  You're the hardest working man in show business and don't think it goes unnoticed.  Keep shaking the belly and hopefully the Rays keep winning.

Now about the series.  I've been a Rays fan for a long time, but I have a bad feeling about this series with the Yankees.  Not an end all be all feeling about the Rays, were going to do great this season.  But I have a feeling in one of these games we might get blown up in our ERA department.  I could see one of the losses this series being a blow out like 13-5 or 14-9 Yankees.  I know it ain't going to be Scott Kazmir or Shields.  Both men play terrific at home.  My concern is with Edwin Jackson and Matt Garza.  Our bats will be terrific, but our pitching has to be lights out.  I know alot of you must be saying "Cooperstown Kid what are you thinking, the pitching has been great!" And yes it has, but this is the Yankees and lets face it we got swept by the Red Sox at Fenway, after we dramatically swept them at the Trop.  Also we need to be smart on the baspaths against the Yankees.  This ain't the Screw Jays or the Sporioles, this is the Yankees.  So becareful on the basebaths and play smart aggressive baseball. I want a sweep of the Yankees and I'll be praying to every known God of every religion so that it can happen. 

My prediction however for the series which I hope is wrong (since I want us to really sweep) is take 2 out of 2 from the series.  If we do that I think we've done a terrific job of holding back the bombers.  We'll gain two more wins, which honestly I'll take a win anytime.  Plus it will be two more losses for the Yankees, which would still dig their hole while A-Rod is absent. 

Anyways I'll be watching from MLB.TV so lets go Rays!!!