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

• Barrett, Medich win titles at Golden South
• 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

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

Will striped socks help Rays end losing streak?

Posted Jun 24, 2010 by Tribune Sports

Updated Jun 24, 2010 at 02:03 PM

By TONY FABRIZIO

ST. PETERSBURG - The Rays, with some of them wearing retro blue-striped stirrups, will try to avoid being swept by the NL West-leading Padres this afternoon at Tropicana Field.

“Based on our situation right now, I’m just beckoning on the past a bit,” manager Joe Maddon said of the socks. “This is my true tribute to the old-school right there.

“This is much more uncomfortable, frankly, but whatever helps get a win, we’ll do.”

Maddon, B.J. Upton, Evan Longoria, Kelly Shoppach, Ben Zobrist and Sean Rodriguez are among those who are wearing the stirriups.

The Rays have dropped three straight, six of seven and nine of 12, and they’re only 5-9 in interleague play. As a result, they’ve fallen 2 1/2 games behind the Yankees, and they lead the Red Sox by only a few percentage poitns in the AL East. San Diego has won the first two games of the series by a run (2-1 and 5-4).

Matt Garza (7-5, 4.16 ERA) takes the mound for Tampa Bay after giving up seven runs in only 1 1/3 innings last Friday at Florida. Opposing starter Wade LeBlanc, a lefty, is only 4-4, but he has a sterling 2.88 ERA The Padres have won his last three starts.

In pre-game news, manager Joe Maddon confirmed that outfielder Gabe Kapler (strained hip flexor) will start a four-game rehab assignment Friday at Class A Port Charlote. Maddon also cut his pre-game media availability a little short so he could watch struggling righthander Wade Davis’ bullpen session.

Ben Zobrist isn’t in the lineup. Maddon said he wanted to give him a day off his feet and thought a couple of other players matched up better with LeBlanc. Zobrist, a switch-hitter, is batting .320 against right-handers but only .253 against lefties.  Sean Rodriguez gets the start in right field.

Here is Tampa Bay’s lineup:

B.J. Upton, CF
Carl Crawford, LF
Evan Longoria, 3B
Carlos Pena, 1B
Willy Aybar, DH
Sean Rodriguez, RF
Kelly Shoppach, C
Jason Bartlett, SS
Reid Brignac, 2B
—
Matt Garza, RHP