New Look and Attitude, Same Ol' Tampa Bay Rays

Well, the new look and attitude aren't working. 

The Tampa Bay Rays looked great shutting out the Chicago White Sox Saturday, but, like the Devil Rays, they didn’t show up Sunday against John Danks. This is why they have never finished close to .500 in a single season.

Adding to Rays fans' frustrations, the club sends Jeff Niemann back down to Triple A Durham. I ask myself every time a team sends down a young star that can win at the big league level, “Why?”

It doesn’t make any sense at all.

He’s proven that he is good enough by winning his fist start and pitching well in his second. You send Niemann down, but leave Ed "No Win" Jackson up? Jackson lost 15 games last season, if everyone remembers. Niemann's stuff is just as good, and he is a much smarter pitcher.

But for the Rays, that doesn’t mean anything.

If John Danks shuts you out, your team has big problems. If anyone remembers, super Danks was 6-13 last season with an ERA of 5.50. He did pitch well, but with the hitting on this Rays team they should never only have four hits in a game.  It’s simply not being ready to play that day.

I think Joe Madden may have something to do with that. Do you?

Injury News

Garza, who got shelled on opening night at the Trop, feels great. He pitched a rehab start and said he felt good and will be back soon. Hopefully, he will look like the pitcher that the Twins were very high on for a while.

Bartlett sat out today with an aching shoulder. His glove will be missed, but since he is only hitting near the Mendoza line at .200 his bat won’t be. Hopefully we may get a Reid Brignac sighting soon if Bartlett is on the DL.

The Rays have the best farm system in baseball. I think it could be a good time to use it!