May 21
With the loss of JP Howell for the year, the Rays are left with Randy Choate as the only lefty in the bullpen. So the natural reaction is to think the Rays will go out and find a cheap lefty in the trade market. Maybe not…
Clubs that have spoken with the Rays say they don’t expect Tampa Bay to react to J.P. Howell’s season-ending shoulder surgery by running out and trading for bullpen help.
“They’re already past that,” said an executive of one club. “They’ve already got the [Randy] Choate factor going, and the [Lance] Cormier factor, and the [Andy] Sonnanstine factor. They’re like Minnesota getting past losing [Joe] Nathan. That team has so much character and it’s so focused, they just deal with it.”
Down the road, the Rays might hunt around for another left-handed reliever. And “They’d love to add a couple of power arms in the ‘pen,” the same executive said. But in the short term, they’re second in the league in bullpen ERA. And opponents are hitting .215 against that bullpen. So this is a team in no hurry to make a deal.
The Rays do have RJ Swindle and Heath Phillips at triple-A Durham. But Swindle just came off the DL and Phillips has never been particularly tough on lefties.
And of course there is a guy in double-A Montgomery named Jake McGee. He is still being used as a starter, but in his last four appearances he hasn’t been allowed to pitch past the fourth inning. This suggests that the Rays have already started the transition to relief pitcher.
So maybe the Rays are confident with what they have. But if they do need to make a change, there are options from within.
Feb 03
The Red Sox have made a concerted effort this off-season to improve their run prevention. John Tomase of the Boston Herald says the Red Sox philosophical change can be traced back to a 14-5 loss to the Rays back in May.
The 14-5 defeat that afternoon against the Rays was mostly characterized as a poor showing from starter Jon Lester, who served up a two-run homer to Evan Longoria in the first inning and was chased in the fifth after allowing a career-high eight runs on 10 hits…The Sox knew better than to pin the loss on Lester. They knew that while the lefty hadn’t pitched his best, he didn’t lose that game. The gloves did.
Yikes. So now it is a $120 million payroll, one of the top farm systems in baseball and they now understand the value of run prevention.
Meanwhile, the Orioles are now implementing a plan similar to the one used by the Rays to compete in the AL East (thanks Amanda).
The Rays are screwed.
DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA…
- The Rays have brought back Heath Phillips on a minor-league deal. Phillips, who made six appearances with the White Sox in 2007, was in the Rays organization in 2008, making 3 starts for Durham. He spent the 2009 season with the Royals’ triple-A club, making 25 starts and posting a 4.99 ERA.
- Wade Townsend has signed a minor-league deal with the Blue Jays. [Rays Prospects via Twitter]
- Joe Nelson, the Vulcan Tripod, has signed a minor-league deal with the Red Sox. [WEEI]
- Most have picked the Rangers, but for the third time in four years, the Rays have the top organizational talent according to Baseball America and their just-released “Prospect Handbook.” Marc Topkin also provides their list of the top 31 prospects. [The Heater]
- It is behind the pay wall, but Buster Olney looks at the Rays next wave of prospects and how important they are to the Rays continued success. [ESPN Insider]
- Rob Neyer discusses the Rays top prospects and how it is loaded with pitchers. Some of whom could be moved for a catcher, something sorely lacking in the system. [ESPN]
- One ranking in which the Rays are ahead of the Red Sox, is team nicknames. Of course, that is not saying much as the Sox are last and the Rays come in at #24. [The Hardball Times]
- The guy that wants to bring a baseball team to Orlando has dropped out of his congressional race to concentrate on his effort to bring a team to Orlando. [Shadow of the Stadium]
Sep 11
Scranton/WB 1, Durham 0 (13; Scranton/WB leads 2-0). Two nights ago, both the Bulls and the Rays played a dramatic game that was decided in the 9th inning. Last night both the Bulls and the Rays both played extra innings. While the Rays won both matchups, the Bulls dropped their second straight. Mitch Talbot pitched 8 strong innings, striking out 8 and allowing only 3 hits and 3 walks. But the game was still scoreless at the end of 9. After Heath Phillips and Dale Thayer threw 4 more scoreless innings, Ben Hendrickson walked the first batter he faced in the 13th. The runner was sacrificed to second and then scored on a single to end the game…The Bulls had chances to score, loading the bases in the first, only to have Elliot Johnson strike out to end the inning…They also had 2nd and 3rd with only 1 out in the 2nd inning, and even loaded the bases with 2 outs before Jonny Gomes struck out. In the 4th, the first 2 batters walked, but Gaby Martinez was picked off 2nd base. The next batter singled which would have scored Martinez. Instead it was 1st and 3rd with 1 out, which was followed by a double play. In the 5th, the first 2 batters reached on singles, but the next 3 batters struck out. In the 7th, the Bulls had 2 on with only 1 out and failed to score. However, then the bats went cold. Over the last 6 innings, 13 Bulls in a row and 17 of the last 18 batters failed to reach base. The only baserunner after the 7th was a 2-out walk in the 12th. Jeff Niemann will pitch tonight in game 3 as the series shifts to Durham.
NOTES FROM DOWN ON THE FARM…
- Jeff Niemann will be the starter in game 3 tonight. If he is to be called up to the Rays, and we fully expect him to be, it could happen as early as tomorrow. Other players we could see once the series concludes are Heath Phillips (to add a lefty to the bullpen), Jonny Gomes and David Price.
Jul 29
Durham 4, Louisville 3. Mitch Talbot picked up his 10th win, striking out 9 in 6 innings and allowing only 1 run on a solo home run. He gave up 5 hits and 3 walks…Scott Dohmann saved his 15th game…Juan Salas pitched 1 inning, striking out the side, but giving up a hit and a walk…Joel Guzman provided all the offense, with 3 hits in 4 at bats, including a pair of 2-run home runs. He has 19 on the year.
Montgomery 9, Huntsville 2. David Price improved to 5-0 in double-A with 8 innings in which he allowed only 2 runs. He struck out 7 and walked none, but was once again touched by the longball. Both hits allowed were solo home runs. After allowing one home run in the first inning, he retired the next 14 batters before allowing his second home run in the 6th inning. He then retired the final 8 batters he faced. Price is now 9-0 in 13 professional starts with a 2.03 ERA and a 38:12 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 45 innings…Rocco Baldelli did not start, but did come on in the 6th as a pinch-hitter. He stayed in the game and played right field for 3 innings, before being pulled for a pinch-hitter in the 9th. He finished 1-2 with a single and did not have any fielding chances in the field…Gaby Martinez and Rhyne Hughes each homered and drove in 3.
Vero Beach 2, Jupiter 0. Wade Townsend made just his second start since being demoted to Vero Beach and tossed 3 shutout innings, striking out 4 and allowing 4 hits and 2 walks…Matt Fields and Christian Lopez were each 3-4, with Lopez driving in both runs.
Greenville @ Columbus (ppd. rain)
Hudson Valley 3, Aberdeen 2.
Princeton 6, Pulaski 1. Tim Beckham had his second straight day off.
NOTES FROM DOWN ON THE FARM…
- David Price will not fill the opening in the Durham rotation left by the departure of Jeremy Cummings to the US Olympic team. Rather, the Rays have signed Heath Phillips, most recently of the Yankees’ organization. Phillips made 6 appearances in relief last year for the White Sox. If Phillips’ name sounds familiar, it is because Phillips was the pitcher that hit Evan Longoria and got ejected after Elliot Johnson ran over a Yankees’ catcher in spring training. [Biscuits' Batter]
