May 01
Click on image to be taken directly to the shop
How does one top a bases-clearing double against the Red Sox? A bases-clearing home run of course…And in Dirtbag’s honor, we introduce a new item in the Rays Index Store.
Archive for May 1st, 2009
May 01
Up until first pitch, use the comments section to predict who you think will be the Sunburst Player of the Game. (be sure to use a valid email address while leaving the comment). The commenter that correctly predicts who we will name the Sunburst Player of the Game the most times prior to the all-star game, will win two tickets to a second-half game. Runners-up get their choice of a t-shirt. [Click HERE for rules]
Check Marc Topkin’s blog for the starting lineups.
May 01
FIRST INNING (A look back)…
18 players were chosen in the first annual Tampa Bay Rays Trade Pool as being candidates to be traded before the end of the season…Which player chosen by at least two bloggers surprises you the most by being included?
We were a little surprised that Dan Wheeler was included. He is a bit expensive but he is a Joe Maddon/Jim Hickey favorite. We were also surprised to see the number of votes for Reid Brignac. Sure he could be trade-deadline bait, but he is a cheap middle-infielder with a good glove and a decent bat. That is exactly the type of player the Rays would trade for, not away. But the biggest surprise was Andy Sonnanstine. Sure he is having a bad season, but he is good pitcher that is very cheap. The Rays like pitching depth. They LOVE cheap pitching depth. If The Duke is pulled from the rotation, they will find a home for him in the bullpen….ANDY SONNANSTINE
SECOND INNING (Headlines)…
Again, 18 players chosen in the trade pool…Can you make an argument for a player not included on the list?
Let’s say the Rays fall off the pace. What is the most sought after commodity at the trade deadline? Veteran pitchers that are pending free agents. They are cheap and they have experience…TROY PERCIVAL
THIRD INNING (Headlines)…
You have previously argued that Wade Davis could be closer to the majors than David Price…Has anything changed your mind?
Quite the opposite. We keep seeing more signs that Davis is more ready. First of all, Price has struggled with his pitch efficiency and home runs. Davis hasn’t been lights-out, but he has been good. And now we hear that the 75-pitch limit for Durham starting pitchers has been lifted for everybody except Price. If the Rays decided this week to move Andy Sonnanstine or Jeff Niemann, Wade Davis would be the replacement…NOPE
FOURTH INNING (Headlines)…
Let’s assume Wade Davis or David Price is called up to the rotation between now and the all-star break…If nobody is on the DL, which starting pitcher will lose their job?
May 01
Gerry Hunsicker Discusses Positional Flexibility In The Minors And David Price’s Pitch Limit
David Price, Reid Brignac No Comments »
We all know how Joe Maddon loves players that can play multiple positions. Now we learn from an interview with Gerry Hunsicker, that this will now be a point of emphasis in the minor leagues (talk about burrying the lead, you gotta scroll down for the interview).
Get used to seeing [Reid Brignac at second base] this season. In fact, get used to seeing lots of players at lots of positions…It turns out that Montoyo is actually executing the Rays’ overall organizational plan, which is all about versatility and flexibility: Tampa wants guys who can do multiple things. Except in the case of can’t-miss, blue-chip prospects, there is little emphasis on starmaking—a process which relies on locking a guy into a position and stubbornly keeping him there in the hopes that he’ll blossom in that greenhouse.
Later, Hunsicker discussed the 75-pitch limit that had been imposed on Bulls starters.
When asked about the 75-pitch, five-inning limit imposed on the Bulls’ starters…Hunsicker said that the Durham starters will be stretched out to 100 pitches as the season progresses. The exception, of course, is David Price, one of the few old-fashioned blue chips in the Rays’ portfolio. He’ll stay at his limit until further notice. Hunsicker, for his part, said that he’s in no hurry to recommend promoting Price. “Players tell you when they’re ready,” he said, via their performance and their demeanor.
It doesn’t take a Babelfish to understand that it is going to be a while before David Price is promoted.
