Lots of games on today (July 4th) on ESPN. At 1 pm EST is Baltimore @ New York Yankees (ESPN), and New York Mets & Washington (ESPN2). Cincinnati @ San Francisco at 4 pm (ESPN2), Chicago (NL) @ Atlanta (ESPN) at 7 pm, and Boston @ Texas (ESPN2) at 8pm.

According to my TV Guide, here are the rest of the weeks TV schedule (PAX and FSN are Florida channels)

Tuesday:
Baltimore @ New York (ESPN) 1 p.m. EST
Milwaukee @ Florida (FSN FL) 7 p.m.
Devil Rays @ White Sox (PAX 66) 8 p.m.

Wednesday:
Chicago @ Atlanta (ESPN) 7 p.m.
Devil Rays @ White Sox (FSN) 8 p.m.
St. Louis @ Arizona (ESPN2) 10 p.m.

Thursday:
Milwaukee @ Florida (FSN) 1 p.m.
Boston @ Baltimore (ESPN) 7 p.m.
Detroit @ Tampa Bay (FSN) 7 p.m.
Cubs @ Atlanta (TBS,, WGN) 7:30 p.m.

Friday:
Detroit @ Tampa Bay (FSN) 7 p.m.

Saturday:
Teams TBA (FOX) 1 p.m.
Detroit @ Tampa Bay (PAX 66) 6 p.m.
Cubs @ Florida (FSN) 6 p.m.
Oakland @ White Sox (WGN) 7 p.m.

Yankees take the quick 3-0 lead with a Sheffield homer in the top of the 1st off Bruce Chen, and with Tanyon Sturtze starting, they'll need run support since they'll be using lots of pitchers.

Edit #1: Matsui with a upper deck home run to make it 4-0.

Edit #2: Giambi homers now to make it 5-0 in the bottom of the 2nd.

Edit #3: What bullshit... Mora tagged out Womack in between 2nd and 3rd. Problem? HE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THE BALL IN HIS GLOVE WHEN HE TAGGED HIM! Cano then responds with an RBI single to make it 6-0.

Suck on that Scrooge! O's are on top, 8-6.

Edit #1: Should've known the Orioles would blow it. First Steve Kline gives up a homer to Giambi, and now the closer B.J. Ryan is allowing runs left and right.. O's are doing their usual summer slump. Gonna be a horrible second half. I don't think I want to even go to a game this year.

Suck on WHAT, Strickler? After tomorrow, guess who's going to have a one way ticket into 3rd place? :D Here's a hint: It's a bird that's black and orange.

New York fucking Baltimore up the ass, with a 10-0 lead with 0 outs in the bottom of the fourth, and Johnson pitching 'perfectly' after facing 12 batters. Also those 5 unearned runs in the 3rd helped, as well as Giambi finally waking the fuck up.

Is this the team I was seeing playing in first place through most of the first half? Is this the team our oh-so-great owner & GMs put together, hoping to challenge the Yankees and Red Sox? Right now, this team is nothing more than a joke.. And if they keep playing like this the rest of the way, injuries or not, then they'll be the biggest joke of the year. And more than likely, the joke will be on Angelos when the Nationals make the playoffs.

Don't worry, the'll pull through. Right now they're having a cold spot. Every team has them. Even the 1998 Yankees, who went something like 114-48, had a pretty bad week or two in the last month of the season.

You might have a point there. Let's take a trip in the past, to the year 1996. At the ASB, the O's were 46-39, but were in the midst of a 5 game losing streak that put them at 46-43 on July 14th.. But they did bounce back, and they finished the season at 88-74, giving them their first playoff appearance since winning the World Series in 1983.

BUT..... that was a different O's team. They actually had good stars, and their pitching was way better than the 2005 Orioles. As a loyal fan, I'm gonna have confidence in my team.

Yes, have confidence. Don't be a fucking bitch like a Baw'ston fan, where they bitch about everything, even when they win. Enjoy the game, and just hope for a good outing. Trust me, I'm a fucking Devil Rays fan. I have to take losing a lot, so it just rolls off my back.

If Baltimore can hopefully hold on to win this game (leading 6-1 in the bottom of the 8th), that would bring New York and them within 3 games, and if New York wins against Cleveland, they'll be 2.5 games back.

COME ON BALTIMORE!

Well, after getting owned 7-2 Friday night by the Sox, the Orioles returned the favor with a big 9-1 win.. This is the Orioles team that I want to see play all the time. Game should've been on FOX, but instead it was the Nats/Phillies game... Hopefully with a win on Sunday, the O's could be 2 games back of the BoSox, and ride a positive note by taking 3 out of 4 from Boston into the All-Star Break.

