FanHouse

Cubs Trade Mark DeRosa to Indians

Jacob Wheatley-Schaller — 2008-12-31T14:20:00+00:00

by Jacob Wheatley-SchallerThe Indians finally filled the gaping hole in their infield on Thursday, acquiring second baseman Mark DeRosa from the Cubs in exchange for minor league pitchers Jeff Stevens, Chris Archer, and John Gaub.

Where DeRosa fits in on Cleveland's infield isn't entirely clear, but he'll be an upgrade regardless of how it shakes out. It's possible that Jhonny Peralta will be moved to third base, allowing defensive wizard Asdrubal Cabrera to slide over to short, and DeRosa to play second. The idea that Peralta, a very poor defender at shortstop, could move down the defensive spectrum has been rumored for a few years now, and this deal may finally give the Indians the opportunity to actually do it.

The Indians also may choose to keep their two middle infielders at their current positions and have DeRosa play third, where he's played sparingly throughout his career. Either way, they're likely going to need to find a replacement for him after 2009, as he's on the last year of a three year, $13 million deal that pays him $5.5 million this coming season.

In Stevens, the Cubs get a power bullpen arm who struck out 81 batters in just 58.1 innings last year, split between Double-A and Triple-A. The 24-year old should slide right into their major league 'pen. Archer and Gaub are both in the low minors. Archer didn't have a very good year with Lake County, but he just recently turned 20; Gaub has better numbers, but at 23 is very old for A-ball.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Twins Pursuing Adrian Beltre

Jacob Wheatley-Schaller — 2008-12-07T14:00:00+00:00

by Jacob Wheatley-SchallerIt's no secret that the Twins are looking for a third baseman. They've been rumored to be after free agent Casey Blake for awhile, but at this point it seems as though those talks have broken down, and they're turning their sights to a familiar target:

The Twins badly want a third baseman and will now step up efforts to get one, including conversations with the Mariners for Adrian Beltre. Minnesota inquired about Beltre last summer, but felt the asking price was too high given the salary they would have had to take on. That salary is now down to $12 million for the 2009 season instead of the $17 million it would have cost to get him last July. Don't forget, the M's want players back in return as well.

Beltre is a far superior player to Blake, and would be a huge upgrade for Minnesota at third. He's only a slightly above average hitter for his position, but is a fantastic defender, one of the best in the league.

In the Seattle Times article linked above, Geoff Baker mentions Michael Cuddyer as the possible centerpiece of the package going back to Seattle. That's reasonable enough -- the Mariners could use a corner bat or three -- but you have to wonder if they'd prefer someone more conducive to their stage in the rebuilding process, such as one of Minnesota's many young pitchers.

For the Twins, even though they'd have to give up a few players and pay Beltre's $12MM contract in 2008, their backup plan may actually be superior to their original one; you know pretty much what you're getting with one year of Beltre, while guaranteeing Blake three years would've been a significant gamble.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Coco Crisp Traded to Royals

Jacob Wheatley-Schaller — 2008-11-19T15:30:00+00:00

by Jacob Wheatley-SchallerDayton Moore's busy offseason continued on Wednesday as he made another trade, acquiring outfielder Coco Crisp from the Red Sox in exchange for reliever Ramon Ramirez.

Crisp had been on the trading block for awhile, ever since the emergence of Jacoby Ellsbury in the Boston outfield. He's a career .280 hitter, who draws a decent amount of walks, doesn't have much power, and is a threat to run, with 20 or more stolen bases in each of the last three seasons. He had a brilliant year defensively in 2007, but was just in the years before and after; overall, it looks like he's a slightly above average center fielder.

Crisp goes from one crowded outfield to another, as the Royals already have Mark Teahen, David DeJesus, and Jose Guillen. This move, which comes three weeks after Kansas City picked up Mike Jacobs from the Marlins, suggests that Moore has yet another transaction in mind, and that Teahen, or even DeJesus, could be traded to free up an outfield spot.

The Red Sox dealt from a strength -- they still have an excellent starting outfield of Jason Bay, Jacoby Ellsbury, and J.D. Drew -- and received an asset you can really never have enough of, in a quality bullpen arm. The 28-year old Ramirez has an excellent season in 2008, with a 2.84 ERA in 71.2 innings. Some of that success won't continue though, as he allowed just two home runs despite allowing an average number of fly balls.

