Atleast Yankees have lost a couple..

by arkansasraysfan on Jul 11, 2008 9:52 PM EDT Comment 102 comments

Hoping that the Orioles hang on against Boston because we are having some SERIOUS offensive problems right now. Pena is starting to hit but rest of the team isn't. We had all the momentum in the world after Red Sox series and first 3 against Royals and we have completely blown it. I guess all the nay sayers got into their heads after all and now it's gonna get worse. 5 losses in a row, they're choking..the season's over, they're back to the old Rays..That's surely the kind of stuff that we'll hear. IF we end up in the Playoffs we'd better hope we have home field and the other team doesn't have a bunch of quality lefties or it'll be a short party. We need a right handed power bat NOW!!!

PULL THE TRIGGER BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE TO!!!

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YOU NOT A FAN

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

BELIEVE in 08!

by SRQman on Jul 11, 2008 10:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

IT WAS SARCASM!!!

READ IT BETTER I SAID THAT’S WHAT OTHERS WOULD BE SAYING!!!!

by arkansasraysfan on Jul 11, 2008 10:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I am confused

by Sveet on Jul 11, 2008 10:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Apparently everyone is

I simply stated that people the DON’T like the Rays will be talking trash and that we need to get some help for the offense before this turns into a 10 game slide or something and everyone took it the wrong way. We need a right handed bat to help against lefties..simple. Everyone’s been doubting the team all year and now that we’ve lost 5 straight people on ESPN etc. are sure to start talking smack..That’s all I was saying.

by arkansasraysfan on Jul 11, 2008 10:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

What ESPN says is LAW!

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

BELIEVE in 08!

by SRQman on Jul 11, 2008 10:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

No..but it gets in peoples heads..

People jump on negative bandwagons just like positive ones. It’s real easy to pile on a team when they’re losing just like when they won 9 of 10

by arkansasraysfan on Jul 11, 2008 10:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If they get into a slump because of what ESPN says

they were doomed from the start.

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

BELIEVE in 08!

by SRQman on Jul 11, 2008 10:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Once again I'm not saying that..I'm saying the whole "The sky is falling"

Stuff is going to get worse the more they lose….and maybe they can’t handle the success..I don’t know. But the negative attitudes from the press certainly don’t help the team out.

by arkansasraysfan on Jul 11, 2008 10:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

that was sarcastic

i even posted this picture:

which seems more appropriate now than ever….

by rglass44 on Jul 12, 2008 1:32 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

And I took that part as qualifying the homefield advantage part.

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 11, 2008 10:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, They're still a respectable19-23 on the road

I say respectable because noone else in the A.L. is worth a damn on the road. They are a completely different team at the Trop though. If they got homefield throughout the Playoffs they could start Kazmir, Shields and Garza all the way through the World Series and use Jackson and Sonnanstine out of the Bullpen if necessary.

by arkansasraysfan on Jul 11, 2008 10:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

All you do is bitch about everyone's ideas but you never say anything positive yourself

That’s what’s old

by arkansasraysfan on Jul 11, 2008 10:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

How long have you been reading this site?

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 11, 2008 10:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm guessing a day at most

http://www.draysbay.com/2008/7/11/569606/street-murton
http://www.draysbay.com/2008/7/4/565095/real-meets-real
http://www.draysbay.com/2008/7/7/566531/blue-magic

From the last week alone where I was positive in the post, in the comments most of my replies are sarcastic.

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 11, 2008 10:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

RJ has plenty of positive things to say about Edwin Jackson.

Or is it booty music? Booty music or Edwin Jackson. One or the other but possibly neither.

by floridaroar on Jul 12, 2008 6:00 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

What a prominent sports writer had to say

Author: Tommy Rancel/ MVN

About three weeks ago I posted a piece about the Rays possibly acquiring Xavier Nady. Since then it’s become increasingly more obvious the Rays need to add a right handed power bat and they need to do it quickly. Over those three weeks, Xavier Nady not only kept up his career season stats, but actually improved them.

At first I was 50/50 on a Nady deal. I somewhat agreed with Erik, that maybe Nady was a flash in the pan type and was hitting over his head. But after watching our offense slump and Nady improve even more, I’m 100% behind us getting Nady. The Rays need overall production from a player in RF/DH. They have Eric Hinske, Gabe Gross, Cliff Floyd and (gulp) Jonny Gomes. However, the first three can’t hit a left hander and Gomes, who was supposed to do that job, isn’t. So basically we are stuck with some good platoon players without a platoon partner.

Xavier Nady would not need a platoon partner. He hits lefties well, he hits righties and he can play defense. Plus, he can hit with RISP, which over the past few days has become a concern for the Rays. So I ran some numbers through a variety of situations just to see how much Nady would be an improvement over the current batch of players.

