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The Rays coffin is all but closed right now with the last ounces of hope trickling away. Another game that could have been won, wasn't thanks to failing to produce with runners in scoring position and the bullpen being unable to keep the game tied.
Today, the Rays will be joined by two new additions, Nick Franklin and Andrew Bellatti, but they're not really that inspiring when they have the likes of Taylor Motter and Blake Snell heading to their offseason homes. However, let's not toil on the players not here and focus on the player currently here, like Logan Forsythe who just won AL player of the week honors and Evan Longoria, who has homered in five of his seven games.
Today's Starting Pitchers:
| PITCHER | W | L | ERA | FIP | K% | BB% | AVG | HR | GS/G | IP |
| Erasmo Ramirez | 10 | 5 | 3.84 | 4.09 | 18.1% | 6.8% | .232 | 14 | 22/29 | 131.1 |
| Matt Boyd | 1 | 5 | 8.36 | 6.94 | 14.9% | 6.9% | .352 | 12 | 8/9 | 37.2 |
Ramirez has been working deeper and deeper into games as the season has progressed, but he has seemingly hit a road block in his past two outings, struggling to get past the fifth inning. On the 28th, he pitched one out into the fifth inning, but had already allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits and his last out was on the 2nd against Baltimore where he allowed four runs on six hits, not making it past the fourth inning.
Matt Boyd Scouting Report:
Boyd was excellent in Triple-A this season for the Blue Jays, eventually earning a promotion to make his major league debut, which he was decent in. His next start, was horrific. So horrible that he didn't even record an out before being removed from the after, but not before he allowed seven runs on six hits against Boston.
His good outings have been few and far between. At the deadline, he was a throw in piece in the David Price deal, and had an great debut for Detroit, but since then, he has been putrid, with his last start being his second worst outing of the year, as he only went an inning against Kansas City and allowed six runs on seven hits.
(I'm thinking a no-hitter candidate)
His arsenal:
| PITCH | VELOCITY | FREQUENCY | vs LHB | vs RHB |
| Fastball | Low 90's |
53% vs LHB *** 57% vs RHB |
Sporadic | Tends to pitch up in the zone |
| Sinker | Low 90's |
01% vs LHB *** 01% vs RHB |
Sproadic | Sproadic |
| Cutter | High 80's |
00% vs LHB *** 00% vs RHB |
Non-existent | Sporadic |
| Slider | High 70's |
33% vs LHB *** 12% vs RHB |
Low and away, out of the zone | Bottom of the zone |
| Change | High 70's |
05% vs LHB *** 23% vs RHB |
Sporadic | Sporadic |
| Curve | Low 70's |
07% vs LHB *** 08% vs RHB |
Low and away | Low and in |
His splits:
| TBF | AVG | OBP | SLG | HR | K% | BB% | |
| vs LHB | 54 | .367 | .426 | .771 | 5 | 9.3% | 7.4% |
| vs RHB | 121 | .345 | .388 | .602 | 7 | 17.4% | 6.6% |
News:
- As I stated above, Logan Forsythe has been named the AL Player of the Week
#Rays 2B Logan Forsythe named AL Player of the Week after batting .545 with 5 R, 5 2B, 19 TB, a .583 OBP and .864 SLG.
— MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) September 8, 2015
- MLB released the 2016 regular season schedule
#Rays 2016 schedule pic.twitter.com/4RQYyUXXmj
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) September 8, 2015
September 8th in Rays History:
- They are 6-7 all-time on this date
- Only one former Rays player was born on this date, as Rob Delaney celebrates his 30th birthday today. Delaney only pitched five games in the majors, four with Tampa Bay back in 2011, the other game came in 2010 with the Twins.
- 1998 - Wilson Alvarez delivers one of the last great starts of his career as he throws seven shutout innings against the Mariners, only allowing two hits, while he walked two and struck out five. Jim Mecir and Bryan Rekar would help him complete the shutout and the offense provided plenty of enough support with Fred McGriff providing the big blow with a three run homer (his 17th) in the sixth.
- 2000 - The late Cory Lidle delivers one of his best performances in a Devil Rays uniform as he threw seven shutout innings against Athletics, only allowing two hits while he walked two and struck out two. Doug Creek would complete the shutout for Tampa Bay, meanwhile they scored four times, with Greg Vaughn blasting his 26th homer of the year off of Gil Heredia who actually threw a complete game.
- 2007 - Heading into the bottom of the ninth, the Devil Rays were trailing the Blue Jays, 4-1. A.J. Burnett had pitched a great game for Toronto, going eight innings and only allowing the run on three hits and he turned it over to Jeremy Accardo. Carl Crawford would reach base to start the inning thanks to an error an out later, he had moved all the way around to third. Delmon Young would then unload his 12th homer of the year into the seats in right-center to make it a one run game. Accardo would coax a groundout following the homer, but then he walked Johnny Gomes to bring up Melvin Upton Jr who promptly deposited a ball into the right field seats for a walkoff homer, his 23rd of the year.
Upton's Walkoff HR [] Young's 12th HR [] Navarro's 8th HR [] Gomes Guns Down Stairs [] Josh Wilson's Play From the Hole
- 2008 - The Rays are shutout 3-0, by the duo of Jon Lester and Jonathan Papelbon cutting Tampa Bay''s division lead to only a half game over Boston, setting up one of the franchise's all-time moments the next night.
- 2009 - With a game in New York tied at two entering the bottom of the ninth, Joe Maddon turned to Dan Wheeler to maintain the tie, however after recording an out, Nick Swisher sent everyone home as he blasted a walkoff homer, his second on the day and 26th for the year.
- 2012 - With the game tied at two after nine innings, Joe Maddon turned to Kyle Farnsworth for the top of the tenth against Texas. After recording two quick outs, Farnsworth gave up back-to-back doubles to Geovany Soto and Jurickson Profar to give the Rangers the lead. Texas would score one more after Farnsworth hit Josh Hamilton with a pitch while the bases were loaded. The Rangers would win, 4-2.