He was very good in other areas, notching 70 strikeouts, a rate of 8.8 per nine innings. Ramirez joins an increasingly strong Boston bullpen; Jonathan Papelbon is one of the best closers in baseball, and they now have four above average relievers to bridge the gap to him, with Ramirez, Hideki Okajima, Manny Delcarmen, and Justin Masterson.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Dustin Pedroia Wins the American League MVP Award

Jacob Wheatley-Schaller — 2008-11-18T14:20:00+00:00

by Jacob Wheatley-SchallerThe Baseball Writers' Association of America announced its final 2008 award on Tuesday, as Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia emerged from a wide open field to edge out Minnesota's Justin Morneau.

Pedroia had a breakout season in 2007, taking AL Rookie of the Year honors, and he improved this year, with a .326 batting average, .376 on-base percentage, and 54 doubles while playing an above average second base. He received 16 first place votes, and was in the top four on every ballot except one, which strangely left him off entirely.

The top four finishers all came from the Red Sox and Twins, as Boston first baseman Kevin Youkilis finished third, and Minnesota catcher Joe Mauer came in fourth. Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez finished sixth, receiving a single first place vote.

Though it wasn't always pretty, the BBWAA ended up with entirely reasonable selections for each of the eight awards it hands out. Pedroia wasn't head and shoulders above the competition like Albert Pujols, who won the NL MVP on Monday, but he was a deserving candidate. It's very rare to find a second baseman who hits for a high average, draws some walks, steals bases at a high clip (20/21 on the year), and even displays some power.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Free Agency Begins: Giants Sign Jeremy Affeldt

Jacob Wheatley-Schaller — 2008-11-17T20:45:00+00:00

by Jacob Wheatley-SchallerBaseball's free agent signing period began a few days ago, and now we have our first signing, as the San Francisco Giants have inked left-handed reliever Jeremy Affeldt to a two-year contract.

Affeldt, 29, had his best season since 2003 while pitching for the Reds last year. In 78.1 innings, he struck out 80 hitters while walking just 25, and posted a 3.33 ERA. His 9.2 K/9 ratio was easily the best rate of his career. In the Giants' pen, he'll likely slot in before Brian Wilson, since only the latter has earned the "proven closer" label.

Regardless of titles, Affeldt will be the best pitcher in San Francisco's bullpen, and having him pitch before the ninth could actually be advantageous. Not only will it give manager Bruce Bochy the opportunity to have Affeldt face as many lefties as possible, he'll also be able to save him for key situations, rather than being "forced" to put him in for every save opportunity, which are not always high leverage situations.

The contract is only for a total of $8 million, which is a steal considering what some other relievers, such as Francisco Rodriguez and Brian Fuentes, will likely end up getting. Both aspects of this deal -- the short length, and the low annual value -- have to be looked at as positives for the Giants. Additionally, since Affeldt is a Type B free agent, they won't be forced to part with a draft pick as compensation.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Footprints in the Snow: Minnesota Twins

Jacob Wheatley-Schaller — 2008-11-14T10:00:00+00:00

by Jacob Wheatley-SchallerFootprints in the Snow is FanHouse's look at the paths to be forged by MLB teams this winter as they look ahead to 2009.

2008 was a very successful year for the Twins. Afterthoughts back in March, when everybody thought the Tigers and Indians would battle for the division crown, Minnesota finished the regular season in a tie with Chicago atop the Central, before losing to the White Sox in a one-game playoff. After a rocky April, it eventually saw the successful return of Francisco Liriano; other highlights included another MVP-caliber year from Joe Mauer, and the emergence of some of their young arms, most notably Kevin Slowey.

