One year ago on Rays Index we reported what was being said about Elliot Johnson colliding with a Yankees catcher during a spring game. One can easily look back at this moment that set the tone for both the Rays and the Yankees during the 2008 season.
The Collision That Rocked The Evil Empire Edit [Rays Index]
With the Rays fighting for their first division title early last September, Shawn Riggans underwent a knee surgery that was to sideline him for 2-4 weeks. Our biggest concern at the time was whether Riggans would be back in time for the playoffs (he wasn’t). What we didn’t realize at the time, was just how serious Riggans’ injury really was. How serious? Life threatening.
What appeared to be a simple bruise incurred while blocking a ball in the dirt on a Sunday afternoon in Toronto had by Tuesday in Boston become an infection with the potential to do serious damage to his leg – or worse…The Rays’ medical staff immediately noted the turn Riggans had taken, failing to respond to oral antibiotics they hoped would do the trick after the initial signs of an infection emerged, and decided to put him on a plane home to Tampa on Wednesday morning, Sept. 10. He underwent surgery to clean out the infection that had developed around the bursa sac in his right knee that afternoon…”It could have really turned ugly,” Riggans said. “It could have been a life-threatening situation had I not gotten there when I did.”…A delay of even 24 additional hours could easily have led to permanent tissue damage, and as it was Riggans had to spend four days cheering on his teammates from a hospital bed.
We have commented previously about how we were surprised the Rays didn’t bring a veteran catcher into camp to at least push Riggans for the backup job. Now that we know Diesel stared death in the face and won we have discovered a new level of respect for a player that plays the one position we judge the hardest.
Riggans Eager To Get Back Behind The Dish [Tampa Tribune]
Back in early 2007, Joe Maddon wanted Edwin Jackson to watch some tapes of Bob Gibson. This is not a new story. Nor is it really anything newsworthy. Why wouldn’t a manager want a pitcher to emulate one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history.
What is crazy. No. What is absolutely mind-boggling idiocy is John Lowe of the Detroit Free-Press with a column titled:
Edwin Jackson drawing comparisons to Bob Gibson
Sweet Fancy Moses! Our jaw just dropped so far it fell completely off our face. Seriously, we need to reattach our jaw.
Bob Gibson won two Cy Young awards and an MVP. He was an all-star nine times. He won 18 games eight times. He struck out 7.2 and walked only 3.1 per 9 innings for his career. And lest you think he was just a product of the pitcher era, he finished his 17-year career with an ERA+ of 127.
Edwin Jackson has a career ERA+ of 86 and his strike out and walk rates per 9 innings are 6.1 and 4.5.
And we are not trying to knock Jackson here. We actually think that one of these years Jackson will put it all together and get hot for an entire season. He will win 20 games and contend for a Cy Young. But it will be one season in a sea of 15 other seasons that will be average at best and downright horrific at worst.
Edwin Jackson is not Bob Gibson. Edwin Jackson does not “draw comparisons” to Bob Gibson. If Bob Gibson is a Mercedes, Edwin Jackson is a blind donkey with only three legs.
Edwin Jackson drawing comparisons to Bob Gibson [Detroit Free-Press]
It must have been a slow news day on Friday. How slow? Bill Chastain told us what Eric Hinske thinks of the Rays chances this season. And this wasn’t just a throw-away quote at the end of an article about the former Ray. It was the title and it was the very first sentence.
Eric Hinske believes the Rays have what it takes to make another run in 2009.
Thank goodness. If Hinske thinks the Rays are pretty good, we can stop panicking, considering how everybody else has the Rays projected to finish last in the division. Wait. What is that? Everybody is predicting the Rays to compete for the division title again? Some even think the Rays are one of the best teams in baseball? Oh. Nevermind.
Hinske: Rays can make another run [MLB]
Time to bring back the GBT – The Good, The Bad and The Telling sandwich, where The Bad is nice and lean and the The Telling is ripe.
THE GOOD: The Rays were down 7-0 after 5 innings, which is when the regulars are in the game. There is nothing good to be found.
THE BAD: What Patience? On the same day we praised the Rays for finally drawing more walks than strikeouts (7 to 5 in Saturday’s game), the Rays had their worst offensive showing of the season, striking out 15 (!) times and drawing only 1 walk. In fact, the first (and only) walk came in the 8th inning after the Rays had already K’d 13 times. Makes us want to throw a bunch of bats in the shower and call them lollygaggers...Morgan Ensberg was the biggest culprit, going 0-3 with 3 Ks. Ensberg is now 3-18 (.167; all singles) with 7 Ks and only 1 walk…Reid Brignac added another 0-fer, striking out in both of his at bats. He is now 1-18 in the spring with 6Ks and 1 walk…Wade Davis. In maybe his last spring start with the Rays, Davis was pounded, allowing 6 runs in 2.2 innings on 8 hits and 2 walks. He also gave up 2 home runs.
THE TELLING: Evan Longoria once again batted third with Carlos Pena batting cleanup.
DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA…
“He’s a live-body guy, he’s got a great arm,” Maddon said. “You see him in the outfield, how easily he gets after the ball, as well as he’s a switch-hitter. He’s a very interesting utility guy to me. I feel good with him at first, second, he can play short, third and all three (outfield spots). Easily. And I would have no qualm putting him at any position, athletically speaking…But athletically speaking, I’m seeing better baserunning, I’m seeing more comfort, more of a sense of belonging,” Maddon said. “He feels like he should be here now, and that’s all good.”
