Budding Yanks-Rays rivalry??

Suspensions are in:
http://blogs.tampabay.com/rays/
3 for Duncan and Cabrera, 2 for Gomes
Listening to Gaylord Perry being interviewed right now on Tampa Bay radio. When asked what you do the next time you face Shelly Duncan, he said, "Plunk him. You have to hit him".

 

I understand why Gaylord Perry said the Rays have to dust Shelly Duncan. But should the Rays send a message by dumping ARod or Jeter?

 

They have some talent coming up behind those guys, too. Andy Sonnastine probably isn't ready yet, but he's got some ability. I'm betting they hold David Price back a year whether he is ready or not just to keep his arbitration clock from starting. And they aren't the only promising arms.

The Rays may not "own" the Yankees any time soon, but they have more going for them than some people here seem to think.

I agree with the post above that Longoria is a key this year. So is Carlos Pena. If Pena can continue to play anywhere near last season's level and Longoria is ready to contribute, that lineup is going to be very tough to deal with this year.

Bartlett obviously wouldn't be playing much with Captain Intangibles around in New York, but he's not a terrible player. If nothing else, he gives the Rays another threat to steal 30 bases. Navarro put together a nice second-half last year, too. He's not going to hit like Posada, but he was once a pretty good prospect and could finally be coming around.

 

Like the rivalry between the hammer and the nail.......

 

http://blogs.tampabay.com/rays/
From Marc Topkin's Rays blog:
"But the highlight of the morning has to be the quotes in the New York Post from New Yankees boss Hank Steinbrenner, who essentially said that since the Yankees help support the Rays through revenue-sharing, the Rays shouldn't play so rough against them.
Seriously.
"I don't want these teams in general to forget who subsidizes a lot of them, and it's the Yankees, the Red Sox, Dodgers, Mets," he said. "I would prefer if teams want to target the Yankees that they at least start giving some of that revenue sharing and luxury tax money back. From an owners point of view, that's my point.
"Nobody likes the brawl-type garbage, it doesn't belong in sports. And I don't want to see anyone injured in a brawl."

 

Hank acting like a tough guy:

http://www.nypost.com/seven/03152008/sports/yankees/hank__were_not_going_to_take_it_102070.htm

 

"I gave him the back of the plate, he had room," Cervelli said.

That's new.

 

Jeff Niemann is starting for the Rays at Tampa today and the Rays have some of their larger players or less important players in the starting lineup. That first inning could be very entertaining.