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Pirates Morning Report: Rays Walk It Off To Stay Alive

Final Score: Rays 4 Brewers 3 in 12 innings

Why The Rays Won: They finally flashed some leather, making many outstanding plays in the outfield that demonstrated their defensive prowess and determination. Although they did have a throwing error and let a foul pop-up hit the ground, neither mistake cost them any runs. Their bullpen was exceptional, covering 8 innings and only giving up 1 run on 4 hits while walking 2 batters, effectively shutting down the Brewers’ offense. Remarkably, the Brewers only had one at bat with a runner in scoring position over those final 8 innings, illustrating the dominance of the Rays’ pitching staff. After a Brewer throwing error in the bottom of the 12th, the Rays went from hitless wonders to hitting machines, recording 4 straight hits in a sudden burst of energy and erasing a 3-2 deficit without making an out, sending their fans into a frenzy. The combination of solid defense, a strong bullpen, and timely hitting became the key factors that led to the Rays’ thrilling victory, ensuring that they will get to battle one more day.

Key Moments In The Game: You have to wonder if Pat Murphy takes Antonio Senzatela out of the game if Joey Ortiz does not make the throwing error to open the bottom of the 12th. This pivotal moment shifted the momentum entirely. He went with left on left by bringing in Shane Drohan, and while that may have initially seemed like a strategic decision, one has to question whether it was the right choice in hindsight. Drohan had pitched only one inning this post season. Regardless of the intent behind the substitution, it did not work out as planned. The Rays capitalized on this opportunity, launching into a relentless offensive assault, culminating in four consecutive singles that turned a 3-2 deficit and the looming threat of elimination into a thrilling 4-3 walk-off victory. This dramatic turn of events allows the Rays to play one game. They gave it their all last night. Will there be anything left in the tank.

Next Game: Tonight, Game 5 in Tampa is set to be an exciting showdown. The Rays went through 7 pitchers yesterday, showcasing their depth in the bullpen, but the Brewers didn’t fare much better, going through 8 pitchers themselves. This means neither bullpen will be particularly rested, which could lead to strategic challenges for both teams as they navigate this critical game. I’m not too sure there is a reason to think Jacob Misiorowski will go deep into this game, since he has not done this yet in the post season. As I am writing this, the Rays have not yet announced their starting pitcher, leaving fans and analysts guessing about their strategy. Will they go with Drew Rasmussen on short rest, taking a significant risk? In the past, that approach has not worked out so well when other teams have attempted it, often leading to early in-game struggles. If the Rays can pull out this game, they will earn an essential travel day for their next matchup, which could prove advantageous in the long run. Can we get to a Game 6? Stay tuned.

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Pirates Morning Report: Running Into The Buzz Saw Called The Brewers

Final Score: Brewers 10 Rays 1

Why The Brewers Won: The Brewers rode another night of superior pitching and an incredible 8 run 5th inning to get withing one game of winning their first World Series Championship. Starter Robert Gasser gave up an opening 1st inning single and a leadoff walk in the 6th. Thanks to a caught stealing in the 1st and a double play ball in the 6th he faced the minimum 18 batters. He threw only 75 pitches. The Rays were able to get just 3 hits for the game. Two of those were in the bottom of the 9th off Brandon Woodruff who had to be shown where the mound was. The Brewers will go for the sweep tonight.

Key Moments Of The Game: The score was 2-0 going into the top of the 5th. Freddy Peralta was dancing through some raindrops with some command issues but he was hanging tough. The inning started with a line out, single and fly out. Peralta then walked Christian Yelich putting runners on 1st and 2nd. William Contreras hit a ground ball that was cut off by Junior Caminero he went to second and the runner was called out. The Brewers challenged immediately and the call was overturned. It turned out to be the biggest overturned call in the history of baseball. The Rays brought in lefty Cam (After This I Am Becoming One) Booser. In 12 pitches he gave up 2 singles and 2 doubles and before you could say get the brooms ready the Brewers had an 8-0 lead. Out went Boozer. In came Cole (I Need Alka) Sulser. He got touched up for another single and a double to make it 10-0. The Brewers had gotten 7 straight hits and scored 8 runs after there were 2 outs. That is the most in World Series history.

