I’m happy that I threw strikes!! I think that I threw a total of 5 strikes in the bullpen….we need to start a rally now…#asg#letsgoAL

— David Price (@DAVIDprice14) July 11, 2012

Yeah, Price actually tweeted that right after he pitched as MLB allowed players to tweet during the game for a change. Here’s a picture of Price tweeting.

.@RaysBaseball All-Star @DAVIDprice14 tweets live during the 2012 #ASG on @MLBONFOX. twitter.com/MLBFanCave/sta…

— MLB Fan Cave (@MLBFanCave) July 11, 2012

Fernando Rodney tossed the 9th in what was extremely far from a save situation, down 8-0, but he did the Rays proud as well, tossing a 12-pitch perfect inning with 3 groundouts. Two pitchers, Verlander and the Rangers’ Matt Harrison, allowed all the runs in the game, and the AL managed just 6 hits. Come on guys! Put the entire Rays team in there and they at least get 1 run! Maybe next year (probably not).

Not all of baseball was happy with the Rays on Tuesday. Commissioner Bud Selig and union chief Michael Weiner talked about the Rays’ attention, as quoted by Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. First, Selig.

“What I’ve said to you in the past, I’ll say to you again, and I’ve said this to Stu quite a bit. I’ve been through a lot of these things over the last 20 years, actually the last 40 years, and I understand that, but, look, they’ve run a great operation, they’re a very competitive organization, they have very competitive teams. As I study the attendance every day, looking where they are, to see that they’re No. 29, I think it is, in attendance is not, is, it’s inexcusable. Nobody can defend that.

“This is a very competitive baseball team.  I know they’ve had a lot of injuries, so on and so forth, and they’ve missing Longoria and all that is true. But the average major-league attendance is between 31,000 and 32,000 and if my memory is serving me well this morning, it’s about 19,000 something, Tampa’s attendance. Now if they were a club in last place every year the last five years you’d say, well, look, after all, you are what you are and you’ve got to do better.

“It’s disappointing. And I know that people down there, some people, will be offended. Not the fans, not the people who go every day and I know they have great intensity, the people there. As all of you know, I watch a lot of games every day, sometimes all 15 of them, and I pay great attention not only to what’s happening on the field, but to the attendance.

“So to use my father’s old line, nothing is ever good or bad except by comparison. I’ll rest my case. It’s disappointing. And I’m concerned.”

You never want to hear your team talked about like that, but it’s not necessarily a bad thing. The Rays need a new stadium to combat these attendance issues and the more unrest there is with the commissioner’s office, the more that process may be facilitated. Here’s what Weiner had to say.

“We want every team to be successful. Not every team can win the World Series every year or win the division, but we want every team to be successful both on the field and on the bottom line. We may have our differences with some of the methods that Tampa employs as far as union versus management, but you have to have respect for what they’ve done with a consistently competitive team they have put on the field and the way they’ve gone about doing their business. And I know that some of the players understandably have expressed some frustration. They enjoy playing there, they enjoy playing for Joe (Maddon), they enjoy playing with their teammates and they competition of playing in the American League East. They’ve never run from it, which to their credit is a reflection of leadership. .. But in the end they have a contract with the Tampa Bay Rays, they play in a certain facility, they play in a certain location, metropolitan area, and those guys are going to play as hard as they can.”

The Rays are a small market team. But they don’t complain. They don’t say “we’re not going to win because you’re not coming to the ballpark.” They just do whatever they need to do to put together contending teams and somehow every year it all works out. That’s a different experience than so many others in baseball. We wish the Rays had a bigger payroll and could the bigger sign free agents, at least occasionally, but because of the circumstances surrounding their team, they have to operate the way they operate. And it works. Is it the ideal? No. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. But we hope that while the uncertainty persists in the public eye, things are happening behind the scenes and eventually circumstances will improve.

A couple other news items: Jeff Salazar, who looked like he made the Rays out of spring training, has been released from the organization per a tweet from the Durham Bulls, and Taylor Guerrieri had a good day at the golf course.

