A Tampa Bay Rays Blog From The Other Half

Posts tagged Burnett

Ugh, Relievers Provide no Relief at all.

Apr14
2009 2 Comments Written by Jessica

Nothing funny about tonight’s game, that sucked.  Garza pitched a good game.  He gave up two runs but most nights his offense should be able to help him out with that. 

AJ Burnett was nasty.  It wasn’t until the 7th inning that the Rays were able to scrape together some hits.  They fought hard the whole game and finally tied the score at two.

However it was all for not.  JP Howell came in and gave up a run, and Wheeler came in a gave up four runs.  No relief at all.  The opposite of Advil.

I was actually surprised that the Rays were able to get to Burnett.  Halfway through the game I figured he was going to pitch a complete game shutout.  I guess that’s why I was so bummed that the bullpen did the opposite of their job.

My mind kept going back to one thing tonight though.  Rays Index had a great piece a while back about situational pitching.  If you have time you should give it a read.  Anyway I guess I’m just wondering why JP pitched the whole 8th, and Wheeler pitched the whole 9th, instead of switching things up for certain situations.  I know the Yankees have quite a few switch hitters, so that screws things up but…
I’m tired, it could just be crazy talk.

Let’s hope Andy, Sonnanstine that is, can pick up the Rays tomorrow and they can win this series.  Go Rays!!

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Game 95 – Blue Jays vs. Rays

Jul18
2008 Leave a Comment Written by Jessica

They’re back!

Aki had a great first at bat.  He worked, saw a lot of pitches and ended up with a base hit.  I’d love to see that from him every time.

The first couple of innings the Rays were really working Burnett, even getting a couple on base but they couldn’t capitalize on it.

Navi had a nice double in the 2nd, and advanced to third when Rios caught Hinske’s fly ball.  Rios seemed to think there were only two outs.  Whips! 

Shields made a mistake in the 3rd and Lidge made him pay.  1-0 Blue Jays.

Crawford started off the 3rd with a base hit.  Then promptly got picked off first.  Even he was pissed off about it.  Strangely that made me feel better.

Navi got Rios stealing second.  Gotcha.

Bottom of the 7th.  Hinske walked, then Benny laced one to right!  Huh, Barty can’t do that.  1-2 Rays.  The shot of the bench was great.  The guys were pumped.

Both Shields and Burnett brought their A-games tonight.  Each of them made one mistake, Burnett just happened to walk a guy before his mess up.

Aki had a helluva bunt in the 7th, but got thrown out stealing second.

You know what’s magnificent?  The majority of the beards are gone.  That’s what that losing streak was good for.  Howell is rockin the line beard though.  Not a fan.

What does Benny do after hitting the go ahead home run?  Commits a throwing error.  Ugh.  Benny, Barty doesn’t do that.  Howell and Balfour baled him out with a runner on third.  The bullpen is so amazing.

Is Balfour a Red Sox fan?  What’s with the array of necklaces?  Don’t care, he ruled the ninth and the Rays won!!  Toronto 1 - Tampa 2.

It was a pitchers duel.  The Rays 3-4-5 hitters blew chunks, but the team still found a way to win. 

Let’s hope they can crack the pitching again tomorrow and Garza can hold his own.  Go Rays!!

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Game 32 – Rays vs. Blue Jays

May06
2008 Leave a Comment Written by Jessica

Pregame – Sonny vs. Burnett.  John Gibbons looks so mean.  Like Ray Liotta mean.

1st inning – pitchers roll, everyone out.

Top of 2nd – Burnett strikes out the side.

Bottom 2nd – Stairs gets a base hit.  Wells hits into a fielders choice, out at second.  Then the Rays get Wells in a pickle.  Overbay singles too, but Hill pops out to end the inning.

Top 3rd – Navi gets a bloop single past McScrappy.  It’s a start.  Gross gets a walk.  Did he borrow Alex Rodriguez’s purple lip gloss?  Bartlett hits one hard but right to the left fielder.  Damn.  Aki gets a favor from the baseball gods.   Two balls that were clearly off the plate were called strikes, then the gods took it in their hands.  A ball gets away from the catcher Zaun and the runners move to second and third.  Then as a bonus Aki gets a base hit!  Navi scores 1-0 Rays.
Carl Crawford hits a sac fly to score Gross.  2-0 Rays.  BJ base hit up the middle, Aki scores.  3-0 Rays.  Rock on.  Pena of the RAAYS, who likes to call time, strikes out.

Bottom 3rd – Zaun has a nice hit but is held to a single because of Gross and his go go gadget arm.  Eckstein hits one over BJ’s head in center, did they underestimate Scrappy-Do’s power?  Aki’s relay gets Zaun at home, but shocker, the Rays get screwed on another call!  WTF!  Are they aware that the Devil Ray that hit an ump with a bat is no longer a Ray!!  They score another run in this inning on a sac fly, but they shouldn’t have scored any.  3-2 Rays.

Top 4th – Longo strikes out.  Hinske doubles.  Navi pops out.  Hinske steals third.  Shitske my ass.  That sounds funny.  Gross strikes out.

Bottom 4th – Wells hits a triple on an 0-2 meatball.  Overbay hits a sac fly and the score is tied.  Hill and Zaun fly out and ground out.

Top 5th – Bartlett basehit.  Aki doubles and scores Bartlett, but is kinda dumb and tries for a triple, out.  If the Rays lose there is plenty to bitch about in this game.  Crawford pops out.  BJ singles up the middle, then steals second, and takes third on an error.  Pena strikes out again.  4-3 Rays.

Bottom 5th – McDonald singles (he’s in for Eckstein who hurt himself being all scrappy and sh*t)  Rios strikes out again.  Stewart grounds out on a nice barehanded play by Bartlett.  It gets a “nifty” from Magrane.  Rolen gets Sonny’s only walk, but Stairs grounds out.

Top 6th - Longo looks a little lost and fouls out.  Hinske homers! Huge!  At this point ya gotta believe he’s trying to piss off Jays fans.  5-3 Rays.  Navi grounds out.  Gross maims their shortstop with a ground ball single.  McDonald really hurt his ankle? trying to make the play.  Holy Honkin Paramedic Chick!  McDonald gets to ride off on the cart.  Bartlett strikes out.

Bottom 6th – Wells base hit.  Overbay doubles off the wall.  Wells scores, with no throw home???  Aki’s kinda off tonight.  5-4 Rays.  Hill flies out.  Zaun hits a grounder and Pena takes it off the face, but can’t make the play.  Definitely saved some runs though.  Scutaro grounds into a double play.  Whew, that was close.

Top 7th – Brian Tallet pitching.  Aki grounds out.  CC walks.  BJ grounds out but moves CC over.  Pena strikes out hook, line and sinker.

Bottom 7th – Wheeler in to pitch.  Sonny did a good job of keeping the Rays in the game.  Rios notches strike out number three.  Stewart grounds out, and Rolen flies out.  Nice.

Top 8th – Longo walks.  Hinske grounds out but moves Longo over.  Navi grounds out but moves Longo to third.  Gross and his .174 batting average strike out.  Was there any thought about pinch hitting there??

Bottom 8th – Opens with a nice shot of one of the Jays pitchers in the bullpen adjusting his cup with his hand inside his pants.  Stairs grounds out.  Wells grounds out and Bartlett makes a nice bounce pass out to Pena.  Love them both.  Overbay walks, but Wheeler does an excellent job and gets Hill to fly out.

Top 9th – Sean Camp in to pitch.  Doesn’t he owe us a couple?  He gets the Rays in order and makes it look easy.  Insert snarky comment here.

Bottom 9th – Percy in to pitch.  One, two, three. but the best part was Magrane calling one of his pitches a “dipsy doodle.”  Percy doesn’t seem like the dipsy doodle type to me.

Oh Yeah the Rays win!!  Tampa 5 – Toronto 4.  Let’s hope they can make up some ground on Boston tomorrow.  Go Rays!! 

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