RAYS POSTCAST: The Tampa Bay Rays HOLD ON FOR DEAR LIFE for a win vs the Texas Rangers

0:00This is the Lockdown Podcast Network celebrating 10 years of your team every day. This is the Ray's Post-Cast. Your instant game reaction to the Tampa Bay Ray's part of the Lockdown Podcast Network. 14 every day. Hello and welcome to the Tampa Bay Ray's Post-Cast. You're spot for instant raise reaction after every single game. My name is Jonathan Chiehl. I'm going to do after a raise win for the first time in what four years in in Texas. Raised win seven to six, but at what cost? That's what we're going to break down. We're going to talk about how I don't think this is good news on Brian Baker. I mean, potential disastrous kind of I.L. News today for the race that we're going to break down. I'll get clubbing your struggle again. I'm going to score again. We're going to break that down. We're going to have a Nick Martinez was really good.

1:01He's better than his stat line showed how the offense was awesome in Brian's score position. But first we got to talk about the race finally. Finally, got to win in Texas. This is what you'll be talking about. I mean, Texas is still just a house of horrors. Yes, the race got a win here today, but I'm a client of hand. Rodriguez going to I.L. Baker's velocity was way down. I mean, he's 96 97. He was at 91 his last few pitches. That is, I don't know, doing the postcast. We don't get to see the post game interviews with Kevin Cash and all that. I'm not lost for this is Brian Baker. Sir, if you want to put on a short list who are five players that you don't want to be hurt for the race. You go Yandee Junior, Oranda, Rasmussen Martinez or you to Martinez or Baker for me. I mean, those are the five and six guy five or six guys that are kind of irreplaceable. And I don't know. It's not good, not good.

2:02But it's finally when the offense was awesome with the rounds of score position. That leads us to our play of the game. This is the lock down player of the game. So this ended up being a crazy game when it seemed like the race had the game in hand. So our play of the game is going to be twofold one. It's going to be co-play of the game. Jonathan, Ron and Junior, coming up both coming up insanely insanely clutch in this game. Junior with the big RB. I hate that we're talking about this second, but Aronda getting the raise on the board and they coming up with the big RB. I double as well. The offense as a whole. I mean, I think they hit 500 with runners and score. And business new day just awesome. I mean, Yandee Diaz continues to be awesome. Chandler Simpson with another just too hit game because that's all he does at this point. But our turning point also came from this offense in the night. Time to reveal where the game was once or lost. It's the turning point. You know, when it felt like everything was getting out of hand after that seventh inning, the offense goes down insanely quietly in the eighth. And then the race gave a massive insurance run in the night.

3:02And that was a turning point. You know, the grand slam was brutal. It was a gut punch, but it wasn't a knockout punch. And Junior stepping up and just lacing a ball into center to tie the game. Also Mateo pinch running there did a great job as well. And then obviously you get that cushion, you get that two run cushion that the raise ended up needing because of the raise who normally never walk guys walk five batters tonight. And it seemed like every batter they walked and they've come around a score. I mean, just about it. It's just a little bit unlucky for the race tonight in that regard. I was the grand slam had a lot to do with that. Junior's in the ninth inning was insanely clutch because then what happens in the bottom in the bottom side of it. Obviously bigger of the two walks and then, you know, because that coaching, you're able to sustain a run there and still come out on top. So a big win for the raise, but again, we're looking at potential disastrous news coming up here in the next few hours. I don't know. I'm not going to speculate on what happened with McLean and any time you have a bow tightness like he says he thinks he's going to fish it before them the year. I mean, I'm not going to say anything.

4:02I think that the main one is more fatigue. I think he'll be fine, but I mean losing Brian Baker. It's almost hard to do a post cast after a win because all you're thinking about is Brian Baker. I mean, he's been the best reliever and base second best reliever in baseball this season outside of Mason Miller. Yeah, he's one of the five most important players on the team for the race. But with that being said, Junior's sitting in St. Luclusch on the ninth also have to shout out the race fifth inning because after the Ronda and Richie Homer made it two. One after the Rangers took the lead, they just want to work. I mean, just just death by a thousand cuts, you know, the two RBI doubles a single Chandler's speed being a problem and a double play always somehow leads to run just how this how the race do it all over the base pass. Just causing causing havoc everywhere. And you know, the Rangers did something smart. They put an opener in front of Kamar Rocker and he started with one of the race got to Kamar Rocker. It's like they saw red and we talked about it yesterday that the race were going to play better today. Yesterday, they got in late. Yeah, blah blah blah all the excuses. You know, there's such things that's like scheduled losses and it's for so they talk about time hockey.

