Archive for the 'Michael Sheridan' Category

Feb 21

[THE HANGOVER] The One Where We Discuss Stu’s Comments, Damon’s New Home And CC’s New Tat

Andy Sonnanstine, BJ Upton, Jake Jefferies, Johnny Damon, JP Howell, Michael Sheridan, New Stadium, Rafael Soriano, Stuart Sternberg Cork Gaines No Comments »

A couple if interesting tidbits from Stuart Sternberg via Marc Topkin…

  • Sternberg is surprised  at “the speed in which the other front offices have changed their game plans a little bit has forced us to try to stay one step ahead or even in lockstep with them.” Specifically Sternberg is referring to game plans that look a lot like the one the Rays started several years ago.
  • Sternberg is puzzled by the lack of unity between Tampa and St. Pete. It is safe to assume that he is referring to the need for a new stadium.
  • Sternberg says he doesn’t have the money to build a new stadium himself.

Now on to the regular webtopia.

DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA…

  • Johnny Damon signed with the Tigers. [Yahoo! Sports]
  • Bob Nightengale says the Tigers were the only team that outbid the Rays for Johnny Damon. [Twitter]
  • Marc Topkin has released his third annual “Tampa Bay Rays Power Index,” which looks at the most valuable names associated with the Rays. [St. Pete Times]
  • The Brewers introduced a road alternate jersey that will have “Milwaukee” across the front. That leaves the Phillies, Angels, Cardinals and our very own Rays as the only teams without a geographical locality across the front of at least one jersey. [John & Cait...Plus Nine]
  • BJ Upton says he has no hard feelings looming from the arbitration hearing and that he is putting his past behind him. [Rays Plays]
  • Marc Topkin writes about the uphill battle Andy Sonnanstine faces just making this year’s team. [St. Pete Times]
  • Rafael Soriano on facing the tough bats in the AL East: “I do not care…If I am healthy, if I am on the mound, I do not care who the hitter is. I am good, too.” Gary Shelton writes that anything is possible for the Rays if Soriano is the real-deal. [St. Pete Times]
  • Marc Topkin has more details about Carl Crawford’s new tattoo: “his last name in script wrapped around his forearm, a skull with a baseball head, a lion in his bicep, and…fixed up an older tattoo that he had and placed his home state of Texas as a background to it all.” [St. Pete Times]
  • JP Howell’s off-season workouts included…Peggy Fleming? [Tampa Tribune]
  • Roger Mooney did a Q&A with JP Howell about downtime, funny teammates and the Winter Olympics. [Rays Report]
  • Scouting the Sally takes a closer look at two of the Rays lower-level prospects, Jake Jefferies and Mike Sheridan. [Scouting the Sally]
  • The Collective Troll has some pics of Rafael Soriano in the new sky blue jersey. [The Collective Troll]
Jun 03

The 2008 Draft: A Look Back

Jake Jefferies, Kyle Lobstein, Michael Sheridan, Tim Beckham, Ty Morrison Cork Gaines 4 Comments »

With the 2009 MLB draft next Tuesday, the Tampa Bay Rays front office is busy preparing for their fourth rodeo. Now is a good time to take a look back and gauge the early returns from players selected in last year’s draft.

Without further ado, we present you the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 2008 top 10 draft picks recap (stats do not include yesterday’s action)…

  1. Tim Beckham, SS. Very much a diamond in the rough. Watching the boxscores every morning and you can see the talent is there, but there is still a lot of improvement needed. Has played the entire season at low-A Bowling Green, hitting .306/.356/.420 which is a decent line. What you don’t like are the 43 strikeouts in 41 games with only 13 walks. You also don’t like the 14 errors, but that will come around. And his statline might be a little bloated as his BABIP is a little high (.390) considering his kinda low 17.7% line drive rate. And his numbers are downright putrid against lefties (Beckham bats righty): .216/.231/.243. Right now, Beckham looks like he is going to be a one-level-per-year player. So 2012 at the earliest before we start dreaming of a new stud shortstop at The Trop.
  2. Kyle Lobstein, LHP. Lobstein has yet to play a game in the Rays organization. The lefty threatened to play basketball at Arizona, but he finally signed for $1.5 million which at the time was the highest bonus given to a draftee in the second round or later. Look for Lobstein to make his debut with either Hudson Valley or Princeton later this month.
  3. Jake Jefferies, C. Jefferies made a solid debut for short-season Hudson Valley last summer hitting .315/.379/.433. His statline has dipped a bit this season to .262/.345/.369 at low-A Bowling Green, but he still has nice command of the strikezone which bodes well for his ability to move up the ranks. This season he has a 15-to-16 strikeout to walk ratio and 37-to-37 for his short professional career. Of course, as a catcher, the important aspect is his development as a catcher and last season he threw out only 2 of 19 would be base stealers.
  4. Ty Morrison, OF. Morrison appeared in 10 games for Princeton last season going 9-34 with 12 strikeouts and 2 walks. He has yet to appear in a game this season and will likely make his debut with Hudson Valley later this month.
  5. Mike Sheridan, 1B. Sheridan hit .321 in 31 games for Hudson Valley last year after being drafted but is off to a slow start this season with Bowling Green, .246/.270/.430. His biggest weakness is lefties as he is .207/.226/.276 against southpaws.
  6. Shane Dyer, RHP. Dyer has made 8 starts for Bowling Green after making 14 starts for Hudson Valley last year. This season he is 0-3 with a 3.98 ERA and 30 strikeouts and only 8 walks in 40.2 innings. That translates to a pedestrian 4.30 tRA.
  7. Jason Corder, OF. Corder had a strong start last year in Hudson Valley hitting .306-5-36 in 50 games, but is only hitting .158-1-5 in 21 games for Hudson Valley this season.
  8. Anthony Scelfo, OF. After hitting .281-4-24 last year with Hudson Valley, Scelfo is down to .230-1-12 in 41 games for Bowling Green.
  9. Shawn Smith, LHP. Smith made 8 appearances last year for Princeton including 1 start. In 14 innings, he gave up 11 earned runs on 20 hits and 9 walks with 12 strikeouts. He will likely make his 2009 debut later this month with Hudson Valley.
  10. Matt Hall, 2B. Hall has had an interesting season. He started the year with high-A Charlotte, but played 1 game with Montgomery and was recently promoted to Durham. The quick move up the ranks has been more about need than performance as Hall has served as kind of a roving middle infielder depending on which team has needs at that particular moment. So far this season he is only hitting .207/.270/.293, but has seen playing time at 2B, SS and 3B and he is even made a pitching appearance, throwing 1 scoreless inning for Durham.
Jun 18

[DOWN ON THE FARM] Price Could Make Next Start In AA; Beckham Could Be Signed By Weekend

David Price, Michael Sheridan, Tim Beckham Cork Gaines No Comments »

Durham 6, Buffalo 3. [completion of game from previous day] Jeff Niemann pitched the first 2.1 innings 2 days ago…Juan Salas was on the mound when the game resumed yesterday. He struck out 3 in 1.2 innings…Joel Guzman added a 2-run double to the 2-run home run he hit the day before.

Buffalo 8, Durham 1 (7). Mitch Talbot gave up 7 runs (6 earned) in 4.1 innings…The Bulls managed only 3 singles in the 7-inning contest.

Mississippi 7, Montgomery 2. Ryan Reid came into the game in the 8th inning with the score tied 2-2. After a perfect 8th that included a strikeout, the floor collapsed in the 9th. A home run, a single, 2 walks, a dropped third strike and 3 stolen bases later, Reid had given up 5 runs (1 earned)…Jake McGee got the start and allowed 2 runs in 5.2 innings with 3 strikeouts and 2 walks…Gabby Martinez drove in both of Montgomery’s runs with his 11th home run.

Vero Beach v Brevard Co. (ppd).

Columbus (all-star break)

Aberdeen 13, Hudson Valley 7. Tyree Hayes, son of Charlie Hayes gave up 9 runs (3 earned) and was pulled with only 2 outs in the first inning.

Pulaski 6, Princeton 5 (13). Matt Moore, an 8th round pick last year started and was pulled after 3.1 innings. He allowed 3 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks. But of the 10 outs he recorded, 9 were by strikeout…Burt Reynolds had a solid debut, picking up 3 hits and an RBI in 6 at bats.

NOTES FROM DOWN ON THE FARM…

  • We missed this yesterday…although he lists no reasons for this thought, Bill Whitehead speculates that David Price will be promoted to double-A Montgomery before his next start. [Tampa Tribune]

The game also marked the fifth and perhaps final FSL start for pitcher David Price. The prized left-hander could be sent to Double-A Montgomery of the Southern League later in the week.

When asked about his future pitching plans after his five-inning, one-run outing, though, Price said, “I have no idea. No one’s said a thing.”

  • The Rays top pick Tim Beckham will be in St. Pete this weekend with his family and his father believes that a deal will be done before the weekend is over. [Tampa Tribune]
  • The Rays 5th round pick was injured before he ever played a game for the Rays organization. Scheduled to start for Hudson Valley, Michael Sheridan, a first baseman, was hit in the head prior to the ‘Gades opening night contest. [Renegades Rumblings]