Rays Tank: The penultimate game of the penultimate series

Yesterday, the Rays turned a missed two-out catch into five runs, and secured the season series against the Red Sox. They did lose Yunel Escobar for the rest of the season, however, to a sprained knee. Said Maddon:

"You probably won't see him the rest of the season, honestly,'' manager Joe Maddon said. "I think it's severe enough that even during the (bulk of the) regular season he would not play the rest of this week.''

It's a shame for Escobar, who was finishing the year strong, and had raised his season-total wRC+ to a respectable 94.

There was drama last night for David Price in Detroit. With the threatening Royals well-ahead in their game, Price pitched eight scoreless innings, but gave up three runs to tie the game in the top of the ninth before being pulled for closer Joe Nathan. Luckily for him, the Tigers walked it off in the bottom of the inning.

Kiley McDaniel continues his excellent series on the hit tool, from the scouts' point of view.

The rebooted Hardball Times has become the spot to go for Baseball book and film criticism, and Miles Wray just added three documentaries about international baseball to my Netflix (gonna push one to the top while the wife isn't looking).