Pepper

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  [SHOWER-SHOE FUNGUS] Playing A Little Pepper: Los Angeles Angels Of Anaheim Near Disneyland

  August 18, 2008 at 3:30 pm 1 comment

  FIRST INNINGA look back…On Friday night, BJ Upton was pulled unceremoniously from the lineup in the 6th inning and then benched on Saturday for not running hard…With the Rays in the middle of a pennant-chase, was the move prudent and was it justified? We have tried to stay mum on [...]

   
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  [SHOWER-SHOE FUNGUS] Playing A Little Pepper: Seattle Mariners

  August 7, 2008 at 4:23 pm 0 comments

  FIRST INNING A look back…Yesterday the Rays won a dramatic come-from-behind game after trailing by 3 runs entering the 9th inning, scoring 6 runs without an out. The final 3 came on a walk-off home run off the bat of Carlos Pena. The day started ominously with the benching of [...]

   
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  [SHOWER-SHOE FUNGUS] Playing A Little Pepper: Cleveland Indians

  August 4, 2008 at 3:50 pm 13 comments

  FIRST INNING A look back…On Sunday, Troy Percival blew a save for the third time this season…Can Percival be trusted right now with a 1-run lead? The Rays are 3-0 in games in which Percival has blown a save. Still, it was the 3rd time since coming off the DL, [...]

   
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  [SHOWER-SHOE FUNGUS] Playing A Little Pepper: Detroit Tigers

  August 1, 2008 at 2:30 pm 4 comments

  FIRST INNING A look back…After only managing a split of the 4-game set in Kansas City, the Rays managed to take 2 of 3 from a Blue Jays squad that thinks it is still in the playoff hunt…Was this a good road trip or still a bit disappointing? You have [...]

   
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  [SHOWER-SHOE FUNGUS] Playing A Little Pepper: Kansas City Royals

  July 24, 2008 at 3:08 pm 4 comments

  FIRST INNING A look back…The A’s threw three lefties in this series against the Rays and yet the Rays still won 2 games…Did this series lay any doubt on the notion that the Rays struggle against lefties and need a right-handed bat before the trading deadline? In the series, the [...]

   
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  [SHOWER-SHOE FUNGUS] Playing A Little Pepper: Oakland A’s

  July 21, 2008 at 3:26 pm 0 comments

  FIRST INNING A look back…Several of the Rays top hitters continue to struggle including Carl Crawford, BJ Upton and Carlos Pena…At what point do we stop assuming that they will eventually break out? Crawford was 3-12 in the Jays series and is hitting .255/.295/.378 in the last month. Upton went [...]

   
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  [SHOWER-SHOE FUNGUS] Playing A Little Pepper: Toronto Blue Jays

  July 18, 2008 at 4:48 pm 0 comments

  A look back…The Rays entered the All-Star break on a 7-game losing streak, and the question on everybody’s lips is…Have the Rays come back to Earth and revealed their true selves or is this but a speed bump? The key to the Rays first-half surge was pitching and defense. During [...]

   
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  [SHOWER-SHOE FUNGUS] Playing A Little Pepper: New York Yankees

  July 8, 2008 at 3:39 pm 5 comments

  A look back…The Rays just concluded a 7-game home stand in which they won 6 including a sweep of the Red Sox. The Rays now have opened up a 4-game lead in the East with a week to go before the All-Star break…Are the Rays now the team to beat [...]

   
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  [SHOWER-SHOE FUNGUS] Playing A Little Pepper: Boston Red Sox

  June 30, 2008 at 3:05 pm 1 comment

  FIRST INNING…Yesterday the Rays won the rubber-match against the Pirates and Andy Sonnanstine picked up his 9th win…Has The Duke secured himself a spot in the ’09 rotation? We are not sure about “secure” but he definitely has a leg up on Edwin Jackson even if Sonny’s peripheral numbers are [...]

   
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  [SHOWER-SHOE FUNGUS] Playing A Little Pepper: Pittsburgh Pirates

  June 27, 2008 at 4:24 pm 3 comments

  FIRST INNING…Yesterday afternoon the Rays completed a sweep of the Marlins. You keep saying that the Rays are a long-shot to make the playoffs…Did this series do anything to change your perception? The biggest thing we learned is that the Marlins are a fraud. There is a better chance they [...]