Edwards: The curious case of the Rays’ eighth inning
From Craig Edwards at FanGraphs on July 25, 2019:
If you looked at the eighth inning play-by-play of Wednesday’s game between the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays, you might have spotted something unusual, though not that unusual:
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The unusual part is that Adam Kolarek pitched to two batters in the inning but did not do so consecutively. This isn’t that unusual. The Rays have employed a similar strategy before. Joe Madden has done it with the Cubs. Whitey Herzog did it with the Cardinals back in the 1980s. It may be unconventional, but it isn’t against the rules. It should not cause great delays in games. It did, however, cause an issue in this game. After Kolarek had moved to first base, Chaz Roe got Mookie Betts to fly out for the second out of the frame. Then Kolarek moved from first back to the mound, and trouble ensued.
Instead of seeing baseball on their screens, fans saw baseball types standing around.
Read the full article here: https://blogs.fangraphs.com/instagraphs/the-curious-case-of-the-rays-eighth-inning/
- Related link: Check out a comprehensive list of all Waxahachie Swaps, compiled by SABR member Rob Neyer
Originally published: July 25, 2019. Last Updated: July 25, 2019.