The 2020 (and beyond) Tampa Bay Rays

[Art Deco]

Game 1: Chad Gardner made his Rays debut and it was a successful one as he pitched Tampa Bay past Arizona 6-3 in the opener in the desert. Initially it was disconcerting to see a guy with 70 movement like Gardner give up back-to-back homers in the 2nd but that would be all he'd allow in a 6.2 7 2 2 1 5 outing to go to 8-3 overall. Steve Falcon recorded save #19. Gardner was backed by a big pinch-hit 3-run homer from Tomas Laboy (#13) in the 7th which broke a 2-2 deadlock. Luis Barela accounted for those first two Rays runs with HR #29.

Game 2: It's been three years since Luis Barela won the fourth of his four consecutive MVPs and the wait for a fifth appears to be over as the all-world 3B is the clear favorite again thanks to nights like tonight. Barela homered twice and drove in 7 runs in a 10-3 rout of the Diamondbacks. He had a 2-run homer in the first, a 3-run homer in the fifth and a 2-run single in the 9th as a one-man wrecking crew, and he now has 31 HR and an MLB-best 88 RBI, taking over that lead from teammate Doug Johns. Tomas Laboy also homered for the second straight night (#14), and Greg Bookhart was outstanding in improving to 12-4 with a 6.1 3 1 1 1 7 outing.

Game 3: The Rays couldn't complete the sweep as they fell 5-2 to Arizona in the finale. Yuji Morioka's 1st-inning solo homer (#10) gave them a quick 1-0 lead but it was downhill from there as Melvin Delgado (8-5) gave up a 3-run homer in the 2nd and finished 5.2 7 4 4 3 3.

Team record: 74-33. Next up: We return home to play 3 against the Cubs.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: Bob Riley normally gives up a lot of hits, but today he gave up a lot of hits, 11 in 3 2/3 innings, and the Rays lost 8-3 to the Cubs at Publix Park. Riley (10-6) had a full line of 3.2 11 4 4 1 2 and the pen wasn't much better with Mel Mejia giving up 3 runs and 4 hits in 1/3 of an inning and the Cubs banging out 18 hits in total. Chris Parham was 2-3 with an RBI double to highlight the offense.

August 4: Activated OF Alex Duran from the 10-day IL, optioned OF Corey Herring to AAA Durham.

Game 2: Dave Rose had a no-hitter through 5 and then was torched for 5 runs in the 6th to fall behind 5-1 but the Rays scored 6 in the 7th and took a 7-6 comeback win. Dave Frick started the comeback with a 2-run shot (#9) and Jose Castillo put the Rays over the top with a 3-run jack (#23) before Luis Barela went back-to-back with Castillo for #32. Barela's insurance run was needed when the Cubs got one off Satoshi Sato in the 8th before Steve Falcon shut the door with a 2-whiff perfect 9th for save #20. Rose finished 6 5 4 4 3 9 and Tony Pasillas (5-0) picked up the win.

Game 3: The Rays left it late again, scoring twice in the 8th to take the series with a 3-1 win over the Cubs. Mario Saro's 22nd homer of the year leading off the inning broke the tie before Yuji Morioka singled home an insurance run. Chad Gardner was excellent again in his second Rays start (6 5 1 1 4 5), Mel Mejia (2-1) got the win and Steve Falcon dominated again, striking out the side in the 9th for his 21st save.

Team record: 76-34. Next up: An off-day then Oakland visits for 3 over the weekend.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: Juan Davila's 3rd double of the game brought home the winner in the bottom of the 13th as the Rays edged Oakland 5-4 in the series opener at Publix Park. Tampa Bay scored 3 times in the 7th to tie it up with Mario Saro's RBI double bringing home the equalizer and then it became a battle of the bullpens with Oakland's blinking first. Greg Bookhart was 6 3 4 4 2 5 in a game where he pitched well but gave up a 2-run double and 2-run homer to consecutive batters in the 4th. Abelaldo Gray, the 7th Rays pitcher, got the win to improve to 5-0.

Game 2: Bob Riley had been on a bad run of late, allowing 4 or more runs in last 5 starts but was brilliant today and had to be in a rare 1-0 game at Publix Park in which the Rays prevailed. Riley was in charge throughout, going 8 4 0 0 0 4 to improve to 11-6. With most of the bullpen tired from yesterday's marathon, Mel Mejia got the call in the 9th and responded with a perfect inning for save #3. The lone run of the game came in the 4th on Mario Saro's 23rd homer of the season.