But it's hard not to look back at July and wonder what else the Twins could have accomplished. In that month, Livan Hernandez made five starts, allowing 21 runs in 29 1/3 innings for a 6.44 ERA. Meanwhile, Francisco Liriano was inexplicably still in Triple-A, where he was absolutely dominating, striking out almost a third of the batters he faced. If the Twins -- who have a history of being reluctant to promote guys, and had already pushed Liriano too soon in April -- had recalled him just a week sooner, they probably wouldn't have needed the playoff against Chicago, instead winning the division outright and advancing to face the Rays in the ALDS.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Footprints in the Snow: Seattle Mariners

Jacob Wheatley-Schaller — 2008-11-14T08:00:00+00:00

by Jacob Wheatley-SchallerFootprints in the Snow is FanHouse's look at the paths to be forged by MLB teams this winter as they look ahead to 2009.

The Mariners went into 2008 as playoff contenders in the eyes of some, and a sub-.500 team that wasn't going to be able to score enough runs to compete in the minds of others. The latter camp was closer in its expectation, but nobody could have foreseen just how far Seattle would fall.

The offense was bad, as expected, finishing 13th in the AL in runs, OBP, and SLG. The more surprising issue was that the pitching, a unit which looked to be solid at the outset of the year, fell apart as well. Offseason acquisition Erik Bedard and previously dominant closer J.J. Putz both battled injuries, and weren't particularly impressive when they did pitch. They also got some abysmal performances from the back end of the rotation, with Carlos Silva, Ryan Feierabend and Miguel Batista combining for a 6.55 ERA in 308 innings.

It's worth noting that all the blame for the run prevention issues shouldn't fall solely to the pitchers, as the Mariners were 13th in the AL in defensive efficiency.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Footprints in the Snow: Tampa Bay Rays

Jacob Wheatley-Schaller — 2008-11-12T09:00:00+00:00

by Jacob Wheatley-SchallerFootprints in the Snow is FanHouse's look at the paths to be forged by MLB teams this winter as they look ahead to 2009.

As you may have heard, the Tampa Bay Rays burst onto the scene in 2008, finishing the regular season with 97 wins, 27 more than their previous franchise high of 70. They then breezed past the White Sox in the ALDS and survived Boston's furious comeback in the ALCS before falling to the Phillies in the World Series.

On its face, Tampa's story may seem similar to that of the 2007 Rockies, who were an afterthought in the pennant race in early September yet ended up still playing in late October. But in reality, the surprise teams of the last two years couldn't be more different. While Colorado was led by guys in their late-20s having career years, the Rays were a very young team that came into its own earlier than expected. Nearly all of their key parts will be back for '09 and beyond; if Tampa Bay makes the right offseason moves, it is set up quite nicely for a potentially dominant 3-5 year run.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Footprints in the Snow: Kansas City Royals

Jacob Wheatley-Schaller — 2008-11-11T10:00:00+00:00

by Jacob Wheatley-SchallerFootprints in the Snow is FanHouse's look at the paths to be forged by MLB teams this winter as they look ahead to 2009.

After finishing 12th in the AL in runs, OBP, and SLG last year, the Royals have already begun to try to upgrade their offense, acquiring Mike Jacobs from the Marlins for Leo Nunez last week. Jacobs, who hit 32 homers last season, will add power, but that's about all he brings to the table. He walked just 36 times last season, so he'll fit right in with the Royals, who finished dead last in the American League in BB.

It was also a somewhat odd move since they have multiple 1B/DH types already, including Ryan Shealy, Kila Ka'aihue, and Billy Butler. But GM Dayton Moore may plan to move one or more of those guys in trades later this winter.

Who may leave?
2B Mark Grudzielanek (free agent)

What do they need?
Kansas City's strengths are the top of their rotation, with Gil Meche and Zach Greinke, and the back of their bullpen, with stud closer Joakim Soria. Brian Bannister isn't as bad as he was last year (5.76 ERA), but he isn't as good as his '07 performance (3.87 ERA) would indicate either. Bannister and Kyle Davies aren't bad back-of-the-rotation options, but the Royals could use a guy to slot in ahead of them. Their bullpen was decent last year, and when you're still a couple years away from contention like Kansas City is, you don't really want to be throwing money at free agent relievers.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Footprints in the Snow: Cleveland Indians

Jacob Wheatley-Schaller — 2008-11-10T10:00:00+00:00

by Jacob Wheatley-Schaller
Footprints in the Snow is FanHouse's look at the paths to be forged by MLB teams this winter as they look ahead to 2009.

