00:00Take a look at those Tampa Bay Rays.
00:02Now, we talked about them saying, you know what?
00:04Looks like they're not playing good baseball.
00:06Then they're playing good baseball.
00:07Now, back to not playing so good baseball here.
00:09They're still in first place coming into Sunday,
00:11a game lead over the New York Yankees,
00:13but their last 10 games, Craig, 3-7 overall,
00:16just running through one of those ruts
00:18that sometimes you get into in a Major League Baseball season.
00:21Yeah, I hate to point out a graphic mistake, but got to do it.
00:23The Rays did not beat the Marlins yesterday,
00:26because I know when I was there.
00:27Ah, come on, Craig. How do you know, Craig?
00:28How is that the game?
00:30I was at the game, sorry to say.
00:32Yeah, so the Rays just didn't pitch against Detroit.
00:36I don't really know, Donnie, how else to say
00:38that they just got clobbered by them.
00:40It was really odd that they came back
00:43and Rasmussen pitched great Friday.
00:46You know, McClanahan probably his worst start of the season
00:48against Miami Saturday, which was really strange.
00:50I have no concerns with Tampa Bay whatsoever.
00:54Just, you know, a slumping time for them,
00:56probably a little bit.
00:57They'll probably be a little bit aggressive
00:58and say they'll go for it a little.
01:00They still have the best record in the American League, Donnie.
01:01So I am not worried about them.
01:03They pitch well.
01:04They hit well.
01:05And then the other part of it, and really, this is, Donnie,
01:07this is their strength, and this is why it's an issue.
01:09If they're pitching, starting pitching,
01:11is going to give up a lot of runs,
01:13maybe like most teams,
01:15they're going to lose.
01:16You know, maybe it's just as simple as that.
01:17But when they have leads, that's when their strength comes in
01:20because they have all these different bullpen arms.
01:22One guy's throwing from the top.
01:24One guy's throwing from the middle.
01:25One guy's throwing from the bottom.
01:26Like, you can't get used to seeing these guys.
01:28One throws a fastball, and it looks just like a changeup.
01:31They're really great at that with their bullpen,
01:33and so that's why they're more built, I think,
01:35for the postseason than some others.
01:37So just a June slump, I would say, for them.
01:40And we talk about some other teams out there and say,
01:42okay, everybody pick on that free agent heap,
01:43not helping you out like the Padres here as a starting pitcher.
01:46Then you take a look at getting Nick Martinez.
01:4870 and two-thirds innings pitch.
01:50Craig, how about a 2.29 ERA?
01:52And also Shane McClanahan working his way back in the form
01:55at a 285 ERA.
01:56Now, also, we're supposed to say, you know,
01:59the runs came a little bit easier
02:01because you're playing outdoors
02:02in basically a minor league stadium there
02:03for the New York Yankees last year.
02:05You go back into the trap.
02:07326 for Yandy Diaz on the season.
02:09Also understand this.
02:10The three guys in the middle of that lineup,
02:1214 bombs for Cameron Arrow,
02:1311 for Arandon, and 11 for Diaz.
02:16They're getting some of those hitters
02:17in the middle of that lineup performing,
02:18even though they're back in the trap, Craig.
02:21Yeah, and Cameron Arrow, I mean, he's as good as anybody,
02:25you know, offensively, Donnie.
02:26I mean, what a find they got with him internationally.
02:29You know, I'm not sure if he plays third base long-term.
02:32He's played very well, by the way.
02:33I've seen him play now twice in person recently
02:37in St. Petersburg and in Miami.
02:39I think he profiles maybe for me more as a first baseman
02:41or maybe even a DH, but he is one of, not Donnie,
02:46one of the top 10, but like one of the top three hitters,
02:49I think, power-wise in the game.
02:50He is right up there.
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