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

• Bobby V calls out Rays coaches
• Rays @ BoSox: On Bobby V, Maddon and the organist
• Rays-Red Sox, Round II: Can Rays afford a beanball war?
• Robinson product Gibson advances to NCAA track finals
• Panini previews Gold Standard autographs
• 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

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

Rays vs. Yankees: Scoreboard watching

Posted Sep 26, 2011 by Roger Mooney

Updated Sep 26, 2011 at 04:05 PM

ROGER MOONEY
ST. PETERSBURG And now the objects of interest at Tropicana Field are the Rays pitcher and the out-of-town scoreboard.

Both will tell the tale of the Rays’ fate.

James Shields is the Rays pitcher, and it is up to him to pitch the Rays past the Yankees tonight to keep their playoff hopes alive.

The out-of-town scoreboard will keep those inside the stadium abreast of the goings on in Baltimore where the Red Sox are trying to salt away the American League Wild Card.

“We are scoreboard watchers,” manager Joe Maddon said “We watch what other teams are doing. We care. But at the same time, I think we’re able to maintain our focus.”

The Rays begin the night one game back of the Red Sox with three games to play.

The Rays need to win one more game this week to tie the Red Sox for the Wild Card and set up a one-game playoff Thursday at the Trop.

The Rays can win the Wild Card if they go 2-1 against the Yankees and the Red Sox lose at least two of three to the Orioles.

The Red Sox will clinch the Wild Card with a sweep regardless of what the Rays do.

The Red Sox are throwing Josh Beckett tonight and Erik Bedard on Tuesday. They have not announced Wednesday’s starter.

The Rays have Shields, Jeremy Hellickson and David Price for these three games with the Yankees.

The Yankees are throwing Hector Noesi and a parade of relievers tonight. That formula worked well last Wednesday when they helped produce a 4-2 victory against Shields at Yankee Stadium.

Shields took a 2-1 lead into the eighth and allowed a leadoff home run to Eduardo Nunez. The Yankees finished the rally when Robinson Cano hit a two-run double off J.P. Howell.

Bartolo Colon is scheduled to start Tuesday for the Bombers. The Yankees have yet to announce a Wednesday starter.

Here are the lineups

YANKEES
Jeter SS
Granderson CF
Cano 2B
Rodriguez DH
Posada 1B
Chavez 3B
Martin C
Nunez RF
Gardner LF
—
Noesi P

RAYS
Jennings LF
Upton CF
Longoria 3B
Zobrist 2B
Damon DH
Joyce RF
Kotchman 1B
Shoppach C
Brignac SS
—
Shields P