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Recap

So, the defense and pitching won another game. Garza was gold, the defense was excellent ( <3 Ruggiano) and Carlos hit another homerun. That about covers it, although the strikeouts versus David Purcey are a bit concerning.

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Very sad though

thank God these games are not national TV

I really feel for Stu and Matt

by sternfan1 on Aug 27, 2008 9:53 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

he probably has to hold back tears

i know if i purchased this team and put in a goal and a vision and let it go through some lossing and now this i would be so proud

Longo=ROY. Friedman=Executive of the year. Maddon=Manager of the year. Gabe Gross= clutch.

by RaysOfHope on Aug 27, 2008 10:03 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Seriously

Must suck to have a business plan explode into success beyond your wildest expectations.

Saying they should be disappointed is like saying Yahoo or Microsoft should have been feeling bad about their P/E ratio in the mid to late 90’s.

by GomesSweetGomes on Aug 27, 2008 10:13 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Its terrible.. attendance like this would never happen to a great worst-to-first story such as the modern epitome, the 1991 Atlanta Braves. Oh what? It did?

by RATW on Aug 28, 2008 1:07 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Yeah, they must really feel bad right now

Turning one of the worst franchises in sports into one of the best in its sport. Just terrible.

Certainties in Life: Death, Taxes, and Gabe Gross coming through in the ninth

by JMB on Aug 29, 2008 10:50 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

who cares a win is a win

Longo=ROY. Friedman=Executive of the year. Maddon=Manager of the year. Gabe Gross= clutch.

by RaysOfHope on Aug 27, 2008 10:00 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

I care.

The sox worry me right now.

by plasticman on Aug 27, 2008 10:04 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

i worry about the sox but im not too worried about the yankees and twins

yankees dont have the pitching to do it and the twins cant even beat the mariners, so even if he cough up this division lead, the wild card is just about ours

Longo=ROY. Friedman=Executive of the year. Maddon=Manager of the year. Gabe Gross= clutch.

by RaysOfHope on Aug 27, 2008 10:07 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

also longo might be back in a week

Longo=ROY. Friedman=Executive of the year. Maddon=Manager of the year. Gabe Gross= clutch.

by RaysOfHope on Aug 27, 2008 10:09 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

speaking of 11-2 games...

the bos 11 nyy 2 in the 8th inning damn yankees cant help themselves or us

Longo=ROY. Friedman=Executive of the year. Maddon=Manager of the year. Gabe Gross= clutch.

by RaysOfHope on Aug 27, 2008 10:10 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Took you long enough.

Top Josh Paul Pornos- Big Navi Stroking, 2pitchers1cup, BJ to the Balls, Riggans Your Thingans

BELIEVE in 08!

by SRQman on Aug 28, 2008 10:06 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

I know nothing is clinched but

if we were to make the playoffs would anyone object to Shields and Garza starting games 1 and 2

by Dbullsfan on Aug 27, 2008 10:03 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

one day at a time, good lord willing!

playoffs? playoffs?

Longo=ROY. Friedman=Executive of the year. Maddon=Manager of the year. Gabe Gross= clutch.

by RaysOfHope on Aug 27, 2008 10:12 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Shields definitely

I know people don’t like Kazmir’s inconsistency, but he’s still been better than Garza overall this year. And while I know others disagree, I might consider Sonny as my number two behind Shields. (MIGHT!)

by Sky Kalkman on Aug 27, 2008 10:17 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

#2 out of the pen?

“IF” he make the playoffs it will be kaz,shields and garza

Longo=ROY. Friedman=Executive of the year. Maddon=Manager of the year. Gabe Gross= clutch.

by RaysOfHope on Aug 27, 2008 10:19 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

If the playoffs started today

Home: Garza, Shields, Kaz
Road: Garza, Kaz, Shields

But I expect Kaz to return to form and have his slider when the playoffs start and secure that #1 spot.

by Schmidt on Aug 28, 2008 1:01 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Had class 8:30 am today.

I was pissed. My mom went and didn’t bring it.

