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Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays falling back creates a new headache for the New York Yankees

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New York Yankees, DJ LeMahieu

Last night, the New York Yankees biggest threat in the AL East took a major step back. The Tampa Bay Rays traded away former Cy Young award winner, Blake Snell, to the San Diego Padres for a package of prospects.

Combining that with the loss of Charlie Morton earlier in the offseason, and you can expect the Rays to take a big step back next year. While they won’t be a bad team, they won’t be the biggest threat to the Yankees.

Instead, you will have to look north of the border to find the Yankees biggest threat. The Toronto Blue Jays are going to be a major player in the AL East in 2021. There are some analysts already picking them to win the division.

However, the Rays taking a step back could create a different headache for the Yankees than some would expect. While the Rays getting worse is seen as a good thing, it also opens the window even more for the Blue Jays.

The Blue Jays now can look at the Yankees as their soul competition in the AL East. What’s one way you can really hurt your only competition? Signing away their MVP candidate who has shined for them over the past two years.

The Yankees AL East bidding war?

It was reported last week that the Toronto Blue Jays are a serious threat to take DJ LeMahieu away from the Yankees. New York and LeMahieu have been at a standstill for the past couple of weeks after making initial progress. 

The talks have halted over a potential fifth year. The Yankees do not want to give LeMahieu a guaranteed fifth year factoring in his age while DJLM’s camp is insisting on the bombers making the fifth year guaranteed.

Since the two sides are not blinking, other teams have been getting more serious about their pursuit of LeMahieu. Obviously one of those being the Toronto Blue Jays. The Blue Jays are very serious about signing LeMahieu.

They are also the kind of team that would more than likely give him the guaranteed fifth year to secure him. Everything we’ve heard up until this point suggests the Yankees and LeMahieu want a reunion. However, will one blink to make it happen?

If not, the Blue Jays could be staring at a golden opportunity in the East. The Rays have fallen back and the Yankees MVP candidate is there for the taking. This is definitely a situation to keep your eye on as we move forward.

Could the Yankees make a blockbuster trade for Blake Snell?

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New York Yankees, Blake Snell

The New York Yankees and general manager Brian Cashman always manage to surprise fans with big moves, but this off-season could be different for a team that often leads the MLB in salary expenditures. With Giancarlo Stanton, Gerrit Cole, and potentially DJ LeMahieu on massive contracts, the Yankees won’t have as much financial flexibility as they have in the past. These long-term deals have severely limited their ability to spend on other positions, notably starting pitching.

However, acquiring a player who won’t cost much in a trade would be a good move for the Bombers, who are looking to win a World Series now and not wait until Aaron Judge hits free agency. A trade for a productive player with a low-cost per-year would be a perfect scenario, but the Yankees don’t wanna give away some of their more promising young talents.

Nonetheless, rising players are sometimes utilized as sacrifices to bolster a team that has World Series aspirations, and the Yankees can afford to do that right now if they want to compete in 2021.

Who would be a good fit for the New York Yankees?

One fantastic player is Blake Snell, who had a dominant 2020 season with the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays have already indicated they are willing to trade Snell for the right price, and the Yankees have plenty of talent to spare if they want to go that route. Snell isn’t just a premium starter, but he is one of the best in the MLB, posting a 3.24 ERA this past season in over 50 innings pitched. He earned a career-high 49.2% ground ball rate (perfect for Yankee Stadium) and 11.34 strikeouts per nine. As for his pitches (he’s a lefty, another BONUS!), he utilized his slider more than ever before, seeing a decrease in his curveball and consistency with his changeup and fastball.

It seems as if Snell has found more success utilizing his slider, about 10% more in 2020 compared to 2019. This translated to better numbers across-the-board, and his pitch velocity has hovered at a consistent range.

The Yankees would have to give up some quality players and exchange for Blake, though. If I were Cashman, I would gauge interest in potentially including Deivi Garcia, Miguel Andujar, and another prospect for Snell, who would immediately make the Yankees’ starting rotation one of the best in baseball. García showed some solid stuff in 2020, but he is still a few years away from being considered a top-flight pitcher if he ever reaches that level. The Yankees can acquire an ace right now, who is only earning $10 million per season, fitting perfectly into their cash flow situation.

The Rays might be unwilling to deal with the Yankees based on their competitive nature in the AL East, but if they are willing to part ways with Snell for some quality prospects and starting level talent, the Yankees shouldn’t hesitate to make an offer.

New York Yankees Analysis: Why is everything with the Yankees so damn important?

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Why, because the New York Yankees are the New York Yankees. The Yankees are the most valuable, wealthiest baseball franchise in the world. The Yankees, because of that, are under more scrutiny than any other team. The Yankees are in New York City, USAToday says that New York is the best sports city globally, Forbes says it’s Boston, but that is irrelevant; if you’re from the tri-state area, you know its New York. For these and other reasons, all eyes are on a team that is supposed to win a World Championship every year, but they don’t.

Maybe a better question is why the lowly Tampa Bay Rays, a team from a much smaller market, a team with one-quarter of the payroll, wins the ALCS, but the Yankees haven’t been able to in years?

To put it plainly, the New York Yankees are not the DesMoines MudDogs (no offense, Iowa); they are the Yankees, a team that is supposed to be victorious every year. If the MudDogs or any other team comes in third or fourth in their division, they likely feel their season was successful. Not the Yankees, if they don’t reach the World Series and win it, they are failures.

Based on that, all eyes are on the Yankees in the offseason to see what they will do to improve the team. Some of it seems ludicrous, the Yankees have one of the most powerful lineups in baseball, yet we try to improve it. The Yankees are known to have one of the best bullpens in the game, but yet with Zack Britton and Aroldis Chapman headlining the group, we need to fix it; it’s not good enough.

All of this aside, the Yankees do have some serious problems to solve. Mainly they have no starting pitching. Yes, they made the biggest splash last year when they went to California and spent $324 million on Gerrit Cole, but now they find themselves with only Gerrit Cole. The Yankees have to rebuild their pitching rotation completely. But with the Yankees, you never know what they and their general manager Brian Cashman will do. But all of these things are so damn important because the Yankees must win next season, or it will be the end of the world.

Maybe we should look at the Dallas Cowboys, the wealthiest sports franchise at $5.5 billion (the Yankees are at $5 billion). They haven’t won an NFL Championship since 1996, even longer since the Yankees have won. I wish I could answer why the Yankees can’t seem to put it all together and win their 28th World Championship, If I could Brian Cashman would be out and I would be in.

Nevertheless all of the sports world will be watching the New York Yankees this offseason to see whose tires they will kick or what blockbuster deal they will be pulling off, or if they again patch up the team and hope for the big win. In my experience when you do the same thing and expect a different result, you’re playing the fools game.

 

 

 

MLB News: The Los Angeles Dodgers win their first World Series since 1988

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The roof was closed for game six of the MLB World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Tampa Bay Rays at Arlington, Texas. The Series was on the line for the Rays as the Dodger led the series 3 games to 2. The pitching matchup was Tony Gonsolin against Blake Snell of the Tampa Bay Rays. This was an elimination game for the Tampa Bay Rays.

Tony Gonsolin to the mound to win it all for the Dodgers. Gonsolin who was excellent in the regular season, going 2-2 with an ERA of just 2.31. However, he has been ineffective in the postseason and is 0-2 with an inflated 9.38 ERA. In his three games, two starts, he pitched 7 2/3 inning giving up eight runs. This is due to an October 15 game against the Atlanta Braves; he gave up 5 earned runs in 4.2 innings. In the very first inning, he gave up a homer to possible MVP Randy Arozarena, Arozarena’s tenth homer of the postseason.

Blake Snell took the mound in an attempt to force a game seven on Wednesday night. Snell in the postseason is 2-2 with an ERA of 3.33. In the Wild Card round, he won his game against the Toronto Blue Jays, in the ALCS, he split two games with the Houston Astros, and in the second game of this World Series, he won against the Los Angeles Dodgers, giving up two runs in 4.2 innings. With Snell on the mound, the Rays bullpen will come into play. Snell seldom went more than five innings in most games.

