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Monday’s Red Sox-Rays matchups: Aaron Cook vs. Alex Cobb 09.17.12 at 9:56 am ET
By Nick O'Malley

Aaron Cook

Once again the last place team in the AL East, the Red Sox head to Tampa Bay and will start Aaron Cook in one of many games in which the Red Sox will look to play spoiler as they close out the season.

Cook (3-10, 5.18 ERA) enters Monday night’s game having produced two consecutive solid outings against the Yankees and Mariners. Against the New York, Cook gave up three runs over five innings, this coming one week after he gave up two runs in six innings against the Mariners. Despite the fact that Cook has limited heavy damage in his recent outings (allowing over four runs in one of his last seven appearances), none of his starts have produced a win since his one-run, seven inning performance against Texas on Aug. 6.

Although he has made three career starts against the Rays, Cook has not faced them since the 2009 season during interleague play while he was with the Rockies. In those three starts, the 33-year-old sinkerballer did not pitch well, going 1-1 with a 6.63 ERA and giving up seven home runs in 19 innings of work.

However, against the Rays lineup that he will see on Sunday, Cook has dominated. As a group against Cook, the current Tampa Bay lineup is batting just .147, a number that is made more surprising when considering Cook’s lifetime batting average against of .293. Of the seven Rays that have faced Cook, five have gone hitless, including Jeff Keppinger in 13 plate appearances. The two who have hits, though, have lit up Cook, with Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria combining for three home runs and a double in 10 plate appearances against him.

Making his second career start against the Red Sox will be one of the newer additions to the Rays rotation, 24-year-old right-hander Alex Cobb. After appearing in the Tampa Bay rotation for a few weeks last season, Cobb has become a regular starter since this May, going 9-8 with a 4.26 ERA in 20 starts.

Cobb faced the Red Sox in his second start of the season, earning the win after giving up one run over five innings pitched in a 7-4 Rays victory. The Red Sox, who notched three hits and four walks against Cobb in their first meeting, now feature just two current players who have gotten on base against him, both of them doing it just once. As a group, the Red Sox are 1-for-14 with a walk against Cobb.

Fortunately for the Red Sox, Cobb is coming off one of his worse outings so far this year against Baltimore. While Cobb was effective, giving up just two runs, he lasted 4 2/3 innings and took the loss in a 3-2 Orioles win. Cobb has been inconsistent over the last month, giving up eight runs in 2 2/3 innings on Aug. 13 before pitching a complete game shutout in his next start.

Red Sox vs. Cobb (RHP)

Mike Aviles (6 plate appearances): .000 BA/.000 OBP/.000 SLG, 1 strikeout

Dustin Pedroia (3 plate appearances): .000 BA/.000 OBP/.000 SLG

Daniel Nava (2): .000/.000/.000, 1 strikeout

Scott Podsednik (2): .500/.500/.500

Jarrod Saltalamacchia (2): .000/.500/.000, 1 walk, 1 strikeout

Rays vs. Cook (RHP)

Jeff Keppinger (13 plate appearances): .000 BA/.077 OBP/.000 SLG, 1 walk

Carlons Pena (6): .400/.500/1.200, 1 double, 1 home run, 1 RBI, 1 walk, 1 strikeout

Evan Longoria (4): .500/.500/1.250, 1 home run, 1 RBI, 1 strikeout

B.J. Upton (4): .000/.000/.000, 1 strikeout

Ryan Roberts (3): .000/.000/.000

Luke Scott (3): .000/.000/.000

Ben Zobrist (3): .000/.000/.000

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  • Anonymous

    This will get us one step closer to a higher draft choice next June. I’m thinking we could be as high as number 3.

  • Jack Burton

    You are kidding right?  15 games left and they are 7 games behind that spot.  Realize there are four awful teams they have to jump over in draft order.  Expecting any better than the 6th spot probably isn’t wise.  Also, Boston loses the tiebreaker to every one of the teams.

  • Anonymous

    Everything I say about the Sox at this point (at least since early August) has been tongue in cheek. One can only hope the draft has real talent in the top 10

  • http://twitter.com/EdwinChung Edwin Chung

    Ras-I Dowling, Malcolm Williams, & McCourty

  • Jimmy Freeze

    Now we find out whether the judge is a Pats fan (probation/fine) or Pats hater (3-5 in the big house)

  • leonardo

    I hate to say this but the kid gets what he deserves . It stinks for the Pats but hey they knew the risk when they drafted him .

  • TheGhostofTito

    Hey..now they have more money to pay that dwarf Welker……

  • MotoMark

    Don’t forget that Talib has issues too.  He graduated from my local high school.  http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/bucs/content/timeline-aqib-talibs-troubles

  • Billyt

    he wont serve jail time….im sure something like 3 years suspended sentence and community service. He has no choice but to be a model citizen for the next few years. Otherwise, he probably will serve jail time.

  • glenn88

    He was a 7th round pick, so he isn’t costing you anything on the cap.  He is probably the best value on the team.

  • DJKuulA

    The best part? He was found not guilty of assaulting the guy that the policeman was trying to arrest him for assaulting!

    I also like how the proof of injury is that a “physician assistant” prescribed ibuprofen, AKA Advil, two days later.

  • glenn88

    So, two cops got together and had a different story than Dennard.   To me there is a 50% chance he did only push them and the cops exagerated.  

  • bguy

    You’re not funny.

  • bguy

    At least he graduated.

