Rays Rants (and more):

            Last Friday night the Tampa Bay Rays played their 108th game of the 2008 baseball season. That game marked the 2/3-point in the season. I have had 2 months now to appreciate the positive steps the Rays have taken to become a viable team in the American league this year, but I am still totally amazed when I look at how much they have accomplished.

            With the victory the Rays remained in first place in the American League East and led the Red Sox by 4 games in the lost column (this is the time of year when I stop looking at the games behind column and only look at the lost column). Only the Angels have a better record in the American League being 4 games better than the Rays in the lost column. With the win against the Tigers Friday and the Cubs loss, the Rays had the second best won/lost record in all of baseball. They'd won 64 games.

            The most that they have ever won in a single season is 70 games, which they did in 2004 under the fiery leadership of Lou Pinella. Last year they only won 66 games. When they swept the Tigers this weekend they matched last years total wins with 52 games left to play.

                 For the long-suffering Tampa Bay Rays fan, this has been an incredible season of milestones. There have been so many "firsts" this year that I can't even to properly chronicle them. There have been so many of them that most have become a blur. Actually, each new milestone sends the last into historical obscurity.

            I am so fortunate to be a fan of the Rays. It seems like every day there is something new to celebrate that had never been done before. I don't think that there is any team in all sports that has as many events to celebrate as the Rays have had this year. The Rays play the last game of the Indians series Wednesday afternoon and immediately fly to Seattle for a 4 game series against the Mariners. It is possible that they could tie and /or pass the best record they have had in their history this weekend.

            What is there left to look forward to? Well, the day they clinch a spot in the post season will be a day to celebrate. The day they clinch the American League East. The day they win the American League Pennant and get to their first World Series. The day that they break the hearts of all Cubs fans when they become champions of the world. The days when Evan Longoria wins the Rookie-of-the-Year award and the American leagues Most Valuable Player award; the first to do so since Freddy Lynn did it with the Red Sox in 1975. OK, that last one may be a reach, but all the other firsts I listed are achievable.  

I was informed Monday night that I would have to put up a $500 deposit to guarantee the opportunity to get playoff tickets this year. The deposit is non-refundable. It will however be used as a down payment on next years tickets. Money well spent if you ask me.

I'm still pissed about the fact that Buccaneer preseason football is getting as much press as the first-place Rays. I guess this is how the Patriots felt in the fall of 2004 when they won their first six games and all anybody talked about in Boston was the Sox.

Is it just me or is PGA golf just not the same with Tiger on the shelf. If it weren't for Michelle Wie's lousy showing at last weekend's men's senior event, nobody would be talking golf at all. That got as much press as Anika's final Major or Lefty's blowing another one. 

We have a new expression that is driving me crazy. If I hear another baseball announcer use the expression "play(ing) the game the right way" I am going to consider taking a drink.

Dewayne Staats and Joe Magraine do the TV broadcast for the Rays. I have been critical of them over the years but this year there has been a change. Staats may very well be one of the best play-by-play guys doing Major league baseball and Magraine is not nearly the buffoon he was at the beginning of the season. What a difference a winning team makes.    

I am informed that sometime after this article is posted that the Tampa Bay Bucs will announce a trade that brings Brett Favre to Raymond James Stadium for the 2008/2009 season. What are the Bucs going to do with the other 9 or 10 QBs on the staff? I know, make them all wide-outs; at least they know the play book. Besides Favre, the Bucs have Jeff Garcia, Bran Griese, Luke McCown Chris Sims and rookie, Josh Johnson on the QB depth chart. Is that the richest QB corps in the NFL?

Sometimes I get upset when people criticize the "plan" instead of criticizing the participant. A fine example of this is Jerry Manuel of the Mets.  He has made the Mets respectable since taking over from Willie (once a Yankee, always a Yankee) Randolph. Yet he has exactly the same tools and parts to work with that Randolph had. I think it is the same as what happened at the local Olive Garden restaurant.

A new manager, using the same product and players, has turned one of the worst and dirtiest operations in the country into a pleasant dining experience in a relatively short period of time.

It seems to me that the same applies to the upcoming presidential election. When we supported George Bush in the last 2 elections, weren't we really supporting his (or the republican party's) plan? If that plan is what I believe is the best direction for the country, why would I want to change it? Why not just change the manager?

Just my opinions.....