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Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Rays beat Orioles 3-1; news on Cobb and Boxberger

April 27, 2016 By Schmitty Leave a Comment

The new bash brothers? (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

The Tampa Bay Rays beat the Baltimore Orioles 3-1, thanks to a key sixth inning two-run homer by Kevin Kiermaier. With the win, the Rays are again at .500 on the season, as they’ll go for the series sweep on Wednesday.

Starter Jake Odorizzi allowed one run and seven hits in five innings of work on 93 pitches (60 strikes). Credit where it’s due, despite getting into six full counts, Odorizzi walked just one batter and wiggled his way out of two big wRISP situations.

The Rays initially took the lead when Desmond Jennings drove in Logan Forsythe on a sacrifice-fly with the bases loaded in the third inning. Even though Baltimore tied the game in the top of the following inning, Kevin Kiermaier put the good guys on top again (and for good) in the sixth, sending an 0-2 fastball on the inner third of the plate into the right field seats.

Three home runs for @KKiermaier39 in his last 8 games.

The latest put #RaysUp, 3-1!

WATCH: https://t.co/Uz0Bk25SvX pic.twitter.com/ZVFNabwVgl

— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) April 27, 2016

At 0-10 wRISP in the game, it’s safe to say the Rays left a lot of chicken on the bone. Rays manager Kevin Cash spoke to that point, saying,

We put a clinic on offensively of not what to do with runners in scoring position early on.

In any case, the Rays have now won three in a row, with 11 of their 13 runs over the stretch coming with two outs.

The New What Next

Matt Moore will take the mound in Wednesday night’s series finale, opposite of Chris Tillman. Moore is 4-4 with a 3.83 ERA in 10 career starts against Baltimore. When the lefty is up 0-2 in the count, he’s allowed just one hit in 10 official at-bats and fanned five. This marks the eighth consecutive series between the two teams that Tillman will have a start. Tillman is 2-for-3 and didn’t factor in the decision in the other two games, both won by Tampa Bay. You can read about the pitching matchup in our series preview.

Rays 4/27/16 Starting Lineup

Forsythe 2B
Miller SS
Longoria 3B
Dickerson DH
Jennings LF
Morrison 1B
Souza RF
Kiermaier CF
Conger C
Moore LHP

Noteworthiness

— On Alex Cobb and Brad Boxberger…

Cobb continued the program to build up his arm strength on Tuesday, throwing 25 fastballs off the mound in a bullpen session. He is expected to continue throwing bullpen sessions until he begins to face hitters in June. The righty told Bill Chastain (Rays beat writer, MLB.com) that he’s beginning to feel more familiar with throwing a baseball.

Even in Spring Training, when he’s not returning from an injury,

It takes a good eight to 10 bullpens before I’m feeling like I know how to pitch again, Cobb said. I’m very happy with how quickly I’ve gotten to the point I’m at already.

Cobb has focused solely on his mechanics and nothing else.

I’m not worried about my elbow, I’m not worried about the way the ball is coming out. I’m worried about how my mechanics line up to make the pitches do what I want them to do. That’s a great sign. It’s a good sign for me mentally to just be focusing on that instead of the other stuff that goes along with the surgery.

Cobb should return by late July or early August.

Boxberger was cleared by Dr. William Meyers — the Philadelphia doctor who performed his core muscle surgery in March — to resume full baseball activity. Like Cobb, Boxberger is on a similar program of throwing bullpen sessions and should be just about ready to face live hitters. He throw will his second bullpen session Wednesday.

He said everything is good, ready to go, Boxberger said. I can start working more on the baseball stuff, agilities and all that. Getting back with the boys.

The reliever still expects a mid-May return to the bullpen.

Cash was pleased with the news, saying,

We had a really good report, from what I heard from (head athletic trainer) Ron (Porterfield). And talking to Box, he seemed excited. … He’s eager to get back out there, which is great. We expect a lot of big things when he gets back. From talking to him, he’s eager to get back out there, which is great,” said Cash, who added, Porterfield said he’s been tremendous in the weight room and in the rehab. We expect a lot of big things when he is back.

— Corey Dickerson and Steven Souza both reached homers in 58 plate appearances (tied for the ninth quickest in team history to start a season).

