Archive for the 'JK Ryu' Category

Jul 19

The Hangover: The Maturation Of BJ Upton

Akinori Iwamura, Andy Sonnanstine, BJ Upton, Edwin Jackson, James Shields, Jason Hammel, JK Ryu, JP Howell, Rocco Baldelli, Scott Kazmir 1 Comment »


Devil Rays 7, Angels 2.
BJ Upton got off to a great start this season, hitting .365 the first month. In April and early May he was knocking the ball all over the place…but there was a catch. He was striking out at an enormous rate. While nobody expected Upton to lead the league in hitting in his first full season, many expected him to come back to earth with a loud thud. In fact many wondered if he could even stay above .300 with so many strike outs and so few walks. Then he began to struggle, and the critics said “we told you so.” But then something happened. We can point to two key dates in the maturation of BJ Upton the hitter, and why at .333, Upton is a better hitter than when he was hitting .386.

MAY 4:
On May 4th BJ Upton had played in 26 games and this was the day that his batting average peaked with his AL-leading .386 average. However, in those 26 games he had struck out 32 times with only 8 walks. He was striking out at an alarming rate of 36.4% of his at bats. At this point somebody apparently sat Upton down and convinced him to take more pitches. Whether it was hitting coach George Hendrick or manager Joe Maddon or both, it was a risky move to tinker with a kid that was hitting .386.

While Upton only had 8 walks in the first 26 games, he would walk 7 times in the next 13 games. However, he also increased his strikeout rate to 43.1% (22 Ks in 51 at bats). Over those 13 games, Upton hit .176 and his average fell to .309. He was taking more pitches and drawing more walks, but he was falling behind in counts and striking out even more.

May 20:
At this point it looked like Upton was deep in a slump and the first 5 weeks of the season appeared as though it may have been a fluke. On Sunday May 20, the Rays played the final game of a series against the Marlins. Maddon sat Upton and used him as a pinch-runner late in the game. The Devil Rays also had Monday off.

Upton has played in 22 games since those two days off. In that time Upton has a strikeout to walk ratio of 17 to 15. He has cut his strikeout rate from 36.4% prior to May 4 to 23.0% since May 20. Over that same stretch he has increased his walk rate from 5.7% to 20.2%. Those numbers have translated into a .378 average since May 20 and an improved OBP.

The most important benefit from this change in approach in the batters box will be seen down the road. If Upton can maintain his strikeout and walk rates at that current levels, he is less likely to enter any prolonged slumps. Is he a .380 hitter? Probably not. But a 1:1 strikeout to walk ratio to go along with his blistering bat speed and electric foot speed…A .330 hitter year-in and year-out is not out of the question.

Joe Maddon and George Hendrick took a chance tinkering with a young kid that was hitting .386. Baseball players hate change when things are going well. But Maddon and Hendrick were able to see that the .386 average was facade. Upton was not hitting as well as the numbers indicated, so they asked him to make a change. Upton is now a better hitter and the Devil Rays are a better team.

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA…

  • *hushed whisper* Scott Kazmir is looking like the pre-2006 all-star game Kid K. If he and James Shields can turn in strong and consistent second-half performances, it will go a long way to righting the ship and setting the tone for 2008. It is all about the 7th inning. If our starters can consistently pitch into the 7th inning (as both Kaz and Shields have done in the first two games of this series), the bullpen has a better chance of securing the victory. [TBO]

“It’s all starting to come together now,” Kazmir said. “It is. I’m feeling really comfortable out there. I’m not worrying about mechanics or anything. I’m just worrying about where I want to put the ball.”