Game 3: Melvin Delgado was hit hard and the Rays were annihilated by the A's 9-2 in the finale. Oakland DH Mike Tobin drove in 7 of those runs, including a 2-run homer off Delgado who finished 3 9 6 6 0 5 and fell to 8-6. Luis Barela's 2-run homer (#33) in the 8th allowed the Rays to avoid the ignominy of a shutout.

Team record: 78-35. Next up: Boston visits for 3 games.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: Dave Rose was brilliant, nearly throwing a complete-game shutout as the Rays blasted Boston 7-0 in the series opener. The righty improved to 10-2 as he went 8.1 4 0 0 3 12 in a dominant performance. He was backed by Luis Barela's 34th homer and a 2-3, 2-steal, 1-RBI game from Juan Davila.

Game 2: The Red Sox turned the tables by roughing up the Rays 6-1 in the second game. Chad Gardner had a rough go of things, losing for the first time as a Ray and finishing 5.1 5 5 5 1 6 although the last two runs allowed came when Tony Pasillas allowed a triple.

Game 3: The Rays took the series with an 11-4 rout of the Red Sox in the finale. Luis Barela's MVP season continues apace with a 2-3, 2-homer, 2-walk, 3-RBI game, giving him 36 longballs on the year as he now leads MLB in both homers and RBI with 96 and is nearly 2 WAR ahead of the pack in all of the big leagues. Dave Frick was 4-5 with 3 RBI, Vinny Rodriguez was 4-4 with an RBI and Nelson Bocardo was 3-5 with 2 knocked in. Greg Bookhart (13-4) wasn't great at 5 7 4 4 2 5 but he didn't have to be today.

Team record: 80-36. Next up: An off-day then we head to Baltimore for a quick 3-game road trip before returning home next week.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: The Rays battled back from 3-0 down to tie Baltimore at 3 in the 7th inning of their opener, but immediately let the Orioles back in front in the bottom of the inning and fell 5-3 at Camden Yards. Bob Riley (11-7) reverted to struggling form, going 6 9 4 4 1 8 although the whiffs were a season high. Dave Frick was 2-4 with an RBI and Juan Davila had a solo shot (#6).

Game 2: Another loss for the Rays as they've really played mediocre baseball over the last month and a half, going 30-27 since the beginning of July after a blazing start to the season in the first half. Today's final was 12-3, as Melvin Delgado wasn't that great and the bullpen was even worse. Delgado (8-7) was 4.1 7 4 4 0 1 and Tony Pasillas set the tone for a bad bullpen day by giving up a 2-run homer with Delgado's man aboard to snap a 3-3 tie in the 5th. Then Joel Byers let it get away in the 7th, allowing 5 runs while only getting one man out and Caleb Ramos poured gasoline onto the fire, giving up a couple more.

Game 3: Dave Rose is making his claim to be the Rays' real ace of late and today he and four relievers combined on a 5-hit 3-0 shutout of Baltimore to salvage the finale. Rose (11-2) was 5.1 4 0 0 3 5 on 96 pitches to finally bring his ERA below 4 and more into line with his metrics. Steve Falcon, the fourth and final reliever, had a perfect 9th for save #22. All the Rays scoring came on homers with Mario Saro leading off the game with #24 and Nelson Bocardo hitting a 2-run blast in the 6th, #6 on the year.

Team record: 81-38. Next up: Back home for 3 vs Cleveland.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: A pitchers' duel at Publix Park saw the Rays take a 3-2 decision over Cleveland in the series opener thanks to Doug Johns' 30th homer of the year in the 8th which broke a 2-2 tie. Chad Gardner was excellent for Tampa Bay going 7 6 2 2 1 4 but the win went to Satoshi Sato (9-3) who pitched a scoreless 8th and Steve Falcon recorded save #23. Earlier Vinny Rodriguez hit HR #13.

Game 2: The Rays doubled up the Guardians in a 8-4 win in the second game. Tomas Laboy led a balanced attack with a 2-run triple and Yuji Morioka contributed his 11th homer, a 2-run shot. Greg Bookhart had a weird game, getting whiffs but giving up lots of hits in a 3.1 9 3 3 1 6 outing on 95 pitches and the win went to Tony Pasillas (6-0) in relief.

