Aug 18
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.
Here are the Rays and the number of times they have been named Sunburst Pimp Daddy PoG. And the updated leaderboard after the jump…
| Evan Longoria |
15.5 |
| Ben Zobrist |
11.5 |
| Carlos Pena |
8 |
| Carl Crawford |
8 |
| BJ Upton |
7 |
| Willy Aybar |
6 |
| James Shields |
5 |
| David Price |
5 |
| Gabe Kapler |
4.5 |
| Jeff Niemann |
4 |
| Jason Bartlett |
4 |
| Dioner Navarro |
4 |
| Scott Kazmir |
3 |
| Gabe Gross |
2.5 |
| Andy Sonnanstine |
2 |
| Matt Joyce |
2 |
| Pat Burrell |
2 |
| Matt Garza |
1.5 |
| Lance Cormier |
1.5 |
| Gregg Zaun |
1 |
| Aki Iwamura |
1 |
| Grant Balfour |
1 |
| Winston Abreu |
0.5 |
Read the rest of this entry »
Aug 18
One year ago on Rays Index we wrote about Joe Maddon’s bats*** crazy idea to walk Josh Hamilton with the bases loaded.
Joe Maddon Genuflects To Babe Ruth Josh Hamilton [Rays Index]
Aug 18
click above image for boxscore
And as expected, the Rays failed to reach an agreement with their top draft pick, LeVon Washington, a Scott Boras client. [MLB Trade Rumors]
The Rays also failed to sign their second-round pick, Kenny Dierkroeger. In fact Marc Lancaster reports that salary figures were never even exchanged…Dierkroeger did seem adamant about going to college after the draft. [Rays Report]
With the Rays failing to sign either of their top 2 picks, they will receive 2 compensation picks in next year’s draft. The picks will be the equivalent of this year’s pick plus one. So next year, the Rays will have their normal pick (something in the mid-20s) and a compensation pick at #31. In addition, they will receive a compensation pick at #79. Therefore the Rays will have at least 4 picks in the first two rounds next season.
In year’s past, you would have been more likely to see the Rays stretch for a prospect they knew would be hard to sign in the third round (the Rays failed to sign their 3rd round picks in ’05 and ’06). But with the compensation system in place now for the top two rounds, it makes much more sense to reach in the second round, knowing the team can always “try again” next year with the compensation pick.
DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA…
- The final tally for the Rays was that they signed 32 of 50 draft picks and 15 of the top 20. [Rays Prospects]
- Rays Prospects offers their reaction to the draft, saying the failure to sign the top two picks “hurts”. [Rays Prospects]
- The Rays Party noticed that Dioner Navarro has altered his swing a bit…On a side note, it looks like Gregg Zaun has taken Navi under his wing. Check out those high socks. BEAUTIFUL! [The Rays Party]
- Joe Smith wrote a neat piece on the Rays’ newest reliever, Russ Springer, and his son. [St. Pete Times]
Aug 18
Scranton/WB 9, Durham 3. Jason Cromer allowed 7 runs (6 earned) in 5.1 innings. He struck out 5 and walked 4…Aki Iwamura went 0-3 with a walk as the DH…Desmond Jennings went 1-5 with an RBI and his 6th steal…Matt Joyce went 0-2 with 2 walks while Chris Richard hit his 21st home run…Catcher Craig Albernaz pitched a perfect 9th inning.
Birmingham 3, Montgomery 0. Darin Downs‘ second double-A start didn’t go so well. Downs was struck in the head with a line drive and had to be taken from the game after giving up 3 runs in just 4.1 innings. He struck out 5 and walked 2 giving up 6 hits. Downs never lost consciousness and was taken to a local hospital…Jose Lobaton was 0-3 and Cody Cipriano went 1-4 and is hitting just .175 since being promoted.
Charlotte 3, St. Lucie 1 (gm 1). David Newmann improved to 7-6 with 6 innings allowing just 1 run on 3 hits and 1 walk…Ryan Royster’s 5th home run tied the game in the final inning and Matt Hall’s 2-run double proved to be the game-winner…Shawn Williams had a pair of doubles in 3 at bats and John Matulia went 3-3 with 2 doubles.
Charlotte 5, St. Lucie 2 (gm 2).Austin Hinkle made just his second start of the season in the nightcap, giving up 2 runs (1 earned) in 3 innings on 1 hit and 2 walks…Mike McCormick went 0-3.
Bowling Green 6, Greensboro 5. Nick Barnese gave up 3 runs (2 earned) in 5 innings on 3 hits and 2 walks. He struck out 5…Tim Beckham went 3-5 with 2 doubles and 2 RBI. However, he also committed his 35th and 36th errors.
Hudson Valley. no games scheduled
Kingsport 7, Princeton 0.
Notes from Down on the Farm…
