Rays May thread

[MagicRays]

Rodney needs some time in AAA to find his command and head. Closer Options... Lueke? He was great as a closer in Durham. Or Peralta? He's been great at setup though.

I agree Zobrist would be better now at 5 or 6.

1. Jennings
2. Joyce/Johnson
3. Loney
4. Longo
5. Scott
6. Zobrist
rest

Or move the Loney/Longo/Scott trio all up 1 spot and put Joyce/Johnson at 5. I think out offense would be optimized with this lineup.

[Optimus_Steel]

Rays win the 2nd game at Tor but Rodney gave up another run and almost blew the game again. His ERA is 5.00 right now. How long before we try someone else as closer? And who?

Rodney has already doubled the amount of runs he gave up of all of last year and has one more blown save than all of last year.

Add another blown save to the list.

UGH!

There aren't really any viable options at this time....so, I guess we will just have to wait/hope Rodney can find his command again.

He's very scary these days.

Its just sad to see this team give away games like this. If we miss the playoffs its Rodneys fault.

[craig01]

Rodney's mojo is definitely missing this year.

If ANYONE else was pitching well, we might see a closer by committee again.

Peralta is the only guy that's been somewhat consistent, but I just don't see him in a closer role.

[MagicRays]

Rodney has to be pulled! He can't put up zero's to save anything at this point. How many games will Maddon let him ruin until he's seen enough?

Maddon finally moved Zobrist down to 5, but moved Loney down to 6. What is he thinking? Loney has one of the highest averages in the Majors right now and he's hitting 6th? I don't know if our manager looks at stat lines at all.

On the (not so) bright side, Moore has been light's out!

[craig01]

Rodney has to be pulled! He can't put up zero's to save anything at this point. How many games will Maddon let him ruin until he's seen enough?

Maddon finally moved Zobrist down to 5, but moved Loney down to 6. What is he thinking? Loney has one of the highest averages in the Majors right now and he's hitting 6th? I don't know if our manager looks at stat lines at all.

On the (not so) bright side, Moore has been light's out!

Maddon quickly left the dugout immediately after the game.

Maybe that was normal, maybe he was ticked off, IDK....

Rodney is nearing a crossroads. This was blown save #5, and has only had ONE - THREE UP AND THREE DOWN inning this year. He is walking a batter per inning, and can not manage his pitch location.

Walks have killed this team's bullpen this year, and I guess time will have to be the solution.

Rodney will HAVE to turn things around for the Rays to contend, but his previous history says that what we see now is what we should expect.

[craig01]

Rays win behind another solid effort from Cobb.

Bullpen was not needed.

Thank god.

[MagicRays]

Maddon decided to play Loney 7th, under Zobrist SRod and Escobar. It's hard for me to complain at this point because we put up 8 runs, but I can't imagine that being more effective in the long run than having Loney batting either 2nd or 3rd.

I'm hoping we lock up Cobb long term, similar to what we did with Moore. With Shields gone, Price not likely to resign, and the rest underperforming, we need Cobb's consistent quality starts more than ever now.

[craig01]

Maddon decided to play Loney 7th, under Zobrist SRod and Escobar. It's hard for me to complain at this point because we put up 8 runs, but I can't imagine that being more effective in the long run than having Loney batting either 2nd or 3rd.

I'm hoping we lock up Cobb long term, similar to what we did with Moore. With Shields gone, Price not likely to resign, and the rest underperforming, we need Cobb's consistent quality starts more than ever now.

Yeah, there are some quirks with Maddon and lineups.

I stopped complaining a few years back, realizing that he knows more than I do (most of the time!)

Personally, I think that Maddon looks at the lineup in segments .... as opposed through 1-9.

I don't like Longoria batting cleanup as often as he does when there is little or no production coming from 1-3. Why take away the extra at bats? If the Rays had someone hitting .280 ish above him, then cleanup would be fine. (Jennings .235, Roberts .240, Zobrist .247). Yesterday, Longo batted third ....

Cobb looks really, really good. I was not a Cobb believer when he arrived last year, but boy, has he turned out to be efficient.

If he keeps pitching like this, the Rays will certainly look at Cobb as an investment into the future.

[craig01]

Crappy performance once again by Hellickson.

Rays trailing the fish byp one in the eighth.

Ugh

[MagicRays]

Crappy performance once again by Hellickson.

Rays trailing the fish byp one in the eighth.

Ugh

Offense bailed us out again, thank God. Rodney made it thru the 9th without giving up a run, which unfortunately will convince maddon to keep playing him in save chances.

[MagicRays]

Personally, I think that Maddon looks at the lineup in segments .... as opposed through 1-9.

I just don't know why managers do that. How can you bring runs in if your best hitters are scattered throughout the lineup?

Sorting by the highest On-Base Percentage over the last 30 days, our lineup (with a few modifications to fit Longo's preference and Scott's power) should look like:

Joyce (LF)
Johnson (2B)
Loney (1B)
Longoria (3B)
Scott (DH)
Lobaton (C)
Zobrist (RF)
Escobar (SS)
Jennings (CF)

Sorting by OPS will give you a very similar lineup. This would give our best hitters the most at-bats. I don't even know where to fit Belnome in if he were to get called up. I think Johnson's gotta be in the line up every day at the rate he's going. We would certainly be under .500 without him. Escobar's coming around. Zobrist has been a serious disappointment and Scott has been flat out horrible over the last 7 days. Maybe DH Johnson and give Belnome a shot at 2B in the big show!

[craig01]

If it were me, I would have my best hitters at the top of the lineup with exceptions for positive match ups.

But Maddon has his ways, and who am I to question him?

I don't know where Belnome would play, but KJ is not much better than adequate at 2B.

Ryan Roberts is far less than adequate at 2B.

[MagicRays]

Hernandez looked great tonight. Rodney did not. Even though it was only 2 pitches. First was a ball way outside. Second pitch down the middle got smoked to right that would have drove in a run from 1st base if Joyce didn't make an outstanding play.

[craig01]

Hernandez looked great tonight. Rodney did not. Even though it was only 2 pitches. First was a ball way outside. Second pitch down the middle got smoked to right that would have drove in a run from 1st base if Joyce didn't make an outstanding play.

Hernandez was able to keep the ball down, and had fantastic command.

Good thing for him, as I think his days as a starter were on the clock.

[MagicRays]

Didn't get to see much of the game today, but the stats look good for everyone except Helly and Scott. Great bullpen and offense performances!