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2011 World Series: Rangers vs. Cardinals

Posted in American League, National League, world series on October 20, 2025 | Leave a Comment »

It’s World Series time in baseball. For many baseball fans, this means that your best friends for the next week straight are your high definition television and the coziest spot on your couch. The World Series marks the best four to seven games of the year featuring the two greatest teams in baseball. And this year those teams are the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers.

The Cardinals are clearly the underdog in the 2011 World Series, which is nothing new from every other series they have played in the 2011 Playoffs. The Cards fought their way to a spot in the NLDS, being pulled in at the last minute as the National League wild card. The momentum from their end-of-season winning streak has carried them well into the playoffs, as they beat the Phillies 3-2 in the NLDS and the Brewers 4-2 in the NLCS. They now lead the World Series with home field advantage 1 - 0 against the Texas Rangers.

The Rangers were a top contender all season long in the American League. Finishing the regular season ranked 1st in the AL West and 2nd overall in the American League to the power house New York Yankees, the Rangers have proven to be a force in this post-season. The Rangers stomped the Rays in the ALDS with a 3-1 series win, and then went on to beat the Tigers four games to two. Now returning to the World Series for the 2nd consecutive year, they are looking to clinch the win and take home the title. This will be the first series in the playoffs where they will not have home field advantage, so winning on Cardinals’ soil is a must if they want to claim the trophy.

Best of seven wins this final series and we’re only one game in. Game 2 will be held at Busch Stadium tonight at 8:05pm (Eastern Time) with pitching lineup Jaime Garcia (STL) vs. Colby Lewis (TX). Tune in and watch the best action in baseball. If you’d rather be at the stadium for the full experience, World Series tickets are still available! Game on.

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Roccomania Exit Seems Likely

Posted in American League, Around the Web, MLB, National League, Rays, RedSox, world series on November 2, 2025 | 1 Comment »

I can’t think of a better way for Tampa’s Rocco Baldelli to go out in his career with the team that drafted and developed him. The crack of Rocco Badelli’s bat sent the ball over the outfield wall in Citizen Park. This tied the game 3-3 and certainly had many of the Philly faithful ready to jump off a bridge. This hit had the Fox broadcast crew scrambling to find a recap of the incrdible comeback that Baldelli had endured since Spring Training when his career was in doubt.

Rocco battled back slowly from the disease that nearly ended his career. When Carl Crawford went down with a devastating injury towards the end of the season, it was fitting that Rocco was able to step in and stabilize the lineup. Nobody expected Rocco to play this crucial a role and he showed flashes of the talent that once had him pegged as a future star. The talent is still there, but the fact is at this point it is hard for him to play back to back games.

Just like the Atlanta Braves of 1990s, who over their run had seen alot of their homegrown players eventually change addresses as their farm system continued to pump out younger, cheaper alternatives.

The Rays and Rocco have a mutual interest in reuniting for 2009. However, this is a business and each party will do what is in their best financial interest. Rocco will certainly draw interest, and at this point the Rays have said they will wait and see. The Rays seem only likely to offer a minor league deal which probaly means an end to their relationship. Rocco is from the North East and and raised a Red Sox fan. His exit from the Rays is likely. Rocco Baldelli is as good of a person as he is talented. It will be sad to see him go.

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More Cowbell

Posted in American League, National League, Rays, world series on October 26, 2025 | Leave a Comment »

The Tampa Bay Rays owner loved the SNL Skit that has Walken playing a record producer who asks Blue Oyster Cult to add more Cowbell to the hit song:

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Mets were down 2-0 In 1986 Series

Posted in American League, Mets, MLB, National League, Rays, wins, world series on October 26, 2025 | 1 Comment »

N&O : “After nine innings, the score was tied 3-3. Boston scored twice in the top of the 10th and seemed on the way to a long overdue championship. But with the winning run on base, Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner misplayed a grounder by Mookie Wilson. Ray Knight scored the winning run, and the Red Sox collapsed again in Game 7. They took a 3-0 lead but lost 8-5.

Often forgotten about Game 6 was Boston pitcher Bob Stanley’s wild pitch earlier in the count against Wilson. The errant throw allowed Knight to advance and Mets runner Kevin Mitchell to score from third”

The Rays are down 2-1. The Mets were down 2-0 in 1986. Amazing things can happen in October. Keep the faith.

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Game 3 World Series Live Blogging

Posted in American League, National League, Rays, world series on October 25, 2025 | Leave a Comment »

The game 3 of the world series in Philadelphia is about to get underway after a rain delay. Steve Carlton throws out the first pitch. Jamie Moyer takes the hill, facing Matt Garza the ALCS MVP.

The Rays lineup takes its usual look for facing lefties , with Gabe Gross inserted into RF.

Top 1st: Aki leads off game, flies out to center. Which B.J. Upton will we see? Ground out to Rollins. Carlos Pena. Lefty vs Lefty. Full count. Moyer Walks Pena. Longoria being called Eva. Strikeout.

Top 2nd: On a play the Rays OF would certianly get to, Carl Crawford gets a double after Burrell can get ball. Utley snares a tough fly ball. CC steals third base. Gross with fly ball sacrifices and Crawford scoress ties it at 1-1. Bartlet flies out.

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Ask The Yankees If Rays Have Heart

Posted in American League, Rays, RedSox, world series, Yankees on October 18, 2025 | Leave a Comment »

The easy thing to say is that the Red Sox will just roll through the Cigar City and make a return visit to the World Series. What we witnessed in Spring Training is that this young Tampa Bay Rays squad is a fiery bunch. Thanks go out to Shelly Duncan for the spikes up play . That play brought this team togther and showed that this year would be different. That was followed with the Rays coming into the Bronx Bombers home and completely making them look like the doormats of the American League East

Even early on with the Rays leading the division, everyone in the media and beyond said that it was the Red Sox who would eventually take the division crown. This Rays put an end to that and went out and won 90s plus games. They are used to being thought of as soft based on the franchises track record.

That is the thing with the playoffs. Its a gut wrenching display of wills and desire. There will be ups and down and the teams that get to this point have heart and substance. This weekend and tonight will be a defining moment on Rays history.

For comparisons, you could look at Bobby Cox who made it look so easy with all those back to back division crowns, but found out it takes some luck to nail down the championships. Or, you could look at the Cleveland Indians from a few years ago who were staked to a 3-1 lead and looked like they would take down the Yankees.

Time will only tell how this story plays out. The Rays seem to be in a favorable position playing at home with their star pitcher in James Shields taking the hill. The fans will be out in full force. The Heckler will be out as well. Besides the high performing Upton and Longoria, this game might come down to those role players like Rocco Baldelli or Willy Aybar. Or, it may be the talented Carl Crawford who puts on another hitting clinic. I can’t wait

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