“You’re by no means pretty much as good as everybody tells you whenever you win, and also you’re by no means as unhealthy as they are saying whenever you lose”
The well-known quote by faculty soccer Hall of Fame coach Lou Holtz — particularly the primary a part of it — was being thrown round rather a lot this previous week within the wake of the Tampa Bay Rays’ record-tying 13-0 begin to the 2023 baseball season. A begin like this from a staff with the twenty eighth lowest payroll in baseball — wherein they out-scored the opposition 101-30, greater than the entire runs of 27 different groups, whereas profitable 11 of these video games by 4 or extra runs — would ordinarily appear fairly phenomenal. Going into the weekend, the Rays led the majors in runs, batting, homers, OPS, whole bases and ERA — and in response to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Rays’ plus-71 run differential in these first 13 video games was one of the best within the fashionable period (post-1900).
But it does pale considerably when you think about the standard of the opposition. The 4 groups the Rays mopped the ground with in profitable their first 13 video games — Tigers, Nationals, A’s and Red Sox — are all very seemingly going to complete final this yr, and as an additional reward from the schedule-maker, 10 of these first 13 video games for the Rays have been at residence. Sure sufficient, the streak ended Friday evening in Toronto when the Rays self-destructed amid a flurry of walks and misplays within the area that led to a 6-3 loss to the Blue Jays, the primary staff they’d confronted this season with a profitable document.
That mentioned, even with this admittedly very small and considerably tainted sampling, the Rays have the outward look of being a really completely different staff from the one which completed third within the AL East final yr, 13 video games behind the Yankees. The ‘22 Rays staff was particularly challenged offensively, rating twentieth within the majors in runs, twenty fifth in homers, twenty third in OPS together with the twelfth most strikeouts. They have been a tough staff to look at, particularly within the AL wild card collection towards the Guardians wherein they scored one run in 24 innings and struck out 29 instances.
Something needed to be accomplished, however as an alternative of spending cash within the free agent market, or buying and selling prospects for a longtime hitter, Rays GM Erik Neander appeared over the panorama and concluded the 2 greatest hitters who may greatest enhance his staff have been his personal two greatest hitters, Wander Franco and Brandon Lowe, each of whom missed the higher a part of final season with accidents. And thus far, Neander’s determination to face pat is being confirmed proper as Franco is off to a .316/.361/.649 begin by means of Friday and Lowe was at .324 with a team-high 5 homers.
Meanwhile, the Rays spent an inordinate period of time this spring engaged on their most egregious shortcoming of latest years — an absence of plate self-discipline — and that, too, has been paying massive dividends for them. Last yr, the Rays swung at 32.5% of pitches outdoors the strike zone. After 13 video games this yr, that quantity was right down to 26.7%, barely under the key league common of 28.5%, whereas their general 94 strikeouts as of Friday have been the fourth fewest in baseball.
In the opinion of 1 scout who’s been following the Rays the final two years, this sizzling begin may be attributed to so many younger Rays gamers coming into their very own. As of Friday, six of the Rays’ regulars have been hitting over .300 whereas the Rays’ pitchers led the majors in ERA (2.23) and had given up the fewest homers (7). According to MLB, the Rays’ common age of 28.30 makes them the third youngest staff in baseball, behind the Guardians (27.02) and Tigers (28.08). By distinction, the Mets, with the best payroll in baseball — ($344 million to the Rays’ $74M) — are additionally the oldest staff at a median of 32.19.
Indeed, the Rays’ roster is a tribute to Neander’s buying and selling acumen. Of the regulars, solely Franco and the 2 Lowes, Brandon and Josh, are homegrown. The relaxation, catchers Christian Bethancourt and Francisco Mejia, first baseman Yandy Diaz, third baseman Isaac Paredes, DH Harold Ramirez and outfielders Randy Arozarena, Manuel Margot, Jose Siri and Luke Raley have been all acquired from different organizations, as have been all of the principals in Neander’s extremely efficient “no-name” bullpen, Ryan Thompson, Jason Adam, Garrett Cleavinger, Colin Poche, Jalen Beeks, Kevin Kelly and Pete Fairbanks.
IT’S A MADD, MADD WORLD
Considering the various questions the Mets had about their beginning rotation and set-up reduction corps going into the offseason, and so long as Steve Cohen had made up his thoughts to blow by means of all the posh tax thresholds, it’s a surprise, in hindsight, why they have been so prepared to let Seth Lugo, their most versatile and reliable reliever the final 5 seasons, stroll as a free agent. Lugo signed a two-year, $15 million cope with the Padres, who promised him they’d let him begin, and thus far he’s greater than lived as much as their religion, profitable his first two begins with a 1.38 ERA. The $15 million looks like a small value to pay for the type of insurance coverage coverage Lugo would have given the Mets. …
Rob Thomson is discovering the second time round is something however a allure. After taking on the 22-29 Phillies final yr and main all of them the way in which to the World Series, Thomson is questioning when something goes to go proper this yr. After shedding first baseman Rhys Hoskins for the season in spring coaching, the Phillies are off to a tough begin, the victims of some sloppy baserunning (eight gamers thrown out on the bases as of Friday after solely 36 all of final yr) and a few actually unhealthy pitching. Team ace Aaron Nola had an ungodly 7.04 ERA by means of his first three begins and as of Friday solely six Phillie starters had made it into the sixth inning and none into the seventh. An indication that drastic instances require drastic measures, the Phillies confirmed that Bryce Harper, who’s not anticipated again till the All-Star break, is now understanding at first base.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com