More from RealGM
 Tampa Bay Rays WiretapNews Archive
MLB News
Longoria, Sanchez Take Home Weekly Honors
Evan hit .433 (13-30) with five doubles, three home runs and 10 RBI. The 22-year-old rookie posted a .900 slugging percentage along with a .438 on-base percentage. During a three-game Interleague series against the Florida Marlins, Longoria went 7-for-16 with two home runs and six RBI. Then, on June 27th against Pittsburgh, the third overall selection in the first round of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft went 4-for-5 with a homer, three RBI and three runs scored. The product of Long Beach State University is batting .270 with 15 home runs and 47 RBI on the season. This marks the first career weekly award for Longoria and he becomes the second Ray to win honors this season, joining pitcher James Shields (4/28). Last week, Sanchez went 2-0 with a 1.23 ERA, tossing 14.2 innings in which he allowed two earned runs on nine hits. The 25-year-old southpaw hurler ranked second in innings pitched and tied for second with 14 strikeouts. On June 24th at Cleveland, the native of Mayaguez, Puerto Rico tossed 7.2 innings, allowing one earned run on five hits and striking out eight batters. Then, on June 29th at Oakland, Sanchez threw 7.0 innings, allowing one earned run on four hits and striking out six. The third-year Major Leaguer has recorded eight strikeouts in three of his June starts (others: 6/2 vs. NY and 6/17 vs. DET) and twice this season has struck out 10 batters (4/9 vs. SD and 4/25 vs. CIN). Sanchez, a first-time weekly award recipient, is 8-4 with a 3.79 ERA with 102 strikeouts in his 102.0 innings across 17 starts this year. Tampa Bay Rays, San Francisco Giants Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Sox Dealing With Threats In Tampa
The Sox recently received a mailed threat, which targeted black and Latin players, according to sources. Boston will play in Tampa on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday night. The threat is believed to be unrelated to the recent tensions between the Sox and Rays, who play for the first time since their brawl at Fenway Park earlier this month. Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Iwamura's Suspension Stays; Crisp Gets Reduction
Both players will begin serving their suspensions on Saturday, with Iwamura returning Tuesday and Crisp Thursday. Tampa Bay is perplexed by the league's decision to reduce Crisp's suspension and not Iwamura's. "Honestly, none of that makes any sense to me whatsoever," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Rays Jun 2008 Archive
|
Third baseman Evan Longoria of the Tampa Bay Rays and Jonathan Sanchez of the San Francisco Giants were named the Bank of America Presents the American League Player of the Week for the period ending June 29th.
The Red Sox have increased their security after receiving a number of threats heading into their three-game series with the Rays in Tampa, according to The Boston Herald.
Major League Baseball has decided to uphold the three-game suspension of Rays second baseman Akinori Iwamura and reduce Red Sox outfielder Coco Crisp's penalty from seven to five games, according to The Tampa Tribune.