Post by Commissioner Erick on Jan 26, 2019 0:40:14 GMT -5
New York Yankees (79-64) @ Tampa Bay Rays (78-66)
NYY: Luis Severino (10-7, 3.71)
TB: Madison Bumgarner (16-5, 2.88)
The Tampa Bay Rays started off the season going 0-6 against the New York Yankees. Over their last seven games, the Rays have gone 6-1 against the Yankees.
Separated by just 1.5 games and with six games against each other, whoever is better head-to-head down the stretch, the Rays or the Yankees, will almost surely decide who wins the AL East.
Madison Bumgarner faces off against Luis Severino in a huge Game of the Week matchup that will play an outsized role in determining the AL East champion.
Pitching has kept the Yankees from pulling away with the division in September. For most months this season, the Yankees have posted an ERA in the 4's. They've also slugged all season, ranking second in the AL in home runs, and only hitting fewer than 40 once. However, their pitching has deserted them this month as their 5.35 ERA is 11th among AL teams this month. As a result, the Yankees have only gone 6-6 in September.
Three of the Yankees starters have an ERA over 5 for the season. A fourth, Masahiro Tanaka, sprained his oblique and will miss some time. The Yankees will be fortunate that the fifth starter, Severino will take the mound tonight. Severino hasn't been able to go deep in games recently, not going more than 5.0 innings his last four starts. However, he's been extremely consistent in keeping the Yankees in games all year. Only once has he allowed over four earned runs in a game, a main reason why he has a 10-7 record and an ERA of 3.71.
Severino was the ace of the Yankees staff the last two seasons and he produced a 2.83 ERA in 2018 and a 3.56 ERA last year. However, he was an abject disaster in the postseason last year, going 0-5 in five starts with an 8.51 ERA. There are fears that he clamps up when the pressure is on, and his inability to go deep portends ill-omens regarding Severino's character. That being said, he did work to a 1.64 ERA for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic this Spring. Since none of those games were in the Semifinal Round or later though, he still has people to prove.
Speaking of poor postseasons, Severino will be matched up with Madison Bumgarner. Previously a postseason legend, Bumgarner was lit up for nine runs in 4.1 innings by the Minnesota Twins in last year's Wild Card Game, dissipating much of Bumgarner's mystique. He followed that up with a 10.80 ERA for the United States in a dreadful World Baseball Classic. He allowed six runs in two of his three starts and looked washed up.
Bumgarner was allowed to leave by the Texas Rangers, and all he's done is work to a league best 2.88 ERA with a 1.08 WHIP. Nobody has more WAR than Bumgarner's 5.9 and only teammate Steven Matz has more strikeouts than Bumgarner's 197. He's been an ace and has catapulted an already strong staff to the number two ERA among starting pitchers in the league.
Bumgarner's allayed fears that the 2019 Wild Card Game was the beginning of his end. However, Mad Bum hasn't gone deep into games of late, working three straight starts of 5.1 innings. The Rays don't have a relief pitcher with an ERA below 3.70, so they're vulnerable in the late innings.
What Tampa Bay is not vulnerable to anymore is poor first base play. After being benched for most of the season, Casey Gillaspie has worked himself into a timeshare at first base with Eric Hosmer. After his awful start, Gillaspie has begun to turn it around. He hit .375 with four home runs and a .444 OBP in a limited number of at bats in August. He's followed that up with a strong .860 OPS in September. Eric Hosmer, meanwhile, tied the Rays record for hits in a game on Friday when he banged out five against the Boston Red Sox, joing Joe McCarthy, Thomas Nido, and Brad Miller twice. Hosmer has a .421 average this month as a result.
With Hosmer and Gillaspie both mashing, an improved first base may result in first place for the Rays.
Questions for the GM's:
For Greg Masceri, a few injuries have hit your team, forcing prospect Yeison Corradera into the starting lineup. What's a good scouting report on him for those who don't know him?
Esteban Robles doesn't have the batting average he had last year. Do you fear that he's slipping?
Gary Sanchez had such a hot start, with an average of well over .300 and nine home runs in April. Do you feel like your fortunes turned when he stopped slugging homers?
For Graham Stratford, you spent a huge amount of money on Bumgarner this offseason. Did it feel like you were taking a risk or did it appear to be a smart investment?
You've moved Andres Giminez up to second in the order. Why did you move him there?
Since July 25, Alex Colome has only allowed two runs. How much do you trust Colome in a big spot right now?
NYY: Luis Severino (10-7, 3.71)
TB: Madison Bumgarner (16-5, 2.88)
The Tampa Bay Rays started off the season going 0-6 against the New York Yankees. Over their last seven games, the Rays have gone 6-1 against the Yankees.
Separated by just 1.5 games and with six games against each other, whoever is better head-to-head down the stretch, the Rays or the Yankees, will almost surely decide who wins the AL East.
Madison Bumgarner faces off against Luis Severino in a huge Game of the Week matchup that will play an outsized role in determining the AL East champion.
Pitching has kept the Yankees from pulling away with the division in September. For most months this season, the Yankees have posted an ERA in the 4's. They've also slugged all season, ranking second in the AL in home runs, and only hitting fewer than 40 once. However, their pitching has deserted them this month as their 5.35 ERA is 11th among AL teams this month. As a result, the Yankees have only gone 6-6 in September.
Three of the Yankees starters have an ERA over 5 for the season. A fourth, Masahiro Tanaka, sprained his oblique and will miss some time. The Yankees will be fortunate that the fifth starter, Severino will take the mound tonight. Severino hasn't been able to go deep in games recently, not going more than 5.0 innings his last four starts. However, he's been extremely consistent in keeping the Yankees in games all year. Only once has he allowed over four earned runs in a game, a main reason why he has a 10-7 record and an ERA of 3.71.
Severino was the ace of the Yankees staff the last two seasons and he produced a 2.83 ERA in 2018 and a 3.56 ERA last year. However, he was an abject disaster in the postseason last year, going 0-5 in five starts with an 8.51 ERA. There are fears that he clamps up when the pressure is on, and his inability to go deep portends ill-omens regarding Severino's character. That being said, he did work to a 1.64 ERA for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic this Spring. Since none of those games were in the Semifinal Round or later though, he still has people to prove.
Speaking of poor postseasons, Severino will be matched up with Madison Bumgarner. Previously a postseason legend, Bumgarner was lit up for nine runs in 4.1 innings by the Minnesota Twins in last year's Wild Card Game, dissipating much of Bumgarner's mystique. He followed that up with a 10.80 ERA for the United States in a dreadful World Baseball Classic. He allowed six runs in two of his three starts and looked washed up.
Bumgarner was allowed to leave by the Texas Rangers, and all he's done is work to a league best 2.88 ERA with a 1.08 WHIP. Nobody has more WAR than Bumgarner's 5.9 and only teammate Steven Matz has more strikeouts than Bumgarner's 197. He's been an ace and has catapulted an already strong staff to the number two ERA among starting pitchers in the league.
Bumgarner's allayed fears that the 2019 Wild Card Game was the beginning of his end. However, Mad Bum hasn't gone deep into games of late, working three straight starts of 5.1 innings. The Rays don't have a relief pitcher with an ERA below 3.70, so they're vulnerable in the late innings.
What Tampa Bay is not vulnerable to anymore is poor first base play. After being benched for most of the season, Casey Gillaspie has worked himself into a timeshare at first base with Eric Hosmer. After his awful start, Gillaspie has begun to turn it around. He hit .375 with four home runs and a .444 OBP in a limited number of at bats in August. He's followed that up with a strong .860 OPS in September. Eric Hosmer, meanwhile, tied the Rays record for hits in a game on Friday when he banged out five against the Boston Red Sox, joing Joe McCarthy, Thomas Nido, and Brad Miller twice. Hosmer has a .421 average this month as a result.
With Hosmer and Gillaspie both mashing, an improved first base may result in first place for the Rays.
Questions for the GM's:
For Greg Masceri, a few injuries have hit your team, forcing prospect Yeison Corradera into the starting lineup. What's a good scouting report on him for those who don't know him?
Esteban Robles doesn't have the batting average he had last year. Do you fear that he's slipping?
Gary Sanchez had such a hot start, with an average of well over .300 and nine home runs in April. Do you feel like your fortunes turned when he stopped slugging homers?
For Graham Stratford, you spent a huge amount of money on Bumgarner this offseason. Did it feel like you were taking a risk or did it appear to be a smart investment?
You've moved Andres Giminez up to second in the order. Why did you move him there?
Since July 25, Alex Colome has only allowed two runs. How much do you trust Colome in a big spot right now?
