Getty Image / Mike Carlson
The Tampa Bay Rays held a 1-run lead going into the top of the 9th inning at Tropicana Field on Wednesday night but the Angels put up 2 runs on the Rays’ closer, Pete Fairbanks, who after the game offered a blunt assessment of his performance.
Following the blown save by Fairbanks, a reporter asked him if there was a specific reason he didn’t have his stuff on the mound. Saying “was it just a matter of command, location, selection, anything specific?”
Pete Fairbanks paused for a moment to collect his thoughts then said “uhhh, no. I thought it generally sucked. I didn’t think it was a specific suck, I thought it was like an all-encompassing type of suck. So, we’re going to try and rectify that but for right now I’m going to be pretty pissed about it.”
Pete Fairbanks on his outing tonight:
“I thought it generally sucked. I didn’t think it was a specific suck, I thought it was like an all-encompassing type of suck.”
(via @BallyRays) pic.twitter.com/25jti7Xheh
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 18, 2024
Another reporter then asked Pete Fairbanks where he would go from here. Asking if he’d look at tape or mechanics. Fairbanks responded with “you tell me. I’ve tried that. If you got an answer I’d love to hear it. Just, you know, I’m not going to let it beat me up for… I’ll give it until 10 (PM). It’s 9:44 right now. We’ll give it 16 minutes of salt and then we’ll get back on the bump and figure it out.”
I love that man. I don’t love the blown save but as a Rays fan, he’s been great. He’ll return to form. And his answer was perfect.