You would think that a late-September game between a team that can only finish third and a club that has clinched last place would be meaningless, but that's certainly not the case. Whether you blame the bush league umpiring, MLB, Carl Crawford, or a pitch thrown at Ken Huckaby a year ago, there's no love lost between the Jays and the Rays. Tampa needs to win two of their last four to avoid another 100-loss season, and would like to leave town with a split. The home team, needing two wins to achieve their preseason goal, wants to make a statement by winning this fiercely contested set.
This was supposed to be Vinny Chulk's first big-league start, but that's something else you can blame on Phil Cuzzi. The rookie with the zero ERA worked three innings after Roy Halladay was ejected on Monday, so Pete Walker gets the nod tonight. The veteran righthander got the win with two scoreless relief innings in Baltimore on Sunday, and went five strong innings against the Tigers in his last start ten days ago. Since returning from the DL in August, Walker has a 3.00 ERA, and he hasn't walked a batter in four outings this month.
Jorge Sosa takes the mound for the visitors. The Dominican righty gave up homers to Hinske, Wells and Delgado the last time he faced the Jays, but he was much more effective in July and August, holding Toronto batters to three runs in 12.1 IP, despite seeing them twice in five days. Like several of his teammates, he's erratic (58 walks, 70 strikeouts, 132 hits in 123.2 IP) but has good stuff.
The Jays lineup does not include Josh Phelps or Greg Myers, as Frank Catalanotto is the DH and Kevin Cash is catching. Though last night's game was uneventful, there's still plenty of animosity between the teams, and between the Jays and this umpiring crew, which also had trouble getting along with the St. Louis Cardinals recently. Brian Onora, the crew chief, takes his turn behind the plate and will try to maintain order. But as we've learned, anything can happen against the D-Rays.
This was supposed to be Vinny Chulk's first big-league start, but that's something else you can blame on Phil Cuzzi. The rookie with the zero ERA worked three innings after Roy Halladay was ejected on Monday, so Pete Walker gets the nod tonight. The veteran righthander got the win with two scoreless relief innings in Baltimore on Sunday, and went five strong innings against the Tigers in his last start ten days ago. Since returning from the DL in August, Walker has a 3.00 ERA, and he hasn't walked a batter in four outings this month.
Jorge Sosa takes the mound for the visitors. The Dominican righty gave up homers to Hinske, Wells and Delgado the last time he faced the Jays, but he was much more effective in July and August, holding Toronto batters to three runs in 12.1 IP, despite seeing them twice in five days. Like several of his teammates, he's erratic (58 walks, 70 strikeouts, 132 hits in 123.2 IP) but has good stuff.
The Jays lineup does not include Josh Phelps or Greg Myers, as Frank Catalanotto is the DH and Kevin Cash is catching. Though last night's game was uneventful, there's still plenty of animosity between the teams, and between the Jays and this umpiring crew, which also had trouble getting along with the St. Louis Cardinals recently. Brian Onora, the crew chief, takes his turn behind the plate and will try to maintain order. But as we've learned, anything can happen against the D-Rays.
