First of all, this photo is AWE.some, even if James Shields didn’t actually connect…But will somebody please tell James the Greater, that the next time a batter chargers the mound…keep the cap and DROP the glove. Those left hooks are much more menacing without the leather…not too mention the risk of breaking a bone in his pitching hand.
As we mentioned earlier today, this week’s Rays Index Live Blog-A-Baloo will be held this evening at 6:00 for game 3 of the Rays-Red Sox series.
Well, there will be a slightly different format tonight.
We are here to announce that we will be joined by a special guest: “Sully” of Sully Baseball for the first-ever LIVE BLOG ‘O WAR! You might remember Sully Baseball from yesterday when we took them to task for ragging on Rays fans.
I will be handling most of the commentary while the Rays are batting and Sully will take over in the bottom half of each inning.
So be sure to check back here later tonight. We will get things started just before 6:00: Game on!
Thanks to David Chalk over at Bugs and Cranks we now have video of the slide by Coco Crisp and the subsequent confrontation with Joe Maddon. The best part of this video is the reaction of the ESPN2 announcers…This should add a little spice to the Live Blog-A-Baloo of the week tonight.
VIDEO: Dirty Coco Crisp Aims For Cock [Bugs and Cranks]
Word is starting to leak out that the Tampa Bay Rays will select high school shortstop Tim Beckham with the top pick in the draft. It had been thought that the Rays were deciding between Beckham and Florida State catcher Buster Posey.
Many will say that the decision was based on drafting talent over the need for catchers in the organization. However, the decision may have been made based on contract demands
Baseball Prospectus is reporting that the Rays were leaning towards drafting Posey, but switched to Beckham because of Posey’s demand for a $12 million contract.
Late this evening, multiple sources have indicated as to Buster Posey’s draft-eve asking price, and it’s a doozy at $12 million. Right now, that looks like more than enough to make up the Rays mind, and they’ll likely be taking Tim Beckham unless that number reverses dramatically in the next 12 hours.
Last year, David Price received $8.5 million in guaranteed money and he is a left-handed pitcher with Ace potential. Posey is a catcher that projects to hit 20 home runs in the big leagues. $12 million? Kids these days…smokin’ way to much ganga.
Rays will make Beckham top pick [Rays Report]
D-Rays On Beckham (or, Money Changes Everything) [Baseball Prospectus]
THE BAD: (see “THE TELLING”)
THE TELLING: C’mon people. Think about this for a second. It was Edwin Jackson versus Josh Beckett in Fenway Park. If they played that game 100 times, the Rays would win it 1 time and only because Beckett would be struck by lightning in the first inning and Manny being Manny would accidently hit a 3-run home run for the Rays…Look, it’s not in our nature to be mysterious. But we can’t talk about it and we can’t talk about why.
DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA…
Richmond 8, Durham 1. Chris Mason dropped to 2-6 after allowing 5 runs in 5.1 innings on 10 hits and no walks. He struck out 6…Reid Brignac had 2 of the Bulls 5 hits in 4 at bats.
Montgomery 10, Carolina 2. Richard de los Santos gave up 2 runs in 7 innings and evened his record at 5-5.
Jupiter 12, Vero Beach 1. Brandon Mann allowed 2 runs in 7 innings on 8 hits and 1 walk. He struck out 6…Wade Townsend faced 6 batters in relief and all 6 reached base on 3 hits and 3 walks. All 6 would eventually score….Matt Fields and Nevin Ashley were each 2-4.
Columbus 2, Savannah 0. Making just his 4th start of the season Jesse Darcy struck out 7 in 6 shutout innings. He allowed 3 hits and no walks. His K-to-walk ratio is now 42-to-5….Greg Sexton had 1 of the Catfish’ 3 hits and 1 of the 2 RBI.
NOTES FROM DOWN ON THE FARM…
While Vandy third baseman Pedro Alvarez ranked first on BA’s draft board, he’s about third on Tampa’s board, according to industry sources. The top spot remains undecided. According to BA’s sources, the Rays’ scouting department prefers Georgia prep shortstop Tim Beckham, the kind of toolsy, middle-of-the-diamond athlete the Rays have drafted repeatedly—the kind of athletes that have put the Rays in first place in the American League East as the draft approaches. Others in the organization, such as de facto GM Andrew Friedman, are said to prefer Florida State catcher Buster Posey as the perfect complement to the organization’s impressive current stockpile of talent.