After falling just short of the World Series in 2007, the Indians entered 2008 with lofty expectations. Thanks to a combination of down years from and injuries to players who made significant contributions to the 96-win team of 2007, Cleveland fell well short of those expectations, needing a late-season surge just to finish at .500.

There is some reason for optimism, however. Despite the injuries and trades, the Indians outscored their opponents by 44 runs, not far behind division leaders Chicago (plus-81) and Minnesota (plus-85). If some of the guys that struggled in '08 bounce back and the front office plugs some of the holes one the roster, there's no reason to think the Tribe couldn't compete in the Central in '09.

Who may leave?
C Sal Fasano (free agent)

What do they need?
Cleveland's free agent list would've been a lot longer if you compiled it back in April, but the Indians got rid of nearly all of their impending free agents after falling out of contention. CC Sabathia, Casey Blake, and Paul Byrd were all traded away to contenders, and Joe Borowski was released in July. So although they can bring back almost everyone who was on the roster after the deadline, there is work to do.

Aside from Cliff Lee, there are a lot of question marks in the rotation. After a great 2007, Fausto Carmona had serious control problems both before and after going on the DL, with 70 walks in 120.2 innings. After that, they really just have a collection of No. 5 starters, with Jeremy Sowers, Anthony Reyes, and Scott Lewis leading the way. Jake Westbrook is expected to return from Tommy John surgery around midseason, but relying on a big contribution from him in 2009 would probably be a mistake.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Andrew Friedman Wins Executive of the Year

Jacob Wheatley-Schaller — 2008-11-04T15:15:00+00:00

by Jacob Wheatley-SchallerBoth MLB's awards season and the General Managers Meetings got off to predictable starts at a dinner at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort on Monday night:

For orchestrating one of the most remarkable success stories in the history of Major League Baseball, Andrew Friedman of the Tampa Bay Rays is The Sporting News' choice as Executive of the Year for 2008.

Friedman, executive vice president of baseball operations, made all the right moves for manager Joe Maddon as the Rays rose from last to first in the American League East, amazing insiders all year with their dynamic, consistent play. Their 97-65 record was the league's second best, behind the Angels' 100-62.

Friedman kept the young nucleus of his talented roster essentially intact while pulling off a major offseason deal with Minnesota that brought shortstop Jason Bartlett and starter Matt Garza to solidify the defense and the rotation. A role was found for Willy Aybar, whose play during the absence of third baseman Evan Longoria was vital down the stretch.

Next Wednesday, with significantly more fanfare than this, it will be announced that Joe Maddon won the AL Mananger of the Year award. But really, after watching Maddon's tactical struggles in October, is there any doubt that the majority of the credit should be assigned to the people who put the pieces in place, rather than Maddon himself?

Sure, Maddon deserves a lot more credit than someone like Chuck LaMar; the fact that it's impossible to quantify his impact on the clubhouse doesn't mean it should be ignored entirely. But it's worth remembering that despite who we all saw on TV all October, it's Tampa Bay's front office that was the main reason this team came together as quickly as it did, and Friedman and Co. are also the reason the Rays will continue to be contenders in the coming years.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

The Red Sox Are Early Favorites To Win It All Next Year

Jacob Wheatley-Schaller — 2008-10-30T15:50:00+00:00

by Jacob Wheatley-SchallerAhead of the curve as usual, Vegas has already released odds to win the 2009 World Series. Here they are, from BetOnline, via Extra Bases:

Free agency starts in 15 days? Winter meetings still more than a month away? No matter. The Red Sox, at 3 to 1, are your early favorites to win the World Series.
Here is the full list [...]:
Boston Red Sox 3/1
Chicago Cubs 5/1
LA Angels 5/1
Philadelphia Phillies 6/1
New York Yankees 6/1
Tampa Bay Devil Rays 10/1
Chicago White Sox 10/1

I'm not sure why they still have the "Devil" in there for Tampa Bay.

There's a reason the linesmakers want to get these out as quickly as possible--these odds are very profitable for them. Not only is the vig on these extremely high (the odds for all thirty teams add up to a total of 173%; it would be 100% of there was no juice), but the payout is a full year away. So not only are the sportsbooks getting people to bet at terrible odds, they can also earn interest in your money for 52 weeks.

As for the actual odds, it makes sense that the Red Sox are the favorites. They had the best run differential in the AL, which is impressive since they play in such a tough division and had to deal with a significant number of injuries. They're also generally one of the best-run franchises in the league, and have no shortage of money to spend, which means they're likely to improve over the offseason. That's not to say they have a 25% chance of winning it all in '09; it's unlikely any of these are worth betting on, because of the aforementioned factors.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

How Should Joe Maddon Manage The 6th Inning?

Jacob Wheatley-Schaller — 2008-10-29T17:38:00+00:00

by Jacob Wheatley-Schaller Joe Maddon has decided who will pitch the sixth inning for the Rays 177 times this year, but this is a special case. People have had nearly 48 hours to speculate on how Maddon will, and should, deploy his relievers over the last 12 outs. Here's one take from DRaysBay, in a post titled, "Grant Balfour Needs to 'Start' Game 5":

Two reasons.

1) Cole Hamels spot will be due up, expect Matt Stairs to pinch hit. From there Jimmy Rollins and Jayson Werth are due up. Allowing Balfour to exit before the lefties comup because...

2) In the 7th the Rays will send 6-7-8 to the plate, if one reaches the Rays could pinch-hit for Balfour, if not the Rays could double-switch and take Rocco Baldelli out. Then bring in Price/Howell/whomever while getting an extra inning from a rested Balfour.

The fact that the pitcher's spot is due up fourth in the Rays' half of the seven is very important here. If they were to bring in a new reliever--say, David Price--for the sixth, with the intention of having record more than three outs, he'd likely have to hit for himself. In the late innings of a tie game, that's just not acceptable.

So having Balfour "start" the game does make sense. And he should certainly pitch to the first three batters--the pinch hitter, Jimmy Rollins, and Jayson Werth. If he gets through that 1-2-3, great. If there are two outs and a runner on when Chase Utley comes up, Balfour should probably face Utley, who only has a small platoon split in his career. If there are two on and one out, with both Utley and Ryan Howard due up, the Rays should definitely go to one of their three lefties to finish off the inning.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

What Game 1 Means for the Rays

Jacob Wheatley-Schaller — 2008-10-23T00:25:00+00:00

by Jacob Wheatley-SchallerNormally, losing Game 1 at home is a very large blow to a team's chances of winning the series. That's not really the case here; this was a tough loss for the Rays, but the way the series set up it was almost expected. The first game was much more vital for Philadelphia than for Tampa Bay, as a good portion of the Phillies' hopes lie on the shoulders of Cole Hamels, who was again excellent tonight.

This loss does make Game 2 huge for the Rays though. And they have a favorable matchup, with James Shields going at home against Brett Myers. It's not a must win, but it's close, as going back to Philly down 2-0 would put the Rays in a tough spot, even with the pitching advantage in Games 3 and 4.

Scott Kazmir's start was typical for him, as he displayed good stuff but had some control issues and struggled early, giving up a two-run homer to Chase Utley in the first. Kazmir allowed three runs in six innings, and then four relievers combined to shut the Phillies down the rest of the way. Tampa Bay was actually fortunate that this game was so close, as Philadelphia left 11 men on base. Ryan Howard was a big part of that problem; he continued to struggle, with three strikeouts in four ABs.

Aside from Akinori Iwamura, Tampa Bay's offense didn't show much life with the rest of the lineup getting just two hits. B.J. Upton, one of the stars of the first two rounds, struggled mightily, hitting into two double plays and striking out once. The middle of the Rays' order also looked helpless against Brad Lidge's slider in the ninth, which could end up playing a big role in the rest of the series. They're not in terrible shape, but they need a big performance from Shields on Thursday night to tie things up.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Seattle Announces Milwaukee's Jack Zduriencik Will Be New GM

Jacob Wheatley-Schaller — 2008-10-22T16:30:00+00:00

by Jacob Wheatley-SchallerIn 2009, the Mariners became the first team ever to win fewer than 100 games with at payroll over $100 million. Midway through the year they fired GM Bill Bavasi, and have since undergone an exhaustive search, looking for someone to right the ship. Today, they announced their decision:

Milwaukee Brewers executive Jack Zduriencik is the Seattle Mariners' choice to be their new general manager.

