Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Rays Drop Fourth Consecutive

Ouch. Yesterday’s game against Zach Greinke and the Dodgers certainly didn’t play out the way we hoped it would. Tampa Bay has now dropped its fourth consecutive game, and second consecutive series, after being blanked 5-0 by Los Angeles Saturday. If the Rays are going to salvage a game on their current road trip, they’re going to have to do so against a very tough pitcher tonight. It won’t be easy. It’s time for another edition of The Good, The Bad, and The Argyle: A Bulleted Game Summary.

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: An Open Letter to the ‘Pen

Dear Jake McGee, Fernando Rodney, et al,

To put it bluntly, you blew it last night. David Price put you in a good position — ahead by five runs in the waning innings of the game, to no avail. We watched as three of the four back end relievers gave up six runs on five hits and three walks, converting a comfortable lead into a demoralizing one run loss. We watched as the closer incurred the brunt of the damage on three consecutive RBI extra base hits in a third of an inning of work. We watched as you allowed a ground gaining opportunity to slip by the wayside. If I may, it felt like the beginning of the season when no lead felt safe…when the offense put crooked numbers on the board, yet the result was an embarrassing tally in the loss column.

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: The Nibbler Returns, More on the Stadium Saga, Etc

Ever heard the saying SSDD? No? Hmm… How about Déjà vu? Think back to last Wednesday when Wade Miley and the Diamondbacks handcuffed Jeremy Hellickson and the Rays in a 7-0 loss, at the Trop. Helly couldn’t command any pitches in that game and Arizona made him pay. The Diamondbacks tagged Helly for four runs on seven hits in 4-1/3 innings of work, while Miley shutdown the Rays, holding Tampa Bay to two hits and no runs over 6-1/3 innings of work.