6/15: RAYS 3, Florida 9

by R.J. Anderson on Jun 15, 2008 5:22 PM EDT Comment 18 comments

3 Up: Grant Balfour .023, Akinori Iwamura .013, Cliff Floyd .010

3 Down: Edwin Jackson -.252, B.J. Upton -.063, Willy Aybar -.057

To say Edwin did not have good control today would be a fact. Shocking his strike percentage on the day is just about on par with his seasonal average. He throws first pitch strikes less than 55% of the time, that means 45% of the time Edwin is facing batters who have are in a count that increases their chance of producing a run over average by 0.040, that adds up.

Call me an Edwin hater, frankly I don't care. I'm not asking for his spot or job, I'm asking for improvement just as I do with nearly every other player on this roster.

Meanwhile Grant Balfour did very nice today, consistently getting into 1-2 counts with exception to his walk. Frankly there is no excuse or Gary Glover to remain on this team over anyone currently on the team and most certainly not Balfour.

Worth noting the Rays are currently on pace for 57 home wins and roughly 94 wins.

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Preach it, sister

by Joshua Downie on Jun 15, 2008 5:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

They were way too early with the hook on Balfour

He was dealing.

Do not think that what is hard for you to master is humanly impossible; but if a thing is humanly possible, consider it to be within your reach.

by Orlando Rays on Jun 15, 2008 5:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Worst game of the year

In my opinion at least. We hit like crap. We had numerous 3-0 counts that resulted in outs. EJ pitched like crap. Walks suck. Home runs suck even more. Defensively we made some great players, but we had some really bad plays also. Obviously the Upton/Gross miscommunication was pathetic. Aybar couldn’t pick Longorias throw. And Aki had bad range on one play that bit us in the backside.

by matthan on Jun 15, 2008 6:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It was over before it began.

When you have to pray that a pitcher will be on, imo it is time for that pitcher to be gone.

by Gator80 on Jun 15, 2008 7:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I have now attended 4% of the Rays home wins and 27% of their home losses. My own fault though for attending an Edwin Jackson start where he wasn’t opposed by Steve Trachsel.

by Jim Wisinski on Jun 15, 2008 8:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

You're going to get killed.

"I've seen many, many blue skies turn gray, but the sun will eventually return, and so will I. So will I." - Carlos Pena

by R.J. Anderson on Jun 15, 2008 8:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Seriously

run for the hills, and on your way don’t mention Carl Crawford.

Top Josh Paul Pornos- Big Navi Stroking, 2pitchers1cup, BJ to the Balls

BELIEVE in 08!

by SRQman on Jun 15, 2008 8:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

man if edwin ever just learns how to be a pitcher instead of a thrower!

if edwin ever figures out himself and learns that 97 out of the strike zone can be slowed down a couple of miles to 94 in the zone and hitters would look foolish against him but he just thinks that he can blow it by everyone but not when it is out of the strike zone EDWIN!!!

by RaysOfHope on Jun 15, 2008 10:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It is time to pull the plug on the Jackson experiment. Move him into the pen or deal him.

9 = 8

by websterjtc on Jun 16, 2008 10:31 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Putting guy in pen with major command issues...

Not good.

RJ is not an elitist douchebag who hates scouting

by ttnorm on Jun 16, 2008 6:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not sure if you could see this on TV

but Edwin had no clue how many outs there were one inning and walked back to the mound after the third out. Clearly his head was not in the game, and it looked like the entire club felt like they had already won the series and conceded.

by LeftRight on Jun 16, 2008 11:02 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Call me an Edwin hater, frankly I don't care. I'm not asking for his spot or job, I'm asking for improvement just as I do with nearly every other player on this roster.

No need to place a disclaimer on your comment. OBVIOUSLY Jackson just lost it yesterday.

I still saw 61 pitches out of 101 for strikes

2 starts ago he had 68 for strikes out of 107

and 3 games ago vs Boston he had 64 for strikes in 94 pitches

I completely understand people criticizing Jackson but let’s actually examine his games instead of just writing him off as ‘same old Edwin’ (this wasn’t directed at you RJ). He is throwing his pitches ‘easier’ and thus with better command this year. He still has growing to do as a pitcher, and a lot of growing, but he knows what steps to take now and he knows how to succeed. Even when he loses, he’s not getting away from that, and he knows how to battle now. Games like yesterday will happen to everyone. I just dont get some people who think he still has no idea of the strikezone, or where his pitches will go when he throws them

His last 4 starts were against the 1st place teams in the AL East, Central, West and NL East, but nobody is willing to show any of these things that detract from some people’s forgone opinions that Jackson is and always will be teh same pitcher he was a year and a half ago.

I hated him a year and a half ago too, but this isn’t the same Edwin

He is throwing more strikes, walking less batters, and he isn’t folding up like a lawn chair the first time he has to pitch out of the stretch. In fact he has improved greatly in those aspects, and far more than anyone couldve expected 1 year ago. But again he will get no love in some peoples eyes, especially not when he is in a bit of a pitchers “slump”.

It’s cool, everyone likes to preach “projectable stats” but things like these are GREAT indicators of future success. We shall see

by blazinrayz on Jun 16, 2008 12:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

“His last 4 starts were against the 1st place teams in the AL East, Central, West and NL East,”

That’s true, but, neither the Angels, Marlins, or White Sox have tremendous offenses.

9 = 8

by websterjtc on Jun 16, 2008 12:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I beg to differ

While each of those offenses have faults I’d still take them over the vast majority of MLB.

by matthan on Jun 17, 2008 8:17 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's fine.

As long as you acknowledge that at least 11 teams (including the Rays) are better than at least one of those teams.

"I've seen many, many blue skies turn gray, but the sun will eventually return, and so will I. So will I." - Carlos Pena

by R.J. Anderson on Jun 17, 2008 10:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well that depends. For example I’d take the Halos line-up over nearly every team even though they haven’t been hitting great so far. But on some level you have to factor in the injuries to Kendrick and Figgins. Then the fish are leading the league in home runs, but my opinion of them depends on who is pitching against them. The White Sox is the team out of the three that I am least impressed with their offense. The offensive talent is dwindling on that squad.

by matthan on Jun 17, 2008 1:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why?

He is pitching against the lineups they have out there, not the potential those lineups have. It is difficult without more specific detail to determine which is the better offense since one needs to consider opponents, ballparks and so on, but on the face of it, the Marlins score more runs (4.9/game), Chicago second most (4.6/game) and the Angels fewest (4.2/game). In OBP, Chicago leads both with .331 to .320 (FL) & .319 (LA) while Florida hits the most home runs and has the best slugging % with Chicago second in both categories and LA very far behind.

If the Angels score the fewest runs, have the lowest OBP and slugging % and hit the fewest home runs, why do you prefer their offense?

by bobr on Jun 17, 2008 5:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs