Only time for a brief Scout report today, as the Jays pay their final visit of the year to St. Petersburg.
Old friend Mark "Lurch" Hendrickson gets the ball tonight in place of the nicked-up Scott Kazmir. Lurch went two innings on Tuesday in getting the win in relief, so he'll likely be on a short pitch count. Sunday's game will feature Gustavo Chacin's attempt to raise his 2004 record to an amazing 21-2 when combining his New Hampshire, Syracuse and Toronto efforts.
On to the Advance Scout!
* The D-Rays have not exactly been surging toward their franchise-best record of late -- they're just 2-7 over their last nine ... The Jays are 9-7 against Tampa this year, and they'll need another series win if they want to relegate the Rays to their rightful place in the basement ... Tampa pitchers have surrendered 4 or more runs in a staggering 24 of their last 26 ballgames ... Lou Piniella has been most disheartened by the team's slackening effort on defense: "For about a year and a half, we were in the top three or four teams in the league defensively, and over the second half of the year, we've worked our way to the bottom three or four" ...
* For whatever reason, Julio Lugo just can't hit in his home park. He puts up .227/.301/.324 numbers at Tropicana Field ... He's a prime example of Piniella's defensive frustrations, as he's committed six errors over his last eight starts. He was used solely as a pinch-hitter in yesterday's matinee ...
* The versatile Aubrey Huff is really heating up at the plate, having hit in six of his last seven (.467) with three homers, seven runs scored and seven RBI ... He's had a tremendous second half (.348/.399/.613) after a subpar start to the season, and he's topped 100 RBI for the second straight year -- making him just the second Devil Ray to have done so. Can you guess the other player to do it? He's an old friend ... He's scored 14 runs against the Jays this season, putting up a .328/.408/.623 line against us ...
* Tino Martinez has also hit in six of seven (.364) ... Just 8 of his 22 homers have come at Tropicana Field this season ... There's still some life in the veteran's bat, as he's hit .296/.415/.537 in September ...
* Carl Crawford is 7-for-7 on the basepaths in September ... He's had considerable success hitting at home this year, posting a .319/.355/.500 line, including 12 of his 17 triples ... Crawford's made only two errors all season in left, but his second took place on Monday night and could make its way onto a blooper reel near you. After playing a David DeJesus drive off the left-field wall, Crawford's throw to the cutoff man squirted out of his hand, and the ball dribbled into centerfield. DeJesus made it all the way home on the play ... Crawford's been bothered by a nagging right (non-throwing) shoulder, and he aggravated it by crashing into the wall on Monday, chasing a Joe Randa drive ...
* His running mate in the outfield, Rocco Baldelli, has posted solid stats against the Jays this season (.313/.365/.458) ...
* Tomorrow's starter will be 24-year-old Dewon Brazelton, a former Blue Raider from Middle Tennessee State ... Brazelton is 0-3 over his last five starts, with the Rays losing all five games ... With a low strikeout rate (57 in 108 IP), Brazelton relies on coaxing grounballs and solid defensive play behind him. As the club's defensive performance has declined, so has Brazelton's success on the mound ... He turned in a solid six innings on Monday, yielding three runs and taking a no-decision against the Royals ... He's a completely different pitcher at home (6-2, 2.30). He's an ugly 0-5, 9.62 away from the Trop ...
* Jorge Sosa, once again being used in short relief, has taken the loss in each of his last two outings ... Lefthanders have hit 13 of the 15 home runs Sosa has allowed ... He's lost six of his last seven decisions ...
* Toby Hall is riding an 0-for-12 slump ... The powerfully built catcher's homerless streak now numbers 29 games ... He's been a virtual zero at the plate in the second half (.224/.270/.347) and against the Jays this season (.217/.265/.261) ...
Probable Batting Orders
vs. LH
6 Lugo
5 Upton
8 Baldelli
3 Huff
9 Cruz Jr.
4 Cantu/Sanchez
DH Diaz/Martinez
2 Hall
7 Rolls/Crawford
vs. RH
7 Crawford
9 Cruz Jr.
5 Huff
3 Martinez
8 Baldelli
DH Cummings
6 Upton/Lugo
4 Cantu
2 Fordyce/Hall
Pitching Probables
Friday: LH Hendrickson vs. Towers
Saturday: RH Brazelton vs. Bush
Sunday: RH Bell vs. Chacin
Bullpen Usage
Long: Gaudin R, Halama L, Nunez R, Webb R
Short: Carter R, Sosa R, Seay L
Setup: Harper R, T Miller L
Closer: Baez R
Old friend Mark "Lurch" Hendrickson gets the ball tonight in place of the nicked-up Scott Kazmir. Lurch went two innings on Tuesday in getting the win in relief, so he'll likely be on a short pitch count. Sunday's game will feature Gustavo Chacin's attempt to raise his 2004 record to an amazing 21-2 when combining his New Hampshire, Syracuse and Toronto efforts.
On to the Advance Scout!
* The D-Rays have not exactly been surging toward their franchise-best record of late -- they're just 2-7 over their last nine ... The Jays are 9-7 against Tampa this year, and they'll need another series win if they want to relegate the Rays to their rightful place in the basement ... Tampa pitchers have surrendered 4 or more runs in a staggering 24 of their last 26 ballgames ... Lou Piniella has been most disheartened by the team's slackening effort on defense: "For about a year and a half, we were in the top three or four teams in the league defensively, and over the second half of the year, we've worked our way to the bottom three or four" ...
* For whatever reason, Julio Lugo just can't hit in his home park. He puts up .227/.301/.324 numbers at Tropicana Field ... He's a prime example of Piniella's defensive frustrations, as he's committed six errors over his last eight starts. He was used solely as a pinch-hitter in yesterday's matinee ...
* The versatile Aubrey Huff is really heating up at the plate, having hit in six of his last seven (.467) with three homers, seven runs scored and seven RBI ... He's had a tremendous second half (.348/.399/.613) after a subpar start to the season, and he's topped 100 RBI for the second straight year -- making him just the second Devil Ray to have done so. Can you guess the other player to do it? He's an old friend ... He's scored 14 runs against the Jays this season, putting up a .328/.408/.623 line against us ...
* Tino Martinez has also hit in six of seven (.364) ... Just 8 of his 22 homers have come at Tropicana Field this season ... There's still some life in the veteran's bat, as he's hit .296/.415/.537 in September ...
* Carl Crawford is 7-for-7 on the basepaths in September ... He's had considerable success hitting at home this year, posting a .319/.355/.500 line, including 12 of his 17 triples ... Crawford's made only two errors all season in left, but his second took place on Monday night and could make its way onto a blooper reel near you. After playing a David DeJesus drive off the left-field wall, Crawford's throw to the cutoff man squirted out of his hand, and the ball dribbled into centerfield. DeJesus made it all the way home on the play ... Crawford's been bothered by a nagging right (non-throwing) shoulder, and he aggravated it by crashing into the wall on Monday, chasing a Joe Randa drive ...
* His running mate in the outfield, Rocco Baldelli, has posted solid stats against the Jays this season (.313/.365/.458) ...
* Tomorrow's starter will be 24-year-old Dewon Brazelton, a former Blue Raider from Middle Tennessee State ... Brazelton is 0-3 over his last five starts, with the Rays losing all five games ... With a low strikeout rate (57 in 108 IP), Brazelton relies on coaxing grounballs and solid defensive play behind him. As the club's defensive performance has declined, so has Brazelton's success on the mound ... He turned in a solid six innings on Monday, yielding three runs and taking a no-decision against the Royals ... He's a completely different pitcher at home (6-2, 2.30). He's an ugly 0-5, 9.62 away from the Trop ...
* Jorge Sosa, once again being used in short relief, has taken the loss in each of his last two outings ... Lefthanders have hit 13 of the 15 home runs Sosa has allowed ... He's lost six of his last seven decisions ...
* Toby Hall is riding an 0-for-12 slump ... The powerfully built catcher's homerless streak now numbers 29 games ... He's been a virtual zero at the plate in the second half (.224/.270/.347) and against the Jays this season (.217/.265/.261) ...
Probable Batting Orders
vs. LH
6 Lugo
5 Upton
8 Baldelli
3 Huff
9 Cruz Jr.
4 Cantu/Sanchez
DH Diaz/Martinez
2 Hall
7 Rolls/Crawford
vs. RH
7 Crawford
9 Cruz Jr.
5 Huff
3 Martinez
8 Baldelli
DH Cummings
6 Upton/Lugo
4 Cantu
2 Fordyce/Hall
Pitching Probables
Friday: LH Hendrickson vs. Towers
Saturday: RH Brazelton vs. Bush
Sunday: RH Bell vs. Chacin
Bullpen Usage
Long: Gaudin R, Halama L, Nunez R, Webb R
Short: Carter R, Sosa R, Seay L
Setup: Harper R, T Miller L
Closer: Baez R
