Rays Tank: Elimination Part 1

Welcome to the Rays Tank, where the Rays have finally been eliminated from the AL East race but are still somehow in wild card contention, and the tanks still look ridiculous with Mike Dukakis in them.

Speaking of blowing huge leads, it was four years ago when it started looking like the Rays might actually be able to reel in the floundering Red Sox. And it was exactly four years ago today when Matt Moore made his first start against the Yankees. He was brilliant.

The 15-8 win (only as close as it was because Dane De La Rosa gave up six runs after the lead got to 13-0) pulled the Rays within two games of Boston with six games left to play. But more on that in future Rays Tanks.

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In 2012, the Rays smacked four homers in an 11-5 win over the Jays.

When even Jose Molina gets into the act, you know it's your day.

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Watch this slick double play from Yunel Escobar and James Loney in 2013.

Yunel is such a maddening player. No denying the talent. Or that he's a headcase.

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Lastly, in both the before-they-were-Rays files and the milestone bin, here's Wade Boggs tallying his fifth straight 200-hit season.

Yeah, yeah, "no Red Sox in the Stank." But it's Wade. He's one of us. Besides, he looks goofy when he runs.

Link dump!

• Marc Topkin read Adam Sanford's article about the Rays benching Rene Rivera, and then he asked Rivera about it. Thanks Topkin!
• Chris Archer pitched his 200th inning yesterday, which you may recall was his preseason goal.
• Hmmm. It looks like other teams fans are having the same conversation we have over and over and over.
• Paywall, but a good read from Russell Carleton. Why do pitchers get tired?
• Anyone notice their Ottoneu pitchers giving up a ton of home runs and getting negative points? Yeah, me too. It's real.
• Now we got four. This doesn't work if there aren't enough of us to make a wise crowd. Fill out the Fans Scouting Report.