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Game 110 - Tigers vs. Rays
By Jessica | August 3, 2008
Closers or Openers??
The Rays won a doozy this afternoon in extra innings. Final score Detroit 5 - Tampa 6. Some thoughts on the game…
When I turned on the TV there was some bizarro cartoon involving the Rays and an ice cream lady. I came into it in the middle so I was a little confused. Was it funny? My reaction was basically “What the heck was that?”
In the second inning Joe Magrane was talking about how Polanco is a gold glove second baseman. Then he called him a very heady player. I almost spit out my soda. If you’ve ever taken a good look at Polanco, he is indeed very heady!
Longo legs out a single on a ground ball to third. He actually looked swift. Let that be a lesson to all the slackers out there.
In the third the Rays had a pop up problem. A ball was hit to shallow right, Aki made his way out there and Hinske was coming in, but neither caught the ball. I have no idea whose ball it was, but that runner ended up scoring later in the inning which is frustrating. Barty made a nice line drive catch and doubled off Guillen to stop the madness.
In the fifth Polanco doubled and Ordonez drove him in. 2-0 Tigers.
Polanco doubled again in the seventh and that was the end of Shields day. Which was a very good day by the way.
Bottom of the 7th BJ ground rule doubled. Total bummer since he was diggin for three. Yes he was hustlin. Love it. Pena drove him in. 2-1 Tigers.
Balfour finished the 7th and then came out for the 8th. I think he gets a little too pumped up. Sheffield got himself into a full count, and Grant was getting more and more into it, at which point he pitched it hard but it was right over the middle of the plate. He’s not going to be able to blow it by everybody. Had he kept that ball down he would have struck him out, instead Sheffield crushed it out of the stratosphere. 3-1 Tigers.
Bottom 8th - Hinske gets one right back. Home-run! 3-2 Tigers. Barty strikes out, it happens. Aki singles. BJ Upton hit a two run homer to give the Rays the lead. So awesome. He’s heating up. 3-4 Rays.
Percy comes out in the 9th with a one run lead, so what does he do? He gives up a first pitch home-run to Granderson. So deflating. Tie ball game.
Nothing doin in the bottom of the 9th, and I mean nothin. I think Jonny Gomes struck out with out even swinging the bat. That’s not going to get ya the walk-off celebration. On to the 10th.
Percy out to work again. He lays one in there for Miguel Cabrera and Crawford watches it fly. No shit, he gave up another home-run. 5-4 Tigers. He then managed to get a fly out, but followed it with two walks. Miller came in to save his behind, and actually did just that.
Bottom of the tenth, better known as wack a Ray. Aybar walked. Bartlett tried to pull back from a bunt attempt, but took it off his index finger. On his right hand. Not good people, Barty has a boo boo. It looked pretty nasty when he removed his batting glove. Everyone send him good vibes tonight. Last time this team was without Barty, they went into a downward spiral, and I was sad since I love him.
Maddon brings Riggans in to pinch hit for Bartlett. Next thing ya know, Riggy’s layin on the ground. He took a pitch to the chest. It was actually really scary. You have to love him too, he just tried to catch his breath, shook it off and went to first base. Aki comes up and lays down the perfect sac bunt and moves the boys over. Sweet two guys in scoring position, one out. BJ draws a walk, a questionable walk, but a walk is a walk. Walk much? Bases loaded. Crawford singles, run Rays run. Aybar scores, but Riggy has to stop at third since he didn’t get a good jump. Tie ball game.
Bases loaded again, only 1 out. Longo strikes out. Two outs. Oh and I really want the game to be over since I hate sitting there for so long during the day. It’s all up to Pena, and he delivers. The walk off walk! Rays sweep. Detroit 5 - Tampa 6.
Once again Percy blows the save but the Rays still win? He’s a lucky SOB.
Tomorrow night it’s time to rock Cleveland. Let’s hope Garza can out-duel Lee, he seems to like a challenge. Go Rays!!
photo from yahoo sports
Topics: Game Diaries |
August 3rd, 2008 at 11:48 pm
Don’t buy into the nonsense about Upton not hustling. You will start seeing it when it is not there.
Upton has always been a tremendously hard worker and dedicated ballplayer. Like everyone-and that means everyone-I am sure he occasionally is not up to par, but he is in the top echelon of hustling ballplayers.
It is possible that his smooth, elegant style may look like loping rather than running full out. It is also possible that he makes judgments early on to play the carom rather than recklessly go for a catch that would likely fail and lead to a triple or HR and so does not run out of control but deliberately to be in the best position to limit the damage.
Anyway, don’t buy into it. That is talk radio stupidity or fodder for commentators who have nothing to say and no capacity to think about the actual game, just cliches they turn to in place of real observation or thinking. If enough people become suckers for that kind of idiocy, it becomes FACT and is very hard to get rid of. Upton does not deserve that. He is the best player on this team and vital to its success, and he takes that role seriously.
In any case, you can be sure that Maddon does not countenance lack of effort. It has been his mantra since arriving; the Rays’ way is always to play the game right, always to be mentally prepared and alert. You may remember his immediate response last year when Delmon loafed in the penultimate game. If he has not commented on it, it is not an issue.
August 4th, 2008 at 8:42 am
Hi Bob. I actually agree with you. I have no complaints about BJ’s outfield play. I think he just makes it look easy because he’s a really gifted athlete. He does hustle, you can see it when he’s stealing bases.
I just have a pet peeve about guys not running hard down to first base. Twice in the last month, BJ has been involved in plays that were ugly because of his lack of effort down to first.
I also think when Maddon went off on the team, it wasn’t just directed at Aki. He got his message across. Thankfully you’re right he’s not going to put up with that garbage.
Hopefully you weren’t calling me a sucker for idiocy…If so I will leave that alone.
August 4th, 2008 at 10:30 am
No, I was not calling you a sucker for idiocy. I was simply using perhaps too strong rhetoric in my appeal that you not buy into that kind of superficial thinking.
Like you, I dislike loafing to 1B. I am not sure we always see that right in any case. There may be some trompe d’oeil in it as we tend to follow the ball first and then see the runner the last few steps to 1B when he may slow down seeing the ball in the glove or about to be caught.
I also think that, like it or not, it is pretty much the norm in baseball (and always has been despite the misty eyed reveries of old farts’ memories) that players do not always bust their butts to 1B on every play. Again, the manager is responsible for dealing with that, as Maddon did last year with Young.
I think the most recent posting on Upton at DRays Bay is very apropos this discussion and a worthwhile read. The “3 amigos” title, for example, hung on Upton along with Dukes and Young at Durham, was absolutely invalid yet became a FACT in many circles. That is what I mean being a sucker for idiocy, that people accept that stuff at face value, and if they republish it or refer to it uncritically they become part of the problem.
August 4th, 2008 at 11:16 am
Okay hopefully we can agree to disagree. I wasn’t republishing something I heard somewhere else. My post was directly following a game in which, I as a fan felt like BJ did not hustle down to first. Those were my feelings, as is most of what I post here. For the record the replay showed his whole run down to first and even Staats and Magrane agreed with me that that should never happen.
Also I think that Maddon did deal with that. He chewed them all out for not hustling, and I can guarantee that part of that rant was directed at BJ.
Finally I would never lump BJ with Young and Dukes. He has always been one of my favorites, and was one of the players that gave me hope for the future.
August 4th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
I don’t really think we are disagreeing, Jessica. I suspect you are right about that particular run to 1B and likely Maddon’s response. And as Upton is a star, he will most often be a target when he does mess up, which is legitimate.
I suppose my only quibble is that focusing on a particular incident adds fuel to the fire of those who already are predisposed to criticize him. That does not mean he should be immune from such criticisms, but I think it helps if we are aware of the possible ramifications and that we couch our criticisms in such a way as to avoid giving aid and comfort to the nitwits.
In any case, this is a fun site. And as it is your personal responses, I heartily applaud your frankness and honest appraisals.
August 6th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Love your blog. Pretty keen observation about BJ and hustle Jessica. He’s benched in today’s game (Tues) for not hustling during his final at bat yesterday. Here’s a link: http://tbsnradio510.com/blog/?p=27