Rob Neyer has a good post over at the Sweet Spot pointing out that through some bad luck, the strengths that made the Rays 96-game winners have not come into play in Game 1 and 2 of the ALDS.
AP Photo/Chris O'Meara
The point, though, is that if the Rangers had been able to rely on just the starters they’ll use in this Division Series, they would have won more than 90 games. Conversely, if the Rays weren’t able to utilize their No. 4 and 5 starters throughout the season, they wouldn’t have won 96 games.
Another of the Rays’ strengths is their ability to handle right-handed pitchers. With the emergence of catcher John Jaso, the additions of outfielder Matthew Joyce and DH Dan Johnson, and the general nature of Carlos Pena, the Rays are simply better equipped against right-handers than left-handers.
So of course they have to face two of the league’s toughest left-handers in their first two games.
Both are good points that I clearly didn’t consider when I wrote that The Rays will beat the Rangers. Still, those very advantages may come into play in games 3 and 4. Both Colby Lewis and Tommy Hunter are righties, so we can make use of Jaso, Joyce, and Johnson. Also, we have a front-line starter in Garza and a hot pitcher in Davis going.
Does that mean we are going to win the series? I hope so. Do I believe that? I am trying hard here.
(What’s that? Cliff Lee is pitching Game 5 if we can actually get there? Well we were 3-0 against him in the regular season so there is no reason to be worried. Right? Right? Anyone?)
Can someone just hit games 1 and 2 into the A (or B) ring?
Zing!
Seems like Nelson Cruz probably has the bat speed to get it done…now we just need David Price to throw games 1 and 2 right down the middle…
IMO, much of this season has gotten lost in stats and not enough using that good old fashioned smell test. Joe likes veterans. Simple as that. He played the young guys when due to injury or horrible veteran production that could no longer be ignored, he gave the young guys more (or any) playing time. For the most part, they performed very well.
But they were still designated into roles. Jaso responded OK to platooning. But not as well as it sometimes appeared. He still dropped 40 points in his average. Reid didn’t handle platooning very well at all and to a large extent, neither did Sean. Kelly had a good June and mostly awful since. BJ has been BJ. He’s going to do whatever it is whenever HE feels like it and Joe’s not going to do anything about it.
Carlos EARNED the benefit of lots of time to try to get some consistency. But even there, when he began bunting to get on or trying to punch it to left, Joe told him that’s NOT what he wanted from him.
Joe has HIS formula and his way of assessing and the Rubic couldn’t figure it out. IMO, Kelly should NEVER catch David Price. He’s too in love with the fastball and David’s too nice to shut him down until there’s already a couple runs on the board. Been that way most of the year. And Joe should have Jaso in the lineup, period. Walks, hits, whatever…if he knows his job is to get on, he finds a way. Forget matchups. But that’s why nobody who owns a Major League Team has called me.
I understand your frustration but there are just not a lot of good options on this roster against good LHP. As for Shop, a lot of people don’t like him and I understand, but I think he calls a good game. Price is throwing fastball because he is still young, has a thunderbolt arm, and feels most comfortable throwing the fastball. I bet if you looked (and I may this evening) Price’s fastball numbers are pretty consistent from Shop, to Jaso, to Navi.
That’s why I can’t understand why MLB has a 3/5 series after such a long regular season. It can really be a crapshoot as to who wins and the Wild Card getting near equal footing — only a home game difference and letting their 2.0 very good pitchers versus our 4.0 good pitchers have more importance does not seem appropriate.
It’s a fair point. At least the LCS is 7 games. Not that long ago it was just 3 games. With the talk of another Wild Card being added to the postseason (the traditionalist in me opposes this idea but I am not sure I have a coherent argument against it yet) maybe the first round will go to 7 games.