5:06If you guys follow hockey, you know, Dave Michigan and company, whatever they talk about scheduled losses, you know, it'll say and you have a back to back and other teams been resting for two days. Like that's a tough game to win. I'm not seeing on base, but it's a little bit different. But yeah, I was very encouraged by the effort I saw from the team today and something I expected to be completely honest because that's who this team is. You know, over 162 games season, there's one comment on on the post guys yesterday after it went up, it was like, I hope you guys didn't sprint the beginning of the marathon that is the season. I don't know something done. And you know, we're 140 games in like the race or not the race or not a sprinter in this like there are long distance marathon runner in their first place right now. And because this is what they do, you know, when the pitching down the offense picks them up when the offense is down, the pitching picks them up. And yeah, you have walls here and there it's baseball is what happens. But I expected it is very encouraging when I expect the race to play well because that's who I think this team is and then they go out there and play substantially better today than yesterday.

6:08Much cleaner outside the walks. I mean, the defense was crisp. I mean, Chandler, I've been one of the songs I'm about without time about Chandler's catch and let feel I mean, that was spectacular from Chandler. But you know, when you get down to it, I think this is who the race are, you know, not the team we saw yesterday and really not the team we saw in the last game in the med series either. And I think they've proved that through the first, I shouldn't say the first through the, you know, 141 games so far this year, which is crazy. 141 for whatever they're at. We're winding down the end of the regular season and figures crossed. We're going to have postseason postcast for the first time in our in the short history of the temporary postcast. But anyway, we still have a lot more to talk about. We've gone this far without even talking about the pitching outside of Brian Baker and unfortunate news there again anyone in there. If you're keeping up on Twitter, whatever, drop in the comments. If there's an update on Baker, if cash is speaking now or whatever. And you know, if you're listening to audio the next day, you guys probably already have an update. But yeah, not not good to say the very least. I don't anticipate there being much of an update tonight. But, you know, we'll see anytime. I knew you knew you knew who's going to leave the game is Vilo, which is so down.

7:16But we'll talk about the pitching Brian Baker, get clever and like Martinez all that more right after this. This episode is brought to you by Amazon. A big thanks to our friends Amazon for this limited ad break. This back of school season spend less on your kids with Amazon. We all know how crazy the back of school shopping experience can be. It starts with a few items on list and suddenly your shopping for supplies, clothes, lunch, gear, tack and about 10 other things you didn't see coming. It has up fast. When your kids definition of need for back to a shop is a lot definition than you need. Somehow the list keeps getting longer every time they look at it. Explain the need versus one conundrum this time of year. It's just as just become an annual part of the process. And when the teacher supply list arrives and somehow every item feels completely responsible on its own, they add everything together. You realize just how much stuff one kid needs for one school year. So remember, both the Amazon's low back school prices just spend less on your kids because every dollar you don't spend on them is the dollar you haven't spent on them. Shot back school Amazon and spend less on your kids. If you guys are in the live, please make sure to leave a liking comment. Raise when first time winning in Globe Life Park for the first time since 2022.

