GDT(3/3): Tampa Bay Rays @ Toronto Blue Jays - Archer vs. Dickey - 1:07 PM ET

[TheHurl]

I know it is not going to happen, but i feel it should. This shouldn't be on AA, the jays have just simply under achieved. Franco seems like a big bat and i could see him playing at 1st base

 

He does for sure and he'll probably stick at 3B because he's got a huge arm (but he's just too slow for RF). A 7.7 60 yard dash is Jose Molina range (David Ortiz was 6.8 last time he ran one) which makes him a 20 speed guy. He really has great hands supposedly but trading for a non athlete that is so young wouldn't be the best suggestion...I'd be afraid what the Jays would do with him.

[TheHurl]

Is Rogers seriously going to continue to milk the WS wins from 20 years ago? It looks like it 'cause that's what they're showing right now, good thing I turned it off before I broke my tv, lol.

 

A's and Angels on SN1

[BarrysSyringe]

He does for sure and he'll probably stick at 3B because he's got a huge arm (but he's just too slow for RF). A 7.7 60 yard dash is Jose Molina range (David Ortiz was 6.8 last time he ran one) which makes him a 20 speed guy. He really has great hands supposedly but trading for a non athlete that is so young wouldn't be the best suggestion...I'd be afraid what the Jays would do with him.

Wow that is awful, its like he is obese haha. Still you have to like the raw power

[Angrioter]

He does for sure and he'll probably stick at 3B because he's got a huge arm (but he's just too slow for RF). A 7.7 60 yard dash is Jose Molina range (David Ortiz was 6.8 last time he ran one) which makes him a 20 speed guy. He really has great hands supposedly but trading for a non athlete that is so young wouldn't be the best suggestion...I'd be afraid what the Jays would do with him.

 

Sano? Franco?

 

Franco has the weirdest swing we've seen.

[ElNik2013]

So is the Lawrie to 2B move over now? I mean, Izturis was playing 3B and today he played 2B. Lawrie has regressed and maybe he was never going to be anything anyway, but by rushing him from rehab earlier in the season, then moving him to 2B while on his 2nd rehab, the organization opens itself up to criticism.

[BlueJayWay]

It's not called NL ball, it's just normal baseball. Any team besides the Tigers and Blue Jays would be bunting in Bautista's at bat. At the very least, you've gotta shorten up your swing and hit to the right side. Add another play that just epitomizes the lack of baseball knowledge form the front office to the team. Build for 2068!!!

You're wrong. Hardly any team would bunt in that situation.

 

And rightfully so. You only have three outs left. Why take the bat out of one of your team's best hitters?

[Abomination]

So is the Lawrie to 2B move over now? I mean, Izturis was playing 3B and today he played 2B. Lawrie has regressed and maybe he was never going to be anything anyway, but by rushing him from rehab earlier in the season, then moving him to 2B while on his 2nd rehab, the organization opens itself up to criticism.

 

I think they just want to give him a bit of a mental break for a day, as well as keep both players fresh at the other position. I don't think there's much to read into this.

[BigCecil]

No way Jose bunts there. With 2 strikes wouldn't mind seeing him try to shorten his swing a bit and if its outside try and hit it to right side to move REyes over. He ended up ripping at a pitch to K that was a foot high out of zone. When he was on fire first half he was doing taking pitches up the middle or to the right side when he got those pitches.

[DH12]

So is the Lawrie to 2B move over now? I mean, Izturis was playing 3B and today he played 2B. Lawrie has regressed and maybe he was never going to be anything anyway, but by rushing him from rehab earlier in the season, then moving him to 2B while on his 2nd rehab, the organization opens itself up to criticism.

 

now you will hear the fans will say management messsed up lawrie like they did snider. But both are overrated.

[DH12]

No way Jose bunts there. With 2 strikes wouldn't mind seeing him try to shorten his swing a bit and if its outside try and hit it to right side to move REyes over. He ended up ripping at a pitch to K that was a foot high out of zone. When he was on fire first half he was doing taking pitches up the middle or to the right side when he got those pitches.

 

and it's a lot easier to go the other way with the rays closer throwing 100mph than pulling it. Unless you sit on his change up.

[baseballsss]

I don't know, Longoria has only bunted 3 times in his career all were attempts at hits (successful twice)

 

if maddon had the jays lineup with EE behind bau. Maddon doesn't have all that much to work with behind longo.

[baseballsss]

Rays ball comes down to three basic things....

 

1. They understand that human beings get older and often bet on young men (they are cheap which forces them to understand).

2. They understand buy low, sell high and often bet on men who are (temporarrily) down.

3. They don't hate on base percentage.

 

The rest of it is window dressing. Believe in those 3 things and you will have a chance.

 

everyone loves maddon as a coach on here and hes a damn good one at that. In game the rays play small ball.

[DH12]

everyone loves maddon as a coach on here and hes a damn good one at that. In game the rays play small ball.

 

 

He's easily the best in the game

[ElNik2013]

I think they just want to give him a bit of a mental break for a day, as well as keep both players fresh at the other position. I don't think there's much to read into this.

 

 

Maybe, but when you do this after a game in which he struggled, there might be reason to think they may have rethought the move. It was always an easy decision to second guess because of Lawrie's struggles. I mean, why put more on his plate when his bat has gone south? It's a fair question, but they also rushed him back from a rehab earlier in the year, but anyway.

[John_Havok]

everyone loves maddon as a coach on here and hes a damn good one at that. In game the rays play small ball.

 

The Rays generally have to play small ball. Historically they've never been a high offense team, this year is kind of an aaberration in that regard, and have been getting by with a great pitching staff. Maddon is a good manager, but a lot of his success is due far more to the pitching staff than his playing small ball, which is really more of a necessity than some kind of brilliant strategy on his part.

 

Friedman and their player development people have far more to do with that team's success than Maddon, IMO.

[Olerud363]

The Rays generally have to play small ball. Historically they've never been a high offense team, this year is kind of an aaberration in that regard, and have been getting by with a great pitching staff. Maddon is a good manager, but a lot of his success is due far more to the pitching staff than his playing small ball, which is really more of a necessity than some kind of brilliant strategy on his part.

 

Friedman and their player development people have far more to do with that team's success than Maddon, IMO.

 

I don't think the data really tells that story. The Rays walk a lot and have always have an offense a little better than what one would expect. The real "small" thing they do is consistently walk.

 

There offense has ranged from 3rd to 11th during their run. They've always been in the top 3 in walks... except oddly this year.

 

This year isn't an outlier. They were 5th in runs in 2009, 3rd in 2010. So they've been able to score runs.

 

They walk. Suck on it Buck Martinez, they do, and they win doing that.

[Dylan]

Looks like i picked the right weekend to leave town.. have we decided tank mode yet?