Next Game: Tonight, in Tampa Game 4. It could all end tonight with the Brewers having the chance to become the first team in history to sweep both the League Championship Series and the World Series. For the Rays they must have visions of Red Sox dancing in their head. There is one interesting aspect to all of this. When the Red Sox made that historic comeback from being down 3-0 to the Yankees, game 3 was a blow out win for the Yankees. Can history repeat itself? Stay tuned.

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Pirates Morning Report: After Wild First Inning Brewers Pitching Takes Over.

Final Score: Brewers 5 Rays 4

Why The Brewers Won: After giving up 4 runs and 3 hits the Brewers pitching staff shut down the Rays the rest of the way. Over the final 8 innings they gave up 4 hits and 2 walks striking out 10 batters. The Brewers chipped away at the lead coming right back in the bottom of the first scoring 2 runs and adding single runs in the 4th, 6th, and 7th. Once the game was tied this game boiled down to the Brewers getting their leadoff double around to score in the bottom of the 7th and the Rays not getting their leadoff double around to score in the top of the 9th. The Brewers were able to get the Rays ace Drew Rasmussen out of the game in 3 and 2/3 innings. They touched him up for 3 runs on 6 hits and 2 walks making him throw 89 pitches. The Rays just have not been very Rays like in these first two games. The number one contact team in the league has struck out 19 times in the first two game of the series. Their no. 1 defense has had some lapses and physical errors. How much the Brewers have to do with this or the pressure of the World Series who knows. Regardless the Rays find themselves in a 2-0 hole heading home.

Key Moments Of The Game: When the Rays scored 4 runs in the top of the 1st and with Rasmussen coming out to pitch one had to think that the Rays chances looked pretty good to even the series. That all evaporated pretty quickly when the Brewers immediately jumped all over the Rays ace. They had runners on 1st and 3rd after two singles on only 5 pitches. Rasmussen struck out Yelich. William Contreras took a 3-2 sinker that was up and singled to centerfield to drive in the first run. Brice Turang hit a cutter 108 MPH but right at the 2nd baseman for the second out. Garrett Mitchell took a 3-2 changeup and lined into right field to make the score 4-2. There was nothing cheap about any of the Brewers hits. Cooper Pratt struck out on 3 pitches to end the inning. Rasmussen had thrown 29 pitches to get through the 1st inning. He really never could right the ship and with 2 out in the bottom of the 4th he was gone, something the Rays could not afford. Their bullpen gave up 2 runs on 5 hits and 3 walks. Over the last 4 and 1/3 innings they never retired the side in order. They never retired more than 2 batters in a row. It was shame to see the game end on a check swing with the tying run on 3rd base. No doubt it was a huge call. On to Tampa.

Next Game: Monday night, in Tampa. It is a must win situation for the Rays. Maybe they can get back to playing Rays baseball once they get home. Maybe this World Series will become the Series for the home team. If it doesn’t the Brewers may go ahead and do the sweep. Both games have been close, and I would expect nothing less the rest of the way. The difference so far has been the Brewers bullpen and how the Rays have struck out so much. Freddy Peralta will go for the Rays, and he has been very effective in the post season. He needs to be that and give them some length like about 7 innings. Can the Rays get back in the series stay tuned.

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Pirates Morning Report: Brewers Take Game 1

Final Score: Brewers 3 Rays 2

Why The Brewers Won: Nick Martinez had another shaky first inning and this time gave up 2 runs. The Brewers were able to control the Rays running game until the 9th inning. The Brewers got a big two out hit in the 7th to provide the difference in the game. The Brewers were able to survive not the best version of Jacob Misiorowski going 5 innings giving up one run on 4 hits and a walk while striking out just 3. The bullpen did it again handling the next 3 innings without giving up a run on one hit and striking out 5. The first game of this series did not disappoint. There were great plays in the field and near great plays. The Rays struck out 9 times which is high for them and could not get a hit in 6 tries with runners in scoring position. The 9th inning had everything you could ask for.

Key Moments Of The Game: The bottom of the first the Brewers scored 2 runs. With one out and a runner on first, Christian Yelich hit a drive to right center field that Jonny DeLuca came close to making the one of the most spectacular catches in World Series history. He could not and Yelich wound up with a triple and the Brewers were ahead 1-0. William Contreras line a hard shot past a drawn in shortstop to make it 2-0 Brewers. Each team scored an additional run and it was 3-1 Brewers going into the top of the 9th. After one out closer Trevor Megill gave up two singles putting runners on 1st and 2nd. Even though the Rays were caught stealing twice in this game it did not deter them. They pulled off the double steal moving runners to 2nd and 3rd. Junior Caminero walked to load the bases. Liam Hicks grounded into what appeared to be a game ending double play but the out at second was overturned when replay showed that the shortstop was not on the bag when he received the ball. Instead of the game being over the Rays had a run to make it 3-2 with runners on 2nd and 3rd with 2 outs. Jonny Decluca who is hitting only .176 in the post season struck out on 5 pitches and this time the game was really over.

Next Game: Tonight Game 2 in Milwaukee. The Rays will be sending their stud Drew Rasmussen to the mound tonight. Misiorowski could only go 5 innings last night with the Brewers digging deep into their bullpen. The A team had to cover the last 4 innings. Time will tell if this is going to catch up with them finally. The Rays will have to do a better job hitting than they did last night. The defenses shined for both teams last night, but I would have to give the slight edge to the Brewers. The Brewers took advantage of their breaks and Rays did not. Game 1 was a great start to this World Series. Stay tuned.

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Pirates Morning Report: World Series Preview

Tomorrow night the Tampa Bay Rays will face off against the Milwaukee Brewers to open the World Series. This should be one of the more entertaining Series in recent years. Both teams play solid baseball and keep pressure on the opposing club when they get runners on base. On paper the Brewers seemed to have the solid edge. I looked at all 9 position players, the starting pitchers, the relief pitchers, runs scored per game, runs scored against per game and defensive efficiency, for a total of 15 categories. The Brewers had the better player or the better stat in 11 out of 15 and some by wide margins. They were second in runs per game; the Rays were 12. They have the 4th ranked bullpen; the Rays 17th. Evaluating the position players the Brewers have the better players in 6 out of the 9 positions. The Rays are the best defensive club in baseball, but the Brewers are not all that shabby finishing 6th. So, why do I think the Rays are going to win the Series.

This is going to seem strange, but even though they swept the Dodgers, the Brewers are going to have to play better, if they expect to beat the Rays. The Brewers between walks and some defensive lapses gifted the Dodgers about 6 to 8 runs during the series. The Dodgers could have scored more but simply did not take full advantage of the Brewers walks and miscues. If the Brewers do the same against the Rays, they won’t be so lucky this time. The evaluation of these teams is based on the entire regular season and is not taking into consideration any recent bias. Jacob Misiorowski has not been very “Mis” like during these playoffs. He made two starts and pitched a total of 8 and 1/3 innings. His ERA is 3.24 for the playoffs compared to 1.80 for the regular season. He needs to go deeper into games during this World Series if the Brewers are going to win. I like the top of the rotation for Rays better than the Brewers. Drew Rasmussen has pitched in 3 games going 21 innings with an ERA of 1.29. The emergence of Freddy Peralta has a solid 1A makes the Rays more formidable. He has pitched 4 games, one of those a high leverage relief situation. He has gone 16 and 2/3 innings with an ERA of 1.08. The Rays were the number one defensive team in baseball. They have the number one outfield defensively by a wide margin. In the playoffs they seemed to have taken this superior defense up to another level. If the Rays win the Series, they will have shown just how important defense is to win championships. Then there is the long layoff for the Brewers. The good news is, that it is giving that great bullpen a well needed rest. How will it affect the hitters will be one of the keys to the series. I expect this series to be a low scoring hard fought affair. Both teams are fundamentally sound. I think it will go 7 games. I won’t be shocked if the Brewers win the series of course. That bullpen may carry them to the promise land. I still like the Rays defense carrying them to the promise land instead. It all starts tomorrow night. Stay tuned.

