Just checked in on this one. Incredible.

Shields is reaching the Santana-Beckett-Peavy level. He’s that good.

Shields-Kazmir (after he’s back to full strength-Garza-Sonnanstine-and the new and improved EJax. That is one helluva rotation, with finally some bullpen to back it up.

From a pitching nightmare to one of the best staffs in MLB in about 1.5 years. Pretty amazing.

Right now, just sit back and enjoy. This is insane. After what Wheeler did in the 10th inning last night with today, all you can do is let the pitchers pitch. Just think if the offense just gets half way on track?!

Guess what, these guys are proving me wrong. They gots some guts, don’t they? I tip my hat to them. Lots of hard work.

Has to be at the top of the list as far as AL All Star starters go. You figure with Tito making the choice, that Dice-K or Beckett will get a longer look, but the AS squad better have more than one Ray on it. We got a long ways to go to even make even an iota of a decision but 2 CG SO’s against the 2 best teams in the AL in Boston and Los Angeles has to open EVERYONE’s eyes.

if this guy keeps this up he might start the allstar game for the AL this year!

Just back from attending one of the best games I have ever seen. There is no point in repeating how fabulous Shields was. Words fail to describe. And what could be more perfect than to have Evan Longoria hit the winning home run!

So rather than enthuse, a few observations and one question.

Question: Do I simply not know the rule or did I see the play wrong or something else? When Aybar got hit, I thought his hand was on the bat and both were in the strike zone. Therefore, I thought it was a strike. Is that not the rule or was he not hit on the hand in the strike zone? Or is there something else I am missing. Nobody seemed to argue, so I assume the call was clearly right.

1. Although in terms of winning, it had no obvious effect, Upton’s single to lead off the ninth was an example of excellent hitting as he went with the pitch to right exactly as he should to get on base leading off.

2. I did not really count, so I may be overstating the point, but it seemed to me that Gross never saw fewer than 6 pitches in any AB. He always seemed to work the count to 3-2, even when starting 0-2, and foul off a few pitches before ending the AB. His double leading off the 8th was also opposite field and came after a lengthy AB as I remember. Both he and Upton worked walks out of Garland who walks about 2.5/9 IP.

3. The 5-4-3 double play was not a great play; it was a solid major league play. But it was a thing of beauty. It looked as if the three men were one organism, especially Longoria and Iwamura. The throw from Evan and the pivot and throw by Aki looked like one silky smooth body in motion.

4. The first two balls Pena hit were up the middle, one a fly ball a bit to left center and the other a ground ball hit through the box. I think that was good.

5. If I were to list the top 10 differences between this year’s team and last year’s, I would list DEFENSE, both routine and extraordinary, #1-7 and, although not relevant tonight, the bullpen #8-9 and then whatever other factors may be significant.

6. I chuckled listening to the post game show when Maddon was asked how Shields seemed in the interim since the Boston game and he responded “surly”. Incidentally, Shields also sparkled in the post game interview on the field. I don’t remember the exact conversation, but the interviewer referred to his California background and Shields said something like “I pitch in Tampa Bay now and I love it here.” Well done, James.

“How sweet it is!” Jackie Gleason

i remember that jimmy rollins a years ago got hit by a pitch right in the ribs but it was a 2 strike count and he swung at it! one of the funniest strike outs ever

If that is so, why was he awarded first base? I agree that from my vantage point he had kept the bat in the strike zone as if to bunt the entire time and the ball hit him in that position. So what is the explanation for the call?

is that we’ve had our pitchers dealing the last 3 nights, with 2 wins to show for it.

I work alot and sleep when I’m not working usually, but I keep track of the team with inning-by-inning text updates from my phone and the last 3 nights have been wasting texts for me…I’ve been seeing Rays 0, Opponent 0 in over 80% of the texts and I’ve been ecstatic that even our walk-happy pitchers(Garza and Jackson, who didn’t even walk a batter) were dealing.

Tonights’ game, though was the SHIT and I watched it on MLB.tv.

Kaz’s turn is tomorrow. This team is getting to be a handful!