Rays Links:
- Tom Jones, the self described “gut/feel guy”, has an article in the Times on the pessimist/nihilist outlook for the Rays future.
- On Sunday Tyler Glasnow had another fantastic start in a Rays uniform, notching his 20th K already on Tampa Bay.
- Bill Chastain answers fan questions, including ones about how well the Rays did at the trade deadline (getting guys like the aforementioned Glasnow).
- Wander Franco made the MLB Pipeline team of the Week (might want to get used to hearing that).
- In case you missed it, episode 1253 of Effectively Wild podcast is an absolute must listen for all Rays fans. For well over an hour, former Tampa Bay Rays OF and all around renaissance man Fernando Perez tells stories of the 2008 season in an almost beat poem like manner. Perez also shares some fascinating opinions on the small market issues, and ethics of small market teams. One of my favorite quotes from Nando:
the Rays are acting rationally in an irrational time
Around the League:
- Errors are one of the weirdest and least telling stats there is in baseball. If Brian Kenny had his way, it’d be dead. Sheryl Ring goes in depth on the Error and what makes it such a confounding rule.
- Braves RHP Prospect Touki Toussaint made his major league debut yesterday, and it went quite well.
- Jay Jaffe at FanGraphs breaks down what a huge loss Kenley Jansen is for the Dodgers, and how dire their relief situation is without him. The timeliness couldn’t be better, as the Dodgers late last night blew a 2-1 lead that Clayton Kershaw handed off after 8 excellent innings to lose 5-2.
- Adam Dorhauer has an excellent piece at the Hardball Times on the lasting legacy of Trevor Hoffman and the enigma of elite relievers.