Search Results

BY LILY BELCHER The American League star pitcher and left-handed ace for the Tampa Bay Rays Shane McClanahan is set to face Los Angeles' Goliath, Clayton Kershaw, on the mound in the All Star Game tonight. Backed by a star-studded offense, led by Shohei Ohtani batting leadoff, McClanahan is prepared to make the biggest start of his career at Dodger's Stadium Tuesday night. McClanahan is a young 25-year-old fastball pitcher in his second season in the big leagues. In just 18 games and 110.2 innings pitched, he boasts 10 wins and the lowest ERA and WHIP in all the majors at 1.71 and .795, respectively. The Baltimore native has the highest strikeout to walk ratio in the American League and is tied for second with Gerrit Cole for most strikeouts at 147 (CWS Dylan Cease leads the Majors with just three more). For those of you who may not understand the weight of these stats, McClanahan is one of the best pitchers in baseball and he has the numbers to prove it. While there were some doubts McClanahan would get the start since AL All-Star Manager Dusty Baker's own pitcher, Justin Verlander, also made the roster, Baker selected the Tampa Bay starter to take the bump in the first inning. In a press conference Monday afternoon, Baker incorrectly admitted he had never seen McClanahan pitch. Baker and his Astros actually did face "Sugar Shane" in the 2020 ALCS game for 1.2 innings. However, Baker has not seen McClanahan this season and forgot McClanahan's Game 6 outing. Last week, before the starting pitchers were named for the All Star Game, McClanahan mentioned Kershaw was his idol when asked who he is looking forward to talking to during the game. McClanahan watched the 34-year-old Kershaw pitch when he was a kid and wanted to pick Kershaw's brain about his pitching technique. If you are not planning to fly to LA and purchase a tickets at record high prices, you can watch McClanahan take on Kershaw at 8 pm on FOX.

BY LILY BELCHER Before the start of the 2022 season, Commissioner Rob Manfred announced that a universal DH would be implemented in the National League, per the new agreement with the MLBPA. The NL lasted nearly 50 years (save for the screwball 2020 season) without taking on the DH after the AL adopted the rule in 1973, but the change was welcomed into the league this year. While a traditionalist appreciated the difference in the leagues, it was a much needed rule as injuries have increased significantly, according to a report by The New York Times. A 2011 study published in the National Library of Medicine indicated that pitchers are 34% more likely to face injuries compared to the rest of their defense. Pitchers, obviously, are more prone to upper body injuries, whereas fielders/batters are more likely to experience lower body injuries. Forcing pitchers to bat will increase their already high likelihood of being injured as they take on the risk of lower body injuries batters face. The universal DH has also led to a better offensive performance. It’s no question that most hurlers can’t hit to save their lives. It’s funny to watch some 6’6 fastball pitcher stand off the plate making pathetic attempts to make contact with the ball the first time, but it gets old. Pitchers are a guaranteed out and, even when they do manage to get on base, cannot run as aggressively to avoid injury. Manfred has also made it clear he wants more offensive production to capture the audience’s attention and the universal DH accomplishes this goal perfectly. A 2020 article by sports writer Jon Anderson shows the comparison between pitcher and DH batting statistics. Pitcher’s batted .126 compared to the .251 batting average of their DH counterparts and pitchers struck out about 16% more. Now, the new rule hasn’t completely abolished pitchers hitting. Colloquially known as the Shohei Ohtani Rule, pitchers can still choose to bat and can remain in the game as the DH even after they’ve thrown their last inning. This rule allows for two way stars, like Ohtani, to showcase their rare batting skills, but not being forced to do so. This means that pitchers who think they are good at the plate, like Zach Greinke or Jacob DeGrom, are more than welcome to pick up a bat and play offense for a change. But, for the average pitcher who is likely going to make a fool of himself batting, DHs are a welcome addition to this era of baseball.

By: Cristina Hauerstein There's a lot of discussion in sports whether superstitions work or not. Some people go all out - especially during the playoffs - and some just go with what they feel like doing that day. We created a poll on instagram (@chirping.chicks) and we got a bunch of different responses, some from watchers and then some from actual players. From players,we have two people saying that they need to put on their gear a certain way and another says they have a specific stretching routine before getting dressed. For those who watch the sport, we've gotten many responses. Some have kept the same phone wallpaper since the 2020 playoffs or wear the same t-shirt for every game they get to go to. A classic that we've gotten is people wearing their favorite jersey to a game or listening to "hammer time" (not more than once) before the game starts. Other superstitons that we've gotten were wearing mismatch socks on game days, wearing a specific outfit or piece of clothing during the playoffs aside from the jersey and not thinking about the game in general before and during it - it leads to assumptions that always backfire. Some people also have noticed that when it thunderstorms in Tampa Bay, the Bolts usually win (there must be something in that lightning...). And for some home games, viewers have said that they usually sit in the same spot in their house, watch the game at the same volume and not eat during the game. Now, many of those superstitions usually start off as a coincidence but what are the chances them working (almost) every time? Probably pretty low but maybe having no superstitions and not believing in them works too.

