I am friends with Clip and this was a team screw up. He was in Washington today sat in a hotel room and they already sent him back. He has been your best reliever in the minors all year, and it has been your team’s biggest issue. I live in Tampa, and watching them get swept by the Rays after leading every game late almost made me feel borderline sorry for you guys. It must just be gut-punch after gut-punch. What a train-wreck.

Like many people who are following this run that the Rays have been on all year, I saw myself becoming that guy who was screaming how we needed a right fielder, and that another arm in the bullpen would help us get over the hump.  The more and more I think about it though, I really think that this is a different team and a front office that we have dealt with in the past.  These guys have a plan and are not going to break off from it just because we have gone above and beyond the expectations that were set this year.  We all remember what our individual goals were going into this season and no sane person actually felt we would be here at this point in the season. 

This team is setup to be in this spot routinely for the next 4-7 years so I am not willing to part ways with pieces of that future to go for it for one year.  Steve Phillips tried that and all that got him was a desk job at ESPN and he provided us the move that set this entire run into motion.  I know it is a pipe dream knowing what we do about his past, but who is to say that Rocco Baldelli can't be a 2nd half Josh Hamilton, not in terms of his production, but someone who can give this team a nice shot in the arm.  And for 2 months, I really do not think David Price will be set back years if he takes over the 8th inning (slthough after the past few days, I would prefer he is handing the ball to Grant Balfour in the 9th rather than nervy percy).  Perfect example of this method of bringing up young guys to teh bullpen to fill a void is Joba Chamberlain.  He started in the bullpen, and he does not seem to have been ruined by it 

I worry everyday about this year and if we can hold on, but I don't think that that mentality is what is in the front offices of this club. There is a definite goal that these guys have for this team going forward, and up to this point, they have given me no reason to question what they have done to this point.   

Now I don't believe that one play determines the outcome of a game but  it can definitely effect how the remainder of that game goes.  Having said that, if Foley gave Pena the green light to go with 2 out and the bases loaded, then he needs to be removed from that role as of right now.  The Rays were really starting to hit Beckett, and it seemed that if the Rays could cut the lead tied, or in some way gotten the lead, that the game could have ended differently than it had.  I thought we were done with these kind of plays as a team, the same no-brained, losing ball plays that got us in this loser role the past 10 years.  Now I know the argument could be made that Manny was being Manny out in left, but for crying out loud it's 295 ft. to the "MONSTAAAA" (god I hate that accent) so any high school outfielder can make the throw.  I just think these kind of moves cannot be made in a series against Boston when you are in the national spotlight for being that "sexy team that is ready to breakout".  These are the plays that good teams do not make and shame on me for thinking that we were past this as a franchise.