Tampa Bay @ New York GameThread, Apr 4, 2008 7:05 PM EDT

4/4: RAYS (1-1) at New York (2-1)

by Patrick L. Kennedy on Apr 4, 2008 5:00 PM EDT

Tampa Bay @ New York

RAYS at New York

7:05; RAYS TV/ION
RAYS RADIO/1250 AM

News:

A couple of late-afternoon news updates courtesy of The Heater:

OF Jonny Gomes' suspension has been reduced to one game from his original punishment of two, and he will serve his suspension today. The suspensions of Yankee OFs Shelley Duncan and Melky Cabrera were also reduced, however, from three games to two. Cabrera will serve his suspension for this game and tomorrow's, while Duncan will be out of commission for the final two games of this series.
It appears that, contrary to earlier fears, the game tonight will be played. Marc Topkin reports that the tarp has been removed from the Yankee Stadium playing surface.
And lastly, speaking of inclement weather, Thursday evening's rain-out in Baltimore will be made up as part of a good old fashioned double-header on the 23rd of September. The first game, the make-up, will be played at 5:05 in Camden Yards. That game will be followed, perhaps a half-hour after the conclusion of the first, by the Orioles-Rays tilt that had already been scheduled for that evening.

Pitching Matchup:

ERA

K/9

BB/9

K/BB

H/9

OPS

HR/9

WHIP

G/F

P/IP

RAYS

RH A. Sonnanstine

130.2

5.85

6.68

1.79

3.73

10.40

.812

1.24

1.35

0.91

16.06

NYY

RH I. Kennedy

19.0

1.89

7.11

4.26

1.67

6.16

.565

0.47

1.16

0.52

14.53

Statistics from 2007 Season

RH Andy Sonnanstine-The Rays' control specialist right-hander makes his delayed season debut tonight after having his first scheduled start yesterday rained out in Baltimore. He is coming off a season in which he pitched better than his ERA showed, as his peripherals were excellent in keeping with his stellar minor league track record. Even though he was able to continue to keep his walks low, Sonnanstine's main problems stemmed largely from major league hitters teeing off on his relatively weak stuff. As a pitcher who gets by on deception and pinpoint control, Sonnanstine will need to improvise continually and stay one step ahead of the curve against major league hitters to see success. Opponents hit .249/.297/.400 in their first plate appearances against Sonnanstine in games last year; a line that rose to .321/.347/.535 when facing him a second time. Coming off of a Spring Training in which he surprisingly came from the depths of swingmen to make the rotation, Sonnanstine will need to make the most of his rotation opportunity this season and prove that he can pitch deep into ballgames in order for his starting career to last. He could be on a quick leash with a slew of prospects soon to arrive in the major leagues. The good news for his quest to remain in the rotation is that it starts out in Yankee Stadium. One of his best starts last year came in his first (and until today, only) start in the Bronx. Sonnanstine pitched eight innings of baseball in an August 31st game there last year, surrendering no earned runs and just two hits while walking none and striking out five. He made another, less successful appearance against New York at Tropicana Field earlier in the season, but even with that factored in, his ERA is still just 3.14 all-time against New York.

Career Stats

2007 Game Log

Career Splits

New York vs Sonnanstine

RH Ian Patrick Kennedy-The highly regarded Yankee right-hander makes his 2008 debut tonight, in what should be his first full major league season. Kennedy, 23, was the 21st overall pick by New York in the 2006 draft out of Southern California. The Yankees value him immensely and have been fiercely protective of his future in New York, preferring if at all possible to keep him out of trade talks. This was one of the potential stumbling blocks that derailed the Johan Santana trade. But even though the Yankees have labored to keep him in the organization, they haven't been at all conservative with his development. Kennedy threw just 149 minor league innings before receiving a September call-up last year, dominating at all rungs of the minor league system before his 19 inning trial run in the majors. The Yankees might have good reason to keep Kennedy on a swift developmental tract: his minor league career ERA is a stunning 1.87. So far, his three starts in the majors last September are his only big league experience. But if a cumulative 1.89 ERA says anything about his future, the American League needs to be worried. The Rays had a first-hand look at that major league stint, being on the receiving end of his dominant major league debut. Kennedy gave up just one earned run over seven innings of work on September 1st against Tampa Bay, while walking two and striking out six. The outing is, to date, his only major league win. Going forward, his first prolonged taste of major league action should be a really interesting window into how he fares from here on out. Much of New York's future is dependent upon how he fares, and the Yankees are hopeful that he will provide a stabilizing influence and a much-needed infusion of youth to a volatile rotation.

Starting Lineups:

RAYS
2B	Akinori Iwamura
LF	Carl Crawford
1B	Carlos Peña
CF	B.J. Upton
DH	Cliff Floyd
C	Dioner Navarro
3B	Eric Hinske
RF	Nathan Haynes
SS	Jason Bartlett

New York
CF	Johnny Damon
SS	Derek Jeter
RF	Bobby Abreu
3B	Álex Rodrìguez
1B	Jason Giambi
2B	Robinson Canò
DH	Jorge Posada
LF	Hideki Matsui
C	Josè Molina

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

Poll

Who was the MVP of tonight's game?