Baltimore/Boston was on FOX... at least where I live. :)

Ok, let me rephrase that.. It was on FOX, but they showed the Nationals game instead.

Hmm... depending on where you live, you probably got the right game after all.

Future Stars All-Star Game is on ESPN/ESPN 2 right now, featuring Team World vs. Team USA, which is I'm guess Minor Leaguers. (captain Obvious strikes again)

Yay, Tampa Bay's future Shortstop B.J. Upton is playing in the game for the USA Team. :)

O's won today, 4-1 over the BoSox, and only trail by 2 games in the AL East. And another good thing: they have a winning record at the ASB for the first time since '97, currently standing at 47-40... I am having high hopes for the O's.


Now Scrooge, since I am a sports history buff, would you like me to do the O's record at the ASB and final records dating back to their last winning season ('97), or should I go all the way back to their last World Series win ('83)?

Sure, why not? This folder could use all the discussion it can get.

Let's see...

AL East has the Orioles 2 GB and Yankees 2.5 GB of the Red Sox, and the Wild Card Race has the Twins, Indians, and Yankees 2 games within eachcother.

NL East... fuck it, that one is too close to call, except for Philadelphia, who havn't been doing too good lately.

Houston Astros pulling a lazerous by rising from the dead... AGAIN, and being potential contenders for the Wild Card again.

The NL West is pathetic. 'Nuff said.

Thanks Scrooge. Ok, this is gonna be lengthy, and I might be able to remember certain events from recent years.


1983: At the ASB, they didn't seem like a soon-to-be championship team, as they were 42-34. Afterwards, they went 56-30 in the 2nd half of the season, finishing at 98-64. They beat the White Sox in the ALCS 3-1, and beat the Phillies in the World Series 4-1.

1984: Sort of a dissapointing year, as they finished 5th in the 7 team AL East. At the ASB, they were 46-39, and in the 2nd half, they went 39-38. Final record was 85-77.

1985: 44-41 at the break, and went 39-37 in the 2nd half. Final record was 83-78, finishing 4th in the AL East. Side note: they went 1-12 against the Yankees.

1986: 46-41 at the break, and went 27-48 to finish at 73-89, their first losing season since 1967 (76-85).. Side note: in August-October combined, they went 18-48. They finished last in the 7 team AL East.

1987: 35-53 at the break, and went 32-42, finishing at 67-95... Side note: O's went 1-12 against Boston, and 1-12 against Toronto.

1988: 28-59 at the break, and 26-48 after the break, finishing at 54-107, last place in the AL East. Side notes: Baltimore started out the season 0-21, the worst start in team history.. Also went 0-12 against Kansas City, and 3-10 against New York.

1989: A bounceback year for the O's, as they almost made the playoffs. At the break, they were 48-37, and 39-38 in the 2nd half, finishing at 87-75, 2 games out of first in the AL East.

1990: Another down year for the O's, finishing in 5th place. Before break: 37-45. After break: 39-40, finishing at 76-85.. Side notes: August was a bad month, as the Orioles went 9-18.

1991: Was 33-47 at the break, and 34-48 after the break, finishing at 67-95, 6th in the AL East... Side note: O's went 3-10 against Milwaukee.

1992: In their first season @ Camden Yards, the O's had a turnaround season, finishing 3rd in the AL East. Before break: 49-38.. After break: 40-35, finishing at 89-73.

1993: At the ASB, the O's went 47-41 and 38-36, finishing at 85-77 for a second consecutive finish at 3rd place in the AL East... Side notes: Baltimore went 20-7 in June, and had a 10-2 record against Oakland.

1994: In the strike-shortened season in the new AL East, the Orioles had a 50-36 record at the break, and went 13-13 until the league stopped, to finish in 2nd place at 63-49. At the time of the strike, the O's were only 6.5 games behind New York.

1995: In the post-strike season, they Orioles posted a 33-35 record at the ASB, and went 38-38 after the break to finish in 3rd place at 71-73.... Sides notes: Baltimore went 4-9 against Boston, 2-10 against Cleveland, and 6-7 against the Yankees.

1996: Adding a cast of superstars to their roster, the Orioles had a better season in '96. At the break, they were 46-39, and went 42-35, finishing in 2nd place with a record of 88-74. Baltimore beat Cleveland in the ALDS 3-1, and lost to eventual World Series champion New York 4-1. Please note that Game 1 had a controversial point, as some fan interferred with Tony Tarasco's catch. Unfortunately, the umps didn't notice, and New York won that game in extra innings.... Side notes: Baltimore went 7-6 against Boston, 5-7 against Cleveland, 11-2 against Detroit, 3-10 against New York, and 3-10 against Texas. Brady Anderson also hit 50 Homeruns.

