The Wake-Up Call greets you each weekday with news, views and a few Tampa Bay area sports offerings to anticipate for the day and night. We encourage suggestions and contributions.
Good morning!
It has gone from ironic to weird to absurd.
Now it's official.
Nobody in the American League is more unlucky than Rays right-hander James Shields.
He pitched well enough to win. His ERA decreased. But once again, he was tagged with the loss as he set the table for a bullpen implosion.
After Thursday night's 8-7 loss against the last-place Baltimore Orioles at Tropicana Field, the Rays (65-55) fell four games off the pace in the American League wild-card race. The Rays must regroup heading into tonight's opener of a huge three-game series against the Texas Rangers.
Regroup?
For Shields, that has become a way of life.
He is 7-10 with a 3.81 ERA - no other pitcher in the AL has 10 losses with an ERA under 4.00 - and he has won just one of his last 11 starts.
He has now received the lowest run support of any AL starting pitcher.
The leaders:
* James Shields, Tampa Bay (3.55 runs per nine innings pitched).
* Jarrod Washburn, Detroit (3.75).
* Matt Garza, Tampa Bay (3.79).
* Edwin Jackson, Detroit (3.82).
* Dallas Braden, Oakland (3.95).
"It has been a tough season," Shields said. "It's one of those things where I've been that guy all season long and every team has it. But I'm battling through it."
Locked in a 1-1 tie in the sixth inning, Shields was one pitch from escaping.
With two outs, runners on first and third, Shields worked an 0-and-2 count on ninth-place batter Felix Pie.
Ball, ball, ball, ball.
Bases loaded.
That was enough for Rays manager Joe Maddon, who noted Shields' pitch count (106) and summoned reliever Lance Cormier to face Brian Roberts, Baltimore's leadoff batter.
Cormier was wild, but got the count to 3-and-2. Then Roberts launched a fat fastball into the right-field bleachers for a grand slam and a 5-1 lead Baltimore wouldn't surrender.
One inning later, after Ben Zobrist closed the gap with a three-run homer. Cormier walked the first two batters, and Maddon went to Russ Springer. Rookie left fielder Nolan Reimold promptly blasted a three-run homer.
"Shields had good stuff," Maddon said. "It was a great effort once again."
But another defeat.
Shields has been opposed by the likes of Boston's Josh Beckett, Seattle's Felix Hernandez, Florida's Josh Johnson and Toronto's Roy Halladay. Thursday night, his opposite number was Brian Matusz, making his fourth major-league start.
Did it matter?
Seemingly, nothing can break the hard-luck pattern of Shields.
"I pitching the game the same way, whether I have a 10-run lead or it's a one-run ballgame," said Shields, who opened his Aug. 2 start against the Royals with seven no-hit innings, then lost (naturally). "My job is to put up zeroes."
But even when Shields does that, or comes awfully close, he still has nothing to show for that effort.
Trifecta for Ryan Raburn
Detroit Tigers left fielder Ryan Raburn (Durant) had his third three-hit game of the season, going 3-for-5 in Thursday afternoon's 7-6 victory against the Seattle Mariners. One of the hits was Raburn's eighth home run.
Break up the Owlz
The Pioneer League's Orem Owlz, an Angels' affiliate managed by Tom Kotchman, won a franchise record-tying 14th straight game on Thursday night, beating Helena 11-5.
Owlz catcher Braulio Pardo (Gaither), formerly of Saint Leo University, has been a key contributor. In Wednesday night's 7-3 victory against the Missoula Osprey, Pardo had a season-high three hits, raising his batting average to .353 in his last 11 games.
Swauger on a hot streak
Left fielder Chris Swauger, of the Class A Palm Beach Cardinals, is batting .482 (13-for-27) in his last eight games. He was 3-for-5 in Thursday night's 3-2 victory against Jupiter and is batting .265 overall.
Nice road trip for Baisley
Third baseman Jeff Baisley (Land O'Lakes), of the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, was 2-for-4 in Thursday night's 6-1 victory at Nashville. It continued his torrid streak during a seven-game road trip through two Tennessee cities, in which he has hit .375 (12-for-32). Overall, Baisley is batting .245.
Redmond wins fifth straight
Todd Redmond (Northside Christian), a right-hander for the Triple-A Gwinnett Braves, won his fifth straight decision on Thursday night, defeating Norfolk 11-3. Redmond (9-6, 4.02 ERA) worked six innings and allowed just one run. In his last 10 games, Redmond is 4-0 with a 2.73 ERA.
