Jun 04
Archive for June 4th, 2009
Jun 04
The Rays Confidence Graph will appear every Thursday 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 week’s agida-level can be found after the graph..
Notes on the RI Confidence Graph…
- The most common response for “Confidence in 2009 Rays” was 7 with 33.3%.
- The most common response for “Confidence in future of franchise” was 9 with 37.2%.
Jun 04
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.
updated leaderboard after the jump…
Jun 04
One year ago on Rays Index we conducted a mock draft and correctly predicted every pick of the first round.
We’re Going Mock Drafting! The Baseball Mock Draft To End All Mock Drafts [Rays Index]
Jun 04
One year ago on Rays Index we told you that Bud Selig promised St. Pete a future all-star game if the waterfront stadium was approved. So much for that.
Bud Selig Promises St. Pete An All-Star Game If New Stadium Is Approved [Rays Index]
Jun 04
[THE HANGOVER] The One Where We Discuss Niemann’s Promise, Dirtbag’s Sore Hammy And A Slap On The Wrist For The Trainers
Carlos Pena, Evan Longoria, Jason Bartlett, Jeff Niemann, Pat Burrell, Scott Kazmir 18 Comments »
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 The Giraffe. June, 2004. That was the month Jeffrey Warren Niemann was drafted by the Devil Rays. At that time, we dreamed of 2-hit complete game shutouts, with 9 strikeouts and 1 walk. OK, so it took a while. A year ago, we were beginning to wonder if Niemann would ever get another shot. And now? He is one of the Rays Big 3 and here to stay…Bossman Returneth? BJ Upton was on base 3 more times last night with a single, double and a walk. But the bat speed still is not there. The flyball in the first inning should have been a home run…Zorilla. Another night. Another home run. This one a grand slam…Speed Kills. 2 more steals for Carl Crawford and 1 each for BJ Upton and Matt Joyce.
THE BAD: Nothin’. We tried. We really did. We looked everywhere. OK. How about the Rays trainers? There are 9 players on the DL and Evan Longoria is on the shelf. Don’t the trainers need a little blame here?
THE TELLING: Don’t look now but the Rays have won 4 of 5, and are now 5 games behind the Yankees and Red Sox who are tied atop the East, and 3 games behind the Jays…The Rays are 0-19 when they have scored less than 4 runs. Last year, the Rays were 20-41 (via Peter Gammons)…The Rays broke out “Seven Nation Army” during a Royals pitching change. As far as we know, that is the first instance since the ALCS.
SUNBURST PLAYER OF THE GAME: Jeff Niemann.
DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA…
- Evan Longoria had an MRI that came back negative, so no DL stint is likely. Joe Maddon said he will hold out Longoria until they reach the regular turf in New York on Friday…Also, Scott Kazmir threw another bullpen session. He will keep working out of the bullpen every other day for another week and then be reevaluated…Maddon said Pat Burrell will hit off a tee today and Jason Bartlett may not be ready to come off the DL even though he is eligible today. [St. Pete Times]
- Marc Lancaster notes that next Tuesday’s draft will be a new experience for the Rays and that RJ Harrison has a list of about 15-20 players in mind for the #30 slot. [Tampa Tribune]
- Jonah Freedman of SI.com says that basestealing is on the rise in baseball and Carl Crawford is leading the way. [SI.com]
Chone Figgins on Crawford stealing 6 bases in 1 game: “No team would let me do that,” giggled the Angels third baseman, who ranks third in the MLB with 20 swipes. “We went back and watched the tape and it was funny how he just took over that game. They couldn’t do anything with him.”
- The Rays Party says there is no need to worry about Carlos Pena’s batting average noting that he is still productive by walking and hitting home runs…To which we would add that prior to last night’s game, Pena had 230 plate appearances. 55% of those ended without a fielder touching the ball (home run, walk, hit by pitch or strikeout). Carlos Pena, putting fielders to sleep one at bat at a time. [The Rays Party]
Jun 04
Down On The Farm: Wade Davis Strikes Out 13
Cody Cipriano, Desmond Jennings, Matt Joyce, Wade Davis No Comments »Toledo 5, Durham 2. It was the best of Wade Davis (13 Ks in 6 innings), it was the worst of Wade Davis (2 home runs). In total, he allowed 3 runs on 8 hits and a walk and dropped to 5-3. However, after the 3rd inning, Davis struck out 9 of the last 12 batters he faced…Justin Ruggiano was 1-3 with a walk.
Jacksonville 9, Montgomery 2 (gm 1). Heath Rollins pitched the first 4 innings the day before yesterday, prior to the suspension of the game. He allowed 5 runs. Chad Bradford, making his first rehab appearance, took over in the 5th and allowed 1 run on 2 hits and a walk. He struck out 2…Desmond Jennings was 2-3 with a walk and his 18th steal…Rhyne Hughes was 1-4 with his 44th RBI and 4th stolen base.
Montgomery, Jacksonville (8; gm 2). Aneury Rodriguez had his best start since joining the Rays organization. He struck out 5 and did walk 4, but allowed only 1 run on 2 hits in 5 innings…Eddie Morlan pitched the 8th (game was scheduled to go 7) and allowed the go-ahead run on a 1-out double…Desmond Jennings was 1-5 and stole his 19th base…Rhyne Hughes homered, his 15th, a 2-run shot.
Charlotte, Daytona. Another strong start for David Newmann who struck out 8 and walked 2 in 6 innings. He allowed 1 unearned run on 2 hits. He now has 57 Ks and 21 walks in 52.1 innings with a 3.78 ERA…Matt Fields was 0-4 with a walk and 3 Ks…Cody Cipriano was 2-4 with a walk. He is now hitting .325.
Lexington @ Bowling Green (ppd. rain).
Notes from Down on the Farm…
- After allowing the second home run of the game, Wade Davis moved to the first base side of the rubber, something he has never done before. [Durham Herald-Sun]
- Rays minor leaguers with a wOBA greater than .400 (min. 130 PA): Desmond Jennings (AA; .446), Matt Joyce (AAA; .415), Cody Cipriano (A+; .412).