8:24Quite a run that was the title of the video. A properly says, you know, appropriately says the curse has been broken. Hopefully, you know, the curse. I think just maybe took the reason by a different kind of way today. But that means that let's get to the extractor for today. It's time to reveal who made the biggest under the radar impact with today's expactor. I thought Nick Martin was awesome today. He's been the stopper all year. Whenever the raising the big time start, he delivers. And his stat line looks worse than actually was because of the Gary Clevanser equipment and Grand Fland. He only gave up one earned run from his pitching. Yeah, it should have been two. I'll give him to two earned, but the three earned, I think, is a little tough because that was a runner on first. I don't know. I don't know. But, you know, he walked, he walked a guy that the walk was was started the whole thing. Then you get the broken back single from Carter and then obviously Clevanser comes in and everything went downhill. But what if we talk about with the Martinez? He gets the two strikes better than any race picture out there. And that's what the race freaks get to two strikes get to two strikes and then do your thing from there. And he does that better than anyone. That's what it allows him to be so successful. When he's in the zone with two strikes is incredible, incredibly difficult to hit one because his delivery is a little bit funky.

9:29And then he comes at you with the fastball, change up with the result of curve, whatever it is he's going to ask you. He generates so much weak contact. And sometimes you get frustrated because that that week that that week. Contact sometimes falls for hits. So, you know, as I'm saying that March, he's still doing his job, but a lot of times the week contacts us comes up. I mean, he'll get dinged for home runs he did today, but I mean, he's just been so consistent all year long for the race. And he's been a rock for the race when my goodness, the race, I've needed him. I mean, if you told me, Nick Martinez is your MVP of the team this year, I wouldn't, I wouldn't blame you. I mean, I wouldn't even bad and I. When we talk about the good, we talk about the guy to talk about bad, like Garrett Clevanger. I, the last few years he's been unbelievable and Evan classic is treated. He's this year's Kevin Kelly. He's not as bad as Kevin Kelly was last year, but because you guys remember, I mean, Clevanger had a stretch where he didn't give up a run for a while, but.

10:31His last four outings have been really bad and. You know, I don't, I can't see here and say that there's a fix like he gave up one earned run in July, you know, he gave up two six or just a few runs in June, you know, he gave up three runs in May. Like this is in April, he wasn't good. Main April wasn't good and in late August and September. He hasn't been good. And his whole season got thrown out of whack because of the World Baseball classic and he didn't pitch. He didn't have a spring training and spring trainings. It's not. It's for the pitchers more from the hitters. Yeah, pitchers, you got your time. Whatever pitchers is some most important and during his spring training, he just didn't throw. And that really affected him and he came back on the aisle came back and just find again, not to the top there, but he was good consistently good for a while. And I think we talk about, you know, going on with Baker some people are standing the comments. It's just an illness, which is awesome. That's the case. But if you're it's for clubbinger, you might be seen in high else stand here just as a reset. You know, he can't go to Durham, nor should he go to Durham.

11:36But I don't know, I don't know with with clubbinger because the stuff is there. Like his Vila hasn't dropped off the movement is in there. I think a little bit is mental, but in the race need him need him. We talked about floor razor ceiling movers. He's a floor razor for the phrase like the race need him in order to be just mediocre in my opinion. And you know, he hasn't really been that in. Obviously, we talked a lot about Brian Baker. I appreciate all you guys in the comments in here giving updates on that. Obviously doing the show right after, which is awesome. I appreciate all you guys joining in. We don't get the updates on injuries. And I think this was the biggest injury update so far this season. So early report or early reports are that it's just illness for Baker, which would be unbelievable. If that's the case, unbelievable in a good way. Obviously, but let's look at tomorrow so much is going on the race, the race, the race, but tomorrow. And they would take on the Rangers game three of four. And it will be Drew Rasmussen going to the mountain against Jacob to ground what a starting pitch and headline that is. And we talked about this other day with the ground. The Groms good is still really freaking good.

12:42And I don't know to meet the Jacob to ground was the best picture of the last few years when he was with the mess from 2018 through 2021. I don't know if I ever feared a picture more than Jacob to ground and injuries robbed us up to those years, what were generational act that what I thought was going to be generational runs. He barely pitched the first two years with the Rangers. And this the last two years has been his first extended time with the Rangers. And you know, he's been fine this year, standing now with the four year, right last time. Now how does seven and he's one hit eight strikeouts. No walks go. It's pretty good. The game before that though, he gave up eight or only gets the white socks. But then the game before that he went 10 strikeouts six hits or six and he's one, only one hitting us in the national. So he's been very inconsistent in August. But his good has been best picture and baseball good, which is, which is what he's been through a majority of his career. So whenever the Grom goes the amount, even though what he how does he now he's 38 now, you still can take it lightly.

