Heading into the top of the sixth inning, the New York Yankees trailed the Tampa Bay Rays 2-0. Then Alex Rodriguez and the Yankees exploded.
With Johnny Damon and Mark Teixeira on base, Rodriguez hit a homer to put the Yankees up 2-0. Later in the same inning, Rodriguez came to bat with the bases loaded and hit a grand slam. One inning. Two homers. Seven RBIs. Not a bad way to end regular season play.
For the 2009 baseball season, Rodriguez finished with 30 homers, 100 RBIs and a batting average of .286. While Rodriguez has had better numbers, those stats …read more

This time last year, the Tampa Bay Rays were in the middle of a miraculous run that landed on top of the AL West and eventually sent the Rays to the World Series. This year isn’t quite as fun.
On Sunday, the Rays saw their losing streak extend to 11 games when the Boston Red Sox won by a final count of 4-0. The Rays are no only 72-71 and they are already looking forward to next season.
In their latest loss, Jon Lester dominated. The Red Sox starting pitcher threw eight innings in which he only gave up two hits …read more

Scott Kazmir, a starting pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays, will be traded to the Los Angeles Angels — according to numerous online reports including one on MLB.com. In return, the Rays will reportedly receive minor leaguers Matthew Sweeney and Alexander Torres.
Prior to the 2009 baseball season, Kazmir signed a three-year deal worth $28.5 million. However, he has underperformed this year for Tampa Bay. In 20 starts, he has an ERA of 5.92 ERA and a record of 8-7.
Despite his poor season, the Angels can use all the help they can get in their starting rotation. Dealing with a variety …read more

Greg Montalbano never made the big leagues. His entire professional career was in the minor leagues. But on Saturday, he had a big impact on a pair of star hitters who pointed to him as the reason why they played well.
Montalbano pitched for the Boston Red Sox in the minor leagues. On Saturday morning, he lost his near decade long battle with testicular cancer. Kevin Youkilis, his former minor league teammate, and Carlos Pena, his college teammate at Northeastern, both made him proud later in the day.
Pena hit a first inning homer for the Tampa Bay Rays against the Texas …read more

Carl Crawford made one of the best catches in the history of the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. In the seventh inning, Crawford raced to the wall and robbed Brad Hawpe of a homer that would have given the National League the lead. Instead, the American League was able to win by a final score of 4-3.
Crawford, who was named the MVP of the All-Star game, says his catch was a first.
Said Crawford: “He hit it pretty good off the bat and I didn’t think it was going to carry that far. I don’t think I’ve ever robbed a home …read more

David Price of the Tampa Bay Rays is considered one of the best young pitchers in baseball. However, recently he has struggled on the mound. On Thursday, Price shrugged off his struggles and pitched six strong innings as the Rays defeated the Toronto Blue Jays by a final count of 3-2.
In his six innings, Price gave up six hits, one walk and one earned run while striking out seven and evening his record at 3-3. In three of his previous four starts, Price had given up at least five earned runs. For the season, the 23-year-old left-hander has a 4.70 …read more

Jason Isringhausen of the Tampa Bay Rays won’t throw another pitch in the 2009 baseball season. He’s been diagnosed with a torn ligament in his pitching elbow and will require season-ending Tommy John surgery. He’ll likely be out for about one year.
Although he’s 36 years old and won’t be able to play again until next season, there are no talks of Isringhausen hanging up his glove. This season, he had a 2.25 ERA in nine appearances.
Isringhausen’s career began in 1995 with the New York Mets. In his three year and a half years with the New York Mets, the right-hander …read more

Last year, the Tampa Bays Rays made an improbable run to the 2008 World Series. This year, the Rays are dealing with five different injuries to key players.
Akinori Iwamura, Second Baseman
This weekend, Akinori Iwamura was when trying to turn a double-play. Tests showed that he tore an ACL and the native of Japan will be forced to miss the rest of the season.
Troy Percival, Closer
Due to tendinitis, Troy Percival could very well have thrown his final pitch in the major leagues. While he hasn’t made an announcement, many sources close to the team think that he could be at the …read more

Sunday’s game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cleveland Indians will go down as a memorable affair. Prior to the game, the Rays submitted an erroneous lineup card that listed two third basemen and no designated hitter. As a result, Tampa Bay didn’t get to use a designated hitter and instead had to bat starting pitcher Andy Sonnanstine third in the lineup.
Sonnanstine proved that giving him a bat wasn’t all bad as he had an RBI double in the fourth inning. On the mound, Sonnanstine got the win by giving up five earned runs in 5.2 innings. Neither team …read more

Matt Garza of the Tampa Bay Rays flirted with a perfect game on Thursday evening in a showdown with the division rival Boston Red Sox. Garza’s perfect game was broken up in the top of the seventh inning when Jacoby Ellsbury got an infield single in the top of the seventh inning.
Garza finished the night was 7.2 innings pitched while giving up only one hit and one walk. He struck out ten batters on his way to lowering his season’s ERA to 3.82 and picking up his second win. Grant Balfour finished off the game and the Rays easily …read more