Tampa Tribune sports columnist Martin Fennelly answers your questions about the Tampa Bay Rays.

Note: This portion of the Q&A is now over. Please send us your questions for the next session by clicking here.

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Q: The Tampa Bay Rays & Andrew Friedman MUST sign Barry Bonds!!!! His big bat will land the rays at least a World Series appearance. With Longo & Crawford out, plus Upton slacking (another crap run last night!), the Rays need another bat.  Please, please forward to Andrew Friedman.

- Warren Regala, Lakeland

A: Warren, couldn’t we just find a good player on some prison ball team somewhere and be done with it? You know, some lifer who has alley power? Nothing—repeating: NOTHING—is worth bringing Bonds out of trial prep for this pennant run. It would go against every thing this team has tried to do in terms of chemistry, which is exactly why they’re getting by right now. I wanted a bat at the trade deadline myself _ I think the Rays dropped the ball on not getting either Nady or Bay out of Pittsburgh—I wouldn’t want Bonds. I’d finish third first.

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Q: With the injuries that the Rays have to overcome now with Longoria and now Crawford maybe being out for the year, why don’t we go after Bonds and/or Sheffield?  They would supply us with a left and right handed bat, and could both play the outfield. WE NEED TO MAKE A MOVE!!

- Michael, Valrico

A: I loved the idea of Sheffield a few weeks back. For all his problems, he has a lot less baggage than Bonds, and could throw in his 500th career homer in his hometown for good measure. The Rays will need something more than what they have to make a serious postseason run. But nothing is worth Bonds. Nothing.

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Q: Why are we still using Troy Percival as the Rays closer?  Does anyone at TBO.com sports have an in with Joe Maddon?  I cringe every time they put him in.  4-3 lead going into the 9th and he gives up 2 homers?  What is that all about?  OK, he has a “hamstring” problem. So?  Get him out of the lineup!  Do we have to lose games while we watch this debacle?  Unbelievable. Go Rays!

- Al Yoder, Treasure Island

A: Thanks so much for writing in, and though I have no “in” with Maddon, Percival has 300-plus saves, and he has them in situations most of these guys have never been in, so as long as he’s healthy I still roll with him, though I keep the de-fib paddles handy every time he comes in just in case. He never makes it look easy. I like Wheeler myself, though Balfour has good stuff—but would I trust either of those guys at the end of playoff games? No, not yet. You go with Percy, but stay ready to make a change. I think Maddon will. I think he should. You’re dead on in that regard.

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Q: Why don’t the Rays move there starting rotation from 5 down to 4 for the streach run, and move Andy Sonnanstine to the bullpen or trade bait?

—Matt, Riverview

A: Matt, the problem with that is only one pitcher in the majors has as many wins as Sonnastine does over the last calendar year. Hard to believe, but true. Look, I have issues with Sonnanstine, too, and it cracked me up when he complained about getting run support, because he has had more than any Rays starter. The guys does only one thing: Win. The way Kaz is going, and the way the lead is growing, I’d keep it at five starters, especially since David Price is coming to a bullpen you love very, very soon. Hang in there.

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Q: Hi Mark, how are you?

I was wondering how Evan Longoria was holding up so far.  Are things progressing as quickly as they were originally hoping?  will we see back around sep 1st?

—Jeff White, Harrisonville, Mo.

A: Jeff, this is Martin, not Marc, though I will give him your best. As for Longo man, he appears determined to be back by the 1st, though if I was the Rays I’d have him ready for at least the weekend before the series in Boston with the Red Sox—a series the Rays need to win at least one game in. Two wins up there and it’s the stake through the heart. Longo was the team MVP in my eyes—and still might be when the story is written. Don’t be surprised if he sits past the 1st, though. Wrists always scare me—always.

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Q: How come when B.J. Upton hits the ball, no matter where it’s hit, he jogs to 1st base like he’s gonna getting thrown out so why even try. But, when he gets on base and he is told to steal a base, he can really turn on the afterburners??

—Steve Sutton, Temple Terrace

A: Great, great question. Only B.J. can answer that one—and he better answer it damn fast. This next month could be his stage _ or his prison. Maddon has benched him twice. His teammates have gotten in his face, most notably Rays veteran Cliff Floyd. This stuff won’t do. He has to grow up. In his defense, even when this guy is hustling, he looks like he’s coasting. If he and Shawn Rigans raced to third, and Upton beat Riggans there by 20 feet, Riggans would still look as if he was running harder. Upton is that smooth. But you can’t chill in the heat of a playoff race. You’re absolutely right, but it’s up to him now.

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Q: This is off-the-wall ... Do you know if the front office plans to change the away “unies” from Rays to Tampa Bay? and Why did they go with Rays?

—Jimmy O, Hillsboro, Or

A: No current plans. I think management just think “Rays” looks cleaner, and fits more with the new logos and all and the marketing. And it does look sweet, though when you consider what it was up against, those horrible old unies, well, anything was an improvement. Eventually, I think they’ll go that way. But the way they’re playing right now, they could be wearing kilts and they’d look good.

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Q: Is it me or does it seem the RAYS have a tendancy to sit on its talent too long.  Its typical for a team around this time of year to plug in farm prospects if only to give starter a few days off in August.  Playing Hinske and Aybar out of position instead of giving a farm hand like Price or one of the talented young outfielders a look in the bigs is mind boggling to me.  But what do I Know im just a sailor, not a GM.

—Petty Officer 1st Class Tracy Hunte, Kaneone, HI

A: Tracy, tell me your in Gibraltar, not tied up at the St. Pete pier. Anyway, I do think the Rays wait on their talent a bit—one reason why they didn’t make a deal at the deadline is that, whether they admit it or not, they always get coy about their talent. But now’s not the time. You’re right—the older guys need a blow in September, and you’ll see these kids up, price included. Who knows, the kid could be what Joba was to the Yankees (remember them?) last season, or what Frankie Rodriguez did for the Angels in ’02. So hang in there. Now shiver your timbers for the postseason.

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