13:44And he's a race counter with your Rasmussen, who is coming off six and he's up to earned ball against the Padres. And the raise have won. Jesus, let's go back with it one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight straight, your Rasmussen starts. So let's hope that that street continues because the race needed. I mean, would love to at least come in here with a split because you go to Atlanta after this in Atlanta is an absolute wagon right now. I'm going to go to the movies once again today. So the game tomorrow is a seven o'clock first pitch for the race. And then, so we'll go and go to the comments. We'll start with Jackie says you keep saying it's not the pitching that will cost us the postseason. But a couple of losers has fallen off 11, you, I said this and it's easy to say and I don't necessarily agree with you because a few really just have fallen off. But don't take the last 10 games out of the previous 130 like the raised pitching staff has been phenomenal this year. The raised pitching staff is the main reason they are where they are. So maybe I'm wrong. Maybe they get swept by in the ALDS by the Yankees and the pitching games of gives up eight earned every time. Maybe, but you know, you never know. We'll see. We'll see.

14:53And after that, we will go to Dante Hamilton says, is anyone else hate the camera views or any of these? It's just me also used to be a club manager supporter, but he's not be good. Yeah, don't don't say you see that, you know, we still are club manager supporters. We still should be. But yeah, he's been bad. You're allowed to be supporters. Still call out the facts that he hasn't been good. It's not, it's not great. It's good. Mac series says if everyone to give up a lead throw a cleverger in their sit back offense that their thing tonight. Yeah, we touched a promise to talk about the offense more. The offense was awesome. Then with the orange and score position today, absolutely fantastic. As you know, we did touch on a quite a bit, but like, the manager deserves some of this hate a little bit, but again, like, I think it'll be fine. He's a month to figure it out. And it would concern me if his stuff wasn't there. Like the stuff is there. I just think some mental thing. I think eventually he'll go over it as go to Gary. Here's his finally a victory at global life, but concerned about the pitching and shenan manning back on my eye out, Clevanger, not effective again, Baker, uncharacteristic, taking out his game tonight.

15:54Yeah, I mean, yeah, I mean, she and the clan are going on the IO. Thanks a good thing. Like it's hard not pitching for two years. And like the race have six guys for five rotation spots. So it doesn't hurt as much. And hopefully he can come back and pitch in the playoffs and some degree. That's that's what I am hoping as Gary else talks about very important point here. Kevin Kelly really came in as to stabilize the game. He did I thought Kevin Kelly was awesome. And he found it. And he did exactly what he need to do there. Kevin Kelly, who just has been fantastic to to he's been fantastic. And what a bounce back set from last year, we talked about how haven't claski said from Brian, a prime maker, very clever. And he's this year's Kevin Kelly and because Kevin Kelly last year was awful. Like he went to Durham for a part last year. And now here he is. And he's just been otherworldly. I mean, we talk about the race not being where they are, but that Brian Baker, I mean, Kevin Kelly is right there. I mean, he's been he's been fantastic. And a big big one for the race tonight can't take that can't take that lightly. Hopefully all the reports are true with Brian Baker just being sick. Hopefully he feels better because I mean, it's scary when you see a guy that's normally 96 drop all the way down at 91. I mean, that is a huge dip.

17:07And so I'm happy happy that he's okay. But anyway, we're going to get out of here. I appreciate all you guys being in the live. We'll be right back tomorrow. Take a break from some college football tomorrow. If you guys celebrate that, make sure you guys also you can check on the lockdown college football. They do great work over there. Take take some time off and join the race postcast tomorrow, 7 o'clock, first page postcast around 9, 3, 10 o'clock. And we'll be here to break it all down for you guys. Make sure you guys leave a like, comment, subscribe. And we'll see you guys tomorrow. Hopefully after a race win. Thank you for making locked on your first listen every day. For your second listen, find the all night locked on MLB game night. Every game every night until a world series champion is crowned. Get local analysis on a national scale. Find MLB game night on locked on MLB on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts.