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Around SBN: Jeremy Lin's Game-Winner Was Incredible, Worth Remembering

It's the Jays and Rays

W: Dohmann
L: Wolfe
MVP: Crawford / The Pen

Crawford gave us heart, and won ours back, pinch running and after a rather weak swing on the previous pitch taking advantage of a poorly placed fastball and ending the game. Josh Wilson had a clutch hit in the 9th, and boy those Toronto middle infielders are snazzy with leather. Wheeler, Fossum, Balfour, Reyes, and Dohmann all delivered for a 4.1 inning, 0 ER performance. Pen have we? We have pen. Forever will Al Reyes last (possible) image be striking out a batterin the most tense of moments.

Star-divide

As for motivation tonight:
Frank Thomas hits little kids.

Lancaster on that meeting
:

Andrew Friedman met with the media for a few minutes after being holed up with his advisers most of the day. Sounds like there was a lot of talk, but no action yet.
"We’re continuing to have conversations," said Friedman. "I think the volume of calls definitely picked up today. I think anytime you’re approaching a deadline, the sense of urgency kind of picks up a little bit. That being said, I wouldn’t characterize anything as close or even likely to happen – with the obvious caveat that things can change."
Al Reyes would seem to be the top candidate to be moved at the moment, but the Rays will need an impressive return to pull the trigger. Because they control Reyes through next season at an affordable rate, they don’t HAVE to move him like the Royals need to trade Octavio Dotel, for instance.

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Re: It's the Jays and Rays
Sore-wrist HR!!!!!!!

Great job by the pen.

Whaaaaaa?

by RATW on Jul 30, 2007 10:43 PM EDT reply actions  

Hmmmm
I didn't see much hustle rounding the bases.

by Top Gun Numba 1 on Jul 30, 2007 10:55 PM EDT up reply actions  

Re: It's the Jays and Rays
And once again Sonnanstine gives them a chance to win. He looks deceptive with terrific off-speed stuff and a solid plan. I really think the Rays now have a #1 in Kazmir and a #2 or 3 in Shields and a #3 or 4 in Sonnanstine. And maybe the bullpen is going to take shape with Wheeler, Reyes and Salas in place. I am not sold on Dohmann or Glover yet and there is nothing more to say about Stokes or Fossum, but Balfour has a chance to be worthwhile.

A great game to win!

by bobr on Jul 30, 2007 10:57 PM EDT reply actions  

Re: It's the Jays and Rays
Glover seems a pretty consistent bet to be in the upper-four to mid-five ERA range (likely at the higher end of that range), as he has been much of his entire pro career and most of this season.  Dohmann, solid stuff, but based on his 05-06 stats and what I've seen so far I really don't think he has the consistent command to be a reliable option.  There is also Witasick.  We obviously didn't see his best stuff.  I would almost rather some of these guys bomb now than have Rays management become complacent in improving the pitching staff.  

by RATW on Jul 31, 2007 12:13 AM EDT up reply actions  

Re: It's the Jays and Rays
After scouting Reyes again tonight I imagine that if its going to happen the Mariner's will try to pull the trigger sooner rather than later.
If I was the NDRO I would force the issue by stating that we are not going to put Al thru the waiver process, that way the deadline is a real deadline and we either keep what we have and go with that next year until this time or we get started with seeing what the younger guys have.
The Pen improvements look good so far and should continue to pick up the team morale.
SC raysfan

by SC raysfan on Jul 30, 2007 11:19 PM EDT reply actions  

Walk-off Home run

Great job by the pen today and the team, lets keep this going.

by Flabull on Jul 31, 2007 1:53 AM EDT reply actions  

Re: It's the Jays and Rays
Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!!

Yknow, it's games like this one that make the rebuilding and trades start to look worthwhile, isn't it?

by das411 on Jul 31, 2007 2:32 AM EDT reply actions  

Re: It's the Jays and Rays
I want to point out that Maddon made another smart decision yesterday by moving Harris to second base. It is generally acknowledged that Maddon has a terrific eye not just for talent but also for the details that make a player effective or not. A week or so ago he commented that he considered Wilson a fine fielder, implying that he was a better shortstop than Harris (who has little range and may be partly responsible for the poor bullpen results, particularly by Camp). While Wigginton was here, he had to leave Harris at shortstop, preferable to moving him back and forth when Wilson played. But now, with Zobrist and Wilson both available at short, he can keep Harris in the lineup at second where he should be better suited. Perhaps not a big deal, but the manager is proactive and adaptable.

by bobr on Jul 31, 2007 8:10 AM EDT reply actions  

Re: It's the Jays and Rays
I agree Bob.  I also wonder if Harris might come down to earth a bit offensively, in which case he is a more valuable bat as a second baseman.  If he turns out to be a consistent .275 hitter who can draw few walks, and hit 8-12 HR per year, I will be happy with him at 2B.

Which leaves a big question mark at SS of course.  Zobrist is getting his second shot at it, and hopefully plays with more confidence.  Brignac is noted for being a poor fielder, and now his hitting is taking longer than expected to advance.

For a while we can cycle Wilson-Harris-Zobrist at the middle infield spots, but eventually we are going to have upgrade at least one of those positions or hope for Zobrist/Brignac to develop.

by RayFanNY on Jul 31, 2007 4:05 PM EDT up reply actions  

Re: It's the Jays and Rays
...or for Longoria to take over third base, which means Aki could move to second base.

by RayFanNY on Jul 31, 2007 4:06 PM EDT up reply actions  

Re: It's the Jays and Rays
I have read at least one analyst (I think at Baseball America) who not only thinks Brignac remains an elite offensive player but also considers him an outstanding defensive player. I checked with another "expert" who said that while he did not consider Brignac outstanding he did think he was developing into an average or better defensive shortstop.

As for his offensive "problems", both at BP and I think at BA I read that the consensus remains that he is progressing very well.

by bobr on Jul 31, 2007 6:14 PM EDT up reply actions  

Jays Middle infield
Man, Those guys were good defensively last night.

by TomT on Jul 31, 2007 9:06 AM EDT reply actions  

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