J.P. Howell & Rays Lose Heart Breaker On Wild Pitch

Atrocious umpiring aside, look me in the eye (theoretically) and tell me you think these guys have the chips. Can anyone honestly make himself believe it? You know and I know they don’t.

I’m well aware that they won two out of three and have done that a few series in a row. But on the heels of what I just watched, I’m still officially calling it for 2009, not because 4 games is insurmountable, but because this team just isn’t one of those ones that finds a way.

I know I may be judged for being “that guy” who says stuff like this after a bad loss, but it’s true.

Madden has got to be the worst manager in the AL right now. Let’s face it…….Bringing JP Howell in is not a problem. Leaving him in when he can’t throw strikes is inexcusable. The MANAGER lost this game, not JP Howell. After the home run….After the second walk…..There is no way JP should have been in there any longer. The Rays are finished with a leader like this.

I saw that posted above that this year and last year need to be isolated from each other. Maybe in the clubhouse they are, I don’t know as I’m not there.

But as a fan there are two things I find impossible to do that the players are trained to do. Whether or not they do either or both of these things is up to them.

1. Let 2008 be in the past. It was so damn much fun and it is our baseline for the team. I find it incredibly hard not to think back to last year and think that if the team last year could do it, why can’t this year’s team do it.

2. 30 minutes. The players get 30 minutes to revel in a win or roll around in pity after a loss. Wins and losses this late into the season are magnified exponentially and as a fan, I had a couple beers after the Tuesday night win and thought about it for a while and even into yesterday afternoon. I felt good about the team and its chances, etc. But last night’s loss, especially the way it ended, is taking a hell of a lot longer than 30 minutes to digest and let go of. I suppose the players are trained in how to do it and they forget and move on, but as a fan, it’s tough.

Oh by the way, going back to last year, remember on Sept. 6th, the game in Toronto Percy blew? I think it was in the 10th inning. Anyway, it happens, it’s part of the game. This 2 out of 3 thing is better, much better than 1 out of 3. Splitting in Detroit would be fine with me because I still think if the Rays can take 2 of 3 from Boston or all 3, they still have a legitimately good shot at the wild card. It’s late, but not too late.

5 HR

9 BB

970 OPS

And it’s not IP, still well below last year’s pace

while the tampa and toronto tv guns had him in the high 80’s practically all night

so my question is, was he really throwing 93-95 last night

or is gameday a little quick and he was at 91-92 like he has been most of the time since he got back