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| The Tampa Tribune reports that Troy Percival completed another throwing session on Monday and he reported no problems with his back. It appears he is on his way to rejoining the Rays as they make their unprecedented run towards the World Series. |
Our View: In four appearances against Boston this season, Percy has two saves and a 10.13 ERA. He threw 2.2 innings and allowed three runs. |
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| Rays third baseman Evan Longoria had three hits, including two home runs in the team's first ALDS game against the White Sox, but then went cold, collecting just one hit in his final 12 at-bats, and struck six times, according to the Tampa Tribune. |
Our View: The probable Rookie of the Year looked lost at the plate in the team's final three games of the series, and will need to be more consistent if Tampa is going to knock off Boston and advance to the World Series. |
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| J.P. Howell worked 1.1 scoreless innings in Game 4 to run his line in the ALDS to 4.1 innings with two hits allowed, six strikeouts and nary a run allowed. |
Our View: Howell, who posted the third best regular season ERA of any hurler who threw at least 80 innings, baffled White Sox hitters all series long with solid stuff and excellent control. |
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| Carlos Pena had three hits and two RBI in the Rays Game 4 victory over the White Sox. |
Our View: Pena ended the series with a 5-for-10 line and two RBI in his three games of action. He can be pitched to, but if a pitcher makes a mistake and leaves one out over the plate, he rarely misses hitting it hard. |
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| Andy Sonnanstine allowed two runs in 5.2 innings to the White Sox as he emerged victorious for the Rays in Game 4. Sonnanstine allowed only three hits, though two were home runs, while walking just one batter. |
Our View: Sonnanstine continues to be the least imposing of the Rays top-4 starters, but no one can argue with his effectiveness as he continues to pound the strike zone while avoiding free passes. Tonight's effort produced his 14th victory of the season. |
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| B.J. Upton hit two home runs of of Gavin Floyd as the Rays defeated the White Sox 6-2 to wrap up their ALDS matchup on Monday. |
Our View: Upton has homered three times in the last two games after hitting just three home runs over his final 55 regular games. We guess the extra juice from being in the playoffs has allowed Upton to work with that injured shoulder in a highly efficient manner. He appears locked in on high fastballs. |
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| Carl Crawford took a bat to his face in batting practice on Thursday but he is still expected to play in Game 4, according to the Tampa Tribune. |
Our View: Apparently Crawford was walking around the batting cage and wasn't paying attention when he got clipped on a swing from Dioner Navarro. It's been a rough year for Crawford, but he keeps battling through everything. |
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| Troy Percival threw an inning in an instructional league game Saturday and likely will do so again Monday, according to the St. Petersburg Times. He is recovering from a back ailment. |
Our View: Manager Joe Maddon noted that Percival felt pretty good after the session, and the reliever is hoping to return in a later round of the postseason. |
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| Shawn Riggans, who underwent knee surgery in September, is hopeful to return to the diamond if the Rays advance to the ALCS, according to the St. Petersburg Times. |
Our View: The Rays say he could be ready, but is yet to get into a full squat. Riggans would serve as Dioner Navarro's backup if slated for the ALCS roster. |
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| Carlos Pena returned to the lineup for Game 3 after missing most of Game 1 and all of Game 2 because of a scratched cornea. Pena hit third and went 2-for-5. |
Our View: Pena is very important to the Rays offense as their biggest power bat other than rookie Evan Longoria, and his return can't do anything but help a club that is on the brink of advancing to the American League Championship series. |
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| B.J. Upton hit his first post-season home run, a two run shot, in the Rays Game 3 loss to the White Sox. |
Our View: Upton hit only nine long balls during the course of the season because of his injured shoulder, but on this day he got his pitch and didn't miss it. |
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| Matt Garza, pitching on eight days rest, was throwing gas reaching the mid 90's with most his fastballs, but it wasn't enough as he fell to White Sox after permitting seven hits, four walks and five runs in six innings of work. |
Our View: Garza was popping the catchers mitt but his control was just off as he failed to make that one pitch when the situation called for it. The Rays still lead the series two games to one, and will turn to Andy Sonnanstine to clinch the matchup in Game 4. |
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| Carlos Pena is expected to be back in the lineup for Sunday's Game 3 of the ALDS, according to MLB.com. Pena left Game 1 early and missed Game 2 with blurred vision as a result of a scratched cornea. "I feel pretty good," Pena said. "I think everything is back to normal. I just can't wait to get back out there and join the team. ... It's definitely healed. Today I feel as normal as I did before it happened." |
