rays Page 31 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Mock The Mohawk At Your Own Peril
Silly? Yes; especially when you consider that manager Joe Maddon is wearing one. But the Rays' new mohawk look seems to have mystical powers; a force that the Boston Red Sox were not able to overcome on Tuesday. The Rays broke free from a virtual tie with Boston atop the standings with a 2-1 win at ...

Universe Rights Itself, Soon Should Be Completely Normal
Like in the Michael Douglas film Falling Down, Joe Maddon is wearing a short-sleeved dress shirt and demanding breakfast at McDonald's, even though its past 11:30. Sorry Joe. We're back where we were in July 24; the Red Sox and Rays, tied for first in the East. Only this time Boston clearly has mome...

Why Your Team Won't Make The Playoffs: American League
And down the stretch they come! A look ahead at the final few weeks of the regular season, and why your team is doomed, in capsule form. Today, the American League ... East • 1. Tampa Bay Rays. Record: 85-56. Magic number: 20. Big strength: Evan Longoria is back after a stint on disabled list with a...

Instant Replay II: Rise Of The Machines
Let the record show that the first use of instant replay in Major League Baseball was used on Wednesday to confirm an Alex Rodriguez home run in the Yankees' 8-4 win over Tampa Bay (a more deserving recipient there has never been). But wait, was it the first? Stacy Long of the Montgomery Advertister...

Do Not Mock The Power Of The Taco
In case you haven't noticed, we're into September and the Tampa Bay Rays are still in first place in the AL East. This is no longer a joke, people; they could actually win this thing. The Red Sox relegated to the wild card race? The Yankees, out of the playoffs entirely? How did this happen? The Ray...

The Strange Saga Of A.J. Pierzynski And Doug Eddings Continues
Is this the episode where Doug Eddings reveals that he is A.J. Pierzynski's father? Something's going on; and the Rays aren't happy about it. Take a look at this play in the 10th, where it appears that Pierzynski is tagged out in a rundown between second and third. But second base umpire Eddings rul...

B.J. Upton Has No Time To Run Out Doubles
One has to wonder why the Rays didn't pull the trigger and sign Barry Bonds long ago; he would have fit in quite well. They could give him the locker right next to B.J. Upton, and together they could form the Home Run or Nothing Club. Hmm. Are storm clouds gathering above the Rays' quest of an AL Ea...

The Rays Are Still Leading This Thing In August? What?
Carlos Pena was only halfway through explaining his game-winning, three-run homer during an FSN interview on Wednesday when an unidentified teammate doused him with a bucket of Gatorade. Such is the mood in Tampa Bay, where players are giddy, and people are actually beginning to show up for games. Y...

The AL East Race Just Became A Lot More Appetizing
Imagine the Yankees or the Red Sox as World Series champions. Meh ... it's been done. Now imagine the Rays with the trophy, and along with it, the promise of free pizza for everyone in the world. Yes, Lakewood, Colo., pizzeria owner John Keiley is at it again; promising free pizza to the masses if t...

There's Nothing More Annoying Than A Rays Fan With A Cowbell
OK, first of all, Cowbell Kid may seem pretty impressive when he's among his own in Tropicana Field, but I'd like to see him tearing down banners and clanging his bell at Fenway ... or Yankee Stadium, for that matter. Can Cowbell Kid win on the road? That's the question. As for the Rays, they've ans...

The Tampa Bay Rays' Remarkable Success Gives Hope To Crappy Teams Everywhere
It's true: The Tampa Bay Rays' fans are actually acting like their team is in first place. With last night's non-violent victory over the Red Sox, the fervor will become even more intense if the Rays take this series....

Rays, Red Sox Let Us All Down, Fail To Brawl
So what happened to Jonathan Papelbon's prediction of fisticuffs and other mayhem when the Red Sox returned to Tropicana Field? No brushbacks or punches or obscene gestures ... all we got was some lame identity theft. Rays manager Joe Maddon spent much of Monday trying to cancel his debiit card, whi...

Tropicana Field's Homeland Security Set To "Red" For Black, Latin Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays are spirited combatants on the field, and after the most recent Coco Crisp/James Shields donnybrook, tensions are running extremely high going into this series. But, this time around, the Sox have much more to worry about than a Scott Kazmir fastball to the ear...

Griffey May Be Headed To The Unlikliest Of Places
Ken Griffey Jr. is considering waiving his no-trade clause to move over to the Tampa Bay Rays, according to SI.com, and you know what that means: An aging-slugger arms race in the AL East. Tampa Bay's show of force will have to be met in kind by the Yankees, who of course will sign Barry Bonds the f...

How Not To Heckle
We enjoy heckling as much as the next guy, but yeah: This is a bit much. It's also the inevitable byproduct of having open bullpens like that. Yes, yes, you bought a ticket, you have the right to yell ... but man, points go to Percival for not throwing his glove at somebody....

The Tampa Bay Rays Educate You On The Fist Bump
Seriously, though, about those Rays: Remember back in March 2007, when Rays president Matthew Silverman amusingly bought himself a blogger fan? We mocked them — good-naturedly — back then, but the Rays are clearly on the right track, fanbase wise. If there's any way to bring fans into the Rays tent ...

Kuroda Is The New Rikishi
This lissome fellow is Mongolian sumo wrestler Hakuho, who looks to be contemplating where to start peeling the foil off the hardball to get to the chocolately goodness within. I've tried Hakuho, it's pretty low-grade stuff. He was one of a group of sumo on hand to watch the Dodgers Hiroki Kuroda d...

Just Another Quiet Day In The AL East
His real name is Covelli Loyce Crisp, but you knew that. What you may not have known, is that Coco Crisp's father was a boxer, and his mother was a champion sprinter. So the Red Sox outfielder's actions on Thursday — charging the mound and throwing haymakers after getting plunked by the Rays' James...

Oye Como Va! Twice The Santana Means Twice The Fun
Please do not confuse Johan Alexander Santana Araque, pitcher for the Mets, with Ervin Ramon Santana, pitcher for the Angels. One is from Venezuela (chief exports: Petroleum, bauxite and aluminum) and one is from the Dominican Republic (predominant religion: Roman Catholicism). Unfortunately, we ar...
