Tampa Bay Rays
2008 Record: 97-65 (.599), AL Champs
2008 Pythagorean Record: 92-70 (.568)
Manager: Joe Maddon
General Manager: Andrew Friedman
Home Ballpark (multi-year Park Factors): Tropicana Field (102/103)
Who’s Replaced Whom:
- Pat Burrell replaces Eric Hinske and Jonny Gomes
- Gabe Kapler replaces Cliff Floyd
- Jeff Niemann replaces Edwin Jackson (and is holding a spot for David Price)
- Brian Shouse replaces Trever Miller
- Joe Nelson replaces Jason Hammel
- Lance Cormier replaces Gary Glover and Chad Bradford (DL)
25-man Roster:
1B – Carlos Peña (L)
2B – Akinori Iwamura (L)
SS – Jason Bartlett (R)
3B – Evan Longoria (R)
C – Dioner Navarro (S)
RF – Gabe Gross (L)
CF – B.J. Upton (R)
LF – Carl Crawford (L)
DH – Pat Burrell (R)
Bench:
S – Willy Aybar (1B/3B)
S – Ben Zobrist (UT)
R – Gabe Kapler (OF)
R – Shawn Riggans (C)
Rotation:
R – James Shields
L – Scott Kazmir
R – Matt Garza
R – Andy Sonnanstine
R – Jeff Niemann
Bullpen:
R – Troy Percival
R – Grant Balfour
L – J.P. Howell
R – Dan Wheeler
L – Brian Shouse
R – Joe Nelson
R – Lance Cormier
15-day DL: RHP – Chad Bradford (elbow surgery), RHP – Jason Isringhausen (rehab from September elbow surgery), OF – Fernando Perez (broken wrist)
Projected Lineup:
R – B.J. Upton (CF)
L – Carl Crawford (LF)
R – Evan Longoria (3B)
L – Carlos Peña (1B)
R – Pat Burrell (DH)
L – Gabe Gross (RF)
S – Dioner Navarro (C)
L – Akinori Iwamura (2B)
R – Jason Bartlett (SS)
Notes: Gross will platoon with Gabe Kapler and Ben Zobrist in right field.
I’ve spilled a lot of words on the Rays in various places since last September. So much so that I forget what I’ve written here. I know I took a good hard look at why they were winning last September. I know I gave four reasons why I thought the Rays were the best team in the playoffs last October (expanding on the fourth item from this list).
As you can see from the contrast between their actual and Pythagorean records above, the Rays did overachieve a bit last year (their 29 one-run wins were the second most in the majors), but as I’ve told many people this winter, I think the Rays have made enough improvements to compensate for the regression that would otherwise be expected from them as they try to defend their first American League pennant. Those improvements include:
- Singing Pat Burell, a 3.5-win player according to VORP, and stashing him at DH where neither he nor the team will have to worry about his abysmal play in the field.
- Installing David Price in the rotation, giving the Rays a number-five starter who could actually prove to be one of the best pitchers in the American League (see: Chamberlain, Joba).
- Flipping last year’s number-five starter, Edwin Jackson, to Detroit for 24-year-old outfielder Matt Joyce. Joyce is a strong defensive outfielder with big-time power from the left-side of the plate and a good batting eye to boot. He represents a significant upgrade over Gabe Gross as the strong side of their right-field platoon.
- Having a post-op B.J. Upton. Upton played most of last season with a torn labrum in his left shoulder which sapped him of his power at the plate and saw his isolated power drop from .208 in 2007 to .128 last year. After hitting just nine home runs while nursing his shoulder through the 2008 regular season, Upton let loose in the postseason and cracked seven jacks in just 16 games. He comes off the disabled list tonight and should return to his homer-hitting ways of two years ago, only now he can combine it with is improved plate discipline of 2008 (93 unintentional walks and 20 fewer strikeouts in 92 more plate appearances than 2007).
- Having an experienced Evan Longoria for a full season. The Rays waited until mid-April to bring up eventual Longoria last season, and the rookie hit just .310/.309/.381 in his first month in the big leagues. From May 16 through the end of the season, he hit .292/.353/.577. This year, he was their opening day third baseman, and is already raking.
- Having Carl Crawford in his walk year. In Baseball Prospectus’s Baseball Between the Numbers, Dayn Perry showed that the phenomenon of players performing better in their walk years than in the years before and after was both real and independent of typical age-related performance curves. Crawford is nonetheless in his peak age-27 season, coming off a very disappointing campaign (in terms of his personal performance, that is), and in his walk year. He hasn’t shown the maturation that was expected from him (he’s never hit 20 homers or drawn 35 unintentional walks), but he seems like a very good bet to significantly improve upon his 2008 performance.
Those six players, as well as new righty platoon outfielder Gabe Gross and bullpen reinforcements Joe Nelson and lefty Brian Shouse, should help compensate for the regressio the Rays can expect elsewhere. The catch is that two of those six players are stuck in Durham, playing for the Rays Triple-A affilate. Price is there because he’s both on the Longoria plan to suppress his arbitration clock and the Chamberlain plan to suppress his innings total. Joyce is there simply because he had options left and Gabe Gross didn’t.
Gross, a 29-year-old former first-round pick of the Blue Jays, is a massively uninteresting player. He’s a career .254/.353/.429 hitter against righties who hit almost exactly that against right-handed pitching in 2008 and is athletic enough not to hurt the Rays on the bases or in the field, but there’s no good reason for him to have the job that is rightly Joyce’s. Jeff Niemann, whom the Rays took out of Rice with the fourth-overall pick in 2004, is keeping the fifth rotation spot warm for Price. The massive (6-foot-9, 280 pounds) 26-year-old righty is a solid prospect, but is yet another young arm who was overworked at Rice and was beat up by the Orioles in his first start in Price’s stead on Saturday.
The Rays will have to rectify those two missteps, but I trust that they will, and that they’ll hang tight with the Yankees and Red Sox throughout the season, though I do think they’ll ultimately be the best team not to make the playoffs this season.
Tonight, Upton makes his return to the lineup and Scott Kazmir makes his second start of the season. Chien-Ming Wang takes the hill for the Yankees looking to implement a mechanical fix he and Dave Eiland made following his disastrous first start. Wang was simply not getting on top of his pitches and they were staying up in the zone.
Melky Cabrera starts in center field against the lefty Kazmir. Cabrera hit into two double plays in three trips while starting for Johnny Damon in Kansas City yesterday and struck out on three pitches in his only previous at-bat this season. Brett Gardner isn’t setting the world on fire, but Melky can’t hit from the right-side of the plate, so there’s little logic to giving him the start tonight.
The MRI on Mark Teixeira’s left wrist showed no structural damage. He’ll sit again tonight because of the lefty on the mound (the wrist effects his right-handed swing most of all), but should be back in the lineup tomorrow against Matt Garza. Nick Swisher starts at first base and hits third again.
Hideki Matsui drops down to the seventh spot against the lefty Kazmir despite showing some signs of pulling out of his early doldrums (2-for-7 with a double and two walks the last two days).
I think it's awesome that Gabe Kapler is still playing baseball. Or, not 'still', but again. He's an inspiration to me.
Mark Fidrych is dead.
Yeah, I heard that. Under his pickup truck, apparently working on the truck and there was some kind of accident.
Melky in CF? I guess Joe was impressed with that runs-scoring GIDP.
I wonder why Cano didn't move up to take Matsui's place -- to preserve a good L/R/L/R pattern, but also because, you know, he's been awesome.
The sub-replacement level player remains at 3B (i'm being overly harsh in hopes of provoking the reverse mojo effect).
[6] A-Rod hit off a tee today.
Lead off laser hr. for Jody Gerut at Citi Field. Yikes.
Pelfrey getting pelted .... pfft!
[7] Life is good!
well I see the cowbells have made a return to The Trop...wonderful
It's so weird to see the Trop full. Of Rays fans, no less.
Did anyone hear the song that Piazza and Seaver came out to? Good lord.
[13]
Was it "You(r tax dollars) belong to this Citi?"
It was Beginnings by Chicago.
A frigging lovers ballad. It was really, really bad.
[13] there is really no good reason to christen your brand new park with Peter Cetera
I don't see any command from Wang
That looked bad. Let's hope Wanger is just taking a while to find his slot, groove, whatever.
Hoo boy.
Oh boy.
yes Rays fans, that was clearly intentional
This game could get ugly very fast...If I was Girardi, I'd make a trip and tell Wang forget about the runners.
That was impressive. Looks like that sinker is sinking now.
looked down the middle; good movement though
Kay's voice is like a jackhammer to the skull
He went there
[25]
Would it be rude to suggest that Harry Kalas sounds better at this point?
Yeesh.
ugh
that 1-2 pitch was good. others not so much
Ugh.
Pissing away yesterday's game is this much more annoying now.
christ what is wrong with wang!?!
How many times does Kay say "actually" in a broadcast?
Hm, this could be a looooooong game.
Wang's location is up in the zone again...because of the injury, he will remain a concern to me until he has a run of success.
In the meantime, flling behind wto Kazmir without Arod and Tex isn't the best way to start off. My trepidation about this matchup from the start is why yesterday's loss was particularly painful.
Good thing so few relievers were used yesterday.
oh wait
flaherty is right about wang
[33]
We could turn that into a drinking game .... which we might need tonight.
settle in kids, gonna be one of those nights
Maybe they should bring in Ramiro Pena to pitch. He's done no wrong so far.
And that bullpen needs some saving.
That was the world's slowest moving gapper.
Wang is effectively the #5 starter.
on a different note - at least we see that douche tek still likes to leave his mask on during a fracas
well right now he is. He's had shitty stretches like this before; I think he'll get right. Eventually.
[42] Which is going to be fun when Burnett gets hurt.
good god
This is excruciating.
Oh, come on. Time for something to go right.
Yike, that sinker didn't sink either...
That might be Navarro’s first INF hit…EVER.
Guys, calm down. They'll get to two outs eventually!
Probably.
Maybe...
At least tomorrow is Burnett v Garza (pretty even matchup I would think) but decided advantage day after with Pettitte v Soninstine
This inning is never going to end, is it?
With the state of the bullpen, I think you have to leave Wang in until he gets to 80-90 pitches regardless. This is the kind of game when it would be nice if MLB had the mercy rule.
At least get Gabe Gross out.
Yeah, I'm not tremendously worried about Wang in the long run.
Today, on the other hand, ugh.
is that Thurston Howell III sitting behind home plate?
Wang hasn't touched 95 in his start+...that concerns me.
[56] I thought he was in the Rays bulloen.
The worst thing is this is somehow going to lead to Brett Tomko getting called up
sometimes i really wish cone was a/the pitching coach
[55] Yeah RIY, Flash said he's late with his arm in conjunction with his body. They need to fix that before he hurts himself, or continues to throw an elevated sinker...
Bleh...
Alby might need to take one for the team then get optioned out for, say, Robertson
Wang has had spells like this before, so I'm not too concerned overall but it's tough to watch right now.
On the other hand, another start like this and I will begin to worry.
Oh, where have you gone Darryl Rasner? Fuck a duck.
Okay. Enough of this.
THANK YOU ya tool!
Hmmmm.
I have no idea what to do here.
Lucky to get the out -- so I guess you give him a chance to get the third out.
thanks god gabe gross is a baserunning dolt
Hey, think about it folks, even if it takes Wang a little while to get straight, maybe they have to send him to the DL for some made up or real reason - the 6th starter is Phil Hughes.
Who knows. Maybe he'll fix something in the dugout and get through five
I would sort of like to have Ian Kennedy in the bullpen right now.
*checks tv listings*
That could've been even a lot worse
[69] I fear Kei Igawa would make an appearance when Burnett gets hurt.
He was safe. Umpire showed mercy.
Whew.
