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Art Deco · 12-27-2024, 02:37 PM

Record: 78-54 (19-9 for the month)
1st place AL East, 5 1/2 up on Baltimore

The big question coming into August was whether the Rays' big July truly shook off the mediocrity of the first half or was just a hot spell. They answered the question empathically in favor of the former as they followed up a 19-6 July with a 19-9 August and opened up a sizable lead in the AL East going into the season's final month. Everyone did their job last like month and Victor Vodnik and newly-acquired Danis Correa solidified the back end of the bullpen, shaking their first-half habit of blowing winnable games. The day-to-day of the dog days:

How things look around MLB:

Not only have the Rays surged to a healthy AL East lead, they now have the best record in MLB. Quite a turnaround. Meanwhile if not for Prince Lovette's otherworldly season our Carlos Duran would be the Cy Young front-runner.

Good stuff all around, as befitting the team with the top record in MLB. This will never be a high-contact team given its current construction, but that's a minor quibble in the larger scheme. And the team defense has been on the upswing and is now above average.

Nobody had an incredible month at the plate, but nobody except the perpetually-slumping Basallo and Schmidt had a poor one either. Clavon and Paino are at the top of the OPS chart in limited samples given that both were injured for a good chunk of the month but Clavon certainly came back swinging, capped by a 5-hit game on the 31st. As you can see Dean Moss, who had 37 HR in 334 AB at Durham, finally got his call up with Brailer Guerrero demoted to the Bulls.

The usual month-to-month variance but overall another fine month on the mound for Rays hurlers. You can see how well Vodnik and Correa have done along with several other relievers. The starters were very good except Lambert, who somehow still went 3-0 during August. Garces suffered a sprained ankle is done for the rest of the regular season so Chapman was recalled and looked good in his first two Rays outings after being acquired last winter and then getting hurt. Porter had regression coming for him after an artificially-low ERA for most of the year but somehow his peripherals got better (2/22 BB/K ratio for the month) but his luck got way worse (.562 BABIP) so he suffered for it. Yeuris couldn't keep the ball in the park and deserved his poor numbers.

Our top prospect Cerda finally made it state-side after DSL action and has not missed a beat at A-level Charleston, hitting 316/409/605 with 10 HR in 114 AB. And our #1 pick of 2029, Crisp, has raked at Durham (293/372/622 with 23 HR in 249 AB) and is on the verge of the big leagues. Otherwise it's a lot of guys with promise but who are a ways away.

12-27-2024, 02:37 PM	#218
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,111	August 2032 Record: 78-54 (19-9 for the month) 1st place AL East, 5 1/2 up on Baltimore The big question coming into August was whether the Rays' big July truly shook off the mediocrity of the first half or was just a hot spell. They answered the question empathically in favor of the former as they followed up a 19-6 July with a 19-9 August and opened up a sizable lead in the AL East going into the season's final month. Everyone did their job last like month and Victor Vodnik and newly-acquired Danis Correa solidified the back end of the bullpen, shaking their first-half habit of blowing winnable games. The day-to-day of the dog days: How things look around MLB: Not only have the Rays surged to a healthy AL East lead, they now have the best record in MLB. Quite a turnaround. Meanwhile if not for Prince Lovette's otherworldly season our Carlos Duran would be the Cy Young front-runner. Good stuff all around, as befitting the team with the top record in MLB. This will never be a high-contact team given its current construction, but that's a minor quibble in the larger scheme. And the team defense has been on the upswing and is now above average. Nobody had an incredible month at the plate, but nobody except the perpetually-slumping Basallo and Schmidt had a poor one either. Clavon and Paino are at the top of the OPS chart in limited samples given that both were injured for a good chunk of the month but Clavon certainly came back swinging, capped by a 5-hit game on the 31st. As you can see Dean Moss, who had 37 HR in 334 AB at Durham, finally got his call up with Brailer Guerrero demoted to the Bulls. The usual month-to-month variance but overall another fine month on the mound for Rays hurlers. You can see how well Vodnik and Correa have done along with several other relievers. The starters were very good except Lambert, who somehow still went 3-0 during August. Garces suffered a sprained ankle is done for the rest of the regular season so Chapman was recalled and looked good in his first two Rays outings after being acquired last winter and then getting hurt. Porter had regression coming for him after an artificially-low ERA for most of the year but somehow his peripherals got better (2/22 BB/K ratio for the month) but his luck got way worse (.562 BABIP) so he suffered for it. Yeuris couldn't keep the ball in the park and deserved his poor numbers. Our top prospect Cerda finally made it state-side after DSL action and has not missed a beat at A-level Charleston, hitting 316/409/605 with 10 HR in 114 AB. And our #1 pick of 2029, Crisp, has raked at Durham (293/372/622 with 23 HR in 249 AB) and is on the verge of the big leagues. Otherwise it's a lot of guys with promise but who are a ways away.