The Hangover: Finally, A Reliever Loses His Job

A’s 5, Devil Rays 3.
After winning three of the previous four series, the Rays came back to earth a little by dropping the rubber match with the A’s. The good news is, that despite throwing both Casey Fossum and Edwin Jackson in the series, the Rays only allowed 12 runs in the three games combined. That marks the fewest number of runs allowed by the Rays in a 3-4 game series this year. In fact the on two different occasions the Rays have allowed 12 runs in a single game. In fact the bullpen was above par for the first time this season, with only 5 runs in 11.2 innings and have only allowed 2 runs in the last 9 innings of work.

The Rays have the day off today before beginning a a very important stretch of 6 games on the road and in the division. On Tuesday, the Rays will begin a 3 game set in Baltimore before heading to Toronto for 3 more. Both teams are reeling right now and if the Rays want to make a serious run at The Charlie Hough Line, they win games against the two teams that the Rays have a legitimate shot of finishing ahead of in the division. Three wins this week would be nice. Four would make us down right giddy.

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA…

• We have our first bit of roster shakeup this weekend as Ruddy Lugo has been optioned to AAA Durham. He had a 9.28 ERA in 11 appearances. The Rays have not yet announced who will replace Lugo in the lineup.
• BJ Upton is the first player since 1965 (Dick Allen) to lead a league in both hitting and strikeouts for more than one day.
• There are few players in baseball that can look an all-star one inning and a never-will-be the next as often or as extreme as Edwin Jackson. He is still young and already out of options, which forces the Rays to be patient. Joe Maddon states that he may allow JAckson to throw more pitches than his other young starters since Jackson appears to get better the deeper he works into a game.
• Joe Maddon stated that he hasn’t ruled out the possibility of using Al Reyes in three straight games.
• Scott Kazmir may be ready to start hitting his stride. After a couple of starts in which his fastball was topping out around 90, on Saturday it was back up into the mid-90s.
• Saturday’s 9th inning rally and extra-inning win marked the 3rd time this season the Rays have rallied to win when trailing in the 9th inning.
• The Rays will celebrate the opening of their new Venezuelan baseball academy today.