You have to like Wang hustling to cover there. I mean, he's not sulking.
I have faith in Wanger... in the long run.
[59] If Wang (or anyone else) isn't going to give you innings, then you do need Tomko. Albaladejo has looked very good, so it's a waste to use him as a mop up guy.
While Wang has had ugly stretches before, they have never come after a serious ankle injury. His early poor start combined with reduced velocity make him a real concern.
[75] Yeah, I didn't want to Speak His Name, but I was thinking of him when I wrote "Ian Kennedy" in [71].
Four runs is the worst. Three I still feel relatively optimistic, 5 or more and I sort of write the game off; if they come back it's a bonus. But four ... Four is tough.
Ah...of course...it's Arod fault.
How is Rasner doing in Japan?
Wow.
RUFKM
holy crap - bossman junior is so smooth
[80] He had a complete game victory in his first start.
Re: A Rod - It's funny, but I actually miss that nut. I guess I got used to his antics.
So easy. So smooth.
That was sweet!
Catches like that are demoralizing when you are chasing 4 runs against a very good pitcher.
A center fielder. A center fielder.
That catch was gorgeous.
[83] Wow, really? That's awesome. I always like him. I'm glad he's finding success somewhere.
[78] The way Kaz is dealing, four runs looks insurmountable... and that's on the assumption that somehow we hold them to four!
[76] I've never, ever been a fan of the traditional long man. I never quite understood why teams need the worst pitcher they can find to drive a semi-competitive game into a total laugher. Part of the reason I liked the job Geise did in that role for part of the season was he could give you innings and keep the team within striking distance.
S-M-O-O-T-H. That's going to hurt even worse watching Melky flail helplessly away at Kazmir.
Games like this are so much easier to stomach...unfortunately, yesterday's loss is still sticking in my craw.
They're going to be no hit. They look lost.
[95] Too true.
[88] Not to me. If it were a close game, I'd be pissed. Tonight, it's just beautiful.
[97] Check.
B.J. Upton ... athlete.
Oh, Rob.
One of those nights...
this is ugly all around
OMG THEY'RE NOT WAITING FOR TWO STRIKES TO RUN. CLEARLY THEY DONT KNOW THE BASEBALL.
In other news, thats the second time in two games that a ball has rolled by two Yankee infielders.
Ah yes, those scrappy play the game right Rays and their faithful and so into the game fans, making the Yanks look like old timers...
If the first part wasn't seemingly so true, it would hurt less...
Also beautiful.
Brett, are you watching?
yowza ...
Why does Girardi care about a SB here? His pitcher can't get outs!
Can they just call this game and start again tomorrow, cause its kind of embarrassing.
Setting up the triple play, good move.
Seriously, its amazing how this team can go from looking great to awful in like two innings.
The worst thing is this is fucking boring.
Someone has to create a "Leave the Game Index" that includes Win Expectancy, How Much you Paid for Tickets, and re: [72] What Else is on TV.
The strikeout was the only thing Wang did right in the first
[112] "Chuck" is a rerun.
[112]
Nice!
[93] If your pitchers can all give you innings, I agree. Going into this season, I expected all five men in the rotation to do just that. Unfirtunately, that has been far from the case. The reason a long man is useful on a staff that doesn't provide innings is so you don't waste an arm like Albaladejo in garbage time.
Its also amazing how bad Wang looks when hes off.
[98] I meant to the players...I agree with you...it's a lot easier to admire a play like that when the game is all but salted away.
[114]
This is "Upchuck"
[116] I'd take Ian Kennedy. I just can't watch a never was give up six runs in four innings and turn a 7-3 game into a 13-3 game.
[119] Ouch.
Now make a "24" joke.
This is mind numbingly bad.
Is there any reason why Wang was still pitching there?
Just got in, did CMW's sucky twin take his place tonight?
This is brutal. 60 ptiches, and he walks in a run.
If 'Surrender' were an option, would you use it now? What if you had to spot the opponents a run in the next game if you Surrendered the current one?