1997: Baltimore's best season since 1983, as they went "wire-to-wire", winning the AL East. At the ASB, they were 55-30. Afterwards, they went 43-34, finishing at 98-64.. Beat Seattle 3-1 in the ALDS, but lost to Cleveland 4-2 in the ALCS (I still think the ump should've called ball 4 on Alomar instead of ringing up a K).... Side notes: Baltimore had a spectacular May, going 20-8.. 3-0 vs. Atlanta, 6-5 vs. Cleveland, 10-1 vs. Minnesota, 8-4 vs. NYY, and 10-1 vs. Texas.

1998: After having a struggle with owner/jackass Peter Angelos, former manager Davey Johnson was forced out, and pitching coach Ray Miller was brought in. Despite what O's fans thought of him as a manager, he did a better job that Hargrove and actually had the team contend for a wildcard spot... Anyways, before the break, the O's were 38-50. Following the break, Baltimore won 9 consecutive games. And no, I don't think Mike Ditka's singing at Wrigley Field had anything to do with it. On 8/22, Baltimore was 69-60, and in 2nd place, but lost 10 straight games to fall to 69-70. They finished at 79-83 behind a 41-33 second half, and the 1st of many 4ht place finishes.... Side notes: 1-2 vs. Atlanta, 6-6 vs. Boston, 2-9 vs. Chicago WS, 3-9 vs. NYY.

1999: Despite signing Albert Belle, the O's did no better than they did in '98. At the break, they were 36-51, and 42-33 to finish in 4th at 78-84. Shortly after the season, Ray Miller was canned in favor of Mike Hargrove. Side notes: O's went 6-16 in April, and 20-8 in May... 5-7 vs. Boston, 3-0 vs. Atlanta, 1-9 vs. Cleveland, 4-9 vs. NYY, and 1-11 vs. Toronto.

2000: With Hargrove in as manager, things were looking up for the O's.... They started April off going 14-10, but the good times ended there, other than finishing the season sweeping the Yankees in 3 games. Their record at the ASB was 38-48, and went 36-40 in the 2nd half, finishing again in 4th with a record of 74-88. Side notes... 0-3 vs. Atlanta, 5-7 vs. Boston, 5-7 vs. NYY... Cal Ripken played a reduced number of games due to a back injury.

2001: With the retirement of Albert Belle, and without any real firepower in their offense, the O's fared no better in 2001. It was also Cal Ripken Jr.'s final year, winning the MVP in the All-Star game. At the break, the O's were 40-47, but slumped in the 2nd half, going 23-51... Side notes: Baltimore went 6-21 in July, 11-16 in August, 7-13 in September, and 1-6 in October... 1-2 vs. Atlanta, 9-10 vs. Boston, 5-13 vs. NYY, and 7-12 vs. Toronto.

2002: Just when O's fans this would be a good year, bad luck came into play. After beating Toronto on 8/23 to even up at 63-63, Baltimore lost 32 of their last 36 games, finishing in 4th at 67-95.. At the ASB, they were 42-43, and after they were 25-52.... Side notes: O's went 4-24 in September.. 6-13 vs. Boston, 6-13 vs. NYY, 4-15 vs. Toronto.

2003: In his final season as O's manager, Mike Hargrove did little good to help the Orioles' cause, going 71-91. At the ASB, they were 41-50, and after, they were 30-41. A bad June (8-18) and August (11-20) eliminated any chances of a winning season or playoff berth. After the season, Hargrove was let go, and former Yankee 1st base coach Lee Mazilli took over in the coming months... Side notes: 1-2 vs. Atlanta, 9-10 vs. Boston, 6-13 vs. NYY, 8-11 vs. Toronto.

2004: Being a former Yankee, O's fans thought that this would be the year they'd get back to the playoffs. Management signed Miguel Tejada, Rafael Palmeiro, and Javy Lopez. Although the new stars added some power to the offense, it wasn't totally enough, but they did better in '04, finishing in 3rd place with a record of 78-84. They were in playoff contention, until a 12 game losing streak in August derailed them. At the ASB, they were 37-48, but they bounced back with a 41-36 record in the 2nd half.... Sides notes: Baltimore also re-signed Sidney Ponson, who compiled a 17-12 record in '03.. Unfortunately, he started off 3-12, but rebounded and finished at 11-15... 3-6 vs. Anaheim, 1-2 vs. Atlanta, 10-9 vs. Boston, 5-14 vs. NYY, 0-7 vs. Oakland, 11-8 vs. Toronto.



