Tampa Bay followed a poor showing on their part Saturday, against the Pirates, with a 4-1 victory over Pittsburgh Thursday afternoon.
Matt Moore returned to the mound to again face the Pirates, after failing to get out of the first inning in his last start. Granted he threw just 34 strikes (out of 69 pitches), he called his outing positive, particularly because of his previous start. Moore allowed no runs on two hits and three walks, while striking out three.
Moore left the game with one out in the fourth and runners on the corners. Heath Bell came in and slammed the door on the Pirates, first striking out Jordy Mercer before retiring Jose Tabata on a groundout to end the threat.
“I think it’s pretty hard to have a negative (outing) after last time,” said Moore allowing himself a smile. “It was definitely a step forward today.”
Ben Zobrist, Yunel Escobar and Ryan Hanigan stood as the offensive heroes of the day, combining to go 4-for-8 with two runs and four RBI.
The New What Next
Chris Archer will get the start for the Rays Friday afternoon, when the team travels to Kissimmee, to take on the Braves. Archer is coming off two strong outings against the Red Sox and Yankees. So far in 5 1/3 innings, he has not allowed a run. The travel squad for the game Friday includes Desmond Jennings, Matt Joyce, Wil Myers and Jose Molina.
Rays 3/14/14 Starting Lineup
Jennings CF
Nix 3B
Joyce LF
Myers RF
J. Moore DH
Sands 1B
Molina C
Figueroa 2B
Olmedo SS
Archer RHP
Noteworthiness
During Tuesday’s spring training game against the Twins, David DeJesus was a part of, what could be called, the biggest play of the game. On the play, Roger Mooney of the Tribune wrote, “DeJesus was on third and came home when 2B Cole Figueroa bunted back to the mound. Avoiding contact with Twins C Kurt Suzuki, DeJesus ran wide of the plate and was called out.” However, when DeJesus started walking back to the dugout, somebody in the dugout urged him to go back and touch the plate — which he did. (see the play below) What looked to be a bad play at the plate was, as Cork Gaines of Rays Index put it, is “actually just another example of why Joe Maddon should win the Manager of the Year award every year. You can see the play below.”
[youtube_sc url=”http://youtu.be/iZv9FkkShWA”]
In short, if Joe Maddon asked for a replay, DeJesus would have been ruled safe since he eventually touched the plate. Otherwise, had DeJesus not returned to touch the plate, Maddon would have lost a challenge even if the replay showed the catcher missed the tag.
“I didn’t touch the plate, and he didn’t tag me, either, so I was ready to do a juke move on him, boy, but (umpire Marvin Hudson) called me out,” DeJesus said. “I was like, ‘all right.’ I snuck back to the plate just for video replay. You never know.”
Maddon responded, “That was an interesting moment,” Maddon said.
In the end, this is just one example of how Maddon is coaching his players to take advantage of loopholes in the new replay system.
It could be argued, there may be some silly-looking scenes during Rays games this year. And if the past speaks to anything, Maddon will be criticized for making a mockery of the game. In reality however, these odd plays will in all likelihood mean more runs for the Rays and fewer runs for other teams.
Gaines put it best, “in a division where every game counts, those runs could make a difference.”
On roster cuts… The Rays made another round of roster cuts Thursday, optioning RHP Kirby Yates, LHP CJ Riefenhauser, Vince Belnome, Kevin Kiermaier, Hak-Ju Lee, LHP Jeff Beliveau and RHP Nate Karns, and reassigning Mike Mahtook.
Per Marc Topkin, it sounds like Oviedo will get to Port Charlotte tonight, and be in camp Saturday.
Quote of the day, “The Rays have won as many postseason games in the last six seasons as the Cubs have in the last 78 years.”
– Buster Olney