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 in the second-half, will win some serious bragging rights (and a t-shirt from the Rays Index store).
Check Marc Topkin’s blog for the starting lineups.
Joel Sherman of the New York Post is reporting (via MLB Trade Rumors) that the Rays have discussed trading Scott Kazmir with both the Rangers and the Mets. Neither move appears to be heading anywhere.
The Rangers turned down an offer to bring Scott Kazmir home to Texas. The Rays have shopped Kazmir around a bit, even calling the MetsNew York Mets , who expressed initial interest but nothing more.
And while it is no surprise that the Rays are trying to move Kazmir to free up salary to acquire Cliff Lee and/or Victor Martinez, the big surprise is that the Rays would also be willing to move Carlos Pena.
Tampa is trying to see if they could trade Kazmir, Carlos Pena and in the right blockbuster even Carl Crawford to free up dollars to make a bigger trade. The Rays are most focused on seeing if they can add Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez in one trade, though they continue to call on Halladay, as well.
Pena is making $8 million this season and is due $10.125 million next year in the last year of his current deal.
MIDDAY TRADE CONFIDENTIAL, JULY 28 [New York Post]
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: Pat Burrell. Hey! He hit a home run! Of course it came in the 9th inning with the Rays trailing11-3. Beggers can’t be choosers.
THE BAD: James the Lesser. Shields continues his inconsistent run through the 2009 season. At what point do we start blaming the long 2008 season and the short off-season?…The Bullpen. 3.2 innings, 6 runs and a very unceremonious return for Brian Shouse who gave up 2 home runs…Long Balls. For the life of us, we can’t figure out how to blame 4 Yankees home runs on Replica Yankee Stadium…Evan Longoria. Longoria was hit on the elbow by AJ Burnett. Longo was protected by equipment, but we are still worried. Sluggers that crowd the plate are pitched up and in a lot. Those players tend to take a lot of pitches off the left arm and tend to break a lot of wrists. Think Jeff Bagwell. And it is worse for Longoria because he stands upright, which means his first movement is always down and towards the plate.
THE TELLING: PECOTA now says the Rays have a 14.8% shot at making the playoffs.
SUNBURST PLAYER OF THE GAME: BJ Upton. 2 of the Rays 6 hits and scored twice.
DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA…
Durham 7, Norfolk 5. Wade Davis picked up his 9th win after giving up 2 runs in 6 innings on 5 hits and 3 walks. He struck out 3…Reid Brignac went 1-3 with a double, RBI, 2 walks and his 5th stolen base…Matt Joyce was 1-3 with a double and 2 walks…Elliot Johnson homered for the Bulls.
Huntsville 8, Montgomery 3. Brian Baker gave up 3 runs in 5 innings…Desmond Jennings went 1-5 and is now hitting .323. He did steal his 37th base…Cody Cipriano was 1-4 and is hitting .235 (8-34) in 10 games since being promoted.
Tampa 9, Charlotte 0. David Newmann dropped to 4-5 after giving up 4 runs in 4 innings…Shawn Riggans was 0-4 as the catcher…Shawn O’Malley went 0-4 with 2 strikeouts.
Bowling Green 3, Lake County 2. Bowling Green won on a suicide squeeze in the bottom of the ninth…Joe Cruz allowed just 1 run in 5 innings on 4 hits and 1 walk…Tim Beckham was 0-4 with a strikeout and committed his 33rd error.
Hudson Valley 5, Staten Island 3.
Notes from Down on the Farm…
