Oct 15
In game 3 one member of The RAYSHEAD Army received national attention when he caught Evan Longoria’s home run ball while sitting above the Green Monster at Fenway Park.
We caught up with Michael Aguis and asked him a few questions about the home run that pissed off the Red Sox Nation.
RI: Monster seats are among the most coveted seats for a Red Sox game. How does a diehard Rays fan end up with Monster seats for an ALCS game?
MA: The guy sitting to the right of me (who dropped it) is a good friend of mine (and a Red Sox fan), and he had a connection to get them. We had gone up to Fenway about 4 years ago to see a D-Rays/Sox game, so he knows I am a real fan.
RI: Did you attend the game with the Red Sox fans sitting next to you? What was their reaction to you ending up with the home run ball?
MA: Yes. They thought it was pretty funny. They are not typical chowds. I stayed with the couple to the left of me.
RI: What was the reaction of the Red Sox fans near you? Any memorable one-liners?
MA:All of Fenway that day was very low-key, but the Green Monster Seats had a very corporate crowd. MUCH nicer fans than the bandwaggoners who come down to the Trop, I think either they didn’t really care about the game, or were too pissed to be down 5-0 to worry about me. I have felt more intimidated at a UF-Vandy game in Nashville! BTW: Speaking of the bandwagoning Pink Hat Nation, look at the third picture down on this old Sports Guy column from 2002 blasting the D-Rays. The seats are empty. BUT NO RED SOX NATION, either!!
RI: One Red Sox website was upset with how much fun the lady next to you seemed to be having during the game and questioned her loyalty…Any chance we can get her to wear a Rays cap and a blue scarf next time?
MA: I saw that site. Her and her husband share season tickets with friends down the 3rd base line. I can call her and ask her to…She is a good sport.
RI: When did you first realize that you were a story that lots of people were talking about?
MA: Within 30 seconds, I got about 10 texts. I knew the cameras would be up there if one was hit.
RI: Were there any stories about you and the home run that you thought were particularly funny/weird/memorable?
MA: The funny story is that I told everyone for a week that if a Red Sox player hit a HR up there, and I caught it, I, in my Rays jersey, would throw it back, and give some attention to the Rays and our fans. I was warned by my friend on the train ride up not to do it. I think this was better.
RI: Is this the most embarrassing photo that has ever been taken of you?
MA: It would have been if we lost.
RI: Since the national attention, do you now regret not having a mohawk?
MA: I regret not staying in Boston last night for the real beating.. I’m not sure a Rayhawk would fly at work, but I am growing a lucky beard – stopped shaving the day we clinched. I grew one for the Gators when they won the BCS, the Final Four, and for the Giants when they won the Super Bowl. I call it the Billy Barool, like Judge Smalls’ lucky putter in Caddyshack.
Oct 15
The Red Sox Nation rallying cry is “we have been here before.” You would think Red Sox fans wanted to lose 3 of the first 4 games. Anybody with a pink hat on today will be quick to point to the 2004 ALCS against the Yankees and the 2007 ALCS against the Indians.
Funny how these fans also forget facing elimination in the 2005 ALDS against the White Sox. Down 2 games to none with game 3 at home. The Red Sox lost. And then there was the 2003 ALCS with the Red Sox losing an elimination game against the Yankees. And the 1999 ALCS against the Yankees. In a scenario similar to this year’s ALCS, the Red Sox trailed 3 games to 1 with game 5 in Fenway. The Red Sox lost.
Oh yeah. The Red Sox have been here before.
And this just in…The ’07 Indians aren’t even in the same league as the Rays. Well, you know what we mean.
