Welcome to the Post-ASG Break (RTR Ep. 229)

The All-Star break is officially over. The unofficial 2nd half of the season has begun and the Rays are in the midst of their most important stretch of the season, a six-game homestand in Tampa before a grueling two-week road trip on the West Coast.

We talk about that, look back to the All-Star festivities in Atlanta and more on this latest episode of the podcast!

Thanks so much for listening! You can follow RTR on social media @RaysTheRoofTB and be sure subscribe to the podcast!

A big shout out to our partners, SeatGeek, In The Clutch and JKS Prints! Use code RAYSTHEROOF for $20 off your first SeatGeek purchase, 10% off anytime with In The Clutch & $5 off at JKSprints.com!

As always, Rays Up!

Episode Transcript

(00:12):
It's time to raise the roof for our first podcast in the post
All Star break 2025 season. The Rays are and every other
baseball team is out of the All Star break at this point.
Well needed All Star break for the Rays and for us a lot of not
worrying about baseball, which was honestly pretty nice.
We do have plenty of things to talk about on this episode, from

(00:33):
talking about the start of the quote UN quote, second-half of
the year post All Star break, Also talking about the All Star
game, talking about the Home RunDerby, talking about the draft
we got the draft the Rays signedanother high schooler or drafted
another high school. Expected to sign today I believe
too. Yes, yeah, yeah, that's what I
saw. Tompkins just tweeted it out.

(00:54):
He said like 25 minutes ago. As of this recording, Daniel
Pierce, shortstop from the Atlanta area, is expected to
sign today. He was a 14th overall pick.
The Rays got some other guys that that we'll go into a little
bit more detail moving forward. But yeah, plenty of exciting
things to talk about. I know that we're excited to see

(01:16):
the Rays back on the field, eventhough with how everything
started, with how everything ended at the end of the first
half. But the boys are here.
I'm your First off. I'm your host Alex Murphy with
me, my Co hosts Evan and Gibby. The boys are here.
How we doing today guys? We're doing great.
Alex Gibby here. I've just been kind of chilling,

(01:40):
you know, it was great watching the All Star break, you know,
Junior Caminero, home on Derby, whatever.
I've also been listening to the New Clips album that dropped
recently. That was great.
That was just some music news right there, but.
Oh, was that why I've been left in 10?
I'll give a 10, yeah. Yeah, I understand.
We did give it a 10. It is pretty much a 10.

(02:02):
I would I would have to agree with him.
But yeah. So yeah, that's a great album.
And you know, some OK Ray's stuff going on, you know, the
last week that we didn't have to, you know, worry about
someone tweeted, someone tweetedEdwin, you say why would you put

(02:23):
Edwin? You say that.
Oh yeah, last night. Yesterday and I I literally
instinctively checked and checked the onion on the game.
I was like, wait, I I'm going tothink in the first game starting
back up, what am I doing? Why am I checking?
But that was a hard tag, so. But yeah, that's how I'm doing

(02:47):
it. How you doing, Evan?
I'm. Good.
We made it through, guys. We made it through the worst
sports week of the year. It's it's over.
I mean when? I went to a last match that's
just crazy, but did they play? No, the was that because because
I'm back in June. Oh oh.
You're back home? I forgot, right?
Not bad, but yeah, we made it through a week full of pretty, I

(03:13):
mean, off the field race news has been incredible.
We'll get into that more. But yeah, frustrating end of the
end of the first half of the season, but what are you going
to do about it? Once again, hopefully the often
off the field news kind of propels his team forward.
So. But yeah, excited for some

(03:34):
meaningful sports to start back up because I feel like I don't
know, luckily. When did you go to the MLS game?
Is that Wednesday? Wednesday night.
Wednesday. Nice, nice.
Yeah, I, I don't know how well. But yes, we made it through.
Is my thing coming through rightnow or is it it does does does
it sound a little bit wonky? No, it sounds fine.

(03:56):
Sometimes you, sometimes you're a little glitchy.
Yeah, well I am. I heard I have my birthday this
week, which was a lot of fun. Was very excited to to enjoy
that with some family, some friends back home.
Happy late birthday. Thank you.
Happy late birthday. The Union treated me to a win,

(04:17):
so it was very appreciative of that.
So it was good times. And it did not rain at the match
because it was supposed to rain that night and it did not rain.
So that was definitely a positive there.
But going into Ray's stuff specifically, I think it's best
to start off with everything that's going on with the All
Star Game. So the race had four
representatives in the All Star Game.

(04:37):
Bila didn't play, but Bila has been activated off the IO and he
will be playing this weekend against the Orioles.
But the race had a pretty good showing.
Rasmussen threw a scoreless inning, Aranda had a run, a walk
and hit. Junior made some nice plays at
3rd and also had a hit. Junior also showed out in the

(04:58):
home run. Derby made the final which he
was I think whatever that like Derby score thing was he had
like the lowest one and of course he made the final and
almost had a shot to win. So wanted to ask you guys about
your thoughts regarding the Derby regarding the All Star
game because the Rays had a really good showing regardless
of what happened with the whole swing off thing.

(05:18):
Because I don't really understand why Boone decided to
put a Ronda in, but that's just me.
Yeah, I mean, it was, I mean, itwas a good showing from the Rays
other than, yeah, kind of the game being on a Ronda there and
then, yeah, Boone really put himon the spot there.
Yeah. I like the tweet that said Boone
decided somehow managed to mismanage an All Star game and

(05:42):
so so that's great. You know, the first time that
how long has it been since the NL last one?
Because it was like a was it like 4 years?
They won a couple years ago, I think, but they'd only won one
in like the last nine years I think.
Yeah, it was some, it was some ridiculous thing.
And then of course, yeah, it's the one time the AO loses.

