RaysTalk 2K8 Thread

[FlavoredIcecream]

lulz Devil Rays.

[AFBlue]

It's June and the Rays are still atop the AL East with the second best winning percentage in the MLB (best in AL).

They've got Kazmir back healthy and he's been dealing. The rest of their pitching staff, despite some doubters, has managed to stay pretty solid.

Their two top hitters (Crawford and Upton) have started to come around, but still haven't hit full stride. They're getting decent production from their rookie 3B, Evan Longoria, but he's only going to get better.

Bottom Line: At this point, the Rays look like legit contenders for the wild card going into the Summer. Obviously there's alot of baseball to be played, but the Rays are exceeding even the most out-there expectations thus far.

[T Park]

Wild Card is theirs for the taking IMO.

Its june 1st and still VERY early, BUT, unlike the Brewers, the Rays seem to have a damn good bully.

If the youngsters can keep hitting and the starters hold up, they will get the wild card easily.

The division? Obviously Boston will take that over in a few weeks and coast in on that.

[AFBlue]

Rays selected GA High School SS, Tim Beckham with the first pick of the draft....

Gotta say this surprised me somewhat because the team has been historically thin at the catching position and had a chance to draft Buster Posey out of FSU.

Having said that, they clearly got the best long-term potential pick in the draft with Beckham. By all accounts, he's a very smooth fielder with good athleticism that should be able to stick at SS. He's got decent power that could grow with time.

I wouldn't anticipate them needing to rush him through the minors with Bartlett and Brignac holding down the fort for now...I'd give it 3 years at a minimum.


Had to post something positive, given the sweep by the Red Sox, Pena DL news, and subsequent suspensions from last night's brawl being handed down.

[AFBlue]

Okay, so more good news from tonight....Red Sox, Jays, and Yankees lost. And the Rays are about to close the door on the Rangers with a 12-2 rout. The only question I have for the ballclub....where the were those bats in the Boston series?

[T Park]

I think Boston intimidates them just a little.

Just from what little of tha tseries I could watch.

[AFBlue]

I think Boston intimidates them just a little.

Just from what little of tha tseries I could watch.

Agreed. Didn't help that Pena went on the DL, but you could definitely see that they weren't comfortable offensively in that series at all. , they let Justin Masterson shut them down.

I'll say this....at least the Yankees don't appear to get them rattled anymore.

[Mr Dio]

...They've got Kazmir back healthy and he's been dealing. The rest of their pitching staff, despite some doubters, has managed to stay pretty solid.

Their two top hitters (Crawford and Upton) have started to come around, but still haven't hit full stride. They're getting decent production from their rookie 3B, Evan Longoria, but he's only going to get better.

...

Just wait til next yr (or the end of this summer) when ickson starts getting much more press. The guy is a stud. Dare I say their #2 man within 4yrs?

[AFBlue]

Just wait til next yr (or the end of this summer) when ickson starts getting much more press. The guy is a stud. Dare I say their #2 man within 4yrs?

It's true....the pitching in the Rays' farm system is an embarrassment of riches. They've got one ready-made starter in AAA (Niemann), two in AA (Davis & McGee), and two in A ball (Price & ickson).

On ickson, there's no doubt the kid has been dominant. But, before he goes up there with Kaz and Shields he's going to have to prove he can do it above A-ball.

Keep in mind, both Wade Davis and Jake McGee were dominant in A-ball as well and have struggled slightly with the transition to AA. I think both will actually work through it because they've got the stuff, but it's certainly one of the "make or break" stops along the way to the bigs.

I'm hopeful ickson will get the call up to AA to prove he can handle it sooner rather than later and think that if he continues to improve he'll be in the bigs by 2010 at the latest.

[T Park]

Agreed. Didn't help that Pena went on the DL, but you could definitely see that they weren't comfortable offensively in that series at all. , they let Justin Masterson shut them down.

I'll say this....at least the Yankees don't appear to get them rattled anymore.

I would hope not, the Yankees suck

[AFBlue]

I would hope not, the Yankees suck

Yankees Suck...THHHEEEEEEEEEEEE YANKEEES SUCK!

[AFBlue]

Rays opened up the series against LA with back-to-back-to-back jacks. Longoria, their stud 3B prospect, also homered later in the game for his second of the night.

They're still lacking consistency from the back of their rotation, but their bullpen has been pretty solid and they've got enough prospects to buy an arm if they really needed to.

[FlavoredIcecream]

Wild Card is theirs for the taking IMO.

Its june 1st and still VERY early, BUT, unlike the Brewers, the Rays seem to have a damn good bully.

If the youngsters can keep hitting and the starters hold up, they will get the wild card easily.

The division? Obviously Boston will take that over in a few weeks and coast in on that.

The Yankees will take the division. Not Boston. But its okay.

