We have been a bit slow on the uptake in the last week or so due to some exceptionally busy things going on. The baseball world never stops though, and both Grant Balfour and Ryan Rowland-Smith have been in the thick of things over the last week.
Balfour has appeared in two games in recent days. He struck out 3 over 2.1 innings against the Pirates on the weekend, and did not allow a hit. Today, he pitched 0.2 innings in the Rays important win over the Red Sox. He came on with runners on 1 and 2, and 1 out in the top of the 7th, with Boston chasing down Tampa’s 4-2 lead. He had Jason Varitek foul out to the catcher, and had Julio Lugo ground out to end the inning. This series against the Red Sox is crucial for the Rays, and it gives them a real chance to take the lead in the AL East! Balfour’s season ERA is now 1.17.
In other Tampa Bay news, their closer Troy Percival left the game today with what his manager thought was a strained hamstring. Bad news for the Rays, but possibly more time in the middle for Balfour. We should know in a few days the extent of the damage, and can assess the impact, if any, on Balfour at that time.
In Seattle, Ryan Rowland-Smith last pitched last Wednesday, when he went 2 innings, allowing no hits and no walks, and striking out one as the Mariners lost to the Mets. There is a reason why he has not pitched since. He is gonna start a game tomorrow. Starting pitcher Felix Hernandez has an ankle injury and is unavailable for his scheduled start tomorrow. The Mariners’ new leadership are turning to the bullpen, led by the effective long-man Ryan Rowland-Smith. He will take the mound to start the M’s game against the Blue Jays tomorrow. It is expected he won’t pitch more than 5 innings, given that his previous high pitch count is only in the 50s. I guess it will depend on how the Jays handle him! It’s kind of an exciting prospect, but a bit daunting at the same time. We wish Ryan all the best for his first MLB start! We will be tuning in for sure.
Meanwhile, in Minor League news, the rosters for the 2008 Futures Game have been announced. 23-year old Luke Hughes from the AA New Britain Rock Cats has been selected to play in the game. The Rock Cats’ third baseman is having a stellar year, hitting .333, with 13 homeruns, and 34 RBI. His OBP is .408, and his OPS is 1.015! This is an amazing stat, as hitters with more than 1.000 OPS are generally considered to be the ‘greats’. Good luck Luke, we will be sure to follow up to see how things go. Also worth mentioning is the one New Zealand born player on the roster – Scott Campbell from the AA New Hampshire Fisher Cats. Good to see the Kiwis getting in amongst it as well!
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