Tampa Bay Rays news and links: Juniel Querecuto promoted

The Rays promoted Juniel Querecuto for middle infield depth, continuing to make a point to the out of favor Tim Beckham and Taylor Motter. And Marc Topkin was actually sort of funny.

If they didn't get the message about their bad attitudes and poor performances when not getting called up after the Durham season ended, or after the Rays signed Ramirez off the discard pile, well, they certainly did now. Boom! Pow! Bam!

That’s a new look for him. He must be worn down after the long grind of the season. I like it.

Also, while manager Kevin Cash wouldn’t call this a message to Beckham and Motter, Evan Longoria was willing to talk about it directly. Good quotes in there from Longo.

Other news:

• The Rays have two players with over 30 home runs. Probably won’t get a third (Corey Dickerson is at 22 HRs. But Logan Forsythe needs only one more for 20 (that would put four players over 20).

• In the past Jeff Sullivan has broken down Billy Hamilton’s trips around the bases. So of course it makes perfect sense for him to do the same for speedster run-producer Miguel Cabrera.
• Applying the wisdom of the crowd to adjustments in a prediction algorithm? Sam Miller did it against PECOTA. Check out how the experiment went.
• Cuban outfielder Yadiel Hernandez will play for the Nationals next year.
• Cuban stud slugger Jose Abreu fixed the hole in his swing, writes Rob Rogacki.