Mar 02
Two Steps or Die: The Maddon Extension Watch will run every Sunday…
Last year the Tampa Bay Rays picked up Joe Maddon‘s two-year option. In reality it was a one-year deal as few teams are willing to enter a season with a manager that only has one year left on his contract. In 2008, Papa Joe and the Rays will either take Two Steps forward, earning Maddon an extension…or he will be fired.
New name and a new attitude this week. I decided I am going to make this a little less arbitrary, or at least now I am going to try to define how I arrived at each week’s tick mark. I said last week that I did not want to place a number on how many wins Papa Joe needed in order to earn an extension. Obviously Stuart Sternberg and Andrew Friedman will judge a number of factors before making a decision. Each week I will take a look at how Maddon is performing in each of five categories. While this list is likely not complete, I do believe these are the most important factors in determining whether or not Joe Maddon can be a winning baseball manager.
Is there an important category I am leaving out? Let me know in the comments
- Wins: 2-0 in Spring Training. Nobody ever wants to place too much emphasis on spring games, but last year the Rays started 1-14. It’s true. You can look it up. Gaining confidence is a big step for the young players, so why not start now.
- Fundamentals on the field: No errors in the first two games. Four double plays. Two hit batters. 1 runner picked off of second.
- Consistently competetive: N/A
- Avoid prolonged slumps: N/A
- Control the clubhouse: Players have spoken openly about how much calmer the clubhouse is this season. They seem happy and are openly speaking of playoffs. Maddon has even implemented the daily joke to be delivered by somebody different each day…Sounds as if he is not going to let Scott Kazmir’s personal wishes dictate who pitches on opening day.
- Summary: So far Joe Maddon has made all the changes that we had hoped for. He appears more forceful and a little less forgiving. Now we just need to see this translate into wins on the field.
Mar 02
We call him The Dirtbag because of how he plays and because he played college ball at Long Beach State whose baseball team has the coolest mascot in sports…The Dirtbags.
The biggest question mark for the Tampa Bay Ray in Spring Training is whether or not Evan Longoria will be named the opening day third baseman. Manager Joe Maddon has repeatedly stated that the decision will be based less on his stats, and more on how the 22-year old handles himself on a day-to-day basis and how well The Dirtbag adjusts to everyday life as a major leaguer. From now until the Rays announce a decision on Longoria’s fate, we will track The Dirtbag’s progress through his numbers, our own observations and quotes from Maddon and Andrew Friedman…
Notes on the Dirtbag-O-Meter…
Yesterday at the plate: With the Rays down 2-1 in the 6th, Longoria was called in to pinch-hit. He hit a 2-run triple to right-center to give the Rays the lead for good. He later walked. He is now 2-3 with a double, triple, 2 walks and 3 RBI in the Rays first two games.
Quotes: “You can call him, ‘Evan Almighty.’”- Jason Bartlett “Just watching how he handles things, watching his general demeanor, obviously his defense, too. Handling situations in general. Of course, the hitting is a source of evaluation. Again, this guy has not spent much time in the Minor Leagues, and we have to consider that, too.” – Joe Maddon.
Summary: Wow. Could the kid have gotten off to a better start? On base four times in five plate appearances. Twice, his hits have given the Rays a lead. Drives in runs when given a chance. Reports are that his play in the field has been solid…There is still a long ways to go, but can the Rays even think about sending him to Durham now? If they were leaning that way they should have made the announcement prior to Spring Training.
Mar 02
Tampa Bay Devil Dogs (29 days until opening day)
DRG here again to get you through the weekend…
Tampa Bay Rays 5, Blue Jays 2.
DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA…
- Jeff Niemann will get his first spring start today. Eric Hinske will be in left field, with Ben Zobrist at second and Joel Guzman at first. [Rays Report]
- Rocco Baldelli saw his first action since last May 15th. [USA Today]
Maddon said he is allowing Baldelli to figure out how to harness himself on the basepaths…”It’s his call. We’re just encouraging him not to try to beat anything out and just try to stay in a steady gait throughout … and not try to rush it,” the manager said…”But I’ll tell you one thing. Even when Rocco is running easily, it’s better than most. … He even runs well when he’s not running well.”…Baldelli said it’s not easy to resist the temptation to run full speed…”You can describe it any way you’d like,” he said of his approach. “I’m going to do what I have to do to be ready to go on opening day.”
- Scott Kazmir is not ready to start throwing yet. David Price will throw a bullpen session today. [St. Pete Times]
- Marc Lancaster worries that all the Rays’ hopes in 2008 may go down the drain if one of the key members (eg. Scott Kazmir) misses a significant amount of time. [Tampa Tribune]
- In 2007, James Shields led all pitchers in retiring 74% of the first batters faced in an inning. [Tampa Bay Rays]
“No kidding,” said Shields, obviously pleased with the number. “That’s one of the most important parts of pitching. When you get the first out of the inning, that sets the tone. When a guy starts the inning with a walk or a base hit, there’s a little more pressure to not let him score. A lot of things can happen. They can bunt him over into scoring position, then, just like that, a base hit scores a run.
- Roger Mooney talks to Scott Kazmir, Edwin Jackson and JP Howell about the importance of being able to throw strikes on a consistent basis. [Bradenton Herald]
“Some guys can keep the ball down, but they can’t elevate, and some guys can hit the inside corner but not the outside corner,” Howell said. “You have to be able to do all those in the big leagues. That’s what it comes down to, you find out a part of your game is missing once you get here. Part of your game is not all the way there, and hitters will exploit that.”
- Carl Crawford changed his diet and says he now has more energy. He also worked to strengthen his legs, saying that the new turf at the Trop was hard on his legs last season. Add that to what his teammates say is already one of the most feared hitters in baseball and CC could be in for a huge year. [Tampa Bay Rays]
“He’s a great hitter. So to watch him every day was a thrill. He’s younger than me, like five years, but I will go up to him and ask him questions. He knows a lot about hitting. I see him in the cage and I want to talk to him. He’s earned respect from all his peers on this team and on other teams. He’s earned it.”
- The St. Pete Times takes a look at all the national attention that the Rays have been receiving but Andrew Friedman says it is a little premature to start thinking of the Rays as a national team. [St. Pete Times]
“We’ll be happy with the Rays’ State of Florida,” Silverman said. “We want to be Florida’s team before we take it nationwide.”
- The Bradenton Herald profiles James Shields. His nickname in the minor leagues? ‘Big Game’…I think I will stick with Prof’s ‘James The Greater’. [Bradenton Herald]
- One website interviews Ben Zobrist. A warning: This interview is a bit more about religion than it is about baseball. [Challies]
