Game Preview: Sunday (5/7) at Oakland

by Patrick L. Kennedy on May 7, 2006 2:41 PM EDT

RAYS (12-19) at Oakland (16-14)
4:05; Oakland Coliseum
RAYS TV/PAX; RAYS RADIO/1250 AM WHNZ

RAYS-LH Mark Hendrickson, (1-2, 2.66)

Lineups

RAYS
SS Julio Lugo
LF Carl Crawford
DH Jonny Gomes
3B Aubrey Huff
C Toby Hall
2B Ty Wigginton
1B Greg Norton
RF Damon Hollins
CF Joey Gathright

Oakland
C Jason Kendall
1B Nick Swisher
CF Mark Kotsay
3B Eric Chavez
DH Frank Thomas
SS Bobby Crosby
LF Jay Payton
RF Bobby Kielty
2B Mark Ellis

Upcoming Games

Tomorrow-at Seattle, 10:05 (Fossum)

Tuesday-at Seattle, 10:05 (Waechter)

Wednesday-at Seattle, 4:35 (Kazmir)

I will survive..............

GO RAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

RAYS (12-19) at Oakland (16-14)
4:05; Oakland Coliseum
RAYS TV/PAX; RAYS RADIO/1250 AM WHNZ

Pitching Matchup

Breakdown

RAYS-LH Mark Hendrickson, (1-2, 2.66):

Scouting Report: Hendrickson saw his scoreless innings streak come to an end at 17 1/3 on Tuesday, and by the time he left in the sixth, he'd surrendered six total on seven hits (three home runs) and two walks. He had a complete-game shutout at Baltimore in his first outing April 6, and followed that up with a six-inning performance in a loss to the Yankees on Thursday. Hendrickson is 4-5 with a 5.49 ERA in 12 career games against the Yankees.

This Season: 20.1 IP, 3/3 G/GS, 1-2, 2.66 ERA, 13:5 K/BB, 0.93 WHIP, 1.33 HR/9

Career: 577 IP, 112/98 G/GS, 34-34, 5.12 ERA, 286:152 K/BB, 1.45 WHIP, 1.14 HR/9

Last Start: vs TEX-5.1 IP, 7 H, 6 R (ER), 2 BB, 4 K, 3 HR

Last Start vs OAK: Has not started vs OAK this season

All-Time vs OAK: 23 IP, 5/4 G/GS, 1-3, 9.00 ERA, 11:4 K/BB, 1.78 WHIP, 2.35 HR/9

Batter v Pitcher:
Eric Chavez-13 ABs, .846 OPS, HR, 5 RBI, 2 K
Mark Kotsay-7 ABs, 1.286 OPS, 2B, 2 RBI
Jason Kendall-7 ABs, .857 OPS, K
Mark Ellis-6 ABs, 1.667 OPS, 2 HR, 5 RBI
Bobby Crosby-4 ABs, 1.800 OPS, 2B, BB

OAK-LH Brad Halsey (1-0, 2.50):

Scouting Report: Halsey, who had been working exclusively out of the Oakland bullpen for the first month of the season, got his first start on Tuesday as the replacement for injured righty Rich Harden and threw 5 1/3 solid innings to beat the Angels in Anaheim. He entered the game on a 75-pitch limit because he hadn't thrown more than 30 pitches in any of his nine relief appearances, and he was lifted with a 4-3 lead after giving up a two-run homer to Vladimir Guerrero on his 73rd pitch of the game. The A's scored six runs in the ninth to break the game open and give Halsey his first win in an Oakland uniform.

This Season: 18 IP, 10/1 G/GS, 1-0, 2.50 ERA, 8:5 K/BB, 1.11 WHIP, 0.50 HR/9

Career: 210 IP, 46/34 G/GS, 10-15, 4.71 ERA, 115:58 K/BB, 1.45 WHIP, 1.07 HR/9

Last Start: at ANA-5.1, 5 H, 3 R (ER), 3 BB, 3 K, HR

Last Start vs RAYS: Has not started vs RAYS this season

All-Time vs RAYS: 3.1 IP, 1/1 G/GS, 0-0, 8.10 ERA, 3:1 K/BB, 2.40 WHIP, 2.70 HR/9

Batter v Pitcher:
Ty Wigginton-4 ABs, 2.300 OPS, HR, RBI, BB

[Scouting Report-DevilRays.com]
[Pitcher Stats-Yahoo Sports]
[Batter v Pitcher-ESPN.com]

Lineups

RAYS
SS Julio Lugo
LF Carl Crawford
DH Jonny Gomes
3B Aubrey Huff
C Toby Hall
2B Ty Wigginton
1B Greg Norton
RF Damon Hollins
CF Joey Gathright

-Well, the Rays lineup today still features Aubrey Huff in the cleanup spot, something which makes no sense to me, and it still has him in the field. Why is Huff not the DH, or at the very least, at first base or in right field? And Huff should be batting sixth anyways, he has added little to the middle of the order since returning. Swap him and Wigginton, and swap Wigginton and Gomes. Personally, I'd also flip Norton and Hollins, but that isn't a big deal. But Huff should not be in the field today.

Oakland
C Jason Kendall
1B Nick Swisher
CF Mark Kotsay
3B Eric Chavez
DH Frank Thomas
SS Bobby Crosby
LF Jay Payton
RF Bobby Kielty
2B Mark Ellis

-The A's send out a relatively good lineup today, though I'd still put Kotsay in the leadoff spot over a catcher. I don't care how fast Kendall is, not catcher should be leading off. Nonetheless, it isn't my problem, what will be a problem for Mark Hendrickson is Nick Swisher and Eric Chavez, as both are in the roder today. Bobby Crosby is also a threat in the six hole, and don't sleep on Frank Thomas, he bats fifth. A relatively weak back end of the order though with Payton, Kielty, and Ellis, but for Hednrickson, he will have his hands full with the first six.

Upcoming Games

Tomorrow-at Seattle, 10:05 (Fossum)

Tuesday-at Seattle, 10:05 (Waechter)

Wednesday-at Seattle, 4:35 (Kazmir)

I will survive..............

GO RAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Comments

where has the draysbay community went?

No activity on the site has me puzzled. Did I miss the memo? Has everyone switched to another site? Surely with the Rays playing as poorly as they have that there would be some Rays fans ready to vent or offer solutions but they just need to be given the opportunity. Perhaps it is the new format. With Rays playing they way the have been, perhaps the game by game previews isn't the best format. I dunno but I miss the activity on the site from other rays fans.

by BabySayGoRays on May 12, 2006 11:43 AM EDT reply actions

I am very sorry................

I have had a boatload of final exams and projects due this week, as well as my moving boxes in stuff in changing rooms, I have had little, if any time, for Rays baseball this week, but I will get back to doing the normal posts tonight.

by Patrick L. Kennedy on May 12, 2006 11:14 PM EDT reply actions