Aaand off goes the game. I have a feeling this is gonna double suck as Albie is going to put in some bad fantasy #s too.
[117] agree zack. he can really look terrible at times, and flash's point that he does not really make any in-game adjustments seems accurate.
Poor guy.
Maybe Eiland can convince him it was all a bad dream.
Instead of lifting Wang, I'd be more inclined to let him work through his problems. Now you are going to get a loss and an exhausted bullpen. You can bank on a roster move after today's game.
If I was Girardi, I would also be very quick to empty the bench, and would definitely lift Matsui and Posada. If they both wind up sitting on Wednesday because they played a full game today, it would be a waste.
It was between this and Shane McMahon. I picked this.
Yeah, I think I'll check out, maybe look in again in an hour. See youse.
OUCH!!!!!!
Of course.
I hope we just get a hit.
check please ...
I guess it's time to alter my plans for the evening.
man - me too riyank, except i don't think it will be much different in an hour
Wang could've done that.
Ah, Pena. The guy we released, because hey, we had Andy Phillips.
Seriously, WTF is up with this team and the start of the season? Anyone else 100% not surprised that a) the team looks flat as all hell while the Rays look like world beaters and b) Albie gave up the salami?
Seems like those were written into the script from the start
The only hope is that the Yankees are deliberately giving up every run they're going to give up this season.
At this rate Ramiro Pena may INDEED be pitching tonight ....
At this point, if Girardi doesn't empty the bench soon he is being irresponsible. A position player should also throw 2-3 innings in this game.
Maybe we could come back with Pena at SS and Melky in LF? Worth a try.
This is why yesterday is so fucking infuriating. We're back under .500. I don't want to see another .500 record at the all star break. I was hoping this team would get moving early this year.
Wow.... ARod joins the team and..........
[121] It might be the All Star Break before the Wanger's Era is down to 24. : /
[142] We need a hit.
Melky's got a good arm. They should let him try pitching.
[148] Is it too late to sign and activate Cone?
Yup. It's one of those games.
Time to flip the dial.
[144] I couldn't agree more...bad Aprils and missing the playoffs are the result of games like yesterday, not today.
Umm..is there some problem with Gameday? I just logged in and it says TB 9 - NYY 0 in the 2nd inning..must be some sort of technical error, right?? Right?!?!?!
Cody Ransom is not a major leaguer. Regardless of when Arod returns, I don't think the Yankees can simply keep running him out there.
Ransom looks so awkward out there tonight.
Yankee pitching: 80 pitches through first 2 innings.
think we'll see matsui pitch tonight?
[153] agreed..there's a reason he is 33 and now getting his first taste of the majors..
Think I'll hit the coffee shop here, this is too depressing.
[156] Doubt it...we better not see Mariano get some work in though. That's probably the only thing at this point that could make me feel worse about yesterday's loss.
[153] But, but, he's scrappy. He plays the game the right way, just like Scotty Brosius. Man, great pop up! A-Rod, can you take your practice swings in game?
This is a real good time to hop over to Lohud and listen to the ARod audio.
Okay. Pull the starters.
Melky looks fat.
[162] You should have seen Tom Seaver
[162] All that time sitting on the bench.
Man, there really isn't anything else on tv. Maybe I should read a book.
Good lord!
Look the Rays just kicked a field goal!
This could be a record-setting game.
Though not in a good way, at least for the Yanks.
They should move this game from the YES network over to Chiller. It's a horror show.
Silver linings: Well, at least it won't take Wang long to review his gametape. Um...A-Rod can leave early with a stripper? Anyone else?
[168] It can't be worse than that Javy Vazquez game against the Indians.
[169] Now that we have a hit, I can watch the game and appreciate the awful hilarity.
Then there was the Tim Redding game, IIRC, 22-0.
[171] You just never know. Kazmir could pitch a shutout and who knows how many runs Ramiro Pena will give up when they get around to having him pitch.
[173] That was Jome Run Javy
Wow... a 12 minute interview with ARod and EVERY SINGLE question was about baseball! It was almost like.... and interview with a baseball player. How strange!
