Inning-by-inning, a look at the Rays 9-8 win over the Boston Red Sox in Game 2 of the ALCS: ...more

October 12, 2008

It was a no-no. For the Rays, that is. ...more

October 11, 2008

I think a polar ice cap just melted while we waited for Daisuke Matsuzaka to make another pitch. ...more

October 11, 2008

Star Of The Game: Daisuke Matsuzaka Some people were skeptical when Red Sox manager Terry Francona announced Matsuzaka as his Game 1 starter. Any questions now? Dice-K labored through a 27-pitch first inning, walking the bases loaded, but he was never seriously threatened. He took a no-hitter into the seventh inning - retiring 16 of 17 batters - as reporters scrambled to locate Don Larsen's home number. Dice-K walked four, but had nine strikeouts and he was removed after two singles in the eighth. ...more

October 11, 2008

Daisuke Matsuzaka has a dazzling array off off-speed pitches, including a two-seamer called a shuuto that sinks. ...more

October 11, 2008

Any hopes the Rays had of continuing their postseason roll ended Friday by the toss of a Dice. ...more

October 11, 2008

The Rays' coaches and baseball operations staff met after Wednesday's workout to discuss the composition of the ALCS roster. The first order of business was to determine whether they want to carry 10 pitchers again or bump up to 11 for the best-of-seven series at the expense of a position player. ...more

October 9, 2008

CHICAGO This night was what the Rays had in mind more than six years ago when B.J. Upton was drafted second overall in the land. "The sky is the limit," the former general manager said that day, but it seemed like the sky was falling on him most of the time. ...more

October 7, 2008

Joe Maddon said it after his team lost Game 3 of the American League Division Series, and he repeated it more than once before Game 4. He was not at all concerned that the Rays' first setback would linger, and he was proven right Monday. ...more

October 7, 2008

Star Of The Game: B.J. Upton Upton, who labored with a shoulder injury and had only nine home runs in the regular season, saved the brightest moments of his career for Monday. The Rays defeated the Chicago White Sox 6-2 in the clinching Game 4 of the American League Division Series. Upton's solo home runs in the first and third innings provided a 2-0 lead and the Rays never looked back. "He White Sox starter Gavin Floyd left two fastballs over the plate," Upton said. "I got them up in the air and, well, this is the Windy City for a reason." Upton was 5-for-17 in the ALDS, but he heated up at the end. There was a triple to the center-field wall in Game 2. Then came Upton's four at-bat flurry, bridging the final two games - homer, single, homer, homer. ...more

October 7, 2008