OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post

Art Deco · 07-27-2020, 12:53 PM

Game 1: Expectations were low for this one given the pitching matchup was Clarke Schmidt against Tigers ace Matt Manning. But it was the Rays who jumped out quickly with a 2-0 lead on back-to-back 2nd inning HRs from Alec Bohm and Seth Beer and they extended the lead in the 3rd on a Devers groundout. But Schmidt gave Detroit 2 runs back in the 3rd, and after the Rays went up 4-2 on a wild pitch in the 5th, Schmidt gave that lead back with 2 runs against in the 5th, ending a very mediocre 5 6 4 4 2 4 in what could be his last start. But the Rays persevered and took advantage of a Tigers error in the 6th to get a run on a Max Kepler RBI single to go back up 5-4. But Scott Barlow, a disappointment this season given how un-clutch he's been, took over for Schmidt and gave up a leadoff triple which scored to tie it at 5. Shane McClanahan then came on in the 7th and had a nice inning and was back out for the 8th, got the first two out then gave up a HR to Isaac Paredes, and the Tigers led for the first time all night at 6-5. Detroit closer Joe Jimenez came on to save it, and he impressively struck out Brandon Marsh, Wander and Meadows to preserve the Tiger victory. It was a game I didn't expect to win going in, but on how it played out they should have. Fortunately Baltimore lost at Texas so the lead remains 9.

Game 2: Tyler Glasnow was on the mound tonight, coming off two brilliant outings of 16 shutout innings combined. However tonight's Tyler Glasnow resembled that one in name only, walking 3 men in the first inning and wild pitching one of them in. The Rays bounced back in the 2nd on RBI singles from Brandon Marsh and Vidal Brujan (back in the lineup) to take the lead, and Rafael Devers homered for the first of his 3 hits today to make it 3-1 in the 3rd. But Glasnow gave it right back on a Willie Calhoun HR in the bottom of the inning. The Rays restored the two-run lead in the 5th on an Alec Bohm RBI single, but Glasnow ran into trouble in the 6th after a Brujan error put the leadoff man on and he gave up a couple of hits to let him score. With two on and one out and Glasnow at 100 pitches and struggling, I rolled the dice by bringing in Scott Barlow again. This time Barlow struck out the first man he faced, and after wild pitching the runners to 2nd and 3rd got a groundout to escape the inning. Austin Meadows then added some insurance in the 7th with an opposite field HR, his 18th, and it was time to turn the game over to Alvarado/Anderson/Smith. The first two got through the 7th and 8th fairly easily, but Will Smith made it an adventure again in the 9th. Back in the late 70s, Earl Weaver called his closer Don Stanhouse "Full Pack" because his penchant for putting baserunners on before getting out of it caused him to smoke a full pack of cigs. Well Stanhouse would have been proud of Smith tonight, as the lefty loaded the bases with nobody out with a HBP and 2 walks, but then got a strikeout, shallow fly ball and another strikeout to hang on to the 5-3 win and pick up save #14. Glasnow was far from his sharpest at 5.1 6 3 2 4 4, but improved to 6-2 with the win. Baltimore lost again so the lead grows to a season-high 10 games.

Game 3: Chris Paddack had become synonymous with the Rays winning, as he went 17-1 in his first 18 decisions with the Rays. But he came into this game on a 3-game losing streak, the first two of those being tough-luck losses before he was absolutely creamed by the Twins the last time out. So it's good to report Paddack back the win column again as he was brilliant in an 8 4 2 1 1 8 outing in a 4-2 win over Detroit. With Will Smith worn out from his Houdini act last night, Jose Alvarado came in for the save with two lefties due in the 9th and although he allowed the leadoff man a single, he got a double play and a groundout to grab save #2. The game really shouldn't have been that close as the offense underachieved, leaving 11 men on base. Still they did enough to win: Alec Bohm's RBI double in the 4th was followed by Max Kepler's bases-load walk for the first 2 runs, Austin Meadows' force-out was his MLB-leading 63rd RBI in the 5th, and Vidal Brujan doubled in Brandon Marsh in the 6th. Paddack's only real blemish was a Daz Cameron HR in the 4th, the other run he allowed reached base on a Rafael Devers error. Baltimore won so the lead stays at 10. Next up is a trip to Fenway, where the Red Sox have been resurgent since we last saw them back in April and early May, now 33-31 and Abraham Toro is having a near MVP-type season (335/428/558 with 13 HR and 41 RBI, already good for 3.2 WAR) making the Devers deal look kinda not so good at the moment.

Team record: 44-18.

07-27-2020, 12:53 PM	#112
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 6,933	June 6-8, 2023: at Detroit (3) Game 1: Expectations were low for this one given the pitching matchup was Clarke Schmidt against Tigers ace Matt Manning. But it was the Rays who jumped out quickly with a 2-0 lead on back-to-back 2nd inning HRs from Alec Bohm and Seth Beer and they extended the lead in the 3rd on a Devers groundout. But Schmidt gave Detroit 2 runs back in the 3rd, and after the Rays went up 4-2 on a wild pitch in the 5th, Schmidt gave that lead back with 2 runs against in the 5th, ending a very mediocre 5 6 4 4 2 4 in what could be his last start. But the Rays persevered and took advantage of a Tigers error in the 6th to get a run on a Max Kepler RBI single to go back up 5-4. But Scott Barlow, a disappointment this season given how un-clutch he's been, took over for Schmidt and gave up a leadoff triple which scored to tie it at 5. Shane McClanahan then came on in the 7th and had a nice inning and was back out for the 8th, got the first two out then gave up a HR to Isaac Paredes, and the Tigers led for the first time all night at 6-5. Detroit closer Joe Jimenez came on to save it, and he impressively struck out Brandon Marsh, Wander and Meadows to preserve the Tiger victory. It was a game I didn't expect to win going in, but on how it played out they should have. Fortunately Baltimore lost at Texas so the lead remains 9. Game 2: Tyler Glasnow was on the mound tonight, coming off two brilliant outings of 16 shutout innings combined. However tonight's Tyler Glasnow resembled that one in name only, walking 3 men in the first inning and wild pitching one of them in. The Rays bounced back in the 2nd on RBI singles from Brandon Marsh and Vidal Brujan (back in the lineup) to take the lead, and Rafael Devers homered for the first of his 3 hits today to make it 3-1 in the 3rd. But Glasnow gave it right back on a Willie Calhoun HR in the bottom of the inning. The Rays restored the two-run lead in the 5th on an Alec Bohm RBI single, but Glasnow ran into trouble in the 6th after a Brujan error put the leadoff man on and he gave up a couple of hits to let him score. With two on and one out and Glasnow at 100 pitches and struggling, I rolled the dice by bringing in Scott Barlow again. This time Barlow struck out the first man he faced, and after wild pitching the runners to 2nd and 3rd got a groundout to escape the inning. Austin Meadows then added some insurance in the 7th with an opposite field HR, his 18th, and it was time to turn the game over to Alvarado/Anderson/Smith. The first two got through the 7th and 8th fairly easily, but Will Smith made it an adventure again in the 9th. Back in the late 70s, Earl Weaver called his closer Don Stanhouse "Full Pack" because his penchant for putting baserunners on before getting out of it caused him to smoke a full pack of cigs. Well Stanhouse would have been proud of Smith tonight, as the lefty loaded the bases with nobody out with a HBP and 2 walks, but then got a strikeout, shallow fly ball and another strikeout to hang on to the 5-3 win and pick up save #14. Glasnow was far from his sharpest at 5.1 6 3 2 4 4, but improved to 6-2 with the win. Baltimore lost again so the lead grows to a season-high 10 games. Game 3: Chris Paddack had become synonymous with the Rays winning, as he went 17-1 in his first 18 decisions with the Rays. But he came into this game on a 3-game losing streak, the first two of those being tough-luck losses before he was absolutely creamed by the Twins the last time out. So it's good to report Paddack back the win column again as he was brilliant in an 8 4 2 1 1 8 outing in a 4-2 win over Detroit. With Will Smith worn out from his Houdini act last night, Jose Alvarado came in for the save with two lefties due in the 9th and although he allowed the leadoff man a single, he got a double play and a groundout to grab save #2. The game really shouldn't have been that close as the offense underachieved, leaving 11 men on base. Still they did enough to win: Alec Bohm's RBI double in the 4th was followed by Max Kepler's bases-load walk for the first 2 runs, Austin Meadows' force-out was his MLB-leading 63rd RBI in the 5th, and Vidal Brujan doubled in Brandon Marsh in the 6th. Paddack's only real blemish was a Daz Cameron HR in the 4th, the other run he allowed reached base on a Rafael Devers error. Baltimore won so the lead stays at 10. Next up is a trip to Fenway, where the Red Sox have been resurgent since we last saw them back in April and early May, now 33-31 and Abraham Toro is having a near MVP-type season (335/428/558 with 13 HR and 41 RBI, already good for 3.2 WAR) making the Devers deal look kinda not so good at the moment. Team record: 44-18. Last edited by Art Deco; 07-27-2020 at 06:28 PM.