Sep 02
One year ago on Rays Index we discussed Stuart Sternberg’s most famous statement, “This is who we are.”
Sternberg On Kazmir Deal: This Is Who We Are [Rays Index]
Archive for September 2nd, 2010
Sep 02
This interview is about a week old, and most of the answers are very benign. But we don’t get to hear from Carl Crawford to often. He does field one telling question in which he is asked whether the Angels could be an option for him next season.
I have to keep my options open. You know, every team is an option, if that’s what happens. Like I said, I would like to try and see if me and the Rays can get something done first. But if that doesn’t happen, I’ll be open for whoever really wants me the most.
Maybe CC is just being polite and saying the right thing. But keep in mind, this is a dramatic change in tone from earlier in the year when he declared that he and Pena would be leaving. And don’t forget, his good buddy Torii Hunter thinks CC will re-sign with the Rays.
While this comment seems to leave the door open a bit, we still think it is a longshot that Crawford returns next season.
Carl Crawford : Keeping His Options Open [LA Angels Insider]
Sep 02
From time to time we are going to take a look at the 2010 attendance and see how this season stacks up against last year and whether the Rays can reach their goal of being average (in attendance).
Notes on the attendance follow the graph…
Notes on the 2010 attendance…
- In 2009, the Rays averaged 23,148 per game and drew 1.87 million fans. That was the most since their inaugural season of 1998 when they drew 2.5 million.
- While the Rays have not stated any attendance goals this season, last year it was league average. So far in 2010, MLB is averaging 30,230 fans per game. That is down 0.3% from last year’s average of 30,324.
- After 69 home games last year, the Rays were averaging 24,115. So far this year the Rays are averaging 22,679, 23rd in baseball, and are on pace for 1.84 million. That is down 6.0% from the same point last last year.
Sep 02
[THE HANGOVER] The One Where We Discuss Price Strong Finish, Soriano’s Final Gear And A Bad Start For New Faces
Brad Hawpe, Dan Johnson, Matt Moore, Rafael Soriano 14 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 GOOD: David Price. There was a time when David Price couldn’t hit 96 with one pitch. But last night, his 100th pitch was 96 mph. That was just the most obvious example of how Price got stronger as the night moved along. It started with 2 walks in the first, in which 10 of his 19 pitches were out of the zone. But in the next 7 innings, he threw only 20 balls…Ralph Soriano. He didn’t have the good stuff to start the 9th. Of his first 11 pitches, only 1 was greater than 93 mph. The 11th pitch was smacked for a 1-out triple. But then MFIKY found an extra gear. The next 10 pitches were 94-96 as he fought back to retire the last 2 batters and seal the win.
THE BAD: New Faces. Joe Maddon decided to go with his triple-A lineup, by throwing Dioner Navarro, Brad Hawpe and Desmond Jennings straight into the mix. It was a rough night, as the trio went a combined 1-10 with 6 strikeouts, leaving 9 runners on base. Brad Hawpe went 0-4 with 4 strikeouts, including a curious situation in which Joe Maddon left Hawpe in with 2 outs in the 8th and the bases loaded against a lefty.
THE TELLING: Grant Balfour was activated from the DL…According to CoolStandings.com the Rays have a 98.3% shot at the playoffs. The Red Sox are at 2.7%.
WHERE THEY STAND: The Rays are 82-51, 1 game behind the Yankees and 7 games ahead of the Red Sox in the Wild Card. After 133 games in 2008, the Rays were 82-51.
THE JUNKYARD DOGS WEBTOPIA…
- Joe Maddon on why the game-ending flyball was able to be caught by Carl Crawford: “I thought it was going to hit a catwalk…and because I think the building and I have made up since my last outburst…and for that reason alone, the ball avoided something.” [Sun Sports]
- Matt Moore is the first minor leaguer to strikeout 200 batters in a season since Francisco Liriano in 2005. [MiLB]
- Seth Livingstone points to Read the rest of this entry »
