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Continuous Rays thread: fun season (2 Viewers)

[icon] said:
Was at the game yesterday (Tuesday) for Wander's debut. Kid looked phenomenal.
 

Caught his first MLB Hit, a 3 Run HR, on video. 
 

Great game to boot! Rays will be in the hunt. 
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That's awesome icon, going Saturday to the game, starting at Ferg's. We had no idea that Wander would be called up this week, hoping he doesn't have the afternoon/evening off the night we're there. I haven't wanted to see a player on the Rays like this in quite some time. 

Clicked on the video thinking you simply linked an MLB highlight but oh no, I was treated to a real video in the stands that will not be aired on Sportscenter, that was awesome, you captured the reaction of all the fans, that had to feel good especially because they were down 5-2. 

Couple other quick notes about Franco last night...he had an 0-2 count to start and drew a Walk! He also hit a Double to go with his Home Run, pretty smashing debut.  

 
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Ministry of Pain said:
That's awesome icon, going Saturday to the game, starting at Ferg's. We had no idea that Wander would be called up this week, hoping he doesn't have the afternoon/evening off the night we're there. I haven't wanted to see a player on the Rays like this in quite some time. 

Clicked on the video thinking you simply linked an MLB highlight but oh no, I was treated to a real video in the stands that will not be aired on Sportscenter, that was awesome, you captured the reaction of all the fans, that had to feel good especially because they were down 5-2. 

Couple other quick notes about Franco last night...he had an 0-2 count to start and drew a Walk! He also hit a Double to go with his Home Run, pretty smashing debut.  
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Wasn’t one of his outs also a hard hit ball to the track?  With his plate discipline, his floor is extremely high.

 
fred_1_15301 said:
Wasn’t one of his outs also a hard hit ball to the track?  With his plate discipline, his floor is extremely high.
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Yeah he smoked one that got snagged. His hardest hit ball may have been the double down the LF line. He absolutely Smoked that one and hustled hard on the bases. 

He's going to be something special. 

Fan favorite already. Huge applause when he stepped up for first AB. Curtain call after the dinger. Rowdy Chants every time at the plate after. 
 

Then again, always hard to tell how much of that is real from the 5k Rays fans there... , and how much is the lame piped in crowd noise and cheers. Any time we got a Sox cheer going we were drowned out not by Ray's fans, but but the dildo in the sound booth paying MLB the Show. 

 
Yesterday aside, seems like they are back on track after that 7-game swoon. It’ll be interesting to see how they manage the SP the rest of the season. No real ace in the rotation. 

 
Sat 1 row behind the black leather Sec 106 just right of home plate, saw every Ray as they went into the batter's box, some like Lowe never turn their heads while others seem to feed off the crowd and interact with fans more. 

I  had a bird's eye view of Shane as he went into his stretch and nobody in my vie of him as he managed to do enough to stay out of much trouble although there was a point the Rays were down 3-2 before storming back 13-3 over the Angels, we had the time of our lives. I didn't want to move an inch once we sat down, didn't want to go get a beer, snack, nothing. Whatever they cost, worth every penny and we started at Ferg's early in the day prior. 

Big shout out to Green Bench Brewery, always a fan but that place and the one they own next door that is like 65 degrees inside and had some stout that was 15% and only a 4 oz pour at a time, amazing stuff. 

 
Vidal Brujan opens with an RBI-Single and he also advanced the runners next time up to get kk to the plate and he smashes a 3 run Homer to blow the game open. Kid looks good and we now have Franco-Brujan-Walls up and down the line up. 
 

Starting pitching is still a mystery but the Rays will see Archer facing batters in simulated innings so we should see him in the coming weeks. 

-About that no hitter and this is going to be the backbone of the Rays in the 2nd half of the season but the bullpen has several guys that could be closers on other ball clubs. Feyereisen has just been a tremendous pick up for the Rays this season, slowed just a little last couple weeks but you couldn't expect him to keep his ERA under 1 the entire season. McHugh and Kittredge with a few exception have been hovering around 1.5 on their ERA and we aren't even discussing the big guns who close these games with Fairbanks, Castillo and eventually Nick Anderson will likely take on the set up role in the 8th. They also have Thompson but he is not a clutch arm IMO, you have to sprinkle him in where he can't do too much damage, even more so with Springs who has given up 8 HRs, think he will rotate out of this bullpen eventually as more guys come off the Injured List. 