Game 3: The Rays are well known for their comebacks from large early deficits, especially at Publix Park, but this one may have taken the cake. Bob Riley was torched early to the tune of 4 12 9 9 1 3 and it was 9-0 Cleveland in the 2nd. But they came all the way, starting with a 7-run 4th and ending with a 2-run Mario Saro homer (#25) in the 8th to give them an improbable 10-9 comeback win. Luis Barela had a 2-run single in that 4th inning while Doug Johns was 3-5 with an RBI single in the 4th and an RBI double in the 6th which got them within 9-8. Abelaldo Gray (6-0) earned the relief win and Steve Falcon saved again, #24.

Team record: 84-38. Next up: An off-day then the expansion Oklahoma City Sunbirds make their first-ever trip to Publix Park for 3 games.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: The Rays welcomed the Sunbirds to Publix Park for the first time and were rude hosts by taking a 5-4 walk-off win in the 9th after squandering a 4-2 lead. Mario Saro doubled and came around to score later in the inning on a wild pitch to give Tampa Bay the win after Jose Carrasco and Satoshi Sato combined to allow a pair of runs in the 8th. Sato vultured the win and is now 10-3, the first Rays reliever in this lengthy save that I recall picking up double-digit wins. Melvin Delgado deserved a win at 7 5 2 2 0 5 while Jose Castillo (#24) and Luis Barela (#37) homered for Tampa Bay.

Game 2: Dave Rose had been a roll of late but that came to an end today when the Sunbirds hit him hard in an 8-4 loss. Rose (11-3) gave up a pair of homers in a 6 6 6 6 1 4 outing and a 4-1 Rays lead in the 3rd evaporated. That lead came courtesy of Alex Duran, who had a 2-run homer (#7) and a 2-run triple.

August 23: Placed OF Chris Parham on the 10-day IL with a strained back, recalled OF Steve Emerson from AAA Durham.

Parham should only miss a little over the minimum. This will open up more playing time for Alex Duran with Doug Johns shifting to CF.

Game 3: The Rays scored 6 times in the 3rd to propel themselves to a 10-5 win in the rubber game of the series. Luis Barela had another huge game on his way to an MVP award with 2 HR and 4 RBI to give him 39 and 105 respectively with over a month left in the season. Dave Frick had a 2-run single while Alex Duran and Jose Castillo each had 2 hits and an RBI. Chad Gardner couldn't stand prosperity though as he was unable to get out of the 5th, finishing 4.2 7 5 5 2 3 so the win went instead to Tony Pasillas (7-0), another reliever on the trail of double-digit wins.

Team record: 86-39. Next up: We remain at home for 3 vs Toronto.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: Monday's game was rained out so we played a Tuesday doubleheader and the Rays took the matinee game 6-5, having to come back after blowing a 4-2 lead in the 7th. They loaded the bases in the bottom of the 7th and consecutive sac flies from Tomas Laboy and Juan Davila brought home the tying and winning runs. Earlier Luis Barela staked them to the 4-2 lead with a 3-run homer, his 40th of the season, and Greg Bookhart was going well through 6 before putting a couple men on. Jose Carrasco let them score along with one of his own and ended up vulturing the win with Steve Falcon getting save #25. Bookhart finished 6 7 4 4 1 6 and deserved better.

Game 2: The Rays completed the doubleheader sweep with an emphatic 7-1 win over the Jays behind a great game from Bob Riley and another big Luis Barela hit. Riley (12-7) was in command throughout and probably could have gone the distance, finishing 8 4 1 1 1 4 on 89 pitches. Jose Castillo's 2-run HR (#25) put them ahead for good and Barela cleared the bases with a double, giving him 6 RBI on the day.

Game 3: Tampa Bay dropped the finale 8-5 thanks to a rough outing from Melvin Delgado and some poor defense behind him. He (8-8) gave up 4 runs in the 4th to let Toronto pull away, all unearned thanks to a Luis Barela error and he finished 5 5 6 2 3 2. Delgado then left with a strained back and will miss a couple of weeks. The Rays did make a game of it thanks to solo homers from Yuji Morioka (#12), Alex Duran (#8) and Vinny Rodriguez (#14), and brought the tying run to the plate in the 9th but couldn't complete the comeback.

Team record: 88-40. The magic number is down to 11. Next up: An off-day then we head to Austin for 3 against the Dukes.

[Art Deco]

August 28: Placed SP Melvin Delgado on the 15-day IL with a strained back, recalled P Chris O'Brien from AAA Durham.

