The 2022 (and beyond) Tampa Bay Rays - Page 13

Art Deco · 09-18-2022, 09:31 PM

So it will be the Yankees after all to face the Rays in the ALDS as Zach Eflin turned in a brilliant outing and Kyle Schwarber homered in all three games of the series. Milwaukee will take on the Phillies in the NLDS thanks to Jace Peterson's 2-run walk-off homer to turn defeat into victory, and former Rays homered for both teams as San Diego and Brandon Lowe stayed alive against Atlanta and Taylor Walls.

Art Deco · 09-18-2022, 09:34 PM

And San Diego completes the Division Series field with a deciding win over Atlanta. They'll move on to play St. Louis.

Art Deco · 09-18-2022, 09:52 PM

Not a great start...

Just what I was afraid of, dropping Game 1 and having to face Gerrit Cole and Jacob deGrom in the next two games. I'm still looking for my first playoff win in this save after missing out on the postseason in 2022 on a tiebreaker game loss and getting swept by Minnesota in the ALDS last year. Pete Fairbanks gave up three straight hits to plate the winning run in the 9th and the offense couldn't get enough going. We had a chance to go up 3-2 in the 6th but Alex Bregman was thrown out at the plate by Giancarlo Stanton after Curtis Mead's single. So now rookie John Swanda is going to have come through against the veteran Cole to get us back to even or another playoff run could be over almost as soon as it starts.

Elsewhere the Angels continue their run:

Art Deco · 09-18-2022, 10:13 PM

Finally...

The Rays got the win they needed, evening up the ALDS behind the 21st century Mr. October, Randy Arozarena, who blasted a 3-run homer and added an RBI single to propel Tampa Bay to a 5-3 win. Unfortunately though they lost Arozarena for the rest of the ALDS and probably the ALCS should they advance as he seriously bruised his collarbone diving for a catch in the 9th inning. The "substantial" injury will sideline him for two weeks, and now Andrew Vaughn will likely take over LF with Zach DeLoach and Heliot Ramos, who spent the year at Durham, platooning in RF. John Swanda was impressive early, fanning 6 over the first three innings but had walked three by that point and put two more on via free passes in the 4th, necessitating his early exit. Fortunately the pen did the job from there although winner Jeffrey Springs gave up an RBI single. Drew Rasmussen's two strong innings were key and Pete Fairbanks didn't falter this time. So we're off to Yankee Stadium in two days for Game 3 with Luis Patino going up against Jacob deGrom, not the most favorable of matchups.

Elsewhere in the DSes, Kansas City also got even while St. Louis and Philly got gems from their Game 1 starters:

Art Deco · 09-18-2022, 10:19 PM

Art Deco · 09-18-2022, 10:35 PM

The Rays have their backs to the wall after an all-too-predictable 6-1 loss to the Yankees and Jacob deGrom. The best pitcher in baseball shackled them over 7 innings with only Curtis Mead cracking the code, singling and homering for two of the Rays' 3 hits on the night. Austin Meadows, added to the roster after Randy Arozarena was put on the IL, got the surprise start but didn't surprise anyone by going 0-3 with two strikeouts. Luis Patino was lucky not be down 4-0 or 5-0 after the first few innings but hung in there until Kyle Schwarber took him deep for a 2-run shot and then Schwarber did it again off lefty Tanner Scott to give him 5 homers in 6 games this postseason. And we're turning to our most inconsistent starter this year, Shane Baz, to save the season tomorrow. Wheeee!

Meanwhile the Royals grabbed a big road win and are one victory away from the ALCS:

Art Deco · 09-19-2022, 07:49 AM

All hail the Wizard of Baz!

Shane Baz was been terribly inconsistent this year (5-11, 4.60, 21 HR allowed in 129 innings) but has great stuff (65/60/60 and fanned 148 in those 129 IP) so it's always possible he puts it together. And put it together he did tonight when it mattered the most as he went 5 2/3 brilliant shutout innings with 8 whiffs to get the Rays back to the Trop for a deciding Game 5 in the ALDS. It also helped that the Rays' biggest star Juan Soto came through, first with an RBI single in the opening frame to get them a quick lead and then with a 2-run single in the 7th to break the game open. Also coming through huge was a guy at the other end of the star spectrum as Zach DeLoach delivered a 2-run homer in the 4th that made it 3-0 and gave Baz and the Rays some breathing room. So in two days we'll have our ace Shane McClanahan on the hill and we'll try to score a few more runs than we did in Game 1.

In the other DS games, the Angels also forced a Game 5 with a homer barrage against the Royals while the Brewers and Padres got a leg up and pulled with one game of the NLCS:

Art Deco · 09-19-2022, 07:55 AM

It'll be the Padres and Phillies in the NLCS:

Art Deco · 09-19-2022, 08:18 AM

Escape from New York...

The Yankees were the one team I didn't want to face in a short series with their deGrom/Cole combo and while it turned out I was right to fear deGrom the Rays had no problems with Cole and beat him a second time to take the ALDS in 5 games from the Yankees. Shane McClanahan was in good form and closed with a flourish, striking out the side in the 6th, and Josh Taylor went 6 up, 6 down to close it out. Meanwhile Juan Soto, named series MVP, set the tone with a first-inning solo shot against Cole and then Andrew Vaughn followed up with a 2-run blast to give the Rays all the runs they'd end up needing. So who will we be hosting in a couple of days at the Trop to open the ALCS? Let's see:

Like the Rays, the higher-seeded Royals were extended the distance but came through. Kansas City is no slouch, having won 99 games themselves this year and will give Tampa Bay all it can handle.

Also we're experiencing similar success on the farm as next year's projected starting RF Joshua Mears led Durham to a playoff series win:

Art Deco · 09-19-2022, 09:06 PM

A great start for the Rays in the ALCS as they took care of Kansas City 6-2 in the opener at the Trop. John Swanda was solid in his 5 1/3 innings, the pen was lights out, and the bats banged out 13 hits including a solo homer from Christian Vazquez and a 2-run shot by Curtis Mead, but Wander Franco's triple in the 5th was the key hit, tying the game before Ozzie Albies brought him home with what proved to be the winner. We're going to push Luis Patino back to Game 4 and start Shane Baz tomorrow in Game 2.

Art Deco · 09-19-2022, 09:25 PM

Tough to win with one run...

The Rays got another well-pitched game, but the Royals got one even better as they edged Tampa Bay 2-1 to even the ALCS at 1. Shane Baz was moved up and had a rough 2nd, but pitched well overall. The problem was the bats could never get anything going. Christian Vazquez, who hit 5 homers all season, blasted his second in as many days to cut it to 2-1 but Jeremiah Jackson, who pinch-ran for Curtis Mead who singled with one out in the 9th, got thrown out trying to get into scoring position to end the game. So now we know we'll be playing 3 in Kansas City starting in two days and Shane McClanahan will pitch the first of them.

High drama in the NL as the Phillies got a 2-run homer from Ethan Wilson in the 8th to tie it and a 2-run walk-off shot from Bryson Stott in the 9th to win Game 1 of the NLCS:

Art Deco · 09-19-2022, 09:27 PM

All even:

Art Deco · 09-19-2022, 09:54 PM

An epic win...

Juan Soto's 2-run homer in the top of the 11th broke a 4-4 tie and gave the Rays a hard-fought, come-from-behind win in Game 3 of the ALCS and a 2-1 series lead. Christian Vazquez tied it up in the 8th with an RBI single after Zach DeLoach doubled with two out and the Rays' bullpen was stellar once again with 6 2/3 shutout innings, giving them 14 straight scoreless overall. It looked like it might be an easy day when Ozzie Albies' 2-run single gave them a 3-1 lead in the 2nd, but Shane McClanahan had a rough go of it and Bobby Witt Jr took him deep for the second time in the game to put the Royals up 4-3 in the bottom of the 3rd. Earlier in the day Witt signed an 8/151 extension with Kansas City and was inspired to start earning it. But the Rays prevailed in the end and Luis Patino will attempt to put them up 3-1 tomorrow.

Art Deco · 09-19-2022, 10:12 PM

It's a best of 3 now:

The Rays dropped a tough one at Kauffman Stadium as they fought back from 3-1 down to tie it in the 8th only to see the Royals plate the winner in the bottom of the inning and Lorenzo Cain thrown out at the plate to end the game. Luis Patino wasn't too bad today but he gave up a key 2-run homer to rookie Enrique Bradfield. An RBI single from Cain and a Curtis Mead sac fly got them even, but Jeffrey Springs couldn't hold the door in the 8th. John Swanda will try to send us back to St. Pete with a series lead tomorrow.

In the NLCS:

Art Deco · 09-19-2022, 10:38 PM

Backs to the wall again...

For the second straight series the Rays find themselves in the position of needing to win the next two games to keep their season alive as they were dominated by Kansas City's Kyle Wright tonight in a 4-1 loss to put them down 3-2 in the ALCS. Wright gave MLB's #1 offense nothing until he wild-pitched in a run in the 7th and John Swanda could not replicate his Game 1 performance, allowing 3 homers in a very rough outing. Shane Baz rescued the Rays in Game 4 of the ALDS and he's going to be asked to do it again in two days' time at Tropicana Field.

Meanwhile we're all tied again in the NLCS:

Art Deco · 09-19-2022, 10:44 PM

Advantage Phillies as right now we're on course for a rematch of the 1980 World Series:

Art Deco · 09-20-2022, 09:09 AM

as the Eagles sang, we're going to take it to the limit...

Curtis Mead came through with an RBI single in the first and a 2-run single in the 2nd as the Rays raced out to a 5-0 lead and took a 5-2 win to send the ALCS to a deciding Game 7 tomorrow with Shane McClanahan on the hill. Our other Shane, Baz, was pitching well before having to leave in the 4th with was later diagnosed as a torn UCL so he'll undergo Tommy John surgery and miss all of 2025 so that's a huge blow regardless of how things go tomorrow. Drew Rasmussen, who will take his spot in the rotation next week if we make it to the Series, took over for Baz and pitched very well until allowing a leadoff homer in the 7th. But Jeffrey Springs and Pete Fairbanks handled the final 3 innings without throwing too many pitches, so outside of Rasmussen the pen should be fully available tomorrow.

Art Deco · 09-20-2022, 09:42 AM

Series-bound!

Tropicana Field went from disaster to delirium in the space of an inning as after the Rays gave up 3 runs in the 2nd to fall behind 3-0 and saw starter Shane McClanahan leave with an injury, they scored 8 times in the bottom of the frame and went on to an epic playoff rout of the Royals 19-6 to win the ALCS and advance to the franchise's third World Series (I'm guessing the 19 runs is a Game 7 record). For the second straight game the Rays had a starter leave early but unlike Shane Baz's serious injury yesterday McClanahan only mildly tweaked his oblique and will be available for Game 3 of the Series. After Mac left the Rays responded with Zach DeLoach, who had a big homer at Yankee Stadium in the ALDS, blasting a 3-run homer to tie it right up and then they scored 5 more times with 2 out in the inning with a 2-run Curtis Mead single and a 2-run Andrew Vaughn double the big hits. They just kept tacking on from there as DeLoach had a 2-run single to give him a 5-RBI day and in the end even Alex Bregman, hitting .111 in the postseason coming into today, got off the schneid with a 2-run homer. The bullpen had to come through with 6 2/3 innings but with the big lead the pressure was off. Sandy Gaston got his first MLB win of any kind relieving Mac, and fellow rookie Colby White came through with 3 big scoreless innings, taking over after the just-activated Lou Trivino couldn't get anyone out. So who will we face in the Fall Classic? That's still up in the air because...

