Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Rays Fall 3-2 In Extra Innings

David Price is held back as the benches empty after he hit Mike Carp with a pitch during the fourth inning. (Photo courtesy of Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
David Price is held back as the benches empty after he hit Mike Carp with a pitch during the fourth inning. (Photo courtesy of Winslow Townson/Getty Images)

The question of whether there was bad blood between the Rays and Red Sox was answered last night. The answer? A resounding yes. Three hit batsmen and four tossed managers later, Boston walked away with a 3-2, extra innings walk-off win. What an eventful/weird night it was.

The game started well for the Rays after David DeJesus hit a lead off double to right, and advanced to third base on an error by Grady Sizemore. Ben Zobrist drove in DeJesus on a groundout to second a batter later, giving the Rays an early 1-0 lead. Despite getting a runner into scoring position in the second inning, when Wil Myers walked then swiped both second and third base, the Rays were quiet (offensively) until the fifth inning when they tagged Brandon Workman for the second run of the game.

In the fifth, Yunel Escobar led things off with a hard hit double of the Monster. Jose Molina moved Escobar to third on a beautifully executed bunt up the right side. If I may, Molina looked like he was setting up camp as he slowly lumbered up the first base line — subsequently getting tagged out halfway between home and first. I’ve seen Molina run slow before, but Christ! J-Mo looked like he ran out of gas two steps out of the batters box. Escobar was driven home on a DeJesus single to right, giving Tampa Bay a two-run advantage. From there, the Rays offense wasn’t. They three more base runners (two walks, and a fielder’s choice) on the bags in the remaining innings of the game, though none of them made it past first.

On the other side of things, David Price set the tone for the night when he plunked David Ortiz on the first pitch of the at-bat, with a runner at first. Red Sox skipper John Farrell was ejected when warnings were issued to both benches. I guess he took exception to the warning and felt the need to argue. I don’t doubt the HBP was intentional. However, the ever eloquent Ortiz framed his argument as the HBP being retribution for him teeing off twice against Price in the ALDS. I’d argue, that it would have been low hanging fruit to hit Jonny Gomes with a pitch. Besides, there were already two outs in the inning, and there was no guarantee that Price — who was trying to set the tone early on — would have even seen Gomes in the first. No offense Ortiz, but you were literally the elephant in the room…urm, stadium in that inning.

Things were quiet until the fourth, when Price plunked Mike Carp with two-outs and a runner on second. The benches cleared, yet Price wasn’t ejected. Things didn’t sit well with the Red Sox bench coach, who was serving as the interim manager, and he was promptly ejected. 

Another game, another bench clearing scrum. (GIF courtesy of DRaysBay)
Another game, another bench clearing scrum. (GIF courtesy of DRaysBay)

In a moment of camaraderie between the relievers of both teams, this happened once the scrum cleared:

(GIF courtesy of MLB)
(GIF courtesy of MLB)

After the game, crew chief Jeff Kellogg explained why Price wasn’t tossed after the warnings and his second hit batter,

“If we feel there was intent to hit the batter, he would have been ejected,” Kellogg said. “We felt the pitch was certainly inside but not intentional. So that’s why he stayed in the game.”

In kind, Price said the pitch to Carp was not intentional,

“That’s not something I’m trying to do,” Price said. “I had six lefties in the lineup today. I’ve got to be able to throw my fastball in.”

Brett Phillips of DRaysBay made an interesting observation, “Brian Anderson noticed that, as Price had clearly been missing inside all night, and how warnings had been given, he had felt no confidence to throw in to Red Sox batters.”

Phillips went on to describe what happened next,

With the home crowd worked up into an absolute frenzy, Price got Sizemore to ground out to second. Check out Mike Carp’s slide into second base:

Eat it, Mike Carp. (GIF courtesy of DRaysBay)
Eat it, Mike Carp. (GIF courtesy of DRaysBay)

Replays showed that Carp angled his body, cleats up, and slid well wide of second.

The Red Sox began to chip away at the lead in the fifth when David Ortiz hit a liner to left, scoring Xander Bogaerts who initially reached on a single with two-outs. With one out in the seventh, Xander Bogaerts doubled to left plating Jackie Bradley Jr. from first. The game would remain locked up until the bottom of the 10th.

The inning started well for Juan-Carlos Oviedo, when he coaxed a groundout to second out of Big Papi on the first pitch. But Oviedo hit Gomes with a 1-1 fastball. Gomes, none too happy, glared at Oviedo as he made his way to first. It was obvious that Oviedo had a problem with his command, as evidenced by Oviedo’s reaction:

My bad. (GIF courtesy of DRaysBay)
My bad. (GIF courtesy of DRaysBay)

AJ Pierzynski won the game for the Sox in grandiose fashion, on a walk off triple to the right-center gap. Wil Myers and Desmond Jennings collided on the play, and I’d imagine the collision was due, in part, to a lack of communication between the two outfielders. It could be argued that the play could have been made, weren’t it for the collision. Communication is key, gentlemen. Per a tweet from Joe Smith of the Times, the two outfielders are okay.

The New What Next

Jake Odorizzi will take on Ruby De La Rosa and the Red Sox in tonight’s game. The Rays will try to snap their four game losing streak against the 25 year-old RHP. You can read about the pitching match up in our series preview, and I’ll post the starting lineup when it becomes available.

Rays 5/31/14 Starting Lineup

DeJesus DH
Zobrist SS
Joyce LF
Longoria 3B
Loney 1B
Jennings CF
Kiermaier RF
Rodriguez 2B
Solis C
Odorizzi RHP

Noteworthiness 

  • No Yunel Escobar or Jose Molina in tonight’s lineup. Ali Solis will make his first start with the Rays.
  • Thank you to all who attended our watch party last night — I’d call it an overwhelming success! More watch parties are in the cards. Since there are a good number of games at home in June, I’d imagine our next watch party will take place in July. This is where you come in: is there a particular game that you’d like to watch with us? Let us know!
  • Yunel Escobar was pulled from the game with a tight quad. There’s been no word if he’ll appear in the contest tonight.
  • A series of tweets:

Rays 5/30/14 Starting Lineup, Etc.

The sight lines at Fenway are fantastic.
The sight lines at Fenway are fantastic.

Rays 5/31/14 Starting Lineup

DeJesus DH
Zobrist 2B
Joyce LF
Longoria 3B
Loney 1B
Jennings CF
Myers RF
Escobar SS
Molina C
Price LHP

Noteworthiness

  • Ben Zobrist is back in the lineup, hitting second. Per Roger Mooney of the Trib, Ben Zobrist said his thumb is not an issue when fielding or swinging. Zobrist will wear a mitten-type hand guard when he runs the bases. Mooney also tweeted,

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X-Rays Spex and Green Bench Brewing Company Present A Very Special Rays Watch Party! (Re-Post)

Our web guy, Adam, created this poster. He works for an excellent web design company, Big Sea. Like what you see? Need some design work? Check Big Sea out, and get in touch.
Our web guy, Adam, created this poster. He works for an excellent web design company, Big Sea. Like what you see? Need some design work? Check Big Sea out, and get in touch.

On Friday, May 30th at 6 p.m. X-Rays Spex , Green Bench Brewing Company, and Star Booty are teaming up to host a proper Rays Watch Party, when the Rays take on the Red Sox, in Boston. We’re bringing all of the camaraderie of the game, some delicious foodstuffs, and some wonderful sounds — all just a stones throw from The Trop.

Enjoy the game on one of the flatscreen televisions in the tasting room, then make your way to the beer garden where the game will be projected once the sun sets.

The first pitch is set for 7:10 p.m., but be sure to get down to Green Bench early to enjoy the sweet sounds of DieAlps! and pre-game with your friends and your favorite brew. Outdoor games (including whiffle ball, corn hole, and more) will be available, so bring the entire family. Local food truck Der Wurstwagen will be on site, providing your with all your baseball related food needs.

Throughout the night Green Bench will be offering $1.00 off beers to folks wearing Tampa Bay Rays gear, including X-Rays Spex’s very own “Raymones” shirt.

Come one and all, and don’t forget to spread the word!

The New What Next: There’s Gonna Be A Borstal Breakout — A Rays vs Red Sox Series Preview

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Photo courtesy of Deadspin, from their “Why Your Stadium Sucks” series.

What a difference four days make. The Boston Red Sox left the Trop Sunday with their bravado, urm…tails between their legs, after the Rays mounted a three-game sweep against the defending World series champions. I think there may have been a contentious play in the series finale, though my memory is a bit foggy.

I digress.

Since the culmination of that series, the Rays dropped three games to the first place Toronto Blue Jays, while the Red Sox put together a four-game sweep of the Atlanta Braves — two at home, and two in Atlanta. Now eight games under .500 once again, the Rays will try to replace the Red Sox as the fourth best team in the AL East.

The Rays are 5-1 against the Red Sox this season, having outscored Boston 27-22. In fact, Tampa Bay has had greater success (record wise) against those Massholes than anyone else. Yet those five victories been close, and I’d imagine the Sox, bolstered by the series win, will enter the series with a giant chip on their collective shoulders. The Rays? They’ll attempt to change their fortune, once more, against the Red Sox.

Rays and Red Sox series starters.
Rays and Red Sox series starters. Note: Ruby De La Rosa will get the start for the Red Sox Saturday, not Webster. Thanks a lot for the false pitching matchup, ESPN.
Rays and Red Sox offensive production at home, away, and overall.
Rays and Red Sox offensive production at home, away, and overall.
Rays and Red Sox, by the numbers.
Rays and Red Sox, by the numbers.

Brandon Workman: The Rays put their collective spikes on the throat of Brandon Workman last Sunday, knocking the 25 year-old out of the game after only five innings, and tagging the righty for three runs on five hits. Overall, Tampa Bay has slashed .350 BA/.413 OBP/.550 SLG/.963 OPS against Workman, with a pair of homers and two doubles in 40 at-bats. Key match ups: David DeJesus (1-3, 2B), Yunel Escobar (1-4, BB), Logan Forsythe (1-2, RBI), Desmond Jennings (1-3), James Loney (2-6, HR, 3 RBI), Evan Longoria (4-7, 2B, HR, 2 RBI), Ben Zobrist (3-3, BB).

Ruby De La Rosa: De La Rosa will get the start over Allen Webster, Saturday. The 25 year-old RHP features a 94-97 MPH fastball with sharp downward movement and an ability to miss bats. Yet he is characterized having fringe-average command of his fastball with an inconsistent delivery. He also has a plus 84-87 MPH change up with strong depth and fade, and an average low-to-mid 80s slider.

Jon Lester: The Rays, historically, have been able to handle Boston’s 30 year-old lefty — tagging him with a 3-6 record and a 5.10 ERA in his last 10 starts. Then again he is a lefty, and we all know how the Rays have fared against left handed pitching this season. Whatever the case, Lester has given up four runs or more in four of his 11 starts, and the Rays hope to make that five times out of 12 starts. Key match ups: Yunel Escobar (9-33, 2B, RBI, 5 BB), Desmond Jennings (9-25, 2 2B, 3B, HR, 2 RBI, BB), Matt Joyce (4-11, 2 HR, 6 RBI, BB), James Loney (2-8, RBI, BB), Evan Longoria (11-50, 3 2B, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 7 BB), Jose Molina (9-26, 2B, RBI, 3 BB), Wil Myers (2-3, 2B, HR, RBI).

Noteworthiness

  • The Rays were apparently convinced that Ben Zobrist was ready to return, and didn’t play another rehab game with the Stone Crabs. He will return to the fold in Boston. “It’s a little sore, but it’s definitely playable,” Zobrist told reporters in Port Charlotte after the game. “I didn’t notice it while I was playing. If you are starting to notice it, it could start to hinder your play, but I didn’t notice it out there. I felt pretty comfortable when the ball was in play. Catching the ball, I didn’t have to wear a brace.” INF Cole Figueroa has been optioned back to Triple-A Durham to make room on the roster for Zo.
  • The Rays feel that Molina is okay, and there are no residual issues from Tuesday night.
  • Going into the series, Boston is missing starters LHP Felix Doubront and RHP Clay Buchholz to the DL, and have recalled reliever Alex Wilson to bolster their ‘pen.
  • Per Marc Topkin, Red Sox batters went into Thursday leading the majors in reaching base 300 times on two-strike counts, and leading the AL with 185 two-strike hits.
  • Tim Britton of the Providence Journal put together a quick and unexplained ranking of Rays/Red Sox dust-ups:
  1. Coco Crisp v. James Shields and Jonny Gomes
  2. Pedro Martinez v. Gerald Williams
  3. Jonny Gomes v. Yunel Escobar
  4. John Lackey v. Matt Joyce
  5. Franklin Morales v. Luke Scott, when all the Boston coaches were weirdly involved.
  • My fifth grade students and I finished working on some basic sabermetric number crunching yesterday. We found that though the general trend for the Tampa Bay Rays is upward, (by way of their winning percentage over the last month), the increase is so gradual that it will take them 11 weeks (or, until the middle of August) to get back to .500. Too, their Pythagorean Expectation has, for all intents and purposes, flat-lined at .471. That is, even a fifth grader can see that our boys are going nowhere if they continue to lose games like last night’s, or if the pitching continues to give up 22 runs over the course of three games.

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Rays Drop Third Straight, 3-2

Anthony Gose: Thief. Gose makes a leaping catch against the wall in the third inning. (Photo courtesy of Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
Anthony Gose: Thief. Gose makes a leaping catch against the wall in the third inning. (Photo courtesy of Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)

The Tampa Bay Rays dropped the final game against the Toronto Blue Jays by a score of 3-2, Wednesday night. Despite a disastrous two-run first inning, Chris Archer put things together, posting five consecutive innings of scoreless ball. Tampa Bay fell back to eight games under .500 thanks to the loss (and the series sweep). The Rays will resume play Friday in Boston, where they’ll start a three-game weekend series against the Red Sox. Having lost almost all they gained prior to this, their most recent series, the Rays will try to bury the Red Sox once again.


Source: FanGraphs

Chris Archer was touched up for two runs on three hits (all singles) and a walk in the first inning. And similar to his previous start, Archer threw a lot of pitches in that inning (27), appearing as though he’d be chewed up and spit out by the Blue Jays buzzsaw like Erik Bedard and Alex Cobb before him. Yet, in spite of the first inning woes, Archer turned it around from the second inning on, quickly settling down and throwing five zeroes on the board. His fastball/sinker/slider combo really worked for him, and the Rays depended on Archer and his “stuff” in order to hang around. A hindsight is 20/20 moment came in the first inning, when Jose Bautista, sliding headfirst into home, was called safe by the umpire as his left hand appeared to swipe the back of the plate for the second run of the inning. The above view of the play (on the broadcast) clearly showed that Bautista missed the plate. Unfortunately, that view wasn’t available for the Rays to review at the time, and Joe Maddon chose not to call Wichita. All in all, Archer threw 100 pitches over six innings, with two runs allowed on six hits, two walks, a hit-by-pitch, and seven strikeouts.

On the other side of things, the Rays scored all of their runs in the top of the second inning, when Wil Myers scorched a two-run line drive shot over the left field wall (clocked at 104.8 MPH off the bat), scoring Matt Joyce — who reached on a double off the top of the wall — from second. Though the Blue Jays starter Liam Hendriks held Tampa Bay to only three hits, while walking none and striking out five, his final line doesn’t tell the whole story. The Rays hit him hard, yet not hard enough to pacify the luck dragons. Like flys to, well…every hard hit ball found a Toronto fielder.

As Ian Malinowski of DRaysBay wrote, none of the other Rays fly balls would have enough carry after the second inning, and they sure did hit a lot of fly balls. There were more decently hit flies than I took notes on, but let me highlight a few:

  • With a man on first base in the third inning, James Loney hit a fly ball to left-center that Gose pulled off the top of the wall.
  • Leading off the fourth, Desmond Jennings hit a moonshot just a few inches foul, and then followed it up with another fly ball to edge of the warning track.
  • In the sixth inning, Evan Longoria pulled a changeup to the top of the left-field wall, but Cabrera made a leaping grab right before running into the padding.

All told, it was a frustrating game to watch.

Noteworthiness

  • Matt Joyce’s got first hit against LHP of the season in the seventh inning — a lead off, opposite field, ground rule double. Prior to that hit, Joyce was 0-17 vs. LHP, with two RBI.
  • Chris Archer plunked Jose Bautista on the left shoulder with a 98 mph fastball. No drama ensued…the wasn’t the Red Sox, after all.
  • Jose Molina pulled from the game after taking a foul ball off the face-mask in the eighth inning. Per Malinowski’s account, “He was knocked out of his crouch and appeared unsteady for a second, but while being checked out tried to convince the Rays that he was okay. One batter later, the home plate umpire thought that the Rays needed to take another look, and called them back out. Once again, Molina convinced them that he was able to continue, and he finished out the inning. Apparently though, the Rays changed their mind, and left him on the bench for the ninth. Molina takes a ton of foul tips off his facemask, but this one really did look bad. Let’s all hope that Molina’s brain is okay (not just because Ryan Hanigan is already on the DL).”
  • …And since we’re a mere day away from our watch party this Friday, I’m compelled to mention something about it every day this week. We sincerely hope that each and every one of you can make it out!

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