And Now the World Series
I’ve had a day to digest the fact we’re going to the World Series and I’m still extremely excited. I feel like I’ve had a lot of sleep, when in reality, I haven’t. I think it’s because of how excited I am and how happy I am to have this opportunity. I’m so proud of this ballclub, and so proud to be a part of it, and the way we’ve done it. So, to me, my No. 1 intent is to make sure I take it all in.
Going through Boston, my hometown, made it a lot more special for me. And I think everyone was excited about how we got here. We earned it. We had to keep coming until the end to finally come away with that victory in Game 7. You can’t understand how joyful I was after that game. I was the last one out of this clubhouse. After everybody left, I’m like, “Oh my gosh, everyone’s gone, I have to go home.”
No matter how happy we are to be in the World Series, we are far from content. Don’t get me wrong, we’re extremely happy where we’re at right now, we’re loving it. We’re enjoying it. We know we have to keep it going and prepare for the next series, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with realizing what we’ve accomplished to this point.
We proved a lot to ourselves by winning the American League pennant. All of this wasn’t easy. Boston wasn’t easy. Being able to recover from a difficult game at Fenway and to be victorious says a lot about this ballclub. Now we move on to the World Series and we’ve got to keep it going.
Carlos Pena's Postseason Blog 
Carlos, I am so excited for you and the team. You have been doing extremely well. There is no reason you can’t keep it going. You are the leader (nothing like putting the pressure on huh? 🙂 No pressure. You guys are much better when you are in pressure situations. You guys must love DRAMA. lol.
I have no fingernails left from watching you win the final 7 game. I love it when you get so excited and pump your fist you motivate the team and the fans when you are pumped. Keep it going until the end. We are all proud of your accomplishments and the Rays team. Keep em motivated and keep seeing the ball! Good luck Wednesday. I’ll be watching and cheering you on.
Praise God that the RAYS won the AL East Pennant! Yes!!! It was a nail biter to the end. As a positive thinker along the lines of the RAYS with Joe Maddon’t leadership, I believed long ago, therefore, I got so bored from hearing the Boston-slanted TBS (they didn’t even show a clip of our hitters at bat until after they swang, just BoSox pitcher), the national MLB writers, the newspaper authors, all pontificate how the Red Sox were so much more qualified to win because they had more postseason familiarity, experience and based on past performance and statistics and because they did it to the Yankees in 2004 and the Indians in 2007, etc ad nauseum! YUK. To each I replied as I did in an earlier blog, “Each baseball game outcome is merely a product of the nine men on each team on the field at any given time and their coaching, and what they do in the moment, not based on some past performance.” Going into the World Series, I don’t have to say that any more because the “stats” in the media are in favor of the RAYS in terms of the interleague series that they have won over the Phillies, the number of home games taken, blah, blah, blah. My answer is still the same, “Past performance will not be indicative of what is done on the field any given night in the next 10 days either.” So, Carlos, all the RAYS and coaches, just do it up good each and every night. Leave it all on the field before you go home every day. Play in the moment each night and enjoy. That plus good focus will net you all very good looking rings and another fat paycheck. You’ve done all the work, training and preparation that you possibly can. Just hold on for four more RAYS wins however you want to take them out of seven. Best wishes, cognac
I just can’t wait for tomorrow game 🙂
I am recovering from cancer and this postseason has been a great way to help me go through my days…
Thank you again Carlos for your words and keeping the spirit alive…Go Rays!
DITTO, to all of the above but remember to think of the Phillies as the redsox team, you will have to play even better this time around to prove to the world that the RAYS are the Best Team in baseball.
Remember to tell your pitchers they cannot hit the inside pitch and do not pitch anything down the middle of the plate. That is their only strength!!!
Good Luck and WIN!!!!!
I’ll be in right field ringing my cowbell.
Bob H.
Carlos!
Have Fun! Dreams do come true and I believe your dream to win the World Series will come true for you and The RAYS!!!!
All you and your team need to do is what you all have been doing all year, be ONE TEAM. Uniting together is a good thing. Unfortunately, that’s NOT what POLITICS do!!
It’s not good to mix sports with politics, especially when most Rays season ticket holders are Republican.
I’m sure not ALL Rays “support” Obama, but it would been nice not to tarnish the good feeling of the Rays in the playoffs by bringing politics up in the mist of you going to the World Series. There’s just too many BAD FEELINGS on BOTH SIDES and we get enough Ugly Politics as it is, We don’t need “The Rays” mixing politics with our AMERICAN SPORT- BASEBALL.
Enough said, Now ALL RAYS, of ALL Political veiws; White, Black, Hispanic and Asian, Go Kick Some Philly Butt!!!!
🙂
xoxoxoxo
Go RAYS!!!!
I BELIEVE IN ALL OF YOU!!!!
JUST BELIEVE IN YOURSELVES AND EACH OTHER!!
WE ARE ONE TEAM!!
GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!
The Rays did an awesome job on Sunday. Great job Carlos! You all will show how much you have worked for this accomplishment. Keep playing!
Carlos,
Got to give you some mad props on the dance during the celebration at the Trop. You ought to make a video, because all of Tampa Bay want to do that dance now.
In a little more than 24 hours the Tampa Bay Rays will be going International and I can think of no other team that translates so well to the world than this team. We have a great mix in the melting pot from all around this great globe.
Go kick some Phillie booty and bring this baby home to Tampa Bay. It will be a hard series, but in the end we can win this thing and bring the entire Tampa Bay community together again.
You are One team, and that is an understarement. You are big family who lokks after each other and protects and helps each other in a moments notice. Now you have a pennant and a possible ring on the line that no one can ever take away from you.
