Results tagged ‘ Randy Choate ’
How Will the Rays Carry on without Howell?
News came out today that one of MLB’s most dominant and reliable relief pitchers of the last three seasons won’t throw a pitch until Opening Day 2011.
2011!!!
Yep, the Rays have just lost JP Howell.
As some of you may know, JP had been on the DL for the duration of this season. He was rehabbing a shoulder that had extreme fatigue in it–not surprising considering his overuse the last three years.
Rays fans were told that he would be back possibly at the end of April.
Then it turned into a mid-May return.
Then an early-June startup.
However, after a setback during a simulated game yesterday–a game from which Howell removed himself after 12 pitches–it was decided by the Rays’ braintrust that the southpaw would undergo season-ending shoulder surgery.
Ouch.
Yes, pain with the surgery, for sure. But suddenly the Rays bullpen looks a little weaker.
Don’t get me wrong, I know that the Rays’ bullpen had been beyond dominant as of late. In their last 28 games they had a collective ERA of 1.29. Can you believe that!? 1.29!!!!
But there have been two things on the minds of Rays fans and, more than likely, Rays skipper Joe Maddon.
1–Randy Choate could not continue to be the lone lefty in the ‘pen.
2–Howell will have a HUGE impact when he returned because, after missing the first two months of the season, he would be fresher than anybody else when the Rays made their playoff push in late September.
It appears that #1 will continue to be the case and that #2 is irrelevent at this point.
Choate has been solid this season after a rocky start. In fact, he has given up one run in his last 16 outings (don’t let the high-5 ERA fool you). Lefties are hitting just .145 against Choate this season but righties are mashing him for a .545 batting average.
What that means is that Choate is a 1- or 2-batter pitcher at best. Howell was able to get righties out as effectively as lefties, which allowed Maddon to save some arms in his bullpen and keep that second lefty in the ‘pen for later in the game.
Make no mistake, while the Rays’ bullpen has had great success thus far this season, they were hoping to get a 100% JP Howell back soon. With that not happening, we might see a callup of a lefty or a garbage heap hire to help Choate in that pen.
A Rays Saturday Night
VS 
While not entirely rested from the debacle that was Wednesday night’s trip to see the Charlotte Stone Crabs play in the FSL championship game (post forthcoming), I still ventured forth to the ol’ Trop to catch some big league action Saturday night.
It was worth it.
It was Matt Garza figurine night, and, strangely, the real Garza was on the mound pitching.
(I believe it to be much more fun to watch Matty on the mound in person than on the tv primarily because you see far less spit emitting from his mouth when you are sitting 30 rows away.)
I’ve never done a post where I include pics of a trip to a ballgame, so I hope that this is effective. I have seen many of your posts so I’ll be pretty much imitating the mix of pic and story.
It was Hispanic Heritage night at the Trop and there were all things latino in attendance from mariachi bands to maraccas to beautiful Latin Ladies parading around the stadium.
Throughout the game players were announced alternatively in English and Spanish, which was different and, therefore, kind of neat.
I bought a few things at the team store (lots of clearance stuff): a World Series hoodie–yeah, we need those alot down here in Florida–and a Jonny Gomes t-shirt. Still love the guy. Still miss the guy.
Pedro Guerrero was there signing autographs. I wasn’t terribly enthused as I can recall his days in St. Louis haunting the Cubbies.
I was there early with some friends and was sporting an ensemble of Evan Longoria jersey and Charlotte Stone Crabs hat. I love that hat. Very cool.
There were some strange sights at the stadium. This guy must have thought it was ’70s night instead of Hispanic Heritage night. He was decked out in brown suit, butterfly collared shirt, and…mutton chops. Weird.
Eventually it was game time and we made our way to our seats on the third base line. The crowd was amped up and the first inning provided lots of fireworks.
Longo got a hit (that’s him at first).
Ben Zobrist came through too.
The Rays plated player after player after player after player, with Akinori Iwamura ending the inning after 4 runs had scored and the Rays had batted around.
We certainly gave Matty a nice margin of error to work with.
He wouldn’t need any but one of those runs.
Garza was dominant throughout the night, striking out batter after batter and helping the crowed to get coupons for a free pizza the next day when he hit the 10 strikeout mark.
The crowd was raucous every time Garza set down a Blue Jay, and I found my own voice strained before the night was over.
Joe Maddon eventually lifted Garza in the 8th inning
–nobody knows why, really–and the bullpen made it hold up with Russ Springer getting a nice strikeout,
Randy Choate ending the 8th, and Dan Wheeler locking it down in the 9th.
The result? A nice 4-0 Rays win.
Of course, the game was peppered throughout by the usual stuff that just makes me laugh:
Raymond being Raymond
(Raymond is on top of the dugout in the Lucho Libre outfit)
The Chik-Fil-A “Find the Cow” contest
and the Pepsi race (Aquafina won).
I love that stuff…
The Rays win was memorialized, of course, by the Trop’s roof being lit orange, and that was that.
It was a perfect night for a less than perfect team in a not even perfect season. But no matter what, it was fun.
Fun.
And much more so because I could get home BEFORE 2:30 AM!
The only downfall of the night?
Garza’s arm was missing!!!
Luckily, the real Garza’s arm was on display all Saturday night at the Trop, and the Rays were able to ride it to a needed victory.
Never Finished–Rays Republic Stands Tall
VS 
Nice finish, guys.
After a game that had Rays fans doubting the sincerity of their team, and others doubting the sincerity of the team’s fans, the Rays came out and blasted/shouted/ran/dove/gutted their way to a big victory.
The outcome was in doubt late, but, as usual, the Rays were able to put on the finishing touch with a flurry in the 8th that helped restore faith across the republic.
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Garza Guts
He was not sharp tonight. His off speed junk was weak and his fastball was spotty. He threw near 30 pitches in two separate innings and went to a full count 4 TIMES in the 4th inning alone.
But he kept his team in it by slowing down one of the best teams in the league.
Can’t ask much more.
Matt Garza gave his team 6 strong innings, throwing 119 pitches, before being pulled in the 7th. He left with a 5-3 lead and had a chance to be the victor in another big game against the Red Sox.
He didn’t get the win, as the ‘pen was not a strongpoint tonight, but he did get greater respect than ever for being a big-game pitcher and being able to shut down teams when his own team needs it.
Without Garza’s gutty performance, the Rays do not win tonight.
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Key Inning: The 8th
The 8th was crazy.
The entire game was a battle. No team could really pull safely ahead.
Rays were up by 3, then up by 2, then 3, then 2, then 1.
The the top of the 8th came and the bullpen decided it had had enough. Randy Choate walked Ortiz, Grant Balfour walked two guys to load ‘em, and JP Howell–what has happened to our splendid JP?–threw another wild pitch to tie up the game.
Jeez! I yelled at the plasma! (Actually, I had some other words of choice but I don’t like to print that stuff)
Game tied at 5.
The Rays fans were keeping the faith, though.
In the bottom of the frame Carlos Pena–the only reliable guy these days–knocked a double.
Ah, that NEVER QUIT Rays spirit.
Boston’s Ramon Ramirez seemed rattled at that point as he struggled to keep the game tied.
The cowbells were ringing, the fans were cheering, I was screaming at the tv. I could see fans banging the too-many-empty seats in front of them. Anything to make some noise!
It worked.
Pat “The Bat” Burrell lined a single to right to score Pena and give the Rays a 1-run lead. It was nice to see Pat contribute. He’s got that average up to a ******** .240 now.
In all seriousness, though, Pat homered early in the game and then drove in what turned out to be the game-winning run. I’ll take that.
But it wasn’t over.
Evan Longoria, batting 6th in the lineup (and I hate it, by the way), launched a long ball over the wall to increase the Rays lead to 8-5.
And the Republic rejoiced.
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3 Keys to the Game
1– Don’t chase Beckett’s junk. NOPE The first two Rays hitters of the game chased off speed stuff that either bounced or was in the dirt to strike out. Beckett got touched up, but his stuff was not that bad.
2–Garza’s gotta show that savvy. YEP!!! Matty showed that he is the real “big game” pitcher on this team.
3–The ‘pen must stop the Sox hitters. YEP/NOPE The bullpen did allow the Sox to tie it, but when they had to shut the door to end the game they were able to do so. Not terribly impressive, though.
1 1/2 OUT OF 3 “YEP” = RAYS WIN!?
OK!
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The Rays’ pitching staff was far from dominant tonight. Garza did well, but even he had to leave the game under duress. The bullpen bent heavily, but it did not break.
The offense was a big hero tonight. We kind of had to outscore the Sox.
Ok, sometimes you have to do that.
The end result is that the Rays got back to being 5 games out of the wild card and have given them a chance to win the series, something they desperately have to pull off.
Tomorrow’s going to be a big one.
A chance to get to within 4.
I’d like an easier win tomorrow night, but I have to admit…
This is just too much fun!
West Coast Swing…And A Miss
Arrrghrrrawwwwwmmmmmrannnnghagugh!!!!!!!
Painful. Just painful.
The Rays left the friendly confines of Tropicana Field last Thursday ready to find a way to climb back into the fight. To take the wild card spot away from those blasted Red Sox. To start their run to the postseason.
In the news that day everything from The Sporting News to The Tampa Tribune was calling the Rays a surging team that was about to make that run we have been waiting for.
Apparently the beautiful weather of the West somehow cooled the Rays white hot squad.
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Terrible West Coast
It was as ugly playing baseball in the West as the smog-plagued LA skyline: hard to tell what was going on, impossible to put fingers on landmark issues, and overall chokingly bad.
Almost as bad at that forced metaphor.
After losing today’s game to the Angels, the Rays will travel back to St. Pete for a 3-game weekend series with the Toronto Blue Jays. Their return is both welcome and full of disappointment.
The Rays left the Bay Area a mere 1 1/2 games out of the wild card spot. A spot that the Red Sox were doing everything to give away. The Rays and Texas Rangers were only too happy to oblige taking it.
The Rangers continued to snap at the spot, while the Rays had other plans.
After enduring a 1-5 West Coast swing–YES I SAID 1-5 RECORD IN THEIR LAST 6 GAMES!!!–the Rays now find themselves 4 games out of the final playoff spot and searching for answers.
Why can’t we hit?
Why can’t we pitch?
Why can’t we field?
Where’s our clutch hitting and our timely pitching?
There don’t seem to be any answers out there right now. Only results.
Friday: L 7-6
Saturday: W 10-4
Sunday: L 11-2
Monday: L 8-7
Tuesday: L 6-0
Wednesday: L 10-4
It’s like reading an autopsy report replete with all the gory pictures.
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Today’s Problem Inning: The 7th
If you have read any of my past posts, you know that it seems the Rays get hit in the forehead with one 2-by-4 of an inning almost every game. Sometimes they are able to weather the storm and hang on to a win, sometimes they fall down, knocked cold.
Today they fell.
Hard.
Jeff Nieman had already endured the disappointment of losing the lead of a game he could have won when Grant Balfour gave up a 3-run dinger to Gary Matthews, Jr. in the 6th.
That gave the Angels a 5-4 lead.
In the top of the 7th, Jason Bartlett led off with a double. He would end that part of the inning standing on second.
The bottom of the 7th was entertaining–in a comical kind of way.
Reliable Randy Choate entered the game and promptly gave up two consecutive singles. After a groundout moved both runners to 2nd and 3rd, he intentionally walked Vlad Guerrero.
Then, as I have said so often about the 7th inning before, and also said to my friend at Julia’s Rants this morning, it all fell apart.
A groundout into the hole at SS led to Jason Bartlett making a little league throw (actually, that insults little leaguers) to Evan Longoria at 3B that ended up being more towards the Angels dugout than anything.
Two runs scored there.
Angels up 7-4.
Choate departed in favor of Dan Wheeler. Check out what Wheeler has done before in the 7th.
Wheels got a groundout before presenting Howie Kendrick with a gift of a fastball that the latter batter flung out to deep left field.
In a snap, the game was 10-4 Angels.
Oh, and in a snap, the game was pretty much over.
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Final Thoughts
Lots of teams from the East go through rough trips to the West. Don’t know why. I listened to Dewayne Staats and Kevin Kennedy debate why the Rays were so much off their game.
–Taking in the sights
–Too much time at the beach
–Strange time zone
–Sun baked brains (ok, they didn’t say this last one)
Whatever the reason, the Rays absolutely stunk on this trip. Winning 1 out of 6 games will not get you to the playoffs.
It’ll get you an early fishing trip in October.
(I’m going to watch Jaws tonight, my fave flik)
I know that the Mariners are a surging team and that the Angels are one of the best.
But the Rays were SUPPOSED to be a surging team too. And, last I checked, the defending AL Champions should be one of the best too.
Maybe neither of those are true.
Maybe their brains really were sunbaked.
Time to get into the shade of the Trop and take out our frustrations on the Blue Jays.
Forget the West.
Tradin’ Post: Rays Edition
I had a few ideas of moves that the Rays should consider before the 4 pm trade deadline hits today. I know that this post has a shelf life (about 6 hours), but I think that talkin’ trades is one of the fun parts of this game we love. I wanted to spend a little time on it.
Of course, NOTHING I write about here is coming true.
But I did a little digging and a little research to see if something out there made sense for my Rays that could get them to the post season again.
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Guys to Get: Catcher
One of the needs the Rays have falls right behind the plate. Our catcher position has been brutal offensively. Dioner Navarro and Michel Hernandez have combined to hit about .228 with 6 home runs and 38 RBIs.
Not the type of production you can live with from ANY position.
In their defense, so to speak, those two guys have played some great defense this year and really called some solid games. That is worth its weight in gold and will probably keep both of them at the Trop for the remainder of the year.
BUT
If the Rays made a move I think that there are two guys who would fit VERY VERY well.
Ryan Doumit
.255 5 HR 20 RBI
Doumit is better known for his offense than his defense. He broke out big time for the Pirates last year (.318/ 15 / 69 / 34 2b). He has had some setbacks with his health this year, missing time several times over the course of the season. However, the production he has been able to put up in spite of only 109 at bats is phenomenal for a catcher.
He’s 28 years old, which means that he is getting ready to enter his prime offensively. I am sure his defense can come along if coached properly.
And keep in mind that the Bucs just trade for Jeff Clement with Seattle. Clement was a highly touted catching prospect for the M’s and just might have made Doumit expendable.
He has a team-friendly contract that puts him under team control until 2013. Hmmmmmm….sound like a Rays-type of player?
Kurt Suzuki
.285 6 HR 47 RBI 1 error
This is the guy I’m most excited about. And it might be a long shot for the A’s to drop him. But he is only 25 years old, has some pop in his bat (26 doubles!), and does not make errors. He calls a good game and, if you’ve watched him play much, is nimble around the plate. He is a tough out and will draw a walk from time to time.
His contract is league-minimum right now and for next year. In 2011 he becomes arbitration eligible–something the Rays should be able to buy out after Pat Burrell’s contract is off the books.
He could bring alot of stability offensively to the catcher position and maintain the defensive prowess behind the plate we have been used to.
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Guys to Get: Reliever
I don’t think that that the Rays have a big hole anywhere on the team right now. Surely, the starting pitcher has been quite inconsistent, but you don’t want to make any trades to shore that up (especially with Cliff Lee gone and Roy Halladay ridiculous). Our other position players have done just fine–offensively and defensively.
I look at the bullpen as a spot where we could improved. Specifically, our 7th and 8th inning guys. I love Grant Balfour and Dan Wheeler, love ‘em. But they have not put together the most consistent seasons this year. And you can’t have guys who are inconsistent come into the game to hold the lead for JP Howell.
It is with this in mind that I nominate the two following guys for acquisition.
Rafael Soriano
1-2 1.88 ERA 65 K 18 BB 15 SV 12.19 K/9 (!!!)
This guy is just a dream, more than likely, because the Rays are probably not going to throw the money he will be scheduled to make next year at him. He should make 6.1 million next season in the final season before he becomes a free agent. He is 29 and is coming off a shakey year in 2008.
He has shuttled from setup guy to closer all year long. But wow. What a drastic difference if you could get hitters looking at Soriano’s 95mph heat in the 8th and Howell’s 85 mph “heat” in the 9th. The Braves don’t mind moving him because they have….
Mike Gonzalez
3-3 3.06 ERA 60 K 20 BB 9 SV 12.06 K/9 (!!!)
He is 31 but seems to be finally hitting his stride with the Bravos. He is a lefty, but he would be a great replacement for either (or both) Randy Choate and Brian Shouse. He has been moved from team to team over the course of his career, playing middle reliever, setup guy, and closer at each stop. The Braves have been pleasantly surprised at his output this year and have alternated between Soriano and him as the closer all season long.
His contract is more manageable for the Rays next year–his final contract year–as he should make 3.45 million. He has a quirky delivery but he can strike anybody out at any time. Not too bad for a setup guy.
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Guys to Go
For reasons mentioned before, I think that the Rays could throw in these guys to any deal just to help sweeten it. I don’t think that any of the players mentioned below will work for one-to-one straight up trades, but they are certainly salary dumps and add-ons that could help any deal go through.
Brian Shouse
His value has taken a hit since his return from the DL. His ERA has balooned to above 5.00 and he is not getting the one guy Maddon allows him to face out.
Dioner Navarro.
He is not recovering from his slump. He is trending in the wrong direction. As a switch hitter he does fine against lefties, but against righties he hits only .190. Not good.
Grant Balfour
I love the guy. He leads the team in holds, but he is not reliable. He’s given up 6 runs in his last 10 appearances. That is not a consistent set up guy. He is a free agent after this year.
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The Red Sox have pulled 4 1/2 games in front of the Rays for second place in the division with the Yankees up 7 games! Time is ticking.
I don’t want the Rays to make any drastic moves that will affect negatively our ability to win next year. That is one of the things that makes me proud of our front office–they do NOT succumb to peer pressure at all. If they think we can make it to October, the deal will be done, but only if it does not hurt us next year or the next two years.
Only 6 hours and counting!!!
TRayde News: Two Rays Fans Discuss the Possbilities
The MLB trade deadline will hit us this Friday, July 31st.
It is a fun time of year as teams who think they are still in their respective races “buy” what they can while teams that are already looking ahead to 2010 (or 2011, 2012, 2013…) “sell” what they can to prepare.
We have already seen some interesting moves take place early in the trading season what with Matt Holliday moving from the West (A’s) to the Midwest (Cardinals), Rafael Betancourt going from low altitude (Cleveland) to way up in the air (Colorado), and Julio Lugo being lucky to go anywhere (Cardinals).
Other than those deals nothing notable has really happened.
It is with all this in mind that Ginny at The Watercooler and Bob at More Cowbell are putting together the first (of many) co-posts where we will look at certain aspects surrounding our beloved Tampa Bay Rays.
First up, the trade deadline and which Rays players could/should move before Friday.
We are not really debating on whether or not something will happen with each of the players discussed. We are Rays fans. We know NOTHING is going to happen.
What we are doing is looking at the team’s needs, current player performance, and the potential for a move to occur.
It is pure fun.
More Cowbell and The Watercooler are putting on our General Manager’s hats to see if something can be done to help our guys reach October, and the World Series, for the second consecutive year.
So enjoy our hypothetical (and pathetic-al) attempt at doing a job we’re never ever going to have!
The Players
Dioner Navarro C
2009 Stats: .226 13 2B 5 HR 25 RBI 2 SB 266 AB
Keep or Cut?
I am sure Ginny will agree, this is a tough one. Navi is one of the bigger fan favorites at the Trop. He and his family have gone through alot during his time with the Rays and that has kind of bonded fan and catcher together.
Looking at it from a purely baseball point of view, though, I think that Dioner needs to go. The Rays need to look into either moving him or finding somebody (Victor Martinez from the Indians?) to take his place. His stats are some of the worst in the league for a catcher.
Navarro has had a roller coaster career with the Rays. Two years ago he was brutal, hitting just .227 with a .286 OB%. Terrible. Last year he was a big reason why the Rays went to the playoffs, handling the staff well and hitting .295 with a .349 OB%.
If we keep him it will be because he handles the staff’s pitchers deftly. The Rays might also think that he’ll bounce back next year.
CUT
The Gabes: Gross and Kapler RF
Gross 2009 Stats: .271 11 2B 1 3B 5 HR 28 RBI 6 SB 177 AB
Kapler 2009 Stats: .250 13 2B 1 3B 4 HR 23 RBI 3 SB 124 AB
Keep or Cut?
These guys have worked in tandem to create a very effective platoon in right field for the Rays. No doubt, you lose a little bit defensively when Gross is in the lineup, but you gain that much back with his bat. Right now it is just the opposite with Kapler.
I think that the rightfielder of the future for the Rays is already on the team. I just don’t know who exactly that will be. It might be Ben Zobrist, Fernando Perez, Desmond Jennings, or even BJ Upton himself (with one of the latter two taking center). It will not be Gross or Kapler in 2010.
With that in mind, I think that either one is expendable. I wouldn’t trade either one of them now, though, unless putting them in a package deal can land us another starter or a catcher. Gross would probably fetch more on the open market than Kapler would. But since Akinori Iwamura is hurt and Zobrist is playing well at 2B, I would keep them both.
KEEP BOTH (for now)
Randy Choate or Brian Shouse LH Relievers
Choate 2009 Stats: 0-0 2.25 ERA 4 SV 16 IP 15 K 5 BB 1.00 WHIP .198 BAA
Shouse 2009 Stats: 1-1 3.77 ERA 0 SV 14.1 IP 9 K 3 BB 1.40 WHIP .298 BAA
Keep or Cut?
Choate has had an amazing year with the Rays. His stats show how well he’s pitched and watching him in action backs them up. His Batting Average Against is stellar. When he is brought into a game to face a left-handed batter you can pretty much assume that Choate will get the out. Lefties are hitting just .189 against him this year. He is just the kind of guy that Joe Maddon loves.
However, we already have that guy in Brian Shouse. Or do we?
Shouse’s numbers do not stack up with Choate’s at all. He gets lefties out to a .235 clip, but righties are hitting .325 against him. That pretty much means that Shouse is in for one batter and that is it. Choate has made righties hit only .200 this year.
I think that Choate is a keeper, but since we already have JP Howell, Shouse is now expendable. I know that Maddon has said that he is excited about having a “toybox of lefties” in his bullpen, but 3 is a crowd. Choate stays. Shouse goes.
Choate: KEEP Shouse: CUT
Andy Sonnanstine RH Starter (currently at AAA Durham)
2009 Stats: 6-7 6.71 ERA 81.2 IP 50 K 22 BB 1.52 WHIP .305 BAA
Keep or Cut?
Sonny is doing very well with Durham (2-0, 3.35 ERA) since his demotion a few weeks ago. However, as well as he is doing there is just about how horribly he did here. Maddon kept waiting (as did we all) for Sonnanstine to turn it around, to turn into the guy we loved last year. He was a great alternative to the flamethrowers already in the rotation, but when teams are hitting .305 off of you something has to give. It did. Andy’s at AAA.
He needs to stay unless there is some great trade the Rays can pull off of which he is a part. BUT, if the Rays are able to put him in a deal then we still have Wade Davis at AAA who can come up and be the next Sonny.
KEEP, UNLESS THE DEAL IS GOOD THEN CUT
Scott Kazmir LH Starter
2009 Stats: 4-6 6.69 ERA 74 IP 58 K 40 BB 1.72 WHIP .289 BAA
Keep or Cut?
Ahhhh, Kaz. This guy was the golden child when he was acquired from the New York Mets a few years ago for nothing more than our ace at the time, Victor Zambrano. It was such an amazing deal for the Rays and such a terrible deal for the Mets.
It’s still a good deal for Tampa Bay as Kaz developed in the ace for several years and came up big in big games last season. However, he has developed an inability to go past the 5th inning and recently has developed the inability to get guys out. It is not a good sign for the team’s current #2 starter.
He has quite a fan following (I know Ginny at The Watercooler is especially infatuated), but that is no reason to hang on to the guy. When you look at his performance you see that he is improving here in the second half of the season but that his “improvement” is still worse than many #5 starters in the league. Kaz is slotted to make $10 mill next year. He says he signed the contract to give the Rays a “bargain” and ensure that he would be able to play out his contract in Tampa Bay.
I say let him. I know it sounds crazy, but this guy has talent. It is just off a bit. I have ranted and railed at how sick of his ineffectiveness I am, but he could come back next year and become the All Star he was last year. He is one of the guys who got it all started here, and I respect that. He wanted to stay with the Rays before they were good. I doubly respect that. I want nothing more than to see him return to form. I’ll have to hope for that.
KEEP
Wade Davis RH Starter (currently at Durham)
2009 Stats (at Durham): 8-6 3.22 ERA 114.2 IP 103 K 47 BB 1.29 WHIP .229 BAA
Keep or Cut?
I’ll be honest, I don’t know a great deal about the Rays’ top pitching prospect. I know that when the Rays drafted him, Davis was supposed to be part of the new wave of Rays pitchers who would arrive in the majors and dominate. He was supposed to team up with Jeff Nieman and Mitch Talbot to form the best homegrown 1-3 of any rotation in the league. Nieman is here. Talbot is hurt. It’s Davis’ turn.
If the Rays make any deal for a substantial return (Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez anyone?) then Davis is more than likely going to have to be part of the package. My gut says ”do it.” I believe in NOW in alot of ways, and this season is the NOW for the Rays. Contracts are going to start kicking in soon and it won’t be long before the Rays and owner Stuart Sternberg have to dump some salary. We’ve got to do it now. If there is a way to make a deal for people who will get us to October this year, then do it.
I don’t know if that deal really exists. If we get a pitcher, it will be for about 7-8 starts the rest of the season. If we get a catcher, he’ll have to learn the staff and adjust his hitting to our stadium. In the end, a deal for a pitcher and catcher might not help us as much as we might think. And it would be stupid for a team with cash restrictions to give up an uber-talented and VERY cheap pitcher for that.
KEEP
Wheels Come Off in 7th
Finally the White Sox had a closer who could end a game with little fanfare. This time it was Matt Thornton. And although the Rays tried to make it more interesting in the bottom of the 9th, they came up one hit/wild pitch short.
C’est la vie.
This time it was not the Rays who mounted a big comeback late in the game. Tonight they got a taste of their own medicine from the Sox.
Yuck.
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“Big Game” Let Down
James Shields deserved better. Once again, he turned in a gem of a performance only to have the offense fail to show up. Shields pitched 6 2/3 innings of 4-hit, 2-run baseball. He struck out 4 and had his changeup working well tonight.
However, as is the case in almost every Shields start, the offense was unable to give James more than 3 runs. He entered the game as one of the least-supported pitchers in the league, he left the game the same way.
In 9 of Shields’ 21 starts this year the Rays have score more than 3 runs. Less than half the time! In 6 of those 9 games the Rays have won and in 4 of those 6 wins the W has gone to Shields.
He has alot to complain about.
A pitcher who is 6-6 with a sub-4.00 ERA getting run support like that might need special help to deal with those issues. Easily Shields could be a 10-game winnner. Instead his record stands at .500.
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A Craptastic 7th Inning
The Rays entered the 7th with a 3-1 lead. They left it down 4-3. What happened? Tough to imagine.
The Rays used 5 pitchers total in the frame, 4 of them in relief of Shields. Three of those 5 pitchers failed to record an out! Yep, you read that right.
THREE GUYS ENTERED THE GAME IN THAT INNING AND DID NOT GET A GUY OUT.
Shields got the first two outs of the inning. Then reliable Randy Choate entered and gave up a fluke hit that All-Star SS Jason Bartlett made worse by throwing the ball into the stands. That put runners at the corners with 2 outs.
No problem, right? Wrong.
Chad Bradford entered the game. He felt a twinge in his back and had to be removed. That brought on Dan Wheeler.
“Wheels” for short.
Wheels got two quick strikes on free-swinging Alexei Ramirez. Then Dan threw strike three on the outside corner. Only problem was the umpire didn’t call it. The Rays dugout was not happy about it and clearly Wheels was rattled.
Next pitch was lined into center.
Right at BJ Upton.
Right over BJ Upton and to the wall.
It was a catchable fly, but BJ turned it into a game-tying triple. Jermaine Dye blooped a single into center to give the Sox the lead and that was how it ended.
Ugh.
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This Was Not Raysball
The Rays did not play their brand of baseball tonight. Among the things they did poorly:
1–The Rays did not hit. The offense mustered 8 hits and scored only 3 runs. Their top hitters let them down all night, culminating on a weak pop out by Evan Longoria to end the game. Pat Burrell did hit a home run, but it was not enough.
2–The Rays did not pitch. The bullpen didn’t anyway. Any time you have to use 4 pitchers to get 1 out, there is a problem.
3–The Rays did not play defense. Bartlett’s poor throw paired with Upton’s misplay spelled doom for the Rays. They gave the Sox 5 outs in a crucial inning–something you cannot do to good teams.
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The Rays will need to regroup to figure out how to score runs and get outs. Every game on this road trip has been decided by 1 or 2 runs. That says that our guys aren’t scoring runs and that it is imperative they stop other teams from scoring them. Especially late in the game.
The Rays will throw Scott Kazmir at the Sox’ Mark Buehrle. Both pitchers have had some recent success, so it is anybody’s game.
One thing is for sure. The Rays will not get the W tomorrow if they fail to show up as they did tonight.
And for a team that is currently 5 1/2 out of first place in the tough AL East, that is unacceptable.
“O” No? “O” Yes!
For three games now, the Rays Offense took its time showing up to the ballpark.
For three games now, the “O” hasn’t been able to really kick in until the 6th, 7th, or 8th innings.
For three games now, the Rays Offense has been able to beat the Royals bullpen on the way to a series sweep of Kansas City at Kaufmann Stadium.
Better late than never.
The Rays improved upon one of baseball’s best records since the end of April (43-23) and closed the gap in the AL East to 4 1/2 games by biding their time against the Royals’ effective starters and demolishing the Royals’ terrible bullpen.
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The Pitching
Matt Garza told reporters that he wanted to get back to “dominating” opposing teams. That he was tired of talking about it and was ready to do it.
Guess we’ll wait til next time to see that, huh Matt?
Garza was plagued by walks (5) in his 5-inning stint today, giving up 3 runs and 6 hits along the way. He wasn’t fooling anybody today and was lucky that the damage wasn’t worse. His walks led to a bases loaded 1-out jam early in the game that he was able to escape by inducing a double play grounder.
In this series, the Rays’ starters were pretty poor, with the exception of Scott Kazmir (that’s for you, Ginny).
The Royals’ starters were solid, today being led by Luke Hochevar. He made the Rays look silly at times, flailing away at pitches that were near the zone or watching pitches in the zone go right by. He struck out 9 Rays, something that our guys had better improve upon if they want to succeed in their playoff hopes.
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Bullpens Were the Story
The Rays had it, the Royals didn’t.
Poor Royals manager Trey Hillman must have been getting tired near the end of this game, as he had to continually change pitchers from one batter to the next, seeing little success each time.
It was the same line of relievers for the Royals in just about every game: Ron Mahay, John Dale, Ramon Colon, Juan Cruz, and Jamey Wright. Cruz took the loss in two of the games with Wright getting saddled with today’s loss.
The Rays, on the other hand, saw alot of success from its ‘pen.
Sure, Joe Maddon made more pitching changes than Hillman did in the series, but his relievers were far more effective. Plus, his selection was more varied. Only two Rays relievers, Randy Choate and JP Howell, saw action in each of the three games. JP Howell was most impressive, saving each of the Rays’ three wins.
The Rays relieving corps managed to get the win in each of the games in the three-game set, get a hold in each of the games, and, as mentioned, save each of the games. What is more incredible is that they allowed only 8 hits and only 1 run in the series.
Not too shabby.
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Rays Hitters
For the second game in the series, the Rays did not go deep–they didn’t have to. Timely hitting and good baserunning led to the sweep.
Ben Zobrist has been hitting the cover off of the ball lately, extending his hitting streak to 9 games with an early-inning single.
What is most impressive is that he has a streak of 5 games in which he has gotten 2 or more hits! Don’t forget he missed a grand slam in the 9th by about a foot and a half. This guy totally deserved that All Star spot and might get some more recognition before the season is over.
Carl Crawford did his usual damage today. He is really on a tear since the All-Star Break, and understandably so.
He scored the tying run after a series of events that typified what CC can do in a game. After ripping a single into left field, Crawford scared pitcher John Bale enough to get a few throws over to keep him close. One throw went into right field, allowing CC to motor around to 3rd base. Carlos Pena’s single scored him and tied the game.
Carl’s 46 stolen bases this season have been a real catalyst for this team. In fact, he has more steals than 7 MLB teams do as a whole!
Impressive. Most impressive.
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Walkin’ Yes Indeed
One of the keys to the Rays’ success in this series against an improving Royals team has been the team’s propensity for walking. The Rays did not score runs easily in the series, which makes every little move more magnified. When hits and run opportunities are at a premium, the team must utilize another method for getting on base.
Walks.
The Rays coaxed 15 walks from Royals pitchers in the series! Whenever you looked up, a Rays hitter was on base. That can help to offset the large amount of Ks the team had.
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The Wrap-up
In all, the team put together a decent series. It was a sweep after all.
The walks and timely hits along with the relentless pressure put on opposing pitchers on the basepaths led to some very exciting games.
This was Rays baseball at its finest.
Now it is off to the Windy City (though I can tell you from experience that it isn’t so windy these days as much as it is hot and gross) to play 4 games against the second-place Chicago White Sox.
Let’s hope the Rays play their game and keep this winning streak alive.
Rays and MLB Mid-Season Report–Looking Ahead to the Second Half
It is hard to believe that the second half of the baseball season starts today. It seems as if the first half flew by so quickly. But the first pitch of post-All Star Break baseball will be thrown tonight at 7 by Derek Lowe of the Atlanta Braves to the New York Mets.
The Rays don’t get going until tomorrow against the Kansas City Royals, unfortunately. So it will be a day of reflection on what has happened and guessing on what is to come this season.
Rays’ Mid-Season Awards
MVP
When you look at this Rays team as a whole, and at the season as a whole, not one guy stands out. That was one of the hallmarks of last season’s team and one of the big reasons why it was so successful. They literally are “One Team” as the ads proclaim, and it is not a bad trait to have.
BUT, I’m not going to be lame and say that the award goes to the whole team. Not everybody gets trophies here, so I’ll be narrowing my pick to one guy.
That guy is Carl Crawford.
With all due respect to Evan Longoria, Jason Bartlett, and Ben Zobrist, Crawford has been the most dependable player on the team. He does not strike out alot, he is hitting .309, he has scored the second most runs on the team (58 behind Carlos Pena’s 62), and he has stolen a league leading 44 bases.
When CC gets a hit, defenses shudder. He is more disruptive on the basepaths than any other guy in the league. HIs SB% is top-tier stuff and he even stole over 20 bases in a row to start the season.
Plus, just ask the guys on the AL All-Star squad how they feel about him.
Best Starter
The rotation for the Rays has been hit and miss. Unfortunately, this team could depend on its starters alot more last season, and things could get hairy the remainder of the 2009 campaign if these guys do not step up.
The most consistent starter this season has to be “Big Game” James Shields.
He goes out there every 5th day and throws excellent baseball games. Period. He leads all starters in ERA and innings pitched. If he could get some run support from his offense he could be an 11-game winner and an easy pick for the All-Star team. Alas, his hitters have scored more than 3 runs in a game for Shields only 8 out of 19 starts. Tough to win when you have to be near perfect every start.
If the Rays score runs for him in the second half, look for Shields to put up some amazing numbers.
Best Reliever
This might not be the sexiest award out there, but you don’t win without a solid bullpen. The Rays are second to Boston in the AL in bullpen ERA (3.56 to 3.42) which is a big reason why they are in the running for the division lead. Guys like Lance Cormier, Randy Choate, and Chad Bradford have helped to stabilize a ‘pen whose ERA was 6.16 just two years ago.
The top Reliever thus far, though, has to be JP Howell.
Howell has become the team’s defunct closer, and he has thrived in the role. He has a 2.11 ERA, 5 wins, 6 saves, and sports an incredible strikeout ratio (50:42.2 innings!). When he comes into the game, teams don’t hit. And, more importantly, teams don’t score. He has protected many leads for the Rays thus far, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Joe Maddon officially name Howell as the closer for the remainder of the year.
Top Bench Player
If a team’s bench can be a strength, then a team will be successful. The Rays had a strong bench last year with role players such as Eric Hinske, Cliff Floyd, and Jonny Gomes playing a big part in the World Series run. This year is no different.
The Top Bench Player so far this year has to be Gabe Kapler.
Don’t get upset that it isn’t Ben Zobrist. He became a starter a long time ago and thus does not qualify for this award.
Kapler has done it all. He has played great defense, throwing guys out at will. He has been a force at the plate, knocking 4 BIG home runs this year and doubling 13 times (7th on the team) in only 113 at bats!!! To put it in perspective, no other Ray has that kind of production in so few at bats. If he projected as a full time starter with numbers such as these, he would have gotten All Star consideration.
Best Acquisition
The Rays have not made many moves, but it looks right now that Randy Choate is the best addition to the team thus far.
He has been a steadying influence on the bullpen and his 1.84 ERA has shown that he can be counted on to get the job done. And his cheap contract means that he is just the type of guy the Rays love to get.
Most Disappointing Player
Unfortunately, there are many contenders for this award. There are some Rays players who have underachieved in a big way in 2009. BJ Upton would have been a lock for this award, but he has really turned it on as of late. The same can be said for Pat Burrell.
One guy who has not been able to improve at all has been Dioner Navarro.
His .223 average, 13 doubles, .254 OB%, and 7 walks in 69 games this year have been bleak. There are few teams that can succeed getting that kind of production from such an important position. Sure, he calls a great game, but you have to get some offense from your catcher. Let’s hope he turns it on in the second half as he did in 2007.
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Rays’ Mid-Season Report Card
Hitting C+
I’m not happy that this offense, which can be so potent, has been shut down left and right by inexperienced pitchers the last 2-3 weeks. That cannot be. When rookie takes the mound, he has to be dealt with accordingly. The Rays’ hitters do not have that killer instinct right now.
