Getty Images A week ago it appeared the Rays may be reduced to the role of spoiler when they faced the White Sox and Orioles in their final seven games of the season. Now, they’re right back in it after winning their eighth straight game on Thursday night against the Pale Hose.
Evan Longoria homered in the top of the ninth and Fernando Rodney closed the game with yet another scoreless inning as the Rays prevailed 3-2. It was Rodney’s 46th save of the season.
The White Sox got their only two runs off James Shields on a HBP in the fourth and a Paul Konerko double-play ball in the fifth. Jake Peavy was left with a no-decision after a strong effort that saw him allow two runs in 7 1/3 innings. Brett Myers took the loss in the ninth.
At 86-70, the Rays control their own destiny, even though they’re still three games back of the Orioles and two behind the A’s in the wild card. That’s because they still have three games against Baltimore next week.
The White Sox, on the other hand, have lost three straight to fall two games behind the Tigers in the AL Central. They don’t get to face Detroit again, so their fate is out of their hands. Since the Tigers finish with the Twins and Royals, the White Sox may have to win out to have a shot.
But that’s going to be exceedingly difficult with three more games against the Rays on the slate. The White Sox have look putrid against mediocre pitching of late, and now they’re getting Jeremy Hellickson, Matt Moore and David Price this weekend.
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Barry Bonds: Miguel Cabrera is the best … but not as good as me
May 21, 2013, 8:53 AM EDT
I’m not sure why anyone would find that sentiment, voiced by Barry Bonds to Bob Nightengale, to be controversial. But I imagine they will. Anyway, here were the Home Run King’s exact words about Miguel Cabrera: “He’s definitely the best. It’s not rocket science here. He’s the best. By far. Without a doubt. The absolute best…
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And he did it while batting: Vogelsong was in the middle of easily his best start of the season when he swung at an inside pitch from Craig Stammen. The ball appeared to hit him squarely on the knuckles of his right hand, and Vogelsong was in obvious pain. He left the game and was…
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Dodgers 3, Brewers 1: After the last scene of Don Mattingly’s managerial life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that at many times along the path of his time in Los Angeles, especially at the very lowest and saddest times, there was only one set of footprints. Clayton Kershaw then whispered, “My precious…
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Move over Clay Buchholz. Marlins starter Alex Sanabia went old school on Monday, bypassing the sunscreen and rosin and simply hocking a big ol’ loogie on the baseball after giving up a home run to the Phillies’ Domonic Brown. The video isn’t embeddable yet, but here’s the link to it at MLB.com, as well as…
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Jayson Werth could miss another two weeks with hamstring injury
May 20, 2013, 10:36 PM EDT
AP
The Nationals have Bryce Harper back in the starting lineup tonight against the Giants, but it appears that Jayson Werth‘s absence from a hamstring injury will be a little longer than initially expected. Nationals manager Davey Johnson told Amanda Comak of the Washington Times that he received an “alarming” report on Werth today. No word…
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Braves reliever Eric O’Flaherty to undergo Tommy John surgery
May 20, 2013, 9:45 PM EDT
AP
After Jonny Venters underwent Tommy John surgery last week, another Braves’ reliever is headed for the same fate. According to David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, left-hander Eric O’Flaherty will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery tomorrow. It doesn’t come as a big surprise, as he was diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his…
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Bryce Harper back in Monday’s lineup after sitting out with sore knee
May 20, 2013, 9:03 PM EDT
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Bryce Harper sat out Saturday and Sunday due to lingering soreness in his left knee caused by his collision with the right field fence at Dodger Stadium last Monday, but Mark Zuckerman of CSNWashington.com reports that he’s back in the starting lineup for tonight’s series opener against the Giants. Harper was all banged up after…
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According to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News, right-hander Scott Proctor has decided to retire from baseball. Proctor, now 36, hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2011 with the Braves and Yankees. After spending last season with the Doosan Bears of the Korean Baseball Organization, he had an 8.59 ERA and 6/10 K/BB…
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UPDATE: Dodgers GM Ned Colletti says Don Mattingly is “doing fine”
May 20, 2013, 8:00 PM EDT
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UPDATE: Just a quick follow-up from this morning, Dodgers general maanger Ned Colletti told the Associated Press earlier this evening that manager Don Mattingly is “doing fine.” Asked if it was false to say Mattingly would be fired this week, Colletti simply said: “My perspective hasn’t changed. I’m done talking about it.” 8:52 AM ET:…
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Reuters
Alex Rodriguez isn’t as far along as teammate Mark Teixeira, but he continues to make progress from January hip surgery. According to the Associated Press, Rodriguez began his third week of on-field activity today by fielding grounders and taking 25 swings in an indoor batting cage at the Yankees’ minor league complex in Tampa, Florida.…
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Carlos Ruiz out 3-4 weeks with hamstring strain, Ryan Howard day-to-day with sore knee
May 20, 2013, 6:44 PM EDT
The Phillies placed reliever Mike Adams on the 15-day disabled list this afternoon due to a back injury, but the club is also dealing with some injuries to their everyday lineup. Ryan Lawrence of the Philadelphia Daily News reports that Carlos Ruiz is expected to miss 3-4 weeks after he suffered a Grade 2 strain…
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As of Monday afternoon, the Rangers and Cardinals have baseball’s best records. Not entirely coincidentally they also have the best run differentials of any team in baseball. The Rangers have scored 212 runs and let in 158, putting them at +54. The Cardinals have scored 201 runs and allowed a major league-low 150, which works out…
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Philadelphia has finally placed Mike Adams on the disabled list after the reliever remained on the active roster despite being unavailable with a back injury since May 12. Because he hasn’t pitched for more than a week and the DL stint is backdated Adams is eligible to return Sunday. In the meantime Humberto Quintero replaces…
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I actually don’t believe in teams of destiny. At least not in May. I’ve seen too many teams suck for five months, get hot in September and October and then win it all or at least come close. My 1993 Braves made a giant trade in 1993, heralded by literal flames, and then went on…
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AP
Texas designated Derek Lowe for assignment after the 40-year-old right-hander allowed 13 runs in 13 innings out of the bullpen. Just the other day Lowe was talking about how much he disliked sabermetrics, saying: If you pump my numbers into the system compared to, let’s say, Tanner Scheppers, of course his stuff is going to…
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As expected the Red Sox have activated Andrew Bailey from the disabled list after the right-hander missed the past three weeks with a strained biceps. Before the injury Bailey had taken over as the Red Sox’s closer and he’ll almost surely reclaim ninth-inning duties right away. Joel Hanrahan‘s season-ending elbow surgery means that Bailey doesn’t…
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Joe Maddon shows us why limited instant replay and manager challenges are bad ideas
May 20, 2013, 3:41 PM EDT
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In yesterday’s Rays-Orioles game, Matt Joyce hit a ball that maybe was a homer or maybe a double or maybe a foul ball. Hard to say on live viewing! It was initially ruled in play and Joyce made it to second for a double. Buck Showalter came out of the dugout and argued that the…
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Caleb Thielbar goes from independent ball to the majors with the Twins
May 20, 2013, 3:15 PM EDT
AP
Caleb Thielbar was pitching for the independent league St. Paul Saints in 2011 and now he’s headed to the majors. Minnesota signed Thielbar after he impressed with the Saints and he’s steadily climbed through the Twins’ farm system, putting together a very impressive stretch at Triple-A this year in which he’s allowed zero earned runs…
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I’m sure it has zero to do with their play, but Pete Abraham of the Globe reports that, unlike in years past, the Red Sox are puttin’ on the ritz this year for road trips: Clay Buchholz, John Lackey, and Jon Lester now dress like hedge fund managers on road trips. Ryan Dempster has custom-made…
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AP
David Aardsma, who was released by the Yankees in early April and opted out of a minor-league deal with the Marlins last week, has agreed to a new minor-league contract with the Mets. This will be Aardsma’s fourth organization since the end of 2011, as he tries to prove that he can be healthy and…
