After back-to-back losses, the Rays try to get back on the horse tonight against a rookie left-hander who has been beat up quite a bit in the early-goings of his career. With Matt Garza going for the Rays, it’s a great night to snap the skid before it gets out of hand.
What to watch for: David Purcey is not very good, but the Rays aren’t very good against left-handed pitching. Something’s gotta give.
Scouting Report on today’s starters from MLB.com:
Matt Garza – The 24-year-old Fresno State product has arguably the best stuff on the Rays staff, boasting a mid-90s fastball that sinks, a curveball, a slider and a changeup. He is coming off Wednesday night’s no-decision to the Angels in which the right-hander allow four runs on seven hits and four walks while striking out seven. Garza is 2-2 in four career starts vs. Toronto, with a 2.77 ERA.
David Purcey – In five starts since joining Toronto’s rotation on July 24, Purcey has gone 2-3 with a 5.33 ERA. Over that span, the 6-foot-5 left-hander has allowed 16 runs on 25 hits, with 22 strikeouts and 10 walks over 27 innings. On Wednesday, Purcey took the loss at home against the Yankees after giving up five runs on seven hits in just four innings. Purcey – in his rookie season — has never faced the Rays.
View the game preview from Baseball Reference.
| TAMPA BAY RAYS |
TORONTO BLUE JAYS |
| 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: Blue Jays
August 27th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
Rays win #80! Rays win #80!
August 27th, 2008 at 10:14 pm
You just can’t beat pithing and defense. How about Rug, two plays one ont he left side and one on the right, hell of a switch fielder. Left field has to be @1 gem.
August 27th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
Hey I missed spelled pitching. still excited about that catch.
August 28th, 2008 at 9:53 am
Get This:
While watching CNN headline news before heading to work, they updated some sports stories. One about MIchael Phelps hosting SNL in the next few weeks, and a few more olympic athlete updates. And one about the Rays, showing Ruggiano’s amazing game ending catch, looks like we have caught on a little bit.
August 28th, 2008 at 11:31 am
Hey Tampa/St. Pete area…
GO TO THE GODDAMN GAMES!!!! Seriously 13k during a pennant race is absolutely inexcusable…
I live in PA, and have still seen the Rays 8 times this season… (once at home)
August 28th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
Getting tired of hearing bitching about attendace. Comparing this area to areas that have had baseball for 100 years and have gone through several generations of fans is redicules. These areas have built their fan base up over the years not over night. This is a unique area, with so much transient populationg that still holds their loyalties to their home town. Winning them over is going to take time. Tampa is Yankee heaven. HOw many of the young players that went to the Little league world series gave a Ray as their favorite player. I think 2 and the rest were predominately Yankees. Going to take time to build a fan base. Once we start winning regularly and the local media really starts promoting the Ray’s players it will come. The local media does not really promote the Ray’s with enthusiasm. Rays are battling for firse and a Buc’s preseason game gets 1st page. Come on. And if I was a person thinking about going to a game and kept hearing how the trop was lousy and all the negativity about it, hell I’d have second thoughts about attending a game there. Personally I think it’s a good place to view a game. I’ve been to Fenway and there’s a stadium that needs to be imploded. Wrigley field I call it the field of nightmares. Don’t give me all this tradition BS. Trop is much better place to watch a game. I can keep bitching but have to get ready to go to the trop and watch Jackson shut down the Jays. See you all there. GO RAYS. Jason you coming tonight?
August 28th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Sure Richard, let me hop on an airplane and I’ll be right there, I live in Joe Maddon’s hometown of Hazleton, PA (the fact that I am a Rays fan has nothing to do with it, just coincidence)
I love the little jab you are trying to throw tho, very cute…
I do spend my hard earned money on gas and accomidations to make one weekend trip to Boston, one to NY and I actually got to see them at home once because I had to be in town for a funeral- also was at opening day in Baltimore.
Not to mention paying for MLB.TV just to see the Rays also!!
I understand your point about generations of fans making a fan base, this is true. I remember when the Bucs had the same problem, now they have been a decent franchise for 15 years or so- and have a pretty good fanbase… Still 13k for a winning team is a bit sad, they should be able to draw 20k every night no questions asked…
August 28th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Jason, probably would be cheaper to fly down here and see them. I talk to a lot of Yuckee and Sux fans that come down here and they say it’s cheaper for them to lay down here and go to a series than it is to go to Fenway of Yankee stadium. The two cities of St. Pete and Tampa do not cooperate and there seems to be a running fued between the fans of the two cities. There is a natural dividing line bewtween the two cities and thats Tampa Bay. When you have natural dividing point it divides the area. I am originally from Toledo so use to go to Detroit games. Was roughly 2 hours but went to about 1/2 their home games a season. When Rays came into existence jumped right on their band wagon. This is by far the best year. I agree with you about the attendance but I think next season will see and increase in Season tickets and walk ups. Going to take few years of winning. If management can hang on it would be worth it. If they move the team they’ll just start over and have the same problem. Jason, Go Rays
August 29th, 2008 at 9:45 am
Just don’t want to see them (ownership) say “we need a new stadium and you turn it down, we give you a winning team, and you don’t show) we are packing up the circus and heading on out…”
ya those trips are expensive, but easier to make in a car…
I definatly will try to make one Home series a season from now on, but easier said then done with family obligations etc.
GO RAYS!!