The 57-year-old Zduriencik spent nine years in Milwaukee's front office, most recently as the special assistant to general manager Doug Melvin.

Since Zduriencik came to Milwaukee in 1999, he made the call to draft Prince Fielder and Rickie Weeks as well as 2007 NL Rookie of the Year Ryan Braun, J.J. Hardy, Corey Hart, Yovani Gallardo, Manny Parra and Tony Gwynn Jr. -- the foundation of Milwaukee's playoff team this season.

That certainly is an impressive resume, as Zduriencik is known as one of the best, if not the best, scouting directors in baseball. But you have to wonder if Seattle wouldn't have been better off going with one of the other candidates, like Tony LaCava or Jerry DiPoto.

This is not to say that Zduriencik is a bad hire; he'll certainly get them going in the right direction. But the current Mariners' regime has the reputation for being very old school, and almost ignoring sabermetrics. It seems like they may have been better served to do a complete 180, and go with one of the "new school" candidates. Now, we'll have to see if Zduriencik surrounds himself with enough statistically minded people to completely change the culture and vault Seattle back into contention.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

These Aren't Your Father's Rays, and You Might Want to Get Used to It

Jacob Wheatley-Schaller — 2008-10-21T18:52:00+00:00

by Jacob Wheatley-SchallerIn staving off what would have been one of the most unlikely comebacks ever, the Rays beat the odds themselves, as a team that had never won 70 games before increased their franchise high by 27, finishing first in the best division in baseball.

That clearly wasn't enough, so they then dispatched the streaking White Sox and perennially powerful Red Sox to reach the World Series. Although surprising to many, Tampa Bay's ascension was no fluke -- this is the fifth-youngest roster in the league, it is absolutely loaded with emerging talent, and there is even more on the way from their excellent farm system. The rise of the Rays may have been fast, but their stay at the top will be sustained.

Two of the best young hitters in the game hit second and fourth in the lineup, and they certainly haven't disappointed thus far in the postseason. Except for a month missed due to injury in August, Evan Longoria has been a force since making his major league debut back on April 12th. He hit just .259 against the Red Sox, but seven of his hits went for extra bases, with three doubles and four homers. His six playoff homers are just two away from the postseason record of eight.

The problem is that his teammate, B.J. Upton, is one long-ball ahead of him. After a shoulder injury sapped his power during the regular season, Upton has really come on this month, with a ridiculous .826 slugging percentage in the postseason.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Why The Rays Should Thank Brandon Inge

Jacob Wheatley-Schaller — 2008-10-20T14:40:00+00:00

by Jacob Wheatley-Schaller David Price and the Rays are celebrating right now, and for good reason. But a lot of things have to go right for a team to ascend as quickly as Tampa Bay did, and some of them are inevitably beyond your control.

In this case, the uncontrollable event involved a Brandon Inge at bat in a Royals-Tigers game in 2006. Baseball Prospectus' Rany Jazayerli explains:

At the end of the 2006 season, the Kansas City Royals (you knew they'd be involved in this post somehow) were trying to complete an improbable sweep in Detroit, a sweep which would not only knock the Tigers out of first place, but just as importantly (since the Tigers and Twins were both going to the playoffs), would move the Royals a game ahead of the Devil Rays for the worst record in the majors.

The final game of the year went into extra innings. In the bottom of the 11th against Joe Nelson, with one out the Tigers got back to back singles from Ordonez and Guillen, with Guillen taking second base after an error. The Royals intentionally walked Ivan Rodriguez to pitch to Inge, who could have driven in the winning run without benefit of a hit. Instead, Inge struck out on a 2-2 count. Jimmy Gobble came in to retire Curtis Granderson, the Royals scored in the 12th, and held on to win.

Eight months later, the clear #1 player in the draft, David Price, was selected #1 overall - and because of the outcome of the game the previous October 1st, that #1 pick was the property of Tampa Bay.

Andrew Friedman and Co. did an incredible job of putting this team together, but sometimes you just have to get lucky. Price got two outs in the 11th inning of Game 2, and famously recorded the final four outs last night; without Brandon Inge's strikeout, the Rays don't have Price, and we might be looking at a Red Sox-Philles World Series right now.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Don't Forget About B.J. Upton

Jacob Wheatley-Schaller — 2008-10-20T14:25:00+00:00

by Jacob Wheatley-SchallerThe immediate spotlight from the deciding game of the ALCS focused on two players. One was Matt Garza, the series MVP who pitched seven brilliant innings in Game 7, allowing just two hits and one run. The other, as has been covered at length, was David Price, who went from pitching in the Florida State League at the start of the year to getting the four outs that clinched the pennant for Tampa Bay.

Somewhat overlooked in this process was Rays centerfielder B.J. Upton, who was hitless on Sunday night. But we can't ignore his contribution just because of one 0/4. Upton ended up hitting .321/394/.786 for the series, with four homers, a double, four walks, and 11 RBIs. Combine that performance with three homers in four games against the White Sox, and he's had a pretty special month. In fact, those seven homers put him just one shy of the record for a single postseason, shared by Carlos Beltran (2004) and Barry Bonds (2002).

Upton hit just nine homers during the regular season, but that can at least partially be attributed to a nagging shoulder injury. He hit 22 in 2007, and the 24-year old is considered to have outstanding power potential. When this is all said and done, he may be the breakout star of this postseason, and he's yet another bright spot in Tampa's future plans.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

The Tampa Bay Rays Are Your 2008 American League Champs

Jacob Wheatley-Schaller — 2008-10-20T00:15:00+00:00

by Jacob Wheatley-Schaller

They didn't make it easy, but they did it. After letting a seven-run lead slip away late in Game 5, and losing at home in Game 6, the Rays beat Boston's best pitcher to advance to the World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies.

The star of the game was Matt Garza, who allowed just two hits and one run over seven innings. Garza walked three and struck out nine, giving up only a Dustin Pedroia solo homer in the first. That performance, combined with his Game 3 win, was enough to win him the MVP.

After the Rays went ahead on a Rocco Baldelli single in the fifth, and added an insurance run when Willy Aybar homered in the seventh, the Red Sox had a chance in the eighth. But with two outs and the bases loaded in the eighth, Joe Maddon brought in 23-year-old lefty David Price. The 2007 No. 1 pick out of Vanderbilt, who didn't make his first major league appearance until September 14, struck out J.D. Drew, and then retired the side in the ninth.

Game 1 of the World Series will be Wednesday night, with Scott Kazmir being the likely starter for the Rays. The Phillies have already announced that Cole Hamels will be on the mound in the first game.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

What Game 6 Means for the Rays

Jacob Wheatley-Schaller — 2008-10-19T01:50:00+00:00

by Jacob Wheatley-SchallerIn a sense, this one hurts even more than Game 5 did. Thursday night's loss was a historic collapse, but there was plenty to look forward to. The Rays were going home to Tampa, still up three games to two, and had their ace, James Shields, on the mound in Game 6. The momentum had swung Boston's way, but Tampa Bay still had the edge in the series.

After tonight, there's not that same sense of optimism. The Rays no longer have the lead, as the series is now tied at three. They no longer have the edge, since the Red Sox will send their ace, Jon Lester, to the mound on Sunday night against Matt Garza. And, regardless of how much of a factor you believe it actually plays, few teams have ever had as much "momentum" as the Red Sox do right now.

But it's not over. You may recall Game 3, which had this same pitching matchup in a different location. Nobody gave the Rays a chance in that one, yet they took an early 5-0 lead and never looked back. During their incredible run, every time people have counted the Rays out--the long losing streak before the All-Star break, the multiple times the Red Sox got within striking distance in the AL East--Tampa Bay responded and exceeded the expectations of just about everyone. The outlook may be pretty gloomy right now, but there's still a game to be played, and it'll be at the Trop, where the Rays were 57-24 during the regular season. Maybe it'll just be a formality, the completion of one of the worst collapses ever. Or maybe the Rays will shock the world, one last time.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments