The 2020 (and beyond) Tampa Bay Rays

[Art Deco]

Game 1: After being no-hit for 6 innings and trailing 2-0, the Rays came alive in the 7th and 8th to pull out a 3-2 win over the Dodgers at Publix Park. Randy Mastropietro pitched well after giving up a 2-run homer in the first, finishing 5.2 4 2 2 1 6, but the Dodgers' Jesus Silva and a reliever no-hit them until Henry Dominguez led off the 7th with his 4th homer and later in the inning Angel Gonzales came off the bench to swat a solo shot (#5) and tie it up. Then in the 8th an LA error with two out and nobody one started a rally that culminated in Dominguez driving in the winning run. Dave Flores (3-3) got the win and Jake Cid recorded the save in his Rays debut, his 8th on the season overall.

Game 2: The Rays' pitching let them down in a 9-5 loss to LA in the second game. Elijah Whitaker (6-7) was hit hard early and put them in a 5-1 hole although the bats did rally back to tie it at 5 by the 5th inning with a 2-run Jesus Avalos single the big hit. But Whitaker got himself into trouble in the 6th, loading the bases with one out, and Adan Guardado was no relief, giving up a bases-clearing double and letting that man score as well, leaving Whitaker with a final 5.1 7 8 6 1 3 line.

Game 3: Tampa Bay took the rubber game from the Dodgers in an 11-6 slugfest that saw the Rays blow a 5-2 lead in the 7th only to grab it back in the bottom of the inning and then some. Jorge Barraza was pitching well and left with a man on with two out in the 7th only for Dave Flores to melt down, allowing a 2-run double then a 2-run homer to make it 6-5 LA. But the Rays immediately responded with 4 in the bottom of the frame with Dantel Chinchilla delivering the winning RBI single and Jose Lozada ended up with 3-5 with 4 RBI including a 2-run double immediately after Chinchilla's hit. Flores (4-3) undeservedly ended up with the win and Jake Cid fanned 3 in the 9th in a non-save situation. Barraza finished with a 6.2 4 3 3 3 3 line and should have had a win.

Team record: 65-41. The Orioles dropped a couple so the division lead is now back up to 2 1/2 games. Next up: 3 games in Cincinnati. The trade deadline is upon us but we've done our dealing unless we get an offer we can't refuse.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: The Rays took one on the chin to open their series in Cincinnati, with Dave Rose pounded in a 9-3 loss. Rose (10-5) gave up 3 homers on the night, including a pair in the 3rd which put them behind 3-0, and although his mates equalized in the 5th he turned around gave up 3 more including another homer to finish 5.1 6 6 6 4 3. Tim Johnson then gave up 3 more runs to turn it into a laugher. Paul Mayes had a solo shot (#5) and Aaron White contributed a 2-run double in the losing effort.

Game 2: Steve Swords bounced back from a bombing his last time out and led the Rays to a 6-3 win over the Reds. Swords (10-2) was an excellent 6 3 2 1 1 3 and Mario Berumen pitched a perfect 2-whiff 9th for his 18th save. Swords was backed by homers from Aaron White (#2/10) and Jose Lozada (#3).

Game 3: The Rays took the series from Cincinnati with a 4-2 triumph in the finale. Randy Mastropietro (8-3) was in fine form at 6.1 3 2 1 2 4 for the win and Mario Berumen saved again (#19). The offense came somewhat unconventionally with all 4 runs scoring in the 6th on RBI doubles from Jesus Avalos and Angel Gonzales and a pair of bases-loaded walks.

Team record: 67-42. Baltimore dropped 2 of 3 at home to Indianapolis including one game in which former Ray Sung-Min Yang hit a key homer so Tampa Bay now leads the division by 3 1/2 games. Next up: An off-day then 3 games in Arlington against the Rangers.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: The Rays routed the Rangers 12-3 at Globe Life Field to open their 3-game set. Vinny Colon got the party started with a solo shot (#13) in the 2nd, Henry Dominguez had a 2-run homer (#5) to break it open in the 4th, Paul Mayes added a bases-clearing double in the 5th, and Dantel Chinchilla made the rubble bounce with a 3-run clout of his own (#10) in the 9th. Elijah Whitaker (7-7) didn't have to do much (5 5 2 2 2 3) to earn the win.

