Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Smyly Was Sharp Yet the Offense Wasn’t, Rays Fall 2-0

Drew Smyly delivers to the Boston Red Sox during the first inning on May 5, 2015. (Photo credit: AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Drew Smyly delivers to the Boston Red Sox during the first inning on May 5, 2015. (Photo credit: AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Mookie Betts was the offense for the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night. The outfielder homered to lead-off the sixth inning — the first hit off Rays starter Drew Smyly — and added another in the eighth to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 2-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Smyly was in control of the Boston lineup, especially before the sixth inning, allowing only three batters to reach on a pair of walks and an error while fanning six overall. In spite of the solo shot and a rumbling double by David Ortiz, Smyly left the game having allowed only one run and two hits.

Credit where it’s due, Smyly was aided by his teammates behind him. Kevin Kiermaier kept the game scoreless with a leaping grab at the triangle — 420 feet in right-center field — robbing David Ortiz of a potential home run to start the fourth.

Then in the fifth inning, Asdrubal Cabrera stole another hit from Boston with a great diving grab on a liner off the bat of Blake Swihart to end the frame.

Alas Smyly’s former teammate Rick Porcello also was sharp. He scattered eight hits over seven innings, all of the hits were singles, and no more than two came in any frame. Tampa Bay had a chance to put together an inning in the fourth when Evan Longoria* and David DeJesus singled to start the inning. With the count 1-1 on Logan Forsythe, manager Kevin Cash put on a hit and run play, but Forsythe lined into an 8-6 double play that ended the rally.

Alexi Ogando followed Porcello in the eighth, and Koji Uehara got the ninth — both oh whom stifled Tampa Bay. Xavier Cedeno threw another scoreless inning for the Rays, but Ernesto Frieri allowed a first-pitch homer to Betts in the eighth for an insurance run.

The colloquialism stands: you can’t win games if you don’t score runs. To put things in perspective, out of the 4860 regular season games in 2014, only 56 were shutouts — a 56-to-4860 ratio, or in other words a 1% chance for any given pitcher (or team) to blank the opposition. And while a shutout wasn’t probable, Smyly came close and kept his team in the game throughout. Unfortunately the batters couldn’t string together enough consecutive hits to give Drew anything but a hard-luck loss.

Be that as it may, over his three starts this season Smyly has posted a 2.70 ERA/4.25 FIP/11.34 K9/1.62 BB9 in 16-2/3 innings. Furthermore, he hasn’t allowed more than three earned runs in any game in 10 total starts with Tampa Bay (extending back to 2014). Smyly will prove even more valuable with the bad news surrounding Alex Cobb.

*Longoria picked up his 1,000th hit on the single, joining Carl Crawford and Ben Zobrist as the only Rays to collect 1,000 hits or more.

The New What Next

The Rays will wrap up their road series Wednesday night with Alex Colome pitching opposite fellow righty Justin Masterson.

Masterson has quietly strung together some solid performances of late. He has allowed three runs or fewer in four of his five starts. Colome is coming off a powerful season debut against the Orioles last Friday in which he threw five scoreless innings of three-hit ball, accruing six strikeouts along the way. This will be his first career appearance against Boston.

You can read about the pitching match-up in our series preview.

Rays 5/6/15 Starting Lineup

Kiermaier CF
Forsythe 2B
Loney 1B
Longoria 3B
DeJesus DH
Butler LF
Cabrera SS
Guyer RF
Rivera C
Colome RHP

Noteworthiness

— Congrats on hit number 1,000, Evan!

tumblr_nnwl4s98v61rs1483o1_400
Hit number 1,000 for Evan Longoria. (GIF credit: the Tampa Bay Rays)
tumblr_nnwnfngVTI1rs1483o1_1280
It is safe to say that this ball, the one Longoria hit for number 1,000, will make the trip back from Boston with Longo. (Photo credit: the Tampa Bay Rays)

— Jake McGee pitched a scoreless inning of relief for Triple-A Durham on Tuesday night. McGee could return to the back end of the bullpen by the next home-stand.

— In case you’re wondering, Steven Souza Jr. had a scheduled day off. That is, he isn’t injured.

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Rays Snap Skid, 5-1; Cobb Has A Partially Torn Elbow Ligament

Pregame sights from Fenway. Since 2010, the Tampa Bay Rays have owned the best road record in Major League Baseball — 224-193, .536 WP. (Photo and caption credit: Tampa Bay Rays)
Jake Odorizzi battled through seven innings on Monday night, helping the Rays bounce back from a pair of losses by beating Boston at Fenway Park, 5-1.