O'Brien was the odd man out when Chad Gardner was acquired and acquitted himself well at Durham, serving as their closer and picking up 6 saves with a 2/20 BB/K ratio in 14 innings. Here he'll take Delgado's place in the rotation.

Game 1: Dave Rose was dominant and the Rays broke open a close game late to take a 5-1 win over the Dukes in the series opener. Rose (12-3) was 7 7 1 1 0 7 and closed with a flourish, striking out the side in the 7th. They led 2-1 going into the 8th when Jose Castillo came off the bench to smoke a 2-run homer and Mario Saro went back-to-back with him, the 26th of the year for both. Tomas Laboy was 4-5 with an RBI.

Game 2: Another tight, low-scoring game went the Rays' way as they edged Austin 2-1 behind a terrific game from Chad Gardner. The recent acquisition went to 2-1 as a Ray, going 6 4 1 1 2 8 and Steve Falcon closed for save #26. After Mario Saro's RBI single was answered in the bottom of the 5th by the Dukes, Luis Barela clubbed HR #41 in the top of the 6th to provide the difference.

Game 3: Runs were at a premium once again in the Texas capital as the Dukes salvaged the finale with a 1-0 win in 13 innings. Rays hitters were stymied throughout, managing only six singles on the day and Austin finally broke through in the 13th against Steve Falcon (0-5) with an RBI double. Chris O'Brien returned to the rotation and was excellent against his former organization with a 7 3 0 0 1 1 outing that saw him induce 11 groundball outs.

Team record: 90-41. Next up: We head back home for 3 vs the Yankees.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: Some rough pitching doomed the Rays in a 9-6 loss to the Yankees at Publix Park. Greg Bookhart (13-5) has had a tough go of late and today was no better as he finished 4 5 6 6 3 6. He left the bases loaded for Tony Pasillas, who allowed all of those runners to score and 3 more of his own. Luis Barela remains a bright spot as always as he homered (#42) and drove in 3 while Tomas Laboy contributed a solo shot (#15).

September 1: Recalled IF/OF Tony Olivo and P Tim James from AAA Durham.

These two are up keeping roster spots warm for Melvin Delgado and Chris Parham until they come back. Olivo was up briefly early in the season and James will be making his MLB debut. He's a fireballing reliever acquired in a deal from the Giants a few years ago and has been at AA/AAA since, striking out a lot but walking quite a few with his 40 control.

Game 2: Another brutal evening on the mound for the Rays as they fell again to the Yankees 9-5. Bob Riley was today's victim as the lefty dropped to 12-8 after an awful 3.1 9 6 6 2 2 outing. The one pitching bright spot was the MLB debut of Tim James, who pitched two perfect innings and whiffed four. Alex Duran had a pair of homers to give him 10 and drove in 3 while Luis Barela bolstered his triple crown bid by going 4-4 with 2 RBI. He's 2nd in BA at .335 to New York's Alex Barnes (.336), first in homers with 42 and tops in RBI with 117.

Game 3: The Rays salvaged a game from the series and not coincidentally they got a good start from Dave Rose in an 8-4 win. Rose (13-3) was excellent at 6 4 2 2 2 8 and got the support he needed when his teammates scored 7 runs over the 5th and 6th innings. Akio Suzuki's 2-run double was the big hit to put them ahead, Mario Saro had an RBI single and homer (#27) and Tomas Laboy drilled a 2-run pinch-homer (#16) in the 6th.

Team record: 91-43, with the division-clinching magic number down to 7. Next up: An off-day then we head to Fenway for 3 against the red-hot Red Sox, who just had their 9-game winning streak snapped. With barely a month left, here's where things stand in the pennant races:



In the AL the divisions are spoken for but we have quite a wild race for the second wild card with six teams in the thick of it. Over in the NL the East sees 3 teams tied for first (note the Nationals and Mets tied with the Phillies) with the wild card a less likely option for them.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: The Rays cooled off the red-hot Red Sox, winners of 9 of their last 10, with a 12-4 win at Fenway in the opener. Doug Johns, who's had a slow second half after a big first one, snapped out of it with a pair of 3-run homers to give him 32 on the season and put him at 101 RBI. Johns added a double and Mario Saro had a 2-RBI double as well. Chad Garner was decent at 7 6 4 4 1 3 to improve to 3-1 as a Ray.

