http://i.imgur.com/6zUS2fn.png
Pitching Matchup:
http://i.imgur.com/ITPQnvf.png
SP - RA Dickey (2013: 224.2 IP, 71 BB, 7.09 K/9, 2.84 BB/9, .240 BAA, .265 BABIP, 4.58 FIP) [R]
http://i.imgur.com/32DayuI.png
SP - David Price (2013: 186.2 IP, 27 BB, 7.28 K/9, 1.30 BB/9, .251 BAA, .298 BABIP, 3.03 FIP) [L]
Lineups:
http://i.imgur.com/vyJauaQ.png
Make your picks for the first homer contest hosted by Dylan! (Click the image below!)
http://i1312.photobucket.com/albums/t538/BlueJays20131/hr2_zps4bac6d4f.png
Jays Batting:
Team Batting:
http://i.imgur.com/VMORoir.png
Team Pitching:
http://i.imgur.com/YygK3VH.png
Rays Batting:
Team Batting:
http://i.imgur.com/i67Qlvt.png
Team Pitching:
http://i.imgur.com/bODXkDt.png
Notes:
MLB:
No Important Notes Today.
Jays:
So Dickey was bad last year and no one's going to argue that. He followed up his 2012 NL CY Young Award winning campaign with a pretty crappy season, although he did give us tonnes of innings (224.2 to be exact). Now what? Well this year he thinks he can turn it around, and he has the chance to do so against the Rays, whom he found success against in his career going 2-1 with a 2.79 ERA with hitters posting a mediocre .188/.253/.289 slash line against him at the Trop.
Dustin McGowan stole the #5 pitching spot after a good spring outing sending Rogers and Redmond to the bullpen, Happ to the DL and Marcus Stroman to the minors. He threw a simulated game in Dunedin today and pitched 77 innings. According to General Manager Alex "The Fat Greek" Anthopoulos he should be good to go for a maximum of 90 pitches in the home opener against Tanaka and the Yanks.
The Blue Jays took a while to realize that Erik Kratz wasn't trash and that he could be useful in Gibbons' hands. The price for this realization? Casey Janssen. Like ECJF put it, this was punishment from the baseball gods for not trading him. Regardless Sergio Santos takes over as the team's closer moving Delabar into the 8th inning role. God help this organization, although it would be fun to see JFaS raging if Kratz gets sent down again.
This is their 3rd in opening day between the two teams, the record is 1-1
Rays:
The ex-2012 CY Young and Megatweeting left handed starter, David Price, will take the mound against the Jays. I know you guys hate anything about win % but just to troll you guys, his .867 W% against the Jays is the best all-time of any pitcher against the Jays with at least 15 starts. SAVE IT, NERDS (thank you Gsnarls!)!!
This infield is the exact same as it was last year Opening day. Longo at 3rd, Loney at 1st, Zobrist at 2nd and Everyone's favourite maricon holding the SS position. What's so special about this, you ask? Well this will be the first time since their inaugural 1998 and 1999 seasons that they'll start back to back opening day games with the same infield. Maddon said also on his defence that he would have at least wanted to see Loney and Escobar as honourable mentions for GG awards
So Longo's looking to break a few franchise records. The great 3rd baseman is one homer away from reaching Carlos Pena's homer record and he's 15 doubles, 48 RBIs and 51 XBHs away from breaking Carl Crawford's records in those departments.
The Rays have taken every series at the Trop since April 6-8, 2007 with the Rays taking 19 of the next 20 series and splitting a 4 game series once. The Rays' 147 wins against the Jays (and their 83 wins at home vs. the Jays) are the most against any MLB team for the Rays.
Standings:
http://i.imgur.com/p3GWnKS.png
Venue:
http://www.andrewclem.com/Baseball/Diag/TropicanaField.gif
I hope you guys enjoy the 2014 Opening Day in Tropicana Field, the 2014 season and the GDT! Please leave feedback and ideas/improvements for future GDTs! LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!!!!!!!