Got to Forget this One
You know what, tonight was one of those games where you just have to shut it off afterward and recognize that we just got beat.
Yes, we lost, but I thought we did a good job. We did the best we could with our at-bats. We just couldn’t get it going, which has happened before to us. So if anything, we just have to stay hopeful and optimistic — especially after these last two games we’ve played haven’t gone our way. So I’m hopeful the tide is about to turn. You know it’s due.
The object for us will be to try to make all of this — the playoffs and all the hype — feel normal. And sometimes that’s hard to do. But that’s exactly what the beauty of it is — to be able to stay within, focus within, you don’t let everything outside pollute you. That’s the beauty of sports. Because sometimes, what may seem like a defeat on the physical level is a victory on the mental level — just because of how you were pressing or how you made it seem the same even though it’s a big situation in everybody’s eyes, but to you it’s the same. So you gave yourself the best shot to be successful, but it just didn’t happen.
We just feel like we should shrug off Game 6, because we came out and had good at-bats and locked ourselves in there. We kept things simple and we got beat. It’s a lot easier just to shrug your shoulders and tip your hat and just play another game tomorrow.
Carlos Pena's Postseason Blog 
Carlos,
We, the citizens of the Rays Republic are behind you 110 percent tomorrow night. Whatever you need from the 10th man you got it tomorrow.
We will cheer, clang our cowbells and scream until our ears go numb. I know you guys know what is at stake, and I know you want it as bad as we do…….
Bring it home guys, so we can dance, get sprayed with good bubbly and enjoy the next two weeks watching more Rays baseball.
We got your back……………..We are the proud 10th Men and Women of the Tampa Bay Rays
Rays Renegade
http://raysrenegade.mlblogs.com
my girlfriend and i have been there 4 every postseason game and 25 games this season this is a tough loss but if theres 1 thing ive learned this season the RAYS never die in tampa!! they just go down and come back up the next day!! even stronger!!!!! let there be light may the Rays shine bright sunday!!!! the rays have brought us faith,hope&happiness all season!!now its time to win the whole thing!! bring it home boys!! we will b in 305 w 1&2 to c it!! thanx, brian and melissa LETS GO RAYS!LETS GO RAYS!LETS GO RAYS!
Carlos,
I thought you all did great last night. Yes, it was short of the win, but it ain’t over yet. It’s okay that the BoSox got that one ? this next one belongs to the Rays. 🙂 We love to watch you all. Carlos, you are my daughter, Amanda’s
(who is 7) favorite player. Her teacher at school even clips your pictures out of the newspaper for her. She would like to leave her own note after mine for you.
We would love to hear ‘Feel the heat, the Rays” all night tonight. Light up the scoreboard ya’ll, but know that either way, this year has been awesome. Navarro did something last night that made sense for all of you to do, instead of calling for a specific play, he held up his hand and motioned for the pitcher to ‘bring it.’ After which a perfect strike was thrown. You guys most definitely have it ? bring it all tonight! Show ’em what it’s all about!!! Rays the Roof! ~ Respectfully, Kristi
~FROM MY DAUGHTER ~ Carlos,
I am really excited about tonight! I am sorry you lost last night, but we are going to try to win tonight. I watch you when you are on first base and up to bat, and I know that this will be a relaxed game for you like all the other games. I think you are a really good player up to bat and on the field especially when you come out to talk to the pitchers. We will be cheering you on tonight. Hugs from your #1 fan, Amanda GO RAYS!
Carlos, We are so proud of all of you, and we know our rays like to do things in a dramatic fashion!! So go out there tonight and give it your all and whatever happens just know we are all behind you 100 percent!! I am a huge fan of yours Carlos, and thank you for taking time to take a picture with me on my birthday, you made my day very special!!! GO RAYS!!!!
Carlos and Teammates,
You know you all have the abilities to perform so it must be a mental state. The experienced players who have been there before in the playoffs now need to do their job and get you into the right mindset. You guys are too good to let boston win it tonight. Focus on its just a game, don’t try too hard especially at bat be relaxed. Everyone does not need to hit home runs, its the singles and doubles and walks that start the rallys and then with players on base someone hits the big home run or double to drive runs in. It appears to me everyone is trying to hit the home run. Just play normal and when you win tonight it will be the Biggest upset in major league and silence all of those stupid redsox fans who make fun of the Rays and their fans.
Tonight pull out all of the tricks, steals, bunts, hit a batter or two and most of all you have to have fun doing it. Take the boston players out of their comfort zone and do whatever it takes to win. Please, Please remind Maddon and the pitchers to pitch all off speed and very few fastballs because the only pitch the redsox can hit well is the fastball.
If you don’t add gas to the fire it will burn out. Gas is fastballs, the redsox will burn out. Now go out and Win, Win,Win,Win,Win,Win,Win!!!
Carlos and teammates, I’m a Japanese MLB fan.
I love the Rays not only because of Aki Iwamura but because your team is very much impressive in a way you guys have turned around from last year. Your team is one of the greatest offensively and defensively.
Although the last 2 ALCS games are heartbreaker for us, I believe in tomorrow’s game. Go Rays!!
Tack from Tokyo
Goodmorning Carlos and Teammates,
Wow, what a great year it’s been so far! Here we are in the 7th game of the ALCS on the brink of going to the World Series! I don’t have any advice for tonight because you really don’t need it. You’ve proven again and again that you know what you’re doing. You’ve worked hard and you deserve this. So go out there and have yourselves the time of your lives! (but do save some of your energy for next week)
keep everyone loose today and keep their spirits up because today every pitch, every at bat, every fielding play and every second counts more than it has ever for the Rays.
Remind everyone to keep it within their own abilities and not try to do too much (how often do we hear this, it is so true though)
Everyone contributes in their own ways and that is what made the Rays the AL East Champions and that is where our strengths are, picking each other up.
Get them laughing with your pre game dugout dance, or even bring it onto the mound and get Garza a little smile and let him do his thing out there.
Together you guys can win this.
The mentality of we are going to win is 100 times different than the mentality of we won’t lose.
Carlos, With all due respect to Maddon, update the team concept. Nine players for nine innings giving their all, equals one of two spots in the world series. Therefore:
9=2!!
we’ll be there for you tonight, carlos!
go rays!
Good luck tonight!
Hi Carlos! We are all behind you 110% tonight!!!! We KNOW you guys can do it!!! We will be there screaming and ringing our cowbells as loud as possible!!!!! WE BELIEVE!!!!! This is our house and we will NOT let the Red Sox take over!!! Bring it home guys!!!! GO RAYS!!!! ALL THE WAY!!!!
No fear
Carlos and Rays, we all know you are going to win tonight’s game!! We believe in you guys, we are at the Trop!!! This our house, this is our team!!! We all know you can win this one!! I have faith in THE RAYS!!! You beat Lester once, now we are going to beat him twice!!!!!!!
LETS GO RAYS!!!
FEEL THE HEAT RAYS!!!
WORLD SERIES HERE WE COME!!!
carlos, you guys had a great season. lester is going to pitch the sox to the series. too bad the sox didnt keep you.
go sox
yah i agree u guys did do a good job last night u know the wierd thing when u hit a homerun longoria always hit one after u.u guys are on a straek just don blow it like th rockies please right back ur one of my favorite players ever.
Hi Carlos!
Yes, that was a dissapointing game, and game 5’s outcome was even more so, but know what?? TONIGHT is a New Game and it’s at The TROP!!!!
You all came this far for a reason!! I Believe that!!
Please BELIEVE in yourselves and each other and go out there and WIN TONIGHT!!!!
GOOD LUCK RAYS!!!!
The RedSox have “been there, done that”….
NOW, It’s YOUR TURN!!!!