— According to Elias Sports Beureau, the Rays have scored 15 of their 18 runs in the last five games with two outs (83.3%). For the season, 42 of 70 of their runs have been scored with two outs (60%), highest in the majors.

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: welcome back King Chris; Rays blank Orioles, 2-0

April 26, 2016 By Schmitty Leave a Comment

The Tampa Bay Rays handed the Orioles their first shutout of the season. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

Welcome back, Chris Archer! The Tampa Bay Rays ace returned to form on Monday with his best, and longest, outing of the season. Meanwhile Archer’s battery mate, Curt Casali, drove in both runs. That was enough for Tampa Bay, who handed the Baltimore Orioles their first shutout of the season, 2-0.

It all started with an impressive start by Archer, who, prior to Monday night, was winless in his first four starts. Archer set the tone by throwing first pitch strikes to 11-of-the-first-12 batters he faced. He also mixed his pitches well, baffling the Orioles batters by mixing in a dangerous, yet unfamiliar weapon: a filthy changeup that had split finger action.

Archer established his changeup (20 thrown, 16 strikes, 6 whiffs) early, using it to collect four of his first five strikeouts. It also made his slider (18 thrown, 15 strikes, 5 whiffs) ― which while not in top form ― that much better. In the end, however, it all began with fastball command, which the righty had in spades. Of the 47 fastballs thrown, 31 went for strikes.

The Orioles had their best chance against Archer in the third after Pedro Alvarez doubled to left to start the inning. Unfazed, Archer got Jonathan Schoop to line to second, Joey Rickard to strike out swinging and Manny Machado to bounce to third, ending the inning.

The Orioles only got a pair of runners as far as second base against Archer (both coming on Alvarez doubles). All told, he scattered five hits over 6-2/3 innings, and didn’t walk a batter while striking out 10. In nine starts with Casali behind the plate, Archer now owns a 2.30 ERA.

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By the by, if there is still a concern over a presumed drop in fastball velocity, Archer averaged 95.4 mph Monday night and maxed out at 98.2 mph.

Tampa Bay broke the 0-0 deadlock in the fifth. Steven Souza Jr. walked (yes, you read that right) on a borderline 3-2 pitch with one out. After Kevin Kiermaier flew-out to center, Casali ran the count full before lashing a double to left. Off with the pitch, Souza scored all the way from first.

It looked like a breakout inning was in the making after Kevin Gausman hit Logan Forsythe and walked Steve Pearce. Yet an offensive outburst was not to be ― Evan Longoria flew out to right, ending the threat. Gausman needed 32 pitches to get through the inning.

Baltimore’s starter was pulled, in favor of Brian Matusz, in the sixth after throwing 92 pitches. The left-handed Matusz began the sixth by walking Corey Dickerson. After the southpaw retired the next two batters, Souza singled to left and Kiermaier walked to load the bases.

Vance Worley, replaced Matusz, and hit Casali with an 89 mph 1-1 fastball, forcing home Dickerson from third and giving Tampa Bay a two-run advantage. Forsythe grounded out one pitch later, but not before the damage was done.

Alvarez stepped to the plate as the tying run with two outs in the seventh, although Enny Romero ― who entered the game in relief ― got Baltimore’s DH to pop out to first.

After Romero got the last out in the seventh, Everyday Erasmo Ramirez took over in the eighth and put together a perfect 1-1/3 innings of work, coaxing a trifecta of groundouts and a strikeout (swinging) on an 81 mph, thigh-high changeup.

Xavier Cedeno took over for Ramirez and made up for his shotty outing on Saturday by inducing a ground ball out of Chris Davis for the second out of the inning. Finally Alex Colome took over and got the final out of the game, completing the shutout. For Colome, it was his fourth save of the season.

The New What Next

Chasing .500. Rays RHP Jake Odorizzi (0-1) will go against Orioles RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (1-1) on Tuesday night. Odorizzi has a 2.56 ERA in home games since the start of the 2014 season and allowed one earned run or fewer in 19-of-32 starts over the stretch. You can read about the pitching matchup in our series preview.

