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.
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 Future. With the Rays now officially roadkill, look for JoeMa to start working the youngins into the lineup a bit more often. In addition to Wade Davis and Reid Brignac, we should see Sean Rodriguez and Matt Joyce soon.
THE BAD: The Pain. That’s it. It’s just painful.
THE TELLING: Anything But Perfect. Anybody still think we were overreacting when back in July we wrote after Mark Buehrle’s perfect game, “This incarnation of the Tampa Bay Rays just isn’t very good….One game that proved this team is going nowhere. One game that proved this team is done. One game that proved this team is roadkill.”
SUNBURST PLAYER OF THE GAME: Evan Longoria
DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA…
Durham 14, Charlotte 3. With the Bulls down to 2 starting pitchers (Jeremy Hellickson and Jason Cromer), Durham turned to Calvin Medlock who made his first start since 2005 and turned in a gutsy performance, striking out 9 in 4.2 innings. He did allow 3 runs on 3 hits and 2 walks including 2 home runs. We are sure that most Bulls fans understand that the team serves at the pleasure of the Rays, but damn. They are about to start the IL playoffs and there is nobody left on that roster. We mean No-Body. That must be frustrating…Desmond Jennings went 7-7 with 6 singles, a double and his 15th steal in 28 triple-A games. He is now hitting .347 since his promotion. And all of the sudden BJ Upton just got a little more expendable…Justin Ruggiano hit his 15th home run and stole his 23rd base.
Mobile 5, Montgomery 4. Aneury Rodriguez finally came back down to Earth a bit, giving up 5 runs in 5.2 innings. He did strike out 7 walking just 1…Jose Lobaton went 0-3 with 2 walks. Since being signed by the Rays, Lobaton is hitting just .254, but has a .379 OBP and an .858 OPS. He has a solid 18 to 14 strikeout to walk ratio.
Jupiter 6, Charlotte 5. Alex Cobb struck out 8 in 6 innings, and allowed 4 runs (3 earned) on 2 hits and 2 walks. The big blow was a 2-run home run…Shawn Williams hit his 3rd home run and Matt Sweeney went 0-3 with 2 walks.
Greenville 7, Bowling Green 6 (12). Matt Moore struck out 7 in 4 innings, but gave up 3 runs (2 earned) on 3 hits and 4 walks…Tim Beckham went 3-6 but committed his 41st error in 120 games.
Princeton. (no games scheduled)
Notes from Down on the Farm…
