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Game Preview: Friday (5/19) vs Florida

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Florida (11-28) at RAYS (17-24)
7:15; Tropicana Field
FSN Florida; RAYS RADIO/1250 AM WHNZ

Game Previews

Marlins [Marlins.com]
Devil Rays [DevilRays.com]

Pitching Matchup:

FLA-RH Brian Moehler (1-4, 8.23)

RAYS-LH Casey Fossum (1-2, 5.24)

Lineups

Florida
CF Reggie Abercrombie-.716 OPS
2B Dan Uggla-.829 OPS
DH Miguel Cabrera-1.005
LF Josh Willingham-.906
3B Wes Helms-.712 OPS
1B Mike Jacobs-.743 OPS
RF Joe Borchard-.655 OPS
C Miguel Olivo-.737 OPS
SS Robert Andino-.333 OPS

RAYS
SS Julio Lugo-.640 OPS
LF Carl Crawford-.672 OPS
DH Jonny Gomes-1.066 OPS
3B Aubrey Huff-.406 OPS
2B Ty Wigginton-.790 OPS
1B Travis Lee-.603 OPS
C Toby Hall-.757 OPS
RF Damon Hollins-.754 OPS
CF Joey Gathright-.565 OPS

Upcoming Games

Tomorrow-vs Florida, 7:15 (Waechter)

Sunday-vs Florida, 1:15 (Kazmir)

Monday-at Toronto, 4:07 (McClung)

Gameday Tune-In honor of the Citrus Series kicking off, I present an iconic Florida song...Margaritaville

GUYS, I GOTTA HAVE MORE COWBELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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

Florida (11-28) at RAYS (17-24)
7:15; Tropicana Field
FSN Florida; RAYS RADIO/1250 AM WHNZ

Game Previews

Marlins [Marlins.com]
Devil Rays [DevilRays.com]

Pitching Matchup

Breakdown

FLA-RH Brian Moehler (1-4, 8.23):

Scouting Report-By tossing 7 1/3 strong innings at Pittsburgh, Moehler was able to snap his slide of dropping 10 straight decisions, dating back to last July. The veteran right-hander yielded two runs on eight hits. His 7 1/3 innings were a season high. This will be his eighth appearance against Tampa Bay, a team has has struggled with in the past. He is 1-3 with a 4.19 ERA in his career against the Rays.
[DevilRays.com]

This Season-35 IP, 7/7 G/GS, 1-4, 8.23 ERA, 12:14 K/BB, 1.86 WHIP, 1.005 Opp OPS, 2.06 HR/9

Career-1059.1 IP, 188/175 G/GS, 57-72, 4.69 ERA, 578:298 K/BB, 1.45 WHIP, .341 Opp OBP, 1.14 HR/9

Last Start-5/14 at PIT (W): 7.1 IP, 110 Pitches, 8 H, 2 R (ER), 1 BB, 1 K, HR

Last Start vs RAYS-Has not started vs RAYS this season

All-Time vs RAYS-43 IP, 7/7 G/S, 1-3, 4.19 ERA, 23:7 K/BB, 1.40 WHIP, .308 Opp AVG, 0.42 HR/9
[Yahoo Sports]

Batter v Pitcher:
Greg Norton-14 ABs, .782 OPS, HR, 3 RBI, 3 BB, 6 K
Russell Branyan-8 ABs, 1.025 OPS, HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 4 K
Julio Lugo-8 ABs, 1.125 OPS, 2B
[ESPN.com]

Miscellaneous-Moehler is 1-2 with a 3.74 ERA all-time at Tropicana Field, but is 4-9 with a 5.45 ERA all-time in indoor stadiums...Moehler's win last time out against the Pirates ended a stretch of 10 straight losing decisions that dated to last July, while his 7.1 innings pitched were a season high...Moehler was the losing pitcher in the Rays' first win in franchise history on April 1, 1998.
[Baseball Almanac]

RAYS-LH Casey Fossum (1-2, 5.24):

Scouting Report-Fossum went six innings in his last outing and allowed just two earned runs, but Tampa Bay's slumping bats were unable to hand the him a win. The lefty has had two no-decisions and a loss in his last three starts but has been pitching solid ball, as he's thrown longer than six innings in six of his eight outings. Fossum is winless against Florida in three starts.
[DevilRays.com]

This Season-46.1 IP, 8/8 G/S, 1-2, 5.24 ERA, 13:18 K/BB, 1.45 WHIP, .818 Opp OPS, 1.55 HR/9

Career-581 IP, 146/93 G/GS, 27-40, 5.17 ERA, 448:225 K/BB, 1.47 WHIP, .802 Opp OPS, 1.32 HR/9

Last Start-5/14 vs TOR: 6 IP, 84 pitches, 9 H, 4 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, HR

Last Start vs FLA-Has not started vs FLA this season.

All-Time vs FLA-17.2 IP, 3/3 G/GS, 0-2, 5.09 ERA, 13:10 K:BB, 1.64 WHIP, .275 Opp AVG, 0 HR/9
[Yahoo Sports]

Batter v Pitcher-No FLA batter with more than 1 AB vs Fossum has an OPS higher than .400
[ESPN.com]

Miscellaneous-Fossum is 1-1 with a 2.84 ERA in Tropicana Field this season, and has made four consecutive quality starts while leading the team in that category with six...He has just four decisions in his last 13 starts...Fossum has thrown six or more innings in four consecutive starts and six of eight.

Lineups

Florida
CF Reggie Abercrombie-.716 OPS
2B Dan Uggla-.829 OPS
DH Miguel Cabrera-1.005
LF Josh Willingham-.906
3B Wes Helms-.712 OPS
1B Mike Jacobs-.743 OPS
RF Joe Borchard-.655 OPS
C Miguel Olivo-.737 OPS
SS Robert Andino-.333 OPS

-While this isn't murderer's row, the Marlins lineup has actually not been that bad, as you can see. This doesn't look half-bad even without Hanley Ramirezz and Jeremy Hermida in the lineup. The first four in the order have been quite good, especially Miguel Cabrera (given) and Josh Willingham, though Willingham's issues pretty much are summed up by one word...defense. The back end of the order isn't great, but with only two players in the lineup with an OPS under .712 (one, Andino, with all of nine at bats), it is looking better than our lineup.

RAYS
SS Julio Lugo-.640 OPS
LF Carl Crawford-.672 OPS
DH Jonny Gomes-1.066 OPS
3B Aubrey Huff-.406 OPS
2B Ty Wigginton-.790 OPS
1B Travis Lee-.603 OPS
C Toby Hall-.757 OPS
RF Damon Hollins-.754 OPS
CF Joey Gathright-.565 OPS

-New manager, same inexplicable decision to bat Aubrey Huff in the cleanup role again. What are they not noticing about that? He isn't good, at all, AT ALL this season. Why are five people batting behind him. The only people in this lineup that should be batting below Huff are Travis Lee (maybe) and Joey Gathright. But for Toby Hall, Ty Wigginton, and Damon Hollins to all be batting behind him is digusting. Anyways, with a 2 for 4 effort last night, Lugo looks to be improving, as does Crawford, and hopefully Huff will too, but he shouldn't be doing so in the No. 4 spot.

Upcoming Games

Tomorrow-vs Florida, 7:15 (Waechter)

Sunday-vs Florida, 1:15 (Kazmir)

Monday-at Toronto, 4:07 (McClung)

Gameday Tune-In honor of the Citrus Series kicking off, I present an iconic Florida song...Margaritaville

GUYS, I GOTTA HAVE MORE COWBELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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

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