Snell made it to the start of the six-inning keeping the Los Angeles Dodgers scoreless before being replaced by Nick Anderson after giving up a single to Austin Barnes. Anderson gave up a double to Mookie Betts as Barnes went to third on the long double to the left-field wall. Justin Turner at the plate. Anderson threw a wild pitch, and Barnes scored, tieing the game at one apiece. On a fielder’s choice, Betts came home for the Dodger 2-1 lead.

Turner hit a long one that looked out but was caught for the second out of the inning. Loup came in to close out the inning for the Rays. Brusdar Gaterol started the top of the seventh, replacing Victor Gonzalez, for the Dodgers. He got two quick outs but gave up a single and was replaced by Julio Urias. Urias, a starter for the Dodgers, got Yanky Diaz to strike out and maintain the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-1 lead.

At the bottom of the seventh, Pete Fairbanks took over for Loup and gave up a double to Will Smith. Cody Bellinger skied out for the first out.  Chris Taylor struck out, and Joc Pederson pinch-hitting was walked intentionally to get at Austin Barnes. Barnes flew out to Lowe to end the inning. With the score at 2-1 Dodgers, Randy Arozarena was first up for the Rays at the top of the eighth inning with Julio Urias still on the Dodgers’ mound. Arozarena flies out to Bellinger. Urias got Meadows out, and Brandon Lowe struck out, ending the Rays’ hopes in the eighth.

At the bottom of the eighth, with Fairbanks still on the mound, Mookie Betts homers to centerfield to increase the Dodger lead to 3-1. Corey Seager walked. Hernandez struck out. Fairbanks was replaced by Ryan Yarbrough with one on and one out. Max Muncy hit into a double play, and the inning was over. With the score at 3-1 Dodgers, it was last licks for the Tampa Bay Rays.

At the top of the ninth inning, the Dodgers just had to get 3 outs to win their first World Series since 1988. Julio Urias still in there got Manuel Margot popped out to Mookie Betts for out number one. Mike Brosseau pinch-hitting stuck out for out number two. With the Dodgers one out away, Willie Adames held the Rays hopes with his bat, Adames, but he stuck out for out number three, and the 2020 World Series was over. The Los Angeles Dodgers have their first World Championship since 1988.

It was a great baseball season for the Tampa Bay Rays, but in this coronavirus season that will go down in the baseball history books the Los Angeles Dodgers were victorious. It was the seventh title for the Dodgers, their sixth since moving to Los Angeles from Brooklyn in 1957, and the first for Dave Roberts as manager. The final score was Dodgers 3 and the Tampa Bay Rays 1. The winning pitcher was Victor Gonzalez and the loser, Nick Anderson.

In the award ceremony following the game, the Commissioner of Baseball Rob Manfred was heavily booed as Clayton Kershaw, who has had a World Series ring evade him, manager Dave Roberts, and all the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated on the field. Corey Seager won the MVP Award for his play in the postseason.

MLB News: The World Series may be decided tonight, Rays could be eliminated

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New York Yankees, Blake Snell

Tonight in Arlington, Texas, the MLB World Series could be over. The Tampa Bay Rays may be eliminated and sent home to Florida after going to the World Series for the first time since 2008. The Los Angeles Dodgers could end the series with a win and garner their first World Series win since 1988.

The game tonight will be at 8:08 pm at Globe Life Field home of the Texas Rangers during the regular season. The series will continue in the “bubble,” which has been successful with no player testing positive for the coronavirus. The game will be played under the retractable roof, protecting the limited fans in the stands from the chilly Texas weather. Game-time temperatue will be near 40 degrees. The game will be televised on the Fox Network.

The Rays pitcher Blake Snell will first take the mound in an attempt to force a game seven on Wednesday night. Snell in the postseason is 2-2 with an ERA of 3.33. In the Wild Card round, he won his game against the Toronto Blue Jays, in the ALCS, he split two games with the Houston Astros, and in the second game of this World Series, he won against the Los Angeles Dodgers, giving up two runs in 4.2 innings. With Snell on the mound, the Rays bullpen will come into play. Snell seldom goes beyond five innings.  He struck out nine in the game, but he allowed four straight runners to reach in the fifth inning. The Rays have a strong bullpen.

The Los Angeles Dodgers will send Tony Gonsolin to the mound to win it all for the Dodgers. Gonsolin who was excellent in the regular season, going 2-2 with an ERA of just 2.31. However, he has been ineffective in the postseason and is 0-2 with an inflated 9.38 ERA.  In his three games, two starts, he pitched 7 2/3 inning giving up eight runs.  Most of this is due to an October 15 game against the Atlanta Braves; he gave up 5 earned runs in 4.2 innings. In his one game in the World Series, he gave up one home run in the top of the second inning and was replaced. Gonsolin will have to locate his pitches very carefully against a team that is not going to go out of the strike zone.

If the Tampa Bay Rays can win the MLB World Series game six and force a game seven, it will be tomorrow night just after 8 pm; the result of that game will decide who wins the Fall Classic and become the World Series Champions. If that game seven is forced, the pitchers for the game will be a last-minute decision.

MLB World Series Recap: With the Dodger’s win the Rays face elimination Tuesday night

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Last night’s MLB World Series game was not a good night for Tampa Bay Ray’s Tyler Glasnow; the first batter he faced, Mookie Betts doubled, and then Corey Seager singled, driving in Betts for the 1-0 leas in the first inning. Seager stole third, Cody Bellinger singled, and it was 2-0. Although Glasnow allowed the Dodger lead in the first, it wasn’t an easy night for either pitcher.

At the top of the 2nd inning, the Dodger’s Joc Pedersen homered into the left-field bullpen for the 3-0 lead. With Clayton Kershaw on the mound for the Dodgers and one on, Yandy Diaz had a long double to far-right field. Ray’s star Randy Arozarena singled, driving a run, drawing the Rays to one run behind the Dodgers.

In the 4th, with no outs and men on the corners and the Dodgers 3-2 lead, Kevin Kiermaier at the plate, Manuel Margot, took off for home and was called out for the final out of the inning. At the top of the fifth inning, Max Muncy hit his third home run of the season far into the first deck of left field for the 4-2 Dodger lead after Tyler Glasnow put way eight Rays in a row. At the bottom of the frame, Clayton Kershaw still in there, struck out two Rays and got a fly out to finish off the inning.

The rest of the game remained scoreless for both teams, with the final score of 4-2 Dodgers. In the game, Randy Arozarena’s hit was his 27th hit of the postseason and all-time record in postseason hitting. Kershaw got the win, and Tyler Glasnow the loss.

Today will be a day off for both teams as the home field advantage switches back to the Dodgers. This game six coming on Tuesday night will be an elimination game for the Tampa Bay Rays. The probable pitchers will be Blake Snell for the Rays and Tony Gonsolin for the Dodgers. The game will be just aft 8 pm at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.

 

MLB World Series Game Recap: If you missed it, you missed the most amazing World Series game (video)

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With the roof open at Globe Life Field, game four of the World Series continued between the MLB Los Angeles Dodgers and the Tampa Bay Rays, with the Dodgers up a game on the series.  In the very first inning, Justin Turner hit a home run to center for the Los Angeles lead in the game. Rays reliever Yarbrough closed out the inning but not before giving up that home run.

At the top of the third inning, Corey Seager hit another home run for the Dodgers to far center field, the second home run against the Rays opener Yarbrough. The New York Yankee killer Randy Arozarena hit his 9th home run of the postseason letting the Rays get on the board, Dodgers 2 and the Rays 1.

The Tampa Bay Rays getting on the board was just the beginning of a game that would have many emotional swings back and forth. The Dodgers used six pitchers, and the Rays used seven in the game. Neither starter went very far into the game, Julio Urias who had had a 0.56 ERA before the game, went only 4.2 innings, and the Ray’s Ryan Yarbrough only went 3.1 innings.