(06:03):
I I told my friend that he should probably bet on the AO
and he did. And then he lost money, but it
wasn't much money. So I don't feel too bad for
that. But you win some, you lose some.
But yeah, it was great showing overall in the Rays.
The swing off was exciting, but it left to some to be desired,

(06:24):
you know, in the end. But it was, I think it's a great
way to end the game because I don't think you should just keep
playing an All Star game after 9innings if it gets tied.
So it's a great way to end. And also remember that MLB, the
they actually interviewed Jose Aranda, you know, the MLB.

(06:46):
That's my guy right there. Jose Aranda, All Star.
Jose Aranda, they were able to interview him.
I mean, I'm talking about Jonathan Aranda, but.
Yeah, I was going to say he sounded really good in the
interview, by the way. Yeah, and they were asking him
about the first half and he was like, he's just like, are you
proud of your first half? And then he was like, because of
recent weeks, he was like, he gave, he gave like a he, he kind

(07:09):
of had a face about. Yeah, he had to push back on it
a little bit. Yeah.
He was like, you know, we weren't quite as good as we
wanted to, especially at the unit, but but yeah, so he
recognizes that and I think it was, I think it was a good
answer from him. So I think the rays were well
represented. Yeah, it was actually the
National League. It was the second time that they

(07:31):
won in the last three years, butthen before that it was the
American League won like 8 straight years, No 9/9.
I think yeah, I. Think outside of 2020 because
2020 was the weird year that that obviously there was nothing
that happened. Yeah, I think that the ALS won
10 out of the last 12, which is.Pretty good, yes, I can confirm.
And the two and the two ones that the NL one were by one run

(07:54):
and then and the swing off so. And of course, both of them kind
of had the raise involved. If you remember back to 2023,
there was a certain guy who was in the batter's box who almost
hit a Homer in the 9th inning and is no longer.
I forgot about that, yeah. And Yandi Homer did in that
game, right? Yandi did Homer in that game.
I remember that. That was the Randy Homer Derby

(08:17):
year. Yeah, he he almost.
Did a Homer in the 9th I totallyforgot about.
Homer in the 9th I totally forgot about #5 doing that I
almost jumped out of my I. Holy cow, that's kind of a weird
memory to think about. I I got so excited and I
remember that clearly now. Wow, thanks for bringing.

(08:38):
Thanks for bringing that up. No.
That that wasn't sarcastic. That was like, I mean, obviously
he is different, but that was kind of a cool memory.
Just thinking it was like holy cow, he was what, 2 inches away
from or sorry, 2 feet from walking off the wild card or the
All Star game, which would have been cool.
But but yeah, I mean, this game,I mean the game itself was

(08:58):
pretty incredible. I mean NL was up 6.
Nothing 6 and then lead and theycame back.
And then the AL kind of came back decently, seemingly easily.
I mean, Rooker hit that. I mean, he destroyed that ball.
Rooker. Also, awesome revenge for the
home run. Dirt.
Let it be known. Let it be known that an inch
matters. An inch makes all the
difference, but don't let anyonetell you anything different.

(09:20):
That was BS how how how Raleigh was able to cut.
He won in it by an answer, then went on to beat our junior
because I also had I, I don't know if anybody else bet on
junior, but I would have won a nice little chunk of change if
he won so that that stunk in addition to just my fandom for
him losing. But that's OK, that happens. 2nd

(09:41):
place story of our lives. Yeah.
And I mean, yeah, the but no, itwas a great game.
It was a great game. Like the the drama at the end
with Quan and the infield singleto tie it.
It was it was a really fun game to watch.
And the Rays, I feel like they usually play well in the All
Star game. I mean once again, like you
said, Aranda got on base twice, including a hit junior I think.

(10:05):
I think Junior got the first hitfor the yeah Junior broke the no
hitter. That's what in the third inning.
Hell serious. It was serious by then.
Also Turks. Also Scuba might be a bum.
I mean he why he gave up three runs in the first inning.
I think I mean. Is the side Young bid over?
Wasn't he? Giving an interview during this
start I. Think he was on the mic?

(10:27):
I think he was on the mic when he first started.
I think all of the Tigers didn'tdo well in that game.
Like I don't think any like. I don't think they cared.
You know, I, I see, you know, I see an advantageous position
there. It's like, how about we just not
try very hard and you know, I don't have to.

(10:48):
Evan Not every Rays player has done well in the All Star game
because unfortunately Sugar Shane did not fare well in his
one inning in LA back in 22. He had some struggles.
He gave up like one run though he got a double play at the end
of it to limit the damage I. Don't know, I think he turned up
two, but it should. Have been worse, yeah, it should

(11:09):
have been a lot. It should have been worse.
Like I remember, I think he got double play to end it, but it
should have been worse. But you're right.
I also have kind of a hot take about the Tigers also.
I I I think that they're pretty.I don't know, every game that we
played against them, they didn'timpress me at all.
And I know that they're very good team.
They have a very good record, but I wouldn't be surprised if

(11:30):
they get bounced early. I'm I'm going to say that now
you can probably clip that and pull takes exposed or whatever
that site is, but. So you're saying 2024 Orioles
equals 25 Tigers? I do.
I think because I think a lot ofit, I think the Tigers, I don't
know, some of the guys in the Tigers, it's like.
I trust the Tigers more than I trust the Orioles, though.

(11:50):
The Orioles were so good last year.
Like the Orioles, 2 Two straightyears they were really good.
I don't know about that. I mean, I mean, they didn't have
Batista last year. Remember that.
But they had burns, though. Burns was unbelievable.
I, I, yeah, but if you're talking about like a frontline
starter, I'd rather have school than Burns.
That's true. That's true.

