Years ago I think it was 2001 I watched Joe Kennedy on his first start at home against the Philadelphia Phillies. We sat in the seats right behind home plate courtesy of one of the nicest guys ever to work for the Rays Jose Tavarez. We got there early and watched batting practice and Pat Burrell came to the plate and preceded to launch the longest batting practice home runs I have ever seen at the Trop.

Now come the news that the Rays have a deal working for the former Phillies outfielder. As the Rays sorted through the list of candidates this off-season for power my hiope was they would settle on Pat Burrell. He is right handed, has power and doesn’t have social disorders with his temper as some of the available free agents on this years market possess.

I like this signing if it happens. Pat Burrell fits nicely in the middle of this line-up and more importantly I think his personality is a good mix for this team.

Rocco Baldelli Has a new diagnosis it is called, Channelopathy. It is treatable and could provide Baldelli a way to play more baseball than he has been able to play in the past. I couldn’t be happier for anyone that I could be for Rocco. The guy is a class act and I’m hoping the Rays do the class thing and bring him back. He is the face of this team.

According to reports from Rhode Island news stations, Baldelli went to a clinic in Cleveland in which doctors determined he did not have a mitochondrial disorder. Instead, according to the reports, Baldelli has a channelopathy, which is a type of protein irregularity.

The Rays season ended on a football weather night in Philadelphia for 2008. The Phillies won the delayed, suspended, whatever you want to call it Game 5 of the 2008 World Series. Somehow, a team that did not appear any better than them beat the Rays, but you have to tip your hat and move forward. I was talking with a close friend the other day and she said she was tired of hearing about how the Rays were not supposed to be in the World Series and all that rhetoric we have been hearing. Then she came up with this gem.
Your team sucks until it doesn’t suck anymore, the Rays Don’t Suck anymore! , And they don’t. 3 wins away from carrying out a complete worst to first story proves that. Sending the Boston Red Sox home and breaking Peter Gammons’ heart proves that.
The team seems postured for a great 2009 with young arms due up form Durham and being in a position of strength should they decide to make a trade or two. I wrote about his team for ESPN back in the days when they did suck, but it is true Rays fans,We don’t suck anymore. Enjoy the time away from the game

Good pitching, Good Defense and timely hitting. That is how the Rays got to The World Series. The Rays brought none of these with them to Philadelphia and the Phillies are one game away from being the World Series Champions.

Of course the Rays can send the series back to the Trop with a win in game 5, but it does not look good for our boys. They started out this post season, with bats on fire, and hitting homers at a record pace. That may have been their downfall. As often happens in baseball hot streak go as quickly as they come. Game 5 is now a must win ,or the Rays must go home.

As Rays fans we are supposed ot be happy they got this far and all that, but winning changes the way we think. I wanted it all. Can the Rays bounce back , sure it is possible, but………….

Another close game for game 3 of the World Series and the Rays came up on the short end. 5-4. Jaime Moyer gave hope to the older generation keeping Rays hitters just out of sync. Matt Garza did not pitch as well as he did in game 7 of the ALCS, but pitched well enough to give his team a chance to win.

It would appear the Rays have one confident hitter in the World Series thus far. B.J Upton tried to win the game himself with what would have been the topic of discussion had the Rays pulled this one out. An infield hit, two stolen bases and a errant throw by Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz tied the game in the eighth, but the Rays would not score again.

Rays fans, if Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria cannot start hitting soon, another World Series Game at Tropicana Field is in doubt. Both players look lost at the plate right now.

Andy Sonnastine starts Game 4 and the Rays need a gem. Either that or the Rays bats need to wake up. Yes we have been here before, but my how many times can a rabbit be pulled out of a hat?

The Rays played the kind of baseball that wins games. Phillies fans will scream Home Plate Umpire Kerwin Danley sucks and the truth is he blew a couple of calls. However the outcome never seemed in doubt from my perspective. James Shields looked like he always does. Shields made big pitches when he had to, and David Price tied a bow on the 4-2 win in with 2 plus inning of steady work in Game 2 of the World Series.

