Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Rays Blank Jays 3-0, Take Series

Know what I’m annoyed by? The constant trade rumors surrounding David Price. Know who else is? David Price. I get it, he’s been hugging people often — including an extended “hug session” following his excellent outing at The Trop yesterday — which, somehow, leads people to believe he’s saying goodbye. I really don’t read much into it. After all, he regularly hugs his teammates after something good happens in a game. This might be a radical line of thinking, but perhaps he’s just being a good teammate?

Looking Backward While Moving forward: Kiermaier and Odorizzi Lead the Rays to 10-3 Win

The Tampa Bay Rays once again found themselves with a tally in the win column, after they blasted the Toronto Blue Jays by a score of 10-3, Saturday. Led by Kevin Kiermaier’s hitting and Jake Odorizzi’s solid pitching, the Rays reclaimed fourth place from the Red Sox (who lost to Houston), and start the day just 5-1/2 games behind the third place New York Yankees. Odorizzi got the start in place of scheduled starter David Price, who was feeling ill. Price will take the mound this afternoon, opposite of RA Dickey, in series finale.

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Ouch Balfour, Ouch!

Less is more today. An 8-5, late inning loss surely wasn’t the most operable way to start an important three-game series against an AL East foe.

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Rays Drop Last Game of the Series, 5-4

Well, that certainly wasn’t the most operative way to end the series against Kansas City. The Royals took the finale by a score of 5-4, in what should be described as a total team loss.

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Rays Rally to 4-3 Win

Think back to last weekend, when Tampa Bay was crushed by Max Scherzer and the Detroit Tigers. There was a tacit line of thought that the Rays would need to prove they could bounce back from the loss, if they were going to make a realistic push going forward. They inevitably took three consecutive games, and the series, from the Tigers. And similar to last week, the Rays were able to bounce back from a tough loss, taking the second game of the series from the Royals by a score of 4-3. It was a gritty victory against a very tough Jason Vargas, but Tampa Bay, led Brandon Guyer and Brad Boxberger, proved its mettle Tuesday night.