SB Nation Tampa Bay: All Posts by Alex Heeren

DRB Fantasy Post-Draft Autopsy Thread

2012-03-26T18:23:26Z

Discuss how much worse my draft was than yours. Remember: friends don't let friends draft drunk.

I'm a son of a Boesch:

7	Troy Tulowitzki, Col SS
14	Adrian Gonzalez, Bos 1B
27	Curtis Granderson, NYY CF
34	Brett Lawrie, Tor 3B
47	Zack Greinke, Mil SP
54	Craig Kimbrel, Atl RP
67	David Ortiz, Bos DH
74	Matt Wieters, Bal C
87	Michael Young, Tex 1B
94	Ubaldo Jimenez, Cle SP
107	Josh Beckett, Bos SP
114	Jose Valverde, Det RP
127	Jordan Zimmermann, Wsh SP
134	Logan Morrison, Mia LF
147	Nick Markakis, Bal RF
154	Dustin Ackley, Sea 2B
167	Scott Baker, Min SP
174	Josh Willingham, Min LF
187	Jason Kipnis, Cle 2B
194	Brandon League, Sea RP
207	Edwin Jackson, Wsh SP
214	Dexter Fowler, Col CF
227	Ricky Nolasco, Mia SP
234	Mike Adams, Tex RP
247	Brennan Boesch, Det LF
254	Jason Bartlett, SD SS

Manny Ramirez says he'll join A's

2012-02-20T21:17:41Z

Manny Ramirez says he'll join A's

Our most famous .059 hitter is going west, it appears.

"RHP Brandon Gomes will be behind at the start of spring training after undergoing November surgery...

2012-02-15T04:14:57Z

"RHP Brandon Gomes will be behind at the start of spring training after undergoing November surgery to clean up a disc problem in his lower back, but is expected to be ready by opening day."

Odd that he starts the season on the DL making room in the bullpen?

h/t Rays Digest: http://rays.scout.com/2/1157924.html

Rays Offense Explodifies All Over Red Sox 9-2

2011-09-16T02:43:54Z

Remember the last time the Rays offense scored 9 runs? Oh yeah, it was the last time the Rays played the Red Sox and whooped up on Jon Lester.

7 of the runs in tonight's 9-2 win were driven in by Rays home runs. A 3 run shot from Evan Longoria (after BJ Upton’s bat hit a single and extended the inning) in the third and 2 run homers in the 6^th and 7^th from Casey Kotchman and BJ Upton respectively provided the lions share of the offense. Kotchman’s was particularly significant, as the Red Sox had been threatening and his RBIs extended the lead from a save-worthy 3 runs to a mop-up worthy 5.

The Rays got 17 base runners on the wet and dreary New England evening. Every starter but Reid Brignac and Matt Joyce reached base. Desmond Jennings continued to do lead-off hitter things, getting on base 4 times, and walking just ahead of both Longoria and Upton’s home runs.

Jeremy Hellickson looked so-so tonight, walking 4 and striking out 4. He got squeezed into loading the bases in the third inning with one out, but got out of it allowing just the single run. He was forced to throw 74 pitches through 3 innings, but was able to make it through 5.2 innings with 1-2-3 innings in the 4^th and the 5^th. Still, getting into the 6^th inning allowing only 1 run against Boston’s lineup at Fenway Park was good enough to earn him his 13^th win of the season.

We also got a look at some players who may be key contributors in the Rays future. International League MVP and interesting 2012 first base option Russ Canzler walked in his only plate appearance. LHP Alex Torres appeared in the game in the bottom of the ninth, showing what the scouting reports have said: good stuff but iffy command. He tossed a couple of nasty change-ups in a row to strike out Jarrod Saltalamacchia before allowing back-to-back base hits, allowing a garbage-time run for Boston.

They are now 3 games back heading into the main event tomorrow. James Shields will pitch against Josh Beckett at 7:10.

Upton Leads Explosive Offense, Shields Awesome As Rays Sweep Sox 9-1

2011-09-11T21:42:18Z

This was supposed to a pitchers battle, with the Rays’ ace James Shields going against Red Sox ace lefty Jon Lester. Fortunately for Rays fans, only Shields decided to show up to the game this afternoon. With Shield’s pitching and BJ Upton’s huge day, the Rays swept the Red Sox and pulled to 3.5 games back in the AL Wild Card race.

The Rays offense got to Lester early, scoring 3 runs in the first inning going single, single, walk, single, groundout, sac fly, single, ground out, leaving two men on base. They would tack on a run in the third after Sean Rodriguez drove in Johnny Damon, who led off the inning with his 7th triple of the season. They would get 20 men on base for the afternoon, but didn’t pull more than 4 runs until after they had chased Lester in the 5th inning.

That’s when, with 2 outs and the bases loaded BJ Upton took righty Matt Albers DEEEEEEEEEP to left center field for his first career grand slam. BJ Upton would end the day 4-4 with a walk, 4 RBI s and 3 runs scored. At that point in the game the main questions left in fans minds were: Will James Shields get his 12th CG of the season, and could Josh Freeman engineer yet another come-from-behind victory for the Bucs across the Bay.

Unfortunately, neither would come to pass. While Shields pitched marvelously, he walked Darnell McDonald in the top of the ninth and left to a standing ovation from the crowd at the Trop after throwing 121 pitches. He went 8.1 IP, 7H, 1R, 1ER, 1HR, 3BB and 5SO for the day. It wasn’t his most dominating performance, but outside of a 3rd inning where he gave up a solo home run and squirmed out of a bases loaded 1 out jam without allowing any more runs, he was very, very good.

The sweep brings the Rays to within 3.5 games of the Wild card spot, before heading on their last road trip of the season. This could make or break the Rays playoff hopes, as they face the Orioles for a 3 game set in Baltimore, then face these very same Red Sox for a critical 4 game set at Fenway Park. Jeff Niemann battles Zach Britton at 7:05 tomorrow at Camden Yards.

Shields and Lester Face Off At 1:40 With The Rays Playoff Hopes At Stake

2011-09-11T17:42:52Z

At this point in the season, when the Rays have a pitching matchup that they like (e.g. Jeremy Hellickson vs Kyle Weiland) they have to win those games to stay in the post-season hunt. While last night’s walk-off win turned out to be both heart-wrenching and exciting for Rays fans, this afternoon’s matchup features two of the better pitchers in the American League.

For the home team, James Shields makes his 30th start and is having the best season of his career. He has thrown a Major League-leading 11 complete games and has struck out a career-high 205 batters. His ERA is a 4th-best-in-the-AL 2.77.

But the man toeing the rubber for Boston on the 10 year anniversary of September 11th is also one of the elite pitchers in the league. Jon Lester’s ERA is 2.93, 6th best in the American League. This should be an exciting game, and if the Rays win this one, they will be a mere 3.5 games back in the wild card race.

Longoria, Jennings Walk Off Vs. Red Sox

2011-09-11T04:21:59Z

There’s something about a walk-off victory that tends to wipe the rest of the game from your mind. Throughout extra innings, you stress about the mistakes Farnsworth made in the ninth, and that the Rays couldn’t capitalize more on early opportunities. You stress about these things until the home team comes to bat in the bottom of the inning, and as soon as there’s hope of a walk-of victory your mind can think of nothing else. That’s how I felt, watching the ball jump off of Desmond Jenning’s bat in the bottom of the 11th. My first thought was that if it got past the outfielders it was an inside-the-park home run, then as Darnell McDonald and Jacoby Ellsbury closed on the ball I thought it would become an out, and finally (when Jennings was standing on third with no one out) I thought that this game could be one more step on the road to the post-season. And then Evan Longoria drove a pitch into center field and it was finally over, and the Rays were a mere 4 ½ games back in the wildcard, with the potential of a sweep intact for tomorrow.

But to get to the extra-inning heroics, you had to go though some pains as a Rays fan. The Rays got to Kyle Weiland early and often, putting runners in scoring position throughout the game. While they scratched out a run in 5 of the first 6 innings, they could have scored far more. The offensive highlights aren’t sticking out in my mind as vividly because, outside of the home run by Casey Kotchman, the runs were generated without base hits. Groundouts in the 1st and 2nd and sac flies in the 3rd and 6th led to the Rays’ runs. The Red Sox tied the game in the top of the 5th with a 2-run homer from Adrian Gonzolez, but the Rays would eke out a 5-3 lead until the ninth inning.

Then Kyle Farnsworth started throwing batting practice. 2 solo home runs to Josh Reddick and Jacoby Ellsbury tied the game, and after allowing another double he was pulled for Cesar Ramos. After the game, Joe Maddon said that Farnsworth is day-to-day with some elbow soreness. Outside of the Farnsworth catastrophe, the bullpen really did well tonight. Peralta, McGee, Howell, Cruz, Ramos, and Gomes all threw zeros for the home team, allowing the 11th inning heroics to take place.

And take place they did, quieting the Red Sox fans in attendance and sending the Rays fans into a frenzy. Not just because it was just one game, but because it gives hope that the Rays may yet reach the playoffs this season. If teams can continue to take advantage of the Red Sox starting rotations’ woes, and the Rays continue their hot streak, then the Tampa Bay Rays may yet reach the post-season in 2011.

Jeremy Hellickson And The Rays Try To Keep Cutting Boston’s Wild Card Lead.

2011-09-10T21:07:51Z

Jeremy Hellickson is making something of a case for rookie of the year in the American League this season. His ERA is lowest among all AL rookie starters and is .85 runs per 9 lower than Seattle’s Michael Pineda. The Rays cut their wild card deficit to 5.5 games after Wade Davis’ CG last night, and a win tonight and tomorrow would put them a very realistic 3.5 games back with 17 games left to play (including 4 more against the team they’re chasing, the Boston Red Sox.)

Another thing that the Rays have going for them is that the Red Sox starting rotation is looking rather thin. Josh Beckett, Clay Buchholz, Erik Bedard and now John Lackey are all battling injuries, giving an opportunity to rookie right-hander Kyle Weiland. Weiland throws low-to-mid 90’s with a curveball and a cutter. He sported a 3.58 ERA with the Red Sox’s AAA club. Game time is 7:10.