Don’t look now, but the Tampa Bay Rays have third-best record in American League. Given that, the Yankees look pretty good rolling into town with a 4-2 record against the Rays and a 2-0 record at the Trop this season, but then it’s been nearly a month since these two teams last met. The Rays were 6-8 when the Yankees last left town, but are 15-7 since then, 13-5 over their last six series, and are coming off a sweep of the Angels.
Just as they planned it, the Rays have been winning on the strength of their pitching and defense, particularly since getting Scott Kazmir and Matt Garza, neither of whom has faced the Yankees yet this year but both of whom will start in this series with the latter taking the hill tonight, back from the disabled list. Last by a lot in preventing runs last year, the Rays are now are the fifth stingiest team in the league and are second only to the surprising A’s in least runs allowed per game at home, yielding just with 3.47 R/G at the Trop.
Garza has a 3.06 ERA in three starts since coming off the DL, but with a reverse K/BB of 0.75. He’ll face Andy Pettitte, who is working on an extra day of rest due to yesterday’s rainout.
Tampa Bay Rays
2008 Record: 21-16 (.568)
2008 Pythagorean Record: 20-17 (.549)
Manager: Joe Maddon
General Manager: Andrew Friedman
Home Ballpark (multi-year Park Factors): Tropicana Field (98/100)
Who’s Replaced Whom:
Greg Gross replaced Nathan Haynes (DFA)
Cliff Floyd (DL) replaced Justin Ruggiano (minors)
Andy Cannizaro (minors) replaced Elliot Johnson (minors)
Matt Garza (DL) reclaimed his rotation spot from Jeff Niemann (minors)
Scott Kamzir (DL) replaced Jason Hammel in the rotation
Hammel replaced Al Reyes (DL) in the bullpen
25-man Roster:
1B – Carlos Peña (L)
2B – Akinori Iwamura (L)
SS – Jason Bartlett (R)
3B – Evan Longoria (R)
C – Dioner Navarro (S)
RF – Gabe Gross (L)
CF – B.J. Upton (R)
LF – Carl Crawford (L)
DH – Eric Hinske (L)
Bench:
R – Jonny Gomes (OF)
L – Cliff Floyd (OF)
R – Andy Cannizaro (IF)
R – Shawn Riggans (C)
Rotation:
R – James Shields
L – Scott Kazmir
R – Andy Sonnanstine
R – Matt Garza
R – Edwin Jackson
Bullpen:
R – Troy Percival
R – Dan Wheeler
R – Gary Glover
L – Trever Miller
R – Scott Dohmann
L – J. P. Howell
R – Jason Hammel
15-day DL: R – Al Reyes, R – Chad Orvella, S – Willy Aybar (IF), S – Ben Zobrist (IF)
60-day DL: R – Rocco Baldelli (OF)
Typical Lineup:
L – Akinori Iwamura (2B)
L – Carl Crawford (LF)
R – B.J. Upton (CF)
L – Carlos Peña (1B)
R – Evan Longoria (3B)
L – Erik Hinske (RF)
S – Dioner Navarro (C)
L – Gabe Gross (RF)
R – Jason Bartlett (SS)
