Rays lose 5-0 to Yankees

NEW YORK - Derek Jeter delivered with his bat and glove, backing a determined effort by Andy Pettitte that led the New York Yankees to a much-needed, 5-0 win over the Tampa Bays Rays on Tuesday night.

Jeter lined an early go-ahead double off All-Star Scott Kazmir, then made a stellar play in the seventh inning that preserved a two-run lead and prompted a sellout crowd to chant his name. Pettitte needed little other help in pitching eight sharp innings.

Associated Press

Comments

[Jason]

I've never heard any analyst or reporter mention Price as trade bait. Obviously we would never trade him. That's a known. But the players that are in trade demand are (P)Wade Miller, (P)Jeff Niemann, (P)Mitch Talbot, (P)Jeremy Hellickson and (SS)Reid Brignac. I don't think we should shift our attention to Bay or Nady. I don't think they're valuable enough. In case you ahven't been watching the games, our offense has been lacking, badly. We need a real bat. Nady and Bay are not a significant upgrade from what we have now.

[Peter Gammons]

>>>I would give up Gomes and a minor league player or two for a player like Holliday<<<

yeah ... sure you would --- only problem is that the ONLY player we have that is in trade demands for Holliday is David Price --- and he is virtually untouchable ... so let's shift our attention back to Bay or Nady -- I prefer Bay because he hits for more power and has a higher On Base % than Nady does

[Jason]

Very good point Ray. Aybar is valuable not necessarily for his bat but he can play so many positions. So far this year he's played 1B, 2B, 3B, OF and DH. He's a super utility guy. I would give up Gomes and a minor league player or two for a player like Holliday. I realize going for Holliday is a wet dream but I think we're going to get somebody. So, I think we should stipulate that any trade has to involve a new contract for that player. I don't think we should rent ANYONE. This has happened before most recently with Johan Santana. His trade to the Mets was contingent on a new contract.

[Ray F]

Jason,

That looks potent, however, you'd have to imagine Gomes would be part of any trade for Holliday since (as crappy as he's been of late) he has Major League seasoning.

But, I also think Aybar will cool down and become more of a bench feature than an every other day DH. Him being a switch hitter makes him great to have in reserves in late inning 1-run games.

Holliday would fit in nice with him being so young. Plus he has post-season experience.

[Jason]

I haven't heard anything about the availability of any of those guys J. I have heard about Nady, Bay and Holliday linked to the Rays. In my opinion Willingham is the only one of those guys I would go after. Pence has not proved enough, Werth is pretty much a journeyman with little to offer compared to what we have now and Upton is talented but still hasn't proved enough. Still could you imagine a lineup with Holliday though.

2B Aki
LF Crawford
RF Holliday
CF Upton
3B Longoria
1B Pena
C Navarro
DH Hinske/Floyd/Aybar/Gomes
SS Bartlett

That looks vicious to me. Even if are team payroll was $10 million higher this year we would still be ranked #26.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/teamSalary?statsId=30

Here is the link to payroll.

[J]

1. B.J. CF 2. C.C. LF 3. Longoria 3B 4. Pena 1B 5. Right Handed Power RF for the protection of Pena! 6. Floyd DH 7. Navi C 8. Aki 2B 9. Bartlett SS

[J]

How about a mega-deal? Justin Upton.

[J]

Hunter Pence

[J]

Josh Willingham

[J]

Jayson Werth

[Jason]

Let's not get ridiculous after a 2 game losing streak. What is wrong with you people? Bill, do you think we should act like the Bosux and Yankees fans? That's a weak excuse. We're acting like fans that don't know anything about baseball. Gomes is a team first guy. I know he has played like crap but you can't get rid of him. He's too important in the clubhouse. There's something to be said for that. He's good enough to be a backup and play once in awhile like he does now. I think we do need to trade for a RF. I don't think Xavier Nady or Jason Bay are the answer though. Their stats are misleading because they started out amazingly hot at the begining of the season. Nady's batting avg is good but in the last month he's scored 9 runs and hit 3HR and 10RBI. Also, his salary (3.35 Million) is more than Hinske, Gross and Gomes combined (2.489 Million). Jason Bay's stats also are benefitted by a great start. In the last month he has 3HR and 11 RBI and 16 runs scored. His salary is $6 Million this year. I don't think it's negative to spend more money but let's get a great player. Bay and Nady are not that much more valuable then what we have now. They are upgrades but I don't think the slight upgrade is justified by the salary increase. Now don't get me wrong, we can afford a higher salary. I say let's go after a top notch guy like Matt Holliday. He was a triple crown candidate last year. He damn near won the NL MVP. His team was a low payroll team with a bunch of young guys and last time I checked they went to the World Series when nobody gave them a chance. Holliday has hall of fame caliber stats and he's not an arrogant cancer that can't get a long with teammates. Holliday spent a short amount of time on the DL earlier this year but the last month he has hit 6HR, 25RBI, scored 18 runs and is batting over .380. He's consistantly that good. If we can pay Carlos Pena $27 million over 3 years then we can pay Matt Holliday. Holliday's salary is $9.5 Million. To me that's a significant upgrade and worth the money. He's going to have near MVP stats every year.

[J]

Jeff Francoeur

[J]

Juan Rivera.

[flsportsfan83]

What have the Rays ever won? Guess it hard to choke when you losee 100 games a year.

[Bill]

The two biggest chokers of all time are the bosux and yankmees.

Bosux, couldn't win for 87 years and choked away game 6 and 7 from the Mets.

The yankmees blew a 3-0 lead in the playoffs! Talk about chokers.

[Ray F]

btw... 10:31 post was me

Gomes has got to go. I don't see why he doesn't roll into the batter's box in a wheelchair, let the pitcher toss 3 balls at him, and go back to the dugout with his inevitable strikeout.

We definately need an everyday Right Handed right-fielder for the stretch.

I agree about Pena needing to go to 7-8 in the lineup to get his confidence back. Longo should be hitting 3rd and Upton clean-up.

OOOORRRRRRR...

Upton leadoff, Aki second, Carl 3rd, Longo Cleanup...

Any thoughts?

[flsportsfan83]

The Tampa Bay Chokers.

[Andy]

Ant BTW Nathan...You're not a bandwagoner. Just a negative jackass with nothing better to do , and with no life whatsoever. So you compensate by finding instances of what you believe to be 'popular opinion', and then take the opposite opinion, just so everyone knows that you are 'different', and 'free thinking'.

You're the type of person who will rant and rave about how 'music these days sucks', though you probably haven't been to a real concert in years.

[Bill]

That's what FANS do......you can't tell me the Bosux and yankees aren't whining about stuff themselves.

[Abner Doubleday]

Sam-I-Am,
I did invent the game of baseball ...
not for winter, but for spring, summer and fall!
I do know when a guy can hit ...
and Gomes isn't worth a pile of S#it!

We also see you can not spell ...
and wish you'd simply go to Hell

[Andy]

Nathan,

You come on these boards and spew bile every time the Rays lose a game or two in a row. It's a long baseball season. Even the best teams lose a few in a row (Ask the Red Sox, Cubs, and Angels about this...we swept them all).

[sam]

you guys are so rediculous, two losses in a row and you guys are acting like its armegeddon, chill out..you all act like you invented the game of baseball, the next time i see one of you trying to hit off of andy petitte then ill shut my mouth, but until then shut yours.

[Bill]

It's not the two losses........it's what the two losses have exposed:
1. A selfish Carl Crawford
2. A lazy Carl Crawford
3. How weak this team is vs. Lefty's.
4. Maddon is enamered with Gomes and batting Pena 4th
5. Kazmir has lost his slider(Which used to be his strikeout pitch.) The fastball is so good it can carry him a couple of times through the order, but eventually Major Leaguers will catch up to it if it's the only pitch you can get over.

All of these things we've been able to hide.....but it's starting to creep up more and more.......

[cg]

It is what it is right now. A bad game. Two losses in a row. Red Sox have had a tough stretch but I don't hear anyone say they have no chance of making the playoffs. But the Rays lose two and now the sky is falling.

[Jeff]

Note to Scotty:
100 pitches
100 foul balls

•movement
•change of speed

[Steve]

Gomes needs to go! It is vital we go after someone like Xavier Nady or Jason Bay.We need another good right-hand hitting OFer,especially vs LHPs.Gomes is hitting .180 and serves no purpose on this team!

[Michael]

Gino, sorry, but Pena is close. Here is why. They did a short segment on his on ESPN, and pointed out that he is hitting .298 in his last 13 games. That goes back to before the fractured finger, and with his homeruns against the Royals, I dont see any signs that he isnt getting his swing back. What I see is a player who got off to a fast start, hit a wall BADLY, and is hack on track.HOWEVER, Jonny Gomes, well, I hate to say it, but they HAVE to get rid of him. His batting average is what, .188? I know power hitters are hard to find, but for every homerun Gomes hits, he leaves 20 men on base, and he is hurting the team.

[Gino]

Gomes SUCKS ... couldn't hit water if he fell out of a boat

if I hear anyone say that "Pena is almost there" in terms of getting his swing back I will choke them ... he needs to bat waaaay down the lineup

[Bill]

I just can't watch Pena batting clean-up anymore.........he really must have naked pictures of Friedman humping a mule or something.

[b]

Booo nathan boooo! I mean seriously....why even bother to be a fan? Do you receive any enjoyment from the game at all?

Nathan-go screw yourself!

[harey]

the true tests will be the road trips after the all star break, the Rays play more on the road than at home during the second half and in high pressure games since they have EVERYONE's attention now. Let's see how it all plays out.

[Nathan]

I've said it on here numerous times; this team is simply not there. Being a true contender requires that you get up for games like this. They're becoming weary from the long season. NY is starting to click. And, no, I'm not a NY fan. I'd sooner chew my leg off than root for that team. The Rays will defy the odds and miss the playoffs. Count on it. The Trop will return to a barren wasteland and the team can move on to some other city that will embrace losing.

Look, I don't want any one of you homer idiots to call me negative. I'm being honest and realistic. I'm going to (again) call it: THE RAYS WILL NOT MAKE THE PLAYOFFS. And when you all rag on me for being a bandwagoner or whatever lame insult you come up with, remember me in October when NONE of us (except the detritus from NY and Boston) will have a team to pull for in the post season.

If I'm wrong, I'm wrong. But I'm not.

[Bill]

Gomes and Pena sucks @ss. Why does Pena still bat cleanup!

[dick]

Another dismal offensive showing against a quality left handed pitcher. The Rays can count on a barrage of lefties throwing at them in the 2nd half of the season. Gomes must go to the minors or released; Glover and Hammel also need to be moved. The way Kazmir has thrown the past 4 or 5 starts doesn't bode well for the "Ace of the staff." He hardly gets through the 5th inning due to an alarmingly high pitch count. It's alarming as it has been continuous! The Rays need to wheel/deal and get another front line pitcher and either Nady or Bay or someone similar to play rightfield and can bat righthanded.