Defense A
This has been a part of the Rays’ game that can be counted on at all times. Zobrist may lack the Aki range at 2B, but he has done fine there. Kapler and Gross have platooned well in RF. And Longo, Bartlett, Crawford, and Pena are among the best at their positions.
Pitching B-
Inconsistency among the starters have plagued this team all year. An improvement there will lead to a serious run at the division.
Managing B
Joe has done a nice job keeping guys focused through injuries. But some of his moves have been perplexing.
Front Office B+
The guys up front have gotten the players to help the team at a low cost–something they are pros at and something that resulted in Andy Friedman getting Executive of the Year last season. Burrell might have been a bust so far, but he will turn it around. We’ll see if the Rays try to add anybody at the trade deadline–don’t count on it, though.
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Fun Stuff
Best Moment of the First Half
I had a great time watching BJ Upton go yard at the Trop in the bottom of the 9th against the Cleveland Indians in May.
The game had everything: great defense (Upton gunning down a guy at the plate), a big comeback (they were down 7), and the capper (Upton’s walkoff). It was the biggest come back victory in Rays’ history.
Biggest Question in the Second Half
Can the Rays’ rotation calm down and pitch the way they did in 2008? The offense will come around–too much talent there not to–but the rotation is too shakey. You know Shields and Matt Garza will pitch well most of the time. That’s it. Jeff Nieman, Scott Kazmir, and David Price cannot be counted on right now. If the rotation does not improve, they will not be able to keep pace with the Sox and Yankees.
Series to Pay Attention to in the Second Half
I am going to ignore the obvious Boston and New York series. Of course those could be big.
However, I argue that if the Rays cannot do well in their 6 games against Kansas City, 9 games against Toronto, and 10 games against Baltimore the Sox and Yankees’ series will not matter. The Rays have to beat the guys they are supposed to beat. Nothing short of .600 baseball against those three falling teams will do.
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My Playoff Picks
AL East: Boston
AL Central: Detroit
AL West: Texas
Wildcard: Tampa Bay
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NL East: Philadelphia
NL Central: St. Louis
NL West: Los Angeles
Wildcard: Chicago
That’s as far as I’m going to go with my predictions. As you saw with my Home Run Derby and All-Star Game MVP predictions, I’m not all that good at it.
I’ll leave that for the professional prognosticators.
What I will predict is that I–and hopefully you–will have alot of fun cheering for my team and going to the ballpark.
What more could you ask for?
A Blah End to the First Half
BLAH!
I don’t want to get too deep into the disappointing loss yesterday. I am going to take Canuck’s advice at The Watercooler and try to take a break from things. I think the Rays Republic needs it.
Yesterday was another one of those typical Rays games where things looked great–then went to heck.
James Shields put together a stellar game for 6 1/3 innings. He was setting them up and knocking them down. His pace was fast and his pitches were effective. The Oakland A’s hitters were swinging at first or second pitches the entire game and Shields was getting ground out after ground out. He was not walking anybody and his command was impeccable.
So what happened?
It wasn’t as if the defense let him down. Ben Zobrist, playing right field (which should be his future position in my opinion), gunned down a runner at the plate in the first inning. Michel Hernandez was calling a great game and was throwing guys out trying to steal (at least when the umpires were calling it right).
Offensively the Rays were scuffling a little, but they had put up 3 runs in the bottom of the 5th with some timely hitting.
So what was the deal yesterday?
It was a combination of things. Things that were out of the hands of Shields and many of the players on the team.
First, let’s talking umpiring. Now, you won’t hear many complaints about umpires here at Cowbell. I am a big fan of human error and not of computer call enhancement. I like when I can argue about a missed call on a strike, a home run, or a foul ball. That is what makes baseball fun and I hope we never lose that.
But that call of safe on an A’s base stealer in the 8th was ridiculous. Hernandez threw Matt Holliday out by a clear foot, yet he was called safe at second. What resulted? The A’s proceeded to put up 3 runs in the frame. The entire complexion of the game was changed and James was chased. Over one bad call.
Longo was called out on a strikeout when his foul ball had clearly hit the ground first. He stood there exasperatedly trying to tell the home plate umpire that, but he was getting nowhere fast. That ended what could have been a Rays threat in the 7th.
And Joe Maddon’s managing in the game was not his best. He brought in Dan Wheeler to replace Shields in the 6th with 1 out and 2 on to face Jack Cust. Cust is 2-13 against Shields, but 2-3 against Wheeler. What happened? Cust gets a hit and an RBI.
Maddon then brings in lefty Randy Choate to face lefty Adam Kennedy (boy he’s killed us, hasn’t he? Makes you wonder if we had him at 2B and Z in RF). Kennedy had just homered against Choate the night before. So what happened? Kennedy gets another hit.
Those things were disappointing, to say the least. To be let down by those who are “in charge” of the game is something that is almost unforgiveable.
However, let’s not forget that while the Rays capitalized when they could offensively, they did only score 3 runs. I mentioned in a previous post how Shields had only received more than 3 runs of support in 8 of his 18 starts this season. Well, let’s make it 8 out of 19 starts now.
The All-Star Break is here. And not too soon. Let’s see if our guys can get some R&R and put this latest 2-game losing streak behind them. Let’s forget about how we could have gained 2 games on the Yankees this weekend. Let’s forget about our inconsistency in our pitching and hitting.
Let’s just enjoy watching some baseballs get the stuffing knocked out of them into the St. Louis night sky and yell for our Carlos Pena.
Let’s get ready for the second half. It is going to be a doosie!
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