I thought the no hitter was a good representation of how the Rays are built, a very unique no hitter with 5 different pitchers. 

Every Out of the No Hitter

 
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Manoah is a good Pitcher and his last 2 outings covering 13 innings he has given up ZERO earned runs, maybe he's due. 

Brujan was quickly sent back to Durham, not sure I understand that move but whatever. 

Vegas has the Rays as slight favorites, want to see the Rays take the series before the All Star break, the Blu Jays are getting better by the minute, much like the Rays, need to keep these blue birds down. 

 
Ministry of Pain said:
Manoah is a good Pitcher and his last 2 outings covering 13 innings he has given up ZERO earned runs, maybe he's due. 

Brujan was quickly sent back to Durham, not sure I understand that move but whatever. 

Vegas has the Rays as slight favorites, want to see the Rays take the series before the All Star break, the Blu Jays are getting better by the minute, much like the Rays, need to keep these blue birds down. 
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Brujan is staying. Brousseau DL’d today 

 
Ray will come back from the All Star Break and these were of interest to me.  13 Games vs Boston, that should settle much of the division. Would like to see the Rays stick it to them. 

-13 games next 4-5 weeks vs the 28-61 Orioles, easy wins. 

-12 games next 4-6 weeks vs teams that are right around .500 Atl, Cle, Sea, Phi, hope to see the Rays win most of these Series. 

-12 games in Sept vs Det, MN, Mia, they'll have very little to play for if not already. 

Last month of the season they also will see Boston and Toronto for about 13 games and close @Houston and the Astros look like the best team in the American League IMO right now. 

I got the Rays coming in around 95 wins for the season. With no starting pitchers worth all that much, pretty incredible to see them do this. Still not sure they can go far in the post season, might win the wildcard and then could be the end quicker than some think. They need a stronger starter at the 1 and the 2, someone dominant coming up the ranks, that person isn't here right now. 

 
Kyle Gibson- RHP Texas Rangers...Rays need to try and make a play for this guy, he's under contract at a reasonable rate next 2 seasons, he makes perfect sense while they continue to develop other starting pitchers. They need an anchor going into the Playoffs, he would look great in a Rays uniform. Starting pitchers are difficult to find. 

 
Ministry of Pain said:
Ray will come back from the All Star Break and these were of interest to me.  13 Games vs Boston, that should settle much of the division. Would like to see the Rays stick it to them. 

-13 games next 4-5 weeks vs the 28-61 Orioles, easy wins. 

-12 games next 4-6 weeks vs teams that are right around .500 Atl, Cle, Sea, Phi, hope to see the Rays win most of these Series. 

-12 games in Sept vs Det, MN, Mia, they'll have very little to play for if not already. 

Last month of the season they also will see Boston and Toronto for about 13 games and close @Houston and the Astros look like the best team in the American League IMO right now. 

I got the Rays coming in around 95 wins for the season. With no starting pitchers worth all that much, pretty incredible to see them do this. Still not sure they can go far in the post season, might win the wildcard and then could be the end quicker than some think. They need a stronger starter at the 1 and the 2, someone dominant coming up the ranks, that person isn't here right now. 
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I think they win the division. They can cobble their pitching together enough over a long season against crap teams to have no problem winning, but I agree they need somebody to win a big ALCS game. Hard to see Ryan Yarbrough or Josh Fleming doing that. This team is pretty loaded - I think they should push the chips in and go get Scherzer. 

 
So if the Rays won the series would there be a  boat parade? No way would St Pete let Tampa co-opt their parade, but the waterfront in St. Pete doesn’t seem conducive to thousands of drunk fans lining up without them all falling into the drink. Would be interesting to see if it ever happens.
 

Boat parades are definitely the region’s thing now. 

 
Mike Ford is having another big night for the Durham Bulls(AAA) and now has 7 Home Runs in 17 games for the Rays, 

,275 since coming over from the Yankees who gave up on him too quickly, he is going to be a great person to insert vs his former team, we're not talking every day always, he'll platoon with Choi and I can see him hitting a bunch of Home Runs for us with so many other better hitters around him. I think he is being conditioned to the way the Rays do things, a few other guys bouncing around down there likely going thru a mental transition which is where I feel the Rays excel with developing young talent. 

7 HRs, 19 RBIs(3 tonight) in 17 games, looking forward to seeing him come up the last month-6 weeks of the season if not sooner. 

