I'm fired up! Leaving to the office to hit the "home office" around 2:30...I grew up a Yankee fan (lived in Manhattan in mid-to-late 70's)...have been pulling for the Rays half-heartedly since it's inception...but this is the year I have finally severed all ties with the Evil Empire and find myself 100% behind the local boys. I realized it during the preseason brawls.Spring Training was fantastic. Pitching staff is definitely improved. Hoping for Kaz to be healthy and Upton to blossom into a superstar.My goal this season for the team is simple...to be in the playoff hunt in the 2nd half of the season.Next year, I expect to really compete for division.
Been meaning to ask you - what are your thoughts on Fernando Perez? I thought he was just an ok prospect, but the fanboys seem to be hyping him up.85-77 this year and a 3rd place finish. You heard it here 1st
You're about a month or two late.85-77 this year and a 3rd place finish. You heard it here 1st
It's anyone's guess what the short term solution would be, but given Wheeler's extension I believe that Reyes will be dealt at the deadline to a team in need of bullpen help. At that time Wheeler is clearly second in line.If Percival fails who would Maddon go with to close out games, Reyes or Wheeler?
just another day at yankee stadium for those tampa bay rays.send a young pitcher to the mound to mow down the pinstripers while jeter checks out his own ###.get some big hits from a variety of players on that terrible yankees pitching staff.pray the middle relief doesn't get pounded.then, if the yankees can find a way to keep it close enough, let percival come in and close it on out.Bit early, but I'm officially excited.
No chance. His defense is wretched and he can't hit righties well enoughE-A-G-L-E-S said:Any chance of Gomes becoming an every day player be it DH or OF?
Capella said:Bit early, but I'm officially excited.
Capella said:Bit VERY early, but I'm officially excited.
Kline is out for the year, and a middling prospect at best I think. Ragan is somebody Knightro will have to fill you in on.What can any of you Rays fans tell me about Jason Ragan and Will Kline.. both pitchers at Single A
I don't think there's any chance people vote that thing in. I'd like to be surprised though.I had a conversation with a longtime lawyer in Pinellas County over the weekend...not sure how much he knows...but he mentioned the following regarding the stadium:- There was a $100M offer from a developer for the Trop land, over what is needed. But the financing may be questionable- Politics would be a bigger hurdle than $$. Whether it's Pinellas tax payers, downtown St Pete residents, or the press...alot of people are lining up against it.He basically thought it was bad timing...and may have a better chance in a few years.Thoughts?
Crap, what happened to him? I know he had tommy john surgery in high school..Kline is out for the year, and a middling prospect at best I think. Ragan is somebody Knightro will have to fill you in on.What can any of you Rays fans tell me about Jason Ragan and Will Kline.. both pitchers at Single A
Kline tore something in his shoulder.Ragan is organizational fodder as he's 25 years old and hasn't made it out of A ball yetKline is out for the year, and a middling prospect at best I think. Ragan is somebody Knightro will have to fill you in on.What can any of you Rays fans tell me about Jason Ragan and Will Kline.. both pitchers at Single A
Yeah 5-9 is looking shaking...I think the plan was for Bartlett to keep the space warm, but Reid hasn't been tearing it up lately either.Anybody else going to the opener tonight? Pretty excited.Pitching looks good so far. Hitting got shut down the last two days...does concern me. Going Gomes/Floyd then Hinske, Aybar, catcher and Bartlett in the 5-9 spots is pretty ugly. Haven't been impressed with Aybar at all to this point, he's just keeping the spot warm.Of course, Longoria is off to a tepid start in Durham too.Knightro/MJ - What do you think of Brignac next year? Any chance Bartlett is a one-year answer? Seems that they like him quite a bit, but Reid's time has to be soon.
Bartlett isn't a one year answer. His defense is too good. Brignac will be up at some point in 08, but Bartlett's defense is one of the best in the AL at shortstop (5x better than Jeter - there, I said it).I'll be watching from home tonight. With gas at $3.35 in Orlando, the trip to the Trop costs me $30 just to get there.Anybody else going to the opener tonight? Pretty excited.Pitching looks good so far. Hitting got shut down the last two days...does concern me. Going Gomes/Floyd then Hinske, Aybar, catcher and Bartlett in the 5-9 spots is pretty ugly. Haven't been impressed with Aybar at all to this point, he's just keeping the spot warm.Of course, Longoria is off to a tepid start in Durham too.Knightro/MJ - What do you think of Brignac next year? Any chance Bartlett is a one-year answer? Seems that they like him quite a bit, but Reid's time has to be soon.
Didnt I say this in the beginning of the year (that their lineup did not improve one bit) and you told me how much better Gomes/Floyd would be than Young, etc?Anybody else going to the opener tonight? Pretty excited.