  • No surprise, JP Howell will be recalled to start the night-cap of Saturday’s double-header versus the Yankees. The team still has not announced the starter for the opening game. That means Jason Hammel will get the start unless Andy Sonnanstine or Edwin Jackson get run from their starts before the 5th inning. In that case, Hammel will be used in long relief and the team will call up Jae Kuk Ryu to make the start. [DevilRays.com]
  • It is official! The Devil Rays have become the first team with ZERO chance of making he playoffs. The Royals and The Nationals both still have less than 0.1% chance. [Cool Standings]
  • Apparently the Minnesota Twins inquired about the rehab status of Rocco Baldelli although no trade scenarios were discussed. [armchair GM]
  • According to Chris Stirewalt, it is easier to be a Devil Rays fan than a Cincinnati Reds fan. The premise is that Rays fans never have an expectations knowing our team will suck, and as a result, Rays fans need only “puff your Cohiba and enjoy your cold cerveza and hot Cuban sandwich with the atmosphere of real baseball all around you.” Sorry, we are not going to feel sorry for fans of a franchise that owns 5 world championships including one as recently as 1990. [WOWK]
  • In his latest diary, Akinori Iwamura discusses how his new baby has changed his life. [MLB]
  • The Devil Rays will open a merchandise store in Downtown Tampa on August 2nd. Correct us if we are wrong, but we believe this will be the Rays first presence in Tampa since the shop in Westshore Plaze closed. [TBO]
  • The Devil Rays donated $2,500 to the Devil Rays Wheelchair Softball team, who are ranked 9th in the nation. [Sticks of Fire]
Jul 16

Down On The Farm: Jeff Niemann And Chris Mason Pick Up League-Leading Victories

Chris Mason, Jeff Niemann, JK Ryu, Matt Fields, Mitch Talbot No Comments »

Durham 5, Buffalo 4. JK Ryu struck out 7 but allowed 4 runs in 5 innings.

Mississippi 12, Montgomery 2. Jonathon Barratt gave up 6 runs (5 earned) in 3 innings. Two of the runs came as a result of bases loaded balks in the second inning. Fernando Perez was 3-5 with 2 doubles and an RBI. He is hitting .285. Reid Brignac and Evan Longoria were both 1-4 with 2 strikeouts apiece.

Ft. Myers 4, Vero Beach 3. Mike Kamrath struck out 8 in 6.1 innings, allowing 2 runs. Shortstop Aaron Sisk was 1-4 with a solo home run in the second to start the scoring. Sisk now has 6 home runs in the past 6 games and is hitting .292 with 11 home runs on the season.

Columbus 8, Rome 1. Heath Rollins moved to 4-0 in his last 5 starts and 10-3 on the season. He struck out 7 and only allowed 1 run on three hits and 1 walk. Cesar Suarez was 2-4 with a 3-run home run, his 8th. He had 6 RBI on the night. Desmond Jennings was 1-3, scored 3 runs and stole his 40th base of the year.

Hudson Valley 7, Williamsport 1.

Greenville 5, Princeton 4.

NOTES FROM DOWN ON THE FARM…

  • Mike Potter has a Q&A session with Jeff Niemann. [Durham Herald-Sun]
  • Matt Fields was named the South Atlantic League player of the week. [The Raw Feed]
  • Jae Kuk Ryu experienced a very difficult transition coming to America from Korea at the age of 18. [The News and Observer]

Ryu signed at age 18 and came to the United States straight out of high school in Korea, not speaking a word of English. One of three Koreans on Major League Baseball opening-day rosters, his experience was far different than that of Japanese players, who benefit from a well-developed major league system and often are heavily recruited by American big league clubs.

  • On Friday night, Mitch Talbot struck out 8 in 5 innings and allowed only one run. Chad Orvella blew a 3-1 lead in the 9th by allowing 3 runs. The Bulls rallied with a run in the bottom of the 9th on a Ben Zobrist sac fly, but lost the game in the 11th when Jeff Ridgway relieved Seth McClung and gave up the go-ahead RBI single. [MiLB]
  • On Saturday night, Jeff Niemann picked up his league-leading 10th win despite allowing 5 runs (4 earned) in 5 innings. He did strike out 8. [MiLB]
  • On Friday night, Chris Mason picked up his league-leading 11th victory. Reid Brignac was 2-4 with his 12th home run. It was his 4th home run in 6 games. Evan Longoria was 2-4 with 2 RBI. [MiLB]
Jun 16

Down On The Farm: Rocco Baldelli To Spend Some Time In Durham

JK Ryu, Rocco Baldelli No Comments »

Durham 2, Indianapolis 1. Jae Kuk Ryu made his third start for the Bulls and had his second straight strong outing. While limited to 63 pitches, he worked 5 innings and struck out 7 while only allowing 3 hits, no walks and 1 run. The only runners that reached in the first 4 innings were on an error and a bunt single. Chad Orvella continues to reaffirm our belief that he is too good for AAA, but not good enough for the majors. He pitched a perfect 9th, striking out 2 for his 6th save…Joel Guzman collected 3 hits, including his 9th double and a RBI. He also stole his 6th base and he is now hitting .244.

Jacksonville 7, Montgomery 1. Jonathon Barratt dropped to 1-4 after allowing 7 runs in 3.1 innings. Reid Brignac had his second straight strong game, going 2-3 with 2 triples and a walk. With 5 hits in the last two games, The Cajun God of Baseball is up to .259. Evan Longoria had a single in 2 at bats with 2 walks. He also stole his 3rd base.

Greenville 5, Columbus 3. Woods Fines gave up 4 runs in 4 innings on 8 hits and a walk. Desmond Jennings was 2-5 with a double and 2 RBI. Ryan Royster had the only other RBI for the Catfish.

NOTES FROM DOWN ON THE FARM…

Jun 02

Down On The Farm: Josh Hamilton, Right Place, Wrong Team

JK Ryu, Josh Hamilton 4 Comments »

Durham 5, Louisville 4 (10 inn). Mitch Talbot struck out 5 in 6 innings and allowed 3 runs on 5 hits and 3 walks. Ben Zobrist and Wes Bankston homered for the Bulls. Bankston’s 8th home run of the season came with 2 outs in the bottom of the 10th to give Durham the walk-off victory.

Huntsville 4, Montgomery 2. Reid Brignac and Evan Longoria were each 1-4. Brignac committed his 12th error. John Jaso was 2-3 to raise his average to .336. Mike Prochaska gave up 4 runs (3 earned) in 5.1 innings.

Charleston 5, Columbus 3. For only the 4th time in 11 starts, Heath Rollins allowed an earned run. Last night he allowed 1 run in 6 innings with 3 strikeouts and 2 walks.

NOTES FROM DOWN ON THE FARM…

  • It took 8 years, but Josh Hamilton finally played in Durham. Hamilton is on a rehab assignment with the Louisville Bats. That sound you just heard was millions hundreds of Rays fans screaming out in pain.
  • Jae Kuk Ryu, will join the rotation in Durham.
Mar 30

The Hangover: Cantu Or Gomes For Final Spot

Carl Crawford, Chad Orvella, Delmon Young, Dioner Navarro, JK Ryu, Josh Paul, Juan Salas, Rocco Baldelli, Seth McClung No Comments »

  • Two big notes from yesterday’s 3-3 tie with the Pink Sox. Edwin Jackson worked six innings and yielded only a single walk while striking out 5. Jackson has only had one start this spring in which his control betrayed him. If this keeps up, Jackson could be in for a big season. The second item is that B. J. Upton started at second and Jorge Cantu was the DH. We touched on this yesterday, but it is now looking more and more as if Upton’s role as super-utility may actually turn into a regular gig at second base, while Cantu and Jonny Gomes are now battling for the DH spot,with the loser being sent to Durham.
  • The final two spots in the pen will come down to Chad Orvella, Juan Salas, Seth McClung, and Jae Kuk Ryu. McClung has given up 25 baserunners in less than 10 IP this spring so he is a long shot at this point. With Brian Stokes and Gary Glover likely to make the team, there doesn’t appear to be a need for another long reliever, so Ryu is probably out. Ryu gave up two home runs yesterday. Orvella has been lights out this spring (o.87 ERA) and seems like a lock. Salas has also been strong.
  • All three of the Rays walking wounded saw action yesterday. Of the three, Rocco Baldelli, Dioner Navarro and Josh Paul, only Paul sounded confident that he would be ready for opening day.
  • Not Rays related, but Kenny Rogers was placed on the DL yesterday with a tired arm. Wouldn’t it be great if this worked in real life. Boss, I need to take 2 weeks off, with pay, because I have a tired head. Thanks.
  • Manny Stiles makes a long-winded case for the greatness of Delmon Young.
  • We have no idea how good Carl Crawford can be, but it sure is going to be fun finding out.
  • On Tuesday against the Jays, Carl Crawford forgot his jersey, so he was forced to wear #98. Apparently #98 was not as lucky as his usual #13. He went 0-3.
  • Lou Piniella is not the only former Rays manager in Chi-town. Remember Larry Rothschild? Seems forever ago.
Mar 15

The Hangover: Another Candidate For The Job Seth McClung Does Not Have

Akinori Iwamura, Al Reyes, Brian Stokes, Edwin Jackson, Jason Hammel, JK Ryu, Joel Guzman, JP Howell, Peter Gammons, Tim Corcoran No Comments »

  • Moral victory last night. The Rays were losing the entire game so the ‘pen did not blow the lead.
  • We never gave Brian Stokes much of a chance to win the fifth spot in the rotation and…what? We had Stokes in the rotation’s 5th spot earlier this week? Never happened. Well Papa Joe Maddon made it official yesterday and Stokes is headed to the bullpen. What we didn’t expect was that Stokes is now a candidate to be the team’s closer. There are worse options. *cough, cough* Seth McClung *cough, cough*
  • The second round of pink slips were handed out yesterday. No real big surprises on the list except possibly Jason Hammel. We knew Hammel was a long shot for the 5th spot in the rotation, but we thought he would be given more of a chance. In two appearances he allowed one run on four hits in three innings. The roster now stands at 42, with 17 more cuts to come.
  • In theory, the fight for the final spot is now down to four, including Edwin Jackson, J. P. Howell, Jae-Kuk Ryu and Tim Corcoran. We still think the team has Corky pegged as a reliever and spot starter, so now we are down to three.
  • The Peter Gammons love-fest continues here at RI. Gammons once again he throws some affection towards the Rays in his column “Ten spring questions left to answer“. Question #8 was to wonder aloud how all of the young talented players would eventually fit together. He states that the Rays could be the most fun team to watch of all the second-tier teams in baseball…He refers to the Rays outfield and says that Elijah Dukes may be the most talented of the group. Gammons also hints that the Rays are so impressed by the slimmed-down Joel Guzman that they may be reconsidering Akinori Iwamura’s roll with the team…We understand that Guzman is a good fielder, but so is Muu-Rah, and while Iwamura is struggling at the plate, Guzman is only hitting .150. Muu-Rah will be the opening day third baseman. But at some point, if Guzman can find consistency with the bat, Iwamura may be headed to second base. 2008?
  • When we first heard that Joe Maddon was considering Al Reyes for the closer position, we were worried about putting that much pressure on his arm so soon after Tommy John surgery. Then we hear that Maddon is worried about pitching him on back-to-back nights. In that case, closer might be his best option on the Rays. Think about it, how often will the Rays being leading in the ninth on consecutive nights?
  • The guys over at armchairgm have their Rays preview up.
Mar 06

Rays Roster And Lineup Projections Update

25-man Roster, Akinori Iwamura, Al Reyes, BJ Upton, Greg Norton, JK Ryu, Joe Maddon, Jonny Gomes, JP Howell No Comments »

We are a few weeks, two intra-squad games and four official games into Spring Training. Now is a good time to take a look at our 2007 25-man roster projections. Over the course of the next month we will update these projections twice a week.

A couple of notes on these projections…

  • We understand that a few of the players listed as “secure” are not guaranteed to be the opening day starter at their respective positions. For example, there is an outside shot that Akinori Iwamura could still be the opening day second baseman. Still, at this point there is no indication that a move will happen. The “secure” positions are based on what we believe would happen if Papa Joe Maddon had to name his opening day lineup and roster today.
  • Several people have made the argument that our previous prediction of an 11-man pitching staff was unlikely. Their arguments must have been strong because we now tend to agree that Papa Joe is more likely to keep seven arms in the bullpen and only four bats on the bench.
  • With those numbers in mind, it now looks as if there are four roster spots up for grabs, with two on the bench and two in the bullpen. We almost listed B. J. Upton as secure, but we still think there is a remote chance that the team will send him back to Durham for more work. Even though Al Reyes is not on the 40-man roster we give him the edge in the final two bullpen slots. As long as he is healthy (and every indication so far is that he is) it is his position to lose. The final bullpen spot is really just a guess at this point.
  • We have long thought that the final spot in the rotation would go to J. P. Howell based on his performance towards the end of 2006. However, of the prospective pitchers vying for the final spot, Jae-Kuk Ryu is the only one that has been given a start so far and he pitched a solid two innings.
  • Greg Norton has been the DH with the regulars, but we still think when the season starts Papa Joe will go with Jonny Gomes on a regular basis, if not every day.
Mar 05

The Hangover: When Ozzie Smith Dies He Will Roll Over In His Grave

JK Ryu, Joe Maddon, Josh Paul, Shawn Riggans, The defense was offensive 1 Comment »

  • Last year the Rays struggled in a number of areas on their way to 101 losses. Let’s take a look at how those struggles have translated to the first few games of the Spring.
    1. Bullpen blows leads? Check
    2. Starting pitchers throw too many pitches keeping them from working deep in games? Check
    3. Offensive struggles? Check
Well at least the defense has played better…What was that? Six errors yesterday? All-time team record for Spring Training or regular season? Nevermind.
  • Jae-Kuk Ryu may have taken an early lead in the fight for the 5th spot in the rotation surrendering only a single in two shutout innings against the Jays.
  • Papa Joe Maddon says that Shawn Riggans can “absolutely make the team” as the backup catcher. We assume by “absolutely” he means “if Rigo can hit .600 with 10 home runs in Spring Training and Josh Paul loses two limbs.” The starting catcher for the Rays is only 23 years old. A team with such a young pitching staff and a young catcher can only benefit from having a veteran backup catcher. The pitchers will learn more. Dioner Navarro will learn more. Paul is not the biggest threat with the stick off the bench but he is serviceable and when Navarro needs rest it will benefit the team to have a veteran in his place.
  • Papa Joe is infatuated with the defensive skills of Joel Guzman if not so much in love with his bat. The indication is that his days in the outfield are probably over and if Guzman can ever lose the gigantic holes in his swing and develop some more bat speed, his future in the majors is probably at third base.
Mar 01

The Hangover: Joe Maddon Not Afraid Of Bulging Veins

Akinori Iwamura, Carlos Pena, JK Ryu, Joe Maddon, Stuart Sternberg No Comments »

  • Papa Joe Maddon is going to tighten the reigns on his young team this season and is not afraid to get in a players face, just don’t expect to read about it in the paper. Team owner Stuart Sternberg is glad that none of the players Got A Delmon from Papa Joe, even though they may have deserved it at times.
  • At the end of THIS post is some video footage of Akinori Iwamura from Japan. Granted the video is only of home runs, but we like his swing. There is definite similarity to Ichiro’s swing except he appears to get better extension, while Ichiro has a more compact swing. The swing is effortless and level and Muu-Rah uses the whole ballpark, hitting a lot of opposite-field home runs. Once he adjusts to Major League pitchers he is going to hit home runs. He will never hit mid-40s but he probably can hit 30.
  • We all love the Rays outfield. But what do they think about each other? Love, man…nothin’ but love.
  • Joe Maddon wants Carlos Pena to know that he doesn’t have to pull everything to hit home runs. Using the whole field will go a long ways to cutting down on his strikeouts. The Detroit News is skeptical.
  • With the addition of Osprey-killer, Jae-Kuk Ryu, FanNation decided to look back at all the troublemakers that the Rays have had on their roster in the team’s history (and the list is not as short as you would hope). They don’t even include Jose Canseco, who, surprisingly, was a model citizen for the Rays.
  • Stuart Sternberg is trying to sell the Rays as a promotional opportunity to local businesses. He also stated that the team will not market the team to Japan and only expects a small bump in attendance in response to the signing of Akinori Iwamura.
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