Our View: Willy Aybar had a pair of hits yesterday while filling in for Pena, but the Rays will certainly welcome their slugger back. |
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| Starting in place of first baseman Carlos Pena, Willy Aybar went 2-for-3 with a run and a sacrafice bunt on Friday. |
Our View: Aybar was 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored in Game 1 and he has stepped up for the Rays in Pena's unfortunate absence. |
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| After a rough first inning Scott Kazmir was able to somewhat settle down in his first career playoff start to earn the win. He needed 98 pitches to get through 5.1 innings. He allowed eight hits, walked two and struck out four. |
Our View: It wasn't pretty, but Kazmir survived long enough to hand it over to his excellent bullpen. He's battled with high pitch counts early in games all season. In 27 starts, he threw just 152.1 innings. |
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| J.P. Howell was exceptional out of the bullpen for the second straight game against the White Sox in the ALDS. He lasted two innings and struck out three while only allowing one hit. |
Our View: That marks his second hold in as many nights. Howell's stuff was nasty as he was able to cut his fastball in and out and often baffled the White Sox hitters...and apparently the umpire. Howell benefitted from a number of favorable calls. |
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| Carl Crawford was in the No. 3 hole in Friday's big Game 2 win against the White Sox. He came through by going 2-for-4 with a run, and RBI, and a stolen base. |
Our View: Crawford appears to be completly over his injured finger which caused him to miss a mess of games in the second half. His speed seems fuly restored as the rest likely rejuvenated his hamstrings which had been bothering him. |
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| Akinori Iwamura hit a two-run opposite field home run off of White Sox starter Mark Buehrle in Friday night's 6-2 Tampa bay victory in the ALDS. |
Our View: He had gone 328 at-bats without a home run but came through when it counted. The second baseman's hit put the Rays ahead for good. |
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| Updating a previous report, Carlos Pena has been replaced by Willy Aybar in Friday's starting lineup according to the St. Petersburg Times. |
Our View: Pena was removed from Game 1 due to blurred vision and apparently it is still an issue. He was in the original lineup, but he had some trouble fielding ground balls during batting practice and said he would be re-evaluated closer to game time. |
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| Rays first baseman Carlos Pena is in the lineup for the team's ALDS game against the White Sox one day after being removed from the game due to blurred vision, according to the Tampa Tribune. |
Our View: Pena had to leave Game 1 after the second inning, but he is back in today and hitting third. |
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| Rookie Evan Longoria went 3-for-3 with three RBI in Thursday's 6-4 win over the White Sox in Game 1 of the ALDS at Tropicana Field. Two of his hits were homers and he led the Rays to their first postseason win. |
Our View: The rookie is quickly establishing himself as the face of the Rays' franchise. |
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| James Shields was in control in Thursday's 6-4 win over the White Sox in Game 1 of the ALDS at Tropicana Field, as he allowed three earned runs on six hits over 6.1 innings, with one walk and four strikeouts. |
Our View: Shields went 14-8 in the regular season with a 3.56 ERA and 1.15 WHIP, and did not disappoint in his first postseason start. |
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| Rays third baseman Evan Longoria hit a home run in the first two at-bats of his postseason career, joining Gary Gaetti as the only players in baseball history to do so, according to the Boston Globe. |
Our View: Gaetti likely wouldn't be the first name most people think of, but the Birdman did have a nice career, hitting 360 home runs. Gaetti hit the home runs with the Twins in the 1987 ALCS against the Tigers. Minnesota would go on to win the World Series that year. |
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| Rays first baseman Carlos Pena had to leave the team's playoff game in the third inning due to blurred vision, according to the Tampa Tribune. |
Our View: Pena, who hit 31 home runs and drove in 102 runs this season, is believed to have suffered the injury sometime at his home. The injury is not considered serious and he is expected to play in Game 2. |
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| As expected, Rays outfielder Carl Crawford is on the team's ALDS roster, and also in their starting lineup for Game 1, hitting fifth, according to the Tampa Tribune. |
Our View: Crawford wasn't given much chance to play this game after having surgery on his hand more than a month ago. But he defied all odds and will take part in the Rays first-ever postseason game. |
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| Troy Percival will not likely be on the ALDS roster for the Rays according to the Tampa Tribune. He is still dealing with a knee problem although he did pitch some in the final week of the season. The roster will not be official until 10 a.m. on Thursday. |
Our View: It will be interesting to see who gets the call to close but expect it to be Dan Miller. Six different Rays' pitchers had more than one save this season. |
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