Well at least one Yankee can play well tonight.
[170] I have Swisher on my fantasy team.
yay! moral victory.
YES! Another Swish shot. Bench... Nady. Nady... Bench.
[175] Thanks.
[176] Don't worry, if you consult the interview topic schedule it says:
Monday-Baseball
Tuesday-Strippers
Wednesday-Madonna
Thursday-Sleepovers with Jeter
Friday-Sterioids
Plenty of time to get to the good stuff ;)
Why oh why is Po still in this game???
Here come the Yankees
[184] Yeah, right into a GIDP
Royals have 3 runs. Any total (other than six) up to thirteen is good.
Where have you gone Alex Rodriguez? Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you...
Man, I just feel bad for Cody Ransom. We're watching his one shot at the Majors go up in smoke. Its just...sad.
Career minor-leaguer Ransom has prolly NEVER played in a dome before.
This game will kill our run differential..god, am I geeky for following that religiously??
[186] Why do you follow the Royals? Is it a fantasy thing?
Navarro is on my fantasy team .... that may be the only reason to watch.
(Mo and Andy P. are also, but I do hope they don't appear tonight)
This Yankee broadcast has turned into a VH1 "POP-UP VIDEO"
That ball must have done something weird. Jeter didn't see it, either, and he's pretty good with popups.
24 is on. See ya in an hour.
Ugh, c'mon Cody, not even a groundball to the right side? or a sac fly?
So now the question: When A-Rod comes back, who's the UIF? Ransom? or Pena?
The Melkman delivers though!
Had some fruit juice, the positivity is back, 2 runs each inning and we win a 11-10 thrilla in the Tropicana!
back later
[195] I really don't see how Ransom can stay on the roster..guy can't hit MLB pitching and his D is not amazing enough
Ransom looked good last year, didn't he?
[199] Yes, but in 51 PAs (aka the dreaded small sample size).
Is Edwar wearing glasses tonight? His Gameday pic has him without.
Whoa, we have runs.
Clearly I should go away again. If I can stay away for, say, six hours, we could catch up. I'll set my alarm clock.
[201] He put them on briefly, looked at the scoreboard, and yanked them off so fast he almost tore his ears off.
The rare blowout doesn't bother me (like William, I find yesterday's loss to be much worse), but I'm a little worried about Wang..
[200] How many ABs does he have this year?
[205] Only 22, so your point is well taken. However, I don't think the stats are as much an idictment on Ransom as how poorly he has looked, both at the plate and in the field.
I don't think Ransom is a sleeper or anything, but think about his position. He is replacing ARod. That's a lonely place. I think he's pressing and that we are not seeing him at his best. Whether or not he can pull himself out of his currejnt funk is still to be seen.
It's really premature to worry about the team being .500 at the All-Star break. First of all, they could be under .500 with some bad luck. However, if they can straighten Wang out (ahem) or even if they don't, their pitching still is very, very good. I think the Yankees are in fine shape, from what we know thus far.
Think about it: besides yesterday, the only games they've lost were total starting pitching meltdowns. That's not usually gonna happen three times a week.
[208] Not be mention missing ARod for all games so far and Tex for 3 of them. It's a bit early to panic. Anyone also counting the Sox out?
What a mess. Poor Coke. He'd have gotten out of it except for the Cano error.
I got flashbacks watching number 48 hang a slider
OMG! Swisher's pitching!
Is Swisher having fun or WHAT?
Swisher needs to finish this game.
Is Girardi nuts? Putting Posada at 1B and using an important part of the team as the pitcher? If someone gets hurt, there will be no excuse. The fact that Girardi has even put himself in that position is unfathomable.
And start Wang's next start
[213] Until his ERA passes Wang? Yes.
Swisher is more fun to watch than Kei Igawa.
Nick Swisher's out pitch is listed as "Changeup."
STRIKEOUT!
Seriously: swisher is nice
What a fitting end to an embarassing game. Girardi did not distinguish himself once again...using Posada for the full game and having a key player like Swisher take the mound is just awful.
