Archive for June 18th, 2008

Jun 18

[RAYS INDEX PANTS PARTY] Rays Pants Party Has Been Postponed

Pants Party Cork Gaines 5 Comments »

A very close friend of mine and Mrs. Professor is in the midst of a family health crisis. As a result, we will be traveling to the Midwest this weekend and we will not be able to take our previously scheduled trip to the Trop on Saturday. We are hoping to reschedule the Pants Party in the coming weeks so stay tuned.

Also, I am still working on how to handle updates here at RI over the next couple of days. We may miss a few of our regular features. Please bear with us.

Best,
Cork

Jun 18

[TROPICANA FIELD] Tropicana Field When It Still Wore Diapers

The Trop, The Trop in diapers Cork Gaines 3 Comments »

Another day, another video…This time we go to the wayback machine for this commercial for the opening of Tropicana Field, or “The Florida Suncoast Dome” as it was known back then. It was “the biggest gala party in Florida history.” Of course it was. Kenny Rogers (ballads not baseballs), performed.
Jun 18

[RI CONFIDENCE GRAPH] The Rays Index Confidence Graph: Week 12

Confidence graph Cork Gaines No Comments »

The Rays Confidence Graph will appear every Wednesday and is a look at how much confidence Rays fans have in the Tampa Bay Rays. The graph is designed to give us a look at how our emotional bias as Rays fans fluctuates through time. The “confidence” in the team is an inexact measure of how fans feel about the team’s current strength as well as how much confidence fans have in the franchise for the next 3-4 years. Notes on this weeks agida-level can be found after the graph..

Notes on the RI Confidence Graph…

  • The most common response for “Confidence in 2008 Rays” was 8 (They will be in playoff contention all season) with 60.9%.
  • The most common response for “Confidence in future of franchise” was 10 with 37.6%.
  • 97.8% of respondents feel the Rays have a shot at the playoffs in 2008. That number is up from 95.7% a week ago.
  • 98.9% of respondents feel the Rays should be at least a .500 team in 2008. Last week that number was 98.6%.
Jun 18

[THE HANGOVER] Evan Longoria Can Marry Our Daughter*

Aki Iwamura, Andy Sonnanstine, Carl Crawford, Carlos Pena, Carlos Zambrano, Evan Longoria, Joe Maddon, Ken Griffey Jr Cork Gaines 5 Comments »



THE GOOD: There is a video on YouTube in which Dwayne Staats compares Evan Longoria defensively, to Mike Schmidt, who won 10 gloves. But we wonder if Schmidt ever made a play to win a game the way Dirtbag did last night. Playing deep, with the tying run on third, Reed Johnson tried to bunt his way on first pushing the ball just to the left of the mound. Longoria ran in, barehanded the ball and made an off-balance throw to first base that was scooped on one bounce by Willy Aybar. Game over…What a top if the 9th. What a great catch heading face first into the wall, by Justin Ruggiano in left field for the first out. That out was just the first play that may have saved the game. Later on was not the best time in the world for Dioner Navarro’s second passed ball of the season as it lead to a run to make it 3-2, but another passed ball took a Rays bounce off the backstop to hold the runner at third and saved the lead…Scott Kazmir did not allow a hit until 1 out in the 5th inning, despite not having his best stuff…The Rays are lucky that the Rays tank beyond the right-center field wall is shatterproof as Evan Longoria’s solo home run to lead off the 6th went off the side glass…With 2 outs in the top of the 7th and a runner on second, Dioner Navarro threw out Reed Johnson trying to steal third. It even looked like Johnson got a bit of a shuffling lead before the pitch and he was still thrown out to end the inning…In the bottom of the 7th, a ground ball that would have been a single up the middle hits the pitching rubber and jumps straight up in the air. The pitcher tried to field the ball and throw to first. Aki was safe by a mile, but the throw went into the right field corner and Aki was on third to lead off the inning. Aki would later score what ultimately would be the decisive run.

THE BAD: Scott Kazmir may have not allowed a hit until 1 out in the 5th, but he would only record 1 more out after that, as he was pulled with 2 outs in the 5th. Yes the bullpen is better, but the Rays cannot afford too many nights with the bullpen having to throw 4+ innings…BJ Upton’s stolen base to end the first inning wasn’t bad on paper. With 2 outs, he has to try and get into scoring position. But for Upton to be thrown out by 10 feet was pretty bad…Bases loaded in the 3rd with only 1 out. A dribbler in the mound by BJ Upton led to a force at the plate followed by a strikeout by Eric Hinske and the Rays couldn’t score…In the 7th, the Rays had 5 batters reach base and only scored 1 run including the second runner thrown out at home in the game.

