Rays Lose 7-2, Woodrum Deliberately Violates the Prime Directive
by BWoodrum on Sep 2, 2011 12:28 AM EDT
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You can find the original form of the recap here, on SBN Tampa Bay.
The Rays (74-62) narrowly escaped getting no-hit tonight, but that didn't stop the Texas Rangers (78-60) from slaughtering the Rays pitching and taking the series victory. Jeff Niemann (L, 9-6) started for the Rays, but he barely lasted 5 innings, getting shelled for 5 runs on 6 hits, 2 homers, and 2 walks.
Meanwhile, the Rangers starter, C.J. Wilson (W, 14-6), played the evil surgeon, putting a sickly and all-too-familiar feeling in the Rays fans' guts, pitching a perfect game through five innings. The Rays, though highly successful since 2008, sure have a knack for getting no-hit and perfect game'd, having watched Mark Buehrle, Edwin Jackson, and Dallas Braden all accomplished the feet over the last four seasons.
Well, the Rays narrowly escaped another frowny stamp on the franchise's history books when Casey Kotchman worked a long at bat to start the 6th inning, eventually grounding a ball up towards the middle. Wilson reached out with his pitching hand, apparently hyper-extending several joints on his hand. He finished the inning and started the next, but he had clearly lost his control at that point -- so much so he allowed a solo home run to Kelly Shoppach.
The Texas bullpen came in and resumed Wilson's task, pitching a scoreless final three frames.
The Texas hitters, meanwhile, clapped 5 extra base hits to the Rays 1, including 2 Ian Kinsler home runs and Michael Young homer. The Rangers lineup has the fewest strikeouts in the league, so beating them must come through well-executed pitches. Jeff Niemann did not have that tonight, and so the Rays had no chance.
Notes:
- Kotchman was an unlikely candidate to break the no hitter: He is hitting under a .600 OPS over his last 85 plate appearances, including today. Kudos to him for working a great at bat and giving the Rays a chance today.
On August 8th, Kotchman had a .341 batting average, and thousands of fans were coming out to watch him fight for the batting title. He is now in a tie for 10th in the league, batting .320 and -- not-coincidentally -- there were precisely ZERO fans at the Trop today. You do the math. - Brandon Gomes did not look sharp in his 0.0 innings of work, allowing a walk and a homer to Kinsler before leaving to cry quietly in the showers.
- After like eleventy-billion throws to first, J.P. Howell was finally able to pick off Elvis Andrus to close the 6th inning. Like they say, all good things come, like, from the universe, or something, bro.
- Umpire Wally Bell did the League of Robot Umpires a huge favor today, totally foregoing the typical strike zone for either starter today:
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He gone
The caller said the boy, after removing the bulb from its socket, left the building and threw the bulb on the ground. When the bulb broke, the caller said the boy screamed "CL053D C45K37"
by Top Gun Numba 1 on Sep 2, 2011 12:29 AM EDT reply actions
Kotch magic is over
The clock has struck midnight
by RaysOfHope on Sep 2, 2011 12:39 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
Take it down.
Someone who doesn’t know the rules of the site shouldn’t be a writer.
I do this for free
I know your white man rules.
I elect to flaunt my opposition to them.
A DRaysBay and FanGraphs writer from Cubs Stats and Twitter @BradleyWoodrum
Oh geez! I totally forgot.
That was a sick catch.
A DRaysBay and FanGraphs writer from Cubs Stats and Twitter @BradleyWoodrum
Oddly enough, no, I had even stopped playing video games by then.
A DRaysBay and FanGraphs writer from Cubs Stats and Twitter @BradleyWoodrum
Hey Woody, this looks like fun. Can two play the SSS game?
Since Aug 21 Ben Zobrist, this community’s choice for team MVP and some suggesting should be in the conversation for AL MVP has a .153/.188/.200 a dazzling 3888 OPS
He’s seen his OPS drop from a .879 to .833
Well played
follow me on twitter @sternfan10
You realize he wasn't actually criticizing Kotchman or making BABIP snark?
