The 4.25 Million Dollar Question

Sure will miss you and your translator. (AP)

Since I have personally lost hope for this season lets take a look ahead to the offseason. Today we will start with the question of picking up Akinori Iwamura’s opition for next season.

Vote Pena!

Daily Links

Heres some info for everyone to check out:

Read about an optimist and pessimist view of the Rays this year.

Read about how Burrell effects Pena’s stats.

Read about the teams best and worse draft picks.

Get some info on the prep pitching class.

Join The Rays Party in a chat during the draft.

Daily Links

It has been a busy 24 hours for the Rays as we have had roster changes, new park issues, and Ben Zobrist. Read all about it.

Read about Kazmir, Percival down, Brignac, Thayer up

Read about Monday’s possible starter: David Price

Read about Troy Percival’s possible retirement

Read about Rays abandoning Al Lang site

See the proposed sites

Read the Tribune’s praise of the great Ben Zobrist

Read the Times’ praise

One Big Mashup

We’re a little behind schedule so here’s last night’s thoughts, today’s preview, daily links, and lineups all in one post. Don’t get used to it.

I couldn’t catch much of last night’s game, but it seemed pretty typical. Carlos Pena had a good day at the plate, along with B.J. Upton who had three hits. The story offensively was Jason Bartlett who is the best hitter in the bottom three of any order. Barty continues to mash and hit his fifth homerun of the season in his first at bat. Let the debate for J.B. leading off over Upton continue.

Jeff Niemann had a typical start, going five innings and working in and out of trouble all night. And Troy Percival also had a typical night for himself which is giving up a lot of runs quickly and efficiently: that’s four runs, on four hits and two jacks on 19 pitches. Luckily the Rays were up by a good amount and were able to escape Baltimore with a W (as sad as that sounds).

Daily Links

Tonight the Rays will appear on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball for the first time since April of 2000. It is Mother’s Day so we’ll see the pink bats, necklaces, and now shoes. Here is some reading material while you wait for the 8:05 PM start.

Read about who the Rays got from the A’s

Read about tonight’s pink cleats

Read about Steve Phillips expert analysis

Read about another article talking about Kazmir’s mechanics

Read about the attendance against the Red Sox

Read about Garza’s recent success

Daily Links

After surfing around the Rays blogosphere, there seems to be a general consensus including one we highlighted towards the end of last night’s post; someone or something needs to motivate this team. Whether it be Joe Maddon lighting a fire underneath them or an event like last year’s brawl. Only fitting that the Red Sox are in town this weekend. Either way, check out what’s going on in the world of the Rays.

Read about the First Annual Rays Trade Pool which we took part in

Read about Jason Bartlett’s hamstring

Read about this weekends “must win” series

Read about the hopeless Rays

Read about Maddon needing to find his inner Lou Piniella

Read about Desmond Jennings’ hot start

Read about the Rays continuing the trend of poor starts by WS losers

Daily Links

Read about tidbits from this afternoon’s game

Read about future first pitch honorees

Read about players only meeting and it’s results

Read about the Rays’ Forbes value

Read about Maddon’s current mantra

Read about Maddon not second-guessing defensive positioning

WATCH a Tim Beckham interview

Daily Links

Read about Riggans going back to the DL

Read about Sternberg’s attendance expectations and Longoria Player of the Week honoring

Read about B.J. Upton’s impact

Read about the banner raising

Read about Stu’s reaction to Upton’s grab

Read about Jeff Niemann’s award

Read about Matt Garza’s maturation

Daily Links

As you can expect, most of the stories today are about the highly anticipated Rays home opener. All that I’m going to say is if Upton pulls what he did last season against Boston (homering on the first pitch he sees to leadoff the first), the Trop will explode.

Read an interview with the new Raymond

Read about Trop secrets fans should know

Read about Rays fans and our excitement

Read about memorable home openers

Read about locals that will be unable to watch tonight’s game

Read about Joyce being optioned down to Durham

Read about B.J. Upton’s return to the team