Game 2: Tampa Bay came back from deficits of 3-0 and 4-3 to beat Boston again 9-4. It was the lower part of the order which did the damage today with Dave Frick going 3-5 with HR #10 and 3 RBI, and newly-recalled Tony Olivo driving 3 including a 2-run triple, while Tomas Laboy banged out 4 hits. Greg Bookhart improved to 14-5 after a shaky 5 6 4 4 2 4 outing.

Game 3: The Rays overcame a pair of blown saves by the bullpen to eventually beat Boston 9-8 in 11, sweep the series, and reduced their magic number to 1. Yuji Morioka's RBI single in the 11th decided it and made a winner of Steve Falcon (1-5), who had blown the save in the 9th by allowing a pair of runs. Mel Mejia finished up for save #4. Jose Castlilo drove in 3 while Vinny Rodriguez and Mario Sato each plated a pair. Melvin Delgado struggled in his return from the IL at 5 4 5 5 3 3 but Jose Carrasco allowing two of his runners to score didn't make the line any prettier.

Team record: 94-43. Next up: We return home for 3 vs the Yankees starting on Labor Day.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: It was the Mario Saro show in the opener with Bob Riley in a supporting role as the Rays blasted the Yankees 9-1 in the opener. Saro had 3 hits, including a 2-run homer and a 3-run shot to give him 29 longballs and 89 RBI, not bad from the leadoff spot. Riley (13-8) meanwhile was on his game at 6.2 5 0 0 1 7. Doug Johns added a pair of RBI singles.

September 8: Activated CF Chris Parham from the 10-day IL, optioned OF Steve Emerson to AAA Durham.

Game 2: The Yankees took a 5-2 win over the Rays in the second game, breaking it open with 3 in the 6th. Dave Rose (13-4) took the loss going 6 8 4 3 2 6 and Tomas Laboy had a 2-run pinch-homer (#17) to keep the Rays from being skunked.

Game 3: The Rays bounced back in the finale to crush the Yankees 11-2 and take the series. Chad Gardner went to 4-1 as a Ray after going 7 7 1 1 1 4 and he had plenty of support led by Doug Johns, who had a 3-run homer (#33) and an RBI double, Tomas Laboy who went deep for the second straight day (#18) and Juan Davila, who had a 3-4, 2-RBI game.

Team record: 96-44. Next up: An off-day then 3 games in Minnesota.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: The Rays took a 5-4 loss to the red-hot Twins, winners now of six straight. Greg Bookhart (14-6) continued his struggles, going 5.2 9 5 5 3 5 and has allowed 30 earned runs in his last 35 innings with his ERA rising nearly a run in that span from 3.62 to 4.56. He still sports an impressive 3.2 WAR so a fair amount of this slump has been BABIP-driven, but it needs to stop by the postseason. Mario Saro had a 2-run triple and Vinny Rodriguez a solo homer (#15).

Game 2: Tampa Bay suffered another one-run loss to Minnesota thanks to some more terrible pitching as Melvin Delgado was bombed in an 8-7 loss. Delgado (8-9) was a brutal 3 10 8 7 2 0 (never click "half-inning" during a game, even with two out) with Minnesota scoring 6 times in the 3rd. Like Bookhart it's been a struggle lately for Delgado as he's given up 19 runs (14 earned) in his last 3 starts over 13 innings. Yuji Morioka was 2-3 with 2 RBI to lead the offense.

Game 3: The Rays got some excellent pitching for a change but today was the day the bats decided to no-show and they suffered a sweep at the hands of Minnesota, with all the games one-run losses after a 2-1 defeat. Dave Rose (13-5) was 6 5 2 2 0 7 in another fine outing and has been the team's best pitcher in the second half, but a Luis Barela RBI triple in the 8th was all the bats could manage today as the Twins have now won 8 straight.

Team record: 96-47. Next up: We'll try to get right in Detroit where we have a 3-game set with the Tigers.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: The Rays snapped their mini 3-game losing streak with an 11-5 drubbing of Detroit at Comerica Park. It was a team effort with 7 of the 9 Rays starters driving in runs with Yuji Morioka and Mario Saro (on HR #30) each plating a pair. Bob Riley (14-8) was solid at 6 4 3 3 2 3 for the win.

Game 2: Tampa Bay was done in by an old friend tonight as they blew a 6-4 lead late and lost 7-6 to the Tigers. Seth Williams, a starter for us the previous seven seasons, blasted a 2-run homer in the bottom of the 8th off Jose Carrasco (2-2) to give Detroit the win. The Rays had taken the lead behind 2-RBI games from Doug Johns and Dave Frick but Satoshi Sato gave up a run in the 7th to make it 6-5 before Carrasco faltered in the 8th. Chad Gardner wasn't that great (5 9 4 4 3 3) but still should have the win.

Game 3: Another bullpen blowup cost the Rays the series and sent them to their 5th loss in 6 games as Detroit came back twice to beat them 6-5 in 10 innings. Tampa Bay was up 4-1 behind a rare well-pitched start of late from Greg Bookhart (6 7 1 1 1 2) and after Abelaldo Gray pitched a quick 7th, four Rays relievers either gave up runs or gave up the hits that scored those runs. First Tim James faltered in a high-leverage situation in the 8th, giving up 3 runs although the latter two scored when Steve Falcon gave up a double. Then after Falcon got through the 9th Jose Castillo came off the bench to deliver an RBI single to make it 5-4 Rays before Tony Pasillas was called on for a rare save opportunity. Pasillas (7-1) promptly made a mess putting two men on and Mel Mejia let them both score on another double, enabling the Tigers to walk it off. Yuji Morioka's 2-run single was the big early hit to give them the original lead.

Team record: 97-49. Next up: An off-day to fly out to Oakland, where we'll play the third of three teams involved in the wild card race on this trip. Minnesota and Oakland are tied for the two slots with Detroit 1/2 game back of them.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: The Rays suffered their sixth loss in seven games after falling 3-1 to Oakland. Andy Velazquez of the A's held them to 8 4 1 1 0 8 with Jose Castillo's RBI double the only breakthrough. Melvin Delgado (8-10) was decent at 6 6 3 3 1 3 but lost his sixth straight decision.

Game 2: Tampa Bay bounced back with a 4-2 comeback win to even up the series with Oakland. Tomas Laboy's 2-run single in the 7th broke a 2-2 deadlock enabling Dave Rose (12-6) to pick up a deserved win after going 6 6 2 2 3 6. The pen held from there with Steve Falcon recording save #27. Doug Johns had knocked in the first two runs with an RBI single and double.

Game 3: The Rays closed their rough road trip against the wild card contenders with another 4-2 win thanks to a solid Bob Riley outing. Riley went to 15-8 after a quality 7 6 2 1 0 3 performance and Steve Falcon saved again, his 28th. Chris Parham was the primary source of offense, driving in 3 runs with a pair of RBI singles and a fielder's choice while Dave Frick's RBI single in the 7th was the game-winner.

Team record: 99-50. Next up: Finally back home for 3 vs Boston.

Former Rays news: One milestone, one retirement: Jimmy Leonard hit his 300th career homer with St. Louis on Sunday while our starting catcher from 2035-41, Mike McKee, announced his retirement at the age of 40.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: The Rays broke open a close game late with a 7-run 7th inning and bombed Boston 13-3 for win #100 at Publix Park in a game which saw MVP-elect Luis Barela go deep thrice. Barela had a solo shot in the 2nd, a 2-run blast in the 7th, and a bases-empty round-tripper in the 8th to go with an earlier 2-run single, giving him a 3-HR, 6-RBI day and an AL best 45 and 128 in those categories. Juan Davila added a 2-run shot (#7) in that big 7th, and Akio Suzuki and Dave Frick also drove in a pair. Those RBIs were likely the last Frick will have for the Rays as he had to leave the game in the 9th with chronic back soreness and is out 5 weeks. That would mean a theoretical World Series return at best, so with him a free agent at season's end (and wanting an 8/230 extension at age 31) sadly it means his Rays career is over after 7 seasons of outstanding play and 5 rings (possibly a 6th). We won't be hurt too much as Yuji Morioka will slide over to SS and Juan Davila will take over every day at 2B. Meanwhile Chad Gardner (5-1) was solid at 6.2 6 2 2 1 8 for the win.

September 22: Placed SS Dave Frick on the 10-day IL with chronic back soreness, recalled IF Josh Sprouse from AA Montgomery.

Game 2: Tuesday's game was rained out so we played a Wednesday doubleheader and the Rays took the back-and-forth matinee 7-5. Bases-loaded walks to Josh Sprouse and Juan Davila broke a 5-5 tie in the 8th after Boston had equalized in the top of the frame with a pair off Satoshi Sato. Tony Olivo hit his first MLB homer in the 3rd and Jose Castillo (#28 with a man on) and Alex Duran (#11) had back-to-back jacks in the 6th. Melvin Delgado didn't snap his losing streak thanks to Sato blowing the save but didn't lose either at 6 9 3 3 1 1. Steve Falcon (2-5) cleaned up Sato's mess in the 8th and finished for the win.

