Posted by  S. Madison, Tampa, FL on 08/30  at  02:58 PM

Joe Maddon’s Rays don’t play “small” ball, the Twins do. The Rays are last in the AL in sacrifice bunts with 19, the Twins are 1st with 43. As of 8/4 the Twins had 46 bunt hits and one player had 23 of those. I doubt that the Rays have had 23 in the last three years. The ability to play “small” when necessary is probably why the Twins are 3rd in BA and the Rays 12th, and the Twins are 5th in scoring Runs and the Rays 10th, even though the Rays have a higher OPS.

Posted by  H.B. Gonzalez, Tampa, FL on 08/30  at  02:22 PM

The main reason the Rays Pitchers are better this year is because they have been allowed to stay in games longer. The Starters have 7 complete games this year and didn’t have that many in the previous 2 years combined. The Relief Pitchers have had more 2 and 3 inning appearances this year than the previous 2 years combined. MLB.com says that 19 of J.P. Howell’s first 39 appearances were 2, or more, innings; probably more than the entire relief staffs had the 2 previous years. He also has a 3 inning save. Probably the only one in team history. If Maddon continues to let his pitchers pitch they’ll be even better.

Posted by  Claire Holmes, Srasota on 08/29  at  08:01 PM

I my self like the TROP go to about 15/20 games a year. The more I have to travel with gas the less games I will come to. I have been to about 10 games this year where it rained HARD during the game we got to watch teh entire game in a nice cool stadium. A new stadium will draw the fair weather fans the 1st year amybe 2 then us die hards will be the ones attending and we like the TROP.