Back to the Rays Report

Roger Mooney

Roger Mooney covers the Tampa Bay Rays for The Tampa Tribune, TBO.com and News Channel 8. He has covered the Rays since their first season in 1998, including 11 years for the Bradenton Herald. Roger has also covered Florida, South Florida and Florida State football, the Bucs and the Lightning.

 @RMooneyTrib
 TBO_Rays
Send us your questions

More Links:

• Schedule/Results
• Player Stats
• Team Stats

Most Recent Entries

• UD unveils Military Machines inserts for 2012 Goodwin Champions set
• Rays @ BoSox: Guyer out for the season, Jennings close to returning and lineups
• USF softball: It’s game day
• Weekly Tampa Bay fishing report
• Rays at BoSox: Rivalry renewed
• Karen Cooley returns as Zephyrhills girls swimming coach
• USF beats Pitt, stays alive
• The Nerds head north
• Jeffrey Shank out as Gulf boys basketball coach
• Berkeley Prep captures Academic Team Champion Award - again
• This week’s signings and offers
• Berkeley Prep wins FHSAA Academic Award standings
• Shank out as Gulf boys hoops coach
• Be prepared for year’s busiest boating weekend
• Train and O.A.R. added to summer concert series

More

• Bucs Report -Tribune staff
• Rays Report - Roger Mooney
• Bolts Report - Erik Erlendsson
• Bulls Report
• Prep Report - Hillsborough
• Prep Report - Pasco
• Prep Report - Region
• Prep Report - Recruiting Updates
• Prep Report - Football
• Go Fishing: On The Waterfront
• The Sports Bookie - Bob D'Angelo
• Gators Report - Tribune staff
• Youth Sports Report
• NFL Draft Report
• Go Ask: Frank's Tacklebox
• Bucified Bert Blog
• BUK Power - Bucs Fan Blog
• Pigskin Preacher - NFL Fan Blog
• Breakfast Bonus - Tom McEwen
• Highlands Sports

Monthly Archives

• May 2012
• April 2012
• March 2012
• February 2012
• January 2012
• December 2011

If 3-way tie-breaker needed for Wild Card, Rays will go on road for one game

Posted Sep 26, 2011 by Roger Mooney

Updated Sep 26, 2011 at 05:44 PM

BY ROGER MOONEY
ST. PETERSBURG If there is a three-way tie for the American League Wild Card, the Rays will go on the road Friday for the second game.

“We only have to pay one game, the starting pitching you can point in that one direction. Going on the road doesn’t necessarily bother us,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said.

That decision was made Monday afternoon during a conference call between officials from the Red Sox, Rays and Angels.

The Red Sox begin play tonight in Baltimore with a one-game lead on the Rays, who host the American League East champion Yankees. The Angels, who host the AL West champion Rangers, are three back.

Since there are only three games left in the regular season, the odds of a three-way tie are slim. It would mean the Angels swept the Rangers, while the Orioles swept the Red Sox and the Rays won one of three from the Yankees.

Still, the Red Sox and Angels will play each other Thursday in a one-game playoff.

The Rays, 44-37 (.543) this season away from Tropicana Field, will go on the road Friday to play the winner, traveling either to Boston or Anaheim.

Maddon said he is a little confused by the process of waiting to see who wins Thursday’s game before pointing the charter flight in that direction.

“Where are you supposed hole up in an airplane in regards to whether you go to Boston or Anaheim? I got KC or St. Louis, probably. Delaware is a good choice,” Maddon said, referring to where the Rays found themselves during the infamous two-day rain delay during Game 5 of the 2008 World Series.

But that beats the other options, Maddon said.

Those were to play both games at home providing you win the first, or playing the first game on the road and get home field for the second, providing, of course, they win the first game.

The Rays sit back and wait for the winner with a bullpen that’s rested.

“The idea of playing one game instead of two makes sense,” Maddon said.