Tampa Bay Rays 2013 Season

[Tobywan]

Projected line ups

Orioles

Nick Markakis RF, Manny Machado 3B, Adam Jones CF, Matt Wieters C, Chris Davis 1B, J.J. Hardy SS, Nolan Reimold LF, Steve Pearce DH, Brian Roberts 2B. Jason Hammel, P.

Rays

Desmond Jennings CF, Sam Fuld RF, Ben Zobrist 2B, Evan Longoria 3B, Matt Joyce LF, Yunel Escobar SS, James Loney 1B, Jose Molina C, Kelly Johnson DH. David Price P.



Heading down to the Trop soon, Go Rays!

Looking forward to seeing the new guys, shame that Scott went down but happy to see Fuld in the line-up. Maddon getting tested with the line-up already..........fun, fun, fun!

[Tobywan]

Ah well, no Opening Day mojo this year, they were able to shut down Longoria, Price started out shaky. One really bad inning for McGee was the nail in the coffin.

Hammel pitched very well and though they were able to curb Markakis they couldn't seem to keep Wieters off the bases.

[Tobywan]

Rays had to come from behind twice in yesterday’s game. Helly struggled a bit, but got some production from a coupe of the new guys. Duncan with 3 run homer and Loney an RBI double, awesome walk off from our home boy Matty J!


Longoria is already making his case for another Gold Glove and Wieters is becoming a Ray killer.

[Tobywan]

and Wieters is becoming a Ray killer.

Make that Davis, too. Had to come from behind again thanks to a 2 run homer from Davis early in the game. Always nice to get offense where you least expect it, Loney and Molina with an RBI each, but Davis smacks us again with a 2 run double in the 6th, down 4-2.

[Tobywan]

Jeff Niemann placed on the DL , Brandon Gomes called up.


Matt Moore pitched 6 shut out innings against the Tribe. Zobrist had another good night, Rays win 4-0.


Rays sent C Stephen Vogt to Oakland for a cash or a PTBNL.

[Tobywan]

Okay 2 weeks in , Rays off to pretty much their worst start ever, harping on the lack of offense is pointless since the Rays haven’t fielded a true offensive line-up since………..NEVER! They tired and failed one year …..a long, long time ago. If they are still in the cellar at the beginning of June then I will worry that they are back to the Namoilionic age.

What has been unfortunate in the time span is losing Scott from the start when he looked good in ST, losing a bull pen piece in Niemann for the season and costly errors in close games as well as a rocky start by Price. Top that off with some costly errors in close games and they have slotted themselves in the cellar.

Not that he has ever been a big offensive guy, but if I am disappointed with anyone at the moment it is Escobar. If he was even hitting as well as Loney it would help.

On the brighter side, Hellickson, Moore and Cobb have pitched well. Zobrist is being Zobrist and Longo seems to have found his Longo. So, hopefully they can move up by the end of the month.

Last week the Rays traded C Robinson Chirinos to the Rangers for cash.
This week they acquired P Jeff Beliveau from Texas for cash, he was sent to Durham.

[Tobywan]

I bet he could hit better than .098!!!!

[Tobywan]

Last month the Rays were in last place, Price wasn’t looking like Price and Escobar was beyond pathetic.

While today they are in 4th place, and a win shy of .500, things are looking a bit brighter.

Desmond Jennings in my opinion has done admirably on defense in CF replacing someone many feel has been a premier centerfielder. Huge concern whether his offense would stand up against his predecessor BJ Upton. It’s still a bit early and everyone has slow starts or even a down season and though DJ isn’t tearing the cover off the ball, his only triple this season coming off of poor J.A. Happ’s head, his offensive line is much better than BJ’s so far. I’d like to see more Carl Crawfordesque triples, but not at the expense of opposing pitcher’s craniums. He sat out yesterday’s game and possibly tonight’s game due to a slight groin strain.

Ben Zobrist is pretty much his usual self, he missed a couple days last week when his grandmother passed.

Evan Longoria seems to be in form.

James Loney is the subject of chatter at the moment as one of the shocking names in the battle against Miguel Cabrera in the early batting title hunt. We’ll see if or rather how long it lasts.

Yunel Escobar is no longer hitting a pathetic .098 but at .175, I’m still disappointed.


Luke Scott coming off the DL on April 30th, is already giving some lift, hopefully he can stay healthy. To make room the Rays DFA’d Shelly Duncan for assignment, he accepted an outright to Durham.

David Price only seems to be making a buzz on Twitter for fights with umps instead of K’s.

Jeremy Hellickson has been hot and cold, but appears to have more to say than usual getting kicked out of game in which he wasn’t even pitching.

Alex Cobb doing well having one of his best outings last night against the Padres.

Roberto Hernandez hasn’t pitched badly but only has one win to show for it.

Matt Moore is 6-0 and a .214 ERA is pretty nice for the baby of the staff.

Brandon Gomes injured his right lat placed on the 15 day DL, Josh Lueke recalled.

[Tobywan]

With a sweep of the Padres, the Rays get over the .500 hump!

[HollywoodLeo]

Booooo

[Kingdom]

Loney power.....

[Tobywan]

Loney power.....

...... and another Super Sammy web gem.

[Tobywan]

Price leaves early with injury.

Initial tests show nothing too serious, will see today if further evaluation is needed, Maddon doubts he will make his next start. The Rays small win streak comes to an end.

[Tobywan]

Price did end up going to the DL and Gomes joined him soon after so the Rays have been playing roulette with the pitching staff, recalling and optioning back at least 4 or 5 players in the past couple of weeks.

James Loney continues to be the Rays most productive hitter.

They signed free agents RHP Corey Wade and C Jesus Flores.


Matt Moore finally lost a game after a huge 10-1 loss against the Tigers, he was pulled in the third after giving up 6 runs Tuesday night.

The Rays are currently in 4th place in the tight division, with 4 games back of the leading Red Sox.

The Rays recently suspended their 2010 first round pick Josh Sale for inappropriate conduct, this is a second strike for Sale who just finished serving a 50-game suspension after testing positive for methamphetamine and an amphetamine.


Of course everyone e is gearing up for the start of the 2013 draft tonight. While the Rays suffered some disastrous results in the Devil Rays era with high draft picks, the Sternberg/Friedman regime has produced some gems. However, since 2008 the only Rays draft pick to make it to the majors has been recent Miami call up 2B Derek Detrich.

[Kingdom]

Loney power!!