BY LILY BELCHER Sunday afternoon's 7-5 victory over the O's left the first half of the Rays' season on a high note heading into the All-Star Break. Tampa Bay is second in the AL East standings, ten games over 500 with a game and a half lead over the third place Toronto Blue Jays. Their starting pitcher and ace is preparing to (hopefully) start in the All-Star game and their offense scored five runs of more in five of their last eight games. It looks great on paper. But, during this week, the Rays need to address key issues if they want to secure a playoff spot in just 80 days. 1: Communication Taking a close look at the past few games has revealed a growing issue for Rays defense: communication, or the lack thereof. An increasing number of fly balls in the outfield have fallen between the centerfielder and corner infielder. There have also been a number of collisions or almost collisions as both players are running straight at each other. I know players around the league have had similar issues and claimed the crowd was "just too loud," but I have a hard time accepting that answer when the Rays are hosting around 13,000 per game. It's an issue that's understandable with a team that changes so often. The lack of a dependable lineup with the same group players each day may be the culprit, but its a problem that will get worse if there's no improvement after the break. 2: Consistency The Rays as a team have been very hot and cold this year. They recently lost three games to the Reds in an embarrassing sweep, but turned around to take four against the Red Sox. This pattern is highlighted by the Yankees being consistently good and making the rest of their division look like laughing stock. But, aside from teamwide consistency, the Rays lack reliable hitters and have no "clutch guy," who we know can pinch hit and get a key single in the ninth. Fans are noticing it too. One week, they call for Taylor Walls to get sent back down for his pathetic defense and mediocre batting, and the next they're claiming he's rounded the corner to become the star infielder the Rays needed without Wander Franco. Josh Lowe is another hitter who has shown he's capable of hitting doubles with RISP, but his average still stays well below .200. He's a fine addition to the lineup, but not someone I would have enough confidence in to pinch hit in a high leverage situation. 3: Contracts It's no secret that the Rays have been subject to a painful number of injuries and, unfortunately, there is nothing they can do to speed up the recovering process for the 17 injured men. If the Rays want to make a serious playoff push, they need to find a way to put skilled big leaguers on the field and the upcoming trade deadline puts them in a great position to do so. Adding a few veterans or proven hitters to the roster may be the best way to address the injury problem plaguing the Rays. The pill that's going to be tough to swallow is who has to leave. Am I proposing trading KK? As much as I hate to admit it, yes. Am I suggesting looking for a new catcher while ours recovers from surgery? Possibly. All this said to remind Rays fans that the deadline is fast approaching and they need to come to terms with losing some fan favorites if they have hopes of winning the World Series despite the injuries. Let me know if you agree here!

BY LILY BELCHER The Rays snapped the Orioles hot 10-game winning streak Friday night, while extending their own win streak to five games in a 5-4 victory at Tropicana Field. Luis Patino, coming off the 60-day IL with an oblique strain, had a shaky three and one-third inning start, giving up two early runs off four hits and no strikeouts in the 56-pitch outing. Still, Patino hit the pitch count Kevin Cash expected from him in his first start since April. “I felt good about how I felt about my arm today,” said Patino through translator Manny Navarro. The Rays trailed the O’s 2-1 heading into the bottom of the sixth with Tampa Bay’s only run coming from an RBI double by Yu Chang to score Isaac Paredes from first. With two outs in the Rays’ sixth frame, Josh Lowe hit a double down the right field line. Yu Chang followed with his second RBI double of the night that painted the right field line to tie the game as Baltimore pulled their starting pitcher, Tyler Wells. Francisco Mejia hit a third consecutive, double of the inning off Baltimore’s reliever and the Rays took the lead at 3-2 setting up another runner in scoring position. Christian Bethancourt pinch-hit for Luke Raley and sent a line drive just over the low left field fence by the foul pole. Baltimore left fielder Anthony Santander started to fall over the wall but came up empty handed. Officials waited for review to determine if the ball was, in fact, foul or a two-run homerun for the Rays, who waiting anxiously on the dugout fence. As umpires took off their headphones and announced the homerun, Bethancourt trotted the bases for his first homerun in a Rays uniform while the dugout celebrated. “In the five days I’ve been here, I learned that this team doesn’t give up no matter the circumstances. We’re going to grind and we’re going to fight and we’re going to get out there and not give up just easily,” said Bethancourt. Cash’s middle relievers filled in for the rest of the game, with only Colin Poche giving up two runs to Baltimore batters to bring the final score to 5-4. The Rays will host the O's Saturday at 4:10 with Ryan Yarbrough set to face Dean Kremer on the mound.

