Hey I just got an email from OTL. As I am on the mailing list and say this poll. 

POLL QUESTION:

How far will the Rays go in the playoffs?

- Lose in ALDS

- Win ALDS, lose ALCS 

- Win ALCS, lose World Series 

- Win World Series

Silly word count: The Tampa Bay Rays win the AL East!!! Over the New York and Boston payrolls. 

Lets go Rays! Lets go Rays! Lets go Rays! Lets go Rays!  Lets go Rays! Lets go Rays! Lets go Rays! Lets go Rays! Lets go Rays!  Lets go Rays! Lets go Rays! Lets go Rays! Lets go Rays! Lets go Rays!  Lets go Rays! Lets go Rays! Lets go Rays! Lets go Rays! Lets go Rays!  Lets go Rays! Lets go Rays! Lets go Rays! Lets go Rays! Lets go Rays!  Lets go Rays! Lets go Rays! Lets go Rays! Lets go Rays! Lets go Rays!  Lets go Rays! Lets go Rays!

Hey I was reading SI stuff today online and saw this.  

People keep asking me if the Rays can handle the pressure down the stretch. Didn't they just win two of three in Fenway? Go by that, or go by that thrilling win Tuesday night over the Sox. Don't go by that flukish performance from Scott Kazmir on Monday night. They might not win the East. But it won't be because the fold. At least they haven't yet.

• Carlos Pena is hitting .313 with a 1.098 OPS against the Red Sox with four home runs. Oh, and the walkoff hit by catcher Dioner Navarro against the Red Sox on Tuesday was pretty sweet, too.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/john_donovan/09/17/donovan.glance/1.html

I italic my fav parts. 

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=At8ibPQVXKkyATKe2rZM6Y85nYcB?slug=ti-almanagerprojected090408&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Some Quotes from the article

In a plan conceived by Maddon, financed by Cliff Floyd, the (Def) Rays will roll through Toronto, Boston and New York wearing jeans and Ed Hardy’s finest on all travel days.                                             With a sport coat, of course.

“If you’re traveling, you’ve got to be in Ed Hardy,” Maddon said. “Even Zim. Zim’s gotta have one on.”

The Rays are coming off their best month ever, a 21-win August that guaranteed them their first relevant September, for a roster that – put together – possesses all the postseason know-how of 32 at-bats and 43 1/3 innings pitched. So, the final weeks loom, the Boston Red Sox trailing by one swing weekend. And Maddon, who wrapped up AL Manager of the Year even before hurricane season, continues a course set in February, if not two years earlier.

After all, it’s not the players’ fault so few of them have playoff experience; most of them have only played for the Rays. But, as was established in five breakthrough months under the stylings of the funky-cool Maddon, the little Rays might actually be ready for serious hardball.

“We’re trying to be vigilant to the day,” Maddon said. “Whatever happens, good or bad, move on to the next day.”

Vaughn laughed. “I can’t wait to put mine on,” he said.

Of all the luck. Zim probably got “Death or Glory.”

Article about Madden from Yahoo. I hope you guys enjoy.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=Ah3ip4Qv80n4Ibc6aRAT1lE5nYcB?slug=ge-raysrule081908&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

 Some quotes from the article

“I’m not backing off on this one because I’m going to get fined on that, so screw ‘em. But I’m telling you, that’s the kind of call that can cost you a pennant right there.”

“It’s much easier to watch on the field than on TV,” said Maddon, who after being ejected in the sixth inning joined baseball’s living Buddha, Don Zimmer, in the back of the Rays’ clubhouse.

This was the Rays’ 35th come-from-behind victory and the eighth in games they’ve trailed after seven innings.

Maddon introduced a slogan for that in spring training: 9=8. Play nine innings a night, every night, and you wind up being one of the eight teams playing in October.