I love Casey Fossum. Now try and take me seriously. -- @steveslow
by Steve Slowinski on Sep 2, 2011 8:42 AM EDT up reply actions
In a tongue in cheek manner, he has managed to bash Kotchman all year
I as a member of this community don’t appreciate it
follow me on twitter @sternfan10
by sternfan1 on Sep 2, 2011 8:53 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
"Kudos to him..."
So he’s not allowed to mention that Kotch has been in a slumping slightly? Get over it.
I love Casey Fossum. Now try and take me seriously. -- @steveslow
by Steve Slowinski on Sep 2, 2011 9:03 AM EDT up reply actions
i have no problem with that at all, but treat him as a member of the Rays, not a freak
Look below where i point out a couple DRB untouchables and their slumps
follow me on twitter @sternfan10
Gas Can Howell, One Hit Wonder, Month of May.
…treat him as a member of the Rays, not a freak…
A DRaysBay and FanGraphs writer from Cubs Stats and Twitter @BradleyWoodrum
by BWoodrum on Sep 2, 2011 10:32 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
For a 2-3 sentence bullet point, I don't exactly see how you can provide that much context without getting clunky.
Ahh, whatever.
I love Casey Fossum. Now try and take me seriously. -- @steveslow
by Steve Slowinski on Sep 2, 2011 9:20 AM EDT up reply actions
Like This
Kotchman, like the rest of the Rays who also suck, was an unlikely candidate to break the no hitter: He is hitting under a .600 OPS over his last 85 plate appearances, including today. Kudos to him for working a great at bat and giving the Rays a chance today.
Get over yourself
As a member of this community I find it funny, as do most. Ironically, it wouldn’t be so funny if you weren’t so sensitive about it.
by GomesSweetGomes on Sep 2, 2011 9:11 AM EDT up reply actions
HEAR HEAR
If you can't say something to someone's face then it's not worthy of being said behind their back.
And as of the AL batting leaders check your math, Kotchman as of today ranks 5th in BA for
all qualifies players
follow me on twitter @sternfan10
Are the DBZ characters going to become a regular thing like your Mario characters at Fangraphs?
I certainly hope so!
Nope
The caller said the boy, after removing the bulb from its socket, left the building and threw the bulb on the ground. When the bulb broke, the caller said the boy screamed "CL053D C45K37"
by Top Gun Numba 1 on Sep 2, 2011 8:38 AM EDT up reply actions
LET THE REVOLUTION BEGIN!
(And no, not until I can find an 8-bit Piccolo).
A DRaysBay and FanGraphs writer from Cubs Stats and Twitter @BradleyWoodrum
I don't know what that is, but I'm sure it goes great with a side of fries
Follow Me on Twitter @FreeZorilla
So is the 'Prime Directive' that there is no anime allowed,
or that you can’t interfere with the ‘internal development’ of the alien civilization DRB community by introducing it?
so meta…
Hey Woody, this is fun this SSS game
Longo from7/2-8/7
183/309/374
And who can forget dear old MOM
From 6/1-8/2
175/234/351 585 OPS
follow me on twitter @sternfan10
Please get over yourself.
Immediately.
A DRaysBay and FanGraphs writer from Cubs Stats and Twitter @BradleyWoodrum
I find the normalized strike zone much easier to intuitively understand with it's use of two colors and shapes and this is horrendous
Inside to righties for Wilson and down and in to lefties for both is just inexcusable. What a joke.
If you can't say something to someone's face then it's not worthy of being said behind their back.
looks like ump was just guessing
seriously, was something wrong with his eyes? Tired/Fatigued/ill?
Not making a joke but how can MLB allow a game to be called this loose. Professional hitters and pitchers can’t adjust to such ludicrous margins on the fly.
with a plot that outrageous you have to wonder if there was an error with the plotting system
on top of a poorly called game. I dont remember too much complaining by players or managers, but I might have missed it. You’d think with such a fluctuating zone that you’d have a few arguments and maybe some ejections, right?
hmm, does it normalize the zone through regression?
it would be interesting to see r^2 values for umpires over a season and tell you how inconsistent they really were.