BY LILY BELCHER For the third time in franchise history, the Rays swept the Red Sox in a four-game set with a narrow 5-4 win, thanks to an offensive spark in the seventh inning. Drew Rasmussen took the bump at the start of the game but gave up three runs in his six-inning outing, including a solo shot by Rafael Devers, wild pitch to score Jarren Duran, and an RBI double by Xander Bogaerts (3-0). Kutter Crawford, on the other hand, kept the aggressive Rays offense at bay, holding them to just three hits going into the home half of the seventh inning. In true Rays fashion, however, Tampa Bay batters capitalized off Boston leaving in their starting pitcher for one inning too long and then lit up John Schreiber, who relieved Crawford. A leadoff double by Jonathan Aranda, followed by a single by Christian Bethancourt and double by Josh Lowe, gave the Rays their first RBI of the night (3-1). A two-run bases clearing double by Taylor Walls following the pitching change tied it up (3-3). Walls went two-for-three with two doubles and scored from third off an RBI single by Yandy Diaz. Luke Raley also scored off Diaz’s single after being hit by a pitch (5-3). It could have been a six-run inning, but Diaz represented the second out with an aggressive, yet unsuccessful, attempt to score from first. The Rays settled for five runs after batting around. With Jalen Beeks on the mound as the Rays' closer, Boston threatened the Rays’ two run lead. A leadoff base hit by Xander Bogaerts in the final frame, followed by an RBI double by Alex Verdugo put the tying run in scoring position (5-4). Beeks managed three outs following the two consecutive hits, broken up by a walk to Kevin Plawecki. After the final groundout of the game, the Rays congratulated each other with high fives as fans waved broomsticks under the orange roof. The Rays will host the Orioles, who have a surprising ten-game winning streak (the second longest active in the league), this weekend for the final three games before the All-Star break. The Orioles are clinging to playoff hopes, hanging 1.5 games out of the AL wildcard spot. Meanwhile, the Rays extend their lead to 2.5 games, sitting comfortably at first place in the wildcard race. Friday night’s first pitch is slated for 7:10 at Tropicana Field.

BY LILY BELCHER The Wednesday night 4-1 victory over the Red Sox wasn’t anything special on the surface. It wasn’t a blow out or a shut out or even a game filled with homeruns. But it was, by all means, a morale booster, putting the young Tampa team within reach of a four game sweep of the Red Sox. But what stood out the most was another solid performance by Rays ace and All-Star Shane McClanahan. As the young USF grad took the mound for game three against the Red Sox, the rest of MLB watched and debated who should get the start in the Midsummer Classic: Shane McClanahan or Astros veteran Justin Verlander. Verlander, 14 years McClanahan’s senior, makes a good case for the starting role (especially since Astros Manager Dusty Baker will coach the All Star Game), but McClanahan has a lower ERA, more strikeouts, more innings pitched, and a higher strikeout-to-walk ratio. McClanahan, by all means, should be named American League Starting Pitcher. “Sugar Shane,” as he is called by fans and coaches, tossed his seventh consecutive start pitching at least six innings with six strikeouts AND giving up one run or less and four hits or less-the longest streak in baseball history. “I thought it was a good performance, battled a good team. They’ve seen me play quite a bit over the last couple of years,” said McClanahan. This heightened pressure on McClanahan (and the rest of the Rays) to stay healthy has led to a very cautious training staff. During the third, McClanahan landed on his left foot awkwardly with a grimace. Kevin Cash quickly came out alongside a trainer to check on the ace, who laughed and promised he was fine before they reached the mound. Still, McClanahan threw a pitch to prove to the trainers he really was fine. He admitted in the post-game press conference that it did sting and the trainers had every right to come out to check on him, but he brushed off concerns that he would join the rest of the Rays on the injured list. After being relieved by Adam with one out in the seventh, McClanahan received a standing ovation by Rays fans and tipped his caps to the cheering crowd that expects to see him on the bump at the start of the All Star game. “It was pretty cool,” the 25-year-old left hander said about the crowd’s response. “I definitely want to thank them all for coming out and supporting us. It’s been a tough year so far with us with a lot of injuries, but we’re still trying to come here and battle every day.” The Rays will host the Red Sox in the final game of a four-game set Thursday night at 7:10.

BY: Cristina Hauerstein The Tampa Bay Lightning have had a lot of success for almost a decade- two Stanley Cups and they have made the playoffs eight times in the last nine years. The organization has been able to build a team - on and off the ice - that is close to perfect. There's no doubt that this team can win a third cup within this decade. The Bolts have NHL superstars Forward Nikita Kucherov, forward Steven Stamkos, defensemen Victor Hedman, goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy and forward Brayden Point. With all these players healthy, the team is insane. Just like Victor Hedman, who had arguably one of the best seasons in 2021-22 with 20 goals and 65 assists as a defenseman, adding up to a total of 85 points in 82 games. But it's not just those elite players that makeup a winning team. You have players like forward Ross Colton and forward Anthony Cirelli, who recently signed an eight year contract with the lightning, who are playmakers. Colton with the game winning goal in game 5 against the Montreal Canadiens during the 2021 Stanley Cup finals and it secured the back to back win at home for the team. Now, soon comes a new season to prepare for and General Manager JuIien BriseBois has taken action this post-season. From trading defensemen Ryan McDonagh to the Nasvhille Predators, Defenseman Jan Rutta to the Pittsburgh Penguins and losing Forward Ondrej Palat to the New Jersey Devils, who where both big parts of the Lightning organization for many years, to Resigning Forward Anthony Cirelli (6.25 M) and Both defensemen, Erik Cernak (5.2 M) and Mikhail Sergachev (8.5 M) all for eight years. Though loosing really important players on and off the ice due to cap space, the team has been able to preserve most of those players who have been in the team at least the past three seasons,a nd that they have proved to be succesful despite the recent loss against the Colorado Avalanche. The lightning also has players that as new as they are, they have shown that they have value and room to grow, just like defensemen Cal Foote who was drafted in 2017 made really good defensive plays in the 2022 playoffs which saved the team from unwanted opportunities from the opposite team, and forwards Brandon Hagel and Nick Paul who came on the team this past season from other NHL teams and also proved during the playoffs their abilities as offensive players. All of these players have a lot of chemistry with each other while they play and when they are concentrated and ready to fight they create amazing plays that can lead to wins throughout the season and in the playoffs.

BY LILY BELCHER ST.PETERSBURG--With last night’s 3-2 win over the Red Sox, led by Chris Sale making his season debut, the Rays reclaimed second in the AL East as they dance a half game over Boston, staring down the final two games of a four-game series. Corey Kluber took the mound at the Trop Tuesday night, tossing six innings with seven strikeouts and giving up only two runs. He retired the first twelve batters he faced before running into trouble with the second half of Boston’s lineup in the fifth. Back-to-back base hits by Alex Verdugo and Trevor Story put two runners in scoring position. Verdugo scored off a bunt and groundout by Franchy Cordero and Bobby Dalbec drove in Story with a triple that fell between a sliding Brett Phillips in centerfield and Randy Arozarena in left. Rays’ batters answered in the bottom half of the sixth with a leadoff base hit by Harold Ramirez and a walk to Isaac Paredes. Pinch-hitting Francisco Mejia snuck a groundball base hit through the left side of the infield, scoring Ramirez and moving Mejia into scoring position. Chaos ensued during Taylor Walls’ at bat as a comebacker to Red Sox relief pitcher Matt Strahm’s hand forced Strahm to make a quick toss to get a running Walls out at first. The throw went past Cordero and into foul territory, allowing Paredes to round third and score. Cordero recovered and tried to stop Mejia from advancing past third, but overshot, sending the ball flying past the backstop and Mejia scores standing up. The three-run sixth inning for the Rays was enough to take the win over Boston and extend their winning streak against the Red Sox to four games this month. The Rays will face the Red Sox again Wednesday night with the first pitch scheduled for 7:10 as Shane McClanahan faces Josh Winckowski on the mound. Predictions for tonight's game: McClanahan tosses at least 100 pitches and 7 innings. Diaz has a good offensive night (including an RBI double). Christian Bethancourt gets his first hit in a Rays uniform pinch hitting after the bullpen takes over for McClanahan. Other Notes: Yandy Diaz extended his on base-streak to 15 games. The 30-year-old is batting .303 with a .416 OBP, striking out only 33 times in 320 at bats this season. Shane McClanahan will make his final start before the All-Star break Wednesday night. The sophomore southpaw has the lowest ERA in the league and has nine wins out of 12 decisions, making a strong case to start for the American League in the Midsummer Classic. Wander Franco underwent successful hamate surgery on his right wrist as the Rays have an MLB-high of 16 players on the IL.