Just made an Eagle from 40 yds out #thatsAfirst twitter.com/TaylorG1201/st…

— Taylor Guerrieri (@TaylorG1201) July 10, 2012

Triple-A International League: Syracuse Chiefs (WSN) 3, Durham Bulls 2 (12 innings)

This game with fun. It’s also near-depressing that they ended up losing. Kyle Farnsworth started the game in a rehab appearance and struck out 2 as he worked around a double in a scoreless frame. Then he was followed by Matt Torra and Torra was really good, going 6.2 innings allowing just 1 run on 4 hits, striking out 6 while walking 1. But he didn’t get the win as the Bulls scored just one run on a Tim Beckham RBI single. This game eventually went to extra-innings, and that’s where it got crazy. In the 11th inning, Bryan Augenstein allowed a Carlos Rivero RBI single. But the Bulls rallied to tie it in the bottom of the inning when Reid Brignac walked, advance to third base on a Matt Mangini single, and then Jeff Salazar scored him on a squeeze bunt. But Jim Negrych hit an RBI single against Ryan Reid in the 12th as the Chiefs won 3-2. Luke Scott went 1 for 5 in his second rehab game and Chris Gimenez was the only Bull with a multi-hit game, going 3 for 5 with a double, a walk, and a run scored.

Double-A Southern League: Montgomery Biscuits 7, Jacksonville Suns (MIA) 6

Anybody find horrific pitching starts funny? I certainly don’t. But if you do, you’re in for a treat. Jacksonville starter Omar Poveda couldn’t record a single out allowing 3 hits and 3 runs. But James Leverton tossed 4 innings of 4-run ball and Alex Colome was a disaster for the Biscuits, allowing 6 runs on 8 hits in 3 innings, striking out just 1 while walking 4. But the Biscuits came back from a 6-3 deficit on a run-scoring balk, a Mark Thomas RBI double, a Hak-Ju Lee RBI single, and a go-ahead RBI groundout by Thomas as they won this game 7- 6. Alex Koronis, Neil Schenk, and Adam Liberatore combined for 6 shutout relief innings and the offense had a good day. Kyeong Kang went 3 for 5 with 2 doubles and 2 RBI. Ryan Garko went 3 for 5, his third consecutive 3-hit game, raising his average all the way up to .344. Hak-Ju Lee also went 2 for 5 with his 26th stolen base of the season.

High-A Florida State League: Charlotte Stone Crabs

In case you’re wondering what the heck has happened to the Stone Crabs, they have had 6 consecutive games rained out, most recently because of Hurricane Debby. They’ll resume play… eventually.

Unbelievable, Drew. (Credit: Flickr user whitecapwendy)

Low-A Midwest League: West Michigan Whitecaps (DET) 13, Bowling Green Hot Rods 11

This game was as crazy as it gets. Jake Floethe allowed 6 runs on 6 hits in 2 innings and every Hot Rods pitcher in the game (4) allowed at least 2 runs. Bowling Green trailed 9-4 after 6 innings. But they got 1 run in the 7th and then they got 6 more to take an 11-9 lead in the 8th. The star of the inning was Drew Vettleson. Vettleson drilled a bases-clearing 3-run double and later in the inning stole home! Wow. Josh Sale and Matt Rice had the inning’s other RBIs. But Andrew Bellatti and Austin Hubbard allowed 4 runs in the bottom of the inning as the Whitecaps won 13-11. Vettleson had a ridiculous game, going 4 for 5 with a double, a walk, the steal of home, 4 RBI, and 2 runs scored. Four other Hot Rods had multi-hit games: Ryan Brett, who went 2 for 5 with a walk, his 20th stolen base of the season, and 2 runs scored, Matt Rice, who went 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored, and then two of the Rays’ top prospects other than Vettleson had nice games as as well. Josh Sale went 2 for 5 with a walk, his 5th stolen base of the season, an RBI, and a run scored. And Tyler Goeddel had his best game in way too long, going 2 for 3 with 2 walks and 2 runs scored. He has quietly reached base 11 times in his last four games.

Short Season-A New York-Penn League: Hudson Valley Renegades 4, Brooklyn Cyclones (NYM) 2

The Renegades got excellent pitching and rallied from a 2-1 deficit in the late innings to win this one 4-2. Matthew Spann got the start and was decent, allowing 2 runs on 6 hits in 4 innings, striking out 3 while walking 3. His groundout to flyout ratio was 6-1. Reinaldo Lopez and Dylan Floro, the Rays’ 13th round pick in 2012, both tossed 2 shutout innings, with Floro’s coming in his pro debut. And in the 7th inning, the Renegades rallied for 3 runs, with the big hit coming on a 2-run double by Deshun Dixon. Floro earned the win in the game. Tommy Coyle also went 3 for 4 with a double and 2 RBI while Justin O’Conner went 1 for 3.

Advanced Rookie Appalachian League: Greeneville Astros 8, Princeton Rays 7

Another game, another attempted comeback, and this one fell short. Kevin James started for the P-Rays and was not particularly good, going 4 innings allowing 4 runs, 3 earned, on 5 hits, striking out just one while walking 3. He did post a 6-1 groundout to flyout ratio. He was replaced by Hugo Duarte, who also struggled, allowing 4 runs in 3.1 innings.  The P-Rays almost made up for it, pulling back within 8-7, but that would be the final score. Brandon Martin went 3 for 4 with a walk, 2 stolen bases, and 2 runs scored, Juan Morillo went 3 for 5 with 3 RBI, and Omar Narvaez, Reid Redman, and Daryl George all had 2-hit days.

Foreign Rookie Venezuelan Summer League: VSL Mariners 12, VSL Rays 6

Let’s be honest: we have completely ignored the Rays’ Dominican and Venezuelan Summer League here at RCG- other than the fact that promising catching prospect Oscar Hernandez played in the VSL. Well, I actually saw this one, and accordingly I’ll discuss it. Get ready to hear about a bunch of players you’ve never heard of before and may never hear of again.

The VSL Rays got some solid offense, but an utter disaster of a start ruined them in this one. 18 year old right-hander Yerwin Sanchez got the start and couldn’t managed to record an out, allowing 2 hits, 2 walks, and a hit batsmen, leading to 4 runs. Abrahan Rodriguez steadied the ship a little bit following him, allowing 3 runs, earned, on 5 hits in 5 innings, striking out 1 while walking none. Rodriguez is 17 and already 6’2″, 185. The game was quickly out of reach, especially after some poor bullpen work, but the VSL Rays did show some good offense. 19 year old first baseman Iago Januario (great name) went 2 for 4 with an RBI and 2 runs scored, 22 year old (gasp) catcher Nohisglin Rivero went 2 for 4 with a run scored. The other RBIs came from 17 year old catcher Kevin Barrios (2), 17 year old third baseman Jhonnathan Teran, and 18 year old second baseman Norly Suarez. Maybe it’s a good thing that we haven’t been following the VSL Rays- they’re 10-27 on the season.

Triple-A International League: Durham Bulls 5, Indianapolis Indians 4

We start with a positive note- although this game certainly did not. Shane Dyer and the Bulls fell behind 4-0 after 1, most of that from a bases-clearing triple off the bat of Jeff Larish, but Dyer recovered to allowed just 1 hit over the next 4 innings, tossing shutout ball as he struck out 4 while walking 3. Dyer and the Bulls were rewarded for keeping the deficit at 4 when they finally rallied in the 6th, tallying four runs to tie the game culminating with a Juan Miranda two-run blast. The game would remain scoreless until the 10th, when Jeff Salazar led off the inning with a line drive down the left field line that was misplayed and he hustled it out into a go-ahead inside-the-park home run. Dane De La Rosa closed it out in the 10th as the Bulls won 5-4. Shawn O’Malley went 3 for 5 with a stolen base while Miranda went 2 for 4 and Reid Brignac also went 0 for 2 with 2 walks.

High-A Florida State League: Jupiter Hammerheads (MIA) 6, Charlotte Stone Crabs 5

Grayson Garvin had a dud of a start, tossing 4.2 innings allowing 5 runs on 5 hits, striking out just 1 while walking 4. 2 of the runs were on a two-run triple by Marlins top prospect Christian Yelich. The Hammerheads had a 5-2 lead after 5 and extended it to 6-2 with a run in the 8th against Victor Mateo on an Alfredo Lopez RBI single. That would prove to be the difference in the game. Philip Wunderlich drilled a 3-run homer in the 9th against Michael Ojala to pull Charlotte within 6-5. In came Jupiter closer Michael Brady, but Brett Nommensen greeted him with a double and Kevin Kiermaier followed with a single and a stolen base. But Alejandro Torres struck out as the comeback fell just short. Wunderlich and Mikie Mahtook each went 3 for 5, but it was not enough in this game.

Low-A Midwest League: Lansing Lugnuts (TOR) 6, Bowling Green Hot Rods 4 (10 innings)

The Hot Rods got a first inning 2-run homer in the first inning from Todd Glaesmann before Parker Markel gave it back in a short 2.2 inning stint as he continues to build his arm strength back up. But Charlie Cononie allowed 2 runs in the top of the 9th on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch and an error, and the Hot Rods would have to rally in the bottom of the inning. They did so in resounding fashion, with Glaesmann and Joshua Sale drilling back-to-back homers to tie the game. But in the top of the 10th, Trevor Shull allowed a 2-out, 2-run triple to Kenny Wilson as the Hot Rods lost 6-4. The heroic efforts of Glaesmann, who went 3 for 4 with 2 homers and 3 RBI were not enough.