Miscellaneous Notes from Today's Game

by R.J. Anderson on Jun 20, 2009 8:05 PM EDT Comment 45 comments

More photos » by Paul J. Bereswill - AP

This kid has no idea who Winston Abreu is, but for the next 30 seconds he's the best player on Earth.

Johan is just wonderful to watch. Check any plate appearance out. He works up, he works down, he works inside and out. The speed and movement changes, but Johan is fearless and willing to go where he wants whenever he pleases.

Speaking of the great pitching. The game moved so fast that we managed to have a lengthy rain delay and still finish a regulation length game in less than four hours.

Ben Zobrist has the highest WAR of any qualifying second basemen in the league. I don't know how and I don't know why, but if he keeps this up I won't really care.

Nobody likes seeing Wheeler in high-leverage situations, but in fairness, he is respectable against right-handed batters. Wheeler seems to struggle when he faces lefties, which makes a lot of sense. How many high-80s fastball/slider pitchers have a ton of success against opposite handed batters?

FOX's announcers, in two parts...

Part one: OMG U NEED CLOSER!!!

Part two: LOL-IPOPS B1LL J4M3Z!

They would probably take Francisco Rodriguez over J.P. Howell because of how they measure the intangibles. How can you measure intangibles? Not with a statistic, silly.

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Did anyone else know if this wikipedia passage on JP is true?

While playing for the University of Texas, Howell played in the Cape Cod League for a summer with the Bourne Braves. He famously warmed up on his own in the 8th inning of a game at which he had many family members from California in attendance. Then, without his manager’s permission, Howell told the starting pitcher that he was being taken out and Howell went out to the mound to replace his teammate. As punishment for the act, Howell benched for the the rest of the season.

That is hilarious.

Maybe I’m just an old fashioned BJ suck-off-er. (Good call Sandy)

by Lurch's Lobbyists on Jun 20, 2009 8:33 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I could see that happen....

I played up there and there are definitely some schenanigan’s from time to time….

by td32 on Jun 20, 2009 8:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

"Wikipedia is the best thing ever. Anyone in the world, can write anything they want about any subject. So you know you are getting the best possible information." – Michael Scott

by walkoffwalk on Jun 20, 2009 8:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well to whoever made that up...I commend them

That was hilarious.

by acablue on Jun 21, 2009 1:04 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

right. not sure how to give proper credit to a quote from a fictional character on a tv show.

by walkoffwalk on Jun 21, 2009 8:19 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Shields > Santana

JP > K-Fraud

Los > All

2009 Rays Baseball: God Damn It, Guys

by JMB on Jun 20, 2009 8:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Joe's gift to me was another

non appearence from Ball Four

by Raymondo on Jun 20, 2009 8:52 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

nope, wasnt from me

sorry

Rotation: 1. James Shields 2. Matt Garza 3. David Price 4. Jeff Niemann 5. Andy Sonnanstine...... Coming Soon: Wade Davis......Scott Kazmir?

by joeybw on Jun 20, 2009 9:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

So howell=

Temprorary or Permanent Closer?

We need Robots....The time is now Bud, Stern, and Goodell.
Seriously, Officiating Sucks in this Country

by Some other guy who does not care on Jun 20, 2009 9:16 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Temporary until we pay $8 million/year for "The Guy"

So, unless they need him earlier in the game, yes.

Maybe I’m just an old fashioned BJ suck-off-er. (Good call Sandy)

by Lurch's Lobbyists on Jun 20, 2009 9:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm guessing Howell will pitch the 9th inning if the game is close and he hasn't been used earlier. But I doubt he will be pigeon-holed into the 9th inning like a typical "closer."

by walkoffwalk on Jun 20, 2009 9:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Because we need a "Closer"

rather than…I don’t know….use pitchers based on matchups?

2009 Rays Baseball: God Damn It, Guys

by JMB on Jun 20, 2009 11:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

did wheeler just start throwing a splitter?

or did he just not use it very much before? he seems to be trotting it out several times per appearance now, and it’s been wicked nasty.

by nomoredevil on Jun 20, 2009 9:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

he used it a

couple of times,last year- i recall

We need Robots....The time is now Bud, Stern, and Goodell.
Seriously, Officiating Sucks in this Country

by Some other guy who does not care on Jun 20, 2009 9:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

and aww shit, i have a bad feeling the Marlins are about to lose it here to the Yanks.

by walkoffwalk on Jun 20, 2009 9:32 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Jeets stepped up with a clutch GIDP

Maybe I’m just an old fashioned BJ suck-off-er. (Good call Sandy)

by Lurch's Lobbyists on Jun 20, 2009 9:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Speaking of closers

Do you make this deal?

Crawford for K. Wood

Both to earn about the same thru 2010

Both not likely to re sign with their present team

We need a closer , more than we need CC

by Raymondo on Jun 20, 2009 10:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

NONONONONONONO

Brad Ziegler had a scoreless inning streak. Brad Ziegler had not met BJ Upton.

by P Brady on Jun 20, 2009 10:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Explain further

by Raymondo on Jun 20, 2009 10:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Explain?

This would help

"Doesn't Manny Ramirez look like the monster from Predator??" - Will Farrell as Harry Carey

by Gone Phishing on Jun 20, 2009 10:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

A history of injuries

And now, ineffectiveness.

Maybe I’m just an old fashioned BJ suck-off-er. (Good call Sandy)

by Lurch's Lobbyists on Jun 20, 2009 10:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

not just no

but HELL NO

by nomoredevil on Jun 20, 2009 10:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

best defensive LF in the league with a plus bat and SB city for a mediocre reliever?

by walkoffwalk on Jun 20, 2009 10:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why would we do that?

Wood has been worth less than 1 WAR on average the last three years. Crawford at his absolute worst was worth 3 WAR.

How about we stop rosterbating. Some of this community is frighteningly bad at it.

by R.J. Anderson on Jun 20, 2009 10:36 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs

Couldn't have said it better myself...

How about we stop rosterbating. Some of this community is frighteningly bad at it.

Visit the Rays Revolutionary Blog at http://raysrev.blogspot.com

by Rays_Rev on Jun 20, 2009 10:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

RJ you prove me wrong--my bad

by Raymondo on Jun 21, 2009 8:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

lolwut?

2009 Rays Baseball: God Damn It, Guys

by JMB on Jun 20, 2009 11:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

this is a fantastic troll

Selgy

by mittens on Jun 20, 2009 11:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Get Ryan Madson

Only fucked up another game…..asshole (he is on my fantasy team also)

"Doesn't Manny Ramirez look like the monster from Predator??" - Will Farrell as Harry Carey

by Gone Phishing on Jun 20, 2009 10:12 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

how about we just call up Chadford.

by walkoffwalk on Jun 20, 2009 10:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

BTW

Congrats on winning your 100th start shields.

We need Robots....The time is now Bud, Stern, and Goodell.
Seriously, Officiating Sucks in this Country

by Some other guy who does not care on Jun 20, 2009 10:31 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

And

anybody keep hearing weird music on the mlb gamewrap page.

We need Robots....The time is now Bud, Stern, and Goodell.
Seriously, Officiating Sucks in this Country

by Some other guy who does not care on Jun 20, 2009 10:37 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I had that problem at BLH for a while

It’s one of the embedded ads…

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Jun 20, 2009 11:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The real question is

Would the chill of J.P. Howell cool the Venezuelan fire of Frankie’s heart or would the fire melt J.P.’s cool?

King of the bling come to lay down the evidence//Not George Bush, L-Millz be da president

by Sam Page on Jun 21, 2009 2:09 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

man...that's deep.

by walkoffwalk on Jun 21, 2009 8:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

We need more jokes like this.

"Where we all wait in earnest with pudding in hand for the Upton comet to sail through the roofed skies, so that we may meet Him."

by kericr on Jun 21, 2009 10:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

ET called and he wants his arms back from Abreu

Rays Win!

by Sandy Kazmir on Jun 21, 2009 3:03 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

rubber match time

T-minus 3 hours

"Doesn't Manny Ramirez look like the monster from Predator??" - Will Farrell as Harry Carey

by Gone Phishing on Jun 21, 2009 10:48 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I wish Johan was a Ray

Put Tampa Bay back on our road uniforms!!

by joedobr on Jun 21, 2009 11:17 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I wish Pujols was a Ray

by R.J. Anderson on Jun 21, 2009 12:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I wish our team had Pujols, Justin Upton, Johan, Halladay, Barry Bonds.....

Swav or Die
For the lulz

by SRQman on Jun 21, 2009 2:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kerry Wood..you can keep him

Please dont trade CC…I think J.P is doing a great job as our closer right now,I hope Jo keeps him there for now..Cormier has kinda taken on the roll that JP had for us last year..so we have not needed to use JP for middle relief …thats a funny story about JP…….GO RAYS

by electriclott on Jun 21, 2009 12:44 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs