CHEESE & WHINE: Thin Air

Rays: 3
Rockies: 5


CHEESE:

• Jason Bartlett. JB is picking-up right where he left off before his trip to the DL. After going 2 for 4 last night Bartlett once again went 2 for 4, including a triple.
• Dioner Navarro. Navi was 2 for 3 from the plate with an RBI and a walk. Navi also caught Barmes trying to steal second.
• The Bullpen. What was the Rays' Achilles' heel for the first quarter of the season has started to become their bright spot (sunburst, if you will). Last night Nelson (who gave-up his first hit in 8 outings!), Balfour and Choate combined to allow 0 runs on 2 hits in 3 innings of work. The trio combined for 0 walks and 4 K's. Solid gold.

WHINE:

• Matt Garza. Matty-G struggled with his control for the second straight outing, that's not good. Garza looked his old-self out there losing control of his emotions. I hope the next time Hickey comes out to see him and he (Garza) walks away while Hick is still talking that Maddon will give him the hook immediately. That behavior of showing-up your pitching coach is selfish, childish, and unacceptable. Garza lasted 6 innings, giving-up 5 runs on 4 hits (3 HRs), while striking-out 5 and walking 2.
• Blown Opportunities. The Rays were 2 for 11 with runners in scoring position, and left 12 men on base.
• Evan Longoria. Dirtbag looked like an A-baller at the plate last night. Come on Evan, see the ball, hit the ball. Longoria was 1 for 4 with 3 strikeouts and a HBP.
• Carlos Pena. Pena should've excelled in the thin Colorado air, but failed to generate any offense last night, going 0 for 4 and leaving 4 men on base.
• The Yankees and Red Sox lost. This is usually a good thing (and it still is), the bad part is the fact that the Rays could've made up a game on both teams and didn't.

CRACKERS:

• The Rays are now 2 games behind Toronto, 3 behind New York, and 6 behind Boston.
• Many Thanks to The Rocket Scientist. TRS has been writing here for just a few months, but his comedic stylings have been tickling readers from the start. Well it turns out that you can't keep big-league talent in AAA for too long, so TRS has taken his show on the road with a few of his friends and started another new Rays' blog. Check him out at Trop It Like Its Hot, but don't forget to come back Rays the Stakes when you're done.

CAVIAR (game ball):

• Jason Bartlett. Another .500 night, another opportunity for me to beg the question why he's not leading-off.