I’m numb.
I sat down to write this morning and just stared at the computer. I finally understand the feeling an old friend described when he was covering the Bucs during their Monday night collapse against Peyton Manning.
No words came out.
Does anyone actually want the Wild Card here? Boston keeps the door ajar but we refuse to open it. At this point, if we win out, we still need Boston to lose four more games. That doesn’t sound impossible (especially now that the Yankees have every reason to rest everyone worth a damn), but close.
Either way, this season has been a wild ride.
If we win out (7-0) then the Sox would only need to lose 2 games (4-2) to be tied with us. So cheer up! We can lose 2 games and if the Sox lose 4, we’re tied as well.
Mark, I can tell you that I’ve never felt so conflicted as when I watched yesterday’s double-header. Between you and Jonah Keri, the Rays have become my second favorite team. I’d love nothing better than to see your collection of overachievers knock off the team that NESN thought in March would be better than the ’27 Yankees. But the Yanks played two of their best games of the season yesterday, and clinched the division, and you can understand how that would make me feel good.
It was particularly poignant that MFIKY was on the mound when the Yanks clinched. Not that we’ve gotten much value yet out of Soriano, not that any of the guys who departed Tampa Bay last winter have provided their new teams with much value. But in a better world the Rays would have received major $$ of revenue sharing and maybe been able to hold onto a piece of their 2010 bullpen.
It’s not over. But more than that, the Rays are a team that’s only going to get better. I’m not looking forward to the Yanks having to compete with the Rays for the next 10 years. Maybe we can hope for realignment, and replace you guys in the AL East with the Astros.
As for tonight … I don’t think I can root against the Yanks, but I’ll never be happier to see the Yanks lose than I would be tonight.
First, thanks for the compliment. Second, I think you’re saying what a lot of baseball people are saying. I actually don’t miss Soriano (because he’s a got that attitude you can only put up with when he’s on your team). But I do wish we could have kept some other pieces. Either way, I am not sure I’d change anything about this summer. See you guys in Tampa next weekend. Hopefully, all the regulars will be in Jeter’s pool resting up rather than competing with us…
How about the most prolific slugger in Rays history, Manny Ramirez, seeking reinstatement. “Just Manny being Manny.”
I would say the list of prolific sluggers in Rays history goes:
1. Mike Kelly
2. Paul Sorrento
3. Josh Phelps
4. Steve Cox
5. Manny Ramirez.
Right?
This list can’t be complete without Jose Canseco.
I had Canseco in there initially but, he actually had a monster first half, led the league in homers and made the All-Star team legitimately in 1999. So, he was too good to qualify.
how does John Flaherty not make this list?
Greatest warning track fly-out hitter of all time. That is a whole separate list.
If we kept track of F9s to the track, Flaherty would be Babe Ruth.
A 15-6 rout (even if it is against the “b” lineup) has to make you feel better!
I even got convinced to get up at 2AM and welcome the boys home at the airport. That was awesome (got lots of horn honking, Longo rolling down the window and thanking us, and tweets) letting the guys know we still believe.
2 am at the airport? Way to go! The crowd at The Ray Area knows what’s important. No way Gary Shelton was there.
Good work Merrill.
15-8…oops.