Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
Last year, the Devil Rays hit the All-Star break at 28-61 (.315), then went 39-34 (.534) in the second half thanks in large part to the mid-season promotion of Jonny Gomes and a fantastic second half from Scott Kazmir. This year, the Rays will reach the break with a record at least ten games better than a year ago and are once again set up for a strong second half.
The Yankees last faced the Devil Rays in early May when nearly half of the D-Rays starting line-up was on the DL. The day after the Rays left New York, they activated shortstop Julio Lugo and third baseman Aubrey Huff. Huff struggled through May, but turned it on in June, hitting .359/.400/.543, bringing to mind the extra 100 points of OPS he added after the break last year, aiding the Ray's strong second half showing. Lugo has followed a similar course this year (.349/.439/.604 in June after a dreadful May), though he was actually less productive in the second half last year.
A month later, the Rays added to Huff and Lugo by activating second baseman Jorge Cantu and center fielder Rocco Baldelli. Bringing Cantu back into the fold has allowed the Rays to finally bench Travis Lee (.201/.286/.296 this year) by moving Ty Wigginton, who previously started at third for Huff before moving to second for Cantu, to first base. Baldelli, meanwhile, has come back from a year and a half on the DL due to an ACL tear and Tommy John surgery and lit into American League pitching, hitting .330/.387/.567 (though his center field defense has been atrocious, if error-free).
Of course, none of those four players could be expected to keep up that level of production, and there's a strong chance that Huff and Lugo, both of whom are in their walk years, could be traded. But a large part of the Rays' improvement has simply been benching or other wise disposing of the players those four have replaced: Lee, Thomas Perez (.172/.200/.250), new Kansas City Royal Joey Gathright (.201/.305/.240), and the since released Sean Burroughs and Nick Green.
What's more, activating those four aren't the only improvements the Rays have made over the past two months. They've finally ended the Damon Hollins' experiment in right field, replacing his all-or-nothing approach with the superior all-or-nothing approach of Russell Branyan (both have 10 homers, Hollins in 208 at-bats, Branyan in 114). More significantly, they finally cut bait on Toby Hall (.262/.298/.382 career and the Rays' starting catcher since 2002), swapping him to the Dodgers for former Yankee prospect Dioner Navarro (5 for 14 with a double and three walks since switching team and .283/.367/.382 overall in his young major league career). In addition to already being a better hitter than Hall, Navarro is also eight and a half years younger.
The Navarro deal also saw the Rays swap out Mark Hendrickson (sweet mercy) for ex-Met Jae Weong Seo, which gives the Rays a starting pitcher with a higher ceiling who is also three years younger. The Seo-Hendrickson exchange is one of three changes the Rays have made to their rotation since we've last seen them, having also farmed out 25-year-old failed prospects Doug Waechter and Seth McClung for 24-year-old Jamie Shields and 28-year-old Tim Corcoran. The significance here isn't the additions of Shields and Corcoran (no relation) so much as, once again, the removal of the players they've replaced, a pair of pitchers who couldn't get their ERAs below 6.60.
Tonight the Rays send Seo to the mound to face Jaret Wright. Wright was lit up by the Mets in his last start, getting the hook after just 1 2/3 innings, just the second time all season he failed to make it through five full innings, the other being his first start all the way back on April 15. Seo, who had been demoted to the bullpen with the Dodgers, has made two appearances since coming over from L.A., the first a pair of scoreless relief innings in Florida, the second a Jaret-Wright-like five-inning outing against the Nationals.
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
2006 Record: 38-48 (.442)
2006 Pythagorean Record: 36-50 (.415)
Manager: Joe Maddon
General Manager: Andrew Friedman
Home Ballpark (2005 Park Factors): Tropicana Field (99/99)
Who's Replaced Whom?
