DRaysBay: FanPosts

Madden article on Yahoo

Underdogs — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:56:31 -0000

Article about Madden from Yahoo. I hope you guys enjoy.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=Ah3ip4Qv80n4Ibc6aRAT1lE5nYcB?slug=ge-raysrule081908&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Some quotes from the article

“I’m not backing off on this one because I’m going to get fined on that, so screw ‘em. But I’m telling you, that’s the kind of call that can cost you a pennant right there.”

“It’s much easier to watch on the field than on TV,” said Maddon, who after being ejected in the sixth inning joined baseball’s living Buddha, Don Zimmer, in the back of the Rays’ clubhouse.

This was the Rays’ 35th come-from-behind victory and the eighth in games they’ve trailed after seven innings.

Maddon introduced a slogan for that in spring training: 9=8. Play nine innings a night, every night, and you wind up being one of the eight teams playing in October.

Poll

Do you agree on what Madden did?

September Call-ups

Dbullsfan — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 04:23:16 -0000

For the first time ever we are in a situation where September call-ups are going to be used to help the MLB team instead of just getting some young guys some playing time. That brings the question of who do we call up? Here is a list of guys who could potentially be call-up, Ill give my thoughts what does everyone else think?

Guys already on the 40 man

Juan Salas- I know he is already in the majors but I am throwing him in here because I would assume he would be sent down for a day or 2 depending on when Percival comes back.

My guess: 100% chance of being called up

Kurt Birkins- forgotten about lefty who has a 6.75 ERA down in Durham. Has some MLB experience but isnt that good.

My guess: 60% chance of being called up. The only reason it is that high is because we will only have 2 other lefties in the pen and it never hurts having an extra arm.

James Houser- Injured

Jeff Niemann- Niemann was a big name tossed around at the trade deadline and has really good stuff and is a mlb ready starter. He does have a history of injury problems and is only completing his 2nd full pro season.

My Guess: 25% chance of being called up. I think Niemann is a starter and isnt really built to work out of the pen, I also think he would benefit from being shut down a little bit earlier after the minor league playoffs.

David Price- I dont know if there is anything I can say people dont already know, he has struggled in his first 2 AAA starts with command which could be a problem.

My guess: 30%- The front office may get pressured into calling him out but I think the smart move would be to let him finish the year in Durham and shut him down after that. While he could be a bit of help to the pen, I think he will benefit more from getting an extra couple starts in the AAA playoffs.

J.K. Ryu- injured

Mitch Talbot- Insert man crush warning here, Talbot has been extremely solid of late. He has gone 8-1 in his last 10 starts and has allowed just 6 runs in his last 7. Talbot would be my choice to get the spot start in the DH against Baltimore late September and could be successful out of the pen.

My guess: 75%- not sure the FO is as high as I am on him.

John Jaso- Jaso has been a stud since being called up to Durham, .856 OPS and has been solid behind the plate. He would be the easier of the 2 catchers for the Rays to call up being on the 40.

My guess: 35%, not that I don't like Jaso, I just think the FO will go with the veteran Difeliece.

Joel Guzman- .713 OPS but plays a solid defense and has been playing some SS of late along with 3B and 1B. He has tremendous power but that is about the extent of his offensive prowess.

My guess: 75% A right handed power bat, wouldn't hurt right?

Elliot Johnson- most versatile guy possibly in the whole system. I talked to him earlier in the year and he mentioned that he was even the emergency catcher during his time with the big league club at the beginning of the season. He isnt the most talented but has good speed and plays good defense.

My guess: 100%, perfect type of player to call up, can play everywhere on the diamond, switch hitter with good speed.

Fernando Perez- one of the more interesting options, before the season or even a month and a half ago I would say no way he gets called up but he continues to play solid defense and .748 OPS + 40 SB isn't bad either. Could get called up for his defense and speed.

My guess: 50% Really not even sure what I would do much less what the FO will do.

Jonny Gomes- AAA Jonny not much better than MLB Jonny 12-52 (does have 2 HR)

My guess: 40%, I would guess that Gomes, Perez, and Guzman all wont get called up but 2 will, Jonny could be the man left out.

Guys not on the 40 Man.

Dan Johnson- Johnson has been playing a lot of 3B leading a lot of people to believe that this is leading to a September call-up. Im not sure why the Rays would try him out there if that wasnt the case given he most likely wont be on the team next year.

My guess: 90%, he should get the call, my guess Ryu goes to 60 man DL

Mike Difelice- Veteran catcher, isnt going to bring much to the table other than experience but that he has. Difelice was a member of the original Devil Rays

My Guess: 65%, He isnt as good as Jaso but I think they go with the veteran.

Dale Thayer- A lot of people keep throwing this name out there and I am a big fan of his 2.39 ERA in 48 innings.

My guess: 5%. Like I said I am a Thayer fan but I dont see us taking someone off the 40 man to add a guy who would maybe only make it 1 or 2 games and that would only be in mop up duty. Thayer should get his chance next spring to make the roster.

Chris Richard- Richard has been the MVP for the Bulls this season (.914 OPS) IMO and can play 1B or corner outfield. Will most likely have the same problem as Thayer

My guess: 10%, A little higher than Thayer but snot by much, I dont really see the Rays making room on the 40 man for a guy who isnt going to play much

This was kinda long but it is nice to have September call-ups really mean something and I for one am excited.

How Much Money Should I Budget for the Postseason?

GomesSweetGomes — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:45:48 -0000

Prices Released

The Rays recently released postseason seating and pricing information, and have offered postseason packages up to their season ticket holders. While there are no guarantees in life or in baseball (One Game at a Time, Good Lord Willing), proper budgeting and planning is essential for most fans to ensure they aren't left out in the cold. With that in mind, here are the prices for 2008 Rays Postseason tickets (per game, per seat):

Seat Location DS LCS WS

Home Plate Club 295 350 500

Whitney Bank Club 175 200 350

Fieldside Box 135 150 225

Lower Infield Box 82 95 225

Lower Box 65 75 225

Press Level 55 65 225

Baseline Box 45 55 175

Loge Box 45 55 175

Outfield 25 30 150

Upper Deck 20 25 100

A few notes:

- I did not include season ticket holder pricing, as this is info is already available.

- In the event there is a tie-breaker playoff, that pricing will be the same as prime game pricing.

- It is very apparent at first glance that when it comes to World Series tickets, it is the middle-class fan that gets hit the hardest with price mark-ups. A Home Plate Club ticket doubles in price, while an outfield World Series seat goes for over 9X that of a regular season seat.

- It is also interesting that a World Series press box seat goes for the exact same price as a fieldside box seat, when in the regular season, these tickets are nowhere near equivalent in price.

So how many games will I have to pay for?

To be honest, I'm not really sure. I do know that in order for season ticket holders to ensure themselves seats for all playoff games, they must buy an 11 game package, which represents the maximum # of playoff games that could theoretically be played at the Trop. However, even if you don't have a season ticket package, chances are that if you want to pay retail, you are probably going to have to purchase some games in advance, hope that they are played, and wait on a refund if they are not.

Assuming that the Rays get home field advantage and play every possible playoff game at the Trop, it would cost $560 per seat to go to every game and sit in the upper deck, or $895 to do the same in the outfield. However, as I will show, such an unlikely scenario will never play out, no matter how good this team is.

Below is the # of postseason games that each team has hosted over the past 2 years, along with how much it would have cost (in today's prices) to see every game from the upper deck or outfield (per seat):

Year	Team	LDS	LCS	WS	TOTAL	UD	OF
2007	Boston	2	4	2	8	340	470
2007	Colorado	1	2	2	5	270	385
2007	Cleveland	2	3	0	5	115	140
2007	Arizona	2	2	0	4	90	110
2007	LA Angels	1	0	0	1	20	25
2007	NY Yankees	1	0	0	1	20	25
2007	CHI Cubs	1	0	0	1	20	25
2007	PHI Phillies	2	0	0	2	40	50
2006	St. Louis	2	3	3	8	415	590
2006	Detroit	2	2	2	6	290	410
2006	NY Mets	2	2	0	4	90	110
2006	Oakland	1	2	0	3	70	85
2006	NY Yankees	2	0	0	2	40	50
2006	San Diego	2	0	0	2	40	50
2006	Minnesota	2	0	0	2	40	50
2006	LA Dodgers	1	0	0	1	20	25

- Since most of us don't sit by ourselves, you probably need to double that figure for each of them to get an accurate picture.

