Rays Index

Could The Rays Trade Crawford Before The Deadline?

The Professor — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:30:05 +0000

For all we know, this blogger’s source is the neighbor’s dog named Sam (don’t worry, we are too young to get that reference either). But supposedly the Rays and Giants are having serious discussions that would send Carl Crawford to the Giants for a minor league pitcher.

But not just any prospect. This would be Madison Bumgarner, a 6′4″ lefty, that is only 19 years old and is a combined 9-2 with a 1.66 ERA between high-A and double-A this season. The same pitcher that was ranked by Baseball America as the 9th best prospect in all of baseball before the season.

The Pros: The Rays are $15-20 million over the 2010 payroll and moving CC and his $10.125 million ‘10 option would go a long ways towards keeping the rest of the team intact. Also consider that the Rays have Matt Joyce toiling in triple-A and the Gabe-O’-the-Day platoon in right field has proven to be more than adequate. On top of that, Aki Iwamura is due back in a couple of weeks and Ben Zobrist may need a new home. Could that new home be left field?

The Cons: More than likely, the deal has to be made now. The Giants are not making this deal after the season. On the other hand, the Rays are still a contender this season and no matter how you slice it, the Rays are a better team with Crawford than without.

The Verdict: We see these “rumors” a lot and we ignore most of them, and this one probably falls in the BS pile also. But this rumor brings up an interesting question: Would the Rays being willing to sacrifice a couple of wins this season (see comments) for the possibility of improving the ballclub over the next few years?

And if the Rays are willing to move CC now, this particular trade scenario has Andrew Friedman written all over it. Trading an expensive contract a year too soon, as opposed to a year too late, for a top pitching prospect? If the Rays have a philosophy, it is that you can never have too much cheap, young talent and you can never have too much pitching.

If this deal is indeed on the table (probably not), the Rays need to seriously consider it, even if it risks weakening the Rays for the next two months.

Giants In Trade Talks With the…D-Rays? [The Bay Area Sports Machine]

Two Years Ago On Rays Index

The Professor — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:30:25 +0000

Two years ago on Rays Index we we presented “The All-Time Tampa Bay Devil Rays” roster…with a twist. It was like the New York Yankees monument park, only the exact opposite and with headstones instead of plaques. Seriously, one of our favorite posts of all time.

The All-Time Tampa Bay Devil Rays: 10 Years Of Sucktitude [Rays Index]

[THE HANGOVER] The One Where We Discuss Longo’s Finger, A New Stadium And The End Of The Chris Mason Era

The Professor — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:08:21 +0000

DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA…

How many times this season have we heard that so-and-so will definitely be back on a certain day or will definitely miss only X games, only to have that player out much longer? Well, remember a couple of days ago when Evan Longoria was adamant that he wouldn’t miss any time with the Rays because of his infected finger? Now Joe Maddon is saying it is “50-50, maybe 60-40″ chance of Longo playing tonight. [The Heater]
Missed this link earlier…Chris Mason has been released by the Rays. Mason went 15-4 with a 2.57 ERA in 2007 and shot up the prospect charts. But he struggled mightily upon being promoted to triple-A last season. [Biscuit Crumbs]
10Connects.com has more on the findings of the ABC group regarding the future home of the Tampa Bay Rays. In short, nobody thinks downtown St. Pete is good place to have a baseball team. Also, Michael Kalt chose his words very carefully when asked about the possibility of moving outside of St. Pete. [10Connects]

“We have a lease with St. Petersburg, and that’s where we’re focused,” Kalt added. “Obviously, over the course of time, the community will need to make a decision about where’s the best place for this team to be but we have a lease with St. Petersburg and that’s a major consideration.”

The group also strongly recommends that the Rays new stadium have a retractable roof. [St. Pete Times]
Marc Topkin looks at what it will take for the Rays to get back to the playoffs and three players that can help make it happen. [St. Pete Times]
John Romano wants to see the Rays play better against the teams they are supposed to beat. [St. Pete Times]
Joe Henderson makes a case for giving Carl Crawford a contract extension. [Tampa Tribune]
Around the Majors defends Joe Maddon’s decision to not pitch Tim Wakefield in the all-star game. [Around the Majors]
Rays Revolutionary has 10 things they would like to see in the second-half. [Rays Revolutionary]

Down On The Farm: Yesterday’s Action

The Professor — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:37:18 +0000

Durham 4, Louisville 3. Jason Cromer allowed 1 run in 5.2 innings despite walking 5…Matt Joyce was 0-5 with 4 strikeouts while Jon Weber finished 3-4 with 2 doubles.

West Tenn 8, Montgomery 4. Heath Rollins is now 8-8 after giving up 6 runs in 3 innings…Desmond Jennings is heating up again with his 4th multi-hit game in the last 5. He went 3-4 with a walk and stole his 33rd base…Cody Cipriano went 1-4 with an RBI and 2 strike outs.

Charlotte 3, Jupiter 2. Jeremy Hall improved to 11-4, allowing just 2 runs in 6 innings…Brian Shouse pitched 1 inning on his rehab appearance and allowed just 1 hit…Shawn O’Malley went 1-3 with a walk and his 33rd stolen base…Shawn Riggans went 0-2 in his rehab appearance.

Bowling Green 14, Lakewood 11. Joe Cruz picked up his 4th wi, giving up just 1 earned run (2 runs) in 6 innings…Tim Beckham went 2-5 with a double and an RBI…Keyong Kang and Mike Sheridan homered for the Hot Rods.

Hudson Valley 6, Batavia 5.

Princeton 12, Kingsport 9.

