Rays 12, Diamondbacks 1
Record: 22-12
Attendance: 8,124 Story Line 1: The lowest home attendance this year. Lowest.
Story Line 2. Blake Snell. The Cy Young Award Winner from last year is back. He lost the opening game of the year to Justin Verlander and the Astros, then won his next two games in early April before his famous toe injury put him on the shelf for ten days. When he returned, he was either compensating for toe pain or unable to get into a post-toe pitching rhythm because his next two outings were so bad he couldn't get out of the fourth inning in either game. But tonight he was nearly perfect: no hits until the sixth, one hit in all, 83 pitches, nine strikeouts. He seemed to be laboring a little in the fifth and sixth, and was replaced by Chad Roe, who walked two, as usual, and then by Casey Sadler, who seems to be safely on the roster for now as the Rays sent Wilmer Font to the New York Mets for cash or a player to be named later. Sadler pitched two innings and gave up the only run of the night to the Diamondbacks, a tainted run that scored after an error by just-recalled Andrew Valazquez put in the game at third presumably for defensive purposes. Willy Adames was given the night off; Daniel Robertson played a very strong defensive shortstop, and went 1 for 2 with two walks and three RBIs.
Story Line 3. The bats came alive. They manufactured a run in the first and in the second Robertson walked with the bases loaded accounting for a second run. But then Tommy Pham hit a ball that carried some 430 feet (exit velocity 109.1 mph) to straightaway center for the first grand slam of his career. And then they piled on. 12 runs and 13 hits. The last two scored on Avisail Garcia's home run off catcher J. R. Murphy, put in by Diamondback manager Torey Lovullo to save his bullpen for tomorrow--a good decision if his bullpen comes in on Tuesday night throwing bullets.
This Arizona team is now 20-15 and went into last night's action a game behind the high flying Dodgers in the NL West. They're no pushovers. The Rays face two more games with them, and it's safe to say they had better be at their best if they hope to compete--they should not be fooled by this lopsided contest.
Story Line 4. Tommy Pham. In his post-game interview, Manager Kevin Cash had this to say about him: "He's a huge presence in our lineup. He can do damage with base hits, with the high average. He can do damage hitting balls in gaps. Knock them out of the ballpark. He works pitchers, he draws walks. He does everything."
Sunday, May 5. Rainout
The rainout gave the Rays an even split of the two-game set with the Orioles, and more importantly gave them a day of rest as they head home for three games against the Arizona Diamondbacks beginning tomorrow. In the first game, Blake Snell looks to redeem himself after two-in-a-row three-inning outings (0-2, 12.79 ERA). It would be a lot easier to believe in this team if last year's Cy Young Award winner returned to his dominant performances of 2018. Without him, it's hard to imagine the Rays can amount to much in 2019. He says he's made some unspecified adjustments for today's game. We shall see.
Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times interviewed Rays' General Manager Erik Neander in Baltimore and asked pointedly about the performances of Willy Adames (.221 BA) and Daniel Robertson (.172). Neander replied that only 20% of the season has been played and that he expected them both to come around as long as they continued "putting their work in." That's more or less supportive, but elsewhere in the interview he did say that "we've always got to be open to anything and anywhere that we think has a chance to upgrade out team." That's the thinking that got the Tommy Pham deal done last summer, so why not look for a big league shortstop?
Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times interviewed Rays' General Manager Erik Neander in Baltimore and asked pointedly about the performances of Willy Adames (.221 BA) and Daniel Robertson (.172). Neander replied that only 20% of the season has been played and that he expected them both to come around as long as they continued "putting their work in." That's more or less supportive, but elsewhere in the interview he did say that "we've always got to be open to anything and anywhere that we think has a chance to upgrade out team." That's the thinking that got the Tommy Pham deal done last summer, so why not look for a big league shortstop?
Saturday, May 4: Game 33. Adames runs Rays out of a rally
Rays 0, Orioles 3
Record: 21-12
Attendance: 15,241
Yonny Chirinos was scheduled to be the bulker in tonight's game, but was named the starter instead about an hour before game time. He pitched into the eighth inning giving up three runs on seven hits and a walk, lackluster but not bad, but not nearly good enough to beat Baltimore's Dylan Bundy, who was 0-4 going into the game with a 6.67 ERA, and who pitched into the eighth, combining with two relievers to shut the Rays out.. Chirinos's record fell to 4-1 with a 3.52 ERA.
The Rays could manage a mere three hits off Bundy, who threw his best game of the new season--unless it was yet another of the too-frequent lazy hitting the Rays fall into. In the eighth the Rays had their only opportunity after Michael Perez slashed a one-out double to left. Willy Adames followed with a swinging bunt that he beat out to first and then took second while Perez scored on a wild throw to first. But, no. Adames ran out of the base path on his way to first and was called out for interference, which took the run off the board and put Perez back on second. Instead of having one run in, a man on second, and one out, there was no run in, a man on second, and two outs. Brandon Lowe made the last out of the inning. In the dugout Manager Cash seemed to flash uncharacteristic temper when Adames approached him.
Adames shows flashes of brilliance, but there are also flashes of incompetence. He may be the best the Rays have at shortstop right now, but I'd be surprised if management wasn't looking for options. It would be a bold move, but 18-year-old Wander Franco in A ball might be worth a look.
Today's Tampa Bay Times carried a long piece by columnist John Romano about the seriousness of the attendance problem, but nowhere does he recognize the significance of the retiree problem, namely that the many retired baseball fans in the area never stopped rooting for their old hometown team in favor of their new hometown team. That's what makes our franchise different from Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, and Denver. If even half the fans of the Yankees, Red, Sox, Tigers, etc. began rooting for the Rays, the attendance would show a dramatic improvement, and we wouldn't be having this conversation. But that's not going to happen. The only reasonable conclusion is that the team will be forced to relocate. This isn't a political problem, a traffic problem, or a corporate problem, it's a problem traceable to the nature of our population--and nothing's going to change that. Sadly.
Record: 21-12
Attendance: 15,241
Yonny Chirinos was scheduled to be the bulker in tonight's game, but was named the starter instead about an hour before game time. He pitched into the eighth inning giving up three runs on seven hits and a walk, lackluster but not bad, but not nearly good enough to beat Baltimore's Dylan Bundy, who was 0-4 going into the game with a 6.67 ERA, and who pitched into the eighth, combining with two relievers to shut the Rays out.. Chirinos's record fell to 4-1 with a 3.52 ERA.
The Rays could manage a mere three hits off Bundy, who threw his best game of the new season--unless it was yet another of the too-frequent lazy hitting the Rays fall into. In the eighth the Rays had their only opportunity after Michael Perez slashed a one-out double to left. Willy Adames followed with a swinging bunt that he beat out to first and then took second while Perez scored on a wild throw to first. But, no. Adames ran out of the base path on his way to first and was called out for interference, which took the run off the board and put Perez back on second. Instead of having one run in, a man on second, and one out, there was no run in, a man on second, and two outs. Brandon Lowe made the last out of the inning. In the dugout Manager Cash seemed to flash uncharacteristic temper when Adames approached him.
Adames shows flashes of brilliance, but there are also flashes of incompetence. He may be the best the Rays have at shortstop right now, but I'd be surprised if management wasn't looking for options. It would be a bold move, but 18-year-old Wander Franco in A ball might be worth a look.
Today's Tampa Bay Times carried a long piece by columnist John Romano about the seriousness of the attendance problem, but nowhere does he recognize the significance of the retiree problem, namely that the many retired baseball fans in the area never stopped rooting for their old hometown team in favor of their new hometown team. That's what makes our franchise different from Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, and Denver. If even half the fans of the Yankees, Red, Sox, Tigers, etc. began rooting for the Rays, the attendance would show a dramatic improvement, and we wouldn't be having this conversation. But that's not going to happen. The only reasonable conclusion is that the team will be forced to relocate. This isn't a political problem, a traffic problem, or a corporate problem, it's a problem traceable to the nature of our population--and nothing's going to change that. Sadly.
Friday, May 3. Game 32. Tyler Glasnow (6-0, 1.47 ERA), April's Pitcher of the Month Starts May Perfectly
Rays 7, Orioles 0
Record: 21-11
Attendance: 10,034 The Rays aren't the only team whose attendance figures are pathetic.
Still smarting from Wednesday's double-header loss to the lowly Kansas City Royals, the Rays called on their new ace, April's AL Pitcher of the Month, Tyler Glass, to get them retracked, which he did with amazing ease and efficiency in a 7-0 win against the Orioles. Added on to Thursday's performance by Charlie Morton that squared up the KC series, Glasnow went seven innings, striking out eight, walking none, and giving up only three hits over 92 pitches on his way to a major-league-leading six wins to go along with his 1.47 ERA. If the Rays can keep the pressure on, the double-header loss to Kansas City will become more motivation than embarrassment.
