[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-z5_JVng_w]
It’s tough, I know. Watching the Rays lose games to teams that, on paper, they should be beating is hard. Watching them get out-played at their own game, is heart breaking. And seeing the pitchers get BABIP’d to death, while the big boppers on the team can’t reciprocate in high leverage situations, is screaming-at-the-TV inducing. I’d imagine that every Rays fan is feeling about the same right now. “On a serious note, I’m feeling pretty good! It’s been hard to watch but we’re about make a run here soon. #comebackkids,” tweeted Matt Joyce this morning. If anything, that reminded me of something: we’ve got to stay positive.
We sometimes forget that baseball is a game, and that games are inherently fun. It took a Charles P. Pierce piece, on Grantland, to remind me of that in the first place. I find myself re-reading his article, The Most Fun Team In Baseball time and again in situations like this.
In the end, try to forget that the Rays posted an overall .222 BA/.301 OBP/.339 SLG/.640 OPS line in June. Try to forget that they finished below .500 in June, which was the first time they’ve done so since last July, and the sixth time they’ve done so since the start of the 2008 season. It’s a new month. The Rays now sit in fourth place in the AL East behind the Sox, O’s, and Yankees, yet they are still in a respectable position to move forward from here.
Matt Joyce and Sam Fuld will be back sooner than later. As should Evan Longoria. The defense seems to be cleaning up the muck they’ve mired themselves in all season, and both Joyce and Fuld stand to upgrade that defense even further. They’ll also offer the Rays more stability in the batting order. Keep in mind too, that unlike last season where his production dropped off prior to the All-Star Break, Joyce’s production has consistently trended upward in 2012. The opposing pitchers are going to be in some serious doo-doo when Joyce gets reactivated because pitching around him won’t be an option…especially with Jeff Keppinger, Ben Zobrist, Desmond Jennings and Elliot Johnson in the lineup. I’d imagine that more consistent at bats from Carlos Pena, BJ Upton, and Luke Scott are in order as well.
If the Rays can pull out a W today, they can walk into their upcoming series against an injured Yankees with momentum. And, what better pitcher to turn things around against than Drew Smyly (2-3, 4.48 ERA), who has given up at least four runs in six of his last seven starts. We have seen what the below .500 Tigers are capable of this series. However, a solid start for Alex Cobb (3-4, 4.73) is in order. Sure, Cobber didn’t have the most stellar of starts against the Royals, but he did fair well against the Tigers in his lone start last season against them, allowing a run and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. I still contend that his start against the Royals taught us two things about Cobb: He’s mentally tough, and with the exception of his miserable third inning, he’s able to work out of jams.
Rays 7/1/12 Starting Lineup
Jnnings CF
Rodriguez 2B
Upton DH
Keppinger 1B
Zobrist RF
Conrad 3B
Matsui LF
Molina C
Johnson SS
Cobb RHP