Whew! That was rather exhausting! Scrooge, why don't you do one for the Devil Rays or Yankees, or any random team?

Good call, but right now I'm 10 minutes away from a TKO, and am typing purely on adrenaline. MATT HARDY! AAAAAH! (collapses) I'll finish reading your Baltimore rant later, cause obviously...

<--not all there right now. (not like I've always been there anyway)

While searching through my old magazines from 1998-2005, I thought I would type out the Devil Rays preview from the 1998 Season Athlon Sports issue, to see how much things have changed in the last 7 years. (goes to type out)

Go to Baseball-Reference.com. That place has all the info you need.

I think I knew that already (:P), but that's for the comparison on how the team turned out in 1998 and looked last year.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays (1998):

While winning the World Series in the franchises' fifth season, the Florida Marlins raised the stakes for future expansion teams. The Devil Rays swear they feel no pressure to produce as quickly, but Florida's precedent will always boom.
Tampa Bay's early approach has been to build around pitching and defense, a sensible tact, since there's no way they'll slug it out with the AL East teams in the short term. While it's premature to wonder wether Tampa Bay can reach the playoffs after three seasons like Colorado or (gasp!) win the World Series after fuve, there is an expansion goal in sight. The Angels are the only expansion team to win 70 in its first sason. That's not out of reach in Tampa.

ROTATION: Usually the scourge of new teams, starting pitching receiving the Devil Rays biggest investment. Wilson Alvarez has the talent and salary (five years, $35 million) of a No. 1 starter, although he has yet to perform like one. Tampa Bay also made a big investment in Cuban defector Rolando Arrojo ($7 million signing bonus), who was outstanding in the Arizona Fall League and should have no trouble making the roster. Left-hander Tony Saunders, the No. 1 expansion pick, shone in spurts as a rookie. Knuckleballer Dennis Springer will eat up innings. The fifth spot is open with Albie Lopez, Jason Johnson, Terrell Wade, and Esteban Yan as possibilities.

BULLPEN: Leads are precious for an expansion team, and that explains the $22.5 million the Devil Rays will pay closer Roberto Hernandez through 2001. With 101 saves the last three seasons, Hernandez knows how to last three seasons. The question is wether the rest of the bullpen will do its part to hold leads into the ninth. Jim Mecir is the only healthy, proven major leaguer in middle relief.

MIDDLE INFIELD: The Devil Rays sent outfield prospect Bob Abreu to Philadlephia to acquire shortstop Kevin Stocker and used their fourth pick in the expansion draft for Cubs second basemen Miguel Cairo. Stocker can hit .270 with minimal pop. Cairo probably won't even do that. But both are outstanding infielders with good range and the Rays consider that a necessity with Tropicana Field's artificial surface.

CORNERS: The is the Ben Gay section. Fred McGriff, 34, Paul Sorrento, 32, and Wade Boggs, 39, are among the few 30-somethings on the roster. McGriff and Sorrento will alternate between first base/DH and are proven muscle men. McGriff slipped at the plate in '97, but he says it was a result of deep walls at Turner Field. Boggs, a Tampa native, is a temporary solution at third base while the Rays groom Bobby Smith. Boggs, 200 hits shy of 3,000, as lost range in the field and pop at the plate but is a .300 hitter with soft hands.

OUTFIELD: The first star to emerge could be Quunton McCracken. The initial position player taken in the expansion draft, the former Rockie has speed, can hit (.291 in 609 career at-bats), and plays a mean center field. Former Atlanta top prospect Mike Kelly, coming off his best season, gets another chance at a starting job in left. Rookie Rich Butler is ready if Kelly falters. Dependable Dave Martinez was signed as a free-agent for right-field duty.

CATCHING: John Flaherty was acquired from the Padres to provide offense, and Mike Difelice, taken in the expansion draft, is the defensive expert. Flaherty, with one year remaining on his contract, may be a short-timer. That wouldn't be a huge problem because Difelice is a proven handler of pitching staffs and a deterent to base runners.

DH/BENCH: There should be no problem at DH with McGriff or Sorrento. Expansion teams can build a lineup around a few free agents, but depth is hard to find. The Rays will carry youngsters like outfielders Bubba Trammell and third-basemen Smith, but will need some experienced bats. Longtime Class AAA star Russ Morman will get a shot, as will former Indian Herbert Perry.

MANAGEMENT: The early returns look good but the scoreboard has yet to be turned on. Managing general partner Vince Naimoli has done his part, spending freely for free agents. GM Chuck LaMar has shown a welcome penchant for avoiding safe, predictable moves. Manager Larry Rothschild is an unknown quantity---a well respected pitching coach with zero managerial experience.