Current Roster
1B – Ty Wigginton (R)
2B – Jorge Cantu (R)
SS – Julio Lugo (R)
3B – Aubrey Huff (L)
C – Dioner Navarro (S)
RF – Russell Branyan (L)
CF – Rocco Baldelli (L)
LF – Carl Crawford (L)
DH – Jonny Gomes (R)
Bench:
L – Travis Lee (1B)
R – Damon Hollins (OF)
S – Greg Norton (IF)
S – Tomas Perez (IF)
R – Josh Paul (C)
Rotation:
L – Scott Kazmir
L – Casey Fossum
R – Tim Corcoran
R – Jamie Shields
R – Jae Weong Seo
Bullpen:
R – Brian Meadows
R – Shawn Camp
R – Travis Harper
R – Chad Harville
L – Jon Switzer
R – Edwin Jackson
15-day DL: R – Tyler Walker, L – Ruddy Lugo
60-day DL: R – Shinji Mori, R – Dan Miceli, IF – Luis Ordaz (R)
Typical Lineup
R – Julio Lugo (SS)
L – Carl Crawford (LF)
R – Rocco Baldelli (CF)
L – Aubrey Huff (3B)
R – Jorge Cantu (2B)
R – Jonny Gomes (DH)
R – Ty Wigginton (1B)
L – Russell Branyan (RF)
S – Dioner Navarro (C)
...and no mention of the DRays taking 3 of 4 from BOSTON just now???
Cabrera LF
Jeter SS
Giambi DH
Rodriguez 3B
Posada C
Williams RF
Phillips 1B
Cairo 2B
Crosby CF
Where's Ralph Malph? Did Bubba's almost-homerun last night so impress Joe that he overlooked Guiel's three runs?
Their pitching outside of Kazmir is an open question, but we're not exactly trotting out our big pitching guns this weekend, so like marc, I'm a bit nervous. As I mentioned in another thread, the numbers of our best pitcher this weekend (Wang) against TB (both at YS and the Trop) are pretty dreadful, with his only decent start coming this season against their early toothless lineup.
no offense, Tim and Cliff.
The MLB this guy is still playing? team. And if your first guess for a team member is Ruben Sierra, you'd be right.
Nice fake by Bubba in CF. I have a feeling they'd have been running on Bernie without even looking up.
Why did you get him if you're going to start him against a lefty and then sit him the next night against a righty after he had a hit and scored 3 runs yesterday?
Way to go old timer.
Keep it up bro. Go 6+ for us today and I'll buy you a nice shiny bike for your birthday.
Shoulda tried a bunt...
Only Melky didn't get the memo. ;-)
3+ IP
7 hits
2 BBs
7 runs
2 Ks
1 Grand Slam (to the pitcher)
Why?
If Bernie HAD retired, maybe his roster spot would have gone to a better player.
Not saying it would have, but it needs to be asked.
I have to admit...even as my favorite Yankee...I wanted him to retire.
Glad he's with us though.
Cairo is a bad player, but we have no options for backup infielder. Crosby is a disaster, but we have Thompson and Guiel sitting around now and Crosby should have a seat.
Someone who works with the Clippers said Thompson has been sent to Tampa. He always know who's being called up long before it's announced, but never knows the roster move, since he only knows what's going on in Columbus.
Thompson isn't playing in Columbus tonight, so I think we will see him tomorrow.
(That's not a "juicing" accusation.)
I want to know what kind of sports drink is out there that can turn ME into a strikeout machine.
Once again, the Yankees are beating up on TB pitching (kidding).
Wright looks Right. 8 K's in 5 innings? Wow. Anyone know the pitch count? In triple digits yet?
I think Boston is going to put some serious hurt on Chicago this weekend. We need to keep pace. I think the White Sox are about to get a punch in the face from the AL East. The Yanks come in just after the All Star Break.
Probably no logic behind it.
Now that's something I'll boo.
REC 1-2 | SV 0 | ERA 2.76 | WHIP 1.22
Villone's warming, too.
They're seeing some serious heat in Florida.
8 outs to go.
Yup. Proctor Ks 2.
When was the last time Proctor pitched? Must've been 3 - 4 games, the lazy goldbricker.
It's either a great win or the heartbreaker of the year.
REC 2-5 | SV 0 | ERA 5.35 | WHIP 1.47
So much for TB's shitty PB.
Baldelli
Huff
Cantu
and
Gomes
And this freakin' park is humongous.
It's just the way it goes, after 2 blowouts this time, a close but great win.
Let's hope Wright is finally Wright. 10K is definitely a record for him since a long long time ago.
Player of the Game: Jaret Wright. (IMO)
1 - 11 - 10 - 1
23 RS/4 games = a very deceptive 5.75 RS/game
KC up 4-1 in the 7th, but first and second, 1 out for the Jays...
http://tinyurl.com/n3g2d
Confirmation that Thompson is in Tampa:
>> Perhaps as insurance in case of a longer layoff for Damon, the Yankees instructed outfielder Kevin Thompson to fly here for Saturday's game. Thompson is a right-handed hitter, and the Yankees have two left-handed-hitting reserve outfielders — Aaron Guiel and Bubba Crosby — so Thompson may make more sense for the bench. <<
Good news: Dotel may join the Yankees in two weeks.