Josh Lowe hitting  over .290, homered twice last game. 

Shane Baz is getting closer and closer too, strong arm starting pitchers, can never have enough of them. 

 
Baz will definitely be up by September. Joe Ryan too. They may not need to trade for an arm if McKay and Honeywell are ok also (don’t think McKay will be). And then Nick Anderson. 

I don’t know anything about Ford but I do hope they go get Nelson Cruz. He would make them the AL favorite. Josh Lowe looks ready too, just nowhere to play him right now. I assume Kiermaier is gone this off-season. 

 
On one hand I feel like KK and Diaz are a waste of a bat and then suddenly they start hitting at opportune times. 

-The catch by KK is another reminder of why they pay him and play him he takes off runs from the other team, that's worth something in close games like the Rays tend to find themselves in. 

 
Rays opened around -200 tonight and that is no -280/-300, seems like a huge favorite tonight when the Rays don't have great starting pitchers. Interesting line tonight, O/U 9 runs.  

 
Randy sure blasted out of his funk with 3 HRs in 2 games, Meadows had clutch RBIs be it sacrifice or like today getting a walk off 2 RBI-Single and he continuous to produce. Mejia had a couple hits again today to follow up his 5 RBI feat last night with a HR and a Triple for a back up Catcher. 

Rays are 10-3 since the 4th of July. Arozarena went 7 of 13 with 3 HRs and 4 RBIs in the series. 

 
Nelson Cruz to the Rays 

41 year old, must play DH, Meadows has to play, Randy Arozorena, Brandon Lowe, Manuel Margot coming off the IL, Kevin Kiermaier, they can't all play in the 3 outfield spots. 

 
Luis Patino has been summoned back and I want to stress that he has been blowing up in the minors meaning he has looked sensational and was a major chip or part of the return haul in one fo the more recent trades they made and I think involving Snell, he came from the Padres and he's only 21, the Rays do not like doing it this way but they have got to see where they are with starting pitchers. 

Mejia will get the start tonight again, allowing Zunino another night where he doesn't have to catch, he is available if needed, he swung the bat in the 9th last night and drew a walk.  Rays look strong at the top of their line up, Cruz is only going to strengthen it and help Meadows swing for the fences even more. 

Brujan was optioned back to Durham, he's looked just so so plus with Cruz coming that might push Lowe back to 2nd more often with Franco sometimes playing there. 

Please go get Kyle Gibson. 

 
So Cruz will be the DH most games. OF vs RHP should be Meadows-KK-Randy and then Randy-KK/Phillips-Margot vs LHP. 
 

Joe Ryan was an excellent pitching prospect but they grow them on trees here. And they needed to make the push for it. Great move. 

 
The ever crowded Outfield...Arozarena doesn't hit arbitration until 2024, UFA-2027, he ain't going anywhere. 

Meadows starts a 3 year arbitration process and becomes an UFA in 2025, Rays have been trying to get him to sign an extension but so far he has refused their offers. They wanted him to do a Brandon Lowe type deal and he said no. Either way I cannot see them trading Meadows right now. 

Brandon Lowe will be rotating between 2B and sometimes the outfield. $M-'22, $5M-'23, $8.75M-'24, then Club options $10.5M and $11.5M the following two years. I don't see him going anywhere just yet and I think they will get some top shelf return for him at some point. He's pretty darn good for a little guy. 

Margot will become an UFA in 2023, he makes about $3.5M now and has one more year of Arbitration, not sure what he would make next year but he seems expendable even though he is a pretty solid player, nothing super special. Could be part of a package to get something in return. 

Brett Phillips is cheap right now, UFA-2025 and while he doesn't produce a lot, he does seem to score runs and has a lot fo speed and a terrific glove even though he looks a little funny when he runs around. He's a screwball but his teammates seem to like him. He's like the guy in the rock band video that's always pointing at one of the other guys in the band...he's that guy. 

And finally we have Kevin Kiermaier who makes about what Nelson Cruz does. I cannot see KK coming back for $12M next year with the Rays. Cruz played for $13M so just moving KK and you cover the cost of Cruz if they resign him and they should. They won't lose a lot. Yes KK and that Gold Glove in CF will be missed but we will also score more runs and take some relief off the bullpen for once. They are bringing in the best power hitter of the last decade basically with almost 450 regular season Home Runs, he's been decent in the Playoffs as well and should fit with the Rays like a glove. 

