It didn’t feel like a Rays/Red Sox game Friday night. It also didn’t feel like a contest that was relevant or important — and let’s be honest, it wasn’t. From the half empty stands to the hushed crowd, the atmosphere at The Trop felt stale. And despite what Joe Maddon said, about the Rays still having a shot at the playoffs, the good guys are playing as though they’ve resigned themselves to mediocrity. The first and second innings epitomized that feeling to a T. If only the Rays could be credited with a win based on their play in segments, not as a whole — they easily would have won the game from the third through ninth innings.
Author Archives: Schmitty
Rays 8/29/14 Starting Lineup, Etc
Rays 8/29/14 Starting Lineup Jennings CF Zobrist 2B Joyce LF Longoria 3B Loney 1B Myers DH Escobar SS Hanigan C Kiermaier RF Archer RHP Noteworthiness The Rays committed errors in their last five games — the longest streak since May of 2012 when they committed errors in seven consecutive games. Of note: That was right …
The New What Next: Enter the Prima Donna and the Red Sox — A Series Preview of Sorts
If you subscribe to the idea that the Tampa Bay Rays still have a shot of a postseason berth — albeit it an incredible small shot — then it is safe to assume that the upcoming 10 game home stand is incredibly important. To put it bluntly, if they don’t walk away with three series wins against their AL East foes, they’re toast.
Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Smyly Overpowering, Rays Sink O’s 3-1
Call it overpowering and/or dominant; Drew Smyly put together another excellent start Wednesday night, one in which he held the Baltimore Orioles to one run on two hits in his fourth consecutive plus-quality start as a Ray. And while they left a good amount of chicken on the bone — going 2-8 wRISP — the Rays offense was able to do just enough to come out on the winning side of the ledger.
Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Rays Drop Another to the Orioles, 4-2
It’s late’ish, I’ve had a few to drink, and I just watched the Tampa Bay Rays drop their second consecutive game to the Baltimore Orioles — this time by a score of 4-2. I’m tired, and since I have to be up early in the morning, I’m putting a challenge on myself — summarize the game in a paragraph or less.