Always the Devil Rays in my Mind - Tampa Bay Rays MLB13 Dynasty

[KBLover]

Buchholz in Control
Rays Have No Chance as Bats Are Still Not
There. Fall to Red Sox 9-3.

The only positive on the day was the fact that Bourgeois of all people hit a HR and the Rays had six doubles on the day.

Other than that, there were no walks to be found as Bucholz was just pounding the zone all day. He ended up with 12 strikeouts on the day on just 7 1/3 innings of work. The Rays had a few chances, but then the bats wouldn't show up then either.

Bourgeois got his HR in garbage time with the team down 9-1 in the 9th. Otherwise, there wasn't anything worth writing home about.

The pitching staff, as if not obvious by the score, really struggled in this game. Cobb gave up 7 hits and 5 runs in only 4 innings of work. Jamey Wright was decent, giving up a run in 2 innings of work. Peralta, who was looking better before today, gave up 3 runs and FIVE hits in the just one single inning. McGee had to come in and keep it from getting silly.

Ellsbury score 3 times and he, Napoli, and Ross all hit HRs. Every Red Sox hitter had a hit except for Victorino, who went 0-for-3.

The Rays continue their up and down play, now at 7-6 and unable to put wins together. If the pitching is now starting to cool off, April could turn out really bad.

Shelley Duncan is cleared to play, so he might be getting back into the lineup as his power should help, especially vs RHP where he's most comfortable.

Chris Archer is going to get his first start in place of Hellickson to see how the young man does. Hellickson's start will be moved back a day while Niemann heads to the bullpen.


Box Score:

Tampa Bay Rays at Boston Red Sox
Apr 15, 2013	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Tampa Bay (7-5)	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	2	3	12	0
Boston (9-3)	2	0	3	0	1	0	3	0	X	9	15	0

Tampa Bay Rays
HITTERS	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	AVG
Jennings, CF	5	0	2	0	0	3	.244
Loney, DH	4	0	1	0	0	1	.307
Scott, 1B	5	0	0	0	0	2	.285
Myers, RF	5	0	1	0	0	2	.125
Zobrist, 3B	4	0	0	0	0	3	.361
Molina, C	4	1	1	0	0	1	.272
Johnson, 2B	4	0	2	0	0	1	.318
Escobar, SS	4	1	3	1	0	0	.282
Bourgeois, LF	4	1	2	2	0	1	.173
TOTALS	39	3	12	3	0	14
BATTING 2B: Jennings, Loney, Myers, Molina, Johnson, Escobar HR: Bourgeois HBP: Loney

Tampa Bay Rays
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
Cobb (L, 1-2)	4	7	5	5	2	4	4.58
Wright	2	2	1	1	1	2	11.52
Peralta	1	5	3	3	0	0	5.40
McGee	1	1	0	0	0	1	0.00
TOTALS	8	15	9	9	3	7

Boston Red Sox
HITTERS	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	AVG
Pedroia, 2B	4	1	2	0	1	0	.240
Ciriaco, SS	4	0	2	0	1	1	.340
Ellsbury, CF	5	3	1	2	0	1	.293
Napoli, DH	5	1	2	2	0	1	.314
Middlebrooks, 3B	3	2	3	1	0	0	.320
Ross, C	4	2	3	2	0	0	.256
Saltalamacchia, 1B	4	0	1	1	0	1	.150
Bradley Jr, LF	4	0	1	1	0	2	.500
Victorino, RF	3	0	0	0	1	1	.243
TOTALS	36	9	15	9	3	7
BATTING 2B: Napoli, Middlebrooks, Bradley Jr HR: Ellsbury, Napoli, Ross SAC: Middlebrooks
BASERUNNING SB: Pedroia CS: Pedroia

Boston Red Sox
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
Buchholz (W, 3-0)	7.1	9	1	1	0	12	2.73
Tazawa	1.2	3	2	2	0	2	4.50
TOTALS	9	12	3	3	0	14

[Deuce2223]

Quote: Originally Posted by KBLover

When would you guys like to see a team stat (as in the team performance stats not the individual stats of everyone on the active roster) update? Every game week? (Could do it on each Saturday in the game and give one now) Already plan to show the player stats at the end of each franchise month.

It's all up to you.. End of the month works, or once a week is good too. Just really depends on how much work you want to do. Some guy's post it in a team preview before each series well others do it once a month, and then there is me, who to be honest, can't say I ever post team stats. Just standings, player stats, and league leaders..

[KBLover]

Team Effort on the Mound
Archer Leaves Early but Bullpen Shares the Load.
Rays Win 5-2.

The Rays gave Archer a start, and he suffered with his control, but he fought through it. Still, though, he had to leave early after apparently using up his energy.

