Dude with a .493 OPS complains about playing time

This is fun: catcher Rene Rivera said yesterday that he is disappointed with his playing time.

The Tampa Bay Times has a report on it today, and Rivera says that his benching, even from his personal catching role for Chris Archer, “sucks.” Which they change to “stinks,” but you know he said “sucks.” He added:

“I feel like if you are going to give the opportunity to a guy, you should stick with him and help him get through slumps . . . The first half I played a lot and I didn’t do right as a hitter. But I feel like the second half would be better, and I didn’t have the chance to do it.”

The Rays, while in last place now, were arguably within striking distance of a playoff slot for a good chunk of the middle of the season. In the first half of the season Rivera hit .185/.221/.306 and struck out 61 times in 238 plate appearances. He has been even worse in the second half, and on the year his line stands at .180/.214/.279. Meanwhile, J.P. Arencibia was called up at the end of August and has hit .327/.333/.655 since then. Sustainable? Of course not. But considerably better than what Rivera has done.

All of which is to say: weird time for playing time complaints.