Blue Jays at Rays, Friday, March 14

We're getting a late start here at Al Lang Field, and I'm not just talking about me (although it's mostly me). This is Kamon Simpson, and I'm going to be your blog host for today's Rays Live. For as long as the weather allows.

We weren't sure for most of the morning if this game was going to be played at all. The skies, dark all morning, opened up around 11 a.m. with drizzle, then steady rain, then harder rain, then drizzle, then heavier rain again. Which means the tarp went on the field, then back off, then on again.

The result was a delayed start and a crowd that is draped in a variety of ponchos, huddled close together in the upper parts of the covered grandstand, looking pretty cold and miserable. It doesn't feel like spring. You have to wonder how this will affect a pair of teams that are used to playing indoors most of the time.

I can tell you the players weren't too happy about (finally) getting the call to go out on the field. Cliff Floyd, Carl Crawford, even starting pitcher Edwin Jackson looked like kids on Christmas morning, hopping back and forth between the clubhouse and the dugout to check the skies, to make sure the tarp was still on the field, and they kept asking, "Is it going to be called?"

Jackson's certainly pitching like he doesn't want to be here. It's the top of the second, and he just gave up a couple of two-out runs after retiring the side in the first. So it's 2-0 Jays, and, despite it being cold and drizzly and overcast, it doesn't look like the clouds are going to save the Rays from this one.

Here are the lineups:

Blue Jays

SS David Eckstein
3B Scott Rolen
RF Alex Rios
CF Vernon Wells
DH Matt Stairs
LF Shannon Stewart
1B Lyle Overbay
2B Aaron Hill
C Rod Barajas
Pitcher: Jesse Litsch

Rays

2B Elliott Johnson
LF Carl Crawford
3B Willy Aybar
DH Cliff Floyd
1B Eric Hinske
C Dioneer Navarro
RF John Rodriguez
SS Reid Brignac
CF Jon Weber
Pitcher: Edwin Jackson

The home plate umpire is Kevin Causey, and his crew is Jerry Crawford, Phil Cuzzi and D.J. Reyburn (for all you umpire fantasy nuts out there.)