  • bguy

    How can you make a irresponsible statement like that?
    You were NOT at the trial, don’t know the judge, or anything
    else  concerning this case other than what you read in the
    newspaper.

  • Garyritter

    The bumbling personnel guy has screwed up the great coach once again

  • bguy

    How do YOU know that ? Were you at the trial.
    You know nothing so don’t speculate.

  • bguy

    We need a tough guy that can obey our laws and not
    get arrested.

  • Anonymous

    This is a sports blog.  Speculating is primarily what we do…

  • Cfn

    Will you people stop it.  This is good news if I must say so.  He will get probation which will put him on his best behavior for the next two years and he will have no choice but to focus.  Expect to see his playing improve.  Pay talib and volmer, franchise welker, cut lloyd for a serious deep threat and we are super bowl bound.

  • copsRnot2betrusted

    punch a cop get 3-5 years..?

    when cops kill innocent people they get
    adminstrative paid leave and a slap on the back

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/18/robert-saylors-death-homicide-mentally-ill_n_2711629.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular

    only in america!

  • A J

    If he ends up serving time in jail, this may be more of a detriment to the defense than not re-signing Talib!

  • Dee-fense, dee-fense!

    We don’t even know what he “gets” and you say he deserves it?  If he gets probation or 5 years it’s all the same to you?  Yes the Pats understood, and took the risk, and they still are – just closer to knowing how it pans out.  This kid is not done. 

  • Dee-fense, dee-fense!

    We don’t even know what he “gets” and you say he deserves it?  If he gets probation or 5 years it’s all the same to you?  Yes the Pats understood, and took the risk, and they still are – just closer to knowing how it pans out.  This kid is not done. 

  • Dee-fense, dee-fense!

    We don’t even know what he “gets” and you say he deserves it?  If he gets probation or 5 years it’s all the same to you?  Yes the Pats understood, and took the risk, and they still are – just closer to knowing how it pans out.  This kid is not done. 

  • Dee-fense, dee-fense!

    We don’t even know what he “gets” and you say he deserves it?  If he gets probation or 5 years it’s all the same to you?  Yes the Pats understood, and took the risk, and they still are – just closer to knowing how it pans out.  This kid is not done. 

  • Dee-fense, dee-fense!

    We don’t even know what he “gets” and you say he deserves it?  If he gets probation or 5 years it’s all the same to you?  Yes the Pats understood, and took the risk, and they still are – just closer to knowing how it pans out.  This kid is not done. 

  • Dee-fense, dee-fense!

    We don’t even know what he “gets” and you say he deserves it?  If he gets probation or 5 years it’s all the same to you?  Yes the Pats understood, and took the risk, and they still are – just closer to knowing how it pans out.  This kid is not done. 

  • Reggie35

     More like 99%.  Cops are infamous for lying in court.

  • Djdonn

    I doubt he will do much, if any jail time. Would the State of Nebraska be so short sighted, as to support him in prison for a year, when they can just impose the $10,000 fine and be done with him. It isn’t as if he will be starting any trouble in Nebraska. If he gets in any further trouble, then they can bring the hammer down and lock him up.

  • Everyone

    Who cares, the kid can cover.

  • Mikedeary

    He won’t do any time

  • AFROJACK

    FREE THE FONZ!!!!!!!

  • voice of reason

    if it is his first offense he will most likely get probation

  • Schwank

    Meanwhile that killer from the movie Boys Don’t Cry (took place in Nebraska) is trying to appeal his murder conviction and claims he is innocent.  This guy makes one mistake and could get 6 years.  What a joke.  He should get a fine.  Probation.  Maybe one day in jail or something.  Anything beyond that is grandstanding.

  • Chappy

    Why is ANYONE surprised when professional football players, i.e, adults trained and paid well to hit the be-jesus out of anything that moves, are tried and/or convicted of crimes involving physical assault?  This is just another dope that would be added to the unemployment line if professional football didn’t exist….now we have to pay to feed him.

  • Betty White

    Ah, the “Patriot Way” at work once again….if the Pats are lucky enough and this thug doesn’t do any time ( just like Talib, another thug ) he very well might get suspended by Goodell; oh wait Krafty Bob would have a word with his friend Roger and that won’t happen so you’re all set there as long as the some judge in Nebraska falls in line.

  • H Bouley

    Now there’s a surprise. 2 policemen testifying in support of a fellow cop. Can there be any doubt of guilt? LOL
    I wonder how many impartial witnesses the prosecution found…and did they even look.

  • Craig2174

    Racist much? How the hell do you know anything about this kid or his intelligence?

  • Stumpdad

    Hey, get this straight if they say he did, he did it. You take 6 or 12 brain dead idiots, stick em on a jury, and they would convict Jesus Christ. My gut feeling is Dennard was defending himself, that three cops all testified that Dennard hit this cop puts him in a very tight corner, and he is going to pay the price. It used to be when I was young that police were respected. Those days are gone forever. Anyone who has an encounter with these cops had better think twice. Cops are above the law and they know it, they can and do employ deadly force as the slightest provocation, or anything they perceive as provocation. People like Dennard place themselves in these situations and play right into the hands of police who thrive on whuppin up a guy and then arresting him for defending himself. 

  • Saljr1

    Look for 60 to 90 days. He will get some time because his lawyer tried to cut a deal for no time and just probation before he stood trial and state said no way. So Alfonzo bring your toothbrush on the 11th. Hope you learned your lesson.

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