A Colloquy with Gerry Hunsicker; Bulls Split With Knights. Also, I Am Psychic. [Indy Week Blogs]
May 01
[THE HANGOVER] The One Where We Discuss Near Perfection For Garza, A Career Night For Hernandez And MVP Chants For Dirtbag
Andy Sonnanstine, Evan Longoria, Matt Garza, Michel Hernandez, Rocco Baldelli 9 Comments »
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.
click above image for boxscore
THE GOOD: The Garza Complex. When he is on, is there a better pitcher in baseball? In fact, when he is on, he is as close to Pedro Martinez in his prime, as you will ever see. mid-90′s with nasty movement and pinpoint control. Unhittable…Dirtbag Cometh. MVP!-MVP!-MVP!…Michel Hernandez. How safe is Shawn Riggans’ job? Hernandez is 6-14 and obviously Matt Garza likes throwing to him.
THE BAD: Timing. What inning did Matt Garza lose his perfect game? That would be the 7th. Now check this headline. And Marc Lancaster does not get a pass for his TweetJinx. We know you guys have a job to do, but would it kill you to dance around the wording a little better?…Jason Bartlett. Barty, who left Wednesday night’s game with a sore hamstring, was in the lineup but was noticeably limping.
THE TELLING: Matt Garza has had a few of these dominating performances with the Rays. We will say it again. If a Rays pitcher is going to throw a no-hitter, it will be Garza. And we will now add that if Garza ever throws a no-hitter, Dioner Navarro will not be behind the plate. Three times now, Garza has taken a 1-hitter or 2-hitter deep into a game. Each time, Navarro was on the bench…Both teams did not arrive in Florida last night until about 4:00am.
SUNBURST PLAYER OF THE GAME: Matt Garza and Evan Longoria. Don’t get used to this, but we couldn’t pull ourselves to not honor Longoria. Besides as big a win as last night deserves two Sunbursts.
DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA…
- Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe takes a look at the transformation of Matt Garza from the doghouse to bulldog. [Boston Globe]
Garza fights himself sometimes. “When he wakes up in the morning he’s amped up,” said Rays manager Joe Maddon. “So the key is to get him to stick to a game plan. That’s what he did last night.”
- Red Sox Monster calls last night’s game, the worst loss of the season. [Red Sox Monster]
- Joey Johnston takes a look at the long road Michel Hernandez took from fleeing Cuba, to the biggest night of his baseball career. [Tampa Tribune]
- Andy Sonnanstine feels that he is throwing as well as ever, but that he just needs to fight through the struggles. [St. Pete Times]
- One player that is missing from this series is Rocco Baldelli, who says The Trop was always good to him. [Tampa Tribune]
- Alden Gonzalez updates the rehabs for Shawn Riggans and Chad Bradford. Bradford is likely to throw batting practice on Sunday. [Rays Plays]
- John Romano does not see any quick fixes and feels the only thing that will get the Rays out of last place is patience, something the Rays excel at. [St. Pete Times]
- Around the Majors hands out some hardware for the month of April, giving the AL MVP to Evan Longoria. [Around the Majors]
- Rays the Stakes provides the reasoning behind the players they chose for the Tampa Bay Rays Trade Pool. [Rays the Stakes]
- In a slight modification to protocol, the Top 177 Devil Rays ever is now a Friday feature and will include 4 players each week. Up this week are #112-109. It is always fun if you try to name the players before looking at the names. [Bugs and Cranks]
May 01
Durham 6, Columbus 3. James Houser made his second start, giving up 2 runs on 3 hits and 3 walks in 4 innings…Matt Joyce was 0-3 with a walk…John Jaso finished 2-3 with a double and 2 RBI…Reid Brignac had the night off.
Montgomery 9, Mississippi 2. Jeremy Hellickson struck out 9 in 6 innings, allowing 2 runs on 5 hits and a walk. He has now struck out 39 in 32 innings with only 9 walks and based on this photo, at least 1 toke…Desmond Jennings finished 2-3 with a double a walk and an RBI. He now has a .389 OBP and a .994 OPS.
Charlotte 2, Fort Myers 1. Darin Downs pitched 6 shutout innings, striking out 2 and not walking a batter.
Augusta 3, Bowling Green 1. Joe Cruz made his second start of the season, allowing 1 run in 3 innings…Jake Jefferies was 1-3 with a single and a walk…Tim Beckham did not play.
Notes from Down on the Farm…
- Watching Durham Bulls Baseball has some more details from last night’s painful game for Matt Joyce as well as some other notes about the Bulls. [Watching Durham Bulls Baseball]
