Rays 5, Red Sox 6
Record: 14 - 7
Attendance: 22,940
From Manager Kevin Cash down to the last man in the lineup, the Rays played a grittier game tonight than they did last night--but had the same result, another comeback that stopped short of a victory. That's one weakness. They have to learn how to win those tight games at the end. Coming close isn't good enough, not if you hope to have a postseason life.
Except for the grand slam pitch he threw to Andrew Benintendi in the second inning (disputed by possible fan interference but allowed anyway), Charlie Morton didn't pitch badly--except you can't say that! That one pitch lost the game. That's the second sub-par performance in a row from Morton. The Rays need stronger games from their $15 million man. That's a second weakness.
Tommy Pham is the mystery man. Everyone loves his intensity, his offensive and defensive dependability, his maturity as a role model for the younger Rays. But Thursday night he got caught between second and third on a pick off move and cost the Rays a genuine opportunity to score a run in a game they lost by one run. Tonight's gaffe was worse.
Down by a run in the bottom of the ninth, Pham singled with two out, putting runners on first and second. But then he was caught off base by a snap throw from C Christian Vazquez. In a heartbeat the game was over before Willy Adames had a chance to drive in the tying or winning runs. Tommy Pham's reckless base running is a third weakness.
The bullpen, which was the best in the league for a couple of weeks, has suddenly become porous. Jose Alvarado came in in the ninth and gave up two hits, a walk, and the winning run. His ineffectiveness tonight matched Diego Castillo's in the previous two losses. That's three in a row if you're counting. Maybe it's time to rethink FA closer Craig Kimbrel. The bullpen's a fourth weakness. Suddenly and surprisingly.
And wasting good offensive performances is a fifth weakness. Tonight the Rays outhit the Sox, 11 to 8. They had four triples (Meadows, Choi, Lowe, and Kiermaier) and two homers (Diaz and Garcia). And they had a fighting chance to tie the game up when Pham pulled his bonehead base running gaffe.
These weaknesses will probably turn into strengths again before this long season is over, but right now the Rays had better find a way to right the ship. Pronto.
Mitigating Factors on the Attendance Fiasco
First is the television audience. There is no way to know how many Rays fans follow the team exclusively on television--which they do for good reason, like they're too young to get to the Trop on their own, or they're too old to drive at night, or they're working. And many would-be attendees are discouraged by having to drive across the bay to St. Pete. It's an hour and fifteen minutes to the Trop from Dade City in eastern Pasco County--unless the traffic on 275 stretches the trip to an hour and forty-five minutes. That's a lot to ask of a fan. TV's a lot easier.
And it's not a cheap night out, expenses mounting quickly at $5 each for a beer and a hot dog (2018 figures), and prices escalating dramatically when you pick out name brand restaurant options. Ticket prices range widely with many attractive promotions, but regular prices range, for example, from $15 in the corners to $50+ for lower level seats behind the Rays dugout. Prices go all the way up to $200+. Those are not outrageous prices, but add it up when your party goes from two to four, say. Add in some ice cream, popcorn, peanuts. And parking. It's hard to imagine the night costing as little as $75 a person. So a trip to the Trop becomes a special outing, not something families do on a regular basis. And though it is a great date option, you better have a good job--and get to it on time in the morning after a late night at the ballpark. Of course, it may be worth it.
But note that every other baseball team in the country faces similar problems, and yet they manage to fill seats night after night. At some point, Ray's fans have to step up.
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