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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.

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Rays vs. Angels: A trap series?

Posted Sep 17, 2010 by Roger Mooney

Updated Sep 17, 2010 at 05:41 PM

ROGER MOONEY
ST. PETERSBURG—If this were the NFL it would be called a “trap game,” but since it’s baseball, let’s call this three-game set with the Angels a trap series since it falls between the three-game series with the Yankees and the four-game series with the Yankees that starts Monday in the Bronx and because the Angels aren’t playing for anything.

You could see a scenario where the Rays might relax a bit, may not be as emotionally sharp as they were during the three games with the Yankees earlier this week and hope to be again when the reach the Bronx on Monday.

Joe Maddon said no, that’s not the case. He said the goal is for the Rays to treat each game like a one-game series.

Carlos Pena, when asked after Wednesday’s win against the Yankees about next week’s series in New York, said the Rays still had to play the Angels.

Ben Zobrist said the Rays can’t get caught looking ahead.

“We can’t let down and let a game get away from us that might matter come later this month,” Zobrist said. “We still have to keep in mind that we have to keep the pressure on because we haven’t locked up a playoff spot. We have to keep playing as if every game matters, that’s really, really important. We know every game counts. We knew that back in April, but obviously, we really don’t want to let one get away right now.”

So, with that mind, here are the lineups for Game 1 of this three-game set ...

ANGLES
Alberto Callaspo 3B
Bobby Abreu LF
Torii Hunter RF
Hideki Matsui DH
Mike Napoli 1B
Howie Kendrick 2B
Hank Conger C
Brandon Wood SS
Peter Bourjos CF
—
Dan Haren RHP (10-12, 4.09)

RAYS
Jaso C
Zobrist 2B
Crawford LF
Longoria 3B
Joyce RF
Johnson DH
Pena 1B
Upton CF
Bartlett SS
—
Davis RHP (12-9, 4.24)