Matt Garza made his point Monday. All he heard about heading into Game 3 was his opposite number, Jon Lester, and how everyone expected the lefty to dominate the Rays. Hardly a word was said about Garza, the only Rays pitcher to lose a game in the first round, and it admittedly got under his skin. ...more

October 14, 2008

Following Saturday night's game, a reporter mentioned to Matt Garza that it was a good thing the Rays won Game 2, since going to Fenway Park down 2-0 to face Jon Lester might not have been very pleasant for Tampa Bay. ...more

October 13, 2008

Had the Rays been bolder before the trade deadline, they might be penciling in Jason Bay as their right fielder in the opening game of the ALCS tonight. ...more

October 10, 2008

J.P. Howell's personality is difficult to describe. Perhaps the friendliest and most outgoing Ray, he's laid-back California cool and fast-twitch high-strung all at the same time. The explanation behind that dichotomy may lie in what he drinks and listens to before each game. That and other mysteries about the Rays' versatile lefty reliever were revealed in a discussion with The Tampa Tribune's Marc Lancaster. ...more

October 9, 2008

When it came to lining up the Rays' rotation for the American League Championship Series, Joe Maddon kept it simple. ...more

October 9, 2008

Pitching kept the Rays from wrapping up a sweep of the White Sox on Sunday. ...more

October 6, 2008

The Los Angeles Angels might have thought they caught a break when they didn't have to face Red Sox ace Josh Beckett in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series. ...more

October 5, 2008

If the Rays are going to sweep the White Sox today at U.S. Cellular Field, they're going to have to go through the pitcher who got that team into the postseason. ...more

October 5, 2008

Star Of The Game: Rays' Bullpen Last season, it was one of the most motley crews ever assembled in major-league history (6.16 ERA, worst since the 1950s). This season, the Rays' bullpen has been strictly lights out. Scott Kazmir, despite early pitch-count troubles, got into the sixth inning. From there, it was closed out by Grant Balfour, J.P. Howell and Chad Bradford. In two playoff games, Tampa Bay relievers have retired 18 of 23 batters (61/3 innings, one run allowed on a homer, no walks, nine strikeouts). "They don't have a legit closer, and I see they have lefty, righty, lefty in the bullpen," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "That's why they have the brightest men I've seen in the game right now." ...more

October 4, 2008

They pick up the starters, and then they pick up each other. "It's the same thing that's been going on all year long," pitching coach Jim Hickey said after the Rays' bullpen delivered a second consecutive dose of postseason excellence. ...more

October 4, 2008