Game 2: Tampa Bay tied it in the 9th and went on to edge Texas 5-4 in 12 innings on Jesus Avalos' solo homer (#25). Jose Lozada came off the bench to deliver a sac fly in the 9th to send us to extras and Mario Berumen (4-7) went 3 perfect innings on 39 pitches to pick up the win. Danny Sanchez preserved the overtime lead in the bottom of the 12th for his 4th save while Jorge Barraza turned in a 6 8 3 3 1 2 start.

Game 3: Rays ace Dave Rose had his second straight tough start as they dropped the finale 5-2 to Texas. Rose (10-6), who had allowed 6 runs his previous time out, wasn't much better today at 6 6 5 5 2 7 with 2 more homers allowed after the three surrendered in his previous start. Jesus Avalos followed up his 12th-inning winning homer the day before with a 2-run shot (#26) in the first to give them a quick 2-0 lead but that was all the offense they'd get on the day.

Team record: 69-43. Baltimore continued to stumble, dropping 2 of 3 so the Rays' division lead has grown to 4 1/2 games. Next up: We remain in the Lone Star State to play 3 at Houston, from whom we just took the best record in MLB from; the Astros are now 68-44.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: In the end the Rays routed the Astros 13-4 in their opener at Minute Maid Park but 5 runs in the 9th turned a comfortable win into a laugher. Steve Swords (11-2) got into some first-inning trouble, allowing 3 runs to put the Rays behind, but after a 4-run 2nd Tampa Bay never looked back with Vinny Colon's 2-run single the big hit. The Daves (Morales and Gonzalez) drove in a pair each and Jose Lozada's bases-clearing double was the key hit in the 9th. Swords settled in to get the win after going 6 8 4 4 2 6 and Erik Witten went the final 3 for his 2nd save.

Game 2: The Rays were up against one of the best pitchers in baseball in Houston lefty Randy Heller who came into the game 15-2, 1.89 and left it 16-2, 1.81 after six shutout innings in a 6-0 Astros win. Tampa Bay bats managed only 5 hits on the day and Randy Mastropietro (8-3) had a disastrous start going 2 5 5 5 4 2, effectively ending this one early.

Game 3: Tampa Bay bookended the series with a couple of routs, winning the rubber match 10-2 in a game that played out similarly to the opener as they poured it on in the 9th to bolster the final margin. Paul Mayes was 3-4 with a homer (#6) into the Crawford Boxes and 2 RBI while David Morales plated 4 including a bases-clearing double. Elijah Whitaker (8-7) was outstanding in the win at 6 5 2 1 0 7.

Team record: 71-44. The Rays maintained their 4 1/2-game lead with Baltimore also taking 2 of 3. Next up: A day off then we return home for 3 against Minnesota.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: The Rays weren't competitive in the opener at Publix Park against the Twins, losing 6-1. Dantel Chinchilla's 3rd-inning solo shot (#11) was it for the offense, and Jorge Barraza (7-5) wasn't very good at 3.2 9 5 5 0 4.

Game 2: Tampa Bay struggled on offense again, wasting a great Dave Rose start and dropping a 2-0 decision to Minnesota. Rose (10-7) was excellent at 6 5 1 1 2 9 with the only blemish a solo homer allowed in his final inning of work but it was enough to give the Twins the win as Rays batters were held to six hits, although Aaron White got half of them including a pair of doubles.

Game 3: They left it late but the Rays at least salvaged the finale, winning 6-3 on Henry Dominguez's bases-clearing double in the bottom of the 8th. Before ultimately winning it they let leads of 2-0 and 3-2 slip away with Steve Swords going 6 6 3 3 0 6. Jake Cid won his first Rays decision, pitching the 8th and then with lefties due in the 9th stayed in to finish it off. Jesus Avalos got Tampa Bay on the board with a 2-run homer (#27) in the 1st.

Team record: 72-46. Luckily Baltimore also lost 2 of 3 so the Rays kept their division lead at 4 1/2 games. Next up: Boston comes to town for 4 games.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: Randy Mastropietro had his second straight rough start, dooming the Rays to a 7-5 loss to Boston in the opener at Publix Park. The lefty fell to 8-4 after going 4.1 6 6 4 2 3 and gave up a couple of homers. In the losing effort at the plate, Dave Gonzalez was 3-4 with HR #10 while the Rays also got solo shots from Vinny Colon (#14) and Aaron White (#3/11).

Game 2: The Rays bounced back to drub the Red Sox 9-1 in the second game. A 4-run 3rd broke it open and we also saw the sight of a rare David Morales homer, his first this year and only career dinger #16 for the All-Star catcher (7 of them came in 2053). Vinny Colon doubled twice and drove in two and Aaron White had a 2-run double. Elijah Whitaker (9-7) scattered some hits at 5.1 8 1 1 1 7 for the win.

