2010 Tampa Bay Rays Thread

[Biggs3535]

Garza pitched badly tonight.  It's a shame too, after the Rays scored 4 in the sixth to tie the game up.

[Morgan]

too bad....hate them Yankees

[-ts]

Didn't catch the beginning, just looking at the Box Score. Glad Jamie settled down, but I think it is time to move onto Hellickson, I've been very much in favor of letting Jamie work it out, but unfortunately it looks like that won't happen. We cannot afford to have him on the playoff staff at this point.

Time to move on IMO.

[cyberdude558]

Looks like it's either this year or never for the Tampa Bay Rays.

Owner Stuart Sternberg says they plan to cut payroll by up to $30 million next year.

This team is going to end up dismantled because the crappy sports fans in this area refuse to support the team. It's a damn shame.

http://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseball/rays/tampa-bay-rays-principal-owner-stuart-sternberg-payroll-will-fall-no/1123149

And yes, you can blame attendance. The Rays have lost money this year. And the outlook for ticket sales in 2011 is no better than it is this year. Blame the location, blame the economy, blame whatever you want. But the fact of the matter is that if people dont fill the seats, the team won't be able to maintain a $72 million payroll. It's simple economics.

Just think that if football is locked out next year, all we will have worth talking about is the Magic and the Lightning.

[Biggs3535]

Anybody notice Maddon call for the lefty out of the bullpen on Monday night?  The only problem with that was there was no lefty warming up.  Maddon left the dugout intending to bring Choate in the game, because he thought Choate was warming up.  So Maddon had to bring in Balfour (who was the only guy warming up) and Granderson hit a three run HR.

The posters who defend Maddon will run to say "Well Balfour is supposed to get the hitter out".  Um hmmm....well the manager is supposed to know who is and who isn't warming up.  Like I've said a hundred times, he's also supposed to put his players in the best position to succeed, which isn't bringing in Balfour in that situation.

This would have been one of the times the Rays won "in spite" of a manager's mistake, but they didn't make up for it this time.  Maybe the team can steal the next 2 in NY.

[Morgan]

cyberdude558 wrote:

Looks like it's either this year or never for the Tampa Bay Rays.

Owner Stuart Sternberg says they plan to cut payroll by up to $30 million next year.

This team is going to end up dismantled because the crappy sports fans in this area refuse to support the team. It's a damn shame.

http://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseball/rays/tampa-bay-rays-principal-owner-stuart-sternberg-payroll-will-fall-no/1123149

And yes, you can blame attendance. The Rays have lost money this year. And the outlook for ticket sales in 2011 is no better than it is this year. Blame the location, blame the economy, blame whatever you want. But the fact of the matter is that if people dont fill the seats, the team won't be able to maintain a $72 million payroll. It's simple economics.

Just think that if football is locked out next year, all we will have worth talking about is the Magic and the Lightning.

I'm getting tired of feeling like I'm being blackmailed by millionaire franchise owners (Glazers, Sternberg, Bolts owners,  et al).

I'm tired of being threatened by them - especially after spending a great portion of my entertainment dollar on their products

Franchise owners just might have to subsidize their teams with dollars earned elsewhere - and if they can't afford to do that, they shouldn't have become owners.

When Sternberg puts a minor league equivalent product on the field (ala KC Royals), I'll happily keep my $$$$ in my pocket and find entertainment elsewhere. If he thinks the stands are empty now, wait until he fields his team with too many players who should be playing in Durham.

[Biggs3535]

morgan wrote:

When Sternberg puts a minor league equivalent product on the field (ala KC Royals)

That won't be happening next year, or any time in the near future.

[Col. Klink]

Biggs3535 wrote:

Anybody notice Maddon call for the lefty out of the bullpen on Monday night?  The only problem with that was there was no lefty warming up.  Maddon left the dugout intending to bring Choate in the game, because he thought Choate was warming up.  So Maddon had to bring in Balfour (who was the only guy warming up) and Granderson hit a three run HR.

The posters who defend Maddon will run to say "Well Balfour is supposed to get the hitter out".  Um hmmm....well the manager is supposed to know who is and who isn't warming up.  Like I've said a hundred times, he's also supposed to put his players in the best position to succeed, which isn't bringing in Balfour in that situation.

This would have been one of the times the Rays won "in spite" of a manager's mistake, but they didn't make up for it this time.  Maybe the team can steal the next 2 in NY.

Not to add fuel to Maddon's pyre but I thought I read somewhere that Granderson had some gaudy batting percentage against Choate .... Probably a lose/lose for Joe even if there wasn't a screw-up.

[Biggs3535]

Col. Klink wrote:

Not to add fuel to Maddon's pyre but I thought I read somewhere that Granderson had some gaudy batting percentage against Choate .... Probably a lose/lose for Joe even if there wasn't a screw-up.

Really, there is 2 ways of looking at it:

1.  Granderson doesn't hit lefties as well as righties.
2.  Granderson does hit Choate well.

McGee probably would have been the best route.  Or if you're looking at Grandy's numbers, Cormier matches up best with him.

Either way, that doesn't excuse calling for a lefty when there is no lefty in the bullpen.  It was a mistake that cost the team, all managers make them.  Maddon does as well, even though folks around here like to act like he doesn't.

[Morgan]

Biggs3535 wrote:

morgan wrote:

When Sternberg puts a minor league equivalent product on the field (ala KC Royals)

That won't be happening next year, or any time in the near future.

that's good to hear

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A win tonight will set up for a very interesting final stretch....even a Rays loss doesn't guarantee that the NYY will win the division.  I'm definitely going to be rooting for the Bosox in their series w/ the Yankees.

[Col. Klink]

just heard the starting lineup on JP's .... I think Joe thinks we have a better chance coming at this from the wild card .... All you need to know is Rocco's starting in RF and DJ's not anywhere.    :blink:

[Biggs3535]

Col. Klink wrote:

just heard the starting lineup on JP's .... I think Joe thinks we have a better chance coming at this from the wild card .... All you need to know is Rocco's starting in RF and DJ's not anywhere.    :blink:

What, Baldelli's .231 average (6/26 - with 7 K's) vs. Sabathia doesn't scream "start me" to you?

Dan Johnson is hitting .556 (5/9) off of Sabathia, but he's on the bench over Aybar (3/15) and Rocco.  Sabathia's splits this year also validate playing Johnson over Rocco and Aybar, as lefties have hit him much better than righties this season.

That said, Rocco and Aybar hopefully both jack 3-run dingers and make Maddon look like the genius that he once again...

[Biggs3535]

Biggs3535 wrote:

That said, Rocco and Aybar hopefully both jack 3-run dingers and make Maddon look like the genius that he once again...

What do any of you fools question Joe Maddon for?  Big ups to Rocco and Wily.

Great performance by the team to split the series.  They have won the season series, and are still just half a game behind for the AL East.

[Col. Klink]

The man's a freaking genius ....

[Morgan]

Irritating to keep hearing about the Rays' easy final three series (Mariners, Orioles, Royals). I'm kind of superstitious - and this kind of talk usually means bad things - like losing series to each of these teams.

Hopefully not.

I hate Friday games as well.