Here are overall numbers for 2008

NAME
HR RBI AVG OBP SLG OPS OPS+

NADY

.321

.379

.537

.916

142

HINSKE

.262

.351

.520

.871

133

FLOYD

.256

.348

.444

.792

114

GROSS

.237

.329

.452

.781

110

Nady would easily be our best option for every day in RF, while Hinske would be the choice at DH.

VS. LHP

NAME
AVG OBP SLG OPS

NADY

.318

.432

.530

.962

HINSKE

.167

.302

.278

.580

FLOYD

.167

.283

.333

.619

GROSS

.154

.185

.346

.531

Did I say Nady was an improvement vs LHP? Just a little bit. It helps to be right handed sometimes, as Nady blows away the LH batters in this category. Again, Nady in RF, with Willy Aybar as the DH.

W/RISP

NAME
AVG OBP SLG OPS

NADY

.333

.406

.457

.863

HINSKE

.306

.413

.532

.946

FLOYD

.154

.303

.269

.572

GROSS

.233

.352

.395

.747

W/RISP 2 Outs
NAME AVG OBP SLG

OPS

NADY

.343

.465

.514

.979

HINSKE

.292

.452

.458

.910

FLOYD

.250

.438

.500

.938

GROSS

.182

.333

.182

.515

As you can see, Nady comes through in the "clutch." So what would it take to pry Nady from the Pirates? Jeff Niemann? Fernando Perez? Both?

Rarely do these types of things come together. The Pirates are sellers and Nady is on their list of things to sell. The Rays are buyer and Nady is exactly what they need in every sense of the word. All that is left to do is exchange some players, sign some paper work and we have a done deal, hopefully.

by arkansasraysfan on Jul 11, 2008 11:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

TL;DNR

by acblue on Jul 12, 2008 1:55 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Arkansas

Hey Arkansas where are you located. I moved to Cabot from Clearwater, FL last summer. By the way, I concur lets locate that right-handed bat that will help now and in the future.

by bobbyray1 on Jul 11, 2008 10:11 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Near Jonesboro

I lived north of Tampa for 15 years.

by arkansasraysfan on Jul 11, 2008 10:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

We've got the whole state covered now.

I still don’t like this one bit.

I’ll give you four alternatives to following the Rays:

1) Go root for the Cardinals and Cowboys (NASCAR and wrestling also acceptable)
2) Go bash Houston Nutt on a messge board or AM sports talk call-in show 365 days a year
3) Go feel up Mike Huckabee’s man-boobs; may substitute a family relative if Mike Huckabee is not available

Two out of three makes you a true Arkansan.

Longlorious.
Free Kila Kaaihue!

by RATW on Jul 12, 2008 9:25 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Left off #4.. not worth re-typing. This concludes the Blue Collar Comedy Tour.

Longlorious.
Free Kila Kaaihue!

by RATW on Jul 12, 2008 10:37 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I do like Nascar

so there’s one aN does Huckabee have any hot FEMALE relatives I could substitute???..lol

by arkansasraysfan on Jul 12, 2008 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If the Angels lose tonight

We still will have the best record in the AL. All is not lost

by Sveet on Jul 11, 2008 10:18 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I was being sarcastic about the negative posts everybody keeps putting up

But I guess that was lost on the screen as opposed to hearing it…

by arkansasraysfan on Jul 11, 2008 10:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If you were being sarcastic then I apologize.

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 11, 2008 10:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thank you

But I mean this with respect to you..all I’ve seen not only to my post, but those who said things on them today is that you not once had anything positive to say. I genuinely would like to hear what you think the team should do so I don’t have to go back through months of posts. I’d like to hear your point of view.

by arkansasraysfan on Jul 11, 2008 10:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Please do point out these examples.

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 11, 2008 10:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Also, let's be frank, there was no way I knew this was sarcasm after you made that other fanpost.

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 11, 2008 10:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

My feelings towards the Rays are nothing but positive.

by acblue on Jul 12, 2008 1:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

My God the Angels need to hurry up and regress I am getting so sick of this BS.

by acblue on Jul 12, 2008 1:55 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm not going to keep bickering

I don’t care how long I’ve been here I’ve been a Rays fan since they started and a baseball fan my whole life. All I want is YOUR opinion of the team’s situation and you keep focussing on continuing a disagreement. Your post says it all “This is getting old” QUICK

by arkansasraysfan on Jul 11, 2008 10:30 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

And they do need a bat and some relief help

is that what’s getting old??...Your were preaching earlier about having a right to speak on an open forum and now I’m getting old. If you don’t like my opinions I suggest you not read them. I am entitled and will continue to post what I feel…since we’re being frank..I suppose the post I made about raising Mickey Mantle from the dead wasn’t sarcastic either.

by arkansasraysfan on Jul 11, 2008 10:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The reactionary naysayers attitude is getting old.

I didn’t preach anything of the sort, I said if you post your thoughts it’s possible people will disagree.

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 11, 2008 10:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It isn't reactionary

Anyone that has watched this team knows we have an issue in RF, especially against left handed pitching. Then factor in we have 3 players that have the same issue (cannot hit lefties)

by matthan on Jul 11, 2008 10:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It is reactionary.

Prior to Thursday’s game we had scored 5.6 runs per game over our last 10. Where were people saying the offensive sky is falling then?

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 11, 2008 10:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Because they were at home and not against top notch lefties.....

by arkansasraysfan on Jul 11, 2008 10:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Top-notch lefties are top-notch because good offenses can't score against them.

by acblue on Jul 12, 2008 1:58 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Although I do think the bullpen worries are reactionary

The bullpen has been great this year

by matthan on Jul 11, 2008 10:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

We have to have a reliable closer

Percival is great but his legs are a constant concern

by arkansasraysfan on Jul 11, 2008 10:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes and No

Superstar closers are not needed. Plus we have plenty of candidates that could do an average job. Percival, Wheeler, Balfour etc. Don’t get me wrong Street would be great.

But if we trade for Street and Bay (Murton is not the answer) then we basically trade away the farm. At that point we might as well trade for Holliday.

by matthan on Jul 11, 2008 10:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

We do not need to make drastic changes...

But we have a few glaring holes that needs to be patched up. We need a right handed bat. We have too many similar left handed hitting hitters that can’t hit left handed pitching. In my opinion we need to get rid of Gomes and one of Floyd/Gross/Hinske. We need a more balanced roster. This isn’t critical, but having our bench so heavily directed towards the 1 dimensional left handed bat is killing us.

I don’t really think we need to trade for bullpen help. I think we can get it from the minors. I’m actually okay with Glover and Hammell. They have their roles in mop up games. We need one more pitcher that can pitch in close games. We have a few guys in AAA (and maybe Price) that we can fit for that role.

So this is what I’d do

Trade for Bay (maybe throw in Hinske in that deal, or Gross)
Trade Gomes (for some bats)
If the trade for Bay doesn’t include Hinske/Gross/Floyd then trade one of them for a low level prospect

Bring up Salas/Talbot/Dohmann etc.

At this point we would have a much more stable and balanced roster.

by matthan on Jul 11, 2008 10:40 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

HUSTON STREET

by P Brady on Jul 11, 2008 10:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

why?

back end of the pen is not a weakness and it would cost too much. We are better off using those prospects to upgrade a position of need.

by matthan on Jul 11, 2008 10:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You don't need to plug holes with star players.

by acblue on Jul 12, 2008 2:01 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

So Gross and maybe Niemann

for Bay?? I’d like to see them keep Hinske. He’s too versatile and can still swing the bat. Gomes may be outrighted if he isn’t careful.

by arkansasraysfan on Jul 11, 2008 10:45 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I like Hinske more than Gross or Floyd. But at this point you can't really be picky

Thing is if we get Bay he is playing every day in RF. Every single day. So then we have the DH. There is absolutely no need to have 3 left handed hitters that cannot hit lefty pitchers vying for the 1 DH spot. That would be absurd. Ideally we would have 1 of those trio hitting against righties and Aybar starting against lefties with 1 of the trio as a potential pinch hitter. There is no need for all 3 if we get an everyday RF. Getting rid of Gomes and 1 of those three would open up a spot in the pen for someone in minors. And honestly I think they can do a good enough job.

by matthan on Jul 11, 2008 10:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I posted a blog about Matt Holliday....

I truly wish we could do that but it won’t happen and I got torn apart by stat guys over the idea…

by arkansasraysfan on Jul 11, 2008 10:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Holliday would be our best player by far

His H/A splits aren’t that big of a deal. At least some of it is mental and comfort. Some of it is Coors being a hitters park and him playing the bulk of his road games in pitchers parks. Holliday is one of the best hitters in the game on any field in the world.

by matthan on Jul 11, 2008 11:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Holliday is one of the best hitters in the game on any field in the world.

That’s highly debatable.

by P Brady on Jul 11, 2008 11:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well its highly debatable for any player

Holliday is one of the few players that is in the discussion. He is the real deal. His homers may be inflated due to Coors but the dude just rakes. He would hit .330 the rest of the year with the Rays.

by matthan on Jul 11, 2008 11:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Damn straight

Hitters hit no matter where they play..He may only hit 25 HR a year with Rays as opposed to 40 but I’ll take a .325 25/100 guy with an OBP near 450 and OPS around 1.000 any day.

by arkansasraysfan on Jul 11, 2008 11:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Another thing people fail to take into account...

