Category Archives: The New What Next

The New What Next: Enter the O’s — A Series Preview of Sorts

The Tampa Bay Rays will resume play against the Baltimore Orioles Tuesday after returning home from a successful 10-game road trip. The trip didn’t start well, but my how things changed. The Rays left Chicago (en route to Boston) winning only one game out of four, yet they return to the friendly confines of the Trop having taken two-of-three from both the Red Sox and Yankees. So the Rays are miraculously fixed, right? Not by a long shot, BUT things are looking up.

The New What Next: Rays vs. Yankees — Another Series Preview of Sorts

The Tampa Bay Rays head the Big Crapple for the first time this season, where they’ll take on the New York Yankees in a three game weekend set, starting Friday. The series win that preceded the trip into New York was huge, and Tampa Bay will look to build on the momentum accrued upon their exit from Bean Town. Suffice it to say, the double header sweep was precisely what the doctor ordered. In the night game, the Rays proved they could come from behind after being down by three runs, while the relievers proved they could be relied upon to hold opponents right where they were — ultimately allowing the offense to tag the Red Sox with the winning runs in both games.

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Rays Take the First Game, 2-1

The Tampa Bay Rays took the first game of a day/night double header in Boston by a score of 2-1, a white knuckle win if there ever was one. Brandon Gomes (not Cesar Ramos) was credited with the win after Ramos was pulled two-outs into the fifth inning. Closer Grant Balfour came back to tally his fifth save in six attempts, on the heels of a blown save in his previous outing against the White Sox.

The New What Next: From One “Sox” Team to the Other

The Tampa Bay Rays will go from facing one “Sox” ball club to the other Tuesday, when they head to Boston for a three-game series at Fenway. A very disjointed Rays will battle the reigning World Series champs, in the battle for last. That is, at 12-14 and 11-15 (respectively), both teams sit at the bottom of the AL East, behind the Blue Jays.