DRaysBay (Free subscription) | 11/26/2008
As if Joey Gathright for JP Howell wasn't a big enough steal, the Rays pulled off the small trade of the year in 2007 when they got Grant Balfour from Milwaukee for much-maligned starter/reliever Seth McClung. Since the trade, Grant Balfour has run circles around McClung on the field. This year Grant Balfour had a tRA of 2.08 in the bigs and .80 in AAA Durham. Seth McClung, on the other hand, had a...
You Been Blinded (Free subscription) | 11/19/2008
LMontro, the barber of choice for Major League Baseball players, was in Philadelphia for the rain suspended Game 5 of the World Series. Sometime during the rain LMontro gave Carl Crawford, Akinori Iwamura, Willy Aybar, and Grant Balfour fresh Rayhawks. The Rays eventually went on to lose Game 5 and the series but at least [...] No related posts.
Batter's Box Interactive Magazine (Free subscription) | 11/10/2008
In another thread, Mike Green muses, "As long as Bob Walk isn't pitching ..." which led me to think, "Yeah, and you could pull him from the game and lose nothing by bringing in Grant Balfour." See where this is headed? I have nothing specific in mind, but instead just invite everyone here to brainstorm and nominate the players who would make up the all-disastrously-named squad. From Balfour and Walk...
Philadelphia Inquirer (Free subscription) | 10/31/2008
For two days, people wondered who manager Charlie Manuel would use to hit for Cole Hamels leading off the bottom of the sixth. With righthander Grant Balfour in the game, Manuel went with the lefthanded-hitting Geoff Jenkins.
Ballbug (Free subscription) | 10/30/2008
Marc Topkin / The Heater : Rays, Phillies getting ready to resume — UPDATE: 8:30: LHP J.P. Howell is the other pitcher warming up with RHP Grant Balfour. — Rays manager Joe Maddon said he is mulling 7-10 different matchup scenarios as the teams get ready to resume play in the World Series, and will have a plan “scripted” when the game starts at 8:37.
Baseball Musings (Free subscription) | 10/30/2008
Geoff Jenkins pinch hits for Cole Hamels to start the bottom of the sixth inning, two days after the game was suspended. Grant Balfour is on the mound and throws ball one. Update: Jenkins works the count to 3-2, then...
Camden Chat (Free subscription) | 10/30/2008
It's the bottom of the 6th, game tied 2-2. Grant Balfour is still on the mound for the Rays and Geoff Jenkins is the PH for Cole Hamels. It seems like it's been forever since we saw some WS baseball for some reason.
Rays Index (Free subscription) | 10/30/2008
No live blog...but let's throw this up as a place to throw out some random thoughts, grumblings and poop jokes. Until the game starts, let's consider this... Let's assume Grant Balfour starts the bottom of the 6th inning and Charlie Manuel pinch-hits one of his lefty bats. Do you want Balfour to stay in knowing Jimmy Rollins (switch-hitter with fairly even splits) and Jayson Werth (righty) follow...OR...
Red Reporter (Free subscription) | 10/29/2008
W-L ERA WHIP K BB 2008 - Grant Balfour 6-2 1.54 0.90 82 24 W-L ERA WHIP K BB 2008 - Ryan Madson 4-2 3.05 1.24 67 23 This game is supposed to get back under way at 8:37, just after Barack Obama's half-hour national ad. The Phillies lead the series 3-1. There's still the possibility of the game being postponed again -- by rain or by snow.
Redbird Ramblings (Free subscription) | 10/29/2008
so, the WS should be back on this evening. they left it in the sixth inning and the game was tied 2 to 2. the phillies lead this series three games to one. the phillies will go with ryan madson while grant balfour will go for the rays. let’s see how this thing turns out. should [...]
We Should Be GM's (Free subscription) | 10/29/2008
We probably won't get any info from the managers on who will be in the game when the World Series resumes tonight. So in the name of wild speculation, here are my best guesses. Pitching for TB - Grant Balfour is currently pitching for the Rays and I see him as the odds-on favorite to start the bottom of the sixth. There has been a lot of talk about David "The Messiah" James pitching for Tampa, but...
TBO > Sports (Free subscription) | 10/29/2008
This much is certain about the continuation of Game 5: Grant Balfour will be on the mound for the Rays. Whether he throws a pitch remains to be seen.
DRaysBay (Free subscription) | 10/28/2008
Two reasons. 1) Cole Hamels spot will be due up, expect Matt Stairs to pinch hit. From there Jimmy Rollins and Jayson Werth are due up. Allowing Balfour to exit before the lefties comup because... 2) In the 7th the Rays will send 6-7-8 to the plate, if one reaches the Rays could pinch-hit for Balfour, if not the Rays could double-switch and take Rocco Baldelli out. Then bring in Price/Howell/whomever...
atHome Top Story (Free subscription) | 10/28/2008
World Series play will pick up with Philadelphia coming to bat in the sixth and pitcher Cole Hamels due to lead off. Tampa Bay must take the field and put a pitcher on the mound – right-handed reliever Grant Balfour is in the game for now.
Baseball Prospectus: Unfiltered (Free subscription) | 10/28/2008
Post-game tidbits from Game 5 of the World Series, which was suspended with the score tied 2-2 between the Rays and Phillies in the middle of the sixth inning on Monday night at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia: –Rays manager Joe Maddon said Grant Balfour, who relieved starter Scott Kazmir in the fifth inning, would be [...]