Game 3: Boston returned the favor of yesterday's blowout by routing the Rays 8-0. Jorge Barraza (7-6) returned to his hit-yielding ways in a 4.2 10 5 5 2 2 outing as the bats were held to 7 hits and kept off the board.

Game 4: One good turn deserves another so it was the Rays' day to blister Boston, salvaging a series split with an 8-1 win. Dave Rose (11-7) was typically excellent at 7 4 1 1 0 8 and he received plenty of support with 7 different Rays driving in runs including Vinny Colon, who was 3-3 with an RBI double while Aaron White concluded a good series with a 2-run double of his own.

Team record: 74-48. The Rays finally made up their game in hand on Baltimore, which took 2 of 3, so the division leads stands at 4 games. Next up: The homestand concludes with 3 against Toronto before the Rays travel to Baltimore for a huge series.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: Steve Swords was outstanding and the Rays broke open a close game late to beat the Jays 6-1 in the opener at Publix Park. Swords improved to 12-2 on the back of a 6.1 4 1 1 0 6 outing and they scored 3 times in the 7th to expand their 3-1 lead. Paul Mayes was 2-4 with 2 RBI and Vinny Colon went 3-4 with an RBI double to lead the bats.

Game 2: Another comfortable win for Tampa Bay as they downed Toronto 7-2. Henry Dominguez set the tone by leading off the game with his 6th homer before driving in another later, Jesus Avalos was 3-4 with an RBI and Dave Gonzalez knocked in a pair to back Randy Mastropietro (9-4) who was a solid 5 7 2 2 1 4.

Game 3: The Rays got excellent pitching again and completed the sweep of Toronto with a 5-1 win behind Elijah Whitaker. The rookie lefty dazzled again in improving to 10-7, 3.51 with a 6.2 5 1 1 0 8 performance. Aaron White had a 2-run homer (#4/12) in the 2nd to put them ahead to stay and David Morales went 2-4 with 2 RBI to pace the offense.

Team record: 77-48. They needed that sweep because Baltimore did likewise, so the division lead remains 4 games going into the huge 3-game series in Baltimore starting next.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: The Rays began their crucial series at Baltimore where they could see their lead pared to 1 or balloon to 7, and they made sure it wouldn't be the former as they eked out a 4-3 win in 10 innings over the Orioles in the opener. They got a great start from Jorge Barraza (7 6 1 1 1 4) and held a 3-1 lead after a 3-run 7th which featured RBI singles from Jose Lozada and Henry Dominguez, but Jake Cid blew the lead by allowing a pair in the 8th. Fortunately Dominguez led off the 10th with a double and with two out scored on a Baltimore error to provide the difference. Mario Berumen (5-7) got the win after pitching the 9th and stayed on through the 10th to "save" his own victory.

August 22: Claimed OF Emmanuel Jervis on waivers from Baltimore, optioned OF Angel Vigil to Durham.

Not every day you see a player claimed on waivers by one team in the middle of a big series from the other team but that's what the Rays did in acquiring Jervis. The RH-batting OF hit 251/314/465 for the Orioles with 10 homers and gives us another option in LF or DH while we wait for Joel Bland to return.

Game 2: In what will go down in the annals of these teams as the "Emmanuel Jervis Game", the OF claimed the same day on waivers by the Rays from the Orioles homered twice, including a tie-breaking solo shot in the 8th, to give his new club a critical 5-4 win over his old one. Jervis got the Rays on the board with a bases-empty blast in the 2nd and after Baltimore scored twice in the 7th to erase a 4-2 Tampa Bay lead, he was the hero (and villain to the home crowd) with his 8th-inning clout. Dave Rose started and was pitching well until loading the bases with nobody out in that 7th, and he and Dave Flores (5-3) allowed two to score leaving Rose with a 6 8 4 4 1 5 line. Devin Tadlock ended up getting the save, his 3rd for Tampa Bay and 24th overall.

Game 3: The Rays all but put the division to bed by completing the sweep of the Orioles with a 5-2 win in the finale, again pulling it out late. The teams were level at 2-2 thanks to Danny Colon's solo homer (#15) in the 7th and Tampa Bay pulled ahead in the 8th on Aaron White's pinch-hit RBI single, scoring Henry Dominguez who had tripled. They tacked on two more in the 9th including an RBI single from Dave Gonzalez, the catcher's third hit of the game. Steve Swords went 5 6 2 2 4 5, Adan Guardado (4-1) got the relief win, and Mario Berumen retired the Orioles in order in the 9th for his 20th save as the Rays pulled 7 games ahead of Baltimore and extended their winning streak of the same number.

