Are the Tampa Bay Rays American League Championship Contenders?

[bobmc]

The judge assured me the restraining order covers work as well.

Ok but remember Jack Ruby? Well you don't but have you read the reports? Be safe out there! Dickie V works at Publix also? Wow! I love him! :hearts: He, like you, are/is one of us!

[Frobby]

On a 9 game losing streak, Tampa now is 13 games out and has the worst record in the majors. Feels like old times!

[Frobby]

Tampa is now 31-47. While conventional wisdom is that injuries to their starting pitchers has been their downfall, in reality, it's their bats that bear most of the blame. Tampa finished 5th in ERA last year at 3.74, and this year they are 6th at 3.91, not really a huge drop off. On offense, they've dropped from 4.29 to 3.65 runs/game. Their defense has been more porous, allowing 27 unearned runs so far (.40 per game) compared to 38 (.23 per game) all last year.

The dropoff in offense and defense is a bit perplexing, since the team made only minor changes to last year's roster. 8 of the 9 players with the most at bats from last year's roster returned. Kelly Johnson (.715 OPS in 366 AB), Jose Lobaton (.714/277), Luke Scott (.741/253) and Sam Fuld (.537/176) are gone from last year's roster. Zobrist and Myers each missed some time. But mostly, it's just guys doing worse compared to last year: Longoria .842/.730, Loney .778/.718 , Zobrist .756/.703, Myers .831/.666, Jennings .748/.700, Escobar .698/.657 in 2013/14.

I have real trouble believing that Tampa is really this bad.

[Can_of_corn]

The 2012 Red Sox were not as bad as their record either. These seasons happen in baseball.

[Can_of_corn]

I was in a major retailer yesterday and the Rays' gear is on clearance.

[weams]

I was in a major retailer yesterday and the Rays' gear is on clearance.

"This game is ova..."

[weams]

Tampa is said to prefer to trade Price to the National League — or at the very least out of the AL East.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

[OFFNY]

o

The Rays are 9-2 over their last 11 games.

The Rays are 16-8 over their last 24 games.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/schedule/_/name/tb/tampa-bay-rays

[notyourbuddy]

Rays sign No. 1 rated international prospect Adrian Rondon for $3 million

Source

[Can_of_corn]

Source

Hard to keep up with those huge market teams in the international market.

[OFFNY]

.

(JULY 13th)

TORONTO BLUE JAYS

Jose Reyes - SS

Melky Cabrera - LF

Jose Bautista - RF

Dan Johnson - 1B

Erik Kratz - DH

Steve Tolleson - 2B

Darin Mastroianni - CF

Juan Francisco - 3B

Josh Thole - C

R.A. Cockey - RHP (7-8, 3.86 ERA)

TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS

Kevin Kiermaier - CF

Ben Zobrist - RF

Matt Joyce - DH

Evan Longoria - 3B

James Loney - 1B

Brandon Guyer - LF

Yunel Escobar - SS

Jose Molina - C

Logan Forsythe - 2B

David Price - LHP (8-7, 3.42 ERA)

http://baseballpress.com/lineup.php

[OFFNY]

.

(JULY 13th)

TORONTO BLUE JAYS

Jose Reyes - SS

Melky Cabrera - LF

Jose Bautista - RF

Dan Johnson - 1B

Erik Kratz - DH

Steve Tolleson - 2B

Darin Mastroianni - CF

Juan Francisco - 3B

Josh Thole - C

R.A. Cockey - RHP (7-8, 3.86 ERA)

TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS

Kevin Kiermaier - CF

Ben Zobrist - RF

Matt Joyce - DH

Evan Longoria - 3B

James Loney - 1B

Brandon Guyer - LF

Yunel Escobar - SS

Jose Molina - C

Logan Forsythe - 2B

David Price - LHP (8-7, 3.42 ERA)

http://baseballpress.com/lineup.php

2-0 D-Rays, still batting in the bottom of the 7th inning.

[OFFNY]

o

8 - PLUS shutout innings.

All 5 hits that Price ceded were singles.

Only 1 Blue Jay even reached scoring position for the entire time (8 - PLUS innings) that Price pitched.

At one point, Price recorded 17 outs in 17 Blue Jay plate appearances (the single and the hit batsman that he ceded in that period were both erased on double plays.)

DAVID PRICE O (vs. BLUE JAYS, 7/13)

IP:. 8 - PLUS

H:o 5 (5 Singles)

R:O 0

BB: 1 *

SO: 5

Pitches: 112 (74 Strikes, 38 Balls)

2014 ERA: 3.23

* Price also had 1 Hit Batsman

[OFFNY]

o

Although they have been hot as of late (13-5 over their last 18 games), the Rays head into the All-Star break at 44-53, 9 and-a-half games behind the Orioles in the A.L. East.

[Frobby]

I would not say that they are completely out of it. BP says they have a 4.6% chance of making the playoffs, which sounds about right to me. But if they don't continue to be really hot in the 2-3 weeks following the all star break, I think they can forget it. And they could be sellers before then.