Rays are not done making moves but they might need to shed a little salary along the way. 

 
Capella said:
So Cruz will be the DH most games. OF vs RHP should be Meadows-KK-Randy and then Randy-KK/Phillips-Margot vs LHP. 
 

Joe Ryan was an excellent pitching prospect but they grow them on trees here. And they needed to make the push for it. Great move. 
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You obviously follow this team a whole lot more than I, but barring another move I think it's just a Meadows-Kiermeier-Randy OF. Margot spells Meadows and Cruz. Phillips spells Kiermeier and Randy. They're both clear backups though.

If I had to bet on anyone to lose AB's I think it'd be Lowe, as he now seems limited to just 2B. I think that makes him even more vulnerable to sitting vs lefties and being deployed as a PH. But again, they're probably not done making moves.

 
Rays send Nick Anderson on a rehab assignment A-Florida team so he has a few weeks and will see some AAA action before coming to the Rays but this is a great signal that they will have Nick back in time for the Playoffs, Anderson-Fairbanks-Castillo with McHugh and Kittredge doing the dirty work in the 5th and 6th, Rays are going to be tough once the bullpens are both in motion. They continue to win from behind and score runs in the 7th inning and later. They have not done great in extra innings but are starting to get the hang of it. 

 
Lineup tonight 

1-Lowe 2B

2-Choi-1B

3-Nelson Cruz-DH, this line up is looking better already 

4-Meadows-LF 

5-Diaz-3B

6-Franco-SS

7-Arozarena-RF

8-Kiermaier-CF

9-Zunino-C

Josh Fleming-SP

1st thing I notice there is still power in the middle and bottom of the line up. No easy outs really. 

 
MAC_32 said:
You obviously follow this team a whole lot more than I, but barring another move I think it's just a Meadows-Kiermeier-Randy OF. Margot spells Meadows and Cruz. Phillips spells Kiermeier and Randy. They're both clear backups though.

If I had to bet on anyone to lose AB's I think it'd be Lowe, as he now seems limited to just 2B. I think that makes him even more vulnerable to sitting vs lefties and being deployed as a PH. But again, they're probably not done making moves.
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Margot has saved more runs defensively than KK this year and has a better bat. Honestly he could be the every day CF but a platoon of him and KK is pretty fierce. 

 
Capella said:
So Cruz will be the DH most games. OF vs RHP should be Meadows-KK-Randy and then Randy-KK/Phillips-Margot vs LHP. 
 

Joe Ryan was an excellent pitching prospect but they grow them on trees here. And they needed to make the push for it. Great move. 
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Enjoy Cruz, he's fun to watch and a great dude. Had to be traded this year, and I really like the return they got. Ryan's AAA numbers are sick.

 
Still waiting for them to either grab Scherzer if he will even come here and also Kyle Gibson, both have to be on the table and they traded Hill who was arguably their best starter at the moment. 

I'm still luke warm about what they have done until I see everything and the deadline has passed because otherwise it doesn't make tons of sense what they did. 

 
Ministry of Pain said:
Still waiting for them to either grab Scherzer if he will even come here and also Kyle Gibson, both have to be on the table and they traded Hill who was arguably their best starter at the moment. 

I'm still luke warm about what they have done until I see everything and the deadline has passed because otherwise it doesn't make tons of sense what they did. 
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Hill wasn’t one of the organization’s 5 best starters for the rest of the year. 

 
Cruz did homer Game 1, no hits tonight but his presence can be felt immediately up and down the line up. 

10 runs last night, another 8 runs tonight. Tight games until the Rays blow them open late. That's another thing I need to look up but they seem like they score a bunch of runs in the later innings almost every night recently.  

 
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Capella said:
Hill wasn’t one of the organization’s 5 best starters for the rest of the year. 
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They keep threatening to change the rules but the fact remains the Rays can win by using a bullpen opener for about 3 innings, they proved it again tonight. 

Rasmussen came over from Milwaukee in the Willy Adames trade. He pitched 11 scoreless innings in Durham and has been up n down with the Rays but I feel like tonight is a better reflection of what he can do the rest of the way. He was a starter in the minors and can certainly toss 2-3-4 innings when he takes the hill. I'm not a huge fan of Springs but he did pretty well tonight and I liked the way Cash managed Ras-Kitt-Springs, just wish we hadn't blown Castillo on a meaningless 9th but it was 5-2 when he was warming up, wish Springs had just gone back out. There should be plenty left in the BP for tomorrow and a complete sweep of Cleveland on the season. 

Bring on the BoSox, let's go!

 
Sean Poppen is on the active roster and was a guy they got from Pittsburgh for almost nothing back in May and he has logged some good time in at Durham. Not sure what they want to do with him but I expect to see him in the game today.    

His brief appearances in the Majors have not been that good, maybe the Rays can work their magic like they've done with other bull pen guys. 

 
Disturbing to watch Houston go out and pluck two pretty decent closers or late bull pen guys to fill in whatever needs they had. Still feels like they are going to be the team to beat in the post season. 

I forget it went 4-3 ALCS last year?

 
The Rays are in a bit of a slump. They're are on the cusp again, but they need help imo. So glad I ended up going to the Padres/As game Tuesday night when the Padres won rather than yesterday’s game where the As blew them out. This urban stadium (Petco Park) should be the template for the Rays Tampa stadium before they move to Montreal full time. 

 
Something a little hollow about the Rays 14-0 win yesterday. 

Diego Castillo was traded to Seattle? That would kind of make the trade with Graveman from Seattle make more sense. I just wish it hadn't ultimately involved the Rays. 

I don't think Diego is the Closer that some feel. His 9th Innings can give you an ulcer at times even though he is part of this league leading Bullpen. That said, I don't understand why you wouldn't want him for the stretch run. I'm starting to feel like 2021 Post Season isn't going to be anywhere near as dramatic as last season. 

The Rays still have almost no starting pitchers that you can look at and go "No 1 in the rotation" 

I will say Patino pitched well for 6 innings yesterday. He could be the guy, he's so young and to be 21 and in the starting rotation, Rays have announced they are keeping him on meaning no more Durham trips for this guy. 

Castillo looking back, pretty impressive numbers and ERA but when you look at his Saves, 34 opportunities the past 2-3 years and 8 blown saves. He was starting to come into that role more this year but all the Rays wins and only 15 save opportunities? 

Must be a sign that Nick Anderson is coming along, I looked at the return on Castillo and JT Chargois has an ERA of 3.00 and then we got some 3B/OF guy with no power, just what we needed 😂  and I believe he will be sent to the minors for a while. I don't see why the Rays made this trade at all. Castillo wasn't a Free Agent until 2025.

 
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Castillo has had a major dip in fb and slider velocity. He was still wiggling his way out of it but doesn’t look like the guy he was a few years ago. And the guy they got from Seattle has basically identical numbers. I was fine with it. Anderson is back next week and they are in on Kimbrel. 

 
-Last 30 days Rays starting pitching, it's not all pretty but then we will look at the bullpen which has been lights out. 

Wacha 5 starts 7.04 ERA 0-1 record somehow, WHIP of 1.7 and 6 Home Runs allowed, he's a nightmare. 

Fleming who was sensational last year but right now this guy is not good. 4 starts, 7.36 ERA and somehow has a 2-1 record in the last month, also sports a WHIP of about 1.7 right now. 

Yarborough last 4 starts has an ERA of 6.75 and I just don't see his career in MLB getting a lot better with the Rays. I'm not sure he is going to do well on another team, maybe worse but he just does not seem to be able to take it to the next level. He is about average, not much more. 

McClanahan and Patino are doing well but I don't see a starting rotation for the Playoffs yet. 

Bullpen, best way for me to brag about them is they sent Louis Head back to Durham, that guy has appearances in 7 games over the last month, has 12 Ks in 9 inning and an ERA of 0.00 and they sent him back down to Durham, that's how sickly deep they are in bullpen arms Kittredge, Rasmussen, Wisler, all of them have been awesome throughout. Tough sledding for DJ Johnson, I though he snapped his arm at first but it looked nasty whatever he did on the throw. McHugh is coming off the IL and should be ready vs Boston on Tuesday, Rays can put the Red Sox in their rear view mirror for good in the coming weeks. 

 
I still think you are approaching the playoff pitching all wrong. Wacha won’t be in the rotation. Patino and Shane M will be the two expected to carry innings. Fleming and Yarbrough will have McHugh and Rasmussen chained to them. Shane Baz will be up soon and likely will assume a lot of playoff innings.
 

Anderson, Honeywell, Fairbanks, FireandIcen, Thompson, etc will all be back soon. 

 
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