Team record: 80-48. Next up: A day off to return home where we'll play 3 against Boston.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: Runs were hard to come by but the Rays got the odd one in five and edged the Red Sox 3-2 at Publix Park. Randy Mastropietro (10-4) had a rare big strikeout game, going 5.2 7 1 1 0 10, giving him still only 80 in 128 IP this year. Jake Cid made a mess in the 8th, giving up an RBI triple with out but Mario Berumen rescued him with a pair of whiffs and handled the 9th as well for save #21. Dave Gonzalez's 2-run single in the 5th was the game's big hit as it broke a 1-1 tie.

Game 2: The Rays were cruising through 3 innings, up 5-0 and with Elijah Whitaker retiring the first 9 Red Sox to face him. But it all went wrong after that as Whitaker allowed 4 in the 4th, the tying run in the 5th, and Boston scored off Danny Sanchez (0-3) in the 7th to take a 6-5 comeback win over Tampa Bay. Whitaker ended up 5.1 8 5 5 0 6 in the no-decision. Paul Mayes had a 2-run double and Dave Gonzalez a 2-run homer (#11) when things were going well early.

Game 3: Tampa Bay took the rubber game in more comfortable fashion, downing the Red Sox 7-2. Jorge Barraza (8-6) tossed another gem, going 6.1 6 2 0 2 4 for the win and he had plenty of support. Aaron White's 2-run homer (#5/13) in the 4th broke a 2-2 tie, Henry Dominguez tripled and homered (#7) and Dave Gonzalez capped a big series by going 3-3 with a walk.

Team record: 82-49. Baltimore also took 2 of 3 so the Rays' division lead remains 7 games, although their magic number dropped to 25.

Gonzalez was recognized by the league:

[Art Deco]

Game 1: Dave Rose was dealing again the Rays beat the Sunbirds 4-1 at Sunbirdsdome to open their 3-game set. Rose (12-7) was a sterling 7 6 1 1 2 7 and Mario Berumen continued his season turnaround with a two-whiff 1-2-3 9th for save #22. They scored twice in the first and got a solo homer from Jose Machado (#6) which was more than Rose needed.

Game 2: The Rays blew leads of 3-1 and 4-3 but still ended up prevailing by scoring 3 in the 10th to take a 7-4 win over Oklahoma City. Vinny Colon homered (#16) and Dantel Chinchilla knocked in a pair to put them up early but Steve Swords couldn't hold either lead and finished 5.2 7 4 3 2 4. So we went on until the 10th when Angel Gonzales delivered a 2-out, 2-run double to break the deadlock and Mario Berumen (6-7) got the job done again, going the final 1 2/3 and fanning 4 to earn the win.

Game 3: The bullpen did not do Tampa Bay any favors in the finale, turning a 3-2 lead into a 5-4 loss as the Sunbirds avoided the sweep. Randy Mastropietro turned in his usual solid-but-short start at 5 5 2 2 1 5 and left with the lead before Danny Sanchez gave up a game-tying homer in the 7th and Jake Cid surrendered a two-run shot to lose it in the 8th. A 9th-inning rally got the Rays back within one but that was all they'd get. Dave Gonzalez was 2-4 with a pair of doubles and an RBI as today's offensive standout.

Team record: 84-50. The Orioles lost 2 of 3 to fall 8 behind the Rays and reduce their magic number to 21. Next up: An off-day then we return home for 3 against the White Sox.

A pair of Rays were recognized for their play in the month of August:

[Art Deco]

September 1: Activated OF Joel Bland from his rehab assignment at AAA Durham, recalled P Julio Mattila from Durham.

September roster expansion time and we welcome one of our top hitters back in Bland, who had been out since mid-July with a torn abdominal muscle, and lefty Mattila, our top pitching prospect now that Eljah Whitaker has graduated. The 2052 1st-round pick was 8-2, 3.27 with the Bulls and will pitch in long relief.

Game 1: This one was over almost as soon as it started as the Rays scored 6 in the 2nd on their way to an 8-1 rout of the Pale Hose. Dantel Chinchilla had the big hit, a 3-run homer (#12) which gives him 86 RBI and puts him on pace to drive in 100 out of the 9-hole. Before Chinchilla's clout Paul Mayes had a 2-run double. Elijah Whitaker (11-7) cruised at 7 5 1 1 1 8 for the win.