Well we can look at Wally Bell's Strike zone over the year, let me see what I find
If you can't say something to someone's face then it's not worthy of being said behind their back.
by Sandy Kazmir on Sep 2, 2011 10:04 AM EDT up reply actions
Seems like Wally Bell has been calling these pitches all year, the low strike and away from lefties they never really have a chance
If you’re a lefty facing C.J. Wilson and he’s getting a pitch between 5 and 11 inches off the edge of the plate how do you even have a chance? This just looks like yet another in a long line of truly awful umpires
If you can't say something to someone's face then it's not worthy of being said behind their back.
by Sandy Kazmir on Sep 2, 2011 10:26 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
The far left yellow dot
That’s gotta be a check-swing strike..no? At least I hope so
I'm not a fanboy, I'm a _______
by Jason Collette on Sep 2, 2011 10:32 AM EDT up reply actions
These are just balls and called strikes, a check swing strike would be a swing
If you can't say something to someone's face then it's not worthy of being said behind their back.
by Sandy Kazmir on Sep 2, 2011 10:33 AM EDT up reply actions
So it was just Bell seeing how much he could get away with, clearly.
A DRaysBay and FanGraphs writer from Cubs Stats and Twitter @BradleyWoodrum
Excellent! Where's this data from?
A DRaysBay and FanGraphs writer from Cubs Stats and Twitter @BradleyWoodrum
Joe L
If you can't say something to someone's face then it's not worthy of being said behind their back.
by Sandy Kazmir on Sep 2, 2011 10:39 AM EDT up reply actions
Bummer; that doesn't update until the morning after, does it?
A DRaysBay and FanGraphs writer from Cubs Stats and Twitter @BradleyWoodrum
Not sure why that is a bummer since it has updated to include yesterday's game. I mean it doesn't include today's games that haven't been played yet, but I think you'd be hard pressed to find that anywhere
If you can't say something to someone's face then it's not worthy of being said behind their back.
by Sandy Kazmir on Sep 2, 2011 10:49 AM EDT up reply actions
Oh, sorry, I didn't finish the thought.
For writing recaps, I use Brooks because it actively updates and I don’t have to wait until morning. I write the recaps as soon as the game ends, so if I want to use Pitch F/x data, I’m constrained to Brooks’s ugly MS Office 95 graphs.
A DRaysBay and FanGraphs writer from Cubs Stats and Twitter @BradleyWoodrum
So do what I do and download the data at Brooks and make your own charts.
Just click on “Get Expanded Tabled Data” it will download into Excel and then you can do your own stuff pretty quickly. Convert to .png and upload to site. Also, if you’re going to show the umps strike zone use the normalized strike zone maps as they don’t inundate the user with extraneous data.
If you can't say something to someone's face then it's not worthy of being said behind their back.
by Sandy Kazmir on Sep 2, 2011 10:55 AM EDT up reply actions
Great Work Sandy
With Joyce and Damon out of yesterday line up. It makes me wonder if Joe was giving more weight to the pitcher or the umpire in his starting line up decision.
Wilson is a hoss, especially on lefties
Gonna suck if the Yanks get him and extend Fat Back. Two really good lefties is something few rotations can boast. Though I’d rather have Price/Moore :)
If you can't say something to someone's face then it's not worthy of being said behind their back.
by Sandy Kazmir on Sep 2, 2011 11:00 AM EDT up reply actions
With Tableau it should be a breeze for you
If you can't say something to someone's face then it's not worthy of being said behind their back.
by Sandy Kazmir on Sep 2, 2011 10:59 AM EDT up reply actions
Excellent! And with a normalized strike zone, you mean it has 1x1 dimensions?
I’ve never been very clear on that term.
A DRaysBay and FanGraphs writer from Cubs Stats and Twitter @BradleyWoodrum
Meaning they scale the vertical component for all batters such that they're on an even basis
So a pitch that was low to a tall guy or high to a short guy are actually out of the strike zone, if you use average heights those pitches may end up in your overlaid zone. On the other hand, my overlaid zone is doing just fine.
If you can't say something to someone's face then it's not worthy of being said behind their back.
by Sandy Kazmir on Sep 2, 2011 11:04 AM EDT up reply actions
That makes it right?