- It's also worth noting that these figures don't include Ticketmaster service charges. I'm not too sure what they will be, but I will assume they're looking forward to the possibility of a field day.

- Since the advent of the divisional format, the closest any teams have come to hosting 11 games are the '97 Indians and '01 Diamondbacks, which each hosted nine games.

Final Notes:

- Even if we are lucky enough to see playoff games, my guess is that many fans will not be lucky enough to get tickets at retail, and will have to purchase them at well above face value. Given how much they are already selling for on Stubhub, the $150 '09 deposit with guaranteed seats doesn't look so bad.

- There is a time value component to money that shoppers often ignore. Most buyers will likely have to charge the tickets on a credit card, and pay interest on them while wait for a refund for unplayed games (of which there will certainly be some). Even if they pay cash, there is an opportunity cost at play, and they would still have to forego the chance at putting the cash in the bank and drawing interest. These costs are far from insignificant, and should be considered before purchasing.

- While most teams host 4 or fewer playoff games, if you want to guarantee yourself the chance at seats throughout the postseason, it is probably wise to start budgeting for the unlikely.

- 'Problems' like these = priceless

9=8?

Tampa Claire — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:29:49 -0000

We're big Rays fans -- we've been going to games since my 9-year-old was a baby and his dad had to change diapers in the stands because there were no changing tables in the men's rooms (thank you Matt Silverman & Co for fixing that!). We're thrilled that the Rays (who I used to refer to as the best minor league team in major league baseball) have thrived under Coach Maddon. And we appreciate what a wonderful baseball team this franchise has evolved into -- it's really just terrific!

So when my son asked -- why is Coach Maddon saying 9=8? I explained that Coach Maddon says that 9 guys playing hard all season results in them being one of the 8 teams in the post-season -- and my son says -- we're in the AL, mom -- shouldn't that be 10=8? Counting the DH?

Well, I was stumped -- is there something obvious I'm missing?

What are the initials B.J. short for?

RayGuy3 — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:01:34 -0000

Although I'm sick of hearing about this with the team winning, ironically, Larry Stone of the Seattle Times has come up with the answer to B.J.'s initials.

Larry Stone's MLB power rankings

Last week's ranking in parentheses


	Team
1	Angels (1)	Remember when the absence of Lackey and Escobar was going to ruin Angels?
2	Cubs (3)	85 percent of the world works for a living, and the rest lose to the Cubs
3	Tampa Bay (2)	Apparently, the "B.J." in Upton's name stands for Barely Jogs

America's New Team

RalphieTheRay — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 07:07:49 -0000

I like how we have been building a fan base...

I loved the "LET"S GO RAYS" chant against the Mariners and appreciate the RAYS' BLUE that showed up in Texas....

It may have been a season long road trip, but the end result: RAYS WIN & the home team's venue was covered in DOGGY DOO-DOO.

Who'd thunk it?

In September... who do you think the "rest" of America will be pulling for?....

I have a feeling that they will... "Feel the Heat.. Rays"

What a season for the whole country to enjoy!

is it just me?

raysfan09 — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 03:03:32 -0000

or do you think this is the most important series left in the season

the angels being the team with the best record in baseball have now lost topnight to the rays and i think the rays need to keep these opening inning bursts going.

i believe these 2 teams will meet again...in late october as a matter of fact'

al championship....these two teams are insane right now it just depends on homefield and injuries...but again go rays

Only 2 weeks left

weekend4ryleigh — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 21:02:03 -0000

The Ryleigh Russo Ultimate Weekend Package Drawing

All proceeds will benefit The Ryleigh Russo Fund, supporting her fight against Leukemia.

