Blogs
Talking About the 2010 Rays
by R.J. Anderson
on Jul 10, 2009 6:00 AM EDT
124 comments
I got a request a few days ago to write a post on the 2010 Rays. What better time to make that post than today? It's Friday, we're coming off a very good start by David Price, a sweep of a division foe, and heading into a series in which the Rays will wear the rainbow threads for the first time since 2000. Obviously we have a long, long time to discuss the details and I would rather avoid reckless rosterbation, but here we go.
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It's Dan Wheeler's World, We're Just Living In It
by Erik Hahmann
on Jul 9, 2009 6:24 PM EDT
27 comments
A couple of days ago I wrote about the improvement Dan Wheeler had showed over the last month or so. Wheeler had upped his slider usage tremendously and it seemed to be paying dividends as he hadn't allowed a run in his last 13 appearances. Today would be no different.
With J.P. Howell not available to pitch the 9th inning, it would be Dan Wheeler who would get the call from Joe Maddon. Wheeler made quick work of the Blue Jays, retiring right handed hitting trio John McDonald, Jose Bautista, and Aaron Hill in order on just 7 pitches to pick up his first save of the season. Coming into the game right handed batters were batting just .153 against Wheeler in 21.2IP. He did it in what we can now call 'Dan Wheeler fashion', which is to say he threw a lot of sliders and kept the ball away from the inner part of the plate. Of the 7 pitches he threw 5 were sliders, and each of the three outs was recorded via the slider. It was odd watching Wheeler come into the 9th inning of a one run ball game and not get a sinking feeling in my stomach. I liked it.
Dan Wheeler. Sliders. Ballgame.
via brooksbaseball.dustinkikuchi.com
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Grant Balfour Saves Game In Seventh Inning Jam; Rays Sweep Jays
by Tommy Rancel
on Jul 9, 2009 6:00 PM EDT
7 comments
I know Dan Wheeler was credited with the save today, but Grant Balfour was the real closer this afternoon. In the highest leverage situation of the game (3.00 pLI), Balfour was at his best. He entered the game in the 7th inning with the game hanging in the balance. The Rays were up 3-2 and the Jays had the bases loaded and just one out. Needing a strikeout or a pop up, Balfour got Kevin Millar to pop out to second before retiring Vernon Wells on a flyball for out number three.
On the afternoon he would throw 28 pitches in 1.2 innings. He had fantastic command today and 19 of those 28 pitches went for a strike. Balfour threw 25 fastballs at an average of nearly 93 mph. He also threw a slider and two pitches that were classified as curveballs. You can see them located at the bottom of this chart.
More after the jump
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David Price Cares Not For Your Trade Rumors
by R.J. Anderson
on Jul 9, 2009 4:10 PM EDT
28 comments
This one lived up to the billing. Price pitched beautifully and Roy Halladay pitched well, but not well enough to keep the Rays off the board. Check out the lines:
Price - 6 IP, 25 TBF, 7 K, 1 BB, 6 GB, 4 FB, 103 P, 63% strikes
Halladay - 6 IP, 27 TBF, 7 K, 0 BB, 4 GB, 6 FB, 102 P, 73% strikes
Following the worst outing of his life, Price comes back and goes toe-to-toe with one of the best pitchers of the generation. Sure, he got a generous strike zone at some points today, and he took full advantage of it. Having seen Price squeezed at the bottom of the zone before, it's hard to be up in arms when a few breaks go his way.
We've talked about the struggles the Rays pitchers have had in missing the Jays bats. Today, Price generated 11 whiffs. He threw mostly fastballs and sliders, but a handful of change-ups were mixed in. Nobody swung and missed at a change - four of the pitches were called balls - but he did get Vernon Wells to groundout on the pitch in the fourth inning.
Some days Price won't need anything but his main two pitches, today was one of those days. The importance of having a good change (or spike curve, I guess) is for those 90% of days when Price's fastball command is off or he doesn't feel comfortable with his slider. Give Price credit for his willingness to adapt, even if it stems from necessity.
Don't glorify this start too much due to its singularity, but appreciate what we saw today and rejoice in the fact that we should get more than a few of these over the years.
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7/9 Post-Game: Toronto Blue Jays @ Tampa Bay Rays
by R.J. Anderson
on Jul 9, 2009 3:36 PM EDT
77 comments
| Player | WPA |
| Balfour | 0.404 |
| Price | 0.223 |
| Pena | 0.183 |
| Wheeler | 0.168 |
| Longoria | 0.101 |
| Hernandez | 0.013 |
| Upton | 0.004 |
| Kapler | 0 |
| Crawford | -0.036 |
| Zobrist | -0.05 |
| Gross | -0.051 |
| Bartlett | -0.053 |
| Burrell | -0.1 |
| Choate | -0.143 |
| Nelson | -0.162 |
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16. Wade Davis
18. Desmond Jennings
20. Tim Beckham
BA's Midseason Top 25 prospects
Suprised to see T-Becks that low, but he is also probably the youngest player on that list. Really good to see Davis and Jennings in the top 20.
7/9 GDT: Toronto Blue Jays @ Tampa Bay Rays
by R.J. Anderson
on Jul 9, 2009 10:00 AM EDT
1023 comments
So uh, the Yankees should go ahead and lose a few games here.
1023 comments | 0 recs
Dioner Navarro Showing Early Signs Of Rebound
by Tommy Rancel
on Jul 9, 2009 9:00 AM EDT
21 comments
Don't look now, but over the past week the Rays best hitter has been Dioner Navarro. I know that best hitter and Dioner Navarro haven't been synonymous this year, but it's true. Ok, let's throw out the small sample size alert; however Navi has hit .375/.412/.750 over the last five games. The more encouraging news is he is not just getting seeing eye singles or bloop hits. He is driving the ball with authority and has four extra base hits over his last 17 plate appearances. He had just 13 in his first 243 PAs.
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