:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/34280573/20140611_sal_sv7_151.JPG.0.jpg)
It’s Friday and the Rays didn’t lose yesterday! They didn’t win either, but more importantly, the Tampa Bay Rays have not lost a game since Tuesday. Instead, they traveled to Houston to prepare for a weekend series against the Astros.
Back at the Trop, second round draft pick Cameron Varga signed his deal with the Rays for $1.1 million.
It's Official HELLO TAMPA! pic.twitter.com/ibfhQmBCPo
— Cameron Varga (@CameronVarga) June 13, 2014
Marc Topkin talked with Andrew Friedman yesterday about what the future could hold in store for the slumping Rays. Friedman told Topkin,
It is way too early to speculate on specific trade deadline plans right now. Just like every other year, we are taking this time after the draft to check in with teams to get a sense of what they are looking to do. We will use that information to try to find situations where our objectives overlap with other teams.
Jeremy Hellickson got roughed up during his rehab outing with Durham yesterday.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Hellickson's rehab start is done. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Rays&src=hash">#Rays</a> righty goes 2.1 IP, allows 4 ER, 6 H & 1 BB, K's 2. 55 pitches (35 strikes). Matt Andriese now on.</p>— Durham Bulls (@DurhamBulls) <a href="https://twitter.com/DurhamBulls/statuses/477242549048864769">June 13, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Links:
-Jeff Sullivan of FanGraphs looks at Evan Longoria’s struggle with inside pitches this season.
-Baseball Prospectus highlights the nine unexpected storylines of the 2014 season to date. Number three is the "Crazy, Mixed-up AL East".
-Could Oscar Tavares be headed back to AAA shortly?
-The National Baseball Hall of Fame celebrated its 75th birthday yesterday.
-Topps will be releasing cards with sabermetrics statistics printed on them later this year.
-Thanks to Skymall, the White Sox now have a chimpanzee hanging around their locker room.