One lucky winner will receive the following Prize Package including:

Friday August 29, 2008

Begin your weekend by checking into The TradeWinds Island Resorts on St. Pete Beach for 3 nights beginning Friday 8/29 and departing on Monday 9/1.
*Kenny Chesney Poets & Pirates Tour. Ford Amphitheatre, - 2 tickets (Concert starts at 7:30pm)

*Dinner at Outback Steakhouse - $75 gift certificate

Saturday August 30, 2008

* Round of Golf for four at the St. Petersburg Country Club

* Lunch or Dinner at Ferg’s Sports Bar - $50 gift certificate

* Tampa Bay Rays vs. Baltimore Orioles

Suite including 16 tickets, 3 parking passes, in-house food & soft drinks

Sunday August 31, 2008

* Mediterranean Market Brunch for 2, Marchand's Bar & Grill, Renaissance Vinoy Resort & Golf Club

Plus

*USF Bulls vs. Kansas, Sept. 12, 2008 – 2 football tickets, club section

*One year supply of Florida's finest, Working Cow Homemade Ice Cream

* Wine Package - 4 bottles Francis Coppola Merlot, 4 bottles Napa Cellars Chardonnay

Prize Package Valued over $4,000.00

Suggested Minimum Donation $5.00

Each $5 donation equals one entry. There is no limit on the number of entries per person.

The last date to enter is August 25, 2008 at 12:00 AM EST.

The winner will be selected on August 27, 2008 via YouTube.

The Official Drawing will feature Ryleigh picking the winning ticket.

All proceeds will benefit The Ryleigh Russo Fund, supporting her fight against Leukemia.

Hamilton #6

John 63 — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 20:45:07 -0000

With Joe Maddon calling for 4 against Josh Hamilton, he becomes only the 6th player in MLB history to be intentionally passed with the bases juiced.

With two outs in the 9th inning of a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on May 28, 1998, Bonds became only the fifth player in baseball history to be given an intentional walk with the bases loaded. Nap Lajoie (1901), Del Bissonette (1928) and Bill Nicholson (1944) were three others in the 20th Century who received that rare honor; however Abner Dalrymple was the first to receive one in 1881.[31] Bonds finished 8th in the MVP voting.[32]

What was everyone else's reaction to the intentional pass. I was able to discuss this with a few Tribe mates who were in awe over Maddons decision. My take on everyone's opinion was from the movie Top Gun in which Hollywood said to Maverick in their aerial simulation room , "gutsyiest move I've ever seen, man."

As for me watching the game, how did I feel and react? Last night I was biting at my lip, pacing in my recliner, and asking myself, what the hell is Joe doing? Here's what I found: Joe knows stats, Joe knows tendancies, Joe's not afraid to make the bazaar move of the season. This is Joe's team, he manages without fear or hesitation. After cursing the screen screaming, don't walk the winning run to the plate, Wheeler steps in K's Byrd, and I'm sitting back saying, good move Joe, good move.

The Hamilton Walk

Calif — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 20:29:23 -0000

Maddon is taking a lot of heat for the bases loaded intentional walk to Josh Hamilton, and to be honest, it is statistically difficult to support the move, as pointed out by several on this forum. Chances are you’re better off pitching to Hamilton. Maddon no doubt knew that too. That’s why it hasn’t been done in the AL since 1901, and it took Barry Bonds to inspire the move in the NL in 1998.

Yet I support the thinking behind the decision. It was a gamble, but a logical one—and I would have supported it even if it didn’t work. The key here is to think like a manager of people, not numbers. Let’s say that Balfour pitches to Hamilton, and he hits a grand slam (an admittedly unlikely outcome). Obviously demoralizing, and even though the game is only tied, the momentum would have shifted—maybe for good. Similarly, if Hamilton doubles or some other negative outcome, Balfour is pulled, and the momentum has still shifted. Balfour is demoralized for blowing it in his role. And if the Rays lose, everybody blames the pitching staff for failing—and right at the end of an otherwise very successful road trip. A lot of hard work down the drain.

