This year’s World Series was an absolute joke. Never have I seen such a conglomeration of pathetic swings, shoddy pitching and ball dropping in professional baseball. The Rangers looked like they were swatting purses. Vladdy struck out more time in the post-season than in the regular seasons, and Josh Hamilton appeared to be swinging a lead stick. Finally, on the other side Pat Burrell’s 9 K’s in 11 at-bats was hideous. At a time when Baseball’s fan base is slowly shrinking, disasters such as these are not helping to sell the game.

                I will concede to the fact the Giant’s pitching was solid, though there were no performances which resurrected memories of Andy Petite or pre-2010 WS Cliff Lee esc performances. It was only solid, and really should not have generated as many luck-luster swings as they did. This has all lead me to appoint this the WORST WORLD SERIES in recent memory. Nothing about this World Series was memorable, nothing about this World Series was note worthy, and nothing in this World Series should be remembered.

The Tampa Bay Rays are charging into the playoffs after a one year absence from October baseball. After clinching the AL East division on the last game of the season- thanks to a Red Sox win over the Yankees- the Rays can enter with confidence as they square-off against the Texas Rangers in the first round.

The key to success for the Rays is to maintain their dynamic running game that has carried them this far, thus far. Leading the league with 172 stolen bags, it is clearly obvious the Rays’ running game is their strong suit. However, stolen bags are not the only benefit of Tampa’s strong running game. Base runners- moreover good base runners – have a tendency to get into pitchers’ head and influence how they pitch. Pitcher’s will tend to throw more fastballs, or when they are reluctant to do so, over anxious catchers will repeatedly call for it anticipating the runners to be on the move. The result: Less diversity in pitches which allow Ray hitters to assert themselves and be more confident in knowing what pitches are coming.

It is then clear the key for the Rangers is to keep the Rays off the base paths. The reality is this is going to be a daunting task. The Rangers therefore have to focus on the obvious culprits who are the key to the Rays running game; Carl Crawford (47 SB) and B.J. Upton (42 SB),  if the Rangers can shut down these two it will allow Bengie Molina to call a better game.

As always, pitching is key for a successful playoff drive, and match ups will play a key role. Here is a breakdown of each game.

Cliff Lee (12-9) Vs. David Price (19-8): It is hard to ignore Lee’s 5-0 record last year however Price is heading into the playoffs on a tear. He has not lost a game in a month, while only rendering eight runs in his last eight appearances. Not to mention Price’s sparkling 1.96 ERA at home. Also, Lee has a swelled 4.60 ERA playing on turf. Expect game one to go in favor for the Ray’s with a score of 6-2.

C.J. Wilson ( 15-8) Vs. James Shields (13-15): This one is interesting because both pitchers are going in with absolute dismal records in September. Nevertheless, James Shield’s horrid ERA over 5 and his inability to win a game in the past month, earns him the honor as the biggest loser. Though C.J. to has struggled in September, yet he did manage to record a win in his last start against the Angels. Expect this one to be a high scoring affair in favor of the Rangers bats’. Expect both pitchers to be knocked out early.

Matt Garza (15-10) Vs. Colby Lewis (12-13): With the series tied 1-1, the series will move to Arlington. Both pitchers feature a similar record in September, (Lewis 3-1, Garza 2-3). With a low WHIP however (1.19) Lewis  will definitely keep the Rays’ off the base paths, and if he gets into a grove there won’t be much the Rays legs’ can do about it. Expect a low scoring game in favor of the Rangers.

David Price vs. Cliff Lee: With the series on the line, the Ray’s will turn to Price, and Price will deliver. Lee is a formidable test however. This game will be tight, however expect the Ray’s to come on top riding the Price express.

C.J. Wilson vs. Jeff Niemen (12-8): Hopefully after realizing James Shields is not the answer, Joe Madden will turn to Jeff Niemen, who was absolutely electric in the beginning of the season, but fizzled out towards the end. Regardless, Niemen has pitched well down the stretch and will definitely oust the struggling Wilson.

There it is, Rays in five – though it will not be a walk in the park.           

While only sitting two games back of the Yankees, the Rays have a serious opportunity to take the AL East. However, with the recent Yankee insurgence against the Rays it will be a daunting task to get back on top.

                The Rays enter the second half winning eight of their last ten. Not shabby, the only problem is the Yankees are too. It is going to be a battle of attrition between the two teams, and it will ultimately come down to their remaining meetings in the regular season. The first of which actually begins Friday. Whoever can edge the other out in the remaining games will take the AL East crown.

                As for the miracle on crutches, the Boston Red Sox, I strongly believe they are the odd men out. By the time they get up and rolling again at 100%, it will be too late. Clay Buchholz (10-4) is close to returning though it is more of a question whether he can return to his pre-break dominance. Dustin Pedroia’s broken foot is still afoot. It was a tad comical watching him lean on his crutches at the all-star game. Ellsbury is out with fractured ribs and has only managed nine games this season. Ace, Josh Beckett is still suffering from old man syndrome- back pain.  Both of Bean town’s catchers are on the fritz, Martinez and Varitek, are both suffering from dents caused by foul tips. Even Boston’s depth players such as Mike Lowell are on the DL. It is only a matter of time before one of the magical crutches snap.

                If Tampa Bay can resurrect James Shield’s 2008 heroics, and get B.J. Upton back onto the tracks then it is their division to lose. Regardless, due to the current make up of the AL East and wild card it is inevitable- blocking an ugly collapse- the Rays will be playing October baseball.

With only minutes to go before homeruns begin to bombard Angel Stadium in Anaheim; fan attention is being drawn to who will be the Home Run Derby King of 2010. Vernon Wells, David Ortiz, Miguel Cabrera, Nick Swisher, Matt Holliday, Hanley Ramirez, Corey Hart, and Chris Young are all vying for the title.

            Toronto is pleased with their representative, Vernon Wells, 32, who has bounced back since signing his massive contract. Wells has already hit 19 homers, 4 greater than his previous season. Wells has helped charge a Toronto team that currently leads the MLB in round-trippers. Wells’s swing is certainly not the most powerful swing in the game however it is extremely consistent and can put a charge into any ball. He may not impress spectators with the distance of his home runs however he will post a decent amount—most of them just clearing the left field fence.

            David Ortiz, 34, is no stranger to the Derby competing 3 times prior. Ortiz is experiencing moderate success this year totalling 18 dingers. Though not successful in his previous 3 trips, Ortiz’s experience is for sure to aid him. Ortiz has quick hands through the zone, which are not needed to hit a 50mph pitching coach offering, however his tremendous bat speed will send balls hissing over the fence. His one enemy would be hitting the ball too square and driving line drives instead of towering pop flies, a technique which usually produces the largest number of big flies.

            Miguel Cabrera, 27, for the Detroit Tigers is the clear cut favourite. Not only does he lead all the contestants with 22 dingers, he features one of the most beautiful power swings in the game. On command, the native of Venezuela can smack a ball 400 plus feet, and go above and beyond hitting balls toward the moon reaching 500 ft. Cabreara took part in the 2006 Derby where he placed third with 15, finishing behind David Wright and Ryan Howard.

            Nick Swisher, 29,   representing the Yankees is an underdog who could do a lot of damage. Entering the Derby with 15 homeruns, Swisher’s swing naturally puts a lot of loft on the ball, which is a valuable tool for this contest. Look for Swisher to at least pass the first round.

            Matt Holiday, 30, is coming in with 16 dingers. The Cardinals three-spot hitter has had tremendous success this season, though that success may not transit into the Derby. Although big and strong, Holliday is another strong line-drive hitter. If he wants to have any success, he will have to alter his swing a tad, putting more of an upper cut into it.

            Hanley Ramirez, 27, has the least homeruns out of all the competitors with a mere 13. Although, that number is more impressive than it appears because he is a middle infielder. Ramirez’s swing is smooth and compact, which may do damage but he’ll have to be pin-point with where he places the ball in the field because he does not have extraordinary power.

            Corey Hart, 28, is second among with 21 homeruns going into the contest. Hart’s quick, upper cut swing is tailor made for the Derby. The question is will the nerves of competing in his first derby get to him? If he remains calm and collected Hart will be able to launch balls out with relative ease, possibly threatening to take the crown.

            Chris Young, 27, has 15 round-trippers this season. Young does have an upper-cut to his swing however he tends to put a lot of top spin on the ball. Meaning he hits the top of the ball, sending balls screaming all-over the field which end up bouncing pre-maturely because of their spin. This said, he won’t have to deal with 90mph fast balls so he may be able to locate his bat slightly more under the ball. If he does this, success for Young is inevitable.    

            Cabrera is the favourite this year but there is no guarantee he will win. Every other hitter in the contest is more than capable of putting a sufficient amount of balls over the wall. It really is a matter of who will find their stroke first.

Over the last 31 games the Rays have dropped 19. Of course, being in the AL East any slump of this magnitude generally results in falling behind—by a lot.

Though it may not seem so horrid being 2.5 games back as of Sunday night, the Rays 31 games ago had a comfortable 4.5 game lead over the Yankees, and the Red Sox were out of the question. Now they find themselves in third, and in the midst of a slump, it leads fans –like me—to wonder how low can they go?

Frustrations are certainly reaching a boiling point. B.J. Upton and Evan Longoria were in each others faces Sunday after a lethargic effort by Upton to fetch a ball in the outfield which resulted in a Arizona triple.

The Rays would go on to lose the game 2-1 to Arizona. Both Longoria and Upton have reason to be upset. Upton is the sad owner of a .223 BA, while Longoria has seen better days. The altercation in the dugout apparently was more a matter of positioning rather than the lack of hustle. Both players have digressed from the situation.

On the pitching side, James Shields has lost 4 of his last 5 starts. Jeff Niemen has only managed one victory in his last five, and most depressing of all, Wade Davis is 0-5 in his last five while suiting a miserable 6.00 ERA.

When it rains it pours in Tampa Bay.

The Rays are hoping for sunny days ahead as they return to American League play against the Red Sox and hope to gain some ground in the division standings they once grasped so tightly.

It did not take long for Justin O’Connor to sign. The Ray’s second selection of the 2010 Amateur Draft stands at 6-foot-1 and weighs 190 lbs. The catcher was at Tropicana field Monday to discuss what the minor leagues will be like and what the team wants him to accomplish with senior advisor Don Zimmer and manager Jon Madden.

O’Connor, a natural short-stop with an excellent arm, will likely be placed with the Rays Gulf Coast affiliate as a catcher. The Rays see O’Connor as having all the tools of an effective defensive catcher with his arm being his main attraction. When asked why he signed so swiftly O’Connor simply replied:

“I want to play, I want to get down here as soon as I can and play.”

His refreshing attitude hopefully sets the tone for the rest of his draft class. For more insight on O’Connor, refer to my previous blog from June 8th.

O’Connor a natural short-stop with an excellent arm will likely be placed with the Rays Gulf Coast affiliate playing as catcher. The Rays see O’Connor as having all the tools of an effective defensive catcher with his arm being his main attraction. When asked why he signed so swiftly O’Connor simply replied:

“I want to play, I want to get down here as soon as I can and play.”

His refreshing attitude hopefully sets the tone for the rest of his draft class. For more insight on O’Connor refer to my previous blog from June 8th.

     6”9 giant Jeff Niemann suffered his first loss of the season today. After starting the season 6-0, Niemann was tagged for 9 hits and 5 earned runs against the Marlins– who captured the series with a 6-1 win Sunday afternoon. Despite this however Niemann still owns a solid 2.83 ERA and an equally impressive 1.08 WHIP. After a strong rookie year (13-6), Niemann is dodging the notorious sophomore jinx that has plagued so many in the past. On that note, let us take a look at some of the most recent sophomore blunders after amazing rookie seasons.

     Eric Hinske broke out of the gates with the Blue Jays in 2002 hitting 24 homeruns and batting .279. His success at the plate earned him the AL Rookie of the Year and The Sporting News Rookie of the Year. To add, the infamous J.P. Riccardi signed Hinske to a five-year deal worth close to $15 million. Hinske’s future was bright and the world was watching as he entered into his sophomore year. It was a lemon. Hinske’s average dropped 36 points to .243 and his homerun production cut in half to 12. Hinske, still playing, has not been able to return to his rookie form. However he has had some success. He’s been in the last three World Series– Red Sox 2007, Rays 2008, and Yankees 2009—primarily as a bench player. Hinske is currently playing for the NL east leading Braves.

     Giovany Soto experienced a case of the sophomore slumps. After a brilliant rookie campaign in 2008, suiting a .283 batting average, smacking 23 over the fence and driving in 83, Soto had difficulties replicating his preliminary success. Soto hit just .218 and only managed 11 dingers in his second go around in the majors. Currently Soto is showing a better bat, hitting a modest .266 and 7 home runs for the Cubs.

     Gordon Beckham of the Chicago White Sox is currently running the risk of recording a sophomore slump year of his own. In his rookie season Beckham compiled 14 dingers and 63 RBI in just 103 games. At that pace Beckham, a second baseman, would have finished with 22 homeruns and 99 RBI, outstanding numbers for a middle infielder. This year Beckham has only managed one measly homerun, with 14 RBI and a dreadful .206 AVG.

     In scrapping for bit of info on why sophomores tend to slump, I stumbled upon an article by Aaron Gleeman. Gleeman punched in the numbers and discovered “sixty-four percent of the Rookie of the Year winners declined in their second season and just 32.5% improved”. It makes you wonder if rookies tend to slack during the off-season or if it really is some mystical curse.

Going into the draft the Rays obviously wanted to satisfy a craving for power hitting. High school power more specifically. With the 17th pick overall the Ray selected Josh Sale, from Bishop Blanchet high school in Seattle. Next with the 31st pick the Rays selected Justin O’Connor from Cowan High School in Muncie. With the 42nd pick the Rays opted, again, for another High School kid, Drew Vettleson from Central Kitsap High School in Silverdale Washington.

Josh Sale features plus power while suiting average about everywhere else. The 6”1 215 pound teenager bats left-handed and is touted by Baseball America to have tremendous power, projecting him to be capable of hitting 30 homerun seasons in the near future. It is right now unclear where Sale will play because of his average arm strength however the Rays have not mentioned any change in position for their young power hitter. Sale was committed to play college ball at Gonzaga however he does not see himself “going to school”. I have a tingling sensation in me that says he will opt for the large signing bonus he will be entitled to.

The Rays second-pick, Justin O’Connor features an electric arm that can deliver speeds close to 95 MPH off the mound. However, he is not a pitcher. O’Connor, 18, was drafted as a catcher by the Rays. Although he has little experience behind the plate, Freidman-the Rays GM- is confident O’Connor will morph into a plus defensive catcher, with his arm being his ultimate means of stopping running games. At eighteen O’Connor has plenty of time to adjust to his new position.

Drew Vettleson posses a rare mind that can use both sides of his body well enough to be able to throw with both his right and lefts arms. He is ambidextrous! However, Vettleson has expressed reluctance of continuing this practise into the next level. Regardless, Vettleson is another 18 year-old who is best suited in the outfield. He showcases average power and good contact numbers at the high school level. Vettleson is signed to play for Oregon State next year, and he may stick to that commitment.

Overall, the Rays conducted a solid draft, opting for cheaper high school talent. Despite this, the Rays were successful as they nabbed the top three of eight high school position players in this year’s draft.

Further analysis to come,

Charlie

Late inning heroics once again came to the rescue for the Tampa Bay Rays. Carl Crawford sent one deep with the bases loaded off Scott Downs to cap off the Rays’ six-run ninth inning, giving the Ray’s enough run support for a 7-3 win. Wednesday’s win mirrored the prior win on Tuesday, coming back in the last inning, which greatly helped in capturing the series and padding their lead in the AL East.

The Jay’s led the game 2-1 going into the ninth when Shawn Marcum went in vying for the complete game. However, Marcum’s brilliance diminished after surrendering two consecutive hits and then later retiring Ben Zobrist on a fielder’s choice, putting runners on the corners. Dioner Navarro then laid a text-book bunt down the first base line to cash Sean Rodriguez from third, tying the game at 2-2. Brignac would then hit a clutch double scoring John Joso from second. With runners on second and third, Jason Frasor walked the bases full and turned the ball over to Scott Downs who surrendered Crawford’s third career grand slam to put the game out of reach at 7-2.

Lyle Overbay drove in Alex Gonzales for a meaningless run in the bottom of the frame off before Rafeal Soriano could close the door, making the final score 7-3.

The game started off slow for the Ray’s, surrendering a lead-off single to Fred Lewis who proceeded to make his way to third after a Brignac error – who is in place for the injured short stop Jason Bartlett – and would later score after a Jose Bautista single. In the second inning, B.J. Upton mismanaged a ball on a Lyle Overbay double which placed Overbay on third, later scoring on a John Buck sacrifice fly. However that would be all David Price would surrender Wednesday night, rendering no earned runs through eight-innings of work. The Ray’s showed signs of waking up in the fifth when Crawford drilled in his team’s first run of the game to bring the score to 2-1. Yet, a Rodriguez brain-fart –failing to touch third—in the sixth inning cost the Rays the potential tying run at the time. Though, the Ray’s resilience showed up once again in the 9th-inning to capture the game and the series. The Ray’s next action is on Friday in Texas (28-24) against C.J. Wilson (3-3, 3.48 ERA), the Ray’s are counteracting with Wade Davis (5-4, 4.04).

On a separate note I would like to introduce myself to everyone as your new Tampa Bay Ray’s blogger! As you can see beside my beautiful picture of myself, to your right, my name is Charlie Crabb and I have a passion for two things: Baseball and writing. I currently play for an elite travel team in Ottawa known as the Ottawa Knights. We travel all over the United States competing in numerous tournaments and with great success. Over the past two year we have managed to capture eight championships, 6 of which have been in the States. As for writing, next year I am entering the journalism program at Carleton in hopes of someday becoming, well, a journalist. As for my plans for this blog, I hope to post the occasional synopsis- at least once a series- and at least one opinion article a week. Looking forward to your comments and if you have any tips please, I am all ears, I’m learning as I go. Hope to see you around.