Tagged: Tampa Bay Rays

Not So Promising Start

I know, I know… we’re only 4 games into the season.  But, who would have thought that Baltimore and Toronto would be tied for first and Tampa Bay and Boston would be tied for last?

So the Sox need a win, big time!  I haven’t really gotten into the Sox a whole lot yet (following but not watching) and it’s NOT because I am a fare-weather fan… it’s because I still have up to 18 inches of snow in parts of my yard and until it reaches 60 degrees, Forecast says Saturday and Sunday (fingers crossed), then it still seems like hockey season.

But when I do settle in and get my baseball on, I will be all serious about it!  It usually takes a few weeks for me anyway because I am so wrapped up in hockey and basketball.  I am hoping the Bruins do real well this post season.  I would take a Bruins championship over a Celtics championship this year, easy!  It’s not likely that the Dallas Stars are going to make the playoffs but that would be a great Stanley Cup match up…. Bruins vs Stars!  The fighting, bad blood, emotion and so on would be one of the best matchups to see!

Come on Sox, win a couple and at least get to .500 by the end of next week!  The Yankees are coming to town tomorrow and it would be a great way to resurrect the beginning of the season to take 2 or 3!

Ready to Hate the Tampa Bay Rays Even More?

Well, turns out, the Rays picked up a couple former Sox Idiots… Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez.  Damon and Manny both played on championship years for the Red Sox and became very famous and well liked (until they moved on to other teams).

Manny’s departure was due to his disruption in the locker room, lack of “fire” on the field and many other small things that added up after time.  Sure he was a likable guy when he wasn’t “fielding” or “base running”, but that isn’t a necessary ingredient for a championship team.

Damon left the Sox for the Yankees.  Enough said.

There isn’t much you can do to change the minds of Boston fans after you leave Boston for New York… willingly!  Sox fans soon got over the departure of Damon after realizing that there are plenty of outfielders that can actually throw.

So the Rays cashed in?  Not really.  I think it’s more of a move to annoy fellow AL East teams than anything.  Damon and Manny are on the tail end of their careers and their performance will almost certainly not be what it was when they were in their prime.

Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN: Boston Red Sox

ESPN has released a partial list of games that they will broadcast on Sunday Nights in 2011.  Games involving the Red Sox are as follows:

Red Sox vs Yankees (Sunday, April 10th)
Red Sox vs Cubs (Sunday, May 22nd)
Red Sox vs Rays (Sunday, July 17th)

ESPN will likely be adding more games soon that may or may not feature the Boston Red Sox. 

Rays Trade Matt Garza

This could be good news for Boston… Rich Garza has been a tough foe for Red Sox hitting.  Here is how current Red Sox players have done against Garza recently:

Mike Cameron: 0 for 9, 3 K
J.D. Drew: 4 for 34, 10 K
Adrian Gonzalez 0 for 3, 1 K
Jed Lowrie: 0 for 6, 2K
Dustin Pedroia 11 of 42, 3K (3 HR)
Jarrod Saltalamacchia: 1 for 8, 3 K
Jason Varitek: 4 for 27, 9 K
Kevin Youkilis 7 for 40, 9 K

David Ortiz is only 8 of 34, 12 K but does have four home runs. Marco
Scutaro has actually him pretty well (14 of 49), too. Garza has one of
the best fastballs in baseball and when he’s throwing it for strikes,
he’s devastating. Garza is one of those guys who leaves the hitters
muttering to themselves later on.

With Garza going to the Chicago Cubs, it’s safe to say, there is a chance the Red Sox will face Garza in the 2011 season (Cubs visit Fenway Park in May, 2011), but that is a lot less than having him play in the same division.

Matt Garza was traded to the Chicago Cubs along with Fernando Perez for 5 prospects.  One of the prospects (Hak-Ju Lee), throws a 95 mph fastball.