Somehow this World Series doesn’t quite feel right yet. Back when the Bucs had their Super Bowl run I remember the excitement of beating the Eagles. It felt more like the Super Bowl than the Super Bowl. That’s kind of how this World Series feels for me. Seems the Red Sox Series was the big one.

The Rays will head to Philadelphia with split. Wining one in Phillly assures another game in the Trop, same the ALCS. Matt Garza will face Jamie Moyer and it will be cold and rainy. See you after the game

As I watched the World Seroes last night on my Jason Bartlett Jersey I was hoping for some magic. Turns out Taco Bell Tacos was the only thing wearing my lucky jersey was worth last night. Bartlett stole free tacos for America from Taco Bell, as he stole second base in the bottom of the 5th inning of Game 1 at the World Series. As promised, Americans will feast on millions of free Crunchy Seasoned Beef Tacos as Taco Bell’s “Steal A Base, Steal A Taco” World Series promotion paid off for the second straight year.
Another first for the Tampa Bay Rays ,but I would have preferred a 3 run homer.

Game 1 of the 2008 World Series went just about like many thought it would. Cole Hammels was solid, not spectacular in my opinion. The Rays had more than enough chance to win this games but cam up short and lost 3-2. Scott Kazmir shook off some first inning troubles to pitch 6 quality innings, but just didn’t get the run support. Kazmir did keep the Rays in the game.

The concern is the Rays hitting at this point. After knocking the cover off the ball in the ALCS , the run producers have cooled considerably. Brad Lidge closed out the victory for the Phillies. I know that slider must be wicked, but it sure doesn’t look un-hittable.

James Shields and Brett Myers are tomorrow’s starters and the Rays need the game to keep this series from getting away before it starts. As for watching the game, I never felt anything like I did when watching the ALCS. I guess maybe I had a fans emotional letdown. Good news is the bullpen looked like its old self .

We have yet another first for Tampa Bay baseball fans. Find and purchase World Series tickets. I take that back, you will probably be able to find World Series tickets , you just may not be able to afford them . Checking with the traditional online vendors you can start your shopping with $500.00. Of course that wont be for field level seats but hey this is the World Series. So for the price of two tickets, who wants to go by themselves, you can probably buy a very nice wide screen HDTV, that comes with a pause button for rest room breaks and snack attacks. There is nothing like being at the World Series in person, but seriously how can anyone afford that kind of money for 3 hours of entertainment?
I hear people were selling the right to buy a ticket for almost two hundred smackers.

I watched with amazement Red Sox beat writer after beat writer say that the Rays were the better team in the ALCS for 2008. That is very classy and the fact is they are right. Not all Red Sox fans are idiots, just the ones who moved down here. Now how about someone sending me a World Series Ticket?

I will resist a strong temptation to load this post with cliches , but it will be difficult. The Tampa Bay Rays are the American League Champions for 2008. Matt Garza was named the ALCS MVP . David Price secured the last 4 outs and looked like he may have some MVP’s in his future. This game had all the signs of a heartbreaking loss if we look at what had happened.

Around 6PM this evening my neighbor and I met on the sidewalk. He was wearing a David Price jersey. I told him we needed to get Price in to the game somehow and he left for the stadium. at 8:20 , I sent a text to my son who was at the game that said, “We are Ok that may help Matty” and my did it. Garza settled in and matched pitch for pitch with one of the best American League pitchers in Jon Lester.

Joe Maddon used 5 pitchers to get 3 outs in the eight, including a huge strike out of J.D Drew with two of the best sliders David Price has ever thrown and a put away 97 MPH fastball. An inning later Price closed the game and the Rays are headed to the World Series.

My last text to my son said , “Dont ever , ever give up on your team” The Tampa Bay Rays are the American League Champions for 2008.