What Maddon actually did was to take the responsibility for winning or losing the game on his own shoulders. If the move works (which it did), then no harm no foul. Maddon looks goofy, but the Rays win. And if it doesn’t work? Maddon is vilified in the press, and becomes the lighting rod for criticism. Not his players. He knows he can handle the media storm better than his players and feels comfortable with that. But in the pennant drive, he needs to keep his untested players from folding.

And that, I suspect, figured greatly into what he was doing.

It’s the kind of move you’d only expect from someone with a career background in player development, who’s thinking a few steps ahead to get the most from his players in the long run.

Matthew Moore? Great Numbers!!!

Baseball Handyman — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:33:52 -0000

Moore looks solid to me and I'm looking for all the info I can. Can anybody add to this?

Sleeper Potential - Matthew Moore, SP, TB

In trying to find information on Matthew Moore after seeing his gaudy minor league stat line, I found the going a little tough. After not making Baseball America's top 30 prospects, or John Sickels top 20, Moore recently popped up on a Baseball America rookie league blog touting a solid outing so I decided to take a look. On paper, Moore's numbers are quite impressive;

Age 18 - 2.66 ERA, .160 BAA, 29/16 K/BB in 20 1/3 IP @ Rk
Age 19 - 2.03 ERA, .163 BAA, 64/16 K/BB in 44 1/3 IP @ Rk

Additionally, I found these prospect nuggets about Moore;

8th round pick by TB in the 2007 MLB draft
Former N.M. 4A player of the year
Scout quoted as saying Moore possesses an "overpowering" fastball
Clocked as high as 94 MPH in high school
By all accounts, his secondary offerings need work
Brother pitches or pitched at the University of New Mexico
Comes from a military family

With Tampa Bay hitting on so many pitching prospects right now, it's hard to ignore a 6'2" 205 lb. southpaw hitting 94 on the gun. I wonder just how far behind his secondary pitches remain as a 2nd year in rookie ball after having initial success in 2007.

RaysIndex bad mouthing DRaysBay...

td32 — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:21:48 -0000

Scroll down to Devil Rays Webtopia(not sure why th Devil is there), and they decided to make fun of the posters here for timing runners to first base Saturday night. Personally, I dont have a roblem with BJ being benched...just hold every player to the same standard...whether that player is Baldelli, Gross, or Aybar. Dont use the times to say it is ok for BJ to loaf. Use those times to say that other players should feel the wrath of Maddon.

http://www.raysindex.com/

Weekend in Dallas

davidsmarch — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:49:34 -0000

I live in Austin, and I pretty annually go to Dallas whenever the Rays come out. Last year they came out once, but this year they've been out twice, which makes living away from Tampa just a bit easier. This series though, hands down, was the best weekend long baseball-a-thon I have ever been a part of.

Things started out well on Friday. Got to the park early, brought along my mini-bat (already signed by Shields and Longoria) and a blank baseball. I managed to get Rocco(who signed a lot on all 3 days) on both the bat and the ball, Aki on both, and Balfour on the ball. The game was also pretty spectacular. Garza was just dominant. Luckily there was a legit hit, or that non-error call probably would have made me riot at Rangers Ballpark. I will say BJ did not look at all upset about being pulled. I sat 2 rows back from the middle of the Rays dugout, and he was up and about, looking at the crowd, laughing with teammates, checking out girls with Kazmir. Speaking of Kazmir, he spends pretty much the entire game, when not pitching, looking at the crowd checking out girls. He only throws balls out to girls, and pretty much only gives out signatures to girls. So fridays game ended well, I gave a shout-out to Kalas ("KALLLLASSS", as i do after every game), and left the ballpark.

