The Rays dropped both games of a double-header Tuesday, in a day where the hype surrounding the call up of prospect Wil Myers overshadowed their inept ability to put runs on the board. Picking up where they left off in the previous series against Boston, Tampa Bay combined to go 1-for-10 wRISP, while stranding four men on second or third throughout the balance of both games. The Rays have now dropped three consecutive games, while going 2-8 in their last ten. You guessed it, it’s time for another episode of The Good, The Bad, and the Argyle: A Bulleted Game Summary. I also live blogged both games. You can read my passionate, and poignant, thoughts on the double-header at our Tumblr page.
The Good, AKA The Few and Far in Between
- Cesar Ramos looked really sharp in the first game, posting a 2 IP/1 H/0 R/0 BB/2 K slash line. Ramos threw 28 pitches overall (19 for strikes), going 4-for-7 in first pitch strikes. Ramos never really got into trouble, allowing only one base runner in the seventh inning on a one out Mike Napoli base hit to left. Napoli inevitably got stranded at first after Ramos induced a Daniel Nava pop-out to second, and got Jarod Saltalamacchia to strikeout swinging to end the inning.
- It’s easy to gloss over Jose Molina’s day at the plate, especially when the Rays couldn’t do much offensively. But credit where it’s due, he actually reached base safely three times on a second inning walk, and a pair of singles to left-field in the seventh and ninth innings.
- After allowing 11 earned runs in 12-1/3 innings of work prior to his start Tuesday, Jake Odorizzi came out and pitched well in the second game of the double-header — well enough to keep the Rays in the thick of things. Odorizzi was able to shave his ERA down from 8.03 to 6.00, after throwing 5-2/3 innings of one run ball. He made one mistake in the second inning, and it proved costly. However with a 45% FB%, a homer every now and then is par for the course. He did a great job of inducing 11 fly-ball outs, while also working through a pair of big innings where the Sox could have really blown things open.
- Just another case of Torres being Torres…The Rays left handed long-reliever came on in relief with two outs in the sixth inning of the second game, and quickly gave up a hard hit double to David Ortiz. However that would be the only hit he’d allow in two-and-one-third innings of work. Torres got Daniel Nava to ground out to third to end the inning and the threat. Torres looked a bit shaky with his four-seam fastball (throwing 50% for strikes) and he did allow two other base runners on a pair of walks in the seventh and eighth innings. Fortunately he kept his composure, and was able to negate any and all Sox that safely reached base. Torres ultimately posted a 2-1/3 IP/1 H/O R/2 BB/1 K slash line, inducing four ground-outs and two fly-outs.
- Kelly Johnson did his part in the second game. Johnson reached base safely twice and knotted things up in the ninth inning on a 411 foot blast to right-center — his first home run since May 27 when he belted two homers against the Marlins. I’d also like to acknowledge that he played a carom off the Monstah much better than Joyce in the previous game, holding the batter to a base hit as opposed to a double.
The Bad
- Allow me to reiterate: The Rays went 1-for-10 wRISP, while stranding four men on second or third throughout the balance of both games.
- We expected much more out of Archer. As Ian of the Rays Tank put it, “More proof that Archer isn’t mentally ready for the majors.” After only three innings of work, Archer accrued 68 pitches (43 for strikes) for an average of 22 pitchers per inning…and looked flustered all the while. Joe Maddon pulled Archer after he loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth. Throwing 109 pitches in 4-2/3 innings, Archer gave up four runs and five walks, while putting the offensively strapped Rays at a huge disadvantage.
The Argyle
- Welp, Myers thankfully isn’t Vogt. Wil Myers combined to go 1-for-7 over the span of two games, with his only hit coming on a hard hit single to left-field in his first at-bat of the second game. That’s not to say he didn’t show promise — Myers was able to work a couple of three-ball counts, and showed power to both left field and right. Myers admitted to being anxious in his first at-bat,
“I was a little anxious there, swinging at the first pitch, you usually don’t swing at that one,” Myers said. “I’m not a guy that takes a lot of pitches, anyway. But I should have got a better pitch to hit right there. I just got out of my approach a little bit, obviously, being the first game.”
Joe Maddon liked what he saw, noting,
“He’s going to be fine,” Maddon said. “We just have to get him out there and settled down. He’s going to be just fine. He’s definitely fine here. I don’t think he’s in awe of anything. … He was not overwhelmed by the moment.”
The New What Next
The Rays will attempt to salvage a game Wednesday night, before making the trek to New York for a four game set. Jeremy Hellickson will play the role of mopper-upper, when he takes the mound against Ryan Dempster at Fenway.
When Dempster is on, he’s good. Let’s pray that he’s not on, shall we? Helly, on the other hand, hmm… You can read about the pitching match-up here, and we’ll post the starting lineup when it becomes available.
Rays 6/19/13 Starting Lineup
Joyce LF
Jennings CF
Zobrist 2B
Longoria 3B
Loney 1B
Myers RF
Johnson DH
Molina C
Escobar SS
Hellickson RHP
Noteworthiness
- Perhaps we should be a bit more concerned about Alex Cobb’s health, following the minor concussion incurred in last Saturday’s ball game. Cobb, who was pulled from after getting hit in the head by an Eric Hosmer line-drive, has also experienced some ear issues.
“It’s getting better, but it’s going to be a long process, I think,”
said Joe Maddon in a piece by Marc Topkin, Tuesday. When asked if we could expect Cobb to return this season, Maddon went on to say
“I don’t know that. I don’t want to say one way or the other. We haven’t even discussed that. I think it’s important that he just gets to the next day and see how he feels and just stay together with the medical people. I would never create conjecture on that one way or the other. I really don’t know.”