Rays 4/26/16 Starting Lineup

Forsythe 2B
Miller SS
Longoria 3B
Dickerson DH
Jennings LF
Morrison 1B
Souza RF
Kiermaier CF
Casali C
Odorizzi RHP

Noteworthiness

― Why that particular mix of pitches for Archer?

#Rays Archer mixed in his changeup tonight, because the fastball/slider combo has not worked well vs. the O’s.

— Roger Mooney (@RMooneyTBO) April 26, 2016

Of his 10 strikeouts, PITCHf/x had 5 on sliders, 4 on changeups and 1 on his fastball — Roger Mooney (@RMooneyTBO) April 26, 2016

― The Process Report broke down Archer’s start. Check out what the writers had to say.

― From the pregame notes: since 2015, Archer is 10-1 when allowing 1 run or fewer and 3-16 when allowing 2 runs or more.

― Also from the pregame notes, Monday was Archer’s fifth career scoreless start with 10 or more strikeouts, surpassing Scott Kazmir for the club record.

― Casali became the third No. 9 hitter to drive in all of the runs in a win since 2008. The others are Nathan Karns on July 21, 2015 at PHI (solo HR, won 1-0) and SS Ben Zobrist on July 18, 2008 vs. TOR (2-run HR, won 2-1).

The New What Next: Rays 4/25/16 starting lineup, etc

April 25, 2016 By belowaverage Leave a Comment

Chris Archer looks to pitch through the sixth inning for the first time this season tonight against the Orioles. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Times)

Rays 4/25/16 Starting Lineup

Forsythe 2B
Pearce 1B
Longoria 3B
Dickerson DH
Jennings LF
Miller SS
Souza RF
Kiermaier CF
Casali C
Archer RHP

Noteworthiness

― Good luck charm? Curt Casali will catch Chris Archer for the first time this season.

― As it was written elsewhere (via Marc Topkin), this validates some of confidence the Rays have maintained in the offense:

Hard-Hit Rate – Top 5 Teams
Rays 18.5%
Pirates 18.3%
Diamondbacks 17.6%
Cubs 17.4%
Orioles 16.8%

Bottom 3
ATL 8.7%
SD 10.4%
TEX 10.7%

— Mark Simon (@msimonespn) April 25, 2016

― You can read about tonight’s pitching matchup, and so much more, in our series preview.

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Rays fall again, 5-3

April 11, 2016 By Schmitty Leave a Comment

Baltimore Orioles’ Pedro Alvarez, left, slides home to score against Tampa Bay Rays catcher Curt Casali on a double by Jonathan Schoop during the second inning of an baseball game, Sunday, April 10, 2016, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

A four run second inning helped Baltimore beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-3 at Camden Yards on Sunday afternoon. The Orioles, who won both games in the weather-shortened series, improved to 5-0 on the season while the Rays fell to 2-4.

Odorizzi put the Rays in an early hole during the 22-pitch second inning, although the shotty defensive work certainly didn’t help.

Pedro Alvarez led off the frame with a base hit to Logan Forsythe in shallow right-field. But a hurried throw by the typically dependable second baseman was too wide for the stretched-out Steve Pearce to field cleanly. Alvarez scored on a one-out double by Jonathan Schoop into the left-field corner. Corey Dickerson misplayed the ball when he slid to stop it from reaching the corner, which allowed Alvarez to cross the plate.

Hyun Soo Kim then followed with an infield hit to the third base side of the mound. Odorizzi tried to backhand the slow roller, but ultimately failed. Joey Rickard, the Rule-Five pick from Tampa Bay, plated Kim on a sac-fly to center. Finally, Manny Machado capped the uprising by lashing a two-run homer to left ― his second in as many games against Tampa Bay.

Odorizzi did settle in and got through the next four innings without allowing another. He also gave the Rays a chance to fight back, which they did.

Dickerson put the Rays on the board with a solo homer to center-field in the fourth inning.

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They have now hit home runs in 20 consecutive games (extending back to 9/20/15). The Rays have also homered in the last nine games at Camden Yards (extending back to 8/28/14).

The Rays chased the O’s starter (Vance Worley) with two more runs in the fifth inning.