Art Deco · 09-20-2022, 10:17 AM

In what is hopefully a good omen for the big club, our AAA affiliate Durham just won the Governors' Cup after beating Memphis in the International League finals. And look how they did it:

Yes that's right - they lost the first three games of the series and stormed back to win the next four. Of course that's only happened once in MLB and I have no idea if it's been done before in the IL, AAA, or elsewhere in the minors.

Casey Schmitt, the series MVP, is projected to be our 3B next year when Alex Bregman goes free agent, and Taj Bradley, who won Game 5, should be in our rotation especially after the Shane Baz injury. Ian Seymour, who was impressive in a brief stint with the big club earlier this year, and JJ Goss, both of whom won games in this series, may figure into next year's staff as well.

Art Deco · 09-20-2022, 10:57 AM

Gonna party like it's 2008...

It'll be a rematch of the 2008 World Series, the Rays' first, as they'll battle the Phillies once again for the championship of baseball. Tampa Bay will get an advantage though as NL MVP-Elect Bryce Harper (316-50-111, 9.4 WAR) suffered an oblique strain during Game 7 diagnosed as "moderate" and will go on the IL, and the Phillies will be without the odious Trevor Bauer, who suffered a hamstring strain in the game as well.

09-18-2022, 09:31 PM	#241
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,081	October 3, 2024: AL Wild Card Game 3 & NL Wild Card Game 2 So it will be the Yankees after all to face the Rays in the ALDS as Zach Eflin turned in a brilliant outing and Kyle Schwarber homered in all three games of the series. Milwaukee will take on the Phillies in the NLDS thanks to Jace Peterson's 2-run walk-off homer to turn defeat into victory, and former Rays homered for both teams as San Diego and Brandon Lowe stayed alive against Atlanta and Taylor Walls.

09-18-2022, 09:34 PM	#242
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,081	October 4, 2024: NL Wild Card Game 3 And San Diego completes the Division Series field with a deciding win over Atlanta. They'll move on to play St. Louis.

09-18-2022, 09:52 PM	#243
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,081	October 5, 2024: ALDS Game 1 Not a great start... Just what I was afraid of, dropping Game 1 and having to face Gerrit Cole and Jacob deGrom in the next two games. I'm still looking for my first playoff win in this save after missing out on the postseason in 2022 on a tiebreaker game loss and getting swept by Minnesota in the ALDS last year. Pete Fairbanks gave up three straight hits to plate the winning run in the 9th and the offense couldn't get enough going. We had a chance to go up 3-2 in the 6th but Alex Bregman was thrown out at the plate by Giancarlo Stanton after Curtis Mead's single. So now rookie John Swanda is going to have come through against the veteran Cole to get us back to even or another playoff run could be over almost as soon as it starts. Elsewhere the Angels continue their run:

09-18-2022, 10:13 PM	#244
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,081	October 6, 2024: ALDS Game 2 & NLDS Game 1 Finally... The Rays got the win they needed, evening up the ALDS behind the 21st century Mr. October, Randy Arozarena, who blasted a 3-run homer and added an RBI single to propel Tampa Bay to a 5-3 win. Unfortunately though they lost Arozarena for the rest of the ALDS and probably the ALCS should they advance as he seriously bruised his collarbone diving for a catch in the 9th inning. The "substantial" injury will sideline him for two weeks, and now Andrew Vaughn will likely take over LF with Zach DeLoach and Heliot Ramos, who spent the year at Durham, platooning in RF. John Swanda was impressive early, fanning 6 over the first three innings but had walked three by that point and put two more on via free passes in the 4th, necessitating his early exit. Fortunately the pen did the job from there although winner Jeffrey Springs gave up an RBI single. Drew Rasmussen's two strong innings were key and Pete Fairbanks didn't falter this time. So we're off to Yankee Stadium in two days for Game 3 with Luis Patino going up against Jacob deGrom, not the most favorable of matchups. Elsewhere in the DSes, Kansas City also got even while St. Louis and Philly got gems from their Game 1 starters:

09-18-2022, 10:19 PM	#245
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,081	October 7, 2024: NLDS Game 2

09-18-2022, 10:35 PM	#246
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,081	October 8, 2024: ALDS Game 3 The Rays have their backs to the wall after an all-too-predictable 6-1 loss to the Yankees and Jacob deGrom. The best pitcher in baseball shackled them over 7 innings with only Curtis Mead cracking the code, singling and homering for two of the Rays' 3 hits on the night. Austin Meadows, added to the roster after Randy Arozarena was put on the IL, got the surprise start but didn't surprise anyone by going 0-3 with two strikeouts. Luis Patino was lucky not be down 4-0 or 5-0 after the first few innings but hung in there until Kyle Schwarber took him deep for a 2-run shot and then Schwarber did it again off lefty Tanner Scott to give him 5 homers in 6 games this postseason. And we're turning to our most inconsistent starter this year, Shane Baz, to save the season tomorrow. Wheeee! Meanwhile the Royals grabbed a big road win and are one victory away from the ALCS:

09-19-2022, 07:49 AM	#247
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,081	October 9, 2024: ALDS Game 4 & NLDS Game 3 All hail the Wizard of Baz! Shane Baz was been terribly inconsistent this year (5-11, 4.60, 21 HR allowed in 129 innings) but has great stuff (65/60/60 and fanned 148 in those 129 IP) so it's always possible he puts it together. And put it together he did tonight when it mattered the most as he went 5 2/3 brilliant shutout innings with 8 whiffs to get the Rays back to the Trop for a deciding Game 5 in the ALDS. It also helped that the Rays' biggest star Juan Soto came through, first with an RBI single in the opening frame to get them a quick lead and then with a 2-run single in the 7th to break the game open. Also coming through huge was a guy at the other end of the star spectrum as Zach DeLoach delivered a 2-run homer in the 4th that made it 3-0 and gave Baz and the Rays some breathing room. So in two days we'll have our ace Shane McClanahan on the hill and we'll try to score a few more runs than we did in Game 1. In the other DS games, the Angels also forced a Game 5 with a homer barrage against the Royals while the Brewers and Padres got a leg up and pulled with one game of the NLCS:

09-19-2022, 07:55 AM	#248
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,081	October 10, 2024: NLDS Game 4 It'll be the Padres and Phillies in the NLCS:

09-19-2022, 08:18 AM	#249
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,081	October 11, 2024: ALDS Game 5 Escape from New York... The Yankees were the one team I didn't want to face in a short series with their deGrom/Cole combo and while it turned out I was right to fear deGrom the Rays had no problems with Cole and beat him a second time to take the ALDS in 5 games from the Yankees. Shane McClanahan was in good form and closed with a flourish, striking out the side in the 6th, and Josh Taylor went 6 up, 6 down to close it out. Meanwhile Juan Soto, named series MVP, set the tone with a first-inning solo shot against Cole and then Andrew Vaughn followed up with a 2-run blast to give the Rays all the runs they'd end up needing. So who will we be hosting in a couple of days at the Trop to open the ALCS? Let's see: Like the Rays, the higher-seeded Royals were extended the distance but came through. Kansas City is no slouch, having won 99 games themselves this year and will give Tampa Bay all it can handle. Also we're experiencing similar success on the farm as next year's projected starting RF Joshua Mears led Durham to a playoff series win: Last edited by Art Deco; 09-19-2022 at 08:20 AM.