Game 2: Time for a Patented Publix Park Comeback as the Rays turned a 6-2 deficit in the 7th into a 10-6 win over Chicago. Jorge Barraza had his struggles at 5.1 7 4 4 2 4 and Tim Johnson allowed a couple of more runs as a loss looked incoming. But the bats had other ideas, especially Dave Gonzalez. The C/DH drilled a 2-run single to key a 3-run rally in the bottom of the 7th to pare the White Sox lead to one, and then came through with another 2-run single in the 8th to put them up 7-6. Paul Mayes was involved as well with an RBI double in the 7th and an RBI single in the 8th and Vinny Colon accounted for the first two runs with a pair of solo homers, giving him 18. Erik Witten (6-1) picked up the relief win.

Game 3: Oops, they did it again. Dave Rose had an uncharacteristically bad outing and Tampa Bay was down 6-2 to the White Sox once again, and once again they came back from that specific deficit to pull out a 7-6 win in 10 to complete the series sweep. Rose was a rough 4 8 6 6 1 4 and the comeback came very late. Down 6-3 entering the bottom of the 9th that man again Dave Gonzalez (who had driven in two runs earlier), blasted a 2-run homer (#12) and a rally following the homer saw David Morales single in the tying run. And in the 10th the Rays manufactured the winning run when Joel Bland led off with a walk, stole second, went to third on a groundout, and scored on Paul Mayes' sac fly, making a winner of Mario Berumen (7-7).

Team record: 87-50. There wasn't much of a division race coming into this series and there really isn't one anymore after the Orioles were swept, driving them 11 games behind and reducing the Rays' magic number to 15.

Some honors from the league for a guy whose name was all over these recaps:



Also some other big news:



After being unable to secure a big league job this year, Barela read the writing on the wall and officially announced his retirement, and we wasted no time in announcing the retirement of his #59. He'll go down in history as one of the greatest Rays of all time, winning 5 MVPs with us (and a sixth with the Phillies) along with 7 championships, and is a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: The Rays inched closer to their inevitable division title with a 7-4 win over Oakland in the opener of their 4-game set in the "other" bay area. Aaron White and Jose Machado were the hitting stars with the former doubling, homering (#6/14) and driving in 3 while the latter was 3-5 with a 2-run double. Steve Swords (13-2) was a bit shaky but got the win after going 5 5 3 3 4 3 and the fourth Rays reliever Mario Berumen earned the save, his 23rd.

Game 2: Randy Mastropietro was staked to a 2-0 lead in the 5th but couldn't hold it as Oakland scored 4 times off him in the bottom of the inning and 4-2 A's was our final score. A couple of Oakland errors led to the Rays runs and Mastropietro (10-5) was sharp through 4 before the walls fell in and he ended up 4.2 8 4 4 3 3.

Game 3: The Rays snapped back with an easy 9-4 win over Oakland in the third game, led once again by Aaron White. White's 3-run homer in the 3rdd (#7/15) followed a 2-run blast from Angel Gonzales (#6) in the 1st as Tampa Bay scored 6 in the first 3 against former Rays ace Greg Bookhart, who is 2nd all-time on the team in wins and games started (behind current ace Dave Rose in both categories). Dantel Chinchilla also had a 2-run single, giving him 88 RBI on the season. Elijah Whitaker (12-7) went 5.2 4 3 3 4 2 for the win.

Game 4: Tampa Bay took the series from Oakland with a 4-1 triumph in the finale behind strong pitching from Jorge Barraza and some opportunistic offense. The bats only managed 4 hits on the day but managed to squeeze them into a 4-run 3rd highlighted by Angel Gonzales' 2-run homer (#7) and Vinny Colon's RBI double. Barraza (9-6) meanwhile was an effective 5.1 4 0 0 3 5 in picking up the win and Mario Berumen got the final four outs for his 24th save.

Team record: 90-51. The magic number is down to 11 for the division. Next up: 3 games in Toronto.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: The Rays have played good baseball most of the year but not today as they were shellacked 12-1 by the Jays at Rogers Centre. Dave Rose (12-8) was hit hard (5 5 6 6 4 6) and two relievers gave up 3 runs apiece.

