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Yesterday’s loss and the Rays’ 4-6 record on the homestand were overshadowed by some big news that was announced shortly after the game. Ryan Roberts had been optioned to Durham and those long awaited words, "Wil Myers has been called up" were finally said.
The full press release from the Rays announcing Wil’s call-up can be found here. Myers will wear number 9 with the Rays, so you can turn your old Elliot Johnson jerseys into Wil Myers jerseys! With the way Johnson played this weekend against us, surely his jerseys must have been a hot commodity when he was a Ray, right?
Full audio of the press conference with Andrew Friedman and Joe Maddon can be listened to below thanks to 620 WDAE Rays Radio.
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Adam Berry of MLB.com wrote about the Myers’ call-up here. He wrote that Joe Maddon had these words for Wil,
"Just come and play, be a 22-year-old in the big leagues. I mean that sincerely. You're not going to hear a lot of the high expectations coming from this particular desk or this chair. I want him to play. I want him to be a Ray. I want him to run hard to first base. I want him to try to do the right things on the field, continue to work on his defense, try to improve his baserunning."
The Durham Bulls tweeted out this great photo of Myers taking one last walk to the Bulls’ dugout before leaving the stadium:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>.<a href="https://twitter.com/wilmyers">@wilmyers</a> takes one last moment in the <a href="https://twitter.com/DurhamBulls">@DurhamBulls</a> dugout before heading to the Big Leagues. <a href="https://twitter.com/MLB">@MLB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RaysBaseball">@RaysBaseball</a> <a href="http://t.co/gYIsqmu9s5">pic.twitter.com/gYIsqmu9s5</a></p>— Durham Bulls (@DurhamBulls) <a href="https://twitter.com/DurhamBulls/statuses/346426537563783168">June 17, 2013</a></blockquote>
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Other Rays odds and ends:
Alex Cobb was placed on the seven-day concussion disabled list on Sunday as the Rays recalled Josh Lueke from Durham. According to Adam Berry of MLB.com, "Cobb texted several of his teammates on Sunday that he had a headache but all of his tests came back negative." Cobb was released from Bayfront Medical center around 3:15 PM, as announced on the Sun Sports Rays broadcast by Todd Kalas.
David Price experienced 'spring training soreness' after throwing a simulated game this past Thursday according to SI.com. Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times reported that Price will throw another bullpen session on Tuesday as he continues to work his way back from triceps tightness.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23rays&src=hash">#rays</a> say price bullpen session will be Tuesday, not Wednesday. Played catch tday and tomm.</p>— Joe Smith (@TBTimes_JSmith) <a href="https://twitter.com/TBTimes_JSmith/statuses/346317280596070400">June 16, 2013</a></blockquote>
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The Rays have an off-day today, but don’t worry, there will be twice the baseball tomorrow! The Rays take on the Boston Red Sox in a double-header as a makeup of the postponed game from April 12th. Chris Archer will definitely start in one of the two games and an announcement is expected to be made later today in regards to who will start the second game. Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times thinks that it could be Jake Odorizzi who gets the call for a spot start tomorrow and then Alex Colome would join the team on Friday to take Cobb’s start.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Hearing with Cobb hurt <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Rays&src=hash">#Rays</a> will use Odorizzi in Tuesday DH, then call up Colome to take Cobb's spot in rotation</p>— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) <a href="https://twitter.com/TBTimes_Rays/statuses/346440073979506689">June 17, 2013</a></blockquote>
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Links:
-Tommy Rancel of The Process Report takes a look at some of the adjustments Luke Scott has made to bust out of his recent slump.
-Doing the wave at a baseball game is a fail in itself, but this attempt at a Pirates game was extra laughable.
-The Angels gave Mariano Rivera a huge painting of himself this weekend. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>From the <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23MoRiveraFarewellTour&src=hash">#MoRiveraFarewellTour</a>, in Anaheim, Mo gets an original portrait courtesy of the Halos. <a href="http://t.co/tzxOIsKp4J">pic.twitter.com/tzxOIsKp4J</a></p>— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLBONFOX/statuses/346042254265307137">June 15, 2013</a></blockquote>
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-The Oakland A’s gave away a Grant Balfour Ragin’ Gnome yesterday. Check out the promo video they shot for it: <iframe src='http://wapc.mlb.com/shared/video/embed/embed.html?content_id=27602403&width=400&height=224&property=mlb' width='400' height='224' frameborder='0'>Your browser does not support iframes.</iframe>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>It's finally here! Happy Father's Day & Balfour Ragin' Gnome Day! Tweet your <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23RAGE&src=hash">#RAGE</a> pics! RT <a href="https://twitter.com/maldobros">@maldobros</a>: <a href="http://t.co/9vyNg4jEJ6">pic.twitter.com/9vyNg4jEJ6</a></p>— Oakland Athletics (@Athletics) <a href="https://twitter.com/Athletics/statuses/346337712283987968">June 16, 2013</a></blockquote>
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-I wonder how much Grant Balfour raged went he and the rest of the A’s and Mariners were forced to share a locker room after the game. "The pipes backed up on the lower levels of the stadium during Oakland's 10-2 victory, creating a stink and pools of water in the clubhouses used by both teams and the umpires," the Associated Press wrote on ESPN.com. So gross.
-The Eugene Emeralds, short-season affiliate of the San Diego Padres, wore Beatles inspired jerseys yesterday. Gotta love the creativity that these minor league teams come up with for their uniforms!