SBNation.com User Blog: Chris B. Jones

2012 Season Review: Don't forget to Vogt

Chris B. Jones — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 20:32:37 -0000

With the injuries piling up this season, the Rays offensive economy had ground to a halt. With the loss of Evan Longoria, and the litany of nagging injuries to American Patriot Luke Scott, the Rays were forced to try out some new faces. Trotting out guys like Brooks Conrad, Drew Sutton, Brandon Allen, and Ben Francisco doesn't help an offense score runs, but they were the necessary evils that enabled the silver-lining of the 2012 season: Stephen Vogt.

Now, most of these 2012 Season Review pieces are a look back. But just because an article is titled '2012 Season Review' doesn't mean it has to be about that. No, because, dear friends, history doesn't matter. It's about the future--The dawn bursting forth from the horizon. It's about America.

This offseason, B.J. Upton will become a free agent. He may sign with the Phillies or Dodgers, but it's always possible the Rays could resign him. In the four seasons since Upton's monster 2008 playoff run, the Rays have not made a single World Series. Not once! With the Blue Seats filling the stadium and Upton's lofty price tag, can the Rays really afford another four years of B.J. Upton?

There's another choice, friends, and that choice is Stephen Vogt. Why is Vogt the right man for the job? Here's three reasons:

Potential

We all know what the elephant in the room is: Vogt's 0-for-25 hitless streak to begin his career. Well, where others see failure, I see potential. I mean, he's due, right?

We've all heard of something called the Gambler's fallacy. Well, no one really knows what it is, but I'd like to think that it has something to do with the Gambler's phallus [link redacted]. Which is to say: when you're 0-for-25, go out there, grab your junk, and swing away, because good things are bound to happen.

And what's the worst case scenario? Vogt keeps getting out and breaks the record held by Vic Harris at 0-for-35? I don't know who Vic Harris is, but I believe this is his picture:

That's some bad-ass company for Vogt to keep. Amirite?

We all know what B.J. Upton can do: flirt with a 30-30 season and play sneaky-good defense in center. But, pffft that's it. We have no idea what Stephen Vogt can do. We don't even know what it looks like when he gets a hit! His potential is limitless. Can you imagine Stephen Vogt being better than B.J. Upton? No? Well, that's only because you lack imagination.

Sure, it's not easy to imagine it, but the best things in life aren't easy. Was it easy to build the Golden Gate Bridge? The Great Wall of China? The Double Decker Taco? Of course not. It took men of vision. Men who hungered for the future (and a layer of beans enveloped in a soft flour tortilla).

Here's how the DRB staff rated Vogt's 2012 season (AKA his MLB career):

Baserunning	Fielding	Throwing	Hitting with power	Getting on base
46	50	51	31	31

I know what you're thinking: A Double Decker Taco would be delicious right now. Also, those numbers aren't the best. Now, I'd like to show you my personal rankings for Vogt's 2012 season. Remember we're on an 80-20 scale here:

Baserunning	Fielding	Throwing	Hitting with power	Getting on base
80	80	80	80	80

Well these numbers certainly blow B.J. Upton's out of the water. Upton was caught stealing six times this year. Vogt didn't get caught once. And these numbers are legit, trust me. Just because I'm the only person bold enough to rank Vogt 80's doesn't mean I'm wrong. I've tried publishing articles on this every day, but the DRB lamestream, Upton-centric bias keeps my message down, man.

He's a Job Creator

Stephen Vogt has spent six seasons in the minor leagues and amassed 1894 AB's in 521 games. Without players like Stephen Vogt, what would happen to all the Minor League coaches, clubhouse managers, and concessions vendors?

B.J. Upton only played a season and a half in the minors before running out on his minor league teammates and making his first appearance in The Show. He'd eventually slink back to the minors, but only to AAA Durham.

Vogt went to Azusa Pacific University before being drafted in 2007. Upton skipped college. Without Stephen Vogt, I doubt many of you would have ever heard of Azusa Pacific University. Is there anything more patriotic than AzUSA? I believe its president is this man:

Vogt needs a lot of help with his swing if he's going to make to back to the 2013 Rays club. That's a lot of work with Durham's hitting coach and the guy who feeds the pitching machine. Those men are going to be able to feed their families and send their kids to school thanks to Stephen Vogt. Did you hear that? Stephen Vogt educates kids!

