The Bad News Rays

by Jacob Larsen on May 12, 2008 12:01 PM EDT in News/Opinion Comment 17 comments

I wonder if Stu knows that, somehow, "Chico's Bail Bonds" has appeared on the Rays' jerseys.

Not so long ago, when the Angels, Red Sox and Blue Jays came into town...It was bad news for the Rays. As a matter of fact, things in a good third of those games would probably get ugly and unwatchable.

However, it's starting to appear that fortune is starting to change in our favor and we're giving teams the fits that they used to give us.

While we're not completely perfect, however we're starting to get that killer instinct against teams and learning to put teams away rather than allow them to stay late in games. I don't remember how many games that I've watched in the previous 10 years in which we'd put decent amount of runs on the board, yet we'd get careless or lazy and just manage to lose games.

Gone are the days that we put a pitcher in from the 'pen and we groan and say "Ugh, (insert player's name) is in....we're toast!" I'm sure that I'm not the only one, but I'm sure some of the most loyal Rays fans have a smile on their face due to that.

5 Games over .500 is uncharted waters for the Rays, but why stop there? The earth isn't flat and we're not going to fall off if we surpass 5 games over. Let's hope that our team plays with chips on their shoulders, rather than listen to ESPN/Fox or any other fairweather media outlet who have started to toot Tampa Bay horns because the Rays have a better record than the Yankees. Last time out, when we had our 3-game sweep of the Red Sox, we had a day off and my only guess is that the team listened to all the BBTN positive remarks and they were quickly brought back down to earth on the Tuesday game.

I know a few posters here were alive when the original "Bad News Bears" movie was out in theatres, or was played on TV, and Walter Mathau's character was reading the schedule of the games up ahead.

Next up is the Yankees, what does it mean for the Yankees??

Bad news for the Yankees!!!

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I’m with you. Lets not let up. Let’s ram it down other teams throats!

by dropkicknu on May 12, 2008 12:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I hope your right

And I agree that the new improved Rays are a superior team to the 12 game win streak team that prompted Tino to use the “P” word in 2004.

But at best, the Rays have earned a seat at the table and that may be optimistic. The goal is 85+ wins to get in the chase. The Rays are going to need a lot of win streaks over the course of the season to get there.

I’m enjoying the run and I’ll leave it at that.

9=8

RJ is not an elitist douchebag who hates scouting

by ttnorm on May 12, 2008 1:35 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

I told people I work with that I have 2 things that I’d want from the Rays to be deemed a successful team in my eyes.

1. 78-84 wins
2. Playing spoiler enough to guarantee that only 1 team in our division makes the playoffs.

by Jacob Larsen on May 12, 2008 3:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why do I think the Rays are going to succeed?

Forget about how good of a start we’ve gotten off to. As a matter of fact, forget about the Rays in general as the overall reason.

It’s simple in my eyes: The Yankees.

Everyone and their mothers picked the Sox and the Yankees to finish 1-2 in some order or another. The Sox are living up to their end of the bargin, but the Yanks aren’t. Analysts are saying that the Yanks are underachieving thus far; I personally disagree. You can’t toss two untested rookies into your starting rotation and expect to win a penant. The Yankees bullpen is average through extremes: an excellent setup man and closer mixed with a bunch of arsonists. Coming out of spring training they were a .500 team, I expect them to stay that way all year.

And I think we’ve already proven that we’re outright better than Toronto.

by kericr on May 12, 2008 1:44 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

i actually picked the rays second

...but i picked the yanks first… looks like that won’t be happening.

by daveh33 on May 12, 2008 6:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I had Toronto second.

"I've seen many, many blue skies turn gray, but the sun will eventually return, and so will I. So will I." - Carlos Pena

by R.J. Anderson on May 12, 2008 6:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Gone are the days that we put a pitcher in from the 'pen and we groan and say "Ugh, (insert player's name) is in....we're toast!" I'm sure that I'm not the only one, but I'm sure some of the most loyal Rays fans have a smile on their face due to that.Gar

Gary Glover disagrees.

"I've seen many, many blue skies turn gray, but the sun will eventually return, and so will I. So will I." - Carlos Pena

by R.J. Anderson on May 12, 2008 3:28 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Hey

At least he’s not Brian Stokes….

by Jacob Larsen on May 12, 2008 3:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Dare I say...

UGH!! SETH MCLUNG!!!

Look at all the exclamation points!!!

Mound Visit

by Mound Visit on May 12, 2008 3:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I wonder if Stu knows that, somehow, "Chico's Bail Bonds" has appeared on the Rays' jerseys.

Shoulda been you, Barry Bonds.

"I've seen many, many blue skies turn gray, but the sun will eventually return, and so will I. So will I." - Carlos Pena

by R.J. Anderson on May 12, 2008 4:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

ESPN predicted that the Rays success will outlast that of the Marlins...

Does this mean we’re jinxed and destined for failure now?

B Rad the Ray Fan

by B Ray on May 12, 2008 11:32 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

by Jacob Larsen on May 13, 2008 1:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You got it wrong. AHMED!!!:

It means a helluva lotta bad-ass news for them Yankees.

by Orlando Rays on May 13, 2008 9:55 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

my only guess is that the team listened to all the BBTN positive remarks and they were quickly brought back down to earth on the Tuesday game

Or Hammel had a bad day and consequently they lost.

Longlorious.

by RATW on May 13, 2008 11:13 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs