I’ve frequented the idea that win or lose, this is only Spring Training and these games are meaningless in the scheme of things. However, maintaining that perspective takes a little more effort in certain instances. Case in point, Saturday’s 9-6 loss to the Boston Red Sox. Under no circumstances do I find a loss to the dreaded Red Sox acceptable. I know, I know — this was a meaningless Spring Training game. Yet the Red Sox are composed of some pretty unlikable players — I’m looking at you Mike Napoli and David Ortiz — and there is nothing I like more than watching them fail, regardless of when. Oh well, at least Tampa Bay will get another shot at the worst team in the AL East, circa 2014, on Sunday.
Nathan Karns wasn’t nearly as impressive Saturday as he’d been all spring. Karns, who will begin the season as the Rays number three starter, allowed six runs on five hits and three walks while striking out three in four innings (72 pitches, 40 strikes, 56% K/BB). Calling it “a bad day at the office,” Karns told the media that two factors effected his overall line,
My command was a little bit off. I fell behind a lot and these guys took advantage of that when I was really trying to make pitches. They were able to have the count in their favor.
Meanwhile the offense was silent until the fourth inning when Tampa Bay finally got to knuckleballer Steven Wright (no, not that Steven Wright). It all started when Xander Bogaerts booted Desmond Jennings’ grounder that should have been the third out. Brandon Guyer, Logan Forsythe and Curt Casali followed with RBI singles.
Steven Souza Jr. singled home a pair to cut the lead to 6-5.
A one run difference was as close as the Rays would get. Jemile Weeks hit an RBI double Brandon Gomes in the sixth giving the Red Sox a 7-5 lead. Gomes hadn’t allowed a run in his previous seven outings of the spring.
Boston added two more runs in the ninth inning on a pair of RBI doubles by Jeff Bianchi and Quintin Berry.
The New What Next
Rays manager Kevin Cash plans to empty out the bullpen Sunday afternoon when the Rays head south to Fort Myers to play the Red Sox. Brad Boxberger is scheduled to start and will be followed by Grant Balfour, Ernesto Frieri, Jordan Norberto and Kirby Yates.
Rays 3/29/15 Starting Lineup
Souza RF
Rivera C
Forsythe 1B
Longoria 3B
Butler LF
Beckham 2B
Francisco DH
Kiermaier CF
Elmore SS
Boxberger P
Noteworthiness
— While Karns threw at Charlotte Sports Park, Jake Odorizzi tossed seven innings on the minor league fields, throwing 100 pitches (69 strikes, 69% K/BB). Odorizzi allowed two unearned runs on three hits, while walking one and striking out eight, calling it a pretty good overall performance:
— Chris Archer also threw in a minor league game Saturday, throwing 105 pitches (65 strikes, 62% K/BB) in 6-2/3 innings of work. Archer blanked the opposition, while fanning eight and allowing only three hits and two walks. At the request of Archer, Rene Rivera caught the Opening Day starter — the first time they worked together for more than two innings at a time. Following the outing, the righty spoke about the importance of working with Rivera:
— Alex Colome, who was placed on the 15-day DL retroactive to the March 27th, threw a 40-pitch bullpen. Colome is recovering from pneumonia.
— Drew Smyly will throw another bullpen session on Sunday. If all goes as planned, Smyly could throw live batting practice in his next session on the mound. Smyly told Topkin he expects to be pitching in majors in April, “there would have to be a setback not to be.”
— Alex Cobb told Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) his throwing session with Ron Porterfield went well, it’s “square one but I don’t think there’s as many squares.” He expected to pitch for the Rays at some point in the month of April. Cobb said he feels good a day removed from that. After an off-day Sunday (handling Grand Prix duties in St. Petersburg), the Rays ace will play catch again Monday.
— Brad Boxberger told Topkin he asked to start Sunday because he wanted to face the Red Sox’s top hitters he will likely see during the regular season.
— Per Charlie Wolmoth (MLB Trade Rumors), former Twins starting pitcher and free agent Scott Diamond threw for the Rays yesterday (Friday), 1500ESPN’s Darren Wolfson tweets. The Rays have a number of injuries in their rotation and are known to be hunting for starting pitching depth to stash at Triple-A Durham. Diamond last appeared in the big leagues in 2013. He spent last season pitching at Triple-A Rochester and Louisville, where he posted a combined 6.57 ERA, 4.8 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9 in 123 1/3 innings.
— Tampa Bay has released SS Brandon Martin and OF James Harris, two supplemental first-round picks from the 2011 draft.