09-19-2022, 09:06 PM	#250
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,081	October 13, 2024: ALCS Game 1 A great start for the Rays in the ALCS as they took care of Kansas City 6-2 in the opener at the Trop. John Swanda was solid in his 5 1/3 innings, the pen was lights out, and the bats banged out 13 hits including a solo homer from Christian Vazquez and a 2-run shot by Curtis Mead, but Wander Franco's triple in the 5th was the key hit, tying the game before Ozzie Albies brought him home with what proved to be the winner. We're going to push Luis Patino back to Game 4 and start Shane Baz tomorrow in Game 2.

09-19-2022, 09:25 PM	#251
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,081	October 14, 2024: ALCS Game 2 & NLCS Game 1 Tough to win with one run... The Rays got another well-pitched game, but the Royals got one even better as they edged Tampa Bay 2-1 to even the ALCS at 1. Shane Baz was moved up and had a rough 2nd, but pitched well overall. The problem was the bats could never get anything going. Christian Vazquez, who hit 5 homers all season, blasted his second in as many days to cut it to 2-1 but Jeremiah Jackson, who pinch-ran for Curtis Mead who singled with one out in the 9th, got thrown out trying to get into scoring position to end the game. So now we know we'll be playing 3 in Kansas City starting in two days and Shane McClanahan will pitch the first of them. High drama in the NL as the Phillies got a 2-run homer from Ethan Wilson in the 8th to tie it and a 2-run walk-off shot from Bryson Stott in the 9th to win Game 1 of the NLCS:

09-19-2022, 09:27 PM	#252
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,081	October 15, 2024: NLCS Game 2 All even:

09-19-2022, 09:54 PM	#253
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,081	October 16, 2024: ALCS Game 3 An epic win... Juan Soto's 2-run homer in the top of the 11th broke a 4-4 tie and gave the Rays a hard-fought, come-from-behind win in Game 3 of the ALCS and a 2-1 series lead. Christian Vazquez tied it up in the 8th with an RBI single after Zach DeLoach doubled with two out and the Rays' bullpen was stellar once again with 6 2/3 shutout innings, giving them 14 straight scoreless overall. It looked like it might be an easy day when Ozzie Albies' 2-run single gave them a 3-1 lead in the 2nd, but Shane McClanahan had a rough go of it and Bobby Witt Jr took him deep for the second time in the game to put the Royals up 4-3 in the bottom of the 3rd. Earlier in the day Witt signed an 8/151 extension with Kansas City and was inspired to start earning it. But the Rays prevailed in the end and Luis Patino will attempt to put them up 3-1 tomorrow.

09-19-2022, 10:12 PM	#254
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,081	October 17, 2024: ALCS Game 4 & NLCS Game 3 It's a best of 3 now: The Rays dropped a tough one at Kauffman Stadium as they fought back from 3-1 down to tie it in the 8th only to see the Royals plate the winner in the bottom of the inning and Lorenzo Cain thrown out at the plate to end the game. Luis Patino wasn't too bad today but he gave up a key 2-run homer to rookie Enrique Bradfield. An RBI single from Cain and a Curtis Mead sac fly got them even, but Jeffrey Springs couldn't hold the door in the 8th. John Swanda will try to send us back to St. Pete with a series lead tomorrow. In the NLCS:

09-19-2022, 10:38 PM	#255
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,081	October 18, 2024: ALCS Game 5 & NLCS Game 4 Backs to the wall again... For the second straight series the Rays find themselves in the position of needing to win the next two games to keep their season alive as they were dominated by Kansas City's Kyle Wright tonight in a 4-1 loss to put them down 3-2 in the ALCS. Wright gave MLB's #1 offense nothing until he wild-pitched in a run in the 7th and John Swanda could not replicate his Game 1 performance, allowing 3 homers in a very rough outing. Shane Baz rescued the Rays in Game 4 of the ALDS and he's going to be asked to do it again in two days' time at Tropicana Field. Meanwhile we're all tied again in the NLCS:

09-19-2022, 10:44 PM	#256
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,081	October 19, 2024: NLCS Game 5 Advantage Phillies as right now we're on course for a rematch of the 1980 World Series:

09-20-2022, 09:09 AM	#257
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,081	October 20, 2024: ALCS Game 6 as the Eagles sang, we're going to take it to the limit... Curtis Mead came through with an RBI single in the first and a 2-run single in the 2nd as the Rays raced out to a 5-0 lead and took a 5-2 win to send the ALCS to a deciding Game 7 tomorrow with Shane McClanahan on the hill. Our other Shane, Baz, was pitching well before having to leave in the 4th with was later diagnosed as a torn UCL so he'll undergo Tommy John surgery and miss all of 2025 so that's a huge blow regardless of how things go tomorrow. Drew Rasmussen, who will take his spot in the rotation next week if we make it to the Series, took over for Baz and pitched very well until allowing a leadoff homer in the 7th. But Jeffrey Springs and Pete Fairbanks handled the final 3 innings without throwing too many pitches, so outside of Rasmussen the pen should be fully available tomorrow.

09-20-2022, 09:42 AM	#258
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,081	October 21, 2024: ALCS Game 7 & NLCS Game 6 Series-bound! Tropicana Field went from disaster to delirium in the space of an inning as after the Rays gave up 3 runs in the 2nd to fall behind 3-0 and saw starter Shane McClanahan leave with an injury, they scored 8 times in the bottom of the frame and went on to an epic playoff rout of the Royals 19-6 to win the ALCS and advance to the franchise's third World Series (I'm guessing the 19 runs is a Game 7 record). For the second straight game the Rays had a starter leave early but unlike Shane Baz's serious injury yesterday McClanahan only mildly tweaked his oblique and will be available for Game 3 of the Series. After Mac left the Rays responded with Zach DeLoach, who had a big homer at Yankee Stadium in the ALDS, blasting a 3-run homer to tie it right up and then they scored 5 more times with 2 out in the inning with a 2-run Curtis Mead single and a 2-run Andrew Vaughn double the big hits. They just kept tacking on from there as DeLoach had a 2-run single to give him a 5-RBI day and in the end even Alex Bregman, hitting .111 in the postseason coming into today, got off the schneid with a 2-run homer. The bullpen had to come through with 6 2/3 innings but with the big lead the pressure was off. Sandy Gaston got his first MLB win of any kind relieving Mac, and fellow rookie Colby White came through with 3 big scoreless innings, taking over after the just-activated Lou Trivino couldn't get anyone out. So who will we face in the Fall Classic? That's still up in the air because...

09-20-2022, 10:17 AM	#259
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,081	Congrats Durham! In what is hopefully a good omen for the big club, our AAA affiliate Durham just won the Governors' Cup after beating Memphis in the International League finals. And look how they did it: Yes that's right - they lost the first three games of the series and stormed back to win the next four. Of course that's only happened once in MLB and I have no idea if it's been done before in the IL, AAA, or elsewhere in the minors. Casey Schmitt, the series MVP, is projected to be our 3B next year when Alex Bregman goes free agent, and Taj Bradley, who won Game 5, should be in our rotation especially after the Shane Baz injury. Ian Seymour, who was impressive in a brief stint with the big club earlier this year, and JJ Goss, both of whom won games in this series, may figure into next year's staff as well.

09-20-2022, 10:57 AM	#260
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,081	October 22, 2024: NLCS Game 7 Gonna party like it's 2008... It'll be a rematch of the 2008 World Series, the Rays' first, as they'll battle the Phillies once again for the championship of baseball. Tampa Bay will get an advantage though as NL MVP-Elect Bryce Harper (316-50-111, 9.4 WAR) suffered an oblique strain during Game 7 diagnosed as "moderate" and will go on the IL, and the Phillies will be without the odious Trevor Bauer, who suffered a hamstring strain in the game as well.