Rays' Midterm Grades
Can Cash finish above .500 for the first time?/JEFFREY S. KING
Five Key Questions
1. Are the Rays really better this year, or do they seem more embraceable because they've exceeded the preseason expectations? There does seem to be more fight to the team. But this time a year ago, before second-half swoons, the team was four games over .500. It was a more powerful, more prone to strikeouts team, and sluggers are always harder to portray as plucky players. This team does have the beginnings of the youth movement, however.
2. Is there a closer to be found? Last year, the team had Alex Colome, who was pretty good with a lead. But this year, there is more of a committee approach. One thought: Has the team considered entrusting the ninth inning to Ryne Stanek?
3. Is this the middle of the pack? The Rays have 14 teams with a better record than they do. There are 15 teams who have a worse one.
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4. Is there a way out of this division? The Rays are 18 games behind Boston. In the Al Central (if they played the same schedule), they'd be 3 1/2 back. In the West, they'd be 13 1/2 back. In the NL East, they'd be 9 1/2 back. In the NL Central, they'd be 8 1/2 back. In the NL West, they'd be four back.
5. Are the winds of change upon us? It's one thing to project how the Rays might finish. It's another to project how they might finish if they trade several of their regulars. Can Cash break .500 for the first time?
Snell was the Rays' first-half MVP./STEVE MUNCIE
Best Five Players
1. Blake Snell
2. Wilson Ramos
3. Matt Duffy
4. Adeiny Hechavarria
5. Kevin Kiermaier
Ramos could be on the trade block./CARMEN MANDATO
Most likely to be traded
1. Nathan Eovaldi
2. Wilson Ramos
3. Adeiny Hechavarria
4. Chris Archer
5. Carlos Gomez
Duffy leads the Rays in batting average./CARMEN MANDATO
Five Leading Hitters
8. Matt Duffy .317
26. Wilson Ramos .297
51. Mallex Smith .284
88. C.J. Cron .256
152. Carlos Gomez. .216
-- Minimum at-bats required.
Bauers had the Rays' biggest hit of all./JEFFREY S. KING
Best Five Wins
1. 6/24/18. Jake Bauers hits a walk-off home run in the 12th inning for a 7-6 win over the Yankees. The hit allowed the Rays to sweep the first-place New York team.
2. 4/22/18. Carlos Gomez homers to lift the Rays to an 8-6 victory over Minnesota. Gomez' shot was worth two runs.
3. 5/13/18. Matt Duffy singled to left off Ryan Tepera for the game's only run in. a 1-0 win over Toronto.
4. 7/9/18. Daniel Robertson singled to center for a 10-9 win over Detroit
5. 4/20/18. Denard Span knocks in the winning run against Minnesota in the 10th inning. The winning run scored when Span beat out a grounder to pitcher Zach Dukes, and Johnny Field scored from second.
Andriese has given up three walkoffs./JEFFREY S. KING
5 Worst Losses
1. 7/6/18. The Mets' Jose Batista, struggling to hit this season, launched a grand slam against the Rays with the score tied off of Chaz Roe.
2.7/15/18. The Twins' Brian Dozier launched another grand slam, this one off Matt Andiese of the Rays with the score tied.
3. 6/1/18 Mitch Haniger homered off Matt Andriese of the Rays, who has given up three walkoffs this season.
4. 6/18/18. The Astros Alex Bregman doubled off Sergio Romo to lead his team to a 4-3 win.
5. 5/2/18. John Hicks beat the Rays with a bunt single in the 12th inning for a 3-1 victory.
Longoria is playing with San Francisco./CARMEN MANDATO
6 Ex-Rays
1. Logan Morrison .191 11 HRs
2. Evan Longoria .246 10
3. Corey Dickerson .306. 7
4. Steven Souza Jr. .195 2
5. Jake Odorizzi 4-6 4.54 ERA
6. Alex Cobb 2-12. 6.41
Cron leads the Rays in home runs./CARMEN MANDATO
5 Random Stats
2017 2018
47-43 Record 49-47
133 Home Runs 88
27-7 10 or More Hits. 31-7
10-10 One-Run Games. 17-21
21 Disabled List 16
Adames should return to the big leagues soon./CAMREN MANDATO
5 Minor Leaguers to Anticipate
1. Brendan McKay, P-1B
2. Jesus Sanchez, OF
3. Rolando Hernandez, C
4. Lucius Fox, SS
5. Justin Williams, OF
Kiermaier is finding his rhythm./JEFFREY S. KING
Team Offensive Rankings
Batting 8. (.256)
Home Runs 26. (88)
Runs 22. (401)
Strikeouts. 9. (847)
Stolen Bases 6. (60)
Romo leads the Rays in saves./JEFFREY S. KING
Team Pitching Ratings
1. Earned Run Average 8 2.71
2. Saves 8 (tie) 28
3. Batting Average Against. 3 .227
4. Shutouts 6 (tie) 8
5. Quality Starts 5 54
5 Observations
1. Let me be an agent, and give me one client on the Rays, and I'm going to sign Jake Bauers up.
2. Perhaps Ruth's Chris should sponsor the news Rays' Stadium. That way, it could be the House that Ruth's Built.
3. I'm still not sold on bullpen days. I'm not sure it grooms future starting pitchers. But Ryne Stanek. as an opener, is the bomb.
4. Mallex Smith made some great plays, and he made some terrible ones. I still think his most memorable play was bringing the dumbbells to Bauers.
5. If not for the usual suspects, a guy who should get some team MVP votes is Daniel Robertson.
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