Top Josh Paul Pornos- Big Navi Stroking, 2pitchers1cup, BJ to the Balls, Riggans Your Thingans

BELIEVE in 08!

by SRQman on Aug 28, 2008 10:07 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

i think the last time that happened was with the marlins in 06

Longo=ROY. Friedman=Executive of the year. Maddon=Manager of the year. Gabe Gross= clutch.

by RaysOfHope on Aug 27, 2008 10:11 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

no

the angels already did it this year, and each one has more wins. John Lackey didnt even pitch till mid may or june and has 11 wins. Kaz has only 9. the cubs have 4 and would have 5 if ZHarden was healthy all year and with them or if he hadn’t taken the spot from someone else. its not that rare.

by setfree on Aug 27, 2008 11:04 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

September 2nd can't get here fast enouhj

so we can get some new blood in this pathetic line up

by sternfan1 on Aug 27, 2008 10:15 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

dont you mean sept 1st?

this lineup will be much better with the return of longo

Longo=ROY. Friedman=Executive of the year. Maddon=Manager of the year. Gabe Gross= clutch.

by RaysOfHope on Aug 27, 2008 10:16 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

my callups would be...

perez,niemann,talbot, jaso, and david price?

Longo=ROY. Friedman=Executive of the year. Maddon=Manager of the year. Gabe Gross= clutch.

by RaysOfHope on Aug 27, 2008 10:21 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

If Dan Johnson is a LF/3B

I’m a fairy princess.

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Aug 28, 2008 8:43 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

No.

"STP is me. He can do everything I can do." - R.J. Anderson

by P Brady on Aug 27, 2008 10:22 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

i have a feeling that kaz is going to pitch 7 innings tomorrow for the first time in a while

and then go celebrate by smoking some weed

Longo=ROY. Friedman=Executive of the year. Maddon=Manager of the year. Gabe Gross= clutch.

by RaysOfHope on Aug 27, 2008 10:25 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Gomes, i'm on your side my friend

but let’s be honest 1 R, ain’t gonna cut it v NYY or BOS or DET or anyone other than the Jays

by sternfan1 on Aug 27, 2008 10:32 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

There are many, many positives to take out of this game

Zero runs allowed will definitely cut it no matter who we play.

by GomesSweetGomes on Aug 27, 2008 10:33 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

dude, i'mecstatic we won

but this is bullshit

11 Ks with less than 90 pitches?

how about some quality ABs?

by sternfan1 on Aug 27, 2008 10:35 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

It's one game

reading too much into it is bullshit

by GomesSweetGomes on Aug 27, 2008 10:36 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

those posters know shit

i’m not looking at one game

this team has not hit all year, consistently

by sternfan1 on Aug 27, 2008 10:39 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

This team is middle of the pack offensively

There is more than one way to win ballgames. I’m fairly certain that if we were in Boston’s shies you’d be bitching about the pitching

by GomesSweetGomes on Aug 27, 2008 10:42 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

y or n?

r u dissapointed in the offense this year?

especially BJ, CC, Aki??

by sternfan1 on Aug 27, 2008 10:47 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

By their standards: yes.

By league standards: the healthy ones are acceptable.
Add defense: very acceptable.

by R.J. Anderson on Aug 27, 2008 10:49 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

I'm ecstatic about the overall product

And choose not to dwell on the negative…I consider it a good strategy for baseball and life. If you are seriously looking for reasons to discount this team at this point, you’ve missed a really good show, and I honestly feel bad for you if that’s the way you feel about things.

Yes, the offense could have been much better. And the pitching could have been much, much worse.

Some people take the good with the bad. Others try to be the ‘edgy’ poster on their blog of choice.

by GomesSweetGomes on Aug 27, 2008 10:53 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

and when you do think about the negative, it's actually a positive...

Pena, Upton, and Crawford are all more likely to post a higher OPS than they currently are going forward than they are a lower OPS.

by Sky Kalkman on Aug 28, 2008 5:45 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

FWIW

Aki has had at least a hit or a walk in 111 of 125 games this year.

Meaning he’s reached safely (productively) in 89% of the games he’s played this year.

For a reference on how good that is: Upton (master of walks) is 104 of 125 (83), Pena is 92 of 110 (83), CC is 86 of 107 (80) and Longo is 84 of 104 (80)

by Vin on Aug 27, 2008 11:04 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

It's been this way all season.

Great defense + good pitching + average offense.

by R.J. Anderson on Aug 27, 2008 10:44 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

On just about everyone's scorecard Toronto has the best entire staff

in the AL. How many times have we seen the Rays struggle against a guy they’re seeing for the first time?

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.

by Sandy Kazmir on Aug 28, 2008 12:53 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

With some help all three of those teams might not even make the playoffs

much like how we are not locked in, either.

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.

by Sandy Kazmir on Aug 28, 2008 12:49 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

chris waters? no...

i have never even heard of him until he got called up a couple of weeks ago for the O’s

Longo=ROY. Friedman=Executive of the year. Maddon=Manager of the year. Gabe Gross= clutch.

by RaysOfHope on Aug 27, 2008 10:28 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Let's win w/o a closer tomorrow?

or rather a ‘save’ situation

by sternfan1 on Aug 27, 2008 10:29 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

G'night fellas

Great game

c’ya manana

by sternfan1 on Aug 27, 2008 10:49 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

It's funny to me

people here are so divided. Yes, we’ve done well with our offense, but I think it makes perfect sense to lack confidence in our offense. We have a long way to go

by plasticman on Aug 27, 2008 10:52 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Agreed

We have a crappy outfield right now too. Good thing there are multiple factors that go into winning baseball games.

by GomesSweetGomes on Aug 27, 2008 10:56 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

agreed

Crappy outfield? really? According to mr. r.j.a. we have the best. in fact B.J. alone makesw it a great outfield regardless of who else is out there.

by setfree on Aug 27, 2008 11:09 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

You are an elitist asshole.

Go back to playing photoshop on your mac.

by kericr on Aug 27, 2008 11:21 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Trade in your toy brain for a real one.

"STP is me. He can do everything I can do." - R.J. Anderson

by P Brady on Aug 27, 2008 11:25 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Our offense sucks ass right now

Sure it is average over the course of the year. But we certainly are not anywhere near full strength. Navi has tailed off. Longo is hurt. CC is out (not that it hurts that much). BJ is struggling mightily. Right now it is a pretty bad offense. Come

But of course if you don’t give up any runs you only need to score 1. Even Cy Purcey gives up 1.

by matthan on Aug 28, 2008 12:17 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

"Our offense sucks ass right now"

Splits by month:

Mar/Apr: .256/.333/.398/.731
May: .269/.338/.402/.739
June: .266/.349./457./807
July: .232/.311/.370./682
August:.267/.345/.457/.802

I’d say this is our second best hitting month. I’d also say it’s due to improve even more with Longo’s return. How come we have to keep all the chicken littles from offing themselves once a month. Don’t fret and enjoy the ride.

by rglass44 on Aug 28, 2008 12:47 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

The sample size for this current line up is way too small to use those statistics

It is far more likely that we’ve gotten lucky in terms of players playing over their heads. The best indicator is to look at the actual talent level. It is very low on the offensive side of things. Just take a look at our line up yesterday. It was not pretty at all. I hope they continue playing way over their heads until Evan gets back and BJ gets out of his funk.

What has really helped us has been that Pena is really hot. That doesn’t change the fact we are starting quite a few ‘role’ players at a time (sometimes 6 in one game).

by matthan on Aug 28, 2008 8:45 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

That's the entire team over the month

That shows that the offense hasn’t been bad this month. As in “our offense sucks ass right now.”

by rglass44 on Aug 28, 2008 10:47 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

The sample size for this month is probably larger than July all ready.

Since four off-days weren’t randomly placed in the middle of it.

by R.J. Anderson on Aug 28, 2008 10:48 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

So what?

1 month is not nearly a large enough sample to determine how good an offense in.

Also Longoria played in didn’t sit until August 8th. So subtract those days which makes the sample size even smaller. Plus Navi is now hurt.

If you think some combination of Aki, Upton, Pena, Baldelli, Floyd, Hinske, Bartlett, Gross, Ruggiano, Riggans, Zobrist, and Aybar creates an average major league line up then I want whatever you are smoking. In the LONG RUN that is below average AT BEST.

Thankfully they are playing okay right now and they won’t be together long enough to regress to their bottom rung of the league. Which is where that sort of line up would belong.

by matthan on Aug 28, 2008 3:55 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Right now does not equal this month

Past performance does not guarantee future results

by matthan on Aug 28, 2008 3:51 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Any lefty with stuff is going to give us fits

They have all year long. Purcey is a high strikeout type but typically walks himself into trouble. We were not giving him that chance tonight.

by Jason Collette on Aug 28, 2008 8:08 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Wjo comes up?

It looks like Longo won’t be ready 9/2 so let’s bring a hot bat or two along with piyching surplus

Johnson, Perez, Jaso

Talbot, Thayer, Nieman, Price?

by sternfan1 on Aug 28, 2008 9:02 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

they're not going to bring people up just to have then sit on the bench,

johnson, perez are options, though i’m not sure if johnson is on the 40-man. jaso might get a shot, just b/c we have no other catchers on the 40 man. i would love to see the mentioned 4 pitchers brought up, but 2-3 seems a more realistic number. i don’t think that Thayer is on the 40 man either. so 3 of those people you mention are not on the 40 man, i doubt they drop 3 guys.

by davidsmarch on Aug 28, 2008 9:50 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Ryu is injured

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Aug 28, 2008 10:52 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Clarification

And under the CBA, you can’t waive a player while they’re injured.

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Aug 28, 2008 10:57 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Johnson isn't that unlikely

He isn’t on the 40-man roster, but Birkins is on the 40-man and could easily be waived. Johnson could elect to become a minor league free agent if he isn’t added to the 40-man before the minor league season ends, and I see no reason why the Rays would have claimed him and stashed him away all season if they weren’t planning on having him around as a DH option next year. Based on his prior major league numbers (before this year) and his MLEs in Durham, he should be a great contingency plan if we’re not able to sign a big name DH like Dunn or Burrell.

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Aug 28, 2008 10:54 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Thayer on the other hand

Probably won’t be added, and if I were him, I would declare free agency. As much as I think he deserves a shot here, he’s in line behind everyone already on the 25-man roster and Price, Niemann and Talbot for next year at least, plus they still have to decide what to do with Orvella once he heals up, plus Davis and Hellickson aren’t that far behind. As much as he deserves a major league try, his best shot to make a roster is elsewhere.

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Aug 28, 2008 10:56 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Welcome!

Tools Whore

Sign Bonds!

by Tyler on Aug 28, 2008 5:25 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Rec'd

Keep it pimpin’.

Top Josh Paul Pornos- Big Navi Stroking, 2pitchers1cup, BJ to the Balls, Riggans Your Thingans

BELIEVE in 08!

by SRQman on Aug 28, 2008 5:48 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Great comment or greatest comment?

"STP is me. He can do everything I can do." - R.J. Anderson

by P Brady on Aug 28, 2008 11:33 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

A Rec seems to be the smart thing to do on this message.

Glad to see a reply from the boss without a press release. I’d love to hear your point of view more often.

by kericr on Aug 28, 2008 5:50 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

I dont know...

Who this Stu S guy is, but he seems to have a good head on his shoulder’s.

by td32 on Aug 28, 2008 6:31 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

I thought he was using too many complicated numbers

but other than that he seems like a good egg. Reason #765098 of why this is the awesomest team in the history of the world.

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.

by Sandy Kazmir on Aug 28, 2008 6:57 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

You, sir, are such a breath of fresh air to this sport

I have a ton of respect for an owner that takes the time to tap into the fanbase on the blogosphere and recognize the passion the group brings to the team. While we all can’t be out there each night, we’re all doing our part to spread the good word about this team.

That said, everyone better be out at the Trop tomorrow night. If I can drive 123 miles from Orlando to watch us take down the Orioles, the rest of you guys can get there.

by Jason Collette on Aug 28, 2008 9:25 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

I always wondered if executives and players payed attention to blogs.

Nice to see someone (especially the owner) taking notice. RJ has been doing a lot of great work, at least for this year which is as long as I’ve been reading. I was a fan of the early 90’s Braves but never made it to a game (being 7 years old and living in Tampa will do that to you) but have been to a handful of Rays games every year until this, when I’ve already gone to at least 20 games. “If you build it, they will come” pales to the power of “if you win it, they will come”. Congratulations of one of the greatest success stories in sports. You already have two more guaranteed season tickets sold for next year.

by Albertrayon on Aug 28, 2008 11:54 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Rec'd

As long as they connect it to Orlando as well. You know like some kind of High speed train that goes from Orlando to Tampa to Miami. I’m surprised no one has thought of this before.

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.

by Sandy Kazmir on Aug 29, 2008 10:22 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Thank you for stopping by Stu!

I assure you that some of your best (and certainly most baseball savy fans) frequent this site. Thank you for all you do.

-Yes, I am totally marking out

by stpetelawyer on Aug 29, 2008 1:37 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

not to be "that guy",

but how do we really know this is Stu S?

by davidsmarch on Aug 29, 2008 10:30 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

It's him

he sent RJ an e-mail letting him know that he was going to comment.

by Vin on Aug 29, 2008 12:14 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Also

Proper capitalization and punctuation.

by kericr on Aug 29, 2008 12:57 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Mr. Sternberg, from us to you I proudly say Go Rays!

Very proud to be a Rays Fan these days. On behalf of all of us I would like to say Thank You to you and your staff. Your hardwork to build this team into a contender hasn’t gone unnoticed. Be patient, we will fill those seats. Feel free to tell Matt and Andrew or even the coach and players to join us sometime. Once again Thanks and GO RAYS!!!!

by Rays Rule on Aug 29, 2008 1:11 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

LEARN TO REPLY!

Top Josh Paul Pornos- Big Navi Stroking, 2pitchers1cup, BJ to the Balls, Riggans Your Thingans

BELIEVE in 08!

by SRQman on Aug 29, 2008 1:21 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

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