Wow, have got to wtach this tonight.
At least BoSox getting smacked aorund by the As right now, 4-1 in the 2nd
[222] Say what you will about Posada, and I agree with you there, but who else would you have pitch? Swisher is not (technically) a starting player, and who knows who else could pitch? The fact that, say Melky, could get the ball over the plate (which I doubt), the Yankees gain nothing by extending the game with endless walks and hits. If Swisher can get an inning, as he demonstrably could, he's the best choice.
[221] My 69-year old mother has a crush on Swisher..her new favorite player after Jeter. She hates A-Rod of course..
So Tokyo, you probably never saw my question when I posted it the first time: how good are the Seibu Lions? Rasner three-hit them.
Swisher is clearly ecstatic at the opportunity. I'm happy for him and it's a way to make a drop of lemonade out of sour ass lemons.
[224] If Ransom, Pena, Melky, etc. can't pitch, then you get one more inning from the pen. Saving one inning isn't worth potentially injuring a key player. We've seen it with Canseco and Kay mentioned the O'Neill story, so why take the chance?
[226] Hey, never saw that one.
The Lions are a good team, they beat the Yomiuri Giants in the Japan Series last year, winning game 7 in the 8th inning. Generally a better pitching team than offensive, maybe that's why Rasner could stifle them. But in most cases, your best Japanese pro-team would still only be a mid-level team in the majors..better than the Pirates and Nationals I would say, but not championship-level.
[228] You're right, but the fact that Swisher had them save the ball from his first big league strikeout will make me smile for quite awhile.
Wow, Cody you are *really* not helping your cause tonight.
I don't think Melky was an option. He's an outfielder. He'd probably be killed if there was a comebacker or something.
Lowrie is injured so our friend Nick Green is the starting SS for the Sox.
[232] I'm laughing hard. I can see Melky leaning back waiting for the ball to fall from the sky while getting line driven to the chin. Swish rocked!
I think Swisher should now be above Igawa, Tomko and maybe Kennedy on the pitching depth chart.
I'm watching the Royals and Indians.
Tony Graffanino is still in baseball?
Well, I missed tonight's game...this turns out to have been fortunate. So, Wang rocked again. What are the odds that he goes on the DL and we see Hughes?
I'm not calling for this. I just have a funny feeling. Just like I have a funny feeling about Teixeir'a wrist.
[237] Hey MP, just heading out for lunch here. Shocker of a game..I did not see the broadcast but I wonder..is anyone talking about Tex?? I share your suspicions..if he misses any significant time..shudder..
If Teixeira misses any kind of time, we have our worst offense in 20 years and the season is over.
[239] Now that is confidence!
We had our worst offense in fifteen years with Giambi, A-Rod and Abreu playing (mostly) full seasons and Damon having a career year last year.
[240] You cannot expect to win 60% of your games with a lineup missing A-Rod and Tex...
[241] And Posada missing the whole season.
Anyway, is it really the case that last year was the worst offense in 15 years? The 2008 Yankees were 7th in the AL in Runs Scored and 5th in OPS. By comparison, the 1995 team was 6th in Runs and 6th in OPS, the 1996 WS champs were 9th in Runs and 8th in OPS, the 2000 WS champs were 6th in Runs and 6th in OPS, and the 2001 team was 5th in Runs and 8th in OPS.
Last year's offense was not great, but otherwise it was on par with several Yankees teams of the past 15 years. The worst offense was probably 1996 (when the team was actually below leage average for Runs Scored). Of course, winning the WS tends to hide those warts.
BoSox get 6 hits against the young Oakland A's..their lineup no producing either. If Tampa gets an early lead in the standings it will be interesting to see who wakes up first, Sox or Yanks..at least we know we haev A-Rod coming back.
[239] umm, in case you missed it, we have scored less than 5 runs twice in 7 games. And in those games we scored 4 runs. offense is not the issue. in fact, way too early to say more than Wang is off to a bad start.
[244] red sox offense is amenic so far. but it is only 7 games. They won't stay that way.