With Forsythe in scoring position, Evan Longoria singled home a run.

.@Evan3Longoria‘s RBI single halved the @Orioles lead in the #Rays 5th. #RaysUp

WATCH: https://t.co/bmHuKswqZl pic.twitter.com/soMhlUdNdr

— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) April 10, 2016

Then, after Dickerson reached on catcher’s interference, former Oriole Steve Pearce singled in his first RBI of the season. Though Brad Miller came close to hitting his first homer of the season, which would have given the Rays the go-ahead lead, he flew out at the wall against reliever Brad Brach.

After the fifth, Tampa Bay got just two runners into scoring position in the final four innings.

Miller finally collected his first hit of the season on a hard hit, two out double off the wall in right in the eighth. Setup man Darren O’Day made things really interesting by walking Steven Souza Jr. and Kevin Kiermaier, subsequently loading the bases. Even though he was given a prime opportunity to make an huge impact on the outcome, pinch hitter Hank Conger went down swinging on a pitch that was well off the plate and down, ending both the threat and the inning.

Machado, who went 4-for-4 on the afternoon, doubled off Erasmo Ramirez to start the home half of the eighth, then moved to third on a Chris Davis groundout. He eventually came home on a two-out wild pitch, giving Baltimore a two-run lead.

In the end Tampa Bay dropped another game by a 5-3 margin, and was swept by the Orioles in the weather shortened two-game series. After an off-day Monday, the Rays will begin a three-game home series against Cleveland on Tuesday.

The New What Next

— Erasmo’s eighth inning wild pitch appeared to be blockable. Conger not only allowed the pitch to bound away, he also flubbed the throw toward Ramirez as he covered home.

— Something I noticed after the first week of play, Kevin Cash loves to put on the hit and run with Logan Forsythe at first and Logan Morrison at the plate. Perhaps the plan is to try to make the pitcher throw a fastball, or maybe Cash is trying to open a hole through the right side.

Whatever the case, there is one problem: Morrison has collected just one hit thus far. He is now 0-for-16 with eight strikeouts against right handed pitching, and 1-for-18 overall.

The New What Next: Rays are set to play series finale against the Orioles

April 10, 2016 By belowaverage Leave a Comment

It’s 35 degrees without a cloud in the sky in Baltimore this morning. (Photo Credit: Roger Mooney/Tampa Tribune)

The Tampa Bay Rays are back at it Sunday afternoon following the postponement of Saturday night’s game due to inclement, wintery weather. For the Rays, they’ll try to split the weather shortened series, and get back to .500 on the season.

Because of the postponement, the Rays had to rework their rotation that was already set to be adjusted this week. Jake Odorizzi will make his scheduled start this afternoon. After off-day on Monday, Matt Moore, Drew Smyly and Chris Archer will start against Cleveland. As Neil Solondz (Rays Radio) opined, “It makes sense to give Smyly a few days before starting him. Smyly made just 12 starts last year because of shoulder problems, and he went through a full warm-up in the cold last night.”

The initial plan was to drop in a fifth starter on Wednesday, since the team is slated to play six consecutive games in the upcoming week, with Matt Andriese lined up to be called up from Triple-A. Kevin Cash now will wait until Friday or Saturday to add the fifth starter be it Andriese, LHP prospect Blake Snell or Erasmo Ramirez ― in which case an extra arm would need to be added to the bullpen.

#Rays Archer, player rep, says nothing official but most likely makeup with #Orioles is a DH during June 24-26 return

— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) April 10, 2016

As for the rescheduling of Saturday’s postponed game, a makeup date hasn’t been announced, though a doubleheader during the Rays’ June 24-26 visit to Baltimore seems to be the most likely option. A cursory warning, both teams have a common off-day in advance of the aforementioned series, however, playing then would make for 27 consecutive days of play leading up to the All-Star Break.

The New What Next

Jake Odorizzi (today’s starter) has had difficulty against Baltimore over his career, especially at Camden Yards where he is 1-2 with a 7.20 ERA. Even so, Jake went 2-0 with a 3.93 ERA against the O’s last season. He’ll toe the rubber opposite of Tyler Wilson. You can read about the pitching matchup in our series preview.