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.
Last week’s Rays Confidence Graph results.
Below you will see two polls that ask about your confidence in the Tampa Bay Rays. We will present these same polls every Tuesday. The results will be presented in graphical form on Thursday, and will be displayed permanently in the sidebar. The goal of the Confidence Graph is to get a feeling of how Rays fans feel about the team and the franchise and track how that level of confidence changes through time.
Raysiverse events of the past week that could impact confidence levels…
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: Jeff Niemann. The Giraffe was the master of pitch efficiency needing less than 10 pitches in 3 innings and less than 15 in 2 others…Joe Maddon. With the score 0-0, a runner on 3rd and just 1 out in the 2nd, Maddon went against the book and brought the infield in. The gamble paid off as Niemann got a ground ball to short followed by a flyball to center to get out of the inning without allowing a run…Carl Crawford. Two pitches after just missing a home run foul and with Roy Halladay distracted by BJ Upton running around the bases, CC launched ano-doubt home run to give the Rays a 2-0 lead.
THE BAD: Niemann With Runners On. Teams are going to continue running wild on Niemann until he figures out how to hold them closer to the bag. Luckily the Jays didn’t have many men on base last night as he gave up just 1 steal. But it was Scott Rolen stealing third without a throw, for just his 3rd steal of the year. That could have been disastrous, and on many nights it will cost Niemann runs.
THE TELLING: Willy Aybar got the start at second base, spelling Ben Zobrist for the night…If the Rays win the division or make the playoffs by just 1 game, they can look back to this game. Jeff Niemann versus Roy Halladay should be a loss 9 out of 10 times. Winning this game was an absolute bonus. Like a free win. And who doesn’t love free stuff?…The Rays are 34-21 since May 1st, the best record in the AL over that span…The Rays now have the 4th 6th best record in all baseball and yet are only 3rd in the AL East.
SUNBURST PLAYER OF THE GAME: Jeff Niemann.
DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA…
Durham 4, Columbus 3. Wade Davis picked up his 7th win, allowing 3 runs (2 earned) in 6 innings on 5 hits and 2 walks. He struck out 4…Reid Brignac had his 3rd straight 3-hit game, going 3-4 with 3 doubles and an RBI…Matt Joyce homered for the 2nd straight night…Justin Ruggiano, John Jaso and Rhyne Hughes each went 0-4.
Jacksonville 6, Montgomery 4. Brandon Mann gave up 4 runs in 5 innings…Desmond Jennings went 1-5 and is now hitting .323.
Brevard Co., Charlotte. Alex Cobb lasted just 2.1 innings and was pulled despite only allowing 1 run…Reid Fronk and Ryan Royster homored for Charlotte.
Bowling Green. (no game scheduled)
Notes from Down on the Farm…
