Up until first pitch, use the comments section to predict who you think will be the Sunburst Player of the Game. (be sure to use a valid email address while leaving the comment). The commenter that correctly predicts who we will name the Sunburst Player of the Game the most times prior to the all-star game, will win two tickets to a second-half game. Runners-up get their choice of a t-shirt. [Click HERE for rules]
Check Marc Topkin’s blog for the starting lineups.
Time to bring back the GBT – The Good, The Bad and The Telling sandwich, where The Bad is nice and lean and the The Telling is ripe.
click above image for boxscore
THE GOOD: Blacked Out. not having to watch another anemic performance.
THE BAD: Matt Garza. The Garza Complex comntinues to struggle with his control. 4 more walks yesterday and 10 in his last 2 starts…BJ Upton. Upton had his 3rd straight 0-fer and is now 0 for his last 12 and hitting .171 with no home runs since coming off the DL…Offensive Offense. The Rays are 9th in the AL with 83 runs scored and are 7th with a .787 OPS…Mediocre Pitching. the pitching staff as a whole is 7th in the AL with an opponent OPS of .755. The starters are a little better with a .733 oOPS (4th in AL) but the bullpen’s oOPS is .801 (7th). Last year, the bullpens oOPS was .669.
THE TELLING: Carlos Pena and Aki Iwamura are scheduled to get the day off. Of course. Offense is struggling. Let’s sit the one hitter who is not struggling…The Rays are 7th in the AL with a .771 OPS versus lefties. And they are 5th against righties at .795.
SUNBURST PLAYER OF THE GAME: Aki Iwamura. By default. he had 2 hits and an RBI.
DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA…
Durham 4 Norfolk 1. Mitch Talbot picked up his second win, giving up just 1 run in 6.1 innings, striking out 5 and walking just 1…Reid Brignac had 2 singles in 4 at bats and Matt Joyce was 3-4 with a double and an RBI…Elliot Johnson was 3-4 with a double and a 2-run home run.
Jacksonville 3, Montgomery 1. The Biscuits were no-hit for 6.1 innings until Rhyne Hughes’ 6th home run…Jeremy Hellickson took the loss giving up 2 runs in 6 innings. Both runs scored on a 4th inning home run. He struck out 8 and walked 2…Desmond Jennings was 0-4.
Charlotte 4, St. Lucie 2. Darin Downs improved to 3-0 with 5 innings of 2-run ball.
Lexington 8, Bowling Green 1. Lefty Michael Jarman made his 3rd start and gave up 3 runs (1 earned) in 3 innings…Tim Beckham was 1-3 with a walk. He also committed his 3rd error…Jake Jefferies was 1-4 with his first home run of the season.
Notes from Down on the Farm…