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Pirate Morning Report: Rays Get The Big Hit, Guardians Don’t

Final Score: Rays 7 Guardians 3

Why The Rays Won: Each team had 7 hits and each team got 7 men on base, either by the walk or being hit by a pitch, which illustrates that both teams had opportunities to score. However, the Rays were able to capitalize on their chances, turning that into 7 runs, thanks to 2 crucial home runs and a big 2-out double in the bottom of the 2nd inning that shifted the momentum in their favor. The Guardians, despite showing resilience and having several scoring opportunities throughout the game, just could not convert those chances into runs. It is not a bad assumption to think that the Guardians’ pitcher finally wore out, leading to critical mistakes. Ultimately, the Rays took the series 4 games to 2, solidifying their dominance and are now headed for the World Series. This year, both number 1 seeds are positioned to clash in the championship, promising an exciting showdown.

The Key Moments Of The Game: In the bottom of the 7th, Junior Caminero electrified the stadium with a monumental 2-run home run that struck the foul pole, sending both him and the crowd into a frenzy as the Rays surged ahead to a commanding 5-1 lead. However, the top of the 8th could have spiraled into a disaster for the Rays. After a flyout, a single, and a pop out left the crowd on edge, the Rays seemed on the brink of relinquishing their lead. Nathanial Lowe, with his keen eye and determination, managed to single, putting runners on 1st and 2nd and heightening the tension. Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted dramatically—the excitement quickly turned to anxiety as the Guardians mounted a mini-rally. A walk, followed by another walk and a hit batsman, allowed the Guardians to ultimately score two runs, narrowing the gap to 5-3. Just when it appeared the Rays might falter, Brayan Rocchio struck out on three pitches, with the last one in the dirt, giving the Rays a much-needed reprieve. In the bottom of the 8th, Yandy Diaz stepped up and delivered yet another breathtaking moment, hitting a 2-run home run that restored the Rays’ momentum and put them right back on top by a four-run margin. Interestingly, both home runs for the Rays came immediately following walks. The Guardians, facing an uphill battle, went quietly in the 9th.

Next game: Game 1 of the World Series on Friday. It should be a great world Series with two teams that really know how to play baseball. Will have a full preview on Friday morning, stay tuned.

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Pirates Morning Report: Rays Pitching Shutdown Guardians, Take Series Lead

Final Score: Rays 3 Guardians 1

Why The Rays Won: The Rays pitching came to the forefront with Drew Rasmussen going 7 innings allowing one run on 4 hits and a walk while striking out 6. Rasmussen threw 95 pitches to get through the 7 innings, demonstrating exceptional command and composure on the mound. The bullpen took it home the rest of the way, giving up only a walk and a single, showcasing their ability to handle high-pressure situations with unwavering focus. Meanwhile, the Guardians had only 3 at bats with runners in scoring position and did not get a hit. The Rays offense kept lots of traffic on the basepaths, getting 12 hits to go along with 3 walks, which created constant pressure on the Guardians’ pitching staff. They only managed to get 3 runs, and one of those was a gift run in the first inning that set the tone for the game. After a leadoff double by Yandy Diaz, there was a walk and a big Baltimore chop base hit to load the bases, leading to a crucial moment in the game. Jonny DeLuca walked on 5 pitches to force in the 1st run of the game. The Rays added runs in the 2nd and the 3rd innings, capitalizing on key hits to drive in those runs and extend their lead. There were only 2 innings where the Rays did not have baserunners. It could have been a game of missed opportunities if the Guardians had somehow been able to generate any offense, possibly flipping the outcome in their favor. The series now moves back to Tampa Bay, where the atmosphere is expected to be electric, with the Rays needing one more win to go to the World Series.

Key Moment Of The Game: Through the first 5 innings, the Guardians had not gotten a runner into scoring position, struggling to find any rhythm at the plate. After one out in the bottom of the 6th, they finally put together back-to-back singles, putting runners on 1st and 3rd with one out. They had their most potent hitters, their 3 and 4 hitters, coming to the plate, setting the stage for a potential breakthrough. Chase DeLauter hit a ground ball down to first base where Jonathan Aranda made a nice play on it, showing great agility and awareness as he beat DeLauter to the bag. With the runner on third scoring due to the defensive play, and another runner advancing to second, there was a flicker of momentum. However, Joe Adell popped out on the fourth pitch of the at-bat, abruptly ending the inning and dousing the Guardians’ hopes for a rally. Despite this brief glimmer of offensive promise, the Guardians never really threatened again in the game, even though they did manage to get a baserunner in both the 8th and the 9th, but they failed to get the big hit.

