Looking Backward While Moving Forward: October Baseball Bound!

It’s been said that perception is everything. For example, take the Rays in the months of April, June, and August — months where Tampa Bay posted a sub .500, 36-44 record. On paper, it seemed unfathomable that the Rays would end the regular season with a 92-71 record, much less clinch a postseason berth. Yet here we sit on the cusp of the Rays fourth playoff appearance in six years, following a huge 5-2 win over the Texas Rangers, Monday night. How sweet it is.

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: It All Comes Down to This…

Some 730 days ago, the Rays found themselves in a do-or-die situation that came down to final game of the baseball season. In 2011, a Rays win would have given them at least an opportunity to face the Boston Red Sox in a one-game tie breaker. We’re all well versed in what happened on that glorious final day of baseball by now; The Rays came from behind, late in the game, to beat the New York Yankees, while the Red Sox fell to the Orioles, deleting all hopes of a postseason berth. So much has changed, it seems nothing ever changes.

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Sloppy Fielding to Blame For the Rays 6-3 Loss

Blame the inexcusable errors in the Rays 6-3 loss to the Blue Jays last night. Playing their sloppiest game in some time, Tampa Bay fell into a tie for the top wild card spot with two left to play. That one hurt, though the Rays still only need to win two games in order to clinch a postseason berth. Tampa Bay, ideally, got the sloppy fielding out of their system last night. Look at the bright side, at least the good guys don’t have to face Dickey again. A few quick game peripherals are below.

The New What Next: Rays Head to Toronto For the Final Series of the Year

Watching Mo’s last outing at Yankee Stadium almost brought a tear to my cold, grizzled, Rays loving heart. He is a classy guy, and the Evil Empire really did an outstanding job handling his last 1-1/3 inning of work in the Bronx. That said, the Rays have now won 90 games for the fourth consecutive year (fifth out of six) while sweeping the Yankees in that Mall of America like baseball stadium for the first time in their 15 year career. Furthermore, Tampa Bay is riding high on a huge wave of momentum after sweeping two consecutive series, this time outscoring the Yankees 19-3. The pitching was outstanding, the Rays were able to mash the all important timely hits, and Tampa Bay looks primed for the postseason. Next stop Toronto, for the final three game series of the regular season. Tampa Bay Rays are hot at just the right time. Holding a one-game lead atop Cleveland for home-field advantage in the one-game wild-card playoff, their destiny is in their hands with three games left to play. Meanwhile, eight players from the Jays’ opening-day roster are finishing the season on the disabled list — not so good for a team projected to win an obscene amount of games in 2013.

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Rays Beat Up On the Yankees, 8-3

The Rays have put together their best post-All Star Break streak, winning six straight games while eliminating both the Yankees and the Oriole from playoff contention in the process. The Tribe defeated the ChiSox, so the Rays maintain just a one game lead over Cleveland with four left to play. They’ll attempt their second consecutive streak with Alex Cobb on the mound. Cobber will take on Ivan Nova, and you can read about the pitching match-up here. I’ll post the starting lineup when it becomes available.