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Best Individual Moments

 What were the best individual moments of the 2008 season?

I've been tossing this around in my head for a couple of days now.  The season was filled with so many great moments that it seems like you could name just about every player on the roster and say "Hey, remember when Player X did..."

So I thought I'd go down the list player by player.  Today I'll start with position players, tomorrow the pitchers.  I'm sticking with positive achievements here.  I also limited it to guys with 23 or more games played, Dan Johnson being the obvious exception.  Some were no brainers while others weren't so easy.  This is just my list, feel free to add your own/bash my picks.

 

Iwamura:  The two run homer he hit off of Buchholz on April 26th to put the Rays up one.

Upton:  Game 5 of the World Series where he single handedly scored the tying run in the top of the 6th.

Crawford:  Game 4 of the ALCS when he went 5-5 with two doubles and a triple and two steals.

Longoria:  Tommy and I have debated this one.  He says Longoria's grand slam off of Halladay, I say it's hitting a home run on the first post-season pitch he saw. 

Pena:  The walk off home run August 6th against Cleveland to cap off a six run 9th inning.

Floyd:  The May 30th walk off home run against the White Sox.  It also gave usthe best baseball picture of all time.

Gross:  He also had a walk off homer against the White Sox, but his May 13th walk off single against the Yankees and Mo Rivera is what I most remember.

Navarro:  I'd say his September 16th walk off single against Boston.  The Rays had gotten swept in New York and had lost the opener to Boston the night before.

Jason Bartlett:  The game tying home run in Game 6 of the ALCS.  That came out of nowhere.

Baldelli:  His first game back in Seattle.

Zobrist: The two run homer he hit off of Burnett to snap the team's seven game losing streak on July 18th.

Aybar:  I'd say his gigantic home run in Game 7 of the ALCS which gave the Rays a two run cushion.

Perez:  Tagging up and scoring the winning run in the marathon Game 2 of the ALCS.

Johnson:  The Dan Johnson Game.  Enough said.

Gomes:  Pounding on Crisp in the Brawl in Boston.

Ruggiano:  His leaping catch in the top of the 9th inning on August 27th to end the game against Toronto. 

Riggans:  Getting drilled in the sternum by a Fernando Rodney fastball in the 10th inning of the August 3rd game against Detroit.  Eventually scores the winning run on a bases loaded walk.

 

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Somewhere Dave Winfield

is crying about a dead sea gull

Anyway, as I was lying in the puddle, I think I may have found a way for us to get Bonds and Griffey, and we wouldn't have to give up that much.

~George Costanza~

by Sandy Kazmir on Jan 7, 2009 3:10 PM EST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

So I feel like an ass...

Good luck in Japan, Ginger!

In the name of Shinji Mori, we shall win!

by thebaddancingraysfan on Jan 7, 2009 3:23 PM EST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Domo Arigato,

Mr. Roboto.

Sign lady must die.

by EminenceFront on Jan 7, 2009 3:59 PM EST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I think Longo's 1st playoff game should be his stand out highlight.

He could do no wrong that game, and his 2nd HR flew right over my head.

by floridaroar on Jan 7, 2009 3:40 PM EST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Best Baseball Picture Of all Time

With out a doubt one of the best pictures of all time. My company liked it so much we are using as the cover on all of the Verizon Yellow Pages in the state of Florida.

by TPA08 on Jan 7, 2009 5:36 PM EST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Good idea just don't sent me 12 phone books this year

Anyway, as I was lying in the puddle, I think I may have found a way for us to get Bonds and Griffey, and we wouldn't have to give up that much.

~George Costanza~

by Sandy Kazmir on Jan 8, 2009 10:14 AM EST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Pena

9/10 14 inning game vs Boston

2 out bomb while most of us were asleep

by jdh on Jan 7, 2009 5:39 PM EST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Other candidates

I don’t disagree with any of the choices. Here are two that thrilled me.

Against Toronto, early in the year, the Rays went up by 1 run in the 13th inning and had the bases loaded. I was listening to the game on the radio when Navarro came up and blasted a grand slam to center field (I think) to put the game out of reach. All 5 runs in the inning came off Shawn Camp. While it may not have been as dramatic in its impact as other games, I found it very exciting.

The second case was the game I attended in which Shields pitched his one-hitter against the Angels but going to the bottom of the ninth the score was 0-0. With one out and Upton on 2B, Longoria launched a long home run into left-center. He had only been up about 1 month and it just seemed that he had an aura of a star. The Trop exploded, even if we were only about 12,000.

This is not strictly relevant, but your post reminds me of it. In at least 2 games I attended, Longoria had to charge a rather slow grounder with a man on first. In both cases I thought. damn, no DP, but at least we should get the man at first, when Longoria threw a laser right at Iwamura’s waist who then pivoted and in one fluid motion threw a perfect strike to Pena to get the DP. It was an instantaneous decision by Longoria and a perfect (and elegant) execution of one of the most beautiful plays in sports.

by bobr on Jan 7, 2009 6:27 PM EST reply reply actions actions   1 recs

The Angels game was awesome. I do remember it now.

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

by SRQman on Jan 7, 2009 8:36 PM EST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Longo's first big homerun

Must agree with bobr on Longo’s amazing smash on May 9th to win it for Shields. What made the walk-off so important wasn’t just that Evan the much-hyped rookie had hit it, and it was his first really memorable moment- it was because the HR preserved one of the most dominating starts I have ever personally seen. If Longoria had not hit the homer, Maddon said he was likely going to send Shields out for the 10th, so there would have been that, but I like it the way it was.

by Thejeffg on Jan 7, 2009 11:46 PM EST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

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