Twitter can get a bit dull over the holidays (I’ll admit I’ve neglected my own account a bit) but David Price is still going strong.

Today, I’ll take you through some of his best tweets over the past week.

Yep, he still has a sense of humor.

I am not the proud owner of a David Price jersey, but this still gives me a sense of relief.

Consider “the real matty j” followed.

Words can’t express how happy it makes me to see Price refer to Friedman as his second father. » Continue reading “Tampa Bay Rays: The David Price Edition Of TWIRT”

For those of you who follow me on Twitter (cough, @SarahSeesSports, cough), some of this may look familiar to you.

On Friday night, I attended Joe Maddon’s Thanksmas fundraiser at 717 South in Tampa.

There was a good size crowd and I imagine there was a good amount of money donated. Plus, the mixing of pro athletes with the common folk always leads to some fun people watching.

I’m in love with most ice sculptures and this one was no exception to that general rule. Plus, there was a gnome at the bottom of it.

Click through for some of the other photos I took without flash, so as not to be too obnoxious, along with my thoughts from the event.

The Thanksmas events in which Joe Maddon and company feed the homeless continues this week in the bay area and concludes on December 18th in Hazleton, Pennsylvania.

» Continue reading “Tampa Bay Rays: Thanksmas Fundraiser Revisited”

Righthander Jeremy Hellickson got the nod on Sunday to start at the Rays looked to take their weekend series against the Orioles.

Hellickson did not disappoint.   He improved his record to 12-10 on the year with a complete game, allowing just four hits and one run with no walks and five strikeouts.  Hellickson needed just 97 pitches to get W.  Wow.  As the “Post Game Shot of Joe” on Rays Index suggests, Hellickson deserved a standing ovation for his outing.

You can watch highlights from Hellickson’s day here.

Tampa Bay’s bats were lively on Sunday afternoon which always calms this fan’s nerves.  The Rays put up eight runs on eight hits in the victory.  Sean Rodriguez was the only Rays player with more than one hit.  SRod went 2-for-4 with a homerun.

Matt Joyce also went yard and is adjusting well to his relatively new spot in the middle of the lineup.  Check out Joyce’s sixth inning shot here.

After securing the victory, it looks like the Rays enjoyed the rest of their Sunday.  Some members of the team took part in the Rays League Fantasy Football draft.  Kelly Shoppach is hoping to defend his title from 2010.  But the catcher might be getting ahead of himself, just ask David Price.

Shoppach shared his roster on Twitter:

Shoppach might want to keep an eye on Evan Longoria this football season because the third baseman believes he has what it takes to win.

Baseball, football and friends?  Not a bad way to spend a Sunday.

I don’t really like writing about a game in progress.  But right now, I’m hoping that throwing this out into the universe can bring about some change.  And if not, I can at least let my fears out.

James Shields, recently selected as an All-Star, is struggling with his delivery.  Ruh-roh.

And Matt Joyce, another 2011 AL All-Star, made his first error of the year, allowing the Twins to score an extra run.

Luckily for TB, Danny Valencia committed an error to allow Ben Zobrist, who is in the running for the Final Man position on the All-Star team, to score. You can cast your vote for Zobrist here.

Lefty David Price was also selected as an All-Star and took the loss last night.

Don’t get me wrong, our All-Stars deserve to be in that elite group. Unlike say….Derek Jeter who will START in the All-Star game even though he just came on the 15 day DL and is batting .259.  But I digress.  I just want to see our All-Stars look like All-Stars in Minnesota.

Looks like writing an in-game post may be helping already, or at least I can tell myself that.  James Shields just picked off his second base runner of the game.

The Rays are currently down 3-1 heading into the fifth.

And hey, if things get really ugly, I can just head over to Rays Index and take another spin through their latest photo gallery.  Some of the Rays might have a second career option in modeling.

Normally, I am not much of one for predictions. I chuckled at all the interest Y2K brought about, and I am not concerned that the world is coming to an end any time soon.

So why, on April 1st did I post Fearful Prognostication? Was it because it was All Fools’ Day? No, it was just for fun. Just something to look back on over the season to see where things were falling for the Rays.