Notes from Down on the Farm…

The Rays Party introduces their prospect rankings. [The Rays Party]
Jake Jefferies’ hometown paper talked to the catching prospect about his first year as a pro. [Merced Sun-Star]

Two Years Ago On Rays Index

The Professor — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:30:47 +0000

Two years ago on Rays Index we we started getting frustrated with Joe Maddon’s always positive attitude.

In The End, Even Old Yeller Had To Be Shot [Rays Index]

[THE HANGOVER] The One Where We Discuss A Post-All-Star Game Hangover

The Professor — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 12:13:38 +0000

DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA…

Marc Topkin looks at the aftermath of Carl Crawford’s all-star game catch and MVP award and what it might mean for this career. [St. Pete Times]
Joe Maddon met with President Barack Obama prior to the all-star game, and the President complimented JoeMa on his style…Also, Ben Zobrist got to keep the ball that he caught for the final out of the game. [St. Pete Times]
Bud Selig sounded off on the Rays stadium situation and warned that all the good the front office has done could come to an end if the Rays don’t get a new stadium. Selig added that MLB President Bob DuPuy may become very active in the situation. It was DuPuy who helped the Marlins secure a new stadium. [St. Pete Times]
Don’t these people remember when everybody was singing Joe Maddon praises for placing Tim Wakefield on the all-star roster for what amounted to a “lifetime achievement award”? And now they want to question JoeMa’s decision to not play him? And of course, we are certain these are the same people that were up in arms when the all-star teams ran out of pitchers and the game ended in a tie. [Toeing the Rubber]
Big League Stew says that Joe Maddon “erred in not throwing Wakefield.” [Big League Stew]
One blog comes to Joe Maddon’s defense. Kind of. This blogger says be angry, but be be angry at Bud Selig. [Stupid Sports Blog]
The guy arrested for selling “fake” Rays merchandise during the playoffs last year has been found “Not Guilty”. [St. Pete Times]
Roger Mooney writes about how Evan Longoria is one of the new faces of baseball. [Bradenton Herald]

Down On The Farm: Brignac And Thayer Participate In AAA All-Star Game

The Professor — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 11:53:38 +0000

Durham. (no games scheduled)

Montgomery 9, West Tenn 3. Brian Baker is now 5-1 after his 9th start, allowing just 1 run on a solo home run in 7 innings…Desmond Jennings went 2-2 with 3 walks and added his 8th home run. He is now hitting .318.

Charlotte 8, Jupiter 2. David Newmann improved to 5-4, giving up 2 runs in 6 innings…Shawn O’Malley went 3-5 and scored twice…Shawn Riggans made his second rehab start, playing DH and going 1-3 with a walk…Shawn Williams hit a 3-run home run, his first, and drove in 4.

Lakewood 4, Bowling Green 3. Chris Andujar allowed just 2 hits and 2 walks in 5 scoreless innings…Tim Beckham went 0-4 with 2 strikeouts.

Hudson Valley 5, Batavia 4.

Princeton 10, Kingsport 4.

Notes from Down on the Farm…

Reid Brignac started at shortstop for the International League in the triple-A all-star game and went 1-3 with an RBI double. Dale Thayer had the longest stint of any IL pitcher going 1.2 innings, walking 1 and striking out 1. [MiLB]
Gerry Hunsicker will be in Montgomery to watch the Biscuits (Desmond Jennings?) in a few days. [Biscuit Crumbs]
Jon Weber received a peculiar endorsement offer. [Watching Durham Bulls Baseball]

Separated At Birth? Matt Garza

The Professor — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 15:00:06 +0000

There is some disagreement over who first noticed these similarities. Some say it was Brian Anderson. Others have argued that it was Dave Wills and Andy Freed in the radio booth. Either way, let’s all keep in mind, that it WASN’T US!

Matt Garza of the Devil Rays and………………….The Duke Blue Devil?

And here is another view…

[THE HANGOVER] The One Where We Discuss Crawford’s MVP Performance, Longo’s Helmet And Pena’s Patch

The Professor — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:14:08 +0000

THE GOOD: Carl Crawford. They weren’t kidding when they said MLB has a new-found respect for defense these days. CC was named MVP of the All-Star game, in large part because of his catch robbing Brad Hawpe of a home run…Home Field. The Rays have bigger things to worry about, but if they can find a way back to the World Series, games 1 and 2 will be at the Trop, along with games 6 and 7 if needed.

THE BAD: No Longo. OK, maybe not playing 3-4 innings was good for his hamstrings, but it still would have been nice to see 1 at bat from Longo and maybe one of his patented grabs between second and third with the glove…No ‘Los. Carlos Pena was one of 8 AL players that did not play in the game.

THE TELLING: But his helmet played on. Roy Halladay apparently forgot to pack a batting helmet and with the game in St. Louis, pitchers were required to hit (Yay DH!). So without a helmet, Halladay grabbed Evan Longoria’s helmet and just removed the logo from the front. From the back, you clearly see that it is Longo’s helmet. Need to borrow a helmet, fine. But don’t disrespect the logo.

SUNBURST PLAYER OF THE GAME:

DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA…

Here is a screengrab of Carlos Pena’s upside-down sleeve patch during the home run derby on Monday night. It was the same on Scott McNulty’s sleeve…At first we thought whoever put the patches on was going for the same effect as the US Flag which is always “flipped” on the right sleeve to simulate direction and moving forward. But a couple of people have noted that the patch on Ben Zobrist’s sleeve was facing backwards. [UniWatch]
John Romano on Carl Crawford’s game-saving catch. [St. Pete Times]
Evan Longoria is not expected to miss any time with the Rays because of his infected finger. [Tampa Tribune]
Sporting News has a short Q&A with Carl Crawford about the all-star game. [Sporting News]
Tony