Today is a perfect example of why Upton (and Crawford) drive me crazy.  A little league baserunning error in the first, but a gamewinning (hopefully, (two outs in  the ninth inning as I write this) hit in the 9th.  Ahhhhhhh!  Good fortune to get Percival out of the lineup for awhile--perfect transition to Balfour as the permanent closer?  Oh well, extra innings.  I still think Percival should go on the permanent DL.  Walking the leadoff batter in the 9th with a one run lead is just not acceptable, and he has done it a lot.

We cannot get rid of Troy Percival fast enough.  I don't know what his ratio of innings pitched to home runs actually is, but I bet it is off the charts.  Balfour is already obviously a better closer, why wait until people boo when Percival comes in the game?  They are going to have to lose someone to activate the next player who comes up, I can't think of a better choice, although Gomes is giving him a close run.

Watching the Rays the last few days look like they have turned the corner on being a competitive major league team got me thinking about their history.  I went back and looked at the team rosters and stats since the beginning--all those horrible free agent signings, disappointing draft picks, and pitchers who couldn't make anyone else's roster, etc--and it seemed like the one thing that stood out was the trade of Victor Zambrano for Scott Kazmir.  Zambrano is now a "free agent" without a team, and Kazmir is well on his way to a mega contract.  Even if it's not with the Rays, he will win a lot of games for them.  The two opening day pitchers before Kazmir were Dewon Brazelton and Seth McClung.  I bet the Mets never do another deal with the Rays.

 The second thing that stands out is the change of ownership--they have made several good trades and free agent signings and only one big mistake I can think of--letting Josh Hamilton go unprotected last year.  I only saw him play once, in a spring training game last year when he was with Cincinnati, and it was obvious he was going to be very very good.

Anyway, right now it seems to me like this team can compete for the playoffs this year.  They may not make it, but their chances are as good as anyone else's.  It will be fun to watch.

What's up with having Henske trying to steal second in the fourth inning?  I don't have the statistics, but the Rays' base stealing percentage has got to be pretty low.  It seems to me that the new age stat guys have pretty much proven that you have to be successful a very high percentage of the time to make the stolen base worth it.  Ditto with the sacrifice bunt.  No free outs!

Having said that, I am glad Navarro is trying to prove me wrong about his hitting.  Last night and tonight (potentially, it's only the sixth inning) could be really great games to set a tone for the rest of the season.

I was wondering whether anyone else had the same reaction on Friday night when Riggins went up to pinch hit for Navarro.   I had been thinking, instead of watching Navarro hit a weak ground ball to second for a forceout or possible double play like he has done so many times, wouldn't it be wonderful to pinch hit for him now?  When Riggins was announced I wasn't paying attention, and I assumed that Madden had by some miracle agreed with me.  Only later did I hear about Navarro's injury.  Navarro is the worst hitter I have ever seen in the big leagues.  Not only do you know he is going to make an out in clutch situations, he seems incapable of hitting the ball out of the infield.  He is picking up where he started the season last year.  He always comes up with men on base.

The Rays desperately need a catcher who can hit, and to bring Longoria up from Durham. 

Peace.