(12:11):
But no, no, I'm not. I'm also talking about the
Tigers offense. I think the Tigers offense is
over performing a bit. I like, I don't like, like, I
don't know, they're kind of based on guys who can you rely
on them when it matters most, like Labour, like Javi.
I mean, Mckinstry is an All Star.
Like, I mean, is that ever gonnahappen again?
Like kind of guys like that who are seemingly having like an

(12:32):
unbelievable season who I don't know if they can keep that up
the whole time. Sorry, that was that was a
tangent that I did not mean to take that on, but.
I want to say Kyle Schwarber. It's an absolute shame that he
wasn't in the Derby and Jazz wasin the Derby in instead of him
because Schwarber might. Oh dude, I forgot.
About that he's he's his swing is is is optimized for home

(12:54):
runs. He's like the one guy where like
if he did the Derby it wouldn't matter because he is a home run
swing regardless. Yeah, I mean, Kyle Schwaber was
great. Chad Chism.
Oh my God, Have some pride man. Three dude, I was.
That was, that was sad. Dude, I was.
I was mad watching you and I wasa race fan, dude.
I should have been laughing, butI was just mad.

(13:16):
I was just mad the whole time. I'm like, oh, this is Boone
doing. He made and he mismanaged the
the Home Run Derby. The guy I.
Don't think he's just that, but who cares?
Whoever that kid who robbed Junior, that guy's a legend like
Roger. Like, I'm glad.
Oh yeah, that guy's actually, you know, I actually respect.

(13:37):
Yeah, how cool is that? Like, how cool?
I mean, of course it's like that.
It happened against Junior, but it didn't matter in the end
because it counted. But like.
You can't blame yourself. For that like if I'm in that
position, I'm robbing it too the.
Kid from does a sick head cobra like right when he does it and
it's it's so. Funny.
That's crazy though, the fact that like, what do you?

(13:57):
I mean, it was a clean robbery too.
It wasn't like it was, it was clean.
Like he got it. It was.
I mean, the whole thing was likeorchestrated.
It was definitely a home. Run too.
He was not, he's not that tall. He wasn't that tall.
So I mean, he he jumped up there.
I mean, that was a big play. Props that guy.
And it was definitely a home runtoo, like.

(14:17):
It was a home run. It was legit.
Robbery, Which it's like, that'snot easy to do.
And I kept hearing that they counted it, but did they
actually count it? Yeah.
Yeah, they did. They did count it.
OK, cool. So.
Yeah, wouldn't matter how many. Kids But yeah, I say if you can
make the catch, make the catch, you know, and they'll count it
if they have to count it. I mean, I'm sure that makes it

(14:38):
hell for the broadcast, but it'sfun for the kids.
I mean, they're out there anyway.
You know it's better than getting hit by a like a hot.
Well, I, I was going to say, think about like the Home Run
Derby and think about like the one thing that that you're not
supposed to do is like one of the kids that shag is to catch a
home run. It's like rule #1 is do not rob
a home run. That's their entire job is yeah,

(15:02):
catch everything that is not a home run I.
Was going to say don't do the thing that the kid did on
Monday. That's like the entire Derby,
Yeah, I think. I think the only rule is
survive, honestly. I'm going to be honest.
It's like please don't get hit by.
Well, I was what was it during the home run or during the All
Star game? Because I went out to go get

(15:22):
some drinks with friends. They had the rerun of the 21
Derby where Alonzo won for the first time.
And there's that thing in the finals where the kid, like,
tears his ACL and is getting like, carried off the field by
like, medics and stuff like that.
Oh my God. And then Alonzo's just like,
bobbing his head in the Oh my. God, dude, that dude's a menace.
What? A menace that's so brutal that.

(15:46):
Yeah, I want him on the team. I I want Alonzo in the Home Run
Derby until he's 80 years old. He needs to be in it every
single year. I I think Alonzo should be in, I
think Schwarber should be in it.Like I know that Schwarber
didn't want to do it this year, but like, he's such a good home.
Like he's just he there, there are guys where like you're
you're like, oh, I don't know ifI want this guy in the Derby.

(16:09):
I mean, I'm sure that there weresome people that doubted O'Neil
Cruz, even though he hit a ball that basically cleared the
entire 518. Yeah, it was like 513.
It was nuts. But then like you have guys like
Jazz who like can hit home runs,but like, they're not their,
their swing isn't optimized to hit home runs.
Like if you have guys where their swing, like they are a
power hitter and their swing is optimized to hit a home run,

(16:32):
like Schwarber or like why? Why am I blanking on the guy?
Oh, like, like, like Alonso? Then it's a completely different
situation because then you're like, yeah man, these guys, it
doesn't matter what their swing is.
And it's the fact that Alonso acts like it's game seven of the
World Series every time and he is dead lifting and he's he's

(16:56):
like a rejecting Gatorade from the kids because he's too
locked. In and I, I just.
It's the funniest thing ever. He's it's it's too good and it's
hilarious how he almost how how he was going to be in like he
didn't that's going to do. It though, yeah, shout out,
shout out Kyle Stowers, by the way, Marlins legend hit a bomb
in the in the in the proceedingsalong with Randy.