If you can't say something to someone's face then it's not worthy of being said behind their back.
by Sandy Kazmir on Sep 2, 2011 11:52 AM EDT up reply actions
no. i'm just saying he didn't really benefit from the umpire's zone
and that he actually pitched a great game
There's no denying that he pitched a great game, but to say he didn't get help is dishonest.
If you can't say something to someone's face then it's not worthy of being said behind their back.
by Sandy Kazmir on Sep 2, 2011 12:11 PM EDT up reply actions
he had 4 pitches well within the zone calls balls
so it was an even trade
What was the scenario for each of these? I hate the makeup call because generally the one that hurts is in a higher leverage situation
Strike 3 off the plate is not the same as ball two in the zone.
If you can't say something to someone's face then it's not worthy of being said behind their back.
Dear Mr. Sternfan ; Calm Down
Baseball is fun.
Watching Kotch is fun.
I am glad Kotch has slowed down.
He is a good player and this year will even out and give us a good idea of his true talent level.
He is not a 220 hitter as advertised by the haters and he is not a 340 hitter
He is somewhere in between
Hopefully the Rays can resign him now that he has come down to earth.
The last cry for the haters was he would be to expensive because of his stats and Andrew would not sign him. Now that plea is fading for the no Kotch crowd.
P.S. Woody the crowds will still come to watch Kotch and his intensity ( What other player on earth gives us stretching and facial expressions like Kotch)
i would only resign him if we cant find an upgrade
Kotch is basically going to be james loney, which isn’t a good thing
by RaysOfHope on Sep 2, 2011 9:56 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
If you want him back, you should want him to slump down the stretch
I'm not a fanboy, I'm a _______
by Jason Collette on Sep 2, 2011 10:01 AM EDT up reply actions
trust me i dont want him back at all
I rather trade one of our pitchers for a young power 1st basemen. I will be very happy when kotch signs else where, he is going to be lucky to put up james loney numbers the rest of his career, which I want no part in what so ever
by RaysOfHope on Sep 2, 2011 10:07 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Thanks for the heads up Sterney
I’ll be away for a while but will try to check in and add to the conversation.
I don't anticipate a conversation.
I’m rallying a bunch of Uruk-hai and we’re storming the gates. If I’m going to comment with the plebeians on DRB, it will be only Kotchman Bashing, and Kotchman Bashing 100% of the time.
A DRaysBay and FanGraphs writer from Cubs Stats and Twitter @BradleyWoodrum
You're like a mix between Renfield and Proctor
If you can't say something to someone's face then it's not worthy of being said behind their back.
by Sandy Kazmir on Sep 2, 2011 10:56 AM EDT up reply actions
Not for BW
Now RJ OTOH, he’s Kenny Powers and I’m Stevie
by GomesSweetGomes on Sep 2, 2011 11:00 AM EDT up reply actions
We don't believe in ghosts
If you can't say something to someone's face then it's not worthy of being said behind their back.
by Sandy Kazmir on Sep 2, 2011 11:02 AM EDT up reply actions
18 DAMN REFERENCES ABOUT A PLAYER IN 37 COMMENTS
#kotchtalk needs to be put up there with banime & effort mentions with Beej
I'm not a fanboy, I'm a _______
Sonny/EJax
Vroom vroom party starter
www.raysprospects.com
by Imperialism32 on Sep 2, 2011 9:58 AM EDT up reply actions
we both know it makes no difference who the player is.
a troll is a troll, and a-hole is a-hole. if we don’t feed no trolls, then there wont be a-holes.
I made that up.
by CBJones on Sep 2, 2011 10:01 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Arian Foster approves
I'm not a fanboy, I'm a _______
by Jason Collette on Sep 2, 2011 10:02 AM EDT up reply actions
In all seriousness
This has been an ongoing problem on this site for years on end. They let him keep doing his thing because he has a few buddies that are mods, and I assume he generates site traffic. As long as he remains I will just disregard the community standards, since they mean notihng anyways.
by GomesSweetGomes on Sep 2, 2011 10:08 AM EDT up reply actions
Burn that mother down
If you can't say something to someone's face then it's not worthy of being said behind their back.
by Sandy Kazmir on Sep 2, 2011 10:10 AM EDT up reply actions
So GSG, if i disagree or bash a favorite of yours it's trolling, you do the same and you're a fan?
ahhh—i get it
follow me on twitter @sternfan10
Please, find me the post where I bashed your mancrush
Please, do. I look forward to reading it.
by GomesSweetGomes on Sep 2, 2011 10:21 AM EDT up reply actions
And its not even that
1. I don’t think BW was bashing Kotch in this thread. You’re just hypersensitive to it.
2. You seem to think that all posters who disagree with you on an individual point are part of some homogenous group that have vowed to think alike on all matters concerning the Rays. I cannot count how many times you will counter a valid point with something along the lines of “But why does your boy RJ/Jason/RGlass etc. always say ____” You try to force people into defending points they never even made in the first place. You’re the one on the crusade, not me. Get a life.
by GomesSweetGomes on Sep 2, 2011 10:25 AM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
Woody imo was bashing the fan base, ib his 'thousands of fans flocked the trop'
i know Kotch is in a slump, but while others have slumped greater, posters are quick to say they’ll get out of it—not with Kotch
it’s like this is the day you’ve been waiting for DRB, Kotch is failing—i’m doing a fanpost, maybe it’ll make sense
follow me on twitter @sternfan10
"it’s like this is the day you’ve been waiting for DRB"
Thanks for proving point #2 for me.
by GomesSweetGomes on Sep 2, 2011 10:53 AM EDT up reply actions
Here, I'll help you
I have no complaints about what Kotchman has done, but I highly doubt his ability to come close to it again.
7/26/11
Its inexcusable to find fault in what Kotchman has provided.
7/26/11
Expecting every player to fit some sort of mold for how you like your runs knocked in…thats no different than complaining about guys ‘clogging up the bases’.
Now, whether Kotchman can be a run producer doing what he’s done so far, and whether thats sustainable….completely different story.
5/13/11
I think I’m between you guys on this On one hand, it seems like this site is always clamoring to replace the guy. On the other hand, everyone seems to think there is a wealth of freely available talent (which would also provide a significatn upgrade) with which to do so.
I’m only on board with the first statement if the second is true. I don’t believe the second to be true.
5/13/11
Wow, I just can’t help but lay into the guy.
by GomesSweetGomes on Sep 2, 2011 10:40 AM EDT up reply actions
ahh, I thought you were sarcastically trolling me
I agree that it is a ‘problem’ (as if internet messageboard banter can be considered as such). When Kotchman broke up the PG last night,the first thing that went through my head was not a “Way to go!” like it should have been, but was rather, “Oh, this is going to start a *ish-storm on the site.” I certainly didn’t start off the year with that line of thinking.
I very much wish there was an ‘ignore’ feature that there is on other message boards.
by CBJones on Sep 2, 2011 10:25 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Amen
Ignore feature would go a long way.
by GomesSweetGomes on Sep 2, 2011 10:26 AM EDT up reply actions
Rivals.com just added an ignore feature after years of begging for it
Unfortunately, they f’d it up so that if one user on the site ignores someone, everyone has that person ignored.
I'm not a fanboy, I'm a _______
by Jason Collette on Sep 2, 2011 10:30 AM EDT up reply actions
since the bulk of Woody's article is on Kotch, why ask readers to ignore it?
follow me on twitter @sternfan10
Haha, he means ignore you jackass.
Yeah, I don't see Badancil turning out well.
@dobbertweets
by blackraven on Jun 27, 2011 5:08 PM PDT
Go run for a city council job
You would fit right in with their banning of what bums write on their cardboard signs
Tom -- the opposition research on me disqualifies me for any public office
I'm not a fanboy, I'm a _______
by Jason Collette on Sep 2, 2011 10:03 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
what horrible things has Cason Jollette done?
by RaysOfHope on Sep 2, 2011 10:08 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
hmm..
doing 125 in a 55 and then successfully escaping a chase by the cops
some hack jobs online
Remember when Jim Leavitt’s wikipedia page was changed? Yea – that was me.
I'm not a fanboy, I'm a _______
by Jason Collette on Sep 2, 2011 10:17 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Trolling you guys is much funner than trolling Old 'n Grumpy.
A DRaysBay and FanGraphs writer from Cubs Stats and Twitter @BradleyWoodrum
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