Game 3: The Rays completed both the doubleheader and series sweep of Boston, dealing the Red Sox a crippling blow to their wild card hopes dropping them 3 games back after a 6-0 win in the nightcap. Greg Bookhart was brilliant, no-hitting the Sox until the 6th and finishing 7 1 0 0 2 6 to improve to 15-6. Tony Pasillas went the final two to complete the shutout. Boston couldn't retire Yuji Morioka, who was 2-2 with HR #13 and 3 RBI and a walk, Juan Davila had 2 doubles and 2 RBI, and Tony Olivo continued to impress, going 3-4 with 2 steals and an RBI. Olivo is a speed demon who pilfered 125 bases the last two years in the minors and may make the postseason roster just for that reason. Today's games concluded the regular season home schedule as we close the season with a 10-game road trip.

Team record: 102-50. Next up: An off-day then we head to Baltimore for 3 games.

Retirements: A couple of notable and recent former Rays hung up the cleats. Jim Brophy, our ace from 2042-45 who won 20 games twice for us and the 2043 AL Cy Young before suffering a precipitous loss in stuff, called it a career after playing in the expansion Oklahoma City organization this year, and Tony Cordova, our starting catcher from 2043-46 before decamping for Texas last season, also retired.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: Dave Rose was outstanding and the Rays got the runs they needed late to take a 6-1 win over the Orioles at Camden Yards. Rose improved to 15-5 and went over the 4-WAR threshold with a 7 4 1 1 2 7 outing. Doug Johns was the hero on offense, hitting a solo homer (#34) and a pair of RBI singles, one of which broke a 1-1 tie in the 6th as the Rays piled on after that.

Game 2: Nelson Bocardo's 2-run single in the 8th gave the Rays a 4-3 win over Baltimore. Luis Barela's 2-run shot (#46) put them up 2-0 early, but the Orioles got 3 off Bob Riley (16-8) in the 5th. Riley did hang around long enough for the win with a decent 7 9 3 3 0 4 outing, and Steve Falcon secured save #29.

Game 3: The Rays battled back once again to sweep Baltimore, overcoming a 7-4 deficit through 7 innings and winning 9-7 in 10. The winner scored on a wild pitch and then Alex Duran added insurance with an RBI single, his 4th hit and 3rd ribbie of a day which included HR #12 for him. Tony Olivo was 3-5 with a double and solo homer (#2), and Chris Parham added a bases-empty blast (#8) as the Rays scored once in the 8th and twice in the 9th to force extras. Chad Gardner was effective against his former team (5 5 3 2 2 7) but Mel Mejia and Abelaldo Gray combined to allow 4 runs in the 6th to make it 7-4 Baltimore. Satoshi Sato ended up with his 11th relief win of the year and Steve Falcon saved for the second straight day, his 30th.

Team record: 105-50. Next up: 3 games in Toronto as we begin the final week of the regular season.

Going into that final week, here's where things stand around MLB:



The White Sox/Detroit loser will claim the first AL wild card but Oakland and Minnesota are fighting over the second with Boston and Texas ready to pounce if they both slip up. Simliar story in the NL with the Cubs one up on Arizona for the 2nd wild card and the Mets with an outside chance.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: The Rays made it 9 straight wins with a 6-3 decision over Toronto at Rogers Centre. Mario Saro had 3 hits, including a 2nd-inning grand slam which sent Tampa Bay on its way and gave him 31 HR and 99 RBI for the season. Greg Bookhart (16-6) was decent at 6 6 3 3 2 2 for the win and Satoshi Sato recorded the final 4 outs, all via strikeout, for his 7th save.

Game 2: Melvin Delgado ended his personal 6-game losing streak in grand fashion and extended his team's win streak to 10 as he and Steve Falcon combined to shut out the Jays 3-0. Delgado (9-10) won for the first time since July 26 thanks to a masterful 8 6 0 0 0 4 performance. He took a 4-hitter into the 9th but gave up a pair of singles leading Falcon to come on for his 31st save. Delgado got all the support he needed from an Alex Duran solo homer in the 4th (#13) and a 2-run Juan Davila shot (#8).

Game 3: The Rays' win streak came to an end in Toronto as the Jays roughed up Dave Rose in a 6-1 loss. Rose was 4.1 9 4 3 1 4 and finishes the regular season 15-6, 3.87 with a team-high 197 Ks in 193 IP. He'll likely start Game 2 of the ALDS at Publix Park. Luis Barela's RBI double was the lone Rays score, his 132th RBI of the year.

Team record: 107-51. Next up: We close out the regular season with 4 games at Yankee Stadium.

Playoff race update: The White Sox and Tigers remained tied atop the AL Central with the loser guaranteed the first wild card. Oakland meanwhile has opened up a commanding 2-game lead with only 3 games left for the second wild card over Minnesota and Boston. In the NL the only race is for the second wild card with Arizona now a game up on the Cubs and 2 on the Mets. Those teams have 4 games left.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: The Rays overcame a 4-0 deficit to edge the Yankees 5-4 in the opener of the regular season's final series. Jose Castillo's 2-run shot (#29) in the top of the 9th was the difference and made a winner of Tony Pasillas (8-1) with Steve Falcon getting save #32. Doug Johns hit a 2-run shot for #35 to get them within 4-3 in the 7th and Bob Riley turned in a decent start at 6.1 8 4 3 0 4.

Game 2: Deja vu as the Rays won another 5-4 game with a late run, this time Tony Olivo's RBI single in the 8th which broke a 4-4 deadlock. Yuji Morioka kept them in it with a pair of solo homers to give him 15, and Chad Gardner had an up-and-down start at 5 8 4 3 0 4. Mel Mejia (3-1) picked up the win, and Steve Falcon saved again for his 33rd.

Game 3: The Yankees shellacked the Rays 10-2 in the third game. Greg Bookhart (16-7) took the loss although he was not-terrible 4 6 4 2 2 2; instead it was Chris O'Brien and Caleb Ramos in relief who combined to allow 6 runs. Alex Duran had a consolation homer (#14).

Game 4: The Rays closed out their regular season with a win, handling the Yankees 6-2. Some milestones were achieved in the game, with Mario Saro finally getting RBI #100 on his fourth game of trying, his second such season after driving in 104 in 2046, Jose Castillo launched a solo homer to give him four seasons in four as a Ray with 30 homers, and Melvin Delgado got into double-digits wins and evened his final record at 10-10 with a fine 6 3 1 1 0 3 performance. Alex Duran had a 2-run double, while Jose Carrasco notched his 4th save by getting the final out of the game.

Final Regular Season Record: 110-52. Next up: The ALCS against either the White Sox or Oakland.

Playoff race update: As I just spoiled in the previous sentence, the Tigers got by the White Sox in the AL Central by taking 3 of 4 in their head-to-head matchup, and Oakland ended up lapping Minnesota by 3 games for the second wild card. Over in the NL the only close race was for the second wild card and Arizona beat out the Cubs by 2 games. The Diamondbacks will got to Milwaukee in the NL Wild Card Game.

[Art Deco]

The usual statistical breakdown for this franchise with a dominant offense and lousy defense (although not entirely terrible). The differences this year are the lousy baserunning (very few steals and a terrible efficiency) and the high starters' ERA. Interestingly though all the starters came in around 3 WAR or better and we did lead the league in pitcher WAR which tells me it's the defense and perhaps even moreso the ballpark (since Publix Park is friendly for homers and hits).

Right now my big dilemma is who is the odd man out of the rotation for the playoffs since after Bookhart and Rose they all have similar profiles with Gardner, Riley and Delgado all coming in around 3 WAR. I'm leaning toward Riley getting the boot as his high-contact profile isn't the best one for this park and defense although Game 4 of either the ALDS or ALCS would be on the road. Still not sure.



Plenty to enjoy here, with all the regulars over 3 WAR and all the part-timers over 2. Even guys with limited at-bats like Suzuki, Ferguson and Olivo contributed when in the lineup. Juan Davila will finally get his every day shot next year with Frick going, and Alex Duran will get more at-bats with Doug Johns going, but top prospect Jon Morales will figure in as well.



As mentioned before, our primary starters all had good seasons when it came down to it, even if their ERAs didn't reflect it thanks to high BABIPs (especially Riley). We have good defenders as the team ZR shows, so I'm increasingly convinced it's the ballpark (which of course helps our hitters as well). Tim James is making the postseason roster while Caleb Ramos and Chris O'Brien aren't, with Tony Olivo getting on as an extra hitter thanks to his elite speed.