Rays-Rangers ALWC series

[Just Regular]

ESPN now showing they'll play the 300 first game tomorrow....Undecided v. Tyler Glasnow.     Glasnow figures to be available Sunday Game 2 and Friday Game 5 both at OPACY if his team advances.     For the superstitous or just plain Halloween fun, the ALDS Game 5's are scheduled for a Friday the 13th next week.

TEX did not look great down the stretch, and they'll exceed my expectations for them if they even get it to a third game.

The matchup is between the league's two highest scoring teams.

Team Stats - Last 30 Days - Pitching: TEX ERA is 5.18, 25th in MLB.      Austin Hedges appeared 3 times (and has a 0.00 ERA!).

Evan Carter IRL actually had the Top Prospect September success you dream of to early announce his presence for the '24 Rookie of the Year race.     Poche and Diekman are coming for him and Seager as sure as they are coming for Gunnar in maybe as many as half their PA as circumstances allow.

Josh Jung has gritted his way back fast from his midseason injury, but has been ineffective so far - 516 OPS in 54 PA.

Nate Lowe is cold, but most of their big Bats are hot.     Mitch Garver like Isaac Paredes and Josh Lowe posted Top 30 wRC+ higher than any Oriole's this past year.

Earlier this summer, Jay Jaffe mentioned Marcus Semien as a guy whose 2023 has gotten him into Hall of Fame range.     He now has three 7-win seasons, and 42 WAR.    Its his age-32 season, but he celebrated his 33rd birthday a couple weeks ago.

 

[Moose Milligan]

No way Marcus Semien is in the Hall of Fame range.

Anyway, I am hoping for a laborious series here between these two teams.  I'd like to see lots of bullpen pieces used throughout, extra inning games, the whole enchilada.

I'd prefer to see Texas win but I don't think that'll be the case.  I am sure Tampa is itching for a shot at us and I believe they'll get it.

[Billy F-Face3]

I have PTSD from the series when Texas visited Baltimore and humiliated us in 1 or 2 games. I did not expect that, because we were able to beat them in Texas, but they showed they have alot of offensive firepower.

I think the Rays have the best shot to advance and they are the 2nd best team in the American League based on record. 

Either way, the Orioles will face a tough challenger. 

[Billy F-Face3]

I will say that if Texas somehow beats Tampa, then we might want to schedule Grayson to pitch in Texas rather than Baltimore based on matchup results from ealier this season. Bradish and Means can pitch the 1st 2 games.

[SteveA]

41 minutes ago, Billy F-Face3 said:

I will say that if Texas somehow beats Tampa, then we might want to schedule Grayson to pitch in Texas rather than Baltimore based on matchup results from ealier this season. Bradish and Means can pitch the 1st 2 games.

We might want Means to pitch game 2 no matter what to get him in OPACY.  Lefty pitcher makes switch hitters bat right, and maybe gets a platoon RH bat in place of a LH bat.   The more RH batters, and fewer LH batters, in a game in OPACY with the Wall and the short porchy to the flag court, the better.

[RVAOsFan]

1 minute ago, SteveA said:

We might want Means to pitch game 2 no matter what to get him in OPACY.  Lefty pitcher makes switch hitters bat right, and maybe gets a platoon RH bat in place of a LH bat.   The more RH batters, and fewer LH batters, in a game in OPACY with the Wall and the short porchy to the flag court, the better.

Yea, I agree. The more I think about it I think giving Means the ball game two with that extra cushion of the deep wall in left field is the smart move. 

[SteveA]

4 minutes ago, RVAOsFan said:

Yea, I agree. The more I think about it I think giving Means the ball game two with that extra cushion of the deep wall in left field is the smart move. 

And if he has a short outing and we have to use a lot of pen -- we have the off day Monday.

[Billy F-Face3]

Totally agree with you, Steve.

[Just Regular]

I think Bradish/Grayson and Means/Kremer are separate tiers, and prefer to have Grayson in Game 5 relief if it comes to it.

With Felix gone, and the way the calendar falls, Bradish and Grayson are a Game 5 tandem for me.     I hope the Club is doing a little seed planting of that scenario as part of ALDS preparations.

Compromise for Means, he shows good October form - he gets Opening Day due to veteranosity and to save Hyde having to pick between the cornerstones.

[sportsfan8703]

1 hour ago, SteveA said:

We might want Means to pitch game 2 no matter what to get him in OPACY.  Lefty pitcher makes switch hitters bat right, and maybe gets a platoon RH bat in place of a LH bat.   The more RH batters, and fewer LH batters, in a game in OPACY with the Wall and the short porchy to the flag court, the better.

I've really been down with this, but there is something also to going with the rookie at home and vet on the road.  Plus, like we've said then GR is an option for relief in a game 5.  I love the idea of LH SPs in OPACY, but I think sometimes you don't mess with success.  I wouldn't get cute and would go Grayson in Game 2.

[Just Regular]

No surprise, but Jordan Montgomery getting the Game 1 call.

Before opt outs, he's safely on the Mount Rushmore of 2024 free agent starting pitchers:

Nola, Snell, S. Gray. J. Montgomery

Kyle Gibson nearly the top of the list after those guys.

[Just Regular]

Rays going 15 Bats, 11 Arms for the 3 games.

Blue Jays taking a Terrance Gore type guy into their series with the Twins.

Prayers for the Lowe family, as there sadly isn't a fun repeat of 2022's Aaron vs. Austin Nola storyline for Nate and Josh.    They shared this week their mom is in chemo.

Bochy Game 1 has gone Robbie Grossman rather than Mitch Garver against Glasnow.

[Frobby]

On 10/2/2023 at 11:44 AM, Moose Milligan said:

No way Marcus Semien is in the Hall of Fame range.

I never would have guessed he’s at 41.8 rWAR for his career.  I would have thought 25-30 tops.  Fangraphs has him at 32.0 fWAR.

Anyway, he isn’t in Hall of Fame territory.  But he’s a damned good player.  

[Fiver6565]

What a pathetic crowd at this Rays game. Tampa is the worst. 

[MurphDogg]

Just hoping the series goes three games and all of the relievers get spent in Game 3.