[AFBlue]

The Yankees will take the division. Not Boston. But its okay.

Their best starting pitcher just got shelved for how long? Not sure they've got what it takes this year...

Meanwhile, the Rays just completed a three-game sweep of the Cubbies in comeback fashion with a 7-run 7th, including a grand slam by Carl Crawford.

This is a team that has managed to stay at or near the top of the AL east into mid-June despite never really having it's full compliment of players. Pena is almost healthy and the suspensions should be served by the end of the month.....July should show just how good these Rays can be.

Should be fun!

[AFBlue]

Rays sweep the BoSox to open up July with a 3 1/2 game lead on Boston in the AL East. They've got the best win % in baseball and we're nearing the halfway point for the season.

Where are all the "devil" rays haters now?

[Horry For 3!]

It is funny that I was telling people last year that the Rays are gonna be sick this year and they all laughed at me. So far I am right.

[tlongII]

I will root for them since my M's suck ass this year.

[T Park]

Rays sweep the BoSox to open up July with a 3 1/2 game lead on Boston in the AL East. They've got the best win % in baseball and we're nearing the halfway point for the season.

Where are all the "devil" rays haters now?

Not here, I like the team, and its not hard rooting for the ex Cardinal Troy Percival (whos on the DL alot this year apparently).

They are a fun young team to root for. Damn them for making me scour the internets for an Evan Longoria jersey

Keep it up TB and take the damn division.

the east coast.

[AFBlue]

Not here, I like the team, and its not hard rooting for the ex Cardinal Troy Percival (whos on the DL alot this year apparently).

They are a fun young team to root for. Damn them for making me scour the internets for an Evan Longoria jersey

Keep it up TB and take the damn division.

the east coast.

At least Percy does well when he's not on the DL.... But yeah, he's got to stop these little minor injuries.

The positive thing is that the Rays seem to have enough depth to cover in his absence. More than that, Percival means alot to this team whether he's on the field or not with his mentorship and veteran presence. The bullpen and staff seem to be pitching with confidence and have a swagger like never before...and he has been a BIG part of that.

You could almost say he's been the MVP of this pitching staff.

And Longoria is sick...nuff said. BA up to .282, 15 jacks so far this season, and playing gold glove calibur defense....dude is legit.

Boston is still in the rear-view mirror for the division, but the crazy thing is that the bats of Upton, Crawford, and Pena have yet to really come alive. They could seriously make a run at the division...not sure even I would've said that (as a fan) at the beginning of this year.

[Thunder Dan]

I was wrong at the beginning of the year...the rays are legit

[bostonguy]

Props to the Devil Rays as well. 7 game lead and they are getting better. The big question is lets see if they can keep this up the 2nd half of the season. Either way they have caught my attention as a team that is one to look out for.

[AFBlue]

Rays just missed a sweep of the Royals by giving up a couple extra-inning home runs. They killed themselves by stranding runners in scoring position, but it's their first loss in 8games.

There's also a rumor that they're going to make the Rockies an offer for Brian Fuentes. I'm not sure what prospect it would take to get him, but the fact that the Rays are willing to take on salary and give up a prospect to "rent" a player for the post-season run....that's a statement in and of itself.

Whether it's Fuentes or a RHB outfielder (Bay?), I expect the Rays to make a play for immediate help. They certainly have the prospects to do so....and as long as it's not David Price, I'll be happy.

[Cry Havoc]

Something that could be troubling for the Rays...

I was looking at the divisional records yesterday, and I noticed something. They've won 36 games at home this year. Meanwhile, they've only played 39 games on the road, TOTAL. They have played 11 more games at home than on the road, where they are under .500 for the year. This could mean they have to win a number of tough series on the road late in the season, where they are inconsistent at best.

I don't think it will cost them a playoffs spot, but I wouldn't bet on them being the best team in baseball yet going into the final week of the season.

[AFBlue]

Something that could be troubling for the Rays...

I was looking at the divisional records yesterday, and I noticed something. They've won 36 games at home this year. Meanwhile, they've only played 39 games on the road, TOTAL. They have played 11 more games at home than on the road, where they are under .500 for the year. This could mean they have to win a number of tough series on the road late in the season, where they are inconsistent at best.

I don't think it will cost them a playoffs spot, but I wouldn't bet on them being the best team in baseball yet going into the final week of the season.

Oh, they've still got alot to prove....and winning on the road is one of those things.

The major thing is that they need to start hitting. Last year they had one of the better young offenses in the majors, and the surprising thing is that they've essentially done without during their first-half run.

Sure, they've gotten production out of guys like Hinske and Navarro has started to realize his potential, but they haven't had the Crawford, Upton, or Pena that we saw from last year's squad.

Personally, I think they need to make one or two more moves to shore up the team, because even now they look vulnerable.

[manufor3]

chicago white sox will shock the world