Odorizzi allowed seven hits, five of them for extra bases, although he allowed just a single run on a Xander Bogaerts triple in the second inning. Odorizzi kept Boston in check, holding the Red Sox to 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position, while also making the big pitch when he needed too. Odorizzi didn’t allow any self inflicted wounds by way of the walk, fanning six along the way.

The righty found himself in the franchise history books, becoming one of four pitchers to not allow a homer for the sixth consecutive start to begin the season, joining Erik Bedard (2014), Scott Kazmir (2008) and James Shields (2006).

In all fairness to Odorizzi, two of the five extra base hits came courtesy of Steven Souza Jr., who had a tough night in right field. Souza Jr. allowed a Dustin Pedroia fly-ball to pop out of his glove, and Bogaerts to turn a single turn into a triple as a routine liner to bounded away toward the wall. In the case of Pedroia’s hit, to his credit, Souza at least knocked the ball down, consequently holding him to a double instead of a homer. Still, it was definitely a ball he should have caught.

Ernesto Frieri followed Odorizzi and worked a scoreless eighth, while Erasmo Ramirez put together a 1-2-3 ninth to close out the victory. Rene Rivera deserves credit for coaching Ramirez through his frame. Don’t look now, but Ramirez has been pretty good since his two shaky starts at the beginning of the season, allowing only one run on four hits and a walk in eight innings of work. Perhaps the bullpen suits him well?

The Rays broke out early against Clay Buchholz, due in part to a play that resulted in a shoulder injury to Boston’s left fielder, Hanley Ramirez. With two out and none on, James Loney lined a ball to left. On the move toward the wall, Ramirez made a running catch but quickly ran out of room in foul territory, subsequently running into the wall. Ramirez dropped the ball, allowing Loney to reach second with a double. Evan Longoria finally got a pitch to hit and did not disappoint, lining an RBI double (his 999th hit) to left for a 1-0 lead. David DeJesus broke out of his 0-17 slump and singled Longoria home for all the runs they would need.

The Rays then added two more against Buchholz in the second. Asdrubal Cabrera, who was bumped down to seventh in the order, continued to beat up on Buchholz by leading off the inning with a single, snapping an 0-14 slump. DH Joey Butler followed by crushing his first major league homer over Green Monster on a hanging slider that Buchholz left over the plate.

The Rays tacked on their final run in the seventh inning against Junichi Tazawa. The typically dependable reliever gave up a one-out walk to Longoria, advancing Souza (who reached on his second hit of the night) to second. Souza got into Tazawa’s head by taking more than a few aggressive leads at second, disrupting the reliever enough for him to leave a mistake fastball over the plate. David DeJesus hammered the ball past Pedroia, subsequently plating Souza and giving the Rays a 5-1 cushion. Souza reached base four times, snapping an 0-18 slump and accruing two of the team’s 11 hits.

The New What Next

Game two of the series is on Tuesday, when LHP Drew Smyly will toe the rubber opposite of RHP Rick Porcello. Smyly and Porcello were teammates with one another on the Detroit Tigers. You can read about the pitching match-up in our series preview.

Rays 5/5/15 Starting Lineup

Kiermaier CF
Souza RF
Loney 1B
Longoria 3B
DeJesus LF
Forsythe 2B
Cabrera SS
Butler DH
Wilson C
Smyly LHP

Noteworthiness

— 5:45 Update:  The Rays have confirmed that RHP Alex Cobb has a partial tear in his right elbow ligament, however, he will try to pitch through it instead of opting for surgery. 

Team president Matt Silverman fielded questions from the media on Tuesday, saying “we’re still in wait and see mode,” and he expects to know more in couple days. 

Silverman also said any speculation on surgery is premature, rather the team’s focus is on “re-starting rehab.” The ultimate decision will be based upon the tests Cobb has undergone: Cobb “has had some tests performed and we’re awaiting results.”

According to Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times), informed speculation is that a new more detailed MRI revealed a partial tear in Alex Cobb’s elbow ligament, which in the short term puts him on a program of rest and treatment and longer-term could lead to surgery.

