Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Rays Drop Fourth Straight

The Rays looked better Tuesday night; not quite sharp enough to stave off a 5-4 loss, nor good enough to circumvent a franchise-worst-matching 4-9 through 13 games. But better.

And though none of us were wholly encouraged by the outcome — namely the Rays dropping their fourth straight — there were some encouraging signs that the clouds may start to clear. As Rays manager Joe Maddon put it,

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: The “That Was A Disappointing Loss” Edition

Let’s sum up Saturday’s game as a series of bulleted observations: Price looked much better. Forget for a second that he walked two batters and allowed five base runners to reach with two outs in every inning except the fourth, Price posted a 6.0 IP/4 H/1 R/1 ER/2 BB/8 K/1 HR slash line on 106 …

Looking Backward While Looking Forward: Rays Take the Tribe 4-0

The Tampa Bay Rays took the first game of a three game set against the Cleveland Indians by a score of 4-0 Friday night at Tropicana Field. There was a lot to like Friday, which I’ve culled together below. Pitching, pitching, pitching. The Rays pitchers, led by the young lefty Matt Moore, looked outstanding Friday …

…So, We’re Trying to Put Together Some Viewing Parties, and We Need Your Input, Niemann Goes on the DL, Starting Lineup, and More

As the title suggests, we’d love to put together some X-Rays Spex Rays game viewing parties/group meet-ups. The only problem; we haven’t a clue of any locations that you, dear reader, frequent — ones that would be hospitable to such activities. That’s where you come in! What spots do you frequent around the Bay Area? …

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: The “First Win of the Season” Edition

The Rays won their first game of this young 2013 season by a score of 8-7 over the Baltimore Orioles, thanks to Matt Joyce’s walk-off homer in the ninth inning — the first walk-off homer career. And though Jeremy Hellickson didn’t have his best stuff to start the game, having given up a three run homer …