Tampa Bay Rays news and links: Cubs win

There were Rays footprints all over game seven of the Cubs’ World Series.

• Joe Maddon’s decisions loomed large, with his questionable decision to pitch Chapman in game six with a five run lead, and then to even keep him in there momentarily with a seven run lead. For what it’s worth, I thought Chapman actually looked okay before giving up the tying run. He threw some hard fastballs in some fine locations, and the Indians just did a fantastic job to stay alive against them and then hit what they could hit.
• Brandon Guyer was a big part of that good hitting, lining an RBI double the other way off Chapman. Guyer also took a walk and then scored in the tenth inning to tighten the game.
• Ben Zobrist only got one hit, but it was the game-winning double in the top of the tenth. He was named World Series MVP for the second straight year.
• Javier Baez, who had two errors and who bunted foul with two outs, but who did get one big hit in the game, continues to not be a Ray.
• Mike Montgomery threw two pitches and got the save.

Have a picture:

I happened to think the Rays get to bask in the Cubs’ glow now, but it seems like most of y’all commenters are unsentimental folk.

Links

• Mark Topkin was there and has a story with quotes.
• Tony Blengino writes that the legacy of the 2016 postseason is sabermetrics driving reliever usage.
• Jeff Sullivan focuses on Albert Almora’s pinch-running baserunning.
• Nothing to do with the World Series, but a good article on baseball in Taiwan.
• Cult figure Matt Stairs will be the Phillies hitting coach.
• In an Ask Baseball America article about rising velocity in the majors and high-velocity pitchers in the minors, they’ve put together a list of who’s been reliably reported to have touched 100 mph. There are three Rays on that list: Diego Castillo, Jose Alvarado, and Ryne Stanek.

Trivia

Let’s try one that maybe you haven’t heard. Before this year, when was the last time the Cubs won the World Series?