Yay Rays!

Last night, the Tampa Bay Rays held the Yankees at 1-0 until the 9th inning, when Hideki Matsui hit a home run and frustrated the HELL out of me. (I love me some Rays. I sit in Tampa right now as I write this.) So they battled it out at 1-1 for two more innings---which shocked me, I thought it'd be at least a 15 inning game---and Jonny Gomes, after stealing second base successfully, ended up scoring the winning run on Gabe Gross's line drive to the outfield. WOOOOOO!! This win puts them at the top of the American League!!! WHAT???!!

These Rays are just so much fun to watch. For one reason, they're good now. So the games are actually pretty exciting and fast-paced, not depressing and painful to watch. Also, these players are continually thrilled with their progress and their wins. When Gomes sailed across that home plate last night, there was a bouncing heap of players there ready to welcome him into their yell-fest. Every win to them is like a World Series win. They love it! And I love watching them love it!

Photo credit: MSNBC

Tampa Bay Rays cut their name, the crap

This just in: The Rays, formerly the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (I do not approve), are good.

What happened? Only a few short years ago, the scores of these games would be 10-2, 12-0...really, any number over ten to any number below three. Now they're killing the Angels three times in a row, and as I sit here in front of my TV, they're leading the Yankees 6-0 at the top of the 6th? Jeter be damned: the Rays aren't shitty anymore.

Maybe it's new (cute) third baseman Evan Longoria. Maybe it's that the team name now refers to sunbeams rather than cartilaginous fish. (Even though I liked "Devil Rays.") Maybe it's the elimination of green from their athletic wardrobe. (Boo Slytherin.) Maybe it's because now they have an Asian on their team: Akinori Iwamura. Asians add flavor to everything.

I don't know what it is. But I like it. (Tampa is one of the many places that I'm "from.") It makes the games so much more fun and not depressing. Kick ass, Tampa Bay! And great ass, Evan Longoria!

I'ma buy me a jersey, maybe.

And watching any baseball game in HD television is exactly like sleeping with one of the players and nabbing a seat right above the dugout. Watching TV here at my dad's house is definitely an experience. Whatever money he should be spending on haircuts and glasses he spends on electronics. And I get to watch LOST in HD. Best.

As a signoff, a little piece of Evan Longoria for you:

Mmm. Yeah, run those bases. I'm a creep.

Photo credit: China Post (China Post?), Sign On San Diego