Game 2: Tampa Bay apparently wasn't unable to get its bats through customs as they only scored once again in a 3-1 loss to Toronto. Steve Swords (13-3) pitched OK until the 6th when he allowed 2 runs to break at 1-1 tie and took the loss after going 5.1 6 3 3 2 5.

Game 3: Randy Mastropietro took a no-hitter into the 8th inning and the bats finally came alive in a 5-run 8th as the Rays salvaged the series finale with a 6-1 win over the Jays. Mastropietro (11-5) was letting his fielders do the work as he entered the 8th having only a pair of strikeouts but perhaps it was long layoff while his teammates had the big inning that caused him to lose to no-no when he gave up an RBI double after walking a man. Another walk led to his departure and he finished 7.1 1 1 1 3 2. Jesus Avalos' 2-run homer (#28) keyed that big inning as it looked like the Rays might be held to a single run again before things went their way.

Team record: 91-53. A Baltimore loss and the lone Rays win dropped their magic number to clinch to 9. Next up: 3 games in the Bronx against the Yankees.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: The Rays inched closer to yet another division title thanks to an 8-2 win over the Yankees in the Bronx. Aaron White had his biggest game as a Ray, homering twice to give him 9 with the club and 17 overall while driving in 4. Also going yard was Jesus Avalos with a 2-run shot (#29) in the first. Elijah Whitaker (13-7) let his defense do the work behind him going 7 6 0 0 1 1 for the win.

Game 2: Jorge Barraza was handed a 2-0 lead and then handed it back to New York as the Yankees took a 5-2 win over the Rays in the second game. Dave Gonzalez's 13th homer made it 2-0 but Barraza (9-7) gave up 3 in the 3rd and he went a rough 4 6 4 4 3 2 in taking the L.

Game 3: Tampa Bay took the rubber game 3-1 from New York thanks to a nice bounceback outing from Dave Rose (13-8), who was hit hard in his previous start but was back in ace form at 7 4 1 1 4 8 tonight. Mario Berumen had a 1-2-3 inning for save #25 while Angel Gonzales' 8th homer was the offensive highlight.

Team record: 93-54. The magic number to clinch the division is now down to 7. Next up: Back home for 3 against Texas after a day off.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: The Rays opened their home series with Texas by taking an 8-4 win over the Rangers behind a big game from rookie first-sacker Vinny Colon. The lefty power hitter was 3-4 with a walk and a 3-run homer (#19). And after Texas pulled within 5-4 in the 5th Dave Gonzalez came through with a big RBI double to help rebuild the lead. Steve Swords (14-3) was cruising until the 5th when he was hit for 4 runs but still got the win after going 5.1 6 4 4 36 while the bullpen came through with 3 2/3 hitless innings of relief.

Game 2: The offense disappeared in the second game as the Rangers took a 3-0 decision over Tampa Bay. They did get 8 hits including 3 from Jesus Avalos but only one of them went for extra bases while they hit into three double plays and a had man thrown out on the bases. Randy Mastropietro (11-6) wasn't very good at 4.2 10 3 3 2 3.

Game 3: The Rays feasted after yesterday's offensive famine, routing the Rangers 15-0 to take the rubber game. Paul Mayes drove in 5 on a 2-run double, 2-run homer (#7) and a bases-loaded HBP while Jose Machado was 3-6 with two doubles and 3 RBI. Meanwhile Elijah Whitaker (14-7) was brilliant at 7 4 0 0 2 7 for the win.

Team record: 95-55. The magic number for the division is down to 3 and they'll look to clinch during Houston's visit to Publix Park for 3 games.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: Jorge Barraza was solid and the Rays got just enough offense to take a 4-1 win over the Astros at Publix Park. Barraza (10-7) was an excellent 5.2 5 1 1 0 5 and the bullpen was stellar the rest of the way with Mario Berumen striking out the side in the 9th for save #26. Joel Bland was 2-4 with a steal and an RBI double to pace the offense.

Game 2: Dave Rose did Dave Rose things and the offense did its part as well as the Rays reduced their magic number to clinch the AL East to 1 with a 6-0 victory over Houston. Rose (14-8) went 7 2 0 0 1 5 in an outing that upped his WAR to 5.4, which would be a career high if it stood. On offense Aaron White homered (#10/18) and Dantel Chinchilla was 2-2 with a walk and RBI #91.

Game 3: The Rays failed in their first attempt to clinch the AL East, getting clonked 8-2 by the Astros while Baltimore won its game. Steve Swords (14-4) fell on his sword in a rough 4 6 5 2 3 2 outing that wasn't helped by a key Paul Mayes error. Jesus Avalos was 2-4 with an RBI.