0 recs | Comment 587 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

MVP

Aki goes 3-4 with a BB and 2 RBIs.

www.lbacentral.com

by SeanDubbs on Apr 4, 2008 5:05 PM EDT 0 recs

MVP

Carlos Pena, feasting on Ian Kennedy in his first start of the year.

by P Brady on Apr 4, 2008 5:07 PM EDT 0 recs

MVP

John "I refuse to call him Johnny" Gomes
He will be free swingin

Mound Visit

by Mound Visit on Apr 4, 2008 5:24 PM EDT 0 recs

lol

You also refuse to spell his name right. You're not exactly doing the guy any favors!

www.lbacentral.com

by SeanDubbs on Apr 4, 2008 5:28 PM EDT up 0 recs

Correction......MVP

Jon " I refust to call him Jonny" Gomes

and

Spell Checker S-Dubs

Mound Visit

by Mound Visit on Apr 4, 2008 5:39 PM EDT 0 recs

Change of MVP

I just learned Jon Gomes will be serving his suspension today....

How about The Real Beej

Mound Visit

by Mound Visit on Apr 4, 2008 7:09 PM EDT up 0 recs

Sub granted.

by R.J. Anderson on Apr 4, 2008 7:11 PM EDT up 0 recs

Think I'm Going

To watch the game at Ferg's. And I'm calling Crawford for MVP.

by GomesSweetGomes on Apr 4, 2008 5:50 PM EDT 0 recs

Aren't they having that Rays Radio watch party tonight?

Enjoy yourself.

by Patrick L. Kennedy on Apr 4, 2008 6:02 PM EDT up 0 recs

Correct

They will be broadcasting pregame and postgame shows from there.

by GomesSweetGomes on Apr 4, 2008 6:06 PM EDT up 0 recs

MVP: Sonny

by Joshua Downie on Apr 4, 2008 5:51 PM EDT 0 recs

MVP: Bossman

3-4-2x 2b, hr

by PatrickBateman on Apr 4, 2008 5:54 PM EDT 0 recs

WTF WTF WTF @ The Starting Lineup

Um, huh?

1. Why is Hinske starting, at third base?
2. Why is Nathan Haynes starting anywhere, for the second straight game!

Maddon is going to lose my confidence very quickly if Haynes becomes a staple in the lineup. You'd have a hard time convincing me that he should start once a week, much less twice. This needs to stop, immediately.

by Patrick L. Kennedy on Apr 4, 2008 6:27 PM EDT 0 recs

Don't think that's the right lineup.

Iwamura, 2b
Crawford, lf
Pena, 1b
Upton, cf
Floyd, dh
Gomes, rf
Hinske, 3b
Navarro, c
Bartlett, ss

by Joshua Downie on Apr 4, 2008 6:28 PM EDT up 0 recs

Look at MLB.com

Gameday has the lineup I posted above. You're using Topkin's, I assume?

by Patrick L. Kennedy on Apr 4, 2008 6:30 PM EDT up 0 recs

Yeah. I'd trust that over Gameday's.

by Joshua Downie on Apr 4, 2008 6:30 PM EDT up 0 recs

We'll see which one's right

Although from a personal standpoint, I'd give more credence to a lineup posted within the half-hour than one posted two hours ago.

Also, Yahoo has the lineup I posted, as does ESPN. If I'm wrong, I'll gladly concede the point. But it's not looking like it.

by Patrick L. Kennedy on Apr 4, 2008 6:34 PM EDT up 0 recs

To be fair

Either Gameday and the other services are wrong, or there has been a late lineup change. In either case, I don't think Topkin is "wrong", because Lancaster posted the same thing. Considering that they both posted so far before gametime, that is an entirely realistic possibility.

by Patrick L. Kennedy on Apr 4, 2008 6:37 PM EDT up 0 recs

It's not a big deal man, haha

by Joshua Downie on Apr 4, 2008 6:41 PM EDT up 0 recs

I'M MAD AS HELL AND I'M NOT GONNA TAKE IT ANYMORE

Also, the rain-out yesterday and having only played one game in three days is getting me rabid.

by Patrick L. Kennedy on Apr 4, 2008 6:45 PM EDT up 0 recs

MVP...

Barlett, 2-4 with 3 RBIs...

In the Name of Shinji Mori, we shall win!

by thebaddancingraysfan on Apr 4, 2008 6:34 PM EDT 0 recs

So is Giardi...

Going to take Aki's bat away? Is that how he "plays the game?"

In the Name of Shinji Mori, we shall win!

by thebaddancingraysfan on Apr 4, 2008 6:36 PM EDT 0 recs

MVP

Carl Crawford

Top Josh Paul Pornos- Big Navy Stroking, 2pitchers1cup

by SRQman on Apr 4, 2008 6:49 PM EDT 0 recs

Nathan Haynes

Is in the lineup because Gomes is suspended for tonights game. I just read it on Lancaster's blog.

by RaysRock1 on Apr 4, 2008 6:50 PM EDT 0 recs

That's fair

It means Topkin's original report was wrong, but it's okay that Gomes is serving the suspension today when there is a right-hander on the mound. I don't mind that. What I do mind is that Maddon is using this as an excuse to start Nathan Haynes. There is no reason for that. Start Aybar and third and put Hinske in right field. We are essentially sucking at two positions because of one decision. Hinske's defense will be a detriment, and Haynes' bat will be a detriment. Really poor choice on Maddon's part.

by Patrick L. Kennedy on Apr 4, 2008 6:57 PM EDT up 0 recs