I didn’t know today’s game was on the net via the Devil Rays audio feed. I turned it on and the first thing I heard was “Devil Rays bat around and score 7″… Oh my god! :( It never got any better – the Rangers only scored one run the whole game, and the audio feed was spotty for me, I kept getting dropouts.
After Burkett got shelled for 7, he was still in teh game the next inning, which surprised me. But then again, it didn’t, as they wanted to get him his innings, I suppose. Bobby Witt looked decent for the Devil Rays – I hope he manages to get on their rotation.
Kind of busy here at work today, I’m not going to be able to write a lot about this game. :)
Commentary by Jim Meeks:
I listened to the game Monday via RealAudio on Tampa’s WFLA radio station and the announcers are actually quite good, although somewhat boring in their approach.
Starter John Burkett gave up 8 runs in his 5 innings Monday as Tampa Bay bedeviled the Rangers, 8-1. Burkett didn’t pitch poorly; he was victimised by a host of sharply-hit ground balls that made their way through the infield. He didn’t exactly pitch like Tom Seaver either, as the Rays banged a couple of doubles to the gaps. However, the 7 run third inning was the nail in his coffin.
Jon Shave and Scott Sheldon anchored the infield’s left side and just couldn’t get to most of the shots driven their way. Sheldon however, who played 3rd base, made two exceptional back-to-back plays in the 2nd inning (saving 2 runs at least) or the game would have been even more lopsided. This probably greatly helped his cause for making the ballclub.
Meanwhile, other balls had seeing eyes; one ball bounced over Lee Stevens’ head at first base in the 3rd. The inning began ominously enough when Juan Gonzalez made a three-run error on a ball hit right to him and it bounced off his glove…it just seemed to be one of those days for the Rangers.
The lone bright spot today was the Rangers’ achilles heel yesterday; the bullpen. Eric Gunderson and Danny Patterson each pitched with the normal authority we expect.
Bobby Witt started and won the game for Tampa Bay and pitched extremely well. He’s a shoe-in for a spot on their rotation. Offensively, the Rangers were powerless against him. The Rangers just managed 6 hits, one being a double in the 9th with two out by Ruben Mateo (who collected a base hit earlier) for the Rangers’ lone extra base hit. Tom Goodwin also had 2 hits.