Saturday started out soon-to-almost-be-ironically, when my brother, my friend, and i went to Denny's for breakfast. Who did we see at the table next to us but Dan Wheeler, eating a Grand Slam. He was nice enough, and as I happened to have my baseball on me, gave me a signature as he left. Saturday I also stopped by the ole baseball card store, picked up a few things to try and get signed. I lucked out and got Garza to sign his rookie card, Shields to sign a newer card, Bradford to sign the ball, and i'm pretty sure others i can't remember right now. The game, as you know, sucked. It was boring, droll, annoying, and confusing as to why our hitters looked like garbage against a pitcher who was obviously nothing special.

Sunday also worked out well. Joe Maddon came out early to talk to some people he must have known, and on the way down into the dug out, stopped on the steps and let people toss him stuff to sign. I was amazed, he must have signed 30 things. I actually got to toss him a mini-bat, and the baseball, to get signed. I have to comment on how cool it was of Maddon to stand there and sign stuff for 15 minutes, and even cooler that he let me toss him a mini-bat. I actually wasn't able to get anybody else's signatures before that game, but I was pretty happy with the Maddon addition. The game was great. Kaz looked in control most of the time. The HR's were awesome. Both BJ and Pena tossed me the ball after the inning was over. The 9th inning was insane, and the fans in Dallas were pisssssssed when Maddon walked Hamilton. I was nervous, that was for sure, but it all worked out. After the game Kaz was hanging outside the dugout waiting for some family or something and I got him to sign a Card for me, so that put a nice cap on the weekend.

This offseason

elijahdukes — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 21:25:53 -0000

Instead of hanging onto our incredible stock in minor league pitching, why not trade a Wade Davis or Jeremy Hellickson for a couple top-line minor league hitting prospect like an Angel Salome, Michael Brantley, or Matt Gamel from the absolutely LOADED Milwuakee affiliate? This would give us what we need now and we would not waste our prospects on overvalued, proven ML starters at the trade deadline next year or in this winter meetings.

Regarding the posts on Upton not hustling and his punishment

rayweaver — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 04:08:25 -0000

Let me preface this by saying that I am a fan of the Rays. Not just the team as a whole, but the individuals that make up the team. I support each player, and I want to see each player perform well and to the best of their ability. I want them to be successful in all that they do on the field because their individual successes can lead to the team's success. If a player is not successful, I'm not the guy who is going to come unglued and spew negative comments aimed at him. I'm not above being pissed at poor performance, but constantly being negative towards specific players or the manager is pointless, unless of course you enjoy the negativity. I see people at games do this all the time, and I just don't get it. Why do they even bother going to the games if all they end up doing is getting pissed off at every mistake a player makes? If a guy repeatedly fails in one fashion or another, the team will deal with him accordingly. They don't need or care for the fans input. That being said, I have a couple of questions and some commentary on the recent posts regarding BJ specifically. I'm not foolish enough to think I'm going to change anyone's mind regarding Maddon's decisions regarding BJ or the double standard or BJ's performance, but maybe some will at least think objectively about this post.

Does anyone recall if the media has questioned Maddon on the widely held opinion that he has a double standard by punishing Upton while "other players do it too without reprimand"? If so, what was Maddon's response?

My commentary: This not only applies to baseball, but life in general. If you, the player, have been spoken to along with your teammates by the manager about the expectation to ALWAYS give every play your best effort, you should expect some sort of reprimand when you do not give your best effort. There is no gray area. If you screw up, you should be prepared to suffer the consequences, whatever they may be. The first action taken by the manager is most likely a warning given in private. As grown men being paid to do a job, these players should not have to be told twice what the rules are, but nevertheless, sometimes they need to be reminded when they don't follow them. After the first occurrence, the manager has to increase the punishment to deter it from happening again. Every manager is different in how they handle disciplining players, and I don't believe we know how many times Maddon warns a player in private before resorting to calling out a player in front of the team or in public during a game. Upton has obviously made it to the being-called-out-in-public stage. However many times it took breaking the "hustle rule" to get to that point, I don't know. Once a player reaches this stage, the manager is likely hoping that the player will be embarrassed to the point that he will think twice before repeating the behavior that caused him to be called out in public. He hopes it will drive home the point that if you don't follow the rules of the team, you will not get playing time. He hopes that the player will have enough pride in what he does to want to do better and put an end to the mistakes because he wants to play and he wants to be there for his teammates.

