Who knew that in one year, extra innings would be good for the Rays?  I feel so very confident whenever a game goes to the 10, 11, or 12.  The Rays have shown that they won't lie down after the ninth.  That they can win baby.  It's amazing.  What an awesome time to be a Rays fan.  I know that these days when I wear the old green and black cap, or the new navy and white, people say, "You got a good squad this year."  And I just smile and nod.  Go RAYS!!!

What's up Rays Nation (take that Red Sox).  I hope all of you are enjoying the wins, because I am.  As of yesterday I have graduated from college and will start Grad School, hoping someday I can come back to good ole' St. Pete and be a history teacher.  But until then I have something pretty funny to share with you guys.  Due to all of the Rays success I wrote a story about the American League East Division family (which we all of us know consists of the Rays, Red Sox, Orioles, Jays, and Yankees).  Well I thought about of all the Rays success so finally this season… their story should be told.

WARNING!  This is really cheesy, so have mercy.

There was once was a married couple.  The father was named American League and the wife was named Eastern Division.  They had five sons, Yankee, Red Sock, Oriole, Blue Jay, and Ray. 

Red Sock was the oldest and had great success in his early years.  He had good friends (T. Williams, C. Young, T. Speaker), and he won several, several awards (World Series) in his early days.  However after a trade with his rival brother Yankee (Ruth) he fell off the wayward path.  Dropping out of high school and resorting to drugs and alcohol with his step-cousin Cub, eventually Red Sock got his act together and has since climbed the mountain of success.

Yankee was the second oldest.  After a acquiring somewhat of a curse luck from his brother Red Sock (Ruth), Yankee became the golden child for his parents.  Always winning in school and becoming very popular around the world (Yankees being one of the most popular franchises of all time).  However it seems Yankee let the success go to his head.  He became sloppy (2001 World Series), inconsistent (2003 World Series), and forgot to even show up to work (2004 Choke).  In the end it seems that Yankee a shell of his former self is at the end of his career.

For Oriole and Blue Jay they have been the middle children of the family.  Having success in the middle of their adolescence, their brief successes allowed mom and dad to get over the disappointment Red Sock and Yankee caused.  In the end , they have remained dominantly quiet, going through their everyday lives not really thinking about another great success.

That leaves American League and East Division’s youngest son Ray.  Ray was born just 10 years ago.  Barely able to walk or say mom and dad, he had a tremendous accomplishment in his early days in Pre-K (Bogg’s 3,000th Hit).  However, his younger brothers teased, bullied and belittled him for another 8 years.  Yet it seems these days Ray has gotten stronger, wiser, and more confident.  He no longer surrounds himself with bad influence (Jose Guillen, Elijah Dukes, or Jose Canseco).  He seems to know that he can win, he also realizes his older brothers are just that… OLD!  He’s young, talented, and is able to make good on his promises (a good front office).  Ray seems to be the new golden child and has finally making mom and dad proud. 

GO RAYS!!!

First let me say how awesome it is too see the Rays be 5 games over .500.  Can't believe it.  Crawford was definitley a clutch guy yesterday afternoon, and bout time ESPN gave the man some love.

For the series with the Yankees I do hope we have a good attendance of Rays fans at the Trop tonight.  Chances are the Yankees fans will be obnoxious as hell and may outnumber us, but lets show some love to our beloved home town team and hopefully if the Rays are winning by the 7th inning the sfans start piling out.  The one person I feel the most sorry for when the Yankees and the Red Sox come to town is Raymond the mascot.  It must difficult as hell to dance and sing for the Rays when the packed house is mostly Red Sox or Yankees fans.  Anyways I know Sternbeg reads this, so Raymond if you read this as well keep up the good work.  You're the hardest working man in show business and don't think it goes unnoticed.  Keep shaking the belly and hopefully the Rays keep winning.

Now about the series.  I've been a Rays fan for a long time, but I have a bad feeling about this series with the Yankees.  Not an end all be all feeling about the Rays, were going to do great this season.  But I have a feeling in one of these games we might get blown up in our ERA department.  I could see one of the losses this series being a blow out like 13-5 or 14-9 Yankees.  I know it ain't going to be Scott Kazmir or Shields.  Both men play terrific at home.  My concern is with Edwin Jackson and Matt Garza.  Our bats will be terrific, but our pitching has to be lights out.  I know alot of you must be saying "Cooperstown Kid what are you thinking, the pitching has been great!" And yes it has, but this is the Yankees and lets face it we got swept by the Red Sox at Fenway, after we dramatically swept them at the Trop.  Also we need to be smart on the baspaths against the Yankees.  This ain't the Screw Jays or the Sporioles, this is the Yankees.  So becareful on the basebaths and play smart aggressive baseball. I want a sweep of the Yankees and I'll be praying to every known God of every religion so that it can happen. 

My prediction however for the series which I hope is wrong (since I want us to really sweep) is take 2 out of 2 from the series.  If we do that I think we've done a terrific job of holding back the bombers.  We'll gain two more wins, which honestly I'll take a win anytime.  Plus it will be two more losses for the Yankees, which would still dig their hole while A-Rod is absent. 

Anyways I'll be watching from MLB.TV so lets go Rays!!!

Hey Rays fans, I got to admit I am hooked on this DRAYS BAYBlog stuff.  I love hearing from all you guys and what you got to say about the most underrated sports team history, so I always feel if I got something to say about the Rays I'm better off getting info and different sides of stories from you guys then a bunch of stuck up O's fans, so anyways let me vent.

