As much as they denied it at the time, the Rays had some concerns about Fernando Rodney after he gave up a two-run walkoff homer Saturday.

Rodney was in his underwear on the way to the shower when manager Joe Maddon felt it was important to stop him for a quick hug to show support after what he considered “a tough moment emotionally.” Several players made their way over to tell Rodney to not worry about his first blown save of the season.

Rodney insisted there was no cause for concern. And Sunday morning, he told pitching coach Jim Hickey he was ready, eager actually, to get back on the mound.

“Of course, of course,” he said. “I want to pitch.”

Then a few hours later, he showed them, blazing through the ninth inning to finish the 4-3 win that completed a dramatic flipping of the script and pushed the Rays into a tie for first place with Baltimore at 29-19.

heckyeahevanlongoria:

#RayForLife

"I didn’t understand the situation whatsoever. It was not called for at all. I’m kind of curious regarding who put out the hit, because I know it wasn’t one of their players. By the way their players reacted to the entire situation, I knew it did not come from them. It’s kind of incompetent behavior. It’s the kind of behavior that gets people hurt and gets [players] hurt on your own side by choosing to do something so ridiculous."

Maddon’s response when asked if there will be any carryover from Friday night 

“Of course not. We don’t initiate anything, I promise you that. That is not what we’re about, I’d like to believe we handle ourselves in a classier manner than that, I believe that we play the game properly, there’s no vengeance in our soul, there’s none of that crap. But we will respond to others that do attempt to do it to us. I promise you that, too.”

(Source: Boston.com, via livelovelaughtoday)

"Maybe it was the ghost of Fenway past remembering that he badmouthed all our fans and our stadium, just directing the ball at his leg."

Maddon looks Mafia in this.

(via tbraysphotos)

electricwarriors:

AND NOT ONE FUCK WAS GIVEN THAT DAY.

"We are funky, and funky’s cool. Funky’s always been cool since the middle of the 70’s. I’ve always liked funky."

raystank:

Who else is stoked to see this?!

Yes! They said Evan Longoria ran light yesterday, which Maddon said was, “definitely great progress.”

(J. Meric/Getty Images)

heckyeahevanlongoria:

Joe Maddon rocking his pink shoes for breast cancer awareness.

petite-redford:

I can’t with this man. Ugh.

"It is better than none."

"We just need to get that ‘MoRmentum’ going and start that back up on the road."

(via musiquedevie)