"I don't know, my arm just felt tired from the start. Maybe I haven't gotten into the routine of a starter or something, but I just felt like my arm was dead. I wish I could have given the team more, but they had my back, " Archer commented.

"He's fine, there's no injury in the arm or shoulder. I think it's just a young guy going a little hard, especially working from the bullpen. Might not learned how to pace himself and was going 100% all the time. But that's why staffs have 11 men in them - to share the load and get through a game, " manager Joe Maddon commented.

Offensively, some more HR from the Rays hitters. Loney and Scott, two of the guys anchoring the attack from the start, hit bombs out of the yard to key the scoring.

On the mound, Archer gave up a run on 2 hits in 3 1/3 innings of work. He did walk a couple and went into a lot of 3-ball counts as well. Not bad overall in terms of run prevention, but hopefully, he'll give more innings with another 5 days' rest.

Niemann got his first work as a reliever and looked sharp. 3 2/3 innings, gave up a HR to Davis and that was it. He helped bridge the gap to McGee, who was lights out again, and Rodney for the save.

"It's good to see Rodney look better. This team figures to be in a lot of close games, so having a closer on the ball and throwing strong is even more important, " an analyst spoke.

The O's were also forced into the bullpen early, but there was a clear injury as Tillman tweaked something while working the 2nd inning. A more serious injury occured to Machado as he looks to have done significant damage to his right shoulder trying to steal second base.

The Rays did their damage against Arrieta for the most part. O'Day continues to give the Rays fits as his sidearm slow pitches were difficult to read on this night.

Maybe the Rays will get a winning streak going again in the second game of the series. Hellickson will make his start against Dylan Bundy.


Box Score:

Tampa Bay Rays at Baltimore Orioles
Apr 16, 2013	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Tampa Bay (7-6)	1	0	1	0	2	1	0	0	0	5	8	1
Baltimore (5-7)	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	2	7	0

Tampa Bay Rays
HITTERS	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	AVG
Jennings, CF	4	1	0	0	1	1	.226
Loney, DH	5	1	1	2	0	0	.295
Scott, 1B	3	1	2	2	0	1	.311
Myers, RF	4	1	1	0	0	0	.142
Zobrist, 3B	4	0	0	0	0	0	.333
Molina, C	3	0	1	1	0	1	.277
Johnson, 2B	3	0	1	0	1	1	.319
Escobar, SS	4	0	0	0	0	0	.260
Bourgeois, LF	3	1	2	0	0	0	.230
Duncan, PH-LF	1	0	0	0	0	1	.391
TOTALS	34	5	8	5	2	5
BATTING 2B: Scott, Myers HR: Scott, Loney HBP: Scott, Molina GIDP: Escobar
BASERUNNING SB: Jennings, Bougeois 2

Tampa Bay Rays
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
Archer	3.1	2	1	1	2	1	1.50
Niemann (W, 2-0)	3.2	4	1	1	0	5	4.50
McGee (H, 1)	1	0	0	0	0	0	0.00
Rodney (S, 2)	1	1	0	0	0	2	4.50
TOTALS	9	7	2	2	2	8

Baltimore Orioles
HITTERS	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	AVG
Casilla, 2B	3	0	0	0	1	1	.170
Betemit, 3B	4	0	0	0	0	1	.200
Markakis, RF	4	0	0	0	0	1	.204
Davis, 1B	4	1	1	1	0	1	.181
Jones, CF	4	1	1	0	0	1	.320
Reimold, LF	3	0	2	0	1	1	.289
Hardy, SS	4	0	0	1	0	1	.276
Wieters, C	4	0	2	0	0	1	.255
Machado, DH	2	0	1	0	0	0	.260
Teagarden, DH	2	0	0	0	0	0	.000
TOTALS	34	2	7	2	2	8
BATTING 2B: Reimold 2, Weiters HR: Davis
BASERUNNING CS: Machado

Baltimore Orioles
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
Tillman (L, 0-2)	1.1	1	1	1	0	0	23.62
Arrieta	3.1	3	3	3	2	2	8.48
Matusz	1.1	2	1	1	0	2	2.89
Ayala	1.1	2	0	0	0	0	1.35
O'Day	1.2	0	0	0	0	1	1.12
TOTALS	9	8	5	5	2	5

[KBLover]

Another Blown Save
Rodney Blows it Again and Rays End Up Falling
in Extras 4-3.

"This is getting a little old already. We could be better off to start the year, but someone keeps throwing away our late leads, " Desmond Jennings commented after the game.

Not that Jennings can do a lot of talking as he dips back closer to .200 after going 0-for-5.

Still, it is getting a little old. Rodney blew his third save of the season already, not holding a 3-2 lead.

The failure wasted a solid effort from Hellickson. He went 7 innings and gave up 2 runs (1 earned), 5 hits, and walked no one. Peralta pitched a perfect 8th to set it up for Rodney.

But in the 9th O's center fielder Adam Jones stroked a HR off Rodney to tie up the game. It would be the only hit the closer allowed, but it was all that was needed to keep the game going.

In the 10th, Jamey Wright, the only other abject failure in the bullpen in the early going, gave up 3 hits and a walk to complete the late-inning collapse for the Rays.

The blown save also wasted a good effort from Jason Bourgeois as he starts to get his swing together. He had 2 hits, both doubles, and drove in 2 of the team's 3 runs.

The loss puts the Rays back to flirting with .500 at 8-7. Price (0-2, 2.86) will try to give the Rays the rubber match in the series.


Box Score:

Tampa Bay Rays at Baltimore Orioles
Apr 17, 2013	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Extras	R	H	E
Tampa Bay (8-6)	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	3	7	1
Baltimore (5-8)	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	4	9	1

Tampa Bay Rays
HITTERS	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	AVG
Jennings, CF	5	0	0	0	0	1	.206
Loney, DH	4	0	1	0	1	0	.291
Duncan, 1B	4	0	1	1	1	1	.370
Joyce, PR	0	0	0	0	0	0	.156
Gimenez, 1B	0	0	0	0	0	0	.142
Myers, RF	5	0	0	0	0	3	.121
Zobrist, 3B	4	0	1	0	0	0	.327
Lee, PR	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Rodriguez, 3B	1	0	0	0	0	0	.066
Molina, C	5	0	0	0	0	1	.243
Johnson, 2B	4	2	1	0	0	1	.313
Escobar, SS	2	0	1	0	0	0	.269
Bourgeois, LF	3	1	2	2	1	0	.275
TOTALS	37	3	7	3	3	7
BATTING 2B: Escobar, Bourgeois 2 HBP: Escobar SAC: Escobar
FIELDING E: Escobar

Tampa Bay Rays
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
Hellickson	7	5	2	1	0	5	3.15
Peralta	1	0	0	0	0	0	4.69
Rodney (BS, 3)	1	1	1	1	0	1	5.40
Wright (L, 0-1)	0.2	3	1	1	1	1	12.00
TOTALS	9.2	9	4	3	1	7

Baltimore Orioles
HITTERS	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	AVG
Casilla, 2B	5	1	1	0	0	1	.173
Betemit, 3B	4	0	0	0	1	1	.172
Valencia, PR	0	0	0	0	0	0	.406
Markakis, RF	5	0	2	1	0	0	.224
Davis, 1B	4	1	1	1	0	1	.187
Jones, CF	4	1	2	1	0	0	.333
Reimold, LF	1	1	0	0	0	0	.282
McLouth, PR-LF	3	0	1	0	0	0	.166
Hardy, SS	4	0	0	0	0	1	.254
Wieters, C	4	0	2	1	0	1	.276
Roberts, PR	0	0	0	0	0	0	.166
Schoop, DH	4	0	0	0	0	2	.000
TOTALS	38	4	9	4	1	7
BATTING HR: Davis, Jones
BASERUNNING CS: Roberts
FIELDING E: Hardy

Baltimore Orioles
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
Bundy	6	4	2	1	2	6	6.90
Patton	2.1	3	1	1	0	0	0.87
Strop (W, 1-0)	1.2	0	0	0	1	1	11.57
TOTALS	10	7	3	2	3	7

[beamerball811]

Following. Good luck with this, I'm interested in seeing how Myers does without Longo in the lineup.

[KBLover]

Wright Placed on Waivers, Rodney Demoted

The Rays cleared some space on their 40-man roster for a couple moves.

Scott Podsednik was added to the 40-man roster as it seems his arrival becomes more imminent. The question is who will get replaced - Joyce, Jennings, or Myers. It's a dead heat of ineptitude at this point.

Fernando Rodney was demoted to middle relief and Jake McGee will get the call as closer.

To fill the set up role with Farnsworth will be Joel Peralta. The team called up Juan Oviedo from AAA and inserted him in mid relief with Rodney.

Rodney would not comment on the situation. Manager Joe Maddon simply said he did what he felt would give the bullpen some stability. When asked if he regrets moving Archer, one of the most reliable relievers so far, to the rotation, he only commented that "more time was needed" and that Archer "looked good in his first start."