Bad news: Cano won't be ready to join the Yankees after the All-Star break.
And Cashman still has faith in Chacon. He says all he needs is consistent work. Just talking him up for a trade, or are they hoping he'll return to his 2005 form?
Also, glad to see A-Rod bailing on the HR Derby. Total nonsense that will do nothing positive for his mechanics. Plus he seems to be stroking the ball a bit better lately, no need to alter that...
Chacon: I think it's worth one last shot for a mid/long relief role in the pen. When he's on, he's nasty. Dunno how much of his dropoff is mental, but Guidry/Kerrigan should exhaust all efforts before we trade him — unless the 'attitude/clubhouse cancer' reports are accurate. The season is too short for that...
"Yankee Fan in Chicago:86 I don't know. From where I'm sitting, the Real Sox are superior to the Sawx in every facet of the game, and that Palehose lineup might put a hurt on Sawx pitching."
Even defensively? See, you lose cred when you just spout off nonsense. Glad we won tonight. Getting the first game's important when the other team is better in "every facet of the game".
(amazing they couldn't hurt a 22 year old rookie, huh?)
BP's RATEs for position (career/2006):
c: Tek 100/105 AJ 103/103 Tek shades him this year, but it's clear who's been better long haul
1b: Youk 100/100 Konerko: 99/101 just about even.
2b: Loretta 105/104 Iguchi 91/90 Loretta clearly better.
3b: Lowell 107/110 Crede 102/114 Right now Crede's substantially better. 114 is really picking it.
ss: AGon 94/99 (utterly average this year, and substantially below par for his career. Remind me again why this guy is a major league player?) Uribe 111/105. (Jeez would you check out that career RATE for Uribe? 17 pts higher than AGon!
LF: Manny 92/89 (but then you knew that, right?) vs. Podsednik 102/90 Above avg fielder having a bad year. Still better than Manny tho, eh!
CF: Coco Chanel (you guys miss Damon much?) 91/97. Wow, again. Very poor for his career, short as it is, and below avg this year. Damn what a defense these Sawx have! vs. Anderson 118/121 Yeah, I know he's a rookie, but the kid sure can play centerfield. 27 pts higher than Crisp's career RATE for those keeping score at home!
RF: Nixon 101/103 Having a good year, but Dye's 102/104 edges him.
So what have we learned? Well. The Sawx have a better 2nd baseman by a lot, but that's more than made up for by their weakness at ss and cf. Catcher and 1b and rf are largely even, but Podsednik even in poor form is clearly better than Manny, while Crede edges Lowell on current form. I'd say the Palehose have it no?
Oh, and btw, BP also tracks defensive efficiency (ie balls in play turned into outs): Sorry to break the news DP, but the vaunted Sawx d ranks 12th in baseball, compared to the Palehose 8th place (Yanks are 5th btw).
So we've also learned that you only know what they tell you in the Boston Globe and on NESN, which apparently ain't very much. The White Sox are the superior defensive team, both individually, and as a unit.
"Wright looked good. Johnson, now wright. Yankee fans must be happy." Please keep your condescension-masked-as-support to yourself.
By the way, the Red Sox won the final of a four series to keep from getting swept by the last place DRays. Red Sox fans must be happy.
So you show up again to a) talk up the Red Sox, b) attempy to prove that we here at BB don't know what we're talking about, or c) complain about how your mighty Beantowners aren't getting their respect around these parts.
Again, I would like to direct you to the Sons of Sam Horn website. I think you'll get a better reception there, though I'm sure your posts would just get lost in a sea of other blowhard posts.
Then, when Chacon comes off the DL, the team can make the decision whom to ashcan.
Dunno what they're going to do after the break. Cano won't be back right away. Maybe Chacon will be traded (there's a rumor we're trading him for Joel Piniero). There may be other trades going on, too. The Post reports that a Pittsburgh Pirates scout was seen at the Yankees games in Cleveland and Tampa.
The Yanks are interested in Craig Wilson, but who are the Pirates scouting? Beam? Andy? Melky?
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