We Are The Rays Shuffling Crew
Well, that Rays–Red Sox series went… about as well as the last one. Would you like a sweep to go with the beatdown? The whole fight scene was interesting, to say the least. And definitely multi–faceted as well. Firstly, the Rays saw that Coco Crisp was in the wrong and, much like they did with the Yankees in Spring Training, acted upon it. Crisp thought that Jason Bartlett blocking second base was wrong — news flash, it's not. When Adrian Beltre blocked third base in this year's home opener, did B.J. Upton crucify him? Absolutely not, it's a good baseball play to block the base. Catchers do it all the time as part of their game. Then Crisp, like (to quote Rays radio broadcasters) “the idiot that he is,” took out Akinori Iwamura, the other middle infielder, later that same game. Joe Maddon used several expletives to call out Coco B. Ware, who responded in kind from the dugout. Everyone basically knew that there would be a fight in the series finale. So James Shields got the tension out of the way early, aiming low and hitting Crisp in the leg in the second inning. Rather than accepting just retaliation, he went cuckoo for Coco Puffs and charged the mound. The fight broke out immediately, with Navarro taking Crisp down and Carl Crawford and Jonny Gomes getting in their shots. Maybe that new Elite XC series on CBS can use these guys. The Rays took the positives out of this — they strengthened already good team unity and stood up for themselves in someone else's house. I think they handled the situation well. Shields threw low enough not to endanger Crisp. He just sent his message. Apparently it had insufficient postage.
The worst part about this whole fiasco is the suspensions. The Rays had several players get the hammer from the front office. James Shields got six games and Gomes got five; both are appealing. Edwin Jackson got five games, Crawford four, and Akinori Iwamura three. Jon Lester, for throwing at a Rays hitter later in the game, got five games. Even Sean Casey, perhaps the nicest guy in baseball, got three. And finally, antagonist Coco Crisp got… seven games. That's fair enough, but how does he get seven when Gomes and Jackson, who were not instigators, got five? Gomes should have his reduced upon appeal, but if not, it makes little sense and is not fair to the Rays. Either Rays suspensions get reduced, or Crisp should get the Japanese punishment for charging the mound, a full ten games. Kyle Farnsworth ended up missing only one game for aiming at Manny Ramirez's head. What's the difference? Just because Farnsworth hasn't hit his spot in three years (and hasn't won a fight in five years) and Shields has doesn't mean Shields should be punished more for it. The suspensions from this fight should be balanced out to fit each man's role in the incident.
The Rays did move on quite well tonight, going to Arlington and hammering the Rangers 12–4 in the series opener. They hit four home runs, off the bats of Evan Longoria (8), B.J. Upton (4), Dioner Navarro (2) and Eric Hinske (11). Scott Kazmir became the first Rays starting pitcher ever to win six consecutive starts, allowing two runs and zero walks over a full eight innings. He threw strikes all night long and had his fastball working greatly. He was, as Joe Magrane loves to say, “playing an elevated game of catch” tonight. I know he missed the first month of the season, but please send him to New York for the All Star Game. He deserves it the way he's been pitching since his return. The fight ramifications will slowly affect the team over the next few weeks, as the suspensions will be spread out over time to keep most of the Rays' starters out there at all times. The team did very well tonight from the fifth inning on, hitting as if they possessed aluminum bats and Popeye's spinach. Great job in rebounding, and the best part is that the Seattle Mariners shut out Boston 8–0 behind Felix Hernandez to put the Rays back within a half game of first place. And the Royals beat the Yankees 2–1. I just thought I would rub that one in.
The Rays continue to face the Rangers through the weekend, and maybe we'll take first place right back from the overpaid Red Sox. I may speak more on this one later, but the Rays selected high school shortstop Tim Beckham first overall in the 2008 MLB Draft. Looking at his stats and abilities, I think he's a great pick and he'll be a phenomenal professional player. And they even selected his brother Jeremy in the 17th round. That's quite a way to top it off. More on the (Bend It Like) Beckhams later, but until then, go Rays.
The worst part about this whole fiasco is the suspensions. The Rays had several players get the hammer from the front office. James Shields got six games and Gomes got five; both are appealing. Edwin Jackson got five games, Crawford four, and Akinori Iwamura three. Jon Lester, for throwing at a Rays hitter later in the game, got five games. Even Sean Casey, perhaps the nicest guy in baseball, got three. And finally, antagonist Coco Crisp got… seven games. That's fair enough, but how does he get seven when Gomes and Jackson, who were not instigators, got five? Gomes should have his reduced upon appeal, but if not, it makes little sense and is not fair to the Rays. Either Rays suspensions get reduced, or Crisp should get the Japanese punishment for charging the mound, a full ten games. Kyle Farnsworth ended up missing only one game for aiming at Manny Ramirez's head. What's the difference? Just because Farnsworth hasn't hit his spot in three years (and hasn't won a fight in five years) and Shields has doesn't mean Shields should be punished more for it. The suspensions from this fight should be balanced out to fit each man's role in the incident.
The Rays did move on quite well tonight, going to Arlington and hammering the Rangers 12–4 in the series opener. They hit four home runs, off the bats of Evan Longoria (8), B.J. Upton (4), Dioner Navarro (2) and Eric Hinske (11). Scott Kazmir became the first Rays starting pitcher ever to win six consecutive starts, allowing two runs and zero walks over a full eight innings. He threw strikes all night long and had his fastball working greatly. He was, as Joe Magrane loves to say, “playing an elevated game of catch” tonight. I know he missed the first month of the season, but please send him to New York for the All Star Game. He deserves it the way he's been pitching since his return. The fight ramifications will slowly affect the team over the next few weeks, as the suspensions will be spread out over time to keep most of the Rays' starters out there at all times. The team did very well tonight from the fifth inning on, hitting as if they possessed aluminum bats and Popeye's spinach. Great job in rebounding, and the best part is that the Seattle Mariners shut out Boston 8–0 behind Felix Hernandez to put the Rays back within a half game of first place. And the Royals beat the Yankees 2–1. I just thought I would rub that one in.
The Rays continue to face the Rangers through the weekend, and maybe we'll take first place right back from the overpaid Red Sox. I may speak more on this one later, but the Rays selected high school shortstop Tim Beckham first overall in the 2008 MLB Draft. Looking at his stats and abilities, I think he's a great pick and he'll be a phenomenal professional player. And they even selected his brother Jeremy in the 17th round. That's quite a way to top it off. More on the (Bend It Like) Beckhams later, but until then, go Rays.
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