There is the possibility that Cobb could undergo various treatments, such as PRP therapy, where platelet rich plasma is used to speed healing, and try to pitch through it. However, if PRP therapy doesn’t work and rest doesn’t help, the only remaining choice may be to undergo surgery, which “would sideline him for the rest of this season and if a Tommy John procedure was required he could miss a large portion of 2016 as well,” writes Topkin.

The righty saw orthopedist Dr. Koco Eaton as well as noted specialist (and Rays medical director) Dr. James Andrews.

Cobb has been out since leaving a Spring Training game in Clearwater on St. Particks Day. After extended rest, he started throwing off a mound on April 24, however, manager Kevin Cash said he had “a little bit of a setback. … Just doesn’t feel quite right,” continuing with, “We’ll have more probably in the next two or three days. He just didn’t feel as good as he was hoping. Anytime you’re dealing with a pitcher’s arm its obviously concerning.”

Rays 5/4/15 Starting Lineup, of Hard Hit Balls, Etc

Steven Geltz throws during the seventh inning against the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday. (Photo Credit: AP Photo)
Steven Geltz throws during the seventh inning against the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday. (Photo Credit: AP Photo)

Rays 5/4/15 Starting Lineup

Kiermaier CF
Souza RF
Loney 1B
Longoria 3B
DeJesus LF
Forsythe 2B
Cabrera SS
Butler DH
Rivera C
Odorizzi RHP

Noteworthiness

– James Loney has been moved up to third, while Asdrubal Cabrera was bumped down to seventh.

– Mark Simon, blogger/stats analyst for ESPN, released which teams are making the hardest contact, and which teams are allowing the hardest contact. In the Rays’ favor, Tampa Bay is tied for eighth in giving up the least amount of hard contact. However, the Rays’ hitters are ranked 26th in making hard contact, just ahead of the Boston Red Sox who they start a three-game set with tonight.

CELA66BUkAASFPn
Which team pitching staffs are giving up the most hard-hit contact? (Credit: Mark Simon)
CELAsPSVAAA0x7y
The Rays are at the bottom of the MLB team hard-hit rate leaderboard. (Credit: Mark Simon)
– Don’t forget to read our series preview if you haven’t already. If you have, make it a two-fer.

– Interesting take on things. Peter Gammons tweeted, (the) average time of (a) game in (the) O’s-Rays series over weekend: 2:32. (It) tells us (that) part of pace lagging baseball is clubs’ “in game entertainment.” While that’s partially true, as Marc Topkin noted, the lack of Rays offense in those games (four runs total) had an effect on the pace of play.

The New What Next: Rays vs. Red Sox, Part Deux — A Series Preview

Matt Moore throws to batters for the first time since returning from Tommy John surgery prior to the team's baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles. (Photo credit: AP Photo/Mike Carlson)
Matt Moore throws to batters for the first time since returning from Tommy John surgery prior to the team’s baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles. (Photo credit: AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

The Tampa Bay Rays wrapped up their home/away series at Tropicana Field, with a 4-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday. Previous to that game, Tampa Bay was 8-0 when leading after six innings and 6-1 in series finales. Yet all of that changed in the sixth and seventh innings as the bullpen allowed four unanswered runs.

Nathan Karns, who sailed through five scoreless innings on just 66 pitches, was not charged with the loss, nor should he have been — Karns was excellent, scattering a pair of hits and a walk, while fanning four. The decision to pull Karns was a contentious one; there wasn’t any evidence to suggest he may have been running out of gas. On the contrary, the righty told the media he “felt fine,” and following with, “I would say it’s the most pitches I’ve executed in a game, you know working ahead… things along that (line).”

A specific point at which he’d be pulled from the game was unknown to him, and Karns allowed that the decision was based one simple philosophy: hitters do better the third time through the batting order. Although one can’t help but feel that he was disappointed by the decision which ultimately blew up in the face of manager Kevin Cash, “They’re in charge of making those calls, and I’m just there to do my job and pitch.”

The blowback was almost instantaneous. Reactions ranged from reasonable, acknowledging this was probably a rookie mistake, to those that hinted at shades of Maddon-esque over-managing

Credit the skipper for owning the lapse in judgement — Cash conceded that he may have pulled Karns too soon, “It’s on me.”

From there the game disintegrated into a melange of questionable pinch-hitting moves, in a failed attempt to squeeze out some offensive production from the lineup. To that end, I can see where the Joe Maddon comparisons could be made…if only for this one game. After all, Cash did seem to over-manage things toward the end of the contest.

Perhaps that particular game should be chalked up to inexperience and on the job training — training which, in an ideal world, would stave off another gaffe of this type. Look at the bright side: Tampa Bay is set to start a three-game series against the underperforming Boston Red Sox.

Since leaving the Trop back on April 23rd, the Red Sox waffled their way around the AL East, dropping six of eight against the Orioles, Blue Jays, and Yankees. Moreover, Boston’s pitching staff allowed four or more runs in six of those games — something that could benefit the Rays who’ve struggled to plate runs over the past two series. They have managed three or fewer runs in each of its last six contests, going 2-4 in that span. Tampa Bay will try to get back on the winning side of things against their AL East foes. Hell they took two of three from the Sox in April, who’s to say they can’t again?

Clay Buchholz vs Jake Odorizzi: Buchholz’s inconsistent tendencies reared its ugly head once again in his last start. He allowed five runs (four earned) and got pulled after just 2-2/3 innings, his shortest outing since April 21, 2014. Odorizzi took his second loss of the season against the Yankees on Tuesday after allowing four runs on nine hits while striking out four in 6-1/3 innings. The righty is 0-2 with an 8.25 ERA in three career starts at Fenway Park.

Rick Porcello vs Drew Smyly: Porcello held the Blue Jays to one run in seven innings while fanning six batters in his last start. Smyly took a no-decision on Wednesday afternoon, holding the Yankees to two runs on four hits in six innings. Smyly is 2-0 with a 2.82 ERA in five career appearances against the Red Sox.

Justin Masterson vs Alex Colome: Masterson has quietly strung together some solid performances of late. He has allowed three runs or fewer in four of his five starts. Colome is coming off a powerful season debut against the Orioles last Friday in which he threw five scoreless innings of three-hit ball, accruing six strikeouts along the way. This will be his first career appearance against Boston.

Rays and Red Sox series starters.
Rays and Red Sox series starters.
Rays and Red Sox offensive numbers (over the last 14 days).
Rays and Red Sox offensive numbers (over the last 14 days).
Rays and Red Sox by the numbers.
Rays and Red Sox by the numbers.

Clay Buchholz: Buchholz toed the rubber against Odorizzi on April 23 and held Tampa Bay to one run and two hits while striking out 10 in six innings. He, however, was left out of the decision. Buchholz is 8-6 with a 2.40 ERA in 19 career starts against the Rays. Key match-ups: Asdrubal Cabrera (4-11, 2B, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 3 BB), David DeJesus (6-17, 2B, RBI, 4 BB), Logan Forsythe (1-4, RBI, BB).

Rick Porcello: The Rays have fared well against the former Tigers hurled, tagging the righty for 12 runs in his last 34-2/3 innings of work. Porcello has posted whiffier numbers this season than at this point last season, 55 whiffs compared to 35, although he’s also been tagged for a good number of well struck extra base hits — six homers, four doubles, and a triple. Key match-ups: Asdrubal Cabrera (13-44, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 3 BB), David DeJesus (8-22, 2B, 3B, 3 RBI, 2 BB), James Loney (5-13, 2B, RBI, BB), Rene Rivera (1-3).

Justin Masterson: Tampa Bay, historically, has loved facing Masterson, especially over the last three seasons. Masterson has allowed 12 runs and 15 walks in his last 15-2/3 innings against the Rays. Masterson tends to pound the zone, however, most of the hits he’s allowed this season have come on fastballs and hanging sliders left over the plate. The Rays will look to punish this mistakes.

chart
Most of the hits Masterson has relinquished have come on hanging sliders and fastballs left in the zone. (Graph credit: Baseball Savant)

 

Key match-ups: Asdrubal Cabrera (3-5, 3B, RBI), Evan Longoria (7-23, 2B, HR, 6 RBI, 3 BB).

Noteworthiness

The Rays lead the majors in three less than savory departments:

12 Rookies have been used by the Rays this season
14 Rays have been placed on the DL this season
37 Players have been used by the Rays this season

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Rays Fall to Baltimore, 4-0; Jennings to the DL

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Chris Archer delivers to the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 2, 2015. (Photo credit: AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

A three-run third inning was enough for the Baltimore Orioles Saturday night, as they took the second game of their home stand against the Tampa Bay Rays by a score of 4-0. For the first time since Opening Day, Chris Archer allowed an earned run in a rough outing void of his best stuff.

Archer, who previous to Saturday night hadn’t allowed an earned run in 26-2/3 innings, was uncharacteristically wild in six innings of work, walking four hitters overall, and allowing four runs to cross the plate. Archer walked two batters in the second before the three-run third.

Manny Machado walked with one out, and then Jimmy Paredes followed with a single to center field after fouling off a couple of tough two-strike pitches. Adam Jones was able to advance Machado to third on a deeply hit fly ball out to center, then Chris Davis singled hard to left-field that plated a run and snapped Archer’s scoreless streak at 29-1/3 innings. Steve Pearce capped the uprising with a two-run double to right-center.

The game remained 3-0 until the sixth, when Archer hung a slider that Caleb Joseph deposited deep in the left-field seats. It was the first homer surrendered since Opening Day. Archer departed after allowing six hits and four walks over six innings, while striking out five. He has allowed three homers this year — all against Baltimore.

BA was quick to remind that when Archer misses up in the zone, he doesn’t have his best stuff — that was the case last night. The culprit of his outing was two-fold: an inconsistent release point and the inability to make mid-game adjustments. Archer wasn’t pleased with his performance:

I’m not happy by any means, but it could have been a lot worse.

The de facto ace put things into perspective following the game:

You’re looking at the results, but in the moment, I felt confident, comfortable and convicted, and in years past I haven’t. I think I was able to limit the damage as much as I did without my best stuff because of where I was at mentally — still trusting the hard work and what I’ve been able to accomplish so far this season.

Ernesto Frieri came on to work a 1-2-3 seventh, and Xavier Cedeno put up a zero in the eighth. Don’t look now, but Frieri hasn’t allowed a run since April 17th when he gave up a pair, thanks in part to a homer against the Yankees. Since that errant pitch, the right handed reliever has scattered two hits and two walks, and culled an impressive 100% LOB.

Miguel Gonzalez, who posted an excellent 2.48 ERA at Tropicana Field prior to Saturday’s start, was terrific. He scattered just four hits and one walk over 7-2/3 scoreless innings, striking out six. He did not allow multiple runners to reach until the eighth when Brad Brach finished the frame for him. Brach also got the final three outs in the ninth. Logan Forsythe was the one bright spot for Tampa Bay, going 2-3 with a double.

Per Marc Topkin, the Rays were shut out for the AL-most-matching third time and went homeless for the fifth straight game.

The New What Next

Nathan Karns will take the hill for the Rays in the getaway game, Sunday. Karns allowed six earned runs and five hits in 5-2/3 innings of work in his first start of the season. Orioles lefty Wei-Yin Chen will take the mound for Baltimore. Chen faced Tampa Bay once this year, going 4-1/3 innings and allowing three runs. You can read about the pitching match-up in our series preview.

Rays 5/3/15 Starting Lineup

Guyer LF
Souza RF
Forsythe 2B
Longoria 3B
Butler DH
Loney 1B
Beckham SS
Kiermaier CF
Rivera C
Karns RHP

Noteworthiness

— After much speculation, OF Desmond Jennings has been placed on the 15-day DL due to left knee bursitis. The move has been backdated to April 26 (the day after he last played), making him eligible to return May 11. is the 14th different Rays player to go on the DL this season. Former Cardinal and Rangers OF Joey Butler has been activated from Triple-A Durham and will wear number nine — previously worn by Wil Myers.

Butler, 29, was in Spring Training with Tampa Bay. He has brief big-time experience with the Rangers in 2013 and the Cardinals in 2014. He was hitting .317 with two homers and 15 RBI for Durham.

Incidentally the Rays had a spot to add Butler to 40-man roster (after designating Everett Teaford for assignment) but are now full following the acquisition of LHP Xavier Cedeno.

— Jake McGee is expected to move his rehabilitation assignment to Durham on Tuesday after throwing 22 pitches Friday in his second game for the Charlotte Stone Crabs. McGee, who averaged 94 in that outing, will make several more rehab appearances prior to his expected return in late May. Matt Moore told the Tampa Bay Times he was excited for the next big step in his rehab, throwing to hitters at the Trop on Sunday. Moore is aiming for a mid-June return. Nick Franklin is slated to start a rehab assignment Monday. Jose Dominguez is on the Durham DL due to shoulder soreness. He should be available May 9.