[KBLover]

Current AL East and Wild Card Standings
(planning 15th and 30th updates)

Format: Team (Last 10, Streak)

MLB Standings - Updated: Apr 17, 2013
AL EAST	W	L	GB	RS	RA
Red Sox (7-3, W1)	11	4	--	85	56
Blue Jays (6-4, L3)	9	6	2.0	57	51
Rays (4-6, L1)	8	7	3.0	71	61
Orioles (5-5, W1)	6	8	4.5	50	68
Yankees (5-5, L1)	6	9	5.0	67	77
AL WILD CARD RACE	W	L	GB	RS	RA
Blue Jays (6-4, L3)	9	6	--	57	51
A's (5-5, L1)	9	7	--	59	67
Rays (4-6, L1)	8	7	0.5	71	61
White Sox (4-6, W3)	8	7	0.5	74	58
Angels (5-5, W2)	8	7	0.5	58	55

[KBLover]

Rays Rally Around Injured Ace
Rays Use Five Relievers. Bullpen Holds It
Together for 8-3 Win.

The Rays had the bats working early in the game, scoring 5 runs in the first three innings. Zorbist keyed the 3-run 3rd inning with a long 2-run HR off the starter Britton.

The first inning saw Bourgeois get on and promptly steal second. Then back-to-back doubles plated him and Escobar.

Price gave up a run in the first but did it by inducing a double play out of Markakis after Casilla started with a double and McClouth got a single. After that, he looked like he was going to have a strong outing when the injury happened.

Niemann came in and reminded everyone why he's in the bullpen. He gave up 4 hits and 2 runs in just over an inning of work. Rodney was next on the mound, and he gave up a could hits, but got through without allowing a run. Oviedo, who just got the call from AAA, was next and he started off looking solid, but then ended up giving up 3 hits, but, somehow, avoided giving up a run.

Peralta came in and finally gave a shutdown performance. He gave up no hits and struck out two hitters. Farnsworth was asked for two innings to avoid getting McGee involved if at all possible, and Farnsworth delivered. He was strong, giving up just 1 hit and striking out 3 batters.

Everyone contributed offensively except Gimenez, who went 0-for-3, though he had a long fly ball that just missed being a home run.

After the game, attention turned to Price. According to initial reports, it seems the injury will not require a stay on the disabled list, but is questionable for his next start at this time.

The Rays close the road trip at 5-5 and return home for a brief home stand of six games, starting with the A's for three over the weekend.



Box Score:

Tampa Bay Rays at Baltimore Orioles
Apr 18, 2013	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Tampa Bay (8-7)	2	0	3	0	0	1	1	0	1	8	15	0
Baltimore (6-8)	1	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	3	12	1

Tampa Bay Rays
HITTERS	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	AVG
Bourgeois, CF	5	1	2	1	0	0	.284
Escobar, SS	5	1	2	0	0	1	.280
Scott, 1B	4	2	1	1	1	1	.306
Zobrist, RF	5	1	3	2	0	1	.350
Johnson, 2B	5	2	2	2	0	2	.321
Myers, DH	5	0	1	1	0	1	.131
Rodriguez, 3B	5	0	2	1	0	1	.150
Jennings, LF	5	1	2	0	0	1	.222
Gimenez, C	3	0	0	0	1	1	.117
TOTALS	42	8	15	8	2	9
BATTING 2B: Escobar, Scott, Johnson HR: Zobrist, Johnson GIDP: Bourgeois
BASERUNNING SB: Bourgeois, Jennings

Tampa Bay Rays
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
Price	2	2	1	1	0	3	3.00
Niemann (W, 3-0)	1.1	4	2	2	1	0	5.12
Rodney (H, 1)	1	2	0	0	0	0	4.50
Oviedo (H, 1)	1.2	3	0	0	0	1	0.00
Peralta (H, 1)	1	0	0	0	0	2	4.15
Farnsworth	2	1	0	0	0	3	2.34
TOTALS	9	12	3	3	1	9

Baltimore Orioles
HITTERS	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	AVG
Casilla, 2B	5	1	2	0	0	1	.196
McLouth, LF	4	0	3	0	0	1	.250
Markakis, RF	4	0	1	1	0	1	.226
Davis, 1B	4	0	0	0	0	1	.173
Jones, CF	4	1	2	1	0	0	.344
Hardy, SS	4	0	1	0	0	2	.254
Schoop, DH	1	0	0	0	1	1	.000
Wieters, DH	2	0	1	0	0	1	.285
Valencia, 3B	4	0	1	0	0	1	.388
Exposito, C	4	1	1	0	0	0	.250
TOTALS	36	3	12	2	1	9
BATTING 2B: Casilla, Wieters, Valencia, Exposito HR: Jones GIDP: Markakis
BASERUNNING CS: Casilla, Jones
FIELDING E: Expositio

Baltimore Orioles
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
Britton (L, 1-2)	4	9	5	5	1	4	6.88
Arrieta	2	1	1	1	0	0	7.90
Matusz	1	2	1	1	1	2	3.48
Ayala	1	3	1	1	0	1	2.34
O'Day	1	0	0	0	0	2	1.00
TOTALS	9	15	8	8	2	9