Sep 27
Three years ago on Rays Index we discussed rumors that the Rays were actively shopping Carl Crawford.
Carl Crawford Is The Perfect Storm [Rays Index]
Archive for September, 2009
Sep 27
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.
Sep 26
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.
Sep 25
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.
Sep 25
Prior to the start of the season, the Rays traded Jason Hammel to the Rockies for a double-A pitching prospect Aneury Rodriguez. Since then, The Hammer has emerged as a solid major league starting pitcher for a team headed to the playoffs.
So why the emergence? Was it the change of scenery or the weaker hitters in the National League or better command of his fastball? Or was it the off-season knee surgery that went unreported in the local media?
Hammel is 9-8 with a 4.30 ERA. But dig a little deeper and you will see just how effective Hammel has been for the first time in his career. His 3.66 FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching) ranks 12th in the NL. Also, he has a solid 3.00 strikeout to walk ratio this season.
Let’s take a look at how that compares to some of the Rays starting pitchers this season…
According to somebody close to Hammel, the big right-hander had arthroscopic surgery on his knee this past off-season. The surgery was done to repair a minor injury that Hammel may have suffered in high school while playing soccer and was performed by the Rays team doctor.
As early as spring training, Hammel’s knee was 100% for the first time since high school. His comfort level was up and the flexibility in his knee was much less hindered.
We know the Rays prefer to keep things close to the vest, but failing to report an off-season surgery to one of their starting pitchers takes it to a new level. Are there other injuries and/or surgeries that are not being reported?
Of course, the Rays had few options in the Spring as both Hammel and Jeff Niemann were out of minor league options. But why trade Hammel when his value was low and there was a good reason to think he could drastically improve? And why let an injury nag for six seasons only to repair it for the Rockies?
Even a healthy Jason Hammel may not have figured into the Rays future given the talent that is still on the roster and in the system. But, it is easy to see a situation in which the Rays could have done better in the trade market than a double-A pitcher that went 9-11 with a 4.50 ERA and 111 strikeouts in 142 innings this season.
Sep 25
[THE HANGOVER] The One Where We Discuss A Tale Of Two Seasons
Ben Zobrist, Chad Bradford, Evan Longoria, James Shields 1 Comment »
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: Coulda Been A Contender. From May through August, the Rays were 62-45. Over 162 games that would translate to a 94-win team. The Red Sox have 91 wins with 10 to go.
THE BAD: Coulda Had The Top Pick In Draft, Again. In April and September, the Rays are 16-29. So, at the start and end of the season, the Rays have played like a 104-loss team. the Nats are 52-100 with 10 to go.
THE TELLING: Not So Big Game. Since the all-star break, James Shields has the worst ERA (5.23) and WHIP (1.51) in the American League (min. 75ip).
DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA…
- Joe Smith writes about Evan Longoria’s strong finish. [St. Pete Times]
- From the “Can’t make it up” department is Ben Zobrist: “Jew or not a Jew.” Of course, Zorilla is the son of a minister, married to a Christian Rock singer, attended Olivet Nazarene University and runs bible studies in the Rays clubhouse with Gabe Gross. And yet, Zobrist ranks a “4″ on the Jew scale. [Jew or not a Jew]
- David Chalk has finally concluded his epic journey through the Top 177 Devil Rays ever with the top 28. [Bugs and Cranks]
- Chad Bradford’s problems may be that he is throwing too many strikes…Knowing that, would you want him back in 2010? [The Rays Party]
- From the department of “It could be worse,” the Pirates had about 3,000 fans attend yesterday’s game. Of course, the 15,892 paid attendance is still better than the Rays last 2 home games. [Deadspin]
- WRAL in Durham interviewed Elliot Johnson after the Bulls championship run. [Watching Durham Bulls Baseball]
Sep 24
Stephen Nohlgren of the St. Pete Times spoke to several people, including St. Pete Mayoral candidates about whether or not the Tampa Bay Rays can get out of their lease and move to another city.
One of the biggest sticking points may be how a judge interprets the lease and whether the Rays are a tenant or a business partner.
Most leases call for rent payments over a specified term. If tenants leave early, courts usually award the landlord whatever money is owed for the full term…City officials are quick to stress that the Trop contract is a not a lease and little rent is paid…The contract is a “use agreement,” they say. The Rays got a stadium in 1996 under original owner Vince Naimoli. In return, he and any successors pledged to play there for 30 years.
Some think the lease is “ironclad.” Others think a judge “could refuse to enforce key provisions,” or even refuse to enforce the 17-18 years that remain on the Trop’s lease.
Then-city attorney Michael Davis warned St. Petersburg council members that injunctive relief was not a guarantee when they approved the 1995 contract. “It is largely within the discretion of the court,” Davis said at the time. “There is no certainty that you will obtain it.”
Nohlgren goes on to argue that even if the city of St. Pete could fight an attempt by the Rays to leave, they may not want to, noting that a buyout may be a better option.
Can St. Pete keep the Rays from moving across the bay or farther? The answer to that right now is a gigantic “maybe.” But if a fight erupts and it does get to that point, and a new stadium is not built, stopping a move would only delay the inevitable.
New stadium for Rays? What the lease has to say [St. Pete Times]
Sep 24
One year ago on Rays Index we chuckled when Hank Steinbrenner openly complained about the Yankees having to play in the toughest division in baseball.
Playing In The AL East Is Too Hard For The Yankees [Rays Index]
Sep 24
[THE HANGOVER] The One Where We Discuss Upton As Nick Cage, Big Dub’s Strikeouts And Situational Nonhitting
BJ Upton, Milton Bradley, Pat Burrell, Wade Davis 3 Comments »http://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseball/rays/tampa-bay-rays-will-change-next-season-but-how-much/1038791
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: BJ Upton. Upton is the Nicolas Cage of the Rays. Most of the time he “National Treasure,” but every now and again he gives us “Raising Arizona.” Last night it was 3 RBI, including a 2-run single in the 8th for the lead and then a leaping catch at the wall to end the game in the 9th…Ben Zobrist. Zorilla kept the M’s lead at just 1 when he threw out a runner at home to end the 7th…Wade Davis. Not really good, but he wasn’t bad either. He did give up 4 runs (2 earned) in 5.2 innings, but all 7 of the hits were singles and he walked only 1 batter while striking out 6. In triple-A this year, Big Dub seemed to lose some of his dominance striking out only 7.9 per 9 innings. However, that number is back up to 10.4 in the big leagues…Leading Off. Rays hitters were on base in 4 of the 8 innings. Two of those runners scored.
THE BAD: Situational Nonhitting. We get tired of typing it, but this team just has no idea how to get a runner home from third base and less than 2 outs. Last night it was second and third with no outs in the 2nd. A pop out, fly ball and strikeout kept the Rays from scoring…Bottom of the Order. They teamed up for a nice caught stealing in the 3rd but Reid Brignac and Dioner Navarro went a combined 1-8 with 3 strikeouts and 11 runners left on base.
THE TELLING: We get on BJ Upton from time to time. OK. We get on his case a lot. He makes a lot of mental errors on the basepaths and let’s face it, injuries or not, he has underachieved the past two seasons. But we never accuse Upton of loafing. And the catch to end the game last night was the reason why. Watching it live, it looked so easy. It almost looked like he may have exaggerated the need to leap and made it look more dramatic than it had to be. Then we watched the replay and saw exactly how high Upton jumped for the ball (see above). He makes it look so easy. He’ll continue to anger us, but not because he doesn’t give max effort.
SUNBURST PLAYER OF THE GAME: BJ Upton
DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA…
- John Romano looks at how the Rays roster may change next season. A few of the highlights: Romano calls BJ Upton one of the only “untouchables” in the lineup. Carl Crawford, Jason Bartlett and Carlos Pena are possible trade pieces. Romano suggests trading Pat Burrell for Milton Bradley. [St. Pete Times]
- Rays Revolutionary says you should brace yourselves for a 2010 roster with BJ Upton in center and somebody other than Carl Crawford in left. [Rays Revolutionary]
