They're Back

Lurker at the Charlotte Stone Crabs' visiting team dugout. A prospect due for promotion from A to AAA? [story]

 Wrap, Box

Wrap, Box, Gwinnett Daily Post

Season: 52-53; Trip: 3-8
Wrap, Box, Gwinnett Daily Post

Well, maybe a gator in the visitor's dugout is what the Rays need to import up to Durham for the next few games. The Bulls are going to be in town now for quite a while — 10 straight games. Here’s hoping that they do better than the last 10 games.

Looks like newcomer Blake Snell is the real deal. So we will want to try to make the games he’s starting. He only gave up one hit last night. If not for a wild pitch and an error, likely not even the one run would have scored on him.

Nick Franklin is showing his talent and his performance is one of the few bright spots from this trip. New guy Grady Sizemore was in the last couple of games. Boog Powell has come down from the celestial heights he was at, but still leads the team in his On Base Percentage of .375. Taylor Motter is back in the lineup and had a decent night in Tuesday’s losing cause.

Outside the game —

• We expect considerable roster turmoil over the next couple of days. We know that catcher Bobby Wilson is headed somewhere. And we have read that Jake Elmore, who played in 25 games before being called up late May, is coming back. Something will have to give to make room for him. 
• Interesting, for stats geeks, look at Boog Powell, with mention of fondly remembered former  Bull Joey Gathright.
• Good article in Grantland about the effect of the pace of game efforts. 
• Also in Grantland a deep look at the company/team behind some of the advanced analytical efforts in baseball.
• Lastly, some thoughts from the Tampa Bay Times on trading deadline concerns for the Rays. 
• Note that the Rays have already traded off one outfielder.