Next Game: Tonight, Guardians vs. Rays in Tampa. We will find out if the Guardians can become road warriors again. They have to win both games in Tampa to advance to the World Series. Freddy Peralta will go tonight for the Rays. He has been lights out in the playoffs. In 11 and 1/3 innings he has an ERA of 0.79. The Guardians pitching seems to have been able to hold up. It is the Cleveland offense that is letting them down right now. They have to find a way to score some runs. Stay tuned.

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Pirates Morning Report: Rays Bats Come Alive To Even Series

Final Score: Rays 7 Guardians 3

Why The Rays Won: It took a while, but the Rays offense finally came alive. They scored 6 runs in the last 4 innings of the game. They banged out 11 hits, including a home run and two doubles. Nick Martinez gave up a run and two hits in the first inning and did not give up a hit for the next 4 and 2/3 innings. The Rays survived a very shaky inning by lefty Ian Seymour in the bottom of the 7th. He gave up 2 runs on 4 hits. He got the first two outs and then all hell broke loose. He gave up a home run and 3 straight singles, and the Guardians had cut the lead to 5-3. I was a little surprised that Kevin Cash left him in the game even with left hand batter Steven Kwan coming to the plate. Seymour was able to get Kwan to hit a dribbler down the first base line. Seymour did a nice job covering first base and they barely got Kwan to end the inning. The Rays added 2 runs in the top of the 9th on a 2run homer by Yandy Diaz to sew up the win. Rays now know that they will be going back to Tampa.

Key Moments Of The Game: The top of the 6th could have been a key moment if the Rays had lost this one. The Rays had taken the lead 2-1 and had runners on 2nd and 3rd with no one out. Lefty Tim Herrin came in for the Guardians and put out the fire. The Rays sent the runner from 3rd with no outs on a sharp ground ball to first and was easily thrown out. Victory Mesa Jr. struck out, and Jonny Deluca popped out to end the inning. You thought the Rays might have blown the game on that sequence. It looked like it might repeat itself in the top of the 7th. After two singles to open the 7th, the Rays pulled off a double steal to have 2nd and 3rd with no outs. Diaz struck out. Jonathan Aranda saved the day by hitting a line drive for a single to right field. Chase DeLauter let the ball get by him which sent Aranda all the way to third. He scored a very important 5th run on a sacrifice fly. Cleveland threatened in the bottom of the 7th scoring 2 runs but could not get the big hit to tie or take the lead.

Next Game: Tonight Rays vs Guardians in Cleveland. With the postponement of game 4 there will be no off days the rest of series. Can the Rays bats continue to stay hot? Can the Guardians bullpen survive a 6 or 7 game series? This will determine who wins this series. Stay tuned.

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Pirates Morning Report: Designated Hitter

With the Guardian-Rays game canceled due to weather, I turned my attention to the Pirates’ designated hitter position, which has emerged as a significant weakness for the team in recent seasons. This issue was particularly evident during Marcell Ozuna’s disappointing performance last year, which ultimately led to his release in August. While the Pirates managed to improve their standing from last place to 27th in DH rankings, they continue to face challenges in identifying a genuine DH specialist who can consistently contribute to the lineup. Over the past three years, the team has fluctuated in rankings, finishing 18th, 29th, and 27th, demonstrating a persistent struggle to find a reliable solution at the plate. Through my research, I discovered that the top 12 teams in the DH category deployed highly effective strategies, with an impressive 10 of these teams qualifying for the playoffs. This statistic underscores the crucial role that a strong DH can play in a team’s overall success. Interestingly, four of those top teams, including the Phillies and Dodgers, relied heavily on standout individual players like Kyle Schwarber and Shohei Ohtani, both of whom boasted exceptional OPS+ numbers, reflecting their substantial offensive contributions. The other two teams the Astros and Rays used two very accomplished hitters. Yordan Alvarez had a league leading OPS+ of 190 for the Astros. Yandy Diaz was solid for the Rays with an OPS+ of 124. For all four teams these players had at least 587 appearances at the DH position. In contrast, five other teams, such as the Cubs and Orioles, favored a more collective, committee-based approach, ensuring that no single DH accumulated more than 283 plate appearances, which tends to dilute the impact of any one player. Furthermore, teams like the Braves, Yankees, and Rangers exhibited even more varied setups, employing different strategies that responded dynamically to injuries and player performance fluctuations. This diversity in approach sheds light on the complexity of constructing a formidable designated hitter strategy, ultimately reinforcing the necessity for the Pirates to reassess their options if they hope to enhance their offensive capabilities in the coming seasons.

What are the conclusions you can draw from all of that other than the Pirates have stunk at the DH position. Since the National League started the DH in 2022 the best the Pirates have done is finish 15th. The other conclusion I draw from all of this is unless you have an established super star hitter it is best to have the DH done by committee. The one thing I find interesting about the Braves splitting the DH almost equally is that both hitters are left handed. So, it was not a platoon thing. Unless the Pirates find that superstar hitter which is highly unlikely let’s hope the Pirates wake up and do the DH by committee. I know that is unlikely to happen, but we can all hope.

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Pirates Morning Report: Brewers Sweep Dodgers. Guardians Take 2-1 lead.

Final Score: Brewers 6 Dodgers 4

Game Summary: The Brewers were able to erase a 4-0 deficit to come back and sweep the Dodgers. The Dodgers simply could not take advantage of scoring situations which is why they lost this series 4 games to none. It looked like they were going to avoid the sweep. In the bottom of the 2nd they put together 3 singles to take a 1-0 lead. Shohei Ohtani then took 1-1 95 MPH cutter and blasted it 428 feet to give the Dodgers a 4-0 lead. After that explosive inning the Dodgers went back to frustration city. Bottom of the 6th runner on 2nd with one out, could not score. Bottom of the 7th runner on third with one out, could not score. Bottom of the 8th runner on third with one out, could not score. Not taking anything away from Allen Ashby, the Dodgers hit two balls over 107 MPH in the bottom of the 9th that were caught for outs and this game was history. After falling behind 4-0 the Brewers just chipped away. Tyler Glasnow retired the first 10 batters he faced striking out 6. Then he walked Brice Turang on 6 pitches. William Contreres hit a ground rule double to put runners on second and third. Jake Bauers followed with another ground rule double to right and the lead was cut in half. The Brewers scored 2 runs in the 5th getting only one hit a single. Sal Frelick walked with one out and then stole second. David Hamilton singled to score Frelick to make the score 4-3. This sent Glasnow to the showers. After Jackson Churio lined out, Hamilton stole second. This led to the Dodgers intentionally walking Turang for the second time in two games. Evan Phillips could not find the plate after that and walked the next two batters to tie the score 4-4. It was a gift run for the Brewers. Garrett Mitchel homered to lead off the 6th and Hamilton hit a 2 out homer in the 9th to give the Brewers a two run cushion. The most amazing thing about this series is that the Brewers did not play all that well in the field, and walked a lot of batters, but the Dodgers just could not take advantage. The Brewers are World Series bound.

Final Score: Guardians 3 Rays 2

Game Summary: The Guardians pitching dominated the Rays. They could only get 3 hits. All the hits were extra base hits, but it was simply not enough. Seven innings the Rays were retired in order. In the 4th they were able to string together a double, a walk, and a triple to score their 2 runs. They had a one out double in the top of the 8th but could not score. Petey Halpin who had only 195 plate appearances during the regular season for the Guardians with a slash line of .225/.268/.326 was the unlikely hero. Patrick Bailey another punchless hitter who seems to have something in the postseason singled to open the 5th inning. This brought Halpin to the plate. He took a 2-2 96 MPH sinker that was thrown right down the middle and hit it into the right center field bleachers to give the Guardians a 3-2 lead. Even though the Guardians could not add on, the Rays really never came close to putting any kind of pressure on the pitching staff. The Guardians now lead the series 2 games to 1.

Next Game: Tonight, Rays vs. Guardians in Cleveland. Can the Guardians keep the Rays at bay offensively. That will be the key to this series. Guardians pitching is on a heater right now but that can end in the blink of an eye. One thing is for sure this series is looking like it will be a dog fight. Rays need to win one game in Cleveland to get back to Tampa. Stay tuned.