CHARACTER: It's not easy to get 25 new teammates to mesh. Some might be grumpy about ending up on an expansion team, while others view it as a rebirth. Regardless of how they act, the Devil Rays will look snappy. The club has a strict policy requiring neatly trimmed hair and moustaches, no beards and no jewelry on the field.

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American League Category Rankings:
Rotation...............12
Bullpen................11
Middle Infield.......14
Corners................9
Outfield................13
Catching...............9
DH/Bench............6
(These rankings are based on the 14 American League teams according to strength in each category, with 1 being the best.)

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Batting Order:
CF Quinton McCracken... Lifetime .303 average from right side, .253 from left.
3B Wade Boggs.............. Coming off a career-low 103 hits.
LF Mike Kelly................. Between A, AAA, and Reds, hit .322, 16 HRs in 292 ABS.
DH Fred McGriff............ One of three players with 90-plus RBI last seven years.
1B Paul Sorrento............. Had a .588 slugging percentage at Kingdome.
C John Flaherty.............. Hit .320 following the All-Star break.
RF Dave Martinez........... Hit into four DPs in 108 situations, third best in AL.
SS Kevin Stocker............. Third among NL shortstops in fielding (.981).
2B Miguel Cairo............... One strikeout every 12.3 at-bats in minors.

Rotation:
LHP Wilson Alvarez........ Held RH hitters to a .223 average.
RHP Rolando Arrojo........ Sizzled in Arizona Fall League, 5-0, with a 1.38 ERA.
LHP Tony Saunders......... Was 3-2 with a 2.92 ERA pitching on four days rest.
RHP Dennis Springer....... Pitched into the seventh inning in 16 of 28 starts.
RHP Esteban Yan............ Was 8-2 with a 2.28 ERA as a starter in AAA.

Bullpen:
RHP Roberto Hernandez.. Has a 2.18 ERA over the last two seasons.
RHP John LeRoy............. Rays says he's ready to jump from Double A to majors.
LHP Ramon Tatis............ Had nearly as many walks (29) as strikeouts (33).
RHP Albie Lopez............. Allowed eight og 14 inherited runners to score.
RHP Jim Mecir................ Touched for 11 HRs in 73 innings last two seasons.

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1998 Record: 63-99 (finished 5th in AL East)
- 34-52 Record by the All-Star Break (Best month: 12-13 in April)
(Divisional Record: 1-11 vs. New York, 7-5 vs. Baltimore, 5-7 vs. Toronto, 3-9 vs. Boston)
All-Stars: Rolando Arrojo (RHP)

Team Batting Average: .261 (13th) (leader: Q. McCracken - .291)
OBP: .319 (13th) (Leader: F. McGriff - .371)
SLG: .385 (14th) (Leader: F. McGriff - .443)
Runs Scores: 620 (14th) (leader: Q. McCracken - 77)
Hits: 1,450 (13th (Leader: Q. McCracken - 179)
Doubles: 267 (14th) (Leader: C. McCracken - 38)
Triples: 43 (1st) (Leader: R. Winn - 9)
Home Runs: 111 (14th) (Leader: F. McGriff - 19)

Team ERA: 4.35 (4th) (Leader (SP): R. Arrojo - 3.56)
Wins: 63 (14th) (Leader: R. Arrojo - 14)
Losses: 99 (1st/Worst) (Leader: T. Saunders - 15)
Saves: 28 (14th) (Leader: R. Hernandez - 26)
Walks: 643 (14th) (Leader: T. Saunders - 111)
Strikeouts: 1,008 (8th) (Leader: T. Saunders - 172)

Team Fielding Errors: 104

Wow... just wow. In the batting department, they finished last or next to last in all but 1 category (triples), and in pitching while having a pretty good team ERA, they didn't have much run support to help that out. Quinton McCracken and Fred McGriff were obviously the teams stars of 1998, leading them in almost every important batting category, while Rolando Arrojo was the teams "ace" pitcher and being their only representative at the 1998 All-Star game.

Although the Devil Rays haven't been much better, in the 2004 Season, broke out of the basement for the first time ever (1 game better than Toronto) with their best record to date (70 total wins), and developing new stars in Rocco Baldelli, Carl Crawford, Scott Kazmir (acquired from NYM in exchange for Zambrano), Dewon Brazelton, and B.J. Upton to name a few.

Funny note: I didn't know the Devil Rays traded Bobby Abreu... wow, that must suck now, but back then, who knew?

I do remember the Orioles having constant trouble against the D-Rays that season.. And yeah, rather odd for the Rays to give up Abreu, and having him turn into a major star.. Ok Scrooge, let's go on to 1999 for the Devil Rays.

Gotta give me some time, that took a while to type out, although the latter part was only about 6-7 minutes of scouting through numbers.

It must've taken me about 1-2 hours typing out mine.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays (1999):

For manager Larry Rothschild, who grew restless as the losses mounted in his team's first season, the kid gloves are off. "These guys with long-term contracts..." he says, "this year will be different. Last years, I held back a lot of reactions. But if the players who had bad years don't end up performing, I have no choice for this organization and it's fans but to make a change. If that means sitting them down, that's what I'll do."
The players in question are a group of well-compensated veterans who underperformed. After a hopeful 10-6 start, the team hobbled home 63-99, and little was done this winter to reverse course. In the affluent AL East, the frugal Rays seem to be stuck in neutral, at least until the team's farm system matures.

ROTATION: Big-money free agent Wilson Alvarez flopped, but a return to form by the stamina-challenged southpaw would complete a big three, including Rookie of the Year runner-up Rolando Arrojo and promising lefty Tony Saunders, that would look good even on a contending team. Waiver pickup Julio Santana is a probably No. 4. Incumbent Bryan Rekar may not stave off Arizona Fall League Pitcher of the Year Jason Johnson for the final spot.

BULLPEN: This was the team's strength, and its 3.84 relief ERA ranked second in the AL only to the Yankees. Roberto Hernandez (101 saves in 1995-97) never seemed to focus, however, and twice lost his job. Set-up chores are in the hands of three effective righthanders, who combined to win 19 games; Jim Mecir, Albie Lopez, and closer-to-be Esteban Yan. There's no proven lefty.

MIDDILE INFIELD: Second basemen Miguel Cairo and shortstop Kevin Stocker are solid defeinsively and helped the team lead the league in double plays. Offense is another matter. Both handle the bat well in little-ball strategies, but they combined for an on-base percentage of under .300.

CORNERS: Third basemen Bobby Smith, 25, looks good enough to send Wade Boggs to the bench. Boggs, who still has a fire for the game despite withering skills, will play just enough to get the 78 hits he needs to reach 3,000. First base is problematic. The Rays have an untrable, high-salaried vet there in Fred McGriff, who production is substandard for the position.

OUTFIELD: The Ray's best all-around player, Quinton McCracken, moved from center to left to accomodate rookie catalyst Randy Winn in July, but since the team can't afford both singles-hitters in the lineup, "Q" might return to the middle. Jose Canseco and Bubba Trammell offer power but are weak defensively. Rich Butler, Mike Kelly, and Dave Martinez would be spare parts on a good team. This bunch will lead the majors in assists and fewest errors.

CATCHERS: Status quo. John Flaherty and Mike DiFelice can't hit a lick, but they're so good defensively that it doesn't matter. Both were among AL's top four in throwing out runners, and they had more than little do to with the pitching staff's success.

DH/BENCH: DH Canseco, the hot stove' only major acquisiton, becomes this team's marquee hitter and personality. On the adventuresome occasions he wears a glove, disapointing Paul Sorrento offers a left-handed alternative. Overall depth, provided by utilityman Aaron Ledesma and the outfield leftovers, is a strength.

MANAGEMENT: For now, the grade is incomplete. General manager Chuck LaMar says his plan remains to build from within. Unfortunately, the young talent is at the lower levels of the system. As for Rothschild, he ran the team silly on the basepaths and used 139 lineups (second-most in majors) trying to manufacture runs.

UP AND COMING:
RHP Matt White - Has been inconsistant (8-11, 4.79 ERA in A-ball) but has talent in Kerry Wood's zip code. ETA: 2000.
OF Kenny Kelly - (19 SBs in 54 games in Class-A) a U. of Miami QB, is the best athlete in the organization. ETA: 2002.
LHP Cedric Bowers - A Blue chipper. ETA: 2001.

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Batting Order:
CF Quinton McCracken.... Expansion records for hits, outfield assists (18).
LF Dave Martinez............ Batted everywhere in the lineup except 9th.
DH Jose Canseco............. One fewer HR than all right-handed Rays combined.
1B Fred McGriff.............. Slugged .443, AL clean-up hitters were .523.
3B Bobby Smith............... Scored or drove in winning run in final AB 6 times.
RF Bubba Trammell......... Had four of teams 10 three-run HRs.
C John Flaherty............... Was hitless in 48 percent of '98 tilts.
SS Kevin Stocker............. Of only 25 RBIS, 16 were tying or go-ahead.
2B Miguel Cairo............... Third-hardest to strike out in AL.

Rotation:
RHP Rolando Arrojo........ First AL rookie since '83 to pitch in the All-Star Game.
LHP Wilson Alvarez........ 0 Shutouts, but took shutout to 6th inning 11 times.
LHP Tony Saunders......... Finished 9th in AL in K's, 1st in walks.
RHP Julio Santana........... 2.21 ERA from 7/9-9/1 second in AL to Clemens.
RHP Jason Johnson......... Sore back much of '98, but went 7-1 in fall ball.

Bullpen:
RHP Roberto Hernandez... 22-game 0 ER streak, but ERA 6.26 otherwise.
RHP Albie Lopez............. 2nd in wins, 6th in ERA among AL Relievers.
RHP Jim Mecir................ Held league to .219 average with men on base.
RHP Esteban Yan............ Allowed 0 runs, 2 hits in 14 1/3 innings last April.
RHP Rick White.............. 6.91 ERA as a starter, but 2.98 out of the pen.
LHP Miker Duvall............ Hard thrower, 2.32 ERA in 4 minor league seasons.

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1999 Record: 69-93 (finished 5th in AL East)
- 39-49 Record by the All-Star Break (Best month: 16-12 in August)
(Divisional Record: 7-5 vs. Baltimore, 9-4 vs. Boston, 4-8 vs. New York, 5-8 vs. Toronto)
All-Stars: Jose Canseco & Roberto Hernandez

Team Batting Average: .274 (9th) (Leader: F. McGriff - .310)
OBP: .338 (10th) (Leader: F. McGriff - .405)
SLG: .411 (12th) (Leader: J. Canseco - .563)
Runs Scores: 772 (11th) (Leader: D. Martinez - 79)
Hits: 1,531 (9th) (Leader: F. McGriff - 164)
Doubles: 272 (12th) (Leader: F. McGriff - 30)
Triples: 29 (8th) (Leaders: M. Cairo & D. Martinez - 5)
Home Runs: 145 (13th) (Leader: J. Canseco - 34)

Team ERA: 5.06 (10th) (Leader: W. Alvarez - 4.22)
Wins: 69 (11th) (Leader: W. Alvarez - 9)
Losses: 93 (3rd) (Leader: B. Witt - 15)
Saves: 45 (6th) (Leader: R. Hernandez - 43)
Walks: 695 (14th) (Leader: B. Witt - 96)
Strikeouts: 1,055 (4th) (Leader: W. Alvarez - 128)

Team Fielding Errors: 133 (+29 from 1998)

- Clocking in with their 2nd best team record in history, 1999 was definitely an improved season compared to 1998, where they finished in dead last in almost every category, and nudged up a few slots in everything but walks allowed and team HR's.

Wilson Alvarez still didn't perform up to standards, and Rolando Arrojo suffered a horrible season (7-12, 5.18 ERA) compared to the 1998 outing, and none of the Devil Rays starters had double digits in wins. Roberto Hernandez had a large improvment on 1998, nearly doubling his total saves total from the year before.

The Devil Rays top performer Quinton McCracken was out for most of the season, leaving some holes in the offense that would be hard to fill. McGriff again was one of the top performers, but with a salary over $5 million, it may not have been enough. Jose Canseco added spark to the offense, but clocked in a batting avg. (.279) as bad as John Flaherty (.278) and Randy Winn (.267).

Fun Notes: Drafted on June 2nd, 1999, the Devil Rays selected future outfielder Carl Crawford and RHP Seth McClung (just came back after taking last year off for Tommy John surgery).

Since I have nothing to do, here was the rosters for the Futures Games the other day...

United States Roster:
Starting Lineup:
C Ryan Garko (Cleveland-AAA)
1B Conor Jackson (Arizona-AAA)
2B Josh Barfield (San Diego-AAA)
3B Andy LaRoche (LA Dodgers-AA)
SS B.J. Upton (Tampa Bay-AAA)
LF Kevin Thompson (NY Yankees-AAA)
CF Chris Young (Chicago WS-AA)
RF Delmon Young (Tampa Bay-AA)
DH Jeremy Hermida (Florida-AA)
RHP Justin Verlander (Detroit-AA)

Bench:
C Josh Willingham (Florida-AAA)
1B Daric Barton (Oakland-A)
2B Marcus Sanders (San Francisco-A)
3B Scott Moore (Chicago Cubs-A)
SS Brandon Wood (LA Angels-A)
OF Jeff Francoeur (Atlanta-AA)
OF Lastings Milledge (NY Mets-A)