Jeff Seidel of MLB wrote the online wrap up and quoted Oriole manager Brandon Hyde: "On a night like that, you have to tip your hat to a really, really good pitcher who had his stuff. That was electric stuff. I liked his presence and how he attacks guys. The whole package. I haven’t seen many like that in a long time.”
The Rays scored in the first (again) on doubles by Brandon Lowe (the AL Rookie of the Month in April) and Tommy Pham. They went on to score four in the fourth, the big blow being Mike Zunino's three-run homer, and added on two more runs in the sixth. In all the Rays collected 12 hits and six walks and had this game won from the outset.
Now it would be good to see them improvise their way to another victory today, with opener Ryan Stanek scheduled to be followed by bulker Yonny Chirinos.
Record: 21-11
Attendance: 10,034 The Rays aren't the only team whose attendance figures are pathetic.
Still smarting from Wednesday's double-header loss to the lowly Kansas City Royals, the Rays called on their new ace, April's AL Pitcher of the Month, Tyler Glass, to get them retracked, which he did with amazing ease and efficiency in a 7-0 win against the Orioles. Added on to Thursday's performance by Charlie Morton that squared up the KC series, Glasnow went seven innings, striking out eight, walking none, and giving up only three hits over 92 pitches on his way to a major-league-leading six wins to go along with his 1.47 ERA. If the Rays can keep the pressure on, the double-header loss to Kansas City will become more motivation than embarrassment.
Jeff Seidel of MLB wrote the online wrap up and quoted Oriole manager Brandon Hyde: "On a night like that, you have to tip your hat to a really, really good pitcher who had his stuff. That was electric stuff. I liked his presence and how he attacks guys. The whole package. I haven’t seen many like that in a long time.”
The Rays scored in the first (again) on doubles by Brandon Lowe (the AL Rookie of the Month in April) and Tommy Pham. They went on to score four in the fourth, the big blow being Mike Zunino's three-run homer, and added on two more runs in the sixth. In all the Rays collected 12 hits and six walks and had this game won from the outset.
Now it would be good to see them improvise their way to another victory today, with opener Ryan Stanek scheduled to be followed by bulker Yonny Chirinos.
Thursday, May 2. Game 31. Rays split with Royals. Rookie and veteran step up.
Rays 3 Royals 1
Record: 20-11 Ten percentage points behind the Minnesota Twins (19-10) for the best record in baseball.
Attendance: 23,343. Maybe they showed up in embarrassment for the way they stayed home yesterday.
The bad news is that the Rays have still not won a one-run game this year. Going into the ninth inning they were tied at one with the Royals. Wily Peralta walked Daniel Robertson and then with two outs, the just announced American League Rookie of the Month of April, Brandon Lowe, hit a low liner into right field that kept carrying until it settled on the other side of the fence, his seventh round tripper of the year. So they won by two to keep their 0-5 record intact for one-run games. And for now, at least, that's just fine.
As Charlie Morton was quoted in the morning Tampa Bay Times on the Lowe homer, "To get up there in a tie ballgame and hit a go-ahead homer, right there to close out a series, it's a big deal. It's a really big deal."
Lowe, whose rookie status was preserved this year because he fell one at-bat short of rookie status last year, signed a six-year, $24 million contract extension during spring training.
This was a game that couldn't really be called "must win," it's only May 2 after all. But the way they looked losing two yesterday to the Royals, playing with neither energy or heart, was so bad that the Rays as a team had something to prove. In the end, they managed to escape Kansas City with a four-game split. It was a great relief, and the team was more than happy to leave Kansas City behind and move on to Baltimore. It's not that the Orioles are slim pickings, of course, but the 11-21 Royals (only the Marlins have a worse record) made one thing perfectly clear. If the Rays are going to play themselves into the post-season, they are going to have to bear down all the time, every game, every inning, every at-bat. Regardless of the competition.
Answering the bell for the Rays today was Charlie Morton who went six and two-thirds giving up five hits and a walk and striking out nine in 101 pitches. Good as he was, however, the score was tied when he left and the win went to Adam Kolarek, who got the last two outs in the eighth. Diego Castillo came on to pitch a perfect ninth for the save.
Alex Gordon, quoted by the AP in the game wrap-up, talked about Charlie Morton: "He's nasty. Usually I'm pretty frustrated when the offense only scores one run. But when the guy has stuff like that and commands it like that, it's hard to hit."
Record: 20-11 Ten percentage points behind the Minnesota Twins (19-10) for the best record in baseball.
Attendance: 23,343. Maybe they showed up in embarrassment for the way they stayed home yesterday.
The bad news is that the Rays have still not won a one-run game this year. Going into the ninth inning they were tied at one with the Royals. Wily Peralta walked Daniel Robertson and then with two outs, the just announced American League Rookie of the Month of April, Brandon Lowe, hit a low liner into right field that kept carrying until it settled on the other side of the fence, his seventh round tripper of the year. So they won by two to keep their 0-5 record intact for one-run games. And for now, at least, that's just fine.
As Charlie Morton was quoted in the morning Tampa Bay Times on the Lowe homer, "To get up there in a tie ballgame and hit a go-ahead homer, right there to close out a series, it's a big deal. It's a really big deal."
Lowe, whose rookie status was preserved this year because he fell one at-bat short of rookie status last year, signed a six-year, $24 million contract extension during spring training.
This was a game that couldn't really be called "must win," it's only May 2 after all. But the way they looked losing two yesterday to the Royals, playing with neither energy or heart, was so bad that the Rays as a team had something to prove. In the end, they managed to escape Kansas City with a four-game split. It was a great relief, and the team was more than happy to leave Kansas City behind and move on to Baltimore. It's not that the Orioles are slim pickings, of course, but the 11-21 Royals (only the Marlins have a worse record) made one thing perfectly clear. If the Rays are going to play themselves into the post-season, they are going to have to bear down all the time, every game, every inning, every at-bat. Regardless of the competition.
Answering the bell for the Rays today was Charlie Morton who went six and two-thirds giving up five hits and a walk and striking out nine in 101 pitches. Good as he was, however, the score was tied when he left and the win went to Adam Kolarek, who got the last two outs in the eighth. Diego Castillo came on to pitch a perfect ninth for the save.
Alex Gordon, quoted by the AP in the game wrap-up, talked about Charlie Morton: "He's nasty. Usually I'm pretty frustrated when the offense only scores one run. But when the guy has stuff like that and commands it like that, it's hard to hit."
Wednesday, May 1. Game two of doubleheader, A Mess
Rays 2, Royals 8
Record: 19-11
Attendance: 11,411 The announced crowd was for game two of the double header. Marc Topkin of the Times reported that there were no more than a "few hundred" people at the beginning of the first game.
Nothing went right for the Rays in the second game of the doubleheader except for ninth inning homers by Daniel Robertson and Ji-Man Choi. It was only the second game all year they were blown out, the other one being a 10-2 trouncing at the hands of, yes, the Kansas City Royals.
The post-game talk was all about the double collapse. Kevin Kiermaier, who has turned into the team conscience, was quoted in the Times that the team effort was "unacceptable" and that they "had no energy throughout the whole day." He added that they have "to come ready to play each and every day." Snell, however, who had just turned in one of his worst performances in two years, says that his broken toe had nothing to do with it. His post-break record (0-2, 12.79 ERA) might suggest otherwise, but he maintains everything is in order. "To fans, it'll be a big deal," he said, "but I'm not worried about it."
Okay. No worries. But just think what the Rays wonderful start this year would have been if their Cy Young award winning pitcher had shown up instead of the guy who is currently 2-3 with a 4.31 ERA.
And so we fans put the lost doubleheader behind us and rally behind (3-0) Charlie Morton to step up and get the team out of KC with a 2-2 record, which will be a small triumph.
One other small triumph should be noted. Willie Adames went 2 for 4 in the opener, driving in the team's only runs. Perhaps his job is secure after all, but Times columnist John Romano chose yesterday to publish a piece on 18-year-old switch-hitting shortstop Wander Franco, who was just named Class A Midwest League's player of the week. That would put him on track for maybe a 2021 big league debut, but a kid who turns as many heads as Franco does might surprise the experts. All he's done so far is hit .342 with 14 homers in his first 316 minor league at-bats. Willie may be safe for the moment, but unless he steps his game up considerably, he's just keeping the position warm until the Kid is ready to take over.
Record: 19-11
Attendance: 11,411 The announced crowd was for game two of the double header. Marc Topkin of the Times reported that there were no more than a "few hundred" people at the beginning of the first game.
Nothing went right for the Rays in the second game of the doubleheader except for ninth inning homers by Daniel Robertson and Ji-Man Choi. It was only the second game all year they were blown out, the other one being a 10-2 trouncing at the hands of, yes, the Kansas City Royals.