BELIEVE RAYS, BELIEVE!!!!
xoxoxoxo
Hi Carlos! I have to say that last night’s game wasn’t what i was expecting but you guys did a good job even though you didn’t win. You guys need to try to stay calm through all of this and not let the nerves and fears get to you. You guys are a great team and definitely have what it takes to make it tonight, so let’s focus, get this over with and show the world that the RAYS ARE THE NEW BEAST FROM THE EAST AND THAT WE ARE GOING TO THE WORLD SERIES! So let’s kick some butt tonight! Stay focus! God bless and i believe all of us will still be here no matter what happens! GO RAYS!
Hey RAYS,
I just took a hot shower killing the tiniest evil bacteria stuck to me. Everything negative has been sanitised and washed away leaving only the very best good bacteria living!
Anyhow, what I’m saying is WASH AWAY any doubt, anything negative, anything taking space from what you NEED RIGHT NOW to get you to your DREAM, Your WIN Tonight!!!!
I put on my new Snoopy and Woodstock panties that I have been saving in my drawer for months! I even got me a MOHAWK, not on my head- “been there, done that”, somewhere I haven’t had a mohawk before!
YES, I’m Pulling It ALL OUT!!!!
You all do the SAME!!
BELIEVE CARLOS!!!!
BELIEVE RAYS!!!!
😉
Carlos: Good luck tonight from the soon-to-be frozen north. I wrote a little something on here back on 10/15, so I won’t repeat myself, but I’m the one (Cub fan) who regards you and the Rays as my ultimate heroes for wiping out our pathetic south side rivals in the ALDS. Therefore, know this: YOU GUYS HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO WIN THIS THING! Go get them! Most everyone I have spoken with up in this neck of the woods is pulling for you, so that should tell you how many “new” fans you’ve acquired. YOU CAN DO THIS! Forget last night and concentrate on being the best of the best, because you are. Hey, I kept an eye on the AL games while watching the Cubs play this season, so I know you guys are good. Give the BoSox a run for their money tonight and know that so many of us are pulling for you. Besides, I never forget a “hero,” and you guys have become this Cubbie fan’s biggest hero of this baseball year. GOOD LUCK GUYS!
A Final TRUTH for you RAYS –
The Redsox may have more fans then the RAYS, But RIGHT NOW, MOST ALL BASEBALL FANS who are not Boston fans, Are All Pulling for The RAYS!!!!
MOST EVERYONE IS CHEERING FOR YOU!!!!
FEED OFF THAT AND ENJOY IT!!!!
Show NO MERCY!!
Go Have FUN!!
BELIEVE!!!!
xoxo
( Thanks CUBS fan, was hoping the RAYS-CUBS would play the WS)
Carols, My boyfriend and I are huge fans of yourself and The Rays. We just began seriously watching this season and were captivated by the way the team works as a “team”, not each player working for themselves. The heart that you and the other Rays possess is amazing and it is just one element of what makes you guys a truly awesome team. We have enjoyed every minute of watching the Rays play this season, both at Tropicana and on TV. We believe you guys will win tonight, but even if you don’t we want you that there is a Rays Nation out there that you guys created this season and we will be back next year to cheer for the best team in the MLB. GO RAYS!!!!
You guys are great!!! As a former resident of Boston (yuck!), I was thrilled to finally have a team in the Tampa Bay area. I have been watching and rooting for you guys since the beginning. I watch all the pre-game and post-game shows, as well as the games. Just continue to do what you’re doing—1 game at a time, 1 batter at a time, 1 hit at a time!!! We believe in you!!!
Carlos
Focus on the game – You will achieve
Victory is yours if you believe
“Your moms friend”
Hey Rays! We weren’t able to attend the game last night despite being offered tix, so we watched at the home of a Red Sawx fan just so we could feel some of the pressure that you had on your shoulders. I never comment with “should’ve, could’ve, would’ves” because they do nothing for you in life. But we will offer two coaching suggestions for tonight. We were all floored when Navarro got on first base and then was NOT subbed out with Perez to pinch run for him. Navi is by no means a sprinter extraordinaire. But, then, the whole room saw the pressure and fear in his eyes and we knew that “someone” had given HIM the signal to steal. We were incredulous. We were begging him to have the good sense NOT to. Pitch to glove, catcher to second minus lead off base-NO WAY! Please don’t make Navi run like that again. When a catcher is great as a catcher that’s awesome. When a catcher can slug too, that’s a bonus, but don’t expect them to run and do cartwheels at 5’9″ and well over 200 pounds. We also would love to see “someone” (can you say Baldelli) in right field who can throw and slug IF he’s well enough to play. Once again, Perez can run the bases if it’s not an HR.