Team record: 97-56. Next up: The Rays will try to clinch in Minnesota where they'll play 3 after a day off.

Minors news: AA Montgomery won the Southern League Championship after they went the distance with Chattanooga, eking out a 2-1 victory in the decisive Game 5 of their championship round. Prospect Bobby Pena had a massive postseason, hitting .511 with 4 HR and 8 RBI over the two rounds. He's nominally a 2B but a poor one so his future lies at DH and if he can live up to his potential 70 contact and 55 power ratings (along with 80 avoid Ks) he could work at that position.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: The Rays clinched the 36th division title in their history as they thrashed the Twins 10-3 at Target Field. Joel Bland capped a 5-run first with a 3-run homer (#9) as Tampa Bay made it clear they weren't going to mess around today with a chance to clinch. Bland later added an RBI triple while Jesus Avalos had an RBI double and a 2-run homer (#30) himself. Randy Mastropietro (12-6) was an effective 5 6 1 1 2 5 for the win.

Game 2: Mario Berumen, almost untouchable as a closer last season but who had struggled through much of this season, looked to have turned things around with a brilliant run over the last couple of months but that ended today as he imploded in the 9th, giving up 3 runs to let Minnesota walk off a 6-5 win over the Rays. While starter Eljiah Whitaker wasn't convincing (5 9 3 3 1 3) Tampa Bay erased a 3-0 deficit culminating in Henry Dominguez's 2-run pinch-single to put them ahead 5-3. But Berumen (7-8) took his 8th loss and 3rd blown save of the season by walking 3 and giving up a pair of hits, including the game-winner, without retiring a batter.

Game 3: A pair of Angel Gonzales homers (#9 & 10) weren't enough today and the Rays dropped the rubber game to Minnesota 7-4. The series meant more to the Twins as they're in a dogfight for the AL Central (1 up on Chicago) and they got to Jorge Barraza (10-8) to the tune of 7 6 4 4 1 6 with a couple of homers allowed.

Team record: 98-58. Next up: The Rays will enter the final week also assured of the top seed in the AL and they'll return home for 3 against Baltimore.

Pennant Race Update: In the AL the Rays of course have clinched and the Angels have a healthy 4-game lead on Houston while we just mentioned Minnesota was one up on the White Sox. It's three teams for two wild cards with Houston 1 up on Baltimore and Chicago and it looks like a 90+ win team will be sitting at home. Over in the NL Atlanta and Pittsburgh have clinched the East and Central while in the West the Dodgers hold a 1-game lead on the Rockies. And like in the AL three teams are slugging it out for the 2 WCs: Colorado is 1 up on the Phillies who are 1/2 game ahead of the Mets. Indianapolis is nominally in it at 3 back but they would need a miracle.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: Dave Rose was it again and the offense banged out 13 hits in a 6-3 win over the Orioles at Publix Park. Baltimore is in a dogfight for a wild card and the already-clinched Rays got to play spoiler. Rose closes out his regular season at 15-8, 3.62 after a tidy 6 4 2 2 1 9 outing and set a career high in WAR at 5.7. He's been remarkably consistent over the last six seasons, steadily increasing his WAR each year and aging like a fine wine:



The strikeout totals the last five seasons are remarkably consistent. We have him signed for two more seasons so here's hoping for more of the same. As for today's game he was supported by Dantel Chinchilla, who was 2-3 with 3 RBI, now giving him 95 with a chance to reach 100 while batting almost exclusively from the 9-hole this year.

Game 2: The Rays got another fine start, this time from Steve Swords, and handled Baltimore again 5-1 for win #100 of the year. Swords, who will probably get the ball for Game 2 of the ALDS, went 6.1 5 1 1 0 4 to likely finish his first regular season in Tampa Bay 15-4, 3.59. Jose Lozada was 4-4 with a walk, three doubles and an RBI while Jose Machado delivered a tie-breaking 2-run single in a 3-run 5th.

Game 3: Tampa Bay dealt a blow to Baltimore's wild card hopes by completing the sweep with a come-from-behind 5-3 win, but thanks to the White Sox also being swept not quite as grievous a blow. Randy Mastropietro started and went a solid 6 7 1 1 2 3 but left trailing 1-0 before Victor Boria gave up 2 more in the top of the 7th. But in the bottom of the inning the Rays pulled even thanks to a Jesus Avalos solo homer (#31) and Dantel Chinchilla's 96th RBI on a single. And in the bottom of the 8th Jose Machado delivered a tie-breaking RBI triple and scored on Vinny Colon's single. Dave Flores (6-3) got the relief win and Mario Berumen bounced back from blowing his last save opportunity by getting a pair of Ks in a 1-2-3 9th for his 27th.

