Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Rays Fall to the Fish in Extras, 10-9

I could be wrong, yet I can’t help but feel that Rickie offered the best recap of the Tampa Bay Rays 10-9, extra inning loss to the Miami Marlins Friday night — and he did so in only six words. Still for whatever reason, I just couldn’t leave well enough alone. My compulsion, sadly, was to add to his summary. Wordiness is my cross to bear. Whatever the case, it was the best game because the Rays were able to close a seven run deficit in one inning, then rally once again to push the game into extra innings. And let’s be honest, this extra inning game was much more exciting than that six-hour-plus behemoth in the Bronx. Yet in true yin/yang fashion, Tampa Bay got into a huge hole early on, then inevitably lost.

The New What Next: The Citrus Series, Part One

The Tampa Bay Rays celebrated manager Kevin Cash’s first win by hopping on a plane and heading south to Miami, for a three game set against the Marlins. Much like the Rays, the Marlins are coming off a disappointing start to the season. In contrast, however, the Rays won a game and were competitive, whereas Miami dropped its opening series, scored a grand total of three runs, and was outscored by 13 runs.

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Cash Tallies Win Number One!

As the idiom goes, the third time’s a charm; a saying that held true for the Tampa Bay Rays Wednesday night. Jake Odorizzi took the hill against the Baltimore Orioles and allowed only three base runners in 6-2/3 superb innings of work. Meanwhile the relievers were able to preserve the lead, allowing the Rays to earn a combined 2-0 shutout win — the first of the Kevin Cash era.

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Rays Fall in Opener, 6-2

It would be a safe assumption that most of us are thankful, first and foremost, for the return of baseball. It’s been a long offseason, and feels good to catch a game at the Trop, or listen to BA and Dewayne call the game in the comfort of your own living room. That being said, the icing on the cake would have been an Opening Day tally in the win column. That, unfortunately, wasn’t the case, as the Baltimore Orioles took advantage of costly mistakes, and beating the Tampa Bay Rays by a score of 6-2.

The New What Next: Rays vs. O’s — A Series Preview of Sorts

It’s been opined by more than a few, the Rays appeared to be in restructuring mode early in the offseason, yet they made several present-day improvements to put themselves in position to win in 2014. Matt Silverman put together a team that — in an ideal world — is deeper offensively, more athletic, and improved defensively. And while they were fairly successful during Spring Training (as it relates to wins and losses), the true test of the team’s mettle begins Monday, when the Baltimore Orioles enter the Trop for a three-game set.