In fact, if Vogt made the 2013 Rays I could envision a line up like this:

Player	Pos.
Jennings	CF
Vogt	RF
Zobrist	2B
Longoria	3B
Vogt	1B
Zobrist	SS
Vogt	DH
Joyce	LF
Vogt	C

With Vogt and Zobrist's positional flexibility, the Rays could save roster space and money when they demote everyone else. Think of all the minor league jobs created then! You know what they say: The best way to win is to Vogt early, and Vogt often.

Revenue

Under a Stephen Vogt tenure the Rays look to be able to add about $20-25 Million dollars to the payroll. While he makes the league minimum, the Rays can spend this money on top free agents. Some have said that the Rays will get this money anyway, but I can tell you, with Vogt on the team, this money is a sure thing.

With B.J. Upton's expected $60M salary, the Rays would lose close to $40M. Can they afford that as an organization, can you afford it as fans? This is MATH, the numbers do not and cannot lie.

We know that Vogt is essentially "FREE" why else would there be such a fervor around "#FREEVOGT" on the twitter?

In Conclusion

On this election day, as you consider the choices in front of you (and there are only two, a vote for Carlos Pena is a vote for that fascist Youkilis) think about what kind of Rays team you want to see for the next four years. Do you want to see a team possibly make the World Series, or do you want four more years of World Series-less leadership from B.J. Upton? In the end, you want a player that lets you do the thing that, as fans, you love most: Watch the Yankees and Red Sox play baseball in air conditioning. That's what America is all about.

The GDT with no name: 10/3/12

Chris B. Jones — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 23:07:07 -0000

GDT for 10/2/12: I'll have a side of fries with that

Chris B. Jones — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 20:43:10 -0000

If you see something during the game that would fit "This Week in Sun Sports," please help us out and tag it (#TWSS) in the GDT or email to ThisWeekInSS@gmail.com. (Include inning and outs if possible.)

Rangers eliminate Rays playoff hopes three years in a row

Chris B. Jones — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 05:06:24 -0000

We knew it wouldn't be easy. We knew it would take a miracle.

Well, the Rays did their part tonight, beating the magical, touched-by-the-hand-of-God Orioles, but it was the Rangers--Oh, those pesky Rangers--who couldn't get it done against the A's from the Land of Oaks. It looks like this:

Rays beat Orioles 5-3

A's beat Rangers 4-3

It's an odd feeling, really. On the night, you can't fault the Rays. They came out and beat Wei-Yin Chen, a pitcher who'd handled the offense several times this season. (Presumptive) Team MVP Ben Zobrist homered in the fourth and Chris Gimenez dealt the knock-out blow with a two RBI double in the seventh..

On the pitching side of things, Alex Cobb went right after the O's hot bats, allowing just one run on a Matt Wieters oppo-homer over the short fence in left (very Long-162-esque). He pitched seven strong innings and K'd seven. When the off-season rosterbation commences Cobb should be mentioned aplenty.

On the home stretch, you can't fault the Rays. After digging themselves a gaping hole with losses to the Yankees, Red, Sox, and O's in mid-September, the Rays came back and played some lights-out baseball, going 11-1 over their last 12 (arbitrary endpoints be damned!). When we have to watch the O's, A's, Yankees, Tigers, or Rangers in the ALCS and beyond, we can play the "what if" game--the blame game--but, today, let's appreciate a Rays team that is one win away from 90 wins.

Being knocked out of the playoff race tonight was like losing the Powerball. There was the slightest of chances--the slimmest of margins, and, yes, just like the odds predicted, the Rays lost out. But, in my mind, there's something to be said for the faint glimmer of hope--the "what if I won 40 million dollars" daydream that you indulge yourself with for two minutes. As Rays fans we got to ride that dream all the way into October. And, you never know, we still might hit the Powerball itself and score a cool three bucks, A.K.A. a Cy Young for David Price.

PGT for 10/1: Go Rangers! Thread Part 1 of (hopefully) 3

Chris B. Jones — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 02:07:40 -0000

GDT for 10/1/12: Slim Shady like woah!

Chris B. Jones — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 17:22:15 -0000

GDT for 9/29/12: Only if you believe it to be

Chris B. Jones — Sun, 30 Sep 2012 04:28:22 -0000

GDT for 9/29/12: Anywhere but the boat

Chris B. Jones — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 16:01:52 -0000

Rays lose control; fall to White Sox 3-1

Chris B. Jones — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 03:19:29 -0000

Last night Jake Peavy was a tough luck loser. Tonight that luck turned around for Gavin Floyd. The Chi Sox starter threw a remarkably unremarkable game tonight. Ben Zobrist started off the night with a solo homer to right-center on the first pitch he saw from Floyd, but that would be all the Rays could muster against the righty and his stocking'd compatriots.

And it's not like Floyd didn't try. The G-Man walked five in five innings and Rays hitters worked nine full counts over that time, but could only muster the one run. Floyd left after 105 pitches, but the Sox bullpen wasn't any easier on the Rays. Jessie Crain pitched a season-high 2.2 innings and K'd four before Joe Maddon and Robin Ventura played the match-up game for the final four outs. Guess who won?

As for the Rays pitching, Jeremy Hellickson didn't have the flashiest stuff either tonight, but he tried his darnedest to make the numbers look OK. His line: 5.2 IP, 3R/2ER, 9H, 1BB, 2K on 93 pitches. He was peppering the Sox hitters with first-pitch strikes, but couldn't close the door; pitching only one clean inning. He made a few bad pitches, the highlight being a high, inner-half fastball to Alex Rios that ended up in the left field stands.

But, the biggest mistake might have been an errant pickoff throw on Gordon Beckham in the third inning. Beckham had lead off the inning with a single, but was still at first with one out when De Aza popped out on a bunt to Jose Lobaton. Helly was trying to keep GBecks honest, but his pickoff was quite off the mark, missed Pena's glove, and bounced off of Beckham who scrambled safely to second. He scored easily on a Youkilis single that squirted through a shifted right side.

The third run came after a leadoff double by Rios in the sixth inning. Hellickson coaxed a flyout that moved Rios to third, but then got Viciedo to K. This seemed like a big K, but it proved to be moot when Ramirez fisted an inside fastball to left to plate Rios. It wasn't a bad pitch, but it was an identical location to the previous couple and Ramirez just got enough to get it out of the infield.

But, it was just... It was nothing. Nothing doing. After a helluva stretch of the Rays firing on all cylinders, the offense pulled a '2012 Rays Offense' and the starter wasn't perfect enough to get the job done.

And for those of you scoreboard watching:

Orioles won
Angels won
Oakland is winning 4-1 in the 6th.

Tomorrow will be a better day. Tomorrow will be a better day. Matt Moore takes on Chris Sale @ 4:05 on FOX.

Fire Sale, anyone?

GDT for 9/28/12: Let's make good, level-headed decisions

Chris B. Jones — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 15:57:38 -0000

GDT for 9/27/12: Forget it, Jake, It's Chinatown

Chris B. Jones — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 15:54:36 -0000

GDT for 9/26/12: Follow the money

Chris B. Jones — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 18:32:58 -0000

GDT for 9/25/12: Hit, walk, and score runs

Chris B. Jones — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 18:21:49 -0000

GDT for 9/23/12: At least we have chicken

Chris B. Jones — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 19:51:53 -0000

Maddon Plays It Safe, Offense Breaks the Bank; Rays Top Jays 11-5

Chris B. Jones — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 03:45:41 -0000

At the time of the season where every game matters and a chance at the postseason can hinge on one inning, Joe Maddon had no intention of playing around. When Matt Moore allowed a walk, double, and an RBI single to begin the game, Maddon wasted no time in ordering a mass reliever exodus to the bullpen. When Maddon was in Tampa-land: let my pitchers go. Moore would allow another run on a sac-fly and escape any more trouble... for the time being.

Meanwhile, in the bottom half of the inning, Desmond Jennings got things started with a single to left off of Jays starter Brandon Morrow. Y'all remember Morrow, right? The guy who K'd 17 and was thisclose to no-hitting the Rays in 2010. Who wasn't? Well as Morgan Freeman said in The Shawshank Redemption, "You either get busy livin', or get busy dyin'." Brandon Morrow opted for the latter tonight. Jennings would come around to score after walks to B.J. Upton, Ben Zobrist, and Ben Francisco. The Rays had Morrow on the ropes with the bases loaded, but Matt Joyce popped out to end the inning. And so I figured we were in for another night of vintage 2012 Rays baseball.

But, I was wrong, Baby Birds. Oh, how wrong I was!

With one out in the second, Jose Molina "got busy livin'" when he ended a nine-pitch at-bat with a single to left. Jennings followed with walk and Upton with a foul out to first before Longo stepped to the plate. In the first inning, amidst all of Morrow's walks, Longo popped out to center on a 2-0 fastball that he just missed, but in the second, it would be Morrow who missed (location) when Longo turned on a elevated, inner-half heater and sent a towering shot off a light on the C-Ring to give the Rays a lead they would not relinquish.

But, it's not as if they didn't try.

Matt Moore worked a solid second, but ran into trouble in the third when he allowed a soft single to the speedy Rajai Davis. Moore then went after Edwin Encarnacion and Davis stole second uncontested on a 1-2 count. Now, with first base open and one out, Maddon opted to intentionally walk E5. This would be a fairly normal move except that he was in a 2-2 count. Not every day you see the catcher hold his fist out when a hitter has two strikes against him. But, like the Backstreet Boys, Maddon wanted no games to be played with his heart, and there was no "see if he'll chase one" or "unintentional intentional walk" just the ol' "Barry Bonds Treatment."

Moore went to work next on lefty Adam Lind who hit a frozen rope to straightaway center, but Upton tracked it down with an over-the-shoulder catch. That was all Maddon had patience for, however, as he trotted to the mound and yanked Moore in favor of Burke Badenhop.

The gambit worked and Badenhop got his grounder to get out of the inning. He'd work a 1-2-3 fourth for good measure. Moore finished the night with a "blah" line: 2.2 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 2K in 50 pitches.

Bullets:

Jake McGee made things interesting in the fifth when he allowed two runs to score off a sinking liner from Adam Lind. Unlike Maddon tonight, Desmond Jennings went "balls to the wall" and tried to make a diving/sliding catch and missed the ball by an inch. The ball rolled all the way to the wall and Lind found himself standing on third with a two RBI triple.
Thankfully, Jennings also "balled out" at the plate tonight. The Lost Stallion went 3-for-3 with two walks, a solo-homer, and four runs scored. As you can probably tell by the score the entire offense went off tonight. In the fifth inning, this happened:
The Roberts single was a duck fart squirted into shallow right, and Molina followed right up by stroking a 3-1 inside fastball (that was supposed to be outside) out to left. Jennings must have liked Roberts approach because he deposited an almost identical feathered stinker to right, and then B.J. joined in the fun by belting his 25th homer of the year. Bloop-blast, bloop-blast. I've heard of these things before, but not often in association with the Rays offense.
There were thirteen pitchers used between the two teams.
Even with a large lead, Maddon wasn't taking any chances. Joel Peralta pitched the eighth inning and Fernando Rodney closed out the ninth in a very-non-save situation. Yes, both guys hadn't pitched in a while (especially Rodney), but with the overabundance of caution that Maddon exhibited earlier in the game, I'd like to think "getting some work in" wasn't the only reason the set-up man and closer pitched tonight.
Maddon also exhibited a desire to win the game by not freeing Vogt.
The win brings the Rays 3.5 games back of the A's in the second wild card spot, after they lost a shocker to the Yankees in extras. Then again, the Orioles won again in extras today so... whatever. The players should just be happy to be here and hope they can help the ballclub. This is a very simple game. You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains.

Think about that for a while.

GDT for 9/22/12: Hey, girl. You wanna Second Life?"

Chris B. Jones — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 20:41:27 -0000

GDT for 9/21/12" How funny has this season been?

Chris B. Jones — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 20:40:14 -0000

GDT for 9/20/12: Rated T for Teen

Chris B. Jones — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 20:36:46 -0000

Rays Win, Rays Win, Happy Days Are Here Again; Thwack Red Sox 13-3

Chris B. Jones — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 02:41:27 -0000

The Rays are back, baby! Let me be the first to say it: This team has what it takes to go ALL THE WAY! If the offense can score thirteen runs against the mighty Dice-K and the vaunted Sox bullpen, then the sky's the limit! Carlos Pena crushed the ball tonight and proved that it's not too late to jump back on the "2012 Rays World Series" Bandwagon. This is why Andrew Friedman and the Front Office signed 'Los.

The Matt Garza trade has completely paid off now that Chris Archer earned his first Major League win. Uh, Rookie of the Year, anyone? The kid was a regular Henry Rosinbagger tonight, allowing three earned runs on five hits with six K's and ONLY four walks. The Rays need to let go of the decaying Chet Stedman's in James Shields and David Price and let this young gun shine.

There was much scoring tonight. It occured here, there, and everywhere, but mostly in the sixth inning:

Yes, I am aware that the image says that Jose Molina reached on a bunt single. Somehow this was true. It was basically a push bunt to the right side that Aceves made a rolling pickup and "doh'd" the throw.

The Rays went all Dewey Cox tonight as they Walked Hard ten times against the Sox pitchers. I know the season's nearly over and the Rays have looked like a team with nothing left of late, but just look at the 2012 Red Sox... It could be worse.

Important news about Brad Ausmus after the jump...

Brad Ausmus got a W tonight as a manager of team Israel over South Africa. I don't know if this is true, but the Astros announcer mentioned it, so I'm going to pass that nugget along to you free of charge.

PGT for 9/19/12: Rays 13, Sawks 3

Chris B. Jones — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 02:33:57 -0000

recap up later.

GDT for 9/19/12: Nic Cage says "Go directly to jail!"

Chris B. Jones — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 20:33:07 -0000

GDT for 9/18/12: Ay, the Feline Follies of September baseball!

Chris B. Jones — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 20:29:19 -0000

GameThread for Boston Red Sox at Tampa Bay Rays, Sep 17, 2012

Chris B. Jones — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 21:45:49 -0000

Current Series

Athletics lead the series 2-1

Thu 08/23	WP: Alex Cobb (8 - 8) LP: Tyson Ross (2 - 9)	5 - 0 win
Fri 08/24	WP: Ryan Cook (6 - 2) SV: Grant Balfour LP: Joel Peralta (1 - 6)	4 - 5 loss
Sat 08/25	WP: Brandon McCarthy (7 - 5) SV: Grant Balfour LP: Jeremy Hellickson (8 - 9)	2 - 4 loss
Boston Red Sox Over the Monster @ Tampa Bay Rays DRaysBay Monday, Sep 17, 2012, 7:10 PM EDT Tropicana Field Aaron Cook vs Alex Cobb . Game time temperature around . Complete Coverage >

fidget with that widget.

Please mark funny stuff with #TWSS. You are a champion,

Current Series

Athletics lead the series 2-1

Thu 08/23	WP: Alex Cobb (8 - 8) LP: Tyson Ross (2 - 9)	5 - 0 win
Fri 08/24	WP: Ryan Cook (6 - 2) SV: Grant Balfour LP: Joel Peralta (1 - 6)	4 - 5 loss
Sat 08/25	WP: Brandon McCarthy (7 - 5) SV: Grant Balfour LP: Jeremy Hellickson (8 - 9)	2 - 4 loss
Boston Red Sox Over the Monster @ Tampa Bay Rays DRaysBay Monday, Sep 17, 2012, 7:10 PM EDT Tropicana Field Aaron Cook vs Alex Cobb . Game time temperature around . Complete Coverage >

fidget with that widget.

Please mark funny stuff with #TWSS. You are a champion,

What Else Is There To Say? Rays Lose to O's 3-2 in 14 Innings

Chris B. Jones — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 21:56:34 -0000

Back to Four.

The Rays came into this game looking to right the ship and get one back against the WTF Orioles, but the old "Great Pitching, Not Enough Offense" story line played out again today. The Orioles continued their trend of winning extra-innings and one-run games, and the Rays offense continued to waste inning-after-inning of good pitching.

I'm not going to give you 1,000 words of doom-and-gloom--but, only because I don't have the time. This game took almost five-and-a-half hours to play and I have a dinner to attend(fancy, right?), so you'll have to spew the vitriol (may contain up to 10% ethanol) in the comments.

I will give you some bright spots cherry-picked from my notes, however.

There was much discussion after yesterday's game about Maddon's managerial decisions. A few of the points of interest were Maddon not pinch hitting for Ben Francisco with a lefty against righty-killa Darren O'Day. The second was not using Fernando Rodney in the bottom of the ninth. Those very same scenerios played out today and he reversed his positions. What say you, DRBers, are you pleased, or is Maddon a flip-flopper?

Evan Longoria started the game at DH, but entered the game defensively in the bottom of the ninth. He handled all three outs that inning in increasing difficulty: A solid grounder, a lined shot, and a bare-handed pick-up on a slow roller to end the inning. Of course, by entering the game, the DH disappeared and the Rays played NL baseball for the next five innings.

In case you were wondering, the five-man infield still works: In the thirteenth inning, Chris Archer allowed a leadoff walk to Endy Chavez. Manny Machado laid down the sac bunt to move him over, but Archer made a short toss to first that Elliot Johnson couldn't hold onto and both runners were safe. Mark Reynolds attempted a bunt, then quickly remembered he was Mark Reynolds and decided to swing away. He'd smack a Doug Fister of a hit into shallow right that just nicked off EJ's glove that loaded the bases with no outs.

Then came five-man infield. Maddon dusted off Louisiana Lightning Reid Brignac and sent him in for Sam Fuld. The Rays played Briggy up the middle in lieu of a left fielder. Archer coaxed a 4-2 groundout off the bat of Robert Andino, then K'd Matt Weiters and Nate McLouth to escape the jam.

Yes, Archer got a bit winded in the fourteenth and allowed a walk, a groundball with eyes, and a game-winning soft-liner to left to Manny Machado, but he looked OK in his 3.2 innings of work and his first ever relief appearance in the Bigs. The control was a bit wonky as we've heard from his Minor League numbers, but haven't seen to much in his three MLB starts so far, but he's got some legit 'put away' stuff as evidenced by that thirteenth inning.

Matt Joyce couldn't quite make a diving catch to save the game in the fourteenth. Sam Fuld probably makes the play, but then there couldn't have been the five-man infield. "What if's" abound.

The Rays head to New York where David Price looks to make his first start after experiencing some shoulder soreness last week. The good thing is, he's facing C.C. Sabathia. Is that really a good thing? I don't know, but I'm sure one of you stat-guys can dig something up for me. What's his OPSBI-against look like?

GameThread for Tampa Bay Rays at Baltimore Orioles, Sep 12, 2012

Chris B. Jones — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 19:06:24 -0000

Current Series

Athletics lead the series 2-1

Thu 08/23	WP: Alex Cobb (8 - 8) LP: Tyson Ross (2 - 9)	5 - 0 win
Fri 08/24	WP: Ryan Cook (6 - 2) SV: Grant Balfour LP: Joel Peralta (1 - 6)	4 - 5 loss
Sat 08/25	WP: Brandon McCarthy (7 - 5) SV: Grant Balfour LP: Jeremy Hellickson (8 - 9)	2 - 4 loss
Tampa Bay Rays DRaysBay @ Baltimore Orioles Camden Chat Wednesday, Sep 12, 2012, 7:05 PM EDT Oriole Park at Camden Yards Alex Cobb vs Miguel Gonzalez Clear. Winds blowing out to left field at 5-10 m.p.h. Game time temperature around 75. Complete Coverage >

This widget is a metaphor for the Rays season.

Tag funny stuff for the #TWSS. Pleas be as specific as possible. Between the hurricane and travel, I've missed a bunch a games and could use the help.

Current Series

Athletics lead the series 2-1

Thu 08/23	WP: Alex Cobb (8 - 8) LP: Tyson Ross (2 - 9)	5 - 0 win
Fri 08/24	WP: Ryan Cook (6 - 2) SV: Grant Balfour LP: Joel Peralta (1 - 6)	4 - 5 loss
Sat 08/25	WP: Brandon McCarthy (7 - 5) SV: Grant Balfour LP: Jeremy Hellickson (8 - 9)	2 - 4 loss
Tampa Bay Rays DRaysBay @ Baltimore Orioles Camden Chat Wednesday, Sep 12, 2012, 7:05 PM EDT Oriole Park at Camden Yards Alex Cobb vs Miguel Gonzalez Clear. Winds blowing out to left field at 5-10 m.p.h. Game time temperature around 75. Complete Coverage >

This widget is a metaphor for the Rays season.

Tag funny stuff for the #TWSS. Pleas be as specific as possible. Between the hurricane and travel, I've missed a bunch a games and could use the help.

Cobb Finds A Groove, BJ Busts A Move; Rays Beat Yankees 5-2

Chris B. Jones — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 02:54:55 -0000

Alex Cobb has been a rollercoaster of emotion over his last five starts. There was the smooth-as-butter game against the Mariners on August 13th, then the eight run bed-defecating performance against the Angels, a CGSO against the A's, and the brick wall of atmosphere in the face against Texas when Cobb came back down to earth. While the empirical, sabermetric axiom of "good start-bad start" would conclude that Cobb was in line for a dandy tonight, it didn't look that way in the first inning.

After the first two batters were retired in the inning, the Yankee hitters had Cobb right where they wanted him: two outs. I know the data won't back me up on this, but it certainly seems like Cobb has trouble making opposing offenses go quietly into that good night. So with two down in the first and the bottom half of then inning in sight, AC promptly walked Nick Swisher and then allowed an oppo homer to Robinson Cano to put the Rays in an early hole.

Of course, if you've read the headline *SPOILER ALERT* you know that those would be the only runs the Cobb Salad tossed all night.

Over his next six innings, Cobb allowed just three hits--two with nobody on and two outs--as he kept the Yankee hitters off balance with some well located off-speed pitches. Most impressive was his curve which he threw for a strike 20 of 26 times (77%). He induced eleven swinging strikes on 97 pitches and finished the night with five K's.

My favorite AB of the night was Cobb striking out Nick Swisher in the third with two men on and no outs:

via www.brooksbaseball.net

All these pitches were fastballs. Cobb was working the fringes of the strike zone to start the AB, but the umpire was having nothing of it. He came back with a bit more of the plate on 2-0, but kept the ball bottom-third with good movement and Swish came up empty. He then proceeded to work lower and lower in order to coax the K. This was a huge AB in a tight spot, only outshined by the 1-6-3 double play he worked out of Cano to end the inning.

All-in-all it wasn't as dominant of a performance as his CGSO a few starts ago, but, then again, the Yankees are not the A's (even though seeing Eric Chavez in pinstripes still confuses me).

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. We've seen the Rays lose countless games when the opponent only scores two. The Rays offense has to chip in every now and again. Could they do it tonight against an ace like Freddy Garcia? You never know what the Rays hitters will do against a 88 mile-per-hour fireballer. Then again, you could always read the headline. Stupid headline.

If I was ordering tonight's offense at a fast food joint, I'd have ordered a BJ/DJ Combo with a Longo on the side. And a lemonade.

Desmond Jennings got the party started in the first when he worked back from a pitcher's count and coaxed a walk. He proceeded to steal second on a 2-0 pitch (a ball) and just beat the throw. B.J. Upton wasted no time in plating Jennings as he doubled on a solid grounder down the third base line on a 3-0 pitch to put the Rays on the board. Alex Rodriguez did not look athletic on the play. Ben Zobrist would move Upton to third on a grounder to second, but neither Evan Longoria or Matt Joyce could GTMI after they both K'd on some greasy Garcia splitters.

Longoria would make up for his miscue in the third when, after a Zobrist walk, he made a banana out of a split that hung right over the heart of the plate and crushed it to left for a two-run bomb to give the Rays the lead.

