Game 1: A tough one for the Rays as new boy Devin Tadlock gave up 3 runs in the 9th to turn a 4-2 win into a 5-4 loss. Elijah Whitaker was excellent (6 5 2 2 0 5), Jesus Avalos was 3-5 with an RBI double, and it looked like Vinny Colon's solo homer (#12) in the 8th would provide necessary insurance. But it wasn't enough as Tadlock (0-1) gave up 3 runs on 4 hits in the 9th with regular closer Mario Berumen still out a couple of more days.
Game 2: It was Tampa Bay's turn to pull one out in the 9th after the bullpen blew another lead with Aaron White contributing the biggest hit of his nascent Rays career, homering (#1/9) in the bottom of the inning to provide a 3-2 walk-off win over Atlanta. The Rays got another outstanding start from Dave Rose at 7 6 1 1 3 9 and led 2-1 going into the 8th but Adan Guardado gave up a solo homer to let Atlanta equalize, setting the stage for White's heroics. Devin Tadlock got through the 9th this time without incident and evened his Rays record at 1-1.
Game 3: Steve Swords was put to the sword and the Rays dropped the rubber game of the series 8-5 to Atlanta. The righty dropped to 9-2 after a rough 3 7 7 4 3 3 outing that wasn't helped by an error from last night's hero Aaron White. The offense tried to fight back from the big hole Swords put them in with Dantel Chinchilla going 4-5 with 3 doubles and 2 RBI but it wasn't enough.
Team record: 63-40. Luckily Baltimore also lost 2 of 3 so the division lead remains at 1 1/2 games. Next up: An off-day then the 61-42 Dodgers come to town for 3 games.
Trades? We've got some trades for you as the deadline approaches.
Welcome to Tampa Bay, legendary closer Jake Cid! The 35-year-old lefty has 405 career saves, is an 8-time all-star and 3-time winner of Reliever of the Year, and hasn't lost a step: he's still rated 80/55/65 and had 7 saves with a 2.04 ERA and 7/53 BB/K ratio in 39 innings for Washington. He's a rental of course, which is why we were able to acquire him for a marginal prospect in Cisneros. He may become our closer or will mix and match with Berumen depending on the handedness of the opposition lineup in the 9th. He also gives us a second lefty in the pen, which frees up Guardado to be used earlier in games when needed.
To make room for Cid on a staff that's comprised almost entirely of guys with no options (except Tadlock whom I want in a setup role), I had to make room so goodbye Chris Resnick:
Resnick has closer stuff (70 with 75 movement) but only 35 control so we've had to carefully use him. Add in that he's a free agent at year's end and he became the odd man out. We did well in dealing him as Aponte is a 1B who was hitting 321/387/477 for the Phillies in his first 54 MLB games and is rated 60 contact/55 power with 65/60 potential. Positionally he adds to a huge glut we have but he was by far the best value available and will go to Durham. We already have two young 1B platooning in Colon and Gonzales and Montgomery's Ruben Brown is more than MLB-ready (not to mention guys like Manny Mendoza and Takayuki Tsujimura who have MLB experience), so Aponte gives us a real glut from which we will probably trade from in the offseason.