Bonus pic after the links (Thanks Brian)
DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA…
- Scott Kazmir will indeed start game 5. Buster Olney reported this morning that this move was made at least in part because of the tumultuous history between Kazmir and umpire Derryl Cousins, who is scheduled to be the home plate umpire in game 6. [The Heater]
- One writer at Bugs and Cranks says Joe Maddon is waiving the white flag in game 5 by starting Scott Kazmir in place of James Shields…Of course they don’t take into account the history between Kazmir and umpire Derryl Cousins, or Kazmir’s history in Fenway or Shields’ home/road splits or the off-day after game 5. Other than those reasons, then yeah, Papa Joe wants to lose game 5. [Bugs and Cranks]
- David Chalk of Bugs and Cranks says Joe Maddon’s decision is “genius” because he is infallible. [Bugs and Cranks]
- Some are starting to notice that this Rays team is not a flash in the pan. [The Big Lead]
- We think we figured out where Willy Aybar’s home run ball landed. The Citgo sign behind the green monster spontaneously caught fire today. [WMUR]
- Gerry Fraley points out that there is no Curt Schilling to bail out the Red Sox this year. [Sporting News]
- One Pirates fan wishes he was a Rays fan…To which we say: Why aren’t you? Do it. Don’t be afraid. Jump on board. You can keep the Buccos on the side. We don’t mind. The RAYSHEAD Army is growing, and we are welcoming new members with open arms. And we don’t even mind if you think Scott Kazmir’s first name is “Eric”. We can work on the details later. We would have trouble with the first name of any of the Pirates starting pitchers. [Fanhouse]
- 8 reasons why the Red Sox are losing…One thing we haven’t mentioned today: Many are looking at the triple last night as a “coming alive” moment for David Ortiz. Why is nobody mentioning that even though he hit that ball well it still came well short of leaving the park? It seems that the triple just made it even more clear that Big Papi’s swing is not well right now. [RBI Magazine]
- Anthony Rieber thinks the Rays are only good because of a “lot of luck.”…Anthony, research is a writer’s best friend. Try it some time. [Newsday]
- Hidden behind ESPN’s “Insider” wall, Buster Olney breaks down the 4 things the Red Sox need to do in order to come back in this series. Really it is 3 reasons as one is based on Scott Kazmir pitching game 6. [ESPN]
- Really? One writer wonders if the Rays will sell out any potential World Series games. Never mind that the Rays sold out all the ALDS and ALCS games in less than an hour. This is the World Series we are talking about…Our IQ went down having read that post. [yoonewverse]
- The Hardball Times tries to project BJ Upton’s ’09 season based on his ’08 stats, including his postseason performance to date. Of course, they don’t take into account the shoulder injury that Upton battled most of the season. [The Hardball Times]
Oct 15
We were watching TBS’ post-game coverage last night when we first saw this video clip. Our first reaction was to spit out a mouth full of red wine (in honor of the Red Sox demise) in a fit of laughter. Our second reaction was a state of panic hoping somebody else noticed and posted the clip today. The guys at Sox & Dawgs did not disappoint.
If we could spend a day with any member of the Rays, Joe Maddon would be our first, second and third choice.
Even Joe Maddon Doesn’t Like Craig Sager’s Outfits [Sox & Dawgs]
Oct 15
Is that the sweetest image you have ever seen that doesn’t involve Salma Hayek?
We have to admit, for all the knocks against Rays fans this season, we are severely disappointed in the Boston “faithful”. We have been to regular season games at Fenway versus the A’s that were louder than the crowd in games 3 and 4. We already learned this morning that premium seats were easier to obtain at Fenway than at the Trop. Add to that the early exodus of pink hats from Fenway, and we feel that Red Sox Nation is in turmoil.
Guess that is what happens when the fan base just assumes the Red Sox will win the series.
After seeing firsthand how loud and rockin’ The Trop was in games 1 and 2, we have never been more proud of The RAYSHEAD Army.
Oct 15
Click on above images to be taken to full standings, box scores or schedule…
THE GOOD: The Monster. Think we could get one of those in the Trop for next season? In 2 games the Rays have hit 7 home runs over the Monster and have added many more dents to its face…Chasing Tim Wakefield early. Too many at bats against a knuckleballer can mess with a player’s swing…With runners on first and third with 1 out in the 2nd inning, after an error by Evan Longoria allowed Jason Bay to reach second base with the score 3-0, the Red Sox were threatening to get back in the game. The threat was answered by Aki Iwamura and Jason Bartlett turning a beautiful double-play. Aki flipped the ball to Bartlett with his glove, knowing the speedy CooCoo Crisp was running to first. If Aki tries to toss the ball, they might not turn two and Bay would have scored. Instead, the Rays scored 2 more in the top of 3rd extending their lead…Our pre-game pick for the “Todd Kalas Pimp Daddy Performer of the Game” was Carl Crawford and he did not disappoint. CC became just the third player to go 5-5 in an LCS game…Andy Sonnanstine. After giving up a solo home run, The Duke retired 12 in a row before a lead off triple by Big Papi in the 7th. And they call James Shields, “Big Game”?
THE BAD: Red Sox fans with reverse Mohawks. Find it funny that those Sox fans could only “react” to something Rays fans were doing. Guess they couldn’t come up with their own thing…Edwin Jackson. We saw the good and bad of Jackson last night. He faced 6 batters last night, walking 2 and striking out 4 regularly reaching 98-99 on the gun. Not sure if our heart could handle that in the late innings of a close game.
THE TELLING: The debate now is James Shields or Scott Kazmir in game 5. We were leaning towards Kaz, but now we are having second thoughts. Why not use Shields and go for the kill. Don’t let the Sox up from the hole and give them any hope…Prior to game 2 we overheard one Rays executive hoping that the series would return to the Trop for a game 6 and even a game 7. We hope he doesn’t mind if the next game at the Trop is a World Series game…During game 2 we were sitting fairly close to the field and no matter what Jason Bay would do, Mrs. Prof would start yelling “Manny would have hit a homer.” You would think it would get old. It doesn’t…The Rays have now won 4 straight in Fenway…Even though it was “Light’s Out Night” on TBS, we were still able to find the fridge (and the beer)…According to CoolStandings.com the Rays now have a 88.9% chance of winning the ALCS and a 49.0% chance of winning the World Series. The Phillies are second at 41.3%.
DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA…
- In case you missed it yesterday afternoon, we ran a bunch of “Webtopia” links in the evening “Happy Hour” feature. [Rays Index]
- This week’s winner of the “No S#!t Sherlock” Award goes to Peter Gammons for the title, “Rays better than originally thought.” [ESPN]
- And this week’s winner for dumbest question in an interview goes to Ryan Fagan for asking David Price, “Do you think the pressure of pitching in the playoffs with Class AAA Durham help prepare you for joining the Rays?” [Sporting News]
- Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe says the Rays will probably win the ALCS and Red Sox fans need to realize that, “The Tampa Bay Rays are not just good, but young good.” [Boston Globe]
- Babes Love Baseball have a new feature on Evan Longoria. [Babes Love Baseball]
- Steve Buckley of the Boston Herald wonders why the Red Sox pitchers are not brushing the Rays hitters off the plate, thinking they are too comfortable. [Boston Herald]
- Marc Lancaster says Andy Sonnanstine is at his best when the Rays have a big lead. [Tampa Tribune]
- Gary Shelton notes that runs are supposed to be tougher to come by in the postseason and yet the Rays have turned into a powerhouse. [St. Pete Times]
- Female Rays fans are better than female Red Sox fans. [Bugs and Cranks]
- Tickets were actually easier to get in Fenway last night than they were in the Trop for games 1 and 2. [St. Pete Times]
- The New York Times takes a look at how Carlos Pena’s family made the journey to the US when he was a child. [New York Times]
- The Boston Globe has a feature piece on Carlos Pena. [Boston Globe]
- Does Big Papi miss Manny? [Boston Dirt Dogs]
- Transcripts from Joe Maddon’s post-game press conference. [MLB]
- Transcripts from Carl Crawford and Andy Sonnanstine’s post-game press conferences. [MLB]
- Red Sox fans retreated to their woobie at least once last night, chanting “Yankees Suck”…Yes. Yes they do. [The Sporting News]
- Sully Baseball tries hard to put a positive spin on the Red Sox loss…We got one. At least you aren’t a Yankees fan. [Sully Baseball]