Team record: 101-58. Next up: After a day off we conclude the regular season with 3 games at Publix Park against the Yankees.

Pennant Race Update: Baltimore won on our off-Thursday while the White Sox dropped their fourth straight so the Orioles have moved a game ahead for WC2. The Pale Hose also trail the Twins by 2 in the AL Central but are playing Minnesota this weekend so they still can win the division by sweeping them. In the NL the Dodgers remain one ahead of the Rockies while Colorado is tied with the Phillies for the two wild cards with both one ahead of the Mets.

[Art Deco]

Game 1: Elijah Whitaker closed out what's hopefully a Rookie of the Year campaign in fine fashion, shutting down the Yankees in a 3-1 Rays win at Publix Park. The young lefty finished the season 15-7, 3.33 after a 6 3 1 1 1 7 outing and Mario Berumen recorded save #28. Aaron White led the way on offense, going 3-3 with a double, steal and homer (#11/19).

Game 2: Jorge Barraza was hit hard and deemed to have lost the competition for the #4 playoff starter with Randy Mastropietro as the Yankees beat the Rays 8-4. Barraza (10-9) went 5 4 4 4 4 5 and just hasn't displayed the consistency we hoped for. In the losing effort the Rays got a trio of solo homers from Henry Dominguez (#9), Jose Machado (#7) and Dantel Chinchilla (#13). The homer was Chinchilla's 97th RBI of the season but his bid to reach 100 from the 9-hole would fall just short.

Game 3: Tampa Bay dropped the regular season finale 4-1 to New York. Julio Mattila (0-1) got the spot start and had his struggles at 4.1 7 4 4 5 5. Aaron White hit HR #20 overall (#12 as a Ray) for the lone Rays score.

Final Regular Season Record: 102-60. Next up: The ALDS against the winner of the Baltimore-Houston wild card game.

Pennant Race Update: The Orioles held off Chicago and the White Sox also lost the Central to Minnesota. In the NL the Dodgers won the West while Philly and Colorado finished ahead of the Mets and will play in that league's wild card game.

The final stats post will follow.

[Art Deco]

The team was remarkably consistent throughout the year as the month-by-month records indicate, even though it got a gradual makeover as the year went along. You can see all the offensive numbers are excellent even as we transitioned from a power-based team to a more ball-in-play offense after dealing away Ezequiel Avalos, Sung-min Yang and Nesty de la Rosa. We did drop to 6th in homers as a result but the scoring continued and was more consistent. Despite the poor season numbers on defense it was much-improved over the second, going from an efficiency of .660 to .671 and the ZR improving from -24.5 to -20.9.



In the previous post I touted Elijah Whitaker for Rookie of the Year but one of his closest competitors is going to be Paul Mayes, who was outstanding on both sides of the ball and a worthy successor to the legendary Luis Barela. Jesus Avalos was our top run-producer but had a pronounced down year by his usual 5-7 WAR standards while a couple of more rookies impressed as Vinny Colon and Henry Dominguez each put up 2.4 WAR in partial seasons. This is a very solid offense top-to-bottom and much less reliant on the longball.



Sorting the pitchers by WAR, the one thing that stands out is how good Barraza's was even though his surface numbers weren't. As mentioned in my previous post I've decided to go with Mastropietro over him as the fourth playoff starter, even though he has about 1/2 of Barraza's WAR. It's mainly because Barraza does a better job of keeping the ball in the park than Mastropietro but the latter also has an ERA over 1/2 run better. There's no question Barraza is much more dependent on defense (as is Mastropietro) than others on the staff but it's only helped him on a limited basis. He'll still be ready to go in a Game 4 behind Mastropietro if needed. Otherwise we've got a solid top 3 (Rose, Swords, Whitaker) and a fine and deep bullpen.



Not a particularly deep or exciting farm system but keep in mind that we had three rookies in the lineup who excelled (Dominguez, Colon, Mayes) and one in the rotation (Whitaker) so it's not like we need a youth infusion. Navarro was our #1 pick this year and looks like a future rotation fixture. Jackson at #14 has an advanced MLB-ready bat and is the closest to helping as soon as next season but there may not be room for him yet.