Play for TONIGHT and only tonight, not history, not stats, not records, not the Yankees time, not the Indians time. And hopefully the coaches will coach in the moment as well based on timely needs and not past performances. It’ll be just the RAYS and the Sox for the FIRST TIME in the 7th of the ALCS. MAY OUR BEST TEAM WIN! Go RAYS!!!
Carlos, WE BELIEVE!! WE BELIEVE!WE BELIEVE!! WE BELIEVE!WE BELIEVE!! WE BELIEVE!WE BELIEVE!! WE BELIEVE!WE BELIEVE!! WE BELIEVE!WE BELIEVE!! WE BELIEVE!WE BELIEVE!! WE BELIEVE!WE BELIEVE!! WE BELIEVE!WE BELIEVE!! WE BELIEVE!WE BELIEVE!! WE BELIEVE!WE BELIEVE!! WE BELIEVE!WE BELIEVE!! WE BELIEVE!WE BELIEVE!! WE BELIEVE!WE BELIEVE!! WE BELIEVE!WE BELIEVE!! WE BELIEVE!WE BELIEVE!! WE BELIEVE!WE BELIEVE!! WE BELIEVE!WE BELIEVE!! WE BELIEVE!
Carlos, I’m sure you know this by now. The Rays are better then the Red Sox! Look at the stats for this year! Who’s in First Place and Who is is second place? No doubt! No Fear! Do what you do best persevere! Good luck tonight!! Even though you don’t need luck! You have it!
You dit it TEAM!
Go Rays in the World Series!
Thank you Carlos!
Hey Carlos,
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!
Congrats to you and your team man. To heck with Disneyworld………….you’re going to the World Series!
Good Luck to you and the rest of the Rays……..go get ’em Carlos!
Hi Carlos,
Mr C (Jill’s Dad here) … CONGRATULATIONS. You guys were the better team this year, and also in this series. I thought my Sox were going to come back in the 8th but, that – was – that. I guess NOW you are going to get to go to a party . Please, beat those Phillies! (you can) — have a great World Series, and my best to your family, your parents, your brothers and your sister. Enjoy this series (PS Jill is on her honeymoon in Italy right now…) Haverhill is behind you, all the way!
Congratulations, Carlos and your Rays. I knew all those years standing by this team would pay off. Now they have.Go Rays, all the way.Brentonhttp://braverays.mlblogs.com
Good job! I never knew baseball could be so exciting. I haven’t felt like this since I found out we would be getting an expansion team. Tampa Bay Rays 2008 American League Champions – WOW!
What a great team, and what a great series. CONGRATS!!
Aaron
http://districtboy.mlblogs.com
PS see you in Port Charlotte in the spring.
http://section15.mlblogs.com
Mr C from Haverhill
CONGRATS from part of yankee universe…. i kno half of new york is cheering for you cus you beat boston, the other half is cheering for you to beat philly keep going and GOOD JOB!!!!!
Hi Carlos,
I just wanted to drop you a note of congratulations! Of course, I wish you were still wearing the Old English ‘D’, but I’m glad to see you and the Rays heading to the series!
Good luck and Go Rays!
Your friend from the first baseline,
Abbey
Hi Carlos! Thanks to you and all the Rays for a terrific baseball season! I feel so lucky to have been able to attend some of the greatest games every played. Last night was the frosting on the cake and I watched it in awe. I gotta admit that I was holding my breath at times but all along knowing that the team would pull it off. I am so happy for the team and I will be routing the Rays through every game of the World Series!
Mary
Go Rays!! You are going to wipe the floor with the fighting Phils!! Send them home wishing they never came here!!