Looking Backward While Moving Forward: The “At Least the Pen Has Improved” Edition

Following last night’s 7-2 debacle, Joe Maddon tweeted, “I know I sound like a broken record but we have to pitch a lot better to get to the spot we want to this year.” Maddon’s got a point. Three of the five starters have given up five or more runs in an inning this week. …

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: The “A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words” Edition

A preface

Jeremy Hellickson was sailing along — pitching five innings of two hit, no run, ball. Then in sixth inning after throwing 70 pitches…

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: A Rumble Was Brewing in the Trop…

What to say about last night’s rumble in the ‘Burg that hasn’t already been said? Hmmm. I think Gordon Edes summed things up well

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Rays Clobber the O’s 8-0, Take the Series

On a day aptly titled the Goddamn Deluge, the Tampa Bay Rays jumped all over the Baltimore Orioles in a four hit shutout shellacking, demoralizing their AL East foes by a score of 8-0. Tampa Bay has been able to leapfrog Baltimore in the standings, now claiming sole ownership of third place by a half game. Just two-and-a-half games behind the AL East leading Boston Red Sox, the Rays will look to sweep their second consecutive series against the Orioles Sunday afternoon.

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Archer Goes Seven Strong in Rays Win Over the Orioles

This game was about Chris Archer. No one else, well maybe Desmond Jennings, but we’ll get to that. Archer, after getting touched for five runs in four innings against the Indians, came out swinging. After hitting Nate McClouth to start the game, Archer settled down and induced two ground balls, from the next two batters, the second being an inning ending double play. He cruised through the first two and two/thirds innings before hitting a rough patch, the only one he would hit all night, walking Chris Dickerson, then walking Nate McClouth followed by a line drive to center field by Manny Machado, scoring Dickerson for Batlimore’s only run. After that, he coasted through the next four innings, allowing only one more hit on a misplay by Jennings in center.