Selvie, Grothe rank high in Big East
University of South Florida defensive end George Selvie was No. 1 and quarterback Matt Grothe was No. 4 in Sports Illustrated's rankings of the Big East Conference's top 10 players.
The complete list:
1. George Selvie, defensive end, USF.
2. Mardy Gilyard, wide receiver, Cincinnati.
3. Greg Romeus, defensive end, Pittsburgh.
4. Matt Grothe, quarterback, USF.
5. Arthur Jones, nose tackle, Syracuse.
6. Noel Devine, running back, West Virginia.
7. Reed Williams, linebacker, West Virginia.
8. Scott Lutrus, linebacker, Connecticut.
9. Victor Anderson, running back, Louisville.
10. Anthony Davis, offensive lineman, Rutgers.
Beck now at North Alabama
Much-traveled quarterback Harrison Beck (Countryside), after stints at Nebraska and N.C. State, is contending for a starting job at the University of North Alabama, a Division II powerhouse coached by Terry Bowden.
Beck, a 6-foot-2, 215-pounder who has one season of eligibility remaining, left Nebraska before the start of the 2006 season and transferred to N.C. State, then coached by Chuck Amato. Beck started five games in two seasons with N.C. State, including last season's home loss against the USF Bulls. But the Wolfpack eventually turned to Russell Wilson, who became ACC Freshman of the Year.
Beck, once ranked as the nation's No. 3 pro-style high-school quarterback and No. 58 player overall by Rivals.com, said he was looking for a nationally prominent Division II school so he could play immediately. Bowden's presence made it an easy sell.
"It's a second chance - really a third chance for me," Beck said before training camp began.
Tampa Twice tickets on sale
The Tampa Twice Tournament, an elite volleyball event hosted by USF on Sept. 11-12 that serves as a prelude to Tampa's staging of the NCAA Final Four in December, has $5 and $10 ticket books available.
The schedule at the USF Sun Dome:
Friday, Sept. 11
6 p.m. - Washington vs. Minnesota.
8 p.m. - USF vs. Florida.
Saturday, Sept. 12
6 p.m. - Florida vs. Washington
8 p.m. - USF vs. Minnesota
Three of the teams - No. 4 Washington, No. 8 Florida and No. 11 Minnesota - are ranked in the preseason top 25 of the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll.
Additionally, there will be a kids volleyball clinic on Saturday, Sept. 12 at the USF Corral involving players from the four college teams at 9 a.m. An elite high-school match - Berkeley Prep vs. Venice - is set for that afternoon at 3 p.m.
For information, go to www.ticketmaster.com.
Can't do without him
Sports Illustrated named its All-Indispensable Team, naming the most vital player for each NFL franchise, and Bucs linebacker Barrett Ruud was its choice from Tampa Bay.
New Sunshine State Conference leader
Jay Jones has been named commissioner of the Sunshine State Conference, which includes the University of Tampa, Saint Leo University, Florida Southern College and Eckerd College.
Jones is currently the director of Academic and Membership Affairs for Division III at the NCAA. He has been with the NCAA since 2003 and worked as a collegiate athletics administrator for 11 years, including a compliance position with USF.
Jones replaces Mike Marcil, who resigned his SSC post to become vice president of development at Creighton Prep High School in Omaha, Neb.
Pena's profile
Rays first baseman Carlos Pena was profiled with a series of quick-hitting questions in Thursday's edition of The Sporting News Today.
A few highlights:
* What I'm reading: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.
* Worst habit: I misplace everything - keys, cell phone, bats, glove, you name it.
* Talent I'd most like to have: I love cooking. If only I could actually do it.
* Favorite value in others: A joyful outlook on life.
* My motto: I gotta believe it to see it.
Birthday wishes
Happy birthday to Rays center fielder B.J. Upton, who turns 25 today.
The Answer Man
Former offensive tackle Mike Pearson was the only former Armwood High School football player to earn All-Southeastern Conference honors at the University of Florida (2000 and 2001).
Friday trivia
Here's our daily sports trivia question, featuring a Tampa Bay/Florida spin. Try your luck by commenting below.
Rays shortstop Jason Bartlett is batting .344, good for third in the AL behind Minnesota's Joe Mauer (.378) and Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki (.365). It's the first time any Ray has been in the top five in AL batting at this point or later. Who holds the club's single-season batting average record?
Check for the answer in Monday's Wake-Up Call.
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