View from the Catwalk: Let’s play two
A rain out on Tuesday leads to a double header on Wednesday
Last night, rain postponed the second game of a four game series between the Tampa Bay Rays and Kansas City Royals, forcing both teams to play a day-night double header later on today.
Despite not playing, the Rays gained ground in the division as the Yankees fell to the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Rays now have a 2.5 game lead on New York, with the Toronto Blue Jays next in line at 5.5 games back.
News and Links
- The Rays have promoted RHP Austin Pruitt as the 26th man for the double-header
- Tyler Glasnow on Embracing (and Controlling) the Cut - David Laruilla, FanGraphs
- How Tim Anderson Is Becoming Baseball’s Savior - Anthony Witrado, Forbes
- James Holzhauer is a menace to ‘Jeopardy!’ - Charles Lane, The Washington Post
- Seven bold predictions for May - Richard Justice, MLB.com
The Rays will remain atop the AL East for another month.
There’s zero reason to think the Rays are going to fade. That pitching staff is too good and too deep and throws too hard. Besides that, the Rays have more Major League-ready talent in the Minors. Offensively, the Rays have improved by nearly a half-run per game and are hopeful that’ll keep going up as new lineup combinations are tried. But it’s the pitching that separates the Rays.
- Top 10 third basemen of the decade (so far) - Will Leitch, MLB.com
Evan Longoria (TB 2010-17, SF 2018-19):
Longoria might not have turned out to be the Hall of Famer it looked like he might have become when he debuted with Tampa Bay, but he’s far and away the best player in Rays history. He has dipped a little in the past couple of years, but he’s never even resembled a bad player. He never ended up having the peak MVP season many thought he would, but no one has ever been upset to have him on their team. Poor guy, though: He appears to have left Tampa Bay right when the Rays got good again and he arrived in San Francisco right when the Giants took a downturn.
- As Rays rise, Glasnow’s new look should scare AL East rivals - Joon Lee, ESPN
- Dear MLB teams: Don’t trade with the Rays, you won’t win - Bradford Doolittle, ESPN ($)
- Wander Franco the new No. 1 dynasty league prospect - Tommy Rancel, ESPN ($)
- Oil and Leather: A History of Venezuelan Baseball and American Imperialism (Part 1) - Zack Moser, Baseball Prospectus ($)
- How have Rays posted majors’ best record through April? Here’s 10 reasons why, and how they can maintain - Marc Topkin, Tampa Bay Times ($)
- Rays Journal: Ryne Stanek’s Kansas City homecoming was a long time coming - Marc Topkin, Tampa Bay Times ($)
- ‘I love you, Nathaniel!’: Parents cherish Nate Lowe’s major-league debut for Rays - Josh Tolentino, The Athletic ($)
- Chris Davis’s recent revival has been worthy of its praise - Drew Bonifant, Camden Chat
- Mallex Smith Optioned to Tacoma; Braden Bishop Recalled - Tim Cantu, Lookout Landing
- Should the Jays try to trade Smoak, Stroman and Sanchez? - Tom Dakers, Bluebird Banter