Last years rookie of the year in Hellickson is taking the mound, looking to get this 6 game home stand off to a good start.

I won't be watching the game live tonight. Work until 9:45. Have the game being recorded, just figured I'd create us a gameday thread to discuss tonight's game.

Pride, any other Rays pitcher you would prefer on the mound tonite?

Sometimes the Rays get into trouble playin at home. Hope it don't happen the rest of the season.

See that "crowd"!! Not even 10,000 in the Trop to see the Rays......That is absolutely pathetic, disgusting and embarrassing1 Probably have a bunch of minor league teams with bigger attendance tonight!

Got off a little early tonight, just got home, walked in, seen the score 2-1 Rays.

Less than 5 seconds later, then seen our (hopefully) up and coming catcher in Jose Lobaton with a nice RBI base knock. This kid can really hit.

3-1 Rays!

Got thrown out at home plate, but 4-1 Rays off a Desmond Jennings RBI double.

This Jennings kid is becoming something very special. Just as fast as Carl Crawford ever was, enjoying his prime years at the age of only 25, and as a fan base? We couldn't have asked for a better replacement after losing Crawford due to free agency.

4-1 Rays. Gotta love it.

Better crowd at the LLWS game tonight than at the dump. Go figger...lol!

Another outstanding victory tonight. Hellickson with an outstanding pitching performance. Tonight's victory made for 5 consecutive wins. The hottest team in baseball.

Now it's time to scoreboard watch.

White Sox just tied up the Yankees 3-3 there in the 5th.

Texas up on Baltimore by the score of 4-1 heading into the 8th.

Twins up on Oakland 1-0 heading into the bottom of the 1st.

(A Rays win along with Yankees, O's and Oakland loses would make for a perfect night of American League baseball).

Monday night,Storms all over the Bay and game on TV..I'd say they were lucky to get 10,000..But THis is St. Pete,There probably was a shuffle board tourney going on or Monday night Football..

Lets not talk about the city of St.Pete, when the city of Tampa can't even support an NFL football team.

Remember the pumpkin color jersey days? Empty stadium each and every Sunday of each and every season.

Or what about these recent years, where Tampa couldn't even support 8 frigginn' home games? lol. Buc games have been BLACKED-OUT due to lack of attendance over the past two years. Some sports town.

Can't even support 8 home games, but talk as if they'll be able to support 81 baseball home games. Yeah, right.

You get no argument from me..I don't think the Bay area can or will support anything but High school footballor College Football..Tampa or St. pete I doubt will Have MLB within 5 years..

Well, ya boy Vic was there- all the way from Pasco Co., From hour before game time til last inning.

Three thoughts:

1- Sam Fuld is great

2- Keppinger made 2 great half hop scoops at first ( the hard kind) one on dp and the other saving eliot from an error- He can play first and well- don't let the "drop" fool ya

2- pouring rain- if the rays ever think its a "good" idea to have an open stadium, they better get used to 5000 at the games

No way could the Tampa Bay area ever have an outdoor ball park; every other game would have the potential of being rained out.

An outdoor stadium with a roof over it? Now that's an option.

On a side note, Sam Fuld is a very scrappy player, a motor and/or hustle that's second to none, very fun to watch; but I wouldn't consider him 'great'. He is an old school throwback though.

Texas beat Baltimore and Chicago's up 8-6 on the Yankees heading into the 8th!

We're now 2.0 games ahead of Baltimore with a chance to only be 4 games back of the Yankees with a Yankees loss tonight!

Just wondering.... they didn't replay the play at the plate at the game when EJ was called out.

Was he out or safe?????

From the replays I saw, he was out, he couldn't get his over Perez' leg in time, but it was verrrrry close!

Your comment about everyone trying to get the Rays out of St. Pete with a lousy schedule, KC on a Monday night is totally laughable.......The Rays play the same teams as everyone else......If anything the Rays were given one of the toughest schedules in the AL this year!

Rays won.

Yankees, Orioles and A's all lost.

We're a full 2.0 games ahead of Baltimore. 2.5 games ahead of the A's. 3.5 games ahead of the Tigers and 6 full games ahead of the Angels.

Better yet, we're only 4 games behind the Yankees!

The American League Division is now in reach. It's wide open for the taking, and while the Yankees are starting to fold under pressure, the Rays are finally coming into our own.

Both CC Sabathia and Alex Rodriguez are on the DL. Mariano Rivera has been out for the entire season. Joba Chamberlain is struggling so bad, he's on the verge of being sent down to the minors due to his 0-4 record thanks to an ERA of 9.45.

I think it's an awful idea that the top two Wild Card teams from each league make the postseason and play each other in a one-game playoff. Which means, the Rays could finish 8 games ahead of Baltimore, but yet, lose to the O's during a game 163 and miss out on the playoffs while the O's advance. I think it's an awful setting. The Rays need to take home the A.L East outright, and avoid any type of 1 game playoff.

We'll have David Price on the mound tomorrow night, while the Yankees throw out Nova.

We'll have James Shields on the mound Wednesday while the Yankees throw out Hughes.

We'll have Cobb on the mound come Thursday night (Opening game of the A's series) while the Yankees have an off night; a chance to gain a 1/2 of game.

I wouldn't be shocked to see the Rays only 1.5-2.0 games behind the Yankees heading into Friday. The Yankees are also on the road in Chicago, which increases their chances of losing,

Girardi seems to here footsteps already. He used 5 pitchers against the Sox in the 5 th inning and still coudn't keep the lead. Don't forget Petite is still out and I don't think Derek Lowe has much left to help them. I won't feel comfortable unless the Rays win the East because the new wildcard is a joke. If the Yankees should end up second and lose a one game playoff to somebody, I'll bet you see Selig change the wildcard setup next year!