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Rays fans showed up in big numbers last year; this season, not so much.

By Steve Berthiaume, ESPN

Enough with the whining. Somebody's team wins a few games, optimism rises and then some fan decides the team is getting "disrespected" and complains that "nobody ever talks about MY team. You guys have never talked about MY team. In fact, you've ALWAYS 'disrespected' my team." Good grief. Happens every year. Stop it.

We saw it last season from Rays fans. The Rays are an exciting young team that plays the right way with the speed and the defense and the pitching and the whole thing. The team felt it was getting pushed around and it pushed back; first against the Yankees in spring training, then in Boston, when Coco Crisp, then with the Red Sox, charged the Rays' James Shields. The players dug in, made their point and justifiably wound up in the World Series. They were, however, surrounded by trendy bandwagon-hoppers clanging cowbells. The cowbell people went negative and played the "disrespected" card. Then they went back home and that's where they've stayed.

With the Rays' 2009 season on the line, they hosted Boston in a critical three-game series that started on Sept. 1 at Tropicana Field. In what was likely Tampa Bay's biggest series of the season, the cowbell-clangers didn't show. The Rays, one of baseball's most enjoyable teams to watch, were supported by the following announced crowds: 17,692 for the series opener. Then 19,148 (it was Josh Beckett vs. Matt Garza, for crying out loud) followed by 20,823 for the series finale. Those are great crowds -- if you're the New Jersey Nets! Hello? (OK, that was mean. I went too far there.)

Empty seats, a lot of them. I realize The Trop isn't exactly AT&T Park or Camden Yards in terms of aesthetics, and that, these days, we can't all afford to go to the ballpark as often as we'd like, but folks who complained they didn't get enough attention in 2008 couldn't be bothered in 2009. With the Rays' season at stake, it was crickets, not cowbells.

Here's the point (yes, I have one). Rockies fans -- be better than that. I'm not talking about attendance, because Denver has got that one covered; they do a great job supporting the team in a great sports city. Here's a chance to raise the bar. Enjoy the run and the way your team plays the game of baseball, with its joy and passion and hustle and timely hits. It's a beautiful thing. Root for the Rockies in the same way; it's your chance to leave the "disrespected" card in the deck. We're doing what we can on our end, I promise. We've had the Rockies up near the top of "Baseball Tonight" every night for the past several weeks and we'll continue as such with the team at such a crucial point in its season.

The Rockies begin a huge three-game series in San Francisco on Monday night. Colorado enters a 4½-game lead over the Giants for the NL wild card, but here are three reasons for concern in Colorado: Tim Lincecum, Barry Zito and Matt Cain.

Before losing the final two games of their weekend series in San Diego, the Rockies were rolling. They'd won eight straight and 10 of 11. However, that stretch started after a five-game losing streak that included getting swept at AT&T Park in San Francisco. The Giants' three starters in those games Aug. 28-30? In order: Lincecum, Zito, Cain. The Giants' three starters in this series that begins Monday night? In order: Lincecum, Zito, Cain. Same ballpark. Same opponent. Same three rotation aces in the same order.

Lincecum said his bullpen session on Saturday, following lower-back problems, was pain-free. He'll take the mound Monday night, and he'll bring with him his NL-leading 2.34 ERA. Zito's ERA against the Rockies this season is 0.42, and over the past two seasons, Colorado has hit just .188 overall against Zito and only .193 against his fastball.

If the Giants win the first two games of this series, San Francisco will be 7-1 against the Rockies at home this season when Cain gets the ball Wednesday night on ESPN. If what happened in the Rockies' previous visit to San Francisco happens again against these same three Giants starters, the Rockies' wild-card lead will be less than two games.

There's a lot at stake for the Rockies over these next three days. We talked to Jason Giambi on "Baseball Tonight" this weekend. He loves it in Colorado, calling his new role there "a great fit."

"It's really exciting," The Giambino said of the Rockies' mix. "I'm really enjoying it. The clubhouse is incredible. I mean, this ball team that they've got rolling here is unbelievable."

Watch the games, and the mix and the vibe translates through.

Rockies fans, you were there in 2007 and you're up again here in 2009. Let's leave the cowbells for those pseudo-baseball-fans who think they're at SEC football games and embrace the high road for the homestretch.

Enjoy the great job that broadcasters Drew Goodman and George Frazier do on the Rockies' telecasts. They're smart, sharp and into the game and into what's happening on the field, with great attention to detail. They're a really good watch. So are the Rockies. Everybody is on board, so all that's left now is the baseball. Isn't that the way it's supposed to be?

Past Baseball Tonight Clubhouses: Sept. 10 | Sept. 9 | Sept. 8 | Sept. 7 | Sept. 6

WEB GEMS SCOREBOARD

This season, "Baseball Tonight" will be tracking Web Gems. We'll publish a leaderboard on the Baseball Tonight Clubhouse page each Monday. In addition to listing the leaders in appearances (both players and teams) on "Baseball Tonight," we'll offer up the leaders in Web Gem points.

Web Gem points will be calculated by awarding five points for the night's top defensive play, four points for second, three for third, two for fourth and one for fifth. Scoring will be based on the Web Gems from the last "Baseball Tonight" show to air on a given night.

Web Gem points leaderboard
Ryan Zimmerman	45
Mark Reynolds	43
Jack Wilson	37
Brandon Inge	36
Carlos Gomez	27
Jacoby Ellsbury	27
David Wright	26
Cristian Guzman	25

Web Gem appearances leaderboard (players)
Ryan Zimmerman	Washington	Third base	15
Brandon Inge	Detroit	Third base	12
Mark Reynolds	Arizona	Third base	11
David Wright	New York Mets	Third base	10
Jack Wilson	Pittsburgh-Seattle	Shortstop	9
Chone Figgins	L.A. Angels	Third base	8

Web Gem appearances leaderboard (teams)
Pittsburgh	36
Washington	35
Cincinnati	32
Philadelphia	29
Minnesota	27
L.A. Angels	27

TOUCH 'EM ALL

Who went deep? Keep track of all the home runs hit each day on "Baseball Tonight" and on the Baseball Tonight Clubhouse page.

For more, check out the Home Run Tracker page.

Home Run Tracker
NAME	HR	OPP	SITUATION
Prince Fielder, MIL	39	Scherzer	Top 4: 3-2, 1 Out. None on.
Derrek Lee, CHC	32	Burton	Bot 7: 2-1, 0 Outs. None on.
Joe Mauer, MIN	27	Gonzalez	Bot 3: 2-1, 0 Outs. None on.
Hideki Matsui, NYY	24	Waters	Bot 8: 0-0, 1 Out. 2 on.
Adam LaRoche, ATL	23	Thompson	Top 9: 0-2, 1 Out. None on.
Lance Berkman, HOU	21	Capps	Bot 9: 2-0, 0 Outs. None on.

The complete list of Sunday's homers