Bullpen:
RHP Travis Bowyer (Minnesota-AAA)
RHP Thomas Diamond (Texas-AA)
LHP Zach Duke (Pittsburgh-AAA)
LHP Zach Jackson (Toronto-AA)
RHP Bobby Jenks (Chicago WS-AA)
RHP Chris Lambert (St. Louis-AA)
?HP Anthony Lerew (Atlanta-AAA)
?HP Paul Maholm (Pittsburgh-AA)
LHP Troy Patton (Houston-A)
RHP Ian Snell (Pittsburgh-AAA)
RHP Joal Zumaya (Detroit-AA)

World Roster:
Starting Lineup:
C Miguel Montero (Arizona-A)
1B Kendry Morales (LA Angels-AA)
2B William Bergolla (Cincinnati-AAA)
3B Edwin Encarnacion (Cincinnati-AAA)
SS Yuniesky Betancourt (Seattle-AAA)
LF Luis Montanez (Chicago Cubs-A)
CF Shin-Soo Choo (Seattle-AAA)
RF Nelson Cruz (Milwaukee-AA)
DH Justin Huber (Kansas City-AA)
LHP Francisco Liriano (Minnesota-AAA)

Bench:
C Russ Martin (LA Dodgers-AA)
2B Herman Iribarren (Milwaukee-A)
3B John Hattig (Toronto-AAA)
SS Hanley Ramirez (Boston-AA)
OF Frank Diaz (Washington-A)
OF Melky Cabrera (NY Yankees-AA)
OF Felix Pie (Chicago Cubs-AA)
PH Javier Herrera (Oakland-AAA)
PH Jose Bautista (Pittsburgh-AA)

Bullpen:
RHP Edison Volquez (Texas-AA)
RHP Yusmeiro Petit (NY Mets-AA)
RHP Scott Mathieson (Philadelphia-A)
RHP Juan Morillo (Colorado-A)
RHP Fernando Cabrera (Cleveland-AAA)
LHP Adam Loewen (Baltimore-A)
RHP Fernando Nieve (Houston-AAA)
RHP Anibal Sanchez (Boston-A)
RHP Merkin Valdez (San Francisco-AA)

Welcome back Schilling, A-Rod just fucked you in the bloody sock. 8-6 Yankees in the 9th inning!

Well, usually I'd root for the Sox, but I will sorta pull for the Yankees to help Baltimore to regain the lead in the AL East.

Now Baltimore is only half a game back, and New York is 1.5 back. Toronto is also still capable of a miracle comeback, but with Halladay injured, it's not likely.

Yanks are too close to the O's... Now I'm rooting for Boston.

Well, considering we have some loser we got in a trade with San Diego starting today, I won't find it as a surprise if Boston beats the ever loving shit out of the Yankees today.

Congrats to Rafael Palmeiro for reaching the 3,000 hit club. I was watching it on TV, and he did it in the 5th inning... I also saw Cal Ripken get #3,000 on TV as well back in '99 against the Twins.

If Palmeiro doesn't get into the hall of fame (only 4th player with 3,000 hits and over 500 HRs), I'm going to kick myself in the balls, and I've never been a fan of any of the teams he's been on.

Dale Sveum (sp?) continues to prove he's the worst 3rd base coach ever, by fucking the Sox out of an easy run, and causing an avoidable out in between 2nd and 3rd to make it 2 outs in the bottom of the 4th. (inning over at 6-2, no other runs scored after the fuck up)

... God fucking dammit. (prays) I know I used all of my pray points on the 1999 NBA Playoffs, but it's worth a shot!

Edit: Holy shit... bases loaded, 0 out, 5-3 game in the 9th, and a double play and routine grounder between 1st and 2nd ends the game. Yankees 0.5 games behind Boston, and Baltimore still 1 game back.

I figured the O's would lose today. When Ponson pitches, they usually lose. They should've won last night, but went 0-14 with RISP. Erik Bedard comes back tomorrow, so that should help them out SOME, and then Javy Lopez will be returning soon as well..

Jesus...

Boston loses to Tampa Bay 3-1
Damon's hitting streak ends at 29 with an 0 for 5 day (reached on error in 1st though)
Yanks/Orioles/Sox all clusterfucked up in the 1-2-3 spots in the AL East, and since I suck, I only know if Yanks win, they'll be in first, but if Orioles win, I forgot where they'll be placed.

Well, after B.J. Ryan blowing the lead in the 9th, the O's win again. Miguel Tejada hits his first home run since playing Colorado last month, leading Baltimore to victory by a score of 3-2.

If the Yankees lose tonight, that means Baltimore will be tied for first in the AL East.