The post-game talk was all about the double collapse. Kevin Kiermaier, who has turned into the team conscience, was quoted in the Times that the team effort was "unacceptable" and that they "had no energy throughout the whole day." He added that they have "to come ready to play each and every day." Snell, however, who had just turned in one of his worst performances in two years, says that his broken toe had nothing to do with it. His post-break record (0-2, 12.79 ERA) might suggest otherwise, but he maintains everything is in order. "To fans, it'll be a big deal," he said, "but I'm not worried about it."
Okay. No worries. But just think what the Rays wonderful start this year would have been if their Cy Young award winning pitcher had shown up instead of the guy who is currently 2-3 with a 4.31 ERA.
And so we fans put the lost doubleheader behind us and rally behind (3-0) Charlie Morton to step up and get the team out of KC with a 2-2 record, which will be a small triumph.
One other small triumph should be noted. Willie Adames went 2 for 4 in the opener, driving in the team's only runs. Perhaps his job is secure after all, but Times columnist John Romano chose yesterday to publish a piece on 18-year-old switch-hitting shortstop Wander Franco, who was just named Class A Midwest League's player of the week. That would put him on track for maybe a 2021 big league debut, but a kid who turns as many heads as Franco does might surprise the experts. All he's done so far is hit .342 with 14 homers in his first 316 minor league at-bats. Willie may be safe for the moment, but unless he steps his game up considerably, he's just keeping the position warm until the Kid is ready to take over.
Wednesday, May 1: Game one of doubleheader, A Shame
Rays 2, Royals 3
Record: 19-10
Attendance: Not published
This is the fifth one-run game the Rays have dropped this season; they have won only one. Good teams, the ones that get to the post-season, always have a good record in one-run games. Three of those one-run losses were in extra-inning games. That's another category good teams excel at. Neither of these warning signs are critical on May first, but sometime in the next five months they had better learn how to win close games.
Turning the tables on the Rays, Kansas City scored three first inning runs, the big blow a two-run homer by Adalberto Mondesi, and made them hold up for the rest of the game. The Rays had eight hits to the Royals' four and the Royals seemed to be dodging bullets all afternoon, but in the end, the Rays could not push the tying run across after scoring two runs in the second on a Willy Adames double to right. After that both offenses took the rest of the game off.
That suggests good pitching, and both teams got it after opener Ryne Stanek, the Kansas City home boy who had his whole collection of friends and family on hand for his first perfect opening on Monday, collapsed this time around, the first such hiccup in his work in March and April. It was his first loss of the year: one inning, three hits, three runs, one walk, and the homer by Mondesi.
But Jalen Beeks came in for the next six and two-third innings and pitched a near perfect game allowing only one hit and two walks while striking out six. Hunter Wood struck out the only batter he faced in the eighth. But in the end, the near miss 3-2 loss wasn't nearly as hard to take as the second game of the double header, an 8-2 loss pinned on Blake Snell, who lasted three innings giving up six hits, three walks, and seven earned runs.
Record: 19-10
Attendance: Not published
This is the fifth one-run game the Rays have dropped this season; they have won only one. Good teams, the ones that get to the post-season, always have a good record in one-run games. Three of those one-run losses were in extra-inning games. That's another category good teams excel at. Neither of these warning signs are critical on May first, but sometime in the next five months they had better learn how to win close games.
Turning the tables on the Rays, Kansas City scored three first inning runs, the big blow a two-run homer by Adalberto Mondesi, and made them hold up for the rest of the game. The Rays had eight hits to the Royals' four and the Royals seemed to be dodging bullets all afternoon, but in the end, the Rays could not push the tying run across after scoring two runs in the second on a Willy Adames double to right. After that both offenses took the rest of the game off.
That suggests good pitching, and both teams got it after opener Ryne Stanek, the Kansas City home boy who had his whole collection of friends and family on hand for his first perfect opening on Monday, collapsed this time around, the first such hiccup in his work in March and April. It was his first loss of the year: one inning, three hits, three runs, one walk, and the homer by Mondesi.
But Jalen Beeks came in for the next six and two-third innings and pitched a near perfect game allowing only one hit and two walks while striking out six. Hunter Wood struck out the only batter he faced in the eighth. But in the end, the near miss 3-2 loss wasn't nearly as hard to take as the second game of the double header, an 8-2 loss pinned on Blake Snell, who lasted three innings giving up six hits, three walks, and seven earned runs.
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