THE TELLING: The attendance for last night’s game was 31,607. We are just guessing, but that seems like it would be a record for a non-home opener, non-Red Sox, non-Yankees, weekday contest…Carl Crawford will be back on the field tomorrow night after completing his suspension. Aki Iwamura and Edwin Jackson have both appealed their suspensions. Jackson will make his next start on Saturday…

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA…

  • Don’t forget to VOTE for Carl Crawford to start the all-star game. If you haven’t voted yet today, go NOW! [MLB All-Star Voting]
  • With Andy Sonnanstine and Carlos Zambrano on the hill tonight, there will only be one batter in either lineup that has faced the opposing pitcher. Carl Crawford faced Zambrano and struck out in the ’04 All-Star game. [MLB]
  • Carlos Pena expects to be back in the lineup on the next roadtrip. [Tampa Tribune]
  • A Cubs blog takes some shots at Joe Maddon for his love of wine and Dr. Seuss, and uses these as examples as to why it is easier to manage in the AL…True story: We once had an Ecology class in college in which all the lessons were based on either Dr. Seuss or Monty Python. Best. Class. Ever. [The Ted Lilly Fan Club]
  • Rays the Stakes makes a strong case for Aki Iwamura to make the All-Star squad. [Rays the Stakes]
  • Maybe they should…But they won’t. [DevilRays Locker]
  • Badsnap makes a strong, in depth case for Ken Griffey Jr coming to the Rays. [BADSNAP]
  • According to Vegas oddsmakesrs, the Rays are now the 6th favorite to win the AL, behind Boston, LA, New York, Chicago and Cleveland. [LA Times]

*If we ever have one

Jun 18

[DOWN ON THE FARM] Price Could Make Next Start In AA; Beckham Could Be Signed By Weekend

David Price, Michael Sheridan, Tim Beckham Cork Gaines No Comments »

Durham 6, Buffalo 3. [completion of game from previous day] Jeff Niemann pitched the first 2.1 innings 2 days ago…Juan Salas was on the mound when the game resumed yesterday. He struck out 3 in 1.2 innings…Joel Guzman added a 2-run double to the 2-run home run he hit the day before.

Buffalo 8, Durham 1 (7). Mitch Talbot gave up 7 runs (6 earned) in 4.1 innings…The Bulls managed only 3 singles in the 7-inning contest.

Mississippi 7, Montgomery 2. Ryan Reid came into the game in the 8th inning with the score tied 2-2. After a perfect 8th that included a strikeout, the floor collapsed in the 9th. A home run, a single, 2 walks, a dropped third strike and 3 stolen bases later, Reid had given up 5 runs (1 earned)…Jake McGee got the start and allowed 2 runs in 5.2 innings with 3 strikeouts and 2 walks…Gabby Martinez drove in both of Montgomery’s runs with his 11th home run.

Vero Beach v Brevard Co. (ppd).

Columbus (all-star break)

Aberdeen 13, Hudson Valley 7. Tyree Hayes, son of Charlie Hayes gave up 9 runs (3 earned) and was pulled with only 2 outs in the first inning.

Pulaski 6, Princeton 5 (13). Matt Moore, an 8th round pick last year started and was pulled after 3.1 innings. He allowed 3 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks. But of the 10 outs he recorded, 9 were by strikeout…Burt Reynolds had a solid debut, picking up 3 hits and an RBI in 6 at bats.

NOTES FROM DOWN ON THE FARM…

  • We missed this yesterday…although he lists no reasons for this thought, Bill Whitehead speculates that David Price will be promoted to double-A Montgomery before his next start. [Tampa Tribune]

The game also marked the fifth and perhaps final FSL start for pitcher David Price. The prized left-hander could be sent to Double-A Montgomery of the Southern League later in the week.

When asked about his future pitching plans after his five-inning, one-run outing, though, Price said, “I have no idea. No one’s said a thing.”

  • The Rays top pick Tim Beckham will be in St. Pete this weekend with his family and his father believes that a deal will be done before the weekend is over. [Tampa Tribune]
  • The Rays 5th round pick was injured before he ever played a game for the Rays organization. Scheduled to start for Hudson Valley, Michael Sheridan, a first baseman, was hit in the head prior to the ‘Gades opening night contest. [Renegades Rumblings]