It is 4 games within our reach……….Hey Carlos, Do that Dance!!!!!!
Rays Renegade
http://raysrenegade.mlblogs.com
Ahhh I am so excited for you guys! To me, you all have already won more than a million world series. But it would be wonderful to see you guys leave this with a ring on your finger. The world knows you deserve it more than anyone else! But we all know the memories you all have made will last longer than any ring would. The crap you all have had to go through, and being able to push all the negativity and doubts aside to just come together and play as one team. You all are great. I love to see people doubt you all, because your fans know its a joke. You crush those haters opinions. You went from having people laugh at you, to having people laugh at those who think they can beat you all easily. You guys always put up a fight, and a strong one at that. I almost cried when I was at the game Sunday night, it was the best moment and I wish it coulda lasted longer. I was happy I got to see you and all the other guys run by right field, since that where I was. It was so exciting! I love my Rays! Good luck tomorrow, not that you need it! Can’t wait for Kaz to bring the heat.
You know, you all should be enjoying it, you guys have earned it. It was a great season and is an outstanding post-season ! Every should be proud of you guys; I know i am 😀 Watching you guys this year has seriously made me want to work harder as a softball player and an athlete. I keep thinking to myself “wow, tampa bay is in the world series.. !”; it’s more out of excitement and delight rather than astonishment. boy, i’ve been watching you guys since I was 11 and i’m so happy for you guys.
give it your best tomorrow ! though I already know you will :]
All us Rays fans are rooting for you and behind you all the way !
Good luck to all of you n__n
I am a Twins fan but have become a big fan of you guys this post season I was really happy you beat the ChiSox,It is nice to see a team anoter small market team make the WS,I was really bummed the Twins did not make the playoff but The rays are so much like them and I know lots of the fans here are rooting for you guys,what you guys have done this yr is amazing,best of luck
Carlos, you need to put that famous dance on “you tube”(If anyone out there has it please let me know). I could not get tickets and did not have the pleasure to observe you. doing you victory dance. So, Please!!!!!, I need to see it.
Rays all the way.
Dios los bendiga mucho a todos. Eres un orgullo hispano.
R eal
A nd
Y oung
S tars
Thats all what I have to saY.
Can wait for tomorrow.
I mean can’t wait.
Hey Carlos,
First of all, congratulations to you and the rest of the team for an amazing year. A L CHAMPIONS!!!!!You guys have played like champions all season long. I have been a fan since day 1, back in 1998 when Wilson Alvarez threw the first pitch.So it seems like I’ve been waiting for this for ever. Best to you and the guys for a winning series!!!!! This is going to be fun!!!
Denise
It is so nice for me that the Rays have been winning this year. Through illness, job loss and other problems, watching my favorite baseball team win has been a bright point in my life, a cause for celebration and a good distraction from my troubles. I won’t be able to ring my cowbell for you at the Trop because my favorite seat during the season is priced out of my reach for the World Series but I’ll be watching you on television, still cheering you all on. Thanks for the awesome games so far, but I’d really appreciate it if you and the other Rays can win the World Series in four games as I’m not sure I can take the suspense like in the ALCS! Never give up, I don’t, I believe the Rays can go all the way.
Marjie
Go ahead and get that experience, and bring the World Series trophy to Tampa Bay, where it belongs. We have a rich history of baseball here in this area, and this would be the perfect way to cement this chapter’s legacy. Do it for the entire Rays Republic, old and new. We know you can and believe you will. Go Rays!Brentonhttp://braverays.mlblogs.com
Carlos……. approx. 11 hours to that first pitch!! How excited you must be. Continue to do what has been successful for you……..keep everything simple! Enjoy every moment but continue to stay focused and reach the ultimate goal…..WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP!! I’ll be at your parent’s house tonight watching the game.
Best of luck,
Coach Sweeney
GO PHILLIES!!!! Phils fans will be represented well down there and maybe more so than the so called Rays “fans”. Where were you all season? You have a good ballclub down there so show some support during the regular season. Should be a good series and I say the Phillies in 5!
GO PHILS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Carlos – YOU ARE THE BEST!!!!! RAYS ALL THE WAY!!! We will be there with cowbells on and ringing!!!
You wouldn’t happened to have any extra tickets for tonight’s game, would you?
P.S. I’m a Rays’ fan if that help.
OK, Carlos, hope you got enough sleep to be effective tonight. We are waiting for the HR bash to begin, you guys need to score quick and stay ahead. Looking forward to this ending in 4 games. Good luck we will be watching – LOVE YOU GUYS – YOU ARE ALL AWESOME
GO RAYS
Debi
Carlos,
I am so happy for you and the Rays. The game will be starting in little over an hour and I can hardly wait. I wish I could be there to actually see all the goings on and the actual game itself, however, I will be watching on television.
I know you guys can take this series, you are all awesome and have a great connection to each other. Get out there and show them Phillies what the Rays are all about.
Good luck to the team and God Bless.
GO RAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Joyce C.
Hey Lito…it was great to see you in game 5 at Fenway. You are makinga all of us proud. Keep swinging the stick and playing D but most importanly keep having fun!!
Go Ray
Bob Mclaughlin
Hello Carlos,
This is Alex from Lakeland. Remember me? Congratulations to you and the Rays for making it to the World Series. I am watching the game right now with my parents. I have had fun watching you and the Rays get this far this season. I even went to my first Rays game this year. Have fun and I hope you win!
Your friend,
Alex
Oh, one favor, if I may ask.
could you please wish Gabe Gross a belated happy birthday for me? :]
it’d be greatly appreciated !
good luck tonight~
– allasyn
The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. Do you think so? http://www.nicetick.com
Jordan