With that said, Upton knows what is expected of him, and it's now Upton's responsibilty to correct his mistakes the best he can, starting with running hard to first every time because that is what his manager wants him to do. It's not about what other players do and whether or not they get punished the same or not for breaking a team rule. Each player is responsible for what he does and he should not worry about what goes on between other players and the manager. For all we know, other players have been spoken to behind closed doors about infractions, and their rule-breaking may have not gotten to the point of public reprimand. If an obvious double standard is present, it won't go on for long. It will be noticed by the players, and they should deal with it by not taking advantage of it themselves(read:stop breaking the rule) out of respect for the player(s) being hurt by it, or they should collectively take the issue to the manager, though the latter is less likely going to happen if the players aren't comfortable doing so.

From what I've seen of Upton in particular, he is a stand-up guy who plays the game very well at this stage of his career, but he just needs some polish. His defense is awesome even though this is his first full season as an outfielder. Though his offense may not be pleasing to some or many, he is not a bad hitter. He performs his job in front of tens of thousands of people each night and millions of people each year. He's about to turn 24. He seems to be handling the pressure of being a major leaguer and having the spotlight on his every move quite well. He doesn't have the luxury of making mistakes on a small scale as most all of us who do not perform our jobs in the public spotlight. He doesn't get rattled. He is a professional.

To all those who feel the need to prolong the conversation of the double standard or BJ being singled out, let it go. Whatever happens to BJ is a direct result of his actions. He broke Maddon's golden rule at least twice after being warned.

incredible insight...

elijahdukes — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 19:42:28 -0000

...from a comment on the heater blog. makes me wanna shoot myself.

Upton has great talent, and a POTENTIAL All Star, but he's not there yet. He's still a young punk who thinks that just because he's a MLB player he should have things handed to him. Unfortunately he's playing, and talking, as if he were still in Little League. What he has been forgetting to do are the basics tenents of Little League, especially for a centerfielder. You ALWAYS hustle. You NEVER forget how many outs there are and if you do ASK someone, especially the home plate umpire. His swing is lethargic at best. He seems very lazy, as if he doesn't want to be there. If that's the case, get him out of there. I'm sure there are many others who would love to take his place. Something makes me think that when Dukes and Young were traded he began to feel lost. Oh, and by the way, did anyone notice that the "chaw" that he has in his cheek has gotten bigger throughout the season as the "I care" commercials have been played with more frequency?

Why does the Trop get such a bad wrap?

drrub — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 08:36:30 -0000

It sure seems like I hear nothing but bad things about the Trop. "The building is old." "The field is bad." "It doesn't feel like baseball." "It's gloomy." Blah, blah, blah, blah. Personally, I love the Trop & I would not be in favor of the new stadium. I've been to several games at the Trop & I live in the panhandle of Florida( 6 hours away ). I atleast go to 5 or 6 games a year, sometimes more. Several things to like about the Trop. First, obviously there are no rain outs. Second, has anyone forgot how freakin' hot it gets in Florida in the months of May, June, July, August, September, & even into October? There's nothing better than going to a baseball game where you don't have to worry about getting a bad sunburn, sweating in the sweltering heat, or bad weather. Try imagining sitting through a Rays game during those hot months in an outdoor stadium. Moreover, I think the indoor stadium is an advantage for the team. They have played very well there this year & it can get pretty loud & rattling for the opposing team in there. The bottom line is this. The Trop is unbelievably comfortable! The air conditioning is absolutely wonderful! The Rays have trouble enough drawing fans in the Trop, which blows my mind really, especially when the team is winning. If they have trouble filling the Trop, who would want to show up in 90 plus degree whether for a game outdoors? It hasn't worked for the Florida Marlins. The Marlins need an indoor stadium badly. I know I wouldn't come to near as many games if the Rays had an outdoor stadium. It would be miserable. The only thing the Rays brass might want to consider is replacing the playing field, but other than that, I say KEEP THE TROP!!!!! The Trop is a blessing in disguise.

