Rays ready for Philly rematch

Eight months late, the Philadelphia Phillies return to Tropicana Field tonight.

"Sweet," said Tampa Bay's J.P. Howell, the losing pitcher in the decisive Game 5 of last year's World Series at Citizens Bank Park. "Too bad we didn't get them back for Games 6 and 7."

Whatever happens over the next three evenings won't make up for that disappointment, obviously, but there is a heightened sense of anticipation for many in the Rays' clubhouse as the defending champs pay a visit.

The excitement might be cranked up a few notches if the Rays hadn't already seen the Phillies in spring training and a two-game exhibition set in Philadelphia the weekend before the start of this season.

"It'll be nice that it's on our own turf now," said Rays designated hitter Pat Burrell, the man with more invested in the series than anyone else as a longtime Phillies star. "In the big picture, no, it's not a big deal. We need to start winning some games; that's the important thing. But it should be good from a marketing standpoint - I imagine we'll probably sell some tickets, being that it's a World Series matchup and all that."

Actually, plenty of tickets remain available at all pricing levels for each of the games, according to the Rays. So maybe it is just another series.

"It's not that big of a deal except you just want to beat them, obviously," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "I don't even know how the fans are going to react; I've heard there has not been that great of an advance sale on this, which is kind of surprising."

Regardless of their surroundings, the sight of last fall's victors back in the Trop for games that count - though not nearly as much - undoubtedly will stir some memories for those that were there a year ago.

Tonight's Rays starter, David Price, closed out the Rays' last home game against the Phillies, the Game 2 win that was Tampa Bay's lone victory in the series. He said he doesn't expect the Rays to treat this series differently than any other, but Wednesday's starter, Matt Garza, seemed a bit more locked in.

"I owe them a little bit of payback for the World Series," said Garza, who didn't get a decision in the Rays' Game 3 loss at Philadelphia. "It'll be a lot of fun."

Burrell probably will have the most fun, getting the chance to see his longtime teammates and friends for a few days. He said over the weekend that he hadn't made any firm plans yet for social activities, but emphasized more than once how important it was for the Rays to pick up the pace.

Though the Phillies have lost six in a row, they're still in first place as Tampa Bay continues to have difficulty getting a foothold in the upper reaches of its division. Nostalgia or not, these are big games for the Rays.

"We saw them early, but now it counts and we can get them back a little bit," Howell said. "If we get wins now, I think it'll sting 'em."