But, that wan't it for the big fly. In the fifth, Jennings and Upton hit back-to-back homers to lead off the inning. Jennings' was a lofty wall-scraper down the left field line that landed maybe in the first row before the cutout. BJ's was a 'Now I am become Death' destroyer-of-worlds blast to the deepest part of the park, just left of center. It was Gwen Stefani off the bat. As much of a wall-scraper as DJ's homer was, that's how much of a no-doubter BJ's was.

Bullets:

I've been out of pocket for the last few weeks, but if the "Ben Zobrist SS Watch" is still going on, you should know he made a nice running feild-and-throw on a Chris Stewart grounder. Cobb dove for the ball and missed, but Zobrist was able to charge it and make a quick, clean exchange to get the surprisingly speedy catcher.
ARod didn't make much of a play on the Upton double in the first, but he made a nice snag to rob Jeff Keppinger of extra bases--or any bases, for that matter--in the second. The two-hop throw might not have beaten any number of speedier Rays, but we all know Kepp isn't the fleetest of foot. Kepp would return the favor in the fourth, however, when he made a similar play on ARod, but with a stronger--albeit less comical--throw.
Joel Peralta allowed one Jeter hit and struck out the side in the eighth and Fernando Rodney closed out the ninth without much fuss for his 42nd save of the year.
The Orioles beat the Blue Jays to move into a tie with the Yankees for the AL East lead. The Rays find themselves 1.5 games back in both the Division and the Wild Card. Enjoy your September.
The Rays shoot for the sweep tomorrow as Matt Moore faces Hiroki Kuroda @ 7:10 PM.

PGT for 9/4/12: Rays 5, Yankees 2

Chris B. Jones — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 02:11:04 -0000

recap up in a bit.

GameThread for New York Yankees at Tampa Bay Rays, Sep 4, 2012

Chris B. Jones — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 20:00:25 -0000

Current Series

Athletics lead the series 2-1

Thu 08/23		5 - 0 win
Fri 08/24		4 - 5 loss
Sat 08/25		2 - 4 loss
New York Yankees Pinstripe Alley @ Tampa Bay Rays DRaysBay Tuesday, Sep 4, 2012, 7:10 PM EDT Tropicana Field Complete Coverage >

Current Series

Athletics lead the series 2-1

Thu 08/23		5 - 0 win
Fri 08/24		4 - 5 loss
Sat 08/25		2 - 4 loss
New York Yankees Pinstripe Alley @ Tampa Bay Rays DRaysBay Tuesday, Sep 4, 2012, 7:10 PM EDT Tropicana Field Complete Coverage >

GameThread for Kansas City Royals at Tampa Bay Rays, Aug 22, 2012

Chris B. Jones — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 16:26:54 -0000

Current Series

3 game series vs Royals @ Tropicana Field

Mon 08/20	WP: Jeremy Hellickson (8 - 8) LP: Will Smith (4 - 5)	5 - 1 win
Tue 08/21	WP: Kelvin Herrera (1 - 1) SV: Greg Holland LP: Joel Peralta (1 - 5)	0 - 1 loss
Kansas City Royals Royals Review @ Tampa Bay Rays DRaysBay Wednesday, Aug 22, 2012, 1:10 PM EDT Tropicana Field Luis Mendoza vs James Shields . Game time temperature around . Complete Coverage >

Current Series

3 game series vs Royals @ Tropicana Field

Mon 08/20	WP: Jeremy Hellickson (8 - 8) LP: Will Smith (4 - 5)	5 - 1 win
Tue 08/21	WP: Kelvin Herrera (1 - 1) SV: Greg Holland LP: Joel Peralta (1 - 5)	0 - 1 loss
Kansas City Royals Royals Review @ Tampa Bay Rays DRaysBay Wednesday, Aug 22, 2012, 1:10 PM EDT Tropicana Field Luis Mendoza vs James Shields . Game time temperature around . Complete Coverage >

PGT for 8/21/12: Sigh Hochevar

Chris B. Jones — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 02:02:11 -0000

recap up later