rays not interested in barrry bonds

RaysOfHope — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 04:10:29 -0000

Rays Not Interested In Bonds By Tim Dierkes [August 15 at 9:14pm CST]

Just to hammer the point home, Barry Bonds' agent Jeff Borris told Ken Rosenthal today that Rays GM Andrew Friedman failed to respond to his text message. The Rays would like to add a hitter, but they've never had serious interest in Bonds. Borris believes his client has been "blackballed" by MLB.

Rosenthal says the Rays would only consider Gary Sheffield if the Tigers picked up the majority of his contract, understandably. They're not interested in Kenny Lofton or Jose Vidro.

lets hope that friedman is just talking to everyone in the organization to see what they would say about the possibility about bringing in bonds, but i bet that is doubtful, it really looks like bonds playing career is over since in the last few weeks teams have had openings on their teams and decided to go in other directions because they are scared of the PR hit, but isnt the PR hit worst it if you win the WS doing it?

also here is the link http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2008/08/rays-not-intere.html#comments

Brian Anderson

Pie-O-My — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 03:30:51 -0000

So far I think Brian Anderson has done a great job filling in for Joe Magrane. He's been insightful and he doesn't try too hard to be funny. And that's all I really ask from an analyst.

By the way, Garza is a badass and he has without question the best stuff on the staff, and maybe even in baseball. Thank you Andrew Friedman for making that trade. And Cliff Floyd continues his assualt on the ball and his knees.

Why Huff Deserves a 2nd Chance as a Ray

raysfaninminnesota — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 22:35:22 -0000

A few posts have been made about whether Aubrey Huff should return to the Rays and also concerns about his clubhouse demeanor. A lot of people can be prejudicial basing their reasons on opinion and not fact. Let's first start on the field:

Huff is enjoying a resurgence with the bat this season - .300/.360/.912 OPS...and we already know he ranks well in the AL this year. He is also hitting good teams well, with a .375 avg against Boston, .357 against NYY, and .361 against LAA. His average with runners in scoring position is also over .300. His 62 XB hits are bringing him close to his career year in 2003. Offensively, there's no doubt he can help this team.

Defensively is where we find issues. This is why he would make a fine DH, however Cliff Floyd then becomes nothing more than a pinch-hitter, however that does strengthen the bench.

Cost is another issue. Signed on at 8 mil for next year is no small price. However, compared to the cost of what else is out there, it's not all that horrible, and we will have a need at DH next year. If he produces next year like he has this year, then the price will be a bargain. He does carry with him a career .286/.343/.823 which may not be great, but it's still better than what we've been working with out of our DH's this year. In terms of overpaying, it'd probably be around 1-2 mil more than his value...however his age is only 31 and he has stayed pretty healthy over the course of his career, something we're all thankful for at this point in the season.

This brings us to the chemistry concerns. Huff only started to have issues with the Rays in the frustrations of the old regime. He needed a change of scenery. Things have also changed with the Rays. Bringing him back now makes him just one of the guys and not THE GUY. There was so much promise and expectations placed on his shoulders in his first stint, that the second time around he would just be another bat to help this team. He may be abrasive sometimes, but nothing to the extent of damaging the clubhouse or chemistry. Chemistry this season shouldn't be an issue as he is bringing himself into the middle of a pennant race. Next season shouldn't be much of an issue either, as Huff will be in a contract year, and his last opportunity to score the big bucks given his age.

Overall, to me, the positives outweigh the negatives. Unless you are planning on spending uber bucks next season on a DH, especially with the Yankees planning on attacking the market with a good amount of contracts coming off their books in the off-season, the Rays can have cost control and at least a reasonable bat to put as DH and only then have to focus on finding a RF in the off-season.

A second round of Huff Daddy just might be what this injury-plagued team needs.