Postgame Shot Of Joe: Shoppach Wasn’t Honest

Speaking calmly and cooly on ESPN Radio this morning, Rangers head man and former fireballer Nolan Ryan said he suspected it would take Rangers hitters two turns around the batting order tonight to get comfortable against Matt Moore. Make that three turns, and they’re still waiting. It made so much sense for the Rays to start the young phenom Moore that even the Rangers knew they were in for an early challenge. But the X-factor was the Rays bats showing up in a big way. Joe had to laugh. After the 9-0 blowout with two homers from Kelly Shoppach, a reporter asked Shoppach to comment on his rough season at the plate versus how he’s been hitting the last week or so. Shoppach wouldn’t bite and said he’s always confident and if they keep pitching where he’s swinging then he’ll be contributing. But the reality is Shoppach muscled a low-and-away C. J. Wilson pitch over the wall just to the right of dead center field for the three-run bomb that put the ga...