The Rockies suck on the road as a team. In other words Holliday is coming to the dish in much less favorable situations. It is far harder to hit in pitcher friendly conditions. This is another factor that explains his drop in numbers…

by matthan on Jul 11, 2008 11:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

They suck on the road in large part because of park factors.

by acblue on Jul 12, 2008 2:05 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You assume. There are a lot of factors in play and for each player it is different.

I think you are better off analyzing the players skill set and talent.

by matthan on Jul 12, 2008 2:37 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

But he Rockies have ALWAYS sucked on the road

In their 15 year existence, they’ve never had a winning record on the road, a span that includes 5 .500 seasons, and two playoff appearances. I’m left to believe that even a good Rockie team would suck on the road,

by GomesSweetGomes on Jul 12, 2008 7:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

most likely

by arkansasraysfan on Jul 12, 2008 2:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's almost like I did those things

and came to the conclusion I did based on what I found.

As for Holliday, specifically:

Home, 2008-.368/.441/.638 1.079 OPS
Away, 2008-.307/.401/.471 .872 OPS

Home, Career-.364/.427/.659 1.086 OPS
Away, Career-.277/.341/.450 .791 OPS

Seriously, Holliday is a good player, but outside of Coors, he’s nothing more than solid. The Rockies are going to want superstar return, and he’s not a superstar.

by acblue on Jul 12, 2008 3:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

HUSTON. STREET. MATT. MURTON.

by P Brady on Jul 11, 2008 10:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

epic fail of a trade

unless it is for gomes, hammell, and zobrist.

by matthan on Jul 11, 2008 10:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

...Brignac and Niemman. I don't care. GET IT DONE FRIEDMAN.

by P Brady on Jul 11, 2008 10:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agree on that one

by arkansasraysfan on Jul 11, 2008 10:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Problem is then who do we have to trade to get a real right handed RF?

We’d have to dip into the Hellickson, Davis, or McGee, Jennings (if they are okay with hurt players).

by matthan on Jul 11, 2008 10:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

For Bay

by matthan on Jul 11, 2008 10:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

HUSTON FUCKING STREET.

by P Brady on Jul 11, 2008 10:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Street is a young gun

i’d like to see them get..Just worried about him maturing a little. He sometimes is streaky and not a “team player”

by arkansasraysfan on Jul 11, 2008 11:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

What exactly does that mean

In the context of a relief pitcher? I can see where its easy to spot such an attribute in a field position player (doesn’t respond well when benched, doesn’t want to make a position change, etc.) but what exactly makes a closer ‘not a team player’?

I see no evidence that his attitude has ever been a problem. Please correct me if I am wrong.

by GomesSweetGomes on Jul 12, 2008 9:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

There's a reason they're shopping him at 24...

Go read some A’s blogs and see what they’re saying. Apparently he’s not a good clubhouse guy and hasn’t been good about his work ethic..that’s part of why he can get streaky at times….He apparently loses focus at times.

by arkansasraysfan on Jul 12, 2008 2:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'd prefer MSM sources and/or player/manager quotes

If I believed everything I read on this blog I’d think that Upton/Crawford are both lazy, Ruggiano is the biggest jerk in the world, and half of the team smokes a lot of pot.

And if it were any other GM, their willingness to part with Street would be a red flag. But this is Beane we are talking about. Just this spring, he traded away Haren and Swisher, both of whom he could have kept through the 2010 season. Beane has shown a willingness to deal anyone at anytime. The most likely reason they’d consider shopping him now is because he is unwilling to sign a team-friendly extension (and could you blame him with the gratitude they showed Swish for signing his extension last fall?)

by GomesSweetGomes on Jul 12, 2008 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hell..

Wouldn’t that be nice..we could even throw in Gomes

by arkansasraysfan on Jul 11, 2008 10:59 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

YOU KNOW WHAT WOULD SOLVE EVERYTHING?

STREET AND MURTON

by P Brady on Jul 11, 2008 10:59 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

What does Murton solve?

He does absolutely nothing for this team. If you run the numbers he would be virtually worthless for this squad. Unless we did a Gomes + Ruggiano for Murton swap it owuld be totally pointless.

by matthan on Jul 11, 2008 11:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not even..Ruggiano is = Murton if not better

Gomes for Murton, Niemann for Street…

by arkansasraysfan on Jul 11, 2008 11:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Street & Murton

1) The A’s wouldn’t trade Murton right after they got him. They’ve want that guy you about 2 years now
2) Street is OK but he’s been hurt in the last few years. He’s very streaky
3) I would like them to get a right-handed bat to play everyday in RF and flip Hinske, Floyd and Aybar at DH
4) Sent Gomes down, release him. Do something beside letting him TRY to hit.

by Longo'sThirdCousin on Jul 12, 2008 12:23 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs