There’s no other way to say it: the Rays need a win. Problem is that they are running up against Cliff Lee tonight. It’s a great example of how bad the Indians really have been this year that Lee can be 11-2 and the team can still be so far out of first place. Truly baffling.
What to watch for: Any signs of life from the suddenly stagnant bats. (Hey that’s sounds familiar. I think I said it last night.)
Scouting Report on today’s starters from MLB.com:
James Shields - Shields picked up his seventh win of the season Sunday when he held the Royals to two runs on four hits and a walk while striking out eight in seven innings. The 26-year-old right-hander’s best pitch has always been his changeup, but he also has a plus fastball and curve and he’s added a cutter that has helped him throw inside to left-handers. He is 0-1 with a 2.66 ERA in three career starts against the Indians and is 0-1 with a 2.84 ERA in one start at Progressive Field.
Cliff Lee - On the same day Lee was announced to the All-Star team, the lefty went seven innings and gave up four earned runs on six hits and two walks against the Twins in a 4-3 Indians loss. Lee sailed through five scoreless innings before running into trouble in a one-run sixth and three-run seventh. Even so, Lee continues to be a stabilizing force on an otherwise disappointing team. Lee’s next start, his last before the All-Star Break, will come against Tampa Bay. Lee has not faced the Rays in 2008 during the club’s breakout campaign.
View the Rays numbers against Cliff Lee.
View the game preview from Baseball Reference.
| TAMPA BAY RAYS |
CLEVELAND INDIANS |
| LINEUP 1 | LINEUP 1 |
| LINEUP 2 | LINEUP 2 |
| LINEUP 3 | LINEUP 3 |
| LINEUP 4 | LINEUP 4 |
| LINEUP 5 | LINEUP 5 |
| LINEUP 6 | LINEUP 6 |
| LINEUP 7 | LINEUP 7 |
| LINEUP 8 | LINEUP 8 |
| LINEUP 9 | LINEUP 9 |
Be sure to join us in the chat room for some good Rays talk during the game!!!
Tags: Indians
July 11th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
I Can’t stand it any more “DUMP GOMES”
July 11th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
What’s wrong with the lineup? How come no one is hitting?
July 11th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
You said it Charlie!!! The guy has officially become a bum as a player. It’s not that we don’t love his heart and passion, but that only gets you so far. We need production, and Gomes just isn’t the answer. Somebody said that we possibly acquired Huston Street and Matt Murton earlier today-just wondering where you heard that because I haven’t seen it anywhere else. But right now, I don’t care if we bring up Tim Beckham to be a right-handed bat. I think he could be a better option than Gomes at this point. I am not really suggesting we do that, but I do believe he could do a better job. I know the break is in a couple of days, but we need to pull the trigger on something now.
July 11th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
i can’t even stand watching anymore it is torture
July 12th, 2008 at 12:52 am
haven’t been too fond of the last 5 games at all…
July 12th, 2008 at 6:21 am
Rumor http://mvn.com/mlb-rays/eet and Matt Murton On Rays Radar?
July 12th, 2008 at 6:25 am
A J try http://mvn.com/mlb-rays/
July 12th, 2008 at 6:58 am
Bring it bacK Joe 9=8. The idea is nine players playing nine innings together to become one of the eight teams in the playoff hunt. The key now is nine players playing nine innings together