Simply a few harmless guesses to check on after the season is over – and hopefully, the W-L prediction will fall short of reality. So, here’s a look back at what I had to say on St. Hugh’s Day – by the way, my first name is Hugh – maybe that’s why I go by my middle name.

Wins – David Price – 16

ERA – Price – 2.90

Ks – Price – 235

BA – Manny Ramirez – .305

RBI – Evan Longoria – 96

HR – Longoria – 31

Pitching X-factor – the return of JP Howell

Offensive X-factor – BJ Upton

Bounce-back – Ben Zobrist

W-L – 83-79

MVP – Joe Maddon

So, to update where I would stand on those predictions at this time:
» Continue reading “One-Third Down, And Where Are The Rays?”

This past Sunday, James Shields was the story against the Florida Marlins. He struck out thirteen, a personal best that tied the Rays’ team record, and allowed only one walk. That walk came with two outs in the ninth inning.

I liked two things about that walk, and subsequently, the end of the game: first, Shields was disgusted with himself after getting ahead of Logan Morrison 0-2, and secondly, he took a deep breath, regrouped, and then he shut the door with a strikeout of Gaby Sanchez.

He showed everything a starting pitcher needs to show in the ninth inning – stuff, emotion, presence, and the desire, followed by the ability, to finish things off. Shields isn’t getting results with smoke and mirrors – he’s doing with ability, command, variety of pitches, and guts.
» Continue reading “Big Game James Went Big Time”

Tampa Bay and Toronto will face off tonight to begin their third series of the season. The Rays took two of three in Toronto at the end of April before the Jays came down to the Trop and won two out of three games in early May.

Amy Swenson, the senior Blue Jays correspondent for Aerys Sports, and I discussed how our teams have changed and what we can look for in this week’s series. » Continue reading “Round Three: Rays Face the Jays”

The Rays didn’t get a hit against Carl Pavano and the Twins until the fifth inning last night.  Heading into the ninth, Tampa Bay was down 2-0 so you’ll understand when I was driven to the fridge to commence a little stress eating.  It seemed that the Rays’ bats, which had been incredibly active against the Red Sox, had been given one of those famous Boston curses before returning to the Trop.

I sat down at the top of the ninth with Ben and Jerry’s Cherry Garcia frozen yogurt  in hand.  Cesar Ramos got the Rays out of the inning without allowing the Twins to inflict any more damage. Minnesota’s manager Ron Gardenhire sent Joe Nathan in to save the game.  BJ Upton grounded out to open the bottom half of the inning and it looked like the only enjoyment I’d get during the game would come from froyo.

Then, Felipe Lopez doubled.  Ben Zobrist was walked.  And Matt Joyce was at bat. Joyce had two hits earlier in the game, but had been picked off once.  This time around, he doubled, allowing Lopez and Zobrist to cross home plate.  Dan Johnson and John Jaso each flied out to force a 10th inning.

Ramos struck Jim Thome out to start the extra inning before Kyle Farnsworth was called upon to close the game.  Delmon Young grounded out and then the Twins showed signs of life when Matt Tolbert singled.  A passed ball by John Jaso during Danny Valencia’s at bat allowed Tolbert to move to second.  And again, I found comfort in Cherry Garcia.  Valencia singled and Tolbert scored.  Now the Rays would have to score two to get their third straight W.  David Butera grounded out to end the top half of the inning.

Matt Capps came on the mound for Minnesota in the 10th.  Reid Brignac flied out to kick off the inning with a less than dramatic flair. Uh-oh.  The Ben and Jerry’s was gone.  But I still had a little hope, the Legend otherwise known as Sam Fuld was at the plate.  Fuld singled and the tying run was on base.  Designated hitter Johnny Damon was up next.  Damon was 0-for-4 on the night so I debated watching his fifth at bat.  I shook off the urge to channel surf and watched Johnny hit a home run to give the Rays their first home win of the season.  I stayed glued to Sun Sports to see Johnny’s post-game shaving cream pie, courtesy of BJ Upton.

Final Score: Twins 2, Rays 4 [Box Score]

Notes: Rays started James Shields threw 116 pitches, 72 were strikes.  Sam Fuld stole his seventh base of the season. Minnesota’s Joe Mauer did not play on Thursday night.  After the game it was announced that Mauer had been placed on the 15 day DL with “bilateral leg weakness.”