I hate ESPN  ... why?  Well when they cover the Rays, say for example John Buccigross or Soctt Van Pelt snicker under their voices about how the Rays for once have a winning season in begninng of May.  I don't know about you guys but it rubs me the wrong way.  A television cable channel like ESPN should do their best to appeal to every team and that objectivity is key.  Van Pelt or Buccigross don't have to like the Rays, it's your decision, but alot of Rays fans watch Sportscenter and want to see their team's highlights, especially people like me who can't catch every game since I live no where near the Sunnshine State.  I know that there are some sportscasters on ESPN who are very opinionated such as Stephen A. Smith among others and that is hilarious, entertaining and insightful, but when you're just showing highlights and its Sportscenter keep the BS to yourself.  Instead of covering how great James Shields perfromance was against LA, they decided to just laugh at the fact that their finally having a winning season.  They never even covered Navarro's home run in the 13th inning against Toronto... WTF?!?!  And what the hell is up with "TITLETOWN?!?!?"  Give me a break ESPN.  I'm subscribing to FSN FLORIDA.  GO RAYS!!!!!

... man I feel better now.

Whether or not the Rays front office have a name for the new Stadium, I haven't the slightest clue.  But I do know that Sternberg reads this blog quite a bit so I thought who better to come up with names for the new stadium than the butts that will be sitting in it.  So to all the Rays fans out there what should the new Ballpark be called?  Be creative as hell.  Let the front offices know you got ideas, who knows they might actually like the idea.    In Washington, D.C. they called their new ballpark for the Nationals... get ready for this... Nationals Ballpark.... BORING!  C'mon Rays fans we live in probably the coolest state ever.  Think of an awesome name and lets see what happens.  I'll start the ball rolling I guess...

The Cove (sounds nautical I guess)

James Shields' Stoming Grounds

A couple of days ago I wrote a blog about whose your favorite Devil Ray/Ray, and I got alot of great comments and answers.  So I thought I'd follow it up Rays fans with whose the worst Devil Ray/Ray.  It's very hard for me to choose who could be the worst Devil Ray/Ray (cough Elijah Dukes) since I love this team like a child, but I know some of you out there have an opinion, and honestly Rays fans are really the smartest baseball fans I know, so lets hear your answers. 

Anyways I know who could NOT be on this list and that is James Shields... that man is a BAMF.  GO RAYS!

First of all Percival blew this game... nuff said.  "Closing time" was not set till Howell got in the game.  I know Navarro hit the the grand slam, and I let out a sigh of relief when I saw that.  I think the real winner of this game is Dan Wheeler.  When Rios tripled in the 10th it looked all over.  However, "he stuck to his guns" (lame quote but its true).  Percival showed he ain't invincible tonite, but the rest of the Rays carried the team over.  Maddon is a damn genius, even though I was questioning a lot of what he did.  Great game, lots of drama.  GO RAYS!  18-16 in the beginning of MAY.  AWESOME!

What's up everyone in the Devil Rays Blog world.  Tough loss today, but we'll get through it.  Percival is still the man and he'll have the bullpen in good order next time around.  I was thinking to get our minds off this loss, I could post a discussion question and get all of your thoughts on it.  Who is the best Devil Ray/Ray (whatever you want to call them, still the most underrated team ever) of all time. 

For me growing up all over the United States, but being from Tampa, I was unable to be at the Trop to see alot of games.  I was however in Baltimore and New York quite abit and I must say I thought from a personality and way he carried himself on and off the field Tino Martinez was great.  Also not enough can be said of Fred McGriff, Aubrey Huff, or Carl Crawford. 

Anyways now that I got the ball rolling let me hear from you Rays fans... Peace.

"A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events and outcomes. It is a catalyst and it sparks extraordinary results."- Wade Boggs

They should have that hanging somewhere in Tropicana Field.  I know the Yankees got something like that in their stadium, and I believe Boston has something about "Boston Never Forgets" or some lame New England thingy.  Anways best quote ever, by possibly one of the best Rays and baseball players ever.  Long live number 12.  WE LOVE BOGGS!

Who cares if the Red Sox swept the Rays?  I sure as hell don't.  Scott Kazmir's record last season was 13-9.  He's bound to lose games here and there.  I for one was at least happy to see him back in the rotation, and he certainly is a good complement to Shelds.  I think the Rays definitley have a good recipe of one-two punch starters much like Boston with Beckett and Matsuzaka.  Pena running home by the third basemen certainly was a little hearbreaking, but hey the Rays get men on base and that's all you can ask for.  Their getting much more patient in the batter's box as well (evdence of the Orioles series last week).   And the bullpen is shall I say... AWESOME!  Red Sox fans can boo and hiss and say the Rays suck and always will suck, I really don't care.  I've been with this franchise since day one and I thinkl I speak for all the Rays fans when I say "we're tough skin S.O.B.'s."  We've had alot of heartbreak and I know I've sworn alot, but we've had alot of good things happen as well (we got Kaz, Shelds, Longoria, Crawford, and hey Hinske is palying the best he's ever played since his early days in Toronto).  I'm not worried and no one in the Rays fan base should be.  We've got a great team on the field, a fantastic manager, young/hungry players, and a chance to show the world that we can win more than 70 games this season. 

Hey also I'm putting together a book of great Rays moments for  my American Culture Class at George Mason Univiersity.  I have to pick something American obviously and write about it.  I just wanted to know what some of the greatest Devil Rays/Rays moments you guys have and maybe want to share.  Peace and GO RAYS!