Results tagged ‘ blue jays ’
Rays Waste Garza’s Gem
Offense lies dormant until the 9th.
Matt Garza looked as good as he ever has, pitching just over 6 innings giving up only 1 run. Garza deserved better than his first loss of the season, but the Rays could not get their bats going until the 9th, and their 2 runs were not enough to undo what the bullpen let the Jays build. The Tampa Bay bullpen ensured the Jays win by giving up 5 addition runs after the stellar Garza departed. The Rays really needed to take advantage of the solid start by Garza, but will have to try and win the series tomorrow with the unpredictable Edwin Jackson on the hill.
The Daily Turn:
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The Rays faced Shaun Marcum, and while he had impressive command all night, his fast ball topped out at 88 mph and was left over the plate several times, the Rays unable to take advantage. Marcum pitched a complete game, only faltering in the 9th allowing a string of hits and 2 runs.
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Carlos Pena continues to struggle, going 0-4 with three strike outs. In his last 12 at bats, Pena has struck out 10 times. With the offense needing every bit of boost it can get, I don’t understand why Joe Maddon doesn’t sit Pena out for a game or two. Clearly things are not
right with him at the dish right now, as he has been the goat rather than the hero in almost every at bat. Evan Longoria is another one who has looked over matched at the dish. He was 0-3 with 2 strikeouts tonight, and seems to have cooled off. It is hard to put his glove on the bench, but with Willy Aybar making rehab starts and returning soon, it will be interesting to see what happens if Evan is still having trouble adjusting to major league pitching.
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After the rubber match tomorrow night, things do not get much easier for the Rays. They come home to face the Angels and the Yankees, and need to come in riding some serious momentum. Wasting a good start by Garza is not the way to start the said momentum. Jackson has been sporadic this season, and he will really need to dial in to get the Rays the win and the series against the Jays so they can come home riding high to face to big teams.
Quote of the Day:
“He expanded the strike zone….he is out of his game plan.”
Joe Maddon on the slumping Carlos Pena
Rings, Shutouts and Bill Buckner open the season at Fenway.
REDSOX WIN…
It appears that Bill Buckner has made amens with the Redsox Nation. The long time goat of the Bosox threw out the first pitch Tuesday at Fenway to a standing ovation. It appears that two Wold Series trophies is what it takes to forgive and forget the 1986 may lay which is etched in Redsox history. The Redsox also received their World Series rings, their second in four years, which helped ease the pain of Buckner’s past. The day maintained its squishy feel good air as Dice K pitched well, and combined with the pen threw a 5 hit game shut out against the winless Detroit Tigers. It appears all is once again well in “The Nation.”
Th Daily Turn:
6 What’s with the Orioles?
The O’s won their 6th in a row against Texas in Texas.
Aubry Huff was 4 for 4 with 4 RBI. This
matches their best winning streak of all of 2007, and they look like a real ball club, not a club in the middle of a rebuilding year.
4 Same old Rays?
It would appear so. The Rays had their home opener against the struggling Seattle Mariners, and lost 6-5 dropping their third straight. Rays starter Matt Garza lasted only 2+ innings before signaling to the dugout to be removed. He apparently strained his radial nerve. The Rays bats woke up with HR’s from Pena and Riggians, but for every lead the Rays took, the bullpen promptly gave away. The house was packed and as I sat through the game I couldn’t help feel the good cheer from a ferocious spring start begin to seep away. The same old Rays, the same old bullpen issues. Lets hope not.
3 Yankees, Blue Jays lose.
The Yankees bats went quiet in a 5-2 loss to the Royals and Phil Hughes didn’t last into the 5th inning. It feels a lot like last year’s slow start, and that was what ultimately killed their chances at the AL East title. The Jays meanwhile had a game tying HR by Frank Thomas in the 8th only to lose to the Oakland A’s 9-8. It appears the Orioles will run away with the AL East…(cough cough).
Quote of the Day:
“I really had to forgive, not the fans of Boston, per se, but in my heart, I had to forgive the media for what they put me and my family through.”
-Bill Buckner, on what it took to agree to throw out the first pitch at Fenway today.
Orioles Nest Atop the A.L. East!
Huff’s blast lead O’s.
With a 5-4 win and sweep over the Seattle Mariners the Baltimore Orioles find themselves with a 5-1 record and the leaders of the tough AL East. O’s starter Daniel Cabrera gave up a pair of solo HR’s in the first inning and also let a run score as he bickered with the umpire, but then settled down. Aubry Huff broke the tie game open in the 8th inning with his second HR of the year. This is the Orioles best start in 10 years.
The Daily Turn:
6 The Good:
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The O’s bullpen has been solid with a .83 ERA thus far.
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Mike Mussina looked back to form against the Rays in the frigid Bronx.
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Bobby Abrue tore it up with a HR, 3B and a 1B just missing the cycle.
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The Redsox had a much needed night off after a 3 country travel schedule.
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Yankees and Rays split the series…something both teams are actually thankful for.
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The Rays return home on Tuesday for their sold out home opener, fist sell out before the day of the game in team history.
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Derek Jeter left in the 1st inning with a strained left quadricep and is day to day.
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Despite their hot start, the O’s had the second worst turn out in Camden Yards history.
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Rays bats are like ice. Artic ice.
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With Shelly Duncan serving his 2 game suspension, the Yankees had a light bench with only Jorge Posada mentioned as available for action.
4 The Bad:
3 notes from around baseball:
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D-Backs sign Chris Young to a 5 year extension.
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Cubs commit 3 errors but manage to pull out a 10-8 win over Pirates.
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Padres Jake Peavy denies any substance on his hand after a 2 hit shutout on Saturday.
Quote of the Day:
” It’s the best bullpen in the league.”
-Dennis Sarfate, Orioles reliever on the Baltimore bullpen.
Someone tell Dennis that this is week one…it’s a long season.
How SWEEP it is!
Blue Jays put the BIG HURT on Bosox and Beckett.
You either love the Redsox Nation or you hate it. I am the latter, so seeing the Sox get swept was a treat. Josh Beckett made his fist start of the season and while his velocity was good, his consistency was not. Beckett got himself into trouble when he could not find the strike zone and loaded the bases with Jays. The Sox went to their bullpen and Manny DelCarmen. The Big Hurt hit a grand slam and shut the door on the series and the Jays swept the weary Sox 7-4.
The daily turn:
6 not so good things from Sunday:
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Trevor Hoffman blew his second save in the last three days .
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Despite a win, the Yankees’ batting order shows little life.
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John Smoltz pitched well but left the game with a knot behind his left shoulder.
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Rockies lose in the 10th…speaking of cold.
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Barry Zito loses again.
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Rays caught the cold bats from Yanks.
4 good things on Sunday:
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Red Sox get swept…always a good thing for those outside the “Nation”.
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Hideki Matsui.
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Cubs and Brewers looked sharp.
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Yankees Manager Girardi was back in the dugout.
3 things that make you smile:
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BJ Upton’s diving catch to rob Jeter and blazing throw to gun down Betemit.
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Card’s Rick Ankiel has a big day at the plate…who doesn’t love a pitcher turned offensive monster?
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Redsox fans had to be happy to see Beckett toe the bump and hit 96 on the radar gun.
Quote of the Day:
“[Manny] didn’t locate his fastball where he wanted to.”
-Red Sox manager Terry Francona
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