Sep 09
Archive for September 9th, 2009
Sep 09
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.
Sep 09
[THE HANGOVER] The One Where We Discuss Ill-Tempered Sea Bass, An Ill-Reasoned Tigers GM And The Help Wanted Sign In Durham
Andy Sonnanstine, Evan Longoria, Marc Topkin, Wade Davis 11 Comments »
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 TELLING: You know, We had one simple request. And that was to have relief pitchers with frickin’ laser beams attached to their heads! Now evidently that cannot be done. Ah, would you remind us what Stuart Sternberg pays Andrew Friedman for, honestly? Throw us a bone here! What do we have? We have ill-tempered, soft-tossing sea bass…Oh yeah, and when you have a drink tonight. Let’s toast great baserunning and all of the excellent fundamentals the Rays have shown during this 7-game losing streak, their longest since an 11-game skid in 2007.
SUNBURST PLAYER OF THE GAME: Jason Bartlett
DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA…
- We apologize if it seems we are being overly brief in the Hangovers and other coverage here at RI. We promise we are not abandoning you or the Rays in this time of sucktitude. We are currently on the road and tending to some matters that have been on the docket for months. Everything should return to normal shortly. Thank you for your patience.
- Yesterday we told you about Fernando Rodney being suspended for throwing a ball into the press box at The Trop. Afterwards, Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski laid most of the blame for the suspension at the feet of Marc Topkin of the St. Pete Times for a letter Topkin wrote to MLB. Marc Lancaster does an excellent job of ripping Dombrowski for his ridiculous comments. Also of note was the pounding Andy Freed and Dave Wills dished out on Dombrowski during the radio broadcast last night. They noted, among other things, that there is precedent for the suspension. The player’s name slips our memory, but there was apparently a very similar incident in which a player also received a 3-game suspension. We could be wrong, but we are pretty sure MLB did not cower to the pressure of Marc Topkin in this other incident. [Rays Report]
- Evan Longoria was named the AL co-player of the week, the same week the Rays went 2-5. Go figure…Also, Dale Thayer has been promoted from Durham. If you are in the Durham area and have a heartbeat, you might want to give the Durham Bulls a call. Just about their entire roster is in New York with the Rays and the Bulls start the playoffs tonight. They could probably use some warm bodies. [St. Pete Times]
- In a move even Joe Maddon couldn’t overthink, Wade Davis will remain in the rotation and make his next start against the Red Sox, while Andy Sonnanstine will move to the bullpen. [Tampa Tribune]
- Noah Pransky debunks the myth that the Rays play in a “small market.” [10 Connects]
- Joe Henderson takes a look at the 2010 Rays and what can be done to get back into contention. [Tampa Tribune]
Sep 09
Ft. Myers 8, Charlotte 7 (Ft. Myers leads 1-0). Jeremy Hall allowed 6 runs (5 earned) in 4.1 innings…Emeel Salem and Henry Wrigley had 4 hits apiece and Shawn Williams drove in 2.
Notes from Down on the Farm…
- Triangle Offense previews Durham’s first-round playoff matchup. [Triangle Offense]
- Rays Prospects looks back on the seasons for Nick Barnese and Matt Moore. [Rays Prospects]
- Hudson Valley set a single-season attendance record. [Renegades Rumblings]