At the bottom of the fourth inning, Randy Arozarena hit his 9th homer of the postseason for the all-time record number of home runs in baseball postseason history. At the top of the fifth, the Ray’s, Muncy had an RBI single,  That was followed by a mammoth home run by Hunter Renfroe. Enrique Hernandez had an RBI double, and it was 3-2 Dodgers.

The real action didn’t start until the beginning of the sixth inning with the score at Dodgers 3-2. At the top of the frame, when the Dodgers tacked on another run. Dodgers 4-2. But at the bottom of the inning, the Rays picked up three runs, making it 4-5 Rays. At the top of the seventh, Joc Pederson with the bases loaded hits the biggest hit of his career, singling and putting the Dodgers back on top 6-5 in the seventh inning. At the bottom of the seventh, Kevin Kiermaier tied up the game with a homer to center for the 6-6 game.

The Los Angeles Dodgers took the lead back in the top of the eighth inning, and it would stay that way until the bottom of the ninth inning. That is when things got crazy. What then transpired made this Game 4 the signature game of the series. With two outs and two strikes in the ninth inning, Brett Phillips who wasn’t even on the roster in the ALCS, pinch-hit and laced a single to center field off Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen, bringing in the tying run, but Dodger centerfielder Chris Taylor kicked the ball. Randy Arozarena, who was on his way to second base, never stopped running after he passed third base he stumbling and fell to the ground, meanwhile Taylor was throwing the ball to home, but Arozarena got up and dashed home sliding into home plate, face first for the Rays, last-second win. The Ray’s manager Kevin Cash had this to say about the amazing end to the game.

“The moment the ball left Phillips’ bat, we knew we had a tie ballgame, and then everything that happened afterward, Randy’s not used to having to run like that,” Cash said. “Normally he’s used to just trotting. So it threw him off for a little bit getting tripped up there between third and home. But Phillips, man, give that guy a lot of credit. I don’t know when the last time he got an at-bat was. Pretty impressive what he just did against one of the game’s best closers.

“Happened so fast, I didn’t know what to do. Gave a bunch of hugs, just in disbelief.”

The final score was 8-7 Tampa Bay. Kenley Jensen took the loss for the Dodgers and John Curtiss the win for the Rays. The Rays scored seven of their runs with two outs.

The Tampa Bay Rays win ties up the series at two games apiece going into Game 5, on Sunday night. The game tonight will be a matchup of the Game 1 starters, Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers against the Ray’s Tyler Glasnow. Whoever wins the game will put the other team in an elimination situation on Tuesday night, when the home field advantage switches back to the Dodgers. The game will be on the FOX Network.

The following video is the full bottom of the ninth inning.

 

 

MLB News: Game 3 of the World Series, Morton fails as the Dodgers take the 2 to 1 game lead in the Series.

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On a not so beautiful night in Arlington, Texas, it was Game 3 of the 2020 MLB World Series. Charlie Morton of the Tampa Bay Rays met up with the Los Angeles Dodgers Walker Buehler. For the first time in the World Series, there were fans in the stands, in a closed Stadium as the Globe Life Field roof was closed due to inclement weather. The Dodgers won the game 6-2.

Charlie Morton took the mound in the first inning as the home field advantage reverted to the Tampa Bay Rays for the next three games, after a day off Thursday. The teams were evened out at one game apiece in the series. Morton faced Justin Martin in the first, and Martin hit a home run to the left for the Dodgers one-run lead in the game. Morton got out of the inning, giving up just the one home run. At the bottom of the inning, Walker Buehler got the call from the Los Angeles Dodgers. Buehler made it look easy, striking out two in the inning. He struck out the New York Yankee Killer Randy Arozarena to close out the inning. After one inning, it was the Dodgers 1 and the Rays nothing.

At the top of the second inning, Cody Bellinger, who dislocated his shoulder in game two, flew out for the first out of the inning. Morton hit Corey Seager with a pitch then allowed Turner a double, Muncy singled, and it was 3-0 Dodgers in the third inning.  In the fourth, the Dodgers threatened again with men on the corners and only one out. Austin Barnes made a perfect bunt and drove in another run for the Dodgers 4-0 lead.   Mookie Betts singled, driving in Turner for the 5-0 Dodger lead. Mookie Betts then stole second. The Rays left Morton in to finish out the inning. Buehler pitched a perfect bottom of the inning.

Surprisingly the Rays put Morton back out for the top of the fifth inning. Muncy walked, and that was Morton’s night haven given up five earned runs in just four innings. The Rays replaced Morton with John Curtiss. Curtiss slammed the door on the remaining Dodgers. At the bottom, Beuhler gave hit first hit of the game to Manuel Margot, a double. Willie Adames hit a double driving in Margot, and the Rays were on the board. Dodgers 5 Rays 1.

At the top of the sixth, Austin Barns homered for the Dodgers off Curtiss for the 6-1 Dodger lead. Mookie Betts stole his second base on the night. Seager walked, but both were left on base. At the bottom of the frame, Austin Meadows got a single, the third hit off Buehler on the night. 26-year-old Walker Buehler struck out the next two Dodgers with a total of 10 strikeouts. At the top of the seventh, Ryan Sherriff took over for the Tampa Bay Rays. The game remained at 6-1 until the top of the ninth innning when Randy Arozarena hit a home tacking on a run for the Rays.

Walker Buehler was the winning pitcher and Charlie Mornton took the loss. The final score was 6-2 Dodgers, and the Dodgers advanced to a game ahead of the Rays in the in the best of seven series. Buehler pitched masterfully in the game. After the game Austin Barnes said ” That might have been the best I’ve ever seen his stuff.” Tomorrow night in game four of the World Series the Dodgers Julio Urias, who is 4-0 in the postseason with an ERA of .056, will face a yet unknown Ray pitcher at the time of this writing. The game will most likely be a pullpen game for the Rays.

 

 

 

 

 

MLB News: Tampa Bay Rays get revenge with win over the Dodgers, evening the series at a game apiece

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The Tampa Bay Rays took on the Los Angeles Dodgers last night behind one game in the MLB 2020 World Series. They put out co-ace Blake Snell to win it for the Rays; Snell is a left-hand hitter killer. The Los Angeles Dodgers sent out Tony Gonsolin in the hopes of continuing their winning ways. The Rays evened the series with the 6-4 win.

One out in the first inning Brandon Lowe hit a solo homer off Gosolin for the Tampa Rays early lead in the game. Then Joey Wendle drove in two with a double in the fourth as Tampa took a 3-0 lead, driving starter Tony Gonsolin out of the game. Dustin May took over for him, he allowed one on and then another homer for Brandon Lowe, and it was 5-0 Rays. Meanwhile, Blake Snell was dominant, with the Dodgers being hitless through four innings.

Snell showed his stuff as he got nine strikeouts through just the fifth innings. But Snell gave up a two-run home to Chris Taylor as the Los Angeles Dodgers got on the board and made it 5-2 Tampa Bay. A walk followed that to Mookie Betts as the Tampa Bay Rays got the bullpen warming up. Snell this year has seldom gone more than five innings in a game. Snell this gave up a hit to the hot Corey Seager moving Adames to second, and that was Snell’s night as Nick Anderson replaced him with two on base and the tying run at the plate in Justin Turner. Anderson struck out Turner ending the threat, but the Dodgers got within three.

Joe Kelly took over for the Dodgers in the sixth.  He gave up a single to Ray’s Ji-Man Choi. Manuel Margot singled, moving Choi to third. Joey Wendle had a sac fly scoring Choi for the Tampa Bay 6-2 lead. Margot stole second as Muncy overthrew to fist. Willie Adames struck out on a Kelly 98 mph fastball. Kevin Kiermaier grounded out, ending the inning, but the Dodgers got another run closer.

At the bottom of the frame, with Anderson still in, he gave up a homer to Will Smith drawing the Dodgers ever closer at 6-3 Rays. Now with a three-run ballgame, Cody Bellinger grounded out. Rios struck out, maintaining Ray’s three-run lead.

Entering the seventh inning Alex Wood took the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Zunino grounded out. Diaz singled to Mookie Betts, Lowe who hit two homers grounded back to the Wood, Mike Brosseau pinch-hitting, struck out ending the half. At the bottom of the seventh, Pete Fairbanks, who got the save in the ALCS, took to the mound and got Pederson to fly out. Taylor struck out, and Betts fly out for a perfect inning for Fairbanks. Rays 6 and the Dodgers 3.

The eighth inning featured Wood back on the mound for the Dodgers. Margot struck out, Joey Wendle to who had two homers in the game, popped out for the second out of the eighth. Willie Adames doubled for his first World Series hit. He was left on base by Kevin Kiermaier for another good inning for Wood. At the bottom of the frame, Cory Seager homered to right, bringing the Dodgers to within two of the Rays. Justin Turner doubled, Muncy flew out, Smith lined out but knocking out Fairbanks as Aaron Loup came in to close out the inning.

Entering the ninth inning with McGee pitching and one on Brandon Lowe stuck out, followed by the Yankee killer Randy Arozarena singling, making it two on with two outs. Renfro running for  Diaz. Mike Brosseau grounded out, leaving seven on base for the Rays. In the bottom with last licks for the Dodgers, With Loup back on the mound, Rios struck out. Austin Barnes flew out, and Loup was replaced by the Rays closer Deigo Castillo who had been warming to get the final out. Austin Taylor struck out, and that was the game as the Rays got their revenge and tied up the World Series at one game apiece.

Tomorrow night is a game night off; Friday’s game will be at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. It will feature a matchup between Ray’s veteran Charlie Morton facing the Dodger’s Walker Buehler at 8:08 pm on the Fox Network. Joey Wendle was the star in the game with two homers, and three runs were driven in. Nick Anderon took the win, and Gonsolin taking the loss. Deigo Castillo got the save in the 6-4 win for the Tampa Bay Rays.

 

 

MLB News: The Los Angeles Dodgers/Tampa Bay Rays World Series gets underway tonight

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With the New York Yankees out of MLB and licking their wounds along with the Houston Astros, many fans are still interested in the Fall Classic. Those interested want to see close games with a series that goes the full seven games, with outstanding pitching and long ball heroes. I can’t promise you any of these things, but for sure, it will be an exciting series with two teams that are very energized.

The Tampa Bay Rays haven’t been to the World Series since 2008, and the Los Angeles Dodgers haven’t won a World Series since 1988. The game tonight will be almost freaky as the cameras pan around, and you see and hear the cheers, and moans of real fans in the stands, albeit limited.

Tonight’s game and all the World Series games will be at the brand new Globe Life Field, the home of the Texas Rangers, in Arlington, Texas. The game time will be 8:09 pm, and the game-time temperature will be about  80 degrees and will stay in the upper ’70s throughout the game. The skies will be clear, and a perfect night for baseball in the open Globe Life Field. The game will be broadcast on the Fox Network.

First out on the mound will be pitching ace Clayton Kershaw as the first two games, the Dodgers will be the home team. Kershaw on the year was 6-2 with an ERA of 2.16. In the postseason, he was 2-1 with an ERA of 3.32. Kershaw is a seasoned veteran in the World Series with four starts in his career and one relief appearance. Kershaw relies mainly on a slider and a low ’90s four-seam fastball with some backspin. The 32-year-old, 6′ 4″ 225 pounder has re-invented his pitching in the last two years by adding a changeup to his repertoire.

The Tampa Bay Rays will start their strike-throwing Tyler Glasnow, who has pretty much cemented his place as the Rays ace over Blake Snell. Glasnow won his Wild Card Game against the Blue Jays, beat the New York Yankees on October 6, but lost his short rest to the Yankees on the 9th even though he didn’t have an earned run. In his last outing against the Houston Astros, he lost, giving up four runs in six innings.

Glasnow’s shortcoming is that he is basically a two-pitch pitcher; he throws a high ’90s four-seamer and a mid-’80s curveball.  He rarely throws a change-up. Despite being a two-pitch pitcher, he had 91 strikeouts in the regular season and had the fourth-most strikeouts in all of the baseball’s postseason with 25K’s.

I give the Los Angeles Dodgers and Kershaw the edge in Game 1.