Pitching looks good so far. Hitting got shut down the last two days...does concern me. Going Gomes/Floyd then Hinske, Aybar, catcher and Bartlett in the 5-9 spots is pretty ugly. Haven't been impressed with Aybar at all to this point, he's just keeping the spot warm.
Of course, Longoria is off to a tepid start in Durham too.
Knightro/MJ - What do you think of Brignac next year? Any chance Bartlett is a one-year answer? Seems that they like him quite a bit, but Reid's time has to be soon.
Its insight like this that I love. I honestly had no clue Bartlett was considered one of the top defensive SS in baseball.Bartlett isn't a one year answer. His defense is too good. Brignac will be up at some point in 08, but Bartlett's defense is one of the best in the AL at shortstop (5x better than Jeter - there, I said it).I'll be watching from home tonight. With gas at $3.35 in Orlando, the trip to the Trop costs me $30 just to get there.Anybody else going to the opener tonight? Pretty excited.
Pitching looks good so far. Hitting got shut down the last two days...does concern me. Going Gomes/Floyd then Hinske, Aybar, catcher and Bartlett in the 5-9 spots is pretty ugly. Haven't been impressed with Aybar at all to this point, he's just keeping the spot warm.
Of course, Longoria is off to a tepid start in Durham too.
Knightro/MJ - What do you think of Brignac next year? Any chance Bartlett is a one-year answer? Seems that they like him quite a bit, but Reid's time has to be soon.
The problem with the bottom of the lineup is that they've all been slow out of the gate. We weren't expecting miracles from them, but Floyd and Aybar have a better track record of hitting. Navarro was having a great spring until he hurt his finger in the netting of the Yankee dugout. Getting shut down by Wang and Moose with that extra friendly strikezone last night (anyone who watched that game knows what I am talking about) isn't a terrible thing. It was apparent last night that these guys just want to get home to warm weather. I have never seen so many guys swinging at pitches out of the strike zone all night long.Didnt I say this in the beginning of the year (that their lineup did not improve one bit) and you told me how much better Gomes/Floyd would be than Young, etc?Anybody else going to the opener tonight? Pretty excited.
Pitching looks good so far. Hitting got shut down the last two days...does concern me. Going Gomes/Floyd then Hinske, Aybar, catcher and Bartlett in the 5-9 spots is pretty ugly. Haven't been impressed with Aybar at all to this point, he's just keeping the spot warm.
Of course, Longoria is off to a tepid start in Durham too.
Knightro/MJ - What do you think of Brignac next year? Any chance Bartlett is a one-year answer? Seems that they like him quite a bit, but Reid's time has to be soon.
talks about 2007 defensive ratingsJohn McDonald is easily the best fielding shortstop in the American League. Too bad he can't hit to save his life because he is an absolute joy to watch in the field.Its insight like this that I love. I honestly had no clue Bartlett was considered one of the top defensive SS in baseball.
I dunno. Some guy in another thread was saying he got off to a hot start. I havent been following him.Shady -- what's Delmon's line so far? Last I saw, he had yet to take a walk.There's no doubt he may be a future stud, but there's a really good chance Gomes/Hinske outperforms him this year. Make no mistake, I would be complaining about Delmon too if he was in this lineup today.
Agree on McDonald. I also love watching Yuniesky.talks about 2007 defensive ratingsJohn McDonald is easily the best fielding shortstop in the American League. Too bad he can't hit to save his life because he is an absolute joy to watch in the field.Its insight like this that I love. I honestly had no clue Bartlett was considered one of the top defensive SS in baseball.
Please, the guy needs all the help he can get. Sorry for hijacking.The problem with the bottom of the lineup is that they've all been slow out of the gate. We weren't expecting miracles from them, but Floyd and Aybar have a better track record of hitting. Navarro was having a great spring until he hurt his finger in the netting of the Yankee dugout. Getting shut down by Wang and Moose with that extra friendly strikezone last night (anyone who watched that game knows what I am talking about) isn't a terrible thing. It was apparent last night that these guys just want to get home to warm weather. I have never seen so many guys swinging at pitches out of the strike zone all night long.Didnt I say this in the beginning of the year (that their lineup did not improve one bit) and you told me how much better Gomes/Floyd would be than Young, etc?Anybody else going to the opener tonight? Pretty excited.
Pitching looks good so far. Hitting got shut down the last two days...does concern me. Going Gomes/Floyd then Hinske, Aybar, catcher and Bartlett in the 5-9 spots is pretty ugly. Haven't been impressed with Aybar at all to this point, he's just keeping the spot warm.
Of course, Longoria is off to a tepid start in Durham too.
Knightro/MJ - What do you think of Brignac next year? Any chance Bartlett is a one-year answer? Seems that they like him quite a bit, but Reid's time has to be soon.
31 at bats, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 0 BB, 5 K'sAn empty .290 batting averageShady -- what's Delmon's line so far? Last I saw, he had yet to take a walk.