(17:19):
He could have, he could have been, he could have been like, I
guess the walk off home run in the All Star game, but Aranda
never gave him the chance, so that's kind of funny.
Yeah. I mean, what is it?
Rooker hit two? And First off, going back to the
whole Rooker thing, I don't I'venever seen stat cast be that
calculated before. Yeah, that was.
Like, now, I'm not saying that it isn't, but I'm like, whoa,

(17:43):
that's like that's we're like talking like pie decimals here.
Yeah. There was, what, 15 decimal
places? Yeah, it was ridiculous.
It was just just swing off at that point.
Come on, like we want to see. Normal runs.
That's a little fun. That's the whole point of the
Derby is just to see home runs. Well, and then the whole thing
people talking about like, oh, the swing off was a fun thing

(18:03):
and it's like Major League Baseball going back to like they
didn't need If you, if we think about the whole Home Run Derby
thing, I think that the timed rounds are fun and all that
stuff. But honestly, the whole 10 out
format was significantly better in the scheme of things.
So much better. And I mean, you see it in like

(18:24):
the stress that it like Betweener was gassed in the
first round of Yeah, of of the Home 1 Derby in the its current
format. And then you go to years past, I
remember Vladi Guerrero hitting like 120 home runs in a night
because he had to to keep doing more and more rounds.
And he was like hitting like 10 each round and he was going

(18:44):
against. I forgot who's going against.
It was, it was, it was. It was 2019 in Cleveland when he
when he faced off against Jock and he hit 4039.
Like, yeah. That was.
Crazy like home run endurance contest.
It wasn't Home Run Derby. And, and people wonder why he
doesn't do it anymore. And like that, that's the reason
he had to hit 120 home runs thatnight.

(19:05):
And he did it. He did a win.
So I feel like there's there's some of that like, you know,
tiredness thing like you want toget like the best available of
the sample size. So I think the 10 out format
might be a little bit better forthat, you know, and then instead
of and then that kind of almost better guarantees the actual

(19:27):
best hitter will win, which I think it worked in this current
format. But you know, I think if junior
won, I think there would have been a debate about that more
because they would have been like, well, the junior have the
junior have more power than. Think Cal.
Rally. Yeah.
Probably not, but. I think I don't hate the current

(19:49):
format as much as like some other people.
I certainly think that the old format is better.
I think that they should go backto it.
I will say something that my brother Will recurring guest
Will said to me the next day. He was like he did think that
the like the bonus rounds hurt Junior the non time because I
think Junior did. He got too picky with the

(20:09):
pitches. Instead of swinging at
everything, yeah, I think he andhe was kind of like rhythm
based, like he he couldn't he was hitting home runs in like in
kind of like 5 at a time or whatever.
Yeah, right. And when when he took the he
kind of took the bat out of his own hand at a ton of a ton of

(20:30):
times during the bonus round, which I think hurt him.
But yeah, it it should go back to the old format like it was
it, it it's just you can enjoy the home runs better.
It's not so rushed. I mean, the only thing why'd
they get rid of it? Because it took too long.
Yeah, I, I, I think that's what it was.
But like because I because I waswatching reduce.
The amount of outs, like reduce the amount of outs then like put

(20:53):
it at six or seven outs instead of 10 like that would help at
the time, yeah. That's true.
Well, I was thinking about like because.
You can actually enjoy the home runs and the cameraman can
actually catch them. I I don't I don't hate the
current format as much as peopledo.
Well, I was gonna say, I do likethe idea of them only having 40
pitches. I think that that has helped

(21:13):
things out because when I went back to watch 2019, which I
forget was Alonzo's first year doing, doing the Derby, You, you
watch that round between Vlad and Jock and Jocks not even
trying to hit a ball normally he's just trying to hit home
runs and his swing becomes so like it looks so bad because it

(21:34):
got to a point, like when they first did the Derby, it was you
had to wait until the ball landed in order to hit the next
ball. So like the winner had like 14
home runs in the last round. And then they got away from that
and they were just like, throw as many pitches as possible to
try to hit as many home runs as possible.
The pitch, the whole jock thing.And it's like, and you're like,

(21:55):
Oh my God, they, it doesn't evenlook like they're, they're,
they're people anymore. It just looks like it like, like
I said, it's like a home run endurance contest.
It looks so much different than what it used to look like.
And I think that the 40 pitches helps things out tremendously.
I think that the four out format, the three out format
with the extra out, if you hit one, 425 is fine.

(22:19):
I just think that, and, and maybe it's because of the, you
know, rounds can go on forever because Hamilton hit like 28 in
a round and, and stuff like that.
Because there's no limit to the amount of pitches that you can
throw there. Like you can take 5 pitches in a
row if you want in a, in a, in aformat like that.
But maybe if you change it and you say like we're going to give
you 10 minutes to get 10 outs orto get as many home runs as

(22:42):
possible when the 10 minutes is up, then you're done.
If they did something like that,I wonder how that would be
because it's a it's a timed format, but you're not stressed
in the same way where you're trying to throw 40 pitches in 3
minutes or whatever it is. Or or just do or or do what they
do now but instead of the timer,just do outs.

(23:02):
Be like 40 pitches or 10 outs, whatever comes first.
That's a good idea like because it want to be a really good
idea. Because it wouldn't be the time,
like it wouldn't be the the rush.
You can enjoy home runs. You could like you can actually
appreciate what is going on instead of being rushed or you
could like it wouldn't take us right or, or do 7 outs or 6 or

(23:23):
whatever kind of that middle ground.
I guess, I guess pitch can go round by round like 30 pitches
or something like that, Yeah, orthat too.
Because it it it, it would like.I mean, that's the only thing
that I I'm not exactly sure why they changed the format.
The only thing I can think of just speculating is because it
took too long, like you said, Hamilton.
I mean, that must I I was. I mean, I remember that, but I

(23:45):
don't remember what time that I don't think I stayed up for the
entire thing because I think it ended at midnight because it
probably took too long. Yeah.
Because one, that that was what it was O eight O 7.
So I remember it was the last. Year it it was more than 30
minutes. His round, his one.
Round his round was a long time.So I, I mean, I don't know if
there's any other reasons that I'm missing that they changed

(24:06):
it. But if, if it's solely because
it took too long, I think there's other way around, other
ways around it than just timing it.
I think yeah, pitch Max, pitch Max, along with outs, I think
could go a long way. We should do it.
Once again, once again, I don't I don't hate the current format.
I think the current format is fine, it's the old one is better
but I think I don't I I still enjoy the current format.

(24:29):
No, I agree. I think we should do the good
hitting Derby and just get a bunch of guys who just hit like
singles and double s in the gap.I mean, arise, Could you
imagine? Yeah, arise like the an Aranda.
What is that thing on like Wii baseball where it's like they
have like the different color shifted per thing and like you
have to try to hit it in the certain.

(24:50):
Like you have to try to hit it to left field.
You have to try to hit it to right field, You have to try to
hit the center field. And if you hit it in a certain
gap, then you get like a certainamount of points.
If they did that, I think that would be cool where it's like
it's like you, you try to hit the ball opposite field.
You you try to hit a pull side, you try to hit it up the middle
and then you get points for that.
I think that'd be interesting. Is that like the classic Wii
baseball? Game.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

(25:10):
That's in like that's in like WISports OG back in like 2006,
2007. Yeah, it's pretty wild.
Well, we, we, I think we've exhausted the All Star chat,
which is great. The Rays definitely represented
well, which was awesome. It was glad to see as many
people that were out there that that were race fans that were
out there also just people on the Rays that that were there

(25:33):
was awesome. But we have a second-half of the
season to get into. The Rays are set to face off
against the Baltimore Orioles this weekend, their first series
back. I think they have a six game
home homestand coming up to get out of the All Star big, which I
think is like the perfect transition for them after what
was going on to go into the All Star break.

(25:55):
I mean you have a massive road trip now.
You have the ability to get things going at home, get on the
right foot against teams that again, I know that the race
event struggles against sub 500 teams, but this is the kind of
homestand that you need to get things going in the right
direction with the opponents that they're facing.
I don't know how you guys. Feel.

(26:16):
No, yeah, I mean, every right now the top four teams are still
in playoffs. Intention.
We're kind of in the 4th place now because of our losing
streak. I don't know.
People have realized that. So that, yeah, we got Red Sox,
Yankees and the Blue Jays up in top and then, yeah, the White

(26:36):
Sox trash at the bottom. We should beat them even though
we were swept by the White Sox famously last season, who are
the worst team of all time. So we'll see how we do there.
And we have been not good in sub500 teams.
We really just got to put it together against the Orioles and
get a series win a calculated series when I think it's been

(27:01):
they've they've played us reallytough.
And, you know, we are really prove ourselves that we're
backing this thing and and that we we really want the the the
playoff spot because this is kind of where we got to get back
in the groove. Because you have another insane
away game spurt for like, I think it's like a nine another

(27:22):
like 9 or 10 days after this. No, they come back for a short
stint against the Dodgers, but after that it's another, you
know, long road game. So this is like one of the
longest home stands remaining. So you got to take advantage of
these games for sure. Yeah, I mean, we all know how

(27:44):
poorly that we've been not only recently, but against bad teams
this season, against teams under500.
I think I'd like to think like, I think it was 3 weeks ago when
the Rays traveled to Baltimore and it was, we're coming off as
series sweep in Kansas City, whothey were struggling at the
time. So that was, I mean, always a

(28:05):
sweep on the road is incredible.Sweep anytime is awesome, but I
don't know if we were expecting to sweep them.
So we were coming in hot and then that was kind of the series
that I feel like started the decline of this team.
I think ever since then, I mean,they lost two out of three in
Baltimore against, I mean, once again, Baltimore, I mean that

(28:25):
they've been very underwhelming to have.
They still have a ton of good talent on that team.
So I don't want to say that they're like bad, but they've
definitely been underwhelming. Definitely team who we should
beat and we I think we're losingthe season series.
I think 4:00 to 3:00 to them. So that's not not good enough.
So I'm thinking hopefully this is the weekend kind of the book

(28:46):
and like bookend the bad stretchwith the Orioles, if that makes
sense. Like it started with the Orioles
and hopefully it ends with the Orioles.
Hopefully we're able to come outof the break hot B Laos back,
which I mean, I I don't know if I I think he's probably the most
important player on this team interms at least in the lineup.

(29:06):
We saw how poorly they were in Fenway last week and in Detroit
without him. So we needed him back.
We needed some like some news togo our way.
Junior was so good in the all like in the Home Run Derby.
So hopefully like that those that kind of mojo translates to
the team. Hopefully we're able to close
that struggling stretch that we've been going through.

(29:28):
And yeah, I mean like if you said these are this is after
these this home stand, we go on the road for 1/2 two and then we
come back home for one and then we go back out what?
And then we go out West for 1234.
Oh yeah, that's a lot of series,the two week road trip out West.
Yeah. So like all encompassed into one

(29:49):
I think for the. Most so it's yeah, so it's a ton
of yeah, it's it's a lot of Rd. games.
Like I will say, like I mean it's not against like the great
the best teams, but that I mean that doesn't matter for the
Rays. We once again, we're not good
against bad teams. So no, it's just important to
get off on a good start against a division rival who I feel like

(30:13):
we haven't been very good against in the division this
season. I mean the Red Sox have won I
think 7 out of nine against us. The Yankees are winning the
season series. Their O's are we have beat the
Blue Jays 5 out of 6 times, but we've got to get back on the
right foot in the division. And then I mean, this is this,
this might be two like it just might be too greedy.

(30:35):
But I think we need to win five out of six of these games.
We need we need to make up some of the ground that we lost the
last two or three weeks. So just considering who we're
playing, that should be feasible.
Hi everyone, Alex here with a quick word from our sponsor
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Thanks so much to SeatGeek for sponsoring us.
And let's get back to this latest episode of Raise the
Roof. And so as we mentioned, three
games for the Rays against the Orioles, three games for the
Rays against the White Sox coming up this weekend and early

(31:40):
next week. I would do pick a player, but I
think this is a more important this is this stretch coming out
of the All Star break for the Rays is going to be the most
important stretch of the season for this team if they want to
make a run towards the postseason because of how bad
things got going into the All Star break.
So First off, what do the Rays need to do in order to ensure

(32:04):
that they've righted the ship, things are going in the right
direction? You know, we're we're back on
that postseason trajectory that they were at in June.
I mean it, it's pretty like it'scomes down to the bullpen.
I mean, the bullpen we sound like a broken record because the
last two weeks it has been. I don't think there are many

(32:25):
words to describe how bad the bullpen is.
I don't I don't know if I've ever seen a bullpen be like this
bad in a specific stretch. I mean, I know the race have had
port bullpens before. I know teams have had that had
bad bullpens before, but for howbad they've been in this
specific stretch has has been, Imean, unacceptable, they've been
terrible. I don't I have a lot of

(32:47):
disagreements on how Cash has managed the bullpen, but I just
get they they need to answer your question.
They need, I mean, you always want to blow out a team, but I
think one of like one of these games against the Orioles needs
to be close the entire way and we need to pull it out because
like I think the bullpen needs some confidence.
I think they need to go out there and just hold down the

(33:11):
Fort and be able to be just to say to themselves, Hey, be like,
there we go. We can, we can get back on the
right path here. But I, I mean, I agree with you
this this week and a half upcoming, just with the deadline
coming up. I mean, it's, it's going to be
huge on depending what we're going to do at the deadline.
I mean, we, we could, we're kindof in that position where we

(33:34):
could go a total buy, we could take a total buying approach, or
we could, this team could look totally different after the
deadline. Like some of the big guys on our
team could be not there because we sell.
So you're totally right. And it's, it's especially just
who with who we're playing this week.
It's a huge, huge week for just for the future of this

(33:55):
franchise. Yeah, Gibby, how do you feel
about this stretch and what the Rays need to do?
Oh yeah. I mean, it's kind of a like what
everyone was saying. It's kind of like a prove it
time if we're really going to keep investing the season or if,
you know, there's going to be some sell off.
So crunch time is now. I think this first game is

(34:17):
really important, really sets the tone.
Got to beat the Orioles. Like we, like I said before the
break, I mean, they've just kindof had our number this year in
terms of being competitive against us in every game.
And yeah, the bullpen has just been not good.

(34:38):
I'm looking forward to Manuel Rodriguez coming back.
I don't think I heard soon unfortunately.
That's not soon anymore. Well, no, because he had elbow
issues. He's it doesn't look promising.
I think that he's we're at the point now where he's hoping that
he doesn't get Tommy John because he when he went, when he

(35:01):
that's maybe. What I heard about.
Yeah, yeah, his Vela went down to like 9192 and it was not
good. And then they had to pull him
out because of that. Well.
And and he was forearm tightnesstoo, right?
Like that that. That started it I think.
Something of that sort. Yeah, but going maybe more like
Joe Boyle getting the multi innings roll or Snyder or Kyle

(35:24):
Snyder saying that or can we catch saying that could be a
possibility. I'm fine with other guys.
I think that Boyle would look really good in that kind of
role. Yeah, I think that'd be great.
Or start getting pressure off the bullpen.
Or start. Boyle and put Rasmussen in the
pen. I just, I think Rasmussen in the
rotation, it's kind of a waste. He pitches 2 innings every time.

(35:44):
It's like, put him in the bullpen.
Yeah, yeah. I mean, I think they would both
have independent value there because you know, we don't have
a starter problem right now, we just have a bullpen problem.
Getting some of those innings off of those guys would be very
good. So hopefully some of the recent

(36:05):
kind of switching around that we've done between AAA and the
bigs kind of works out and they can just be more competitive in
the in the 7th, 8th and 9th innings when we are losing these
games. It's very unlike race season
when those are usually, you know, the when the game's closed

(36:26):
out or you know, we have a slight lead or the offense needs
to pick it up a little bit. The offense is there in the in
the first half of the game. So it's really important that
we're just able to shut the door.
Yeah, no, 100% agree. And it comes down to the players
too. I mean, you know, I, I think
that there's a lot of positives bullpen wise moving forward.

(36:48):
I think having Boyle for the rest of the year, hopefully
having Seymour for the rest of the year with what's going on
with Manrod, I like Seymour. I think that the fact that that
the Rays just chose to not use him until the last game of the
series after he had gotten called up, I think was just
didn't, didn't make any sense because you're not going to have
a guy improving the at the majorlevel if you don't use him.

(37:10):
So I think having both of them involved in a in a larger role
is going to be really helpful. But player wise, before we go
into the news that Evan was talking about later, player
wise, what guys need to be thosekey players?
I mean, it could be someone likeBila who's coming off the IL, it
could be Joe Boyle, it could be one of the starting pitchers.

(37:30):
It could be someone like Pete. Which guys are you kind of
targeting as those guys that need to be the key player for
the Rays during the stretch? I would probably exclude any of
the starting pitching, I guess, if I had to choose, maybe Taj,
but he's been significantly better.
Obviously. I mean, he's always had the
stuff. It's just consistency and I

(37:53):
think 2 or less three starts he's had, he's been really,
really solid. So, but once again, I'm not, I
wouldn't say a bad thing about the starting pitching as a whole
just because it feels like they're the only the good part
of this team right now. I mean, the offense is been
pretty lackluster the last two weeks and we've already covered
how poorly the bullpen is. But I mean, Pete, I would, I

(38:15):
would say Pete has been like he's been very good.
He's had a couple blown leads this season and just a little
bit, I don't know, he's been a little bit off this entire
season. Not that he's been horrible,
but. No, Yeah, there has been some
like heart attack innings that we've had, you know, and before.

(38:36):
And he kind of seems like he's kind of the rock of that bullpen
where it's like if he's shit, like if he's good, then he kind
of calms everybody else down. I don't know if that makes any
sense to anybody, but I think helike, and he's just, he's the
leader. He's I think he's the leader of
the bullpen. I think if he can get just

(38:57):
consistently clean innings, close out games, I think that
could give the rest of the bullpen confidence to do the
same as well. Yeah, I like it.
Gibby. Is there anyone they that you're
targeting, pitchers or hitters that that you think is going to
be important during the stretch?I mean, just Yandi D is
continuing what he did these last two months, just complete

(39:17):
rewrite of the story of the season.
You know, at the beginning he was he was a little bit slower
to the ball. Wasn't the the balls weren't
landing where he kind of wanted them to.
It wasn't thrilled with the new part, but he's kind of come to
his own. He looks like the odd DD as we
know. He's of course going to be
important. Jonathan Aranda for the offense

(39:39):
going to be important. And I've talked enough about the
bullpen, so I won't mention thatagain.
But yeah, just the offense continuing to have a bunch of
guys in their career years because that's what really makes
kind of a playoff team because, I mean.

(40:00):
These bullpens, they can come around.
I mean, we've had awful teams inthe past make it so deep in
playoffs or even win the World Series when they had to trash
bullpen during the regular season just because those guys
were able to just kind of lock in for that playoff run.
So it's it's less worrying aboutthe bullpen.
But when you're not, you know, in the playoff contention, it

(40:20):
gets worrying. So just, you know, just need the
offense to continue having career years between all of
them. So, you know, Brendan Lau,
Jonathan Aranda, Junior Caminero, the the real rocks,
you know, and then Chandler Simpson all the way up and down
the lineup. We just got to it has to be an

(40:43):
OverDrive, you know? He's he's leading off tonight,
which I'm glad I I want him to. I hope he's, I do like him in
the ninth spot, but I hope we see him in the lead off spot
against lefties or against right-handed pitching more
often. So, yeah, which is I'm glad that
he's in the lead off spot today.But Alex, what about you?
I am. I mean, I hate to keep saying B
Lau is my guy, but looking at how different the offense was

(41:05):
without him there compared to the offense with him in the
lineup, I think that him gettinghim just being there.
Remember when Josh Lowe came back into the lineup and how
different the Rays lineup lookedwith Josh Lowe.
I, I wonder how much different it's going to look with B Lau in
there as a guy who can hit home runs, someone who's got nearly
20 on the season. I mean, to have that kind of

(41:26):
power lost in the lineup is it makes a it makes a hell of a
difference on how a pitching staff is going to approach a
team. So to be able to get that back
and be able to have that along with Hassan Kim, who's now who's
now back and fully integrated inthings and and being able to
switch Mangum and Simpson wherever you want and moving
Yandi around and having Aranda and junior be healthy and Lo be

(41:50):
there too. So you you have this.
You have a much different rosterand a much different line up
with B Lau in there compared to not having him in there.
And I think that we're going to see during this stretch how much
different the Rays lineup and offense is going to operate in
having someone like him sit in that 345 spot, because you can

(42:14):
kind of mold the rest of the lineup around the power section
of your order. So I'm curious to see what
happens with that and hopefully it's positive things.
The last thing I did want to mention is something that we
haven't really talked about as agroup.
The raise might be sold by September.
That's it's it's looking like you folks.

(42:36):
I think we're gonna Patrick Zalupski.
Is that his name? The guy the the real estate
developer agent from from Jacksonville, the largest city
in the United States by total area, because you could be like
an hour outside of actual downtown Jacksonville and still
be in Jacksonville, which is a hilarious fact, but it's very
true. Yeah, it's he's the guy.
He's. Oh my God.

(42:59):
It. Just makes me think of that one.
It did. It makes me think of that one
doofus who keeps commenting on our fucking Twitter page.
Oh, this guy was that fart. They said this so long ago.
Good for you, man. Good.
It's just some random dude. Just some random dude yelling at
us. Well, I was going to say, I know

(43:20):
that JP's been on it for a while, but JP?
'S been on it for a while but OK.
Yeah. Don't come yell at us.
Yeah, I mean, come on. Yeah, but now we're seeing like,
you know, Tompkins talking aboutit.
We're seeing the the possibilityof of the Tampa Bay Sun not
being in that that stadium location and Ebor, Ebor might be

(43:43):
back in the picture. The athletics talking about it
now that would be great times talking about it like this is a
weird. I, I don't know how to feel
about this because obviously nothing's finalized yet, but
like, it feels like it's, I don't know.
I don't know how to feel compared to how I felt about
stadium deals in the past and things like that.
Like, I don't know if I want to be excited.

(44:04):
I don't know. Like it, I don't know.
I'm I'm not even, I can't, you can't even look that far ahead.
It's so far away. Yeah, because because he could
always do it to you. It's like, oh, everyone's like,
oh, this is like so official. It's so, so for sure.
But like, you know, he's just done this so many times, you
can't trust him that go ahead. I, I But I do think that there

(44:26):
is unprecedented level of pressure being put on him from
Manfred though, like I. Do think that for sure.
Because, because, Because that'sthe difference between this
scenario and years past. It's like.
I don't think man, he burned thebridge entirely with Saint Pete.
Like you have to realize, had the stadium deal, I feel like
had the stadium deal on Saint Pete gone through, we wouldn't

(44:47):
be in this situation. But the fact that he burned that
bridge entirely and now Saint Pete's like we don't want to
work with this ownership group anymore.
I think. And I, I don't know how Tampa
feels about it, but I'm sure that they feel uneasy about it
considering what happened in 2018 with the whole Tampa thing
or with the whole Ebor thing. So like, as you were mentioning,
like Manfred sees the writing onthe wall and is like, Yep, yeah,

(45:11):
let's not do this. Well, it's just like he he's, I
don't think Manfred's ever been this involved in the process and
he's I, I mean, it's definitely behind the scenes, but there's
some sort of leverage that he had that.
I mean, obviously he has a ton of leverage.
He's a commissioner of the league, but he's he's applying
that leverage in ways that we might not see like, and it's

(45:33):
clear because this definitely seems like there's momentum.
I mean, I I might have a bit of a hot like a different
perspective of Stew. Like Stew.
I completely understand where everybody comes from, like in
terms of the cheapness and that he doesn't go after free of
agents and that the whole small market mentality.
But I will say like he does careabout having a winning baseball

(45:54):
team is just in an in an unconventional way.
Like I mean, there's examples ofthat.
Like he did go pay Charlie Morton a lot of money at the
kind of well, it wasn't at the end of his career because he's
pitched a lot, but he was old though.
He was old. He he gave Neander the ability
to go give to go get a catcher because we identified that the
catching position was absolutelyunacceptable.

(46:15):
Last year. We went and spent and changed
that. Same thing with shortstop.
Like obviously shortstop is unique because a certain someone
kind of ruined that trajectory of that position.
I mean, that was not any of oursfault.
That was, I mean, that was not Stu's fault, but he went to
address that with the highest free agent signing in race

(46:36):
history with, with Kim. So like, I, I, I, I don't
necessarily, I don't like dislike him in that aspect
because he, I truly think that he does care about having a
winning baseball team. However, if you live in the
area, I totally get it because he has been totally a hindrance
in the stadium deal. Like, I mean he totally, he
sabotage he like he sabotage, hedoesn't.

(46:58):
Know what he's talking about on the PR side of things like he.
Yeah. It's never been coached in it
well. That's just because he's also,
he's probably just lying. So he's trying to come up with,
well, he's just coming up with excuses on the spot.
So it always looks bad. But I mean, we we all saw what
he did with the Saint Pete deal.I mean, I don't blame him for
not wanting to put a stadium in Saint Pete.

(47:18):
I don't think that the stadium is the issue.
I've always thought the locationwas the issue.
So I don't blame him for that. But at the same time, it doesn't
seem like he's done much lobbying to move the stadium to
Tampa. So like it's kind of a it's a
one or the other type thing. And he hasn't done either.
So that's where it's like, I don't like they need a new
stadium in Tampa, which I think the new ownership group can do,

(47:40):
can deliver. I will, I will say I am glad
that he is selling to this groupor has decided to even with
pressure and whatever you know, you know, it's not a group that
seeks to move the race. So in the end, I think in the
coming years after the sales complete, if it does get

(48:01):
completed because you still never know what this man did.
But like, if he if it does, I think his legacy will be, you
know, a lot, a lot cleaner when you know the stadium situation
sorted out after his ten years. You know, I think they'll we'll
be able to look back with some semblance of respect and even

(48:23):
people in the area. And that's another thing I guess
the people in the area could thank him for like he he has
kept them in the area for this long.
Like, I mean, I think like as the owner, he could have eased.
Against against what most of thegeneral public thinks, which I
mean, you can just get the sentiment online.
It's like they have no fans. Why even bother over there, you
know? But hey, he didn't listen, you

(48:44):
know. So Pops then.
And, and it's exciting because Ithink this is a huge development
for MLB expansion too. Like, I think, I think this,
this the Rays stadium deal is kind of the last domino to fall
before Manfred can move on to expanding.
So yeah, this has been holding them up for so long.
So I mean. Because it was the A's first and
they're kind of settled in. Like they're kind of that whole

(49:06):
problem, as unpopular as it might be.
But it is settled, yeah, it is addressed and they have settled
it. So it's kind of this last
domino. And then hopefully, hopefully
the MLB adds to a couple more baseball teams, which would be
awesome. Yeah, I don't, especially in
North Carolina. North Carolina, Yeah.
The the whole Oakland thing is such a joke.
I understand why they did it. I don't agree with it at all

(49:29):
because in the grand scheme of things, you know, I know that
they want to have teams in separate markets, but like, I
mean, they, they had grown a fanbase there for 50 years and it
just seems like a joke that theypushed them out.
But I don't know, Manfred in baseball works in their own you
in mysterious ways. And I'm sure as Oakland fans see
this happening, they're like, screw you guys.

(49:51):
Like, where was this when we were trying to, you know, get
our stadium in? It was only a difference of like
$30 million. And now Manfred's basically
trying to push throughout so that the race can get a new
stadium and say in Saint Pete because he wants to keep the TV
market. And now you push Oakland out
because San Francisco's already controlling that market.
And you're like you, you know, this is just feels like a slap.

(50:12):
And I'm sure to to a lot of themit feels like a slap in the face
as they watch this. Yeah, yeah.
But. So be it.
I think the most important part.For us, so be, so be.
As as crappy as things have gotten in terms of teams moving
and ownership deals and stuff like that, all signs are
pointing towards the Rays getting new ownership by the end

(50:33):
of the season, which will I'm sure jump start plenty of new
things in the future. Hopefully that'll mean more
money into into the, I don't want to say pockets, but into
the hands of why am I thinking of the right thing into the
hands of Neander to be able to do more stuff.
So hoping for the best there. But with that being said, I

(50:53):
think that is going to conclude things in slave's episode Razor
roof. We pretty much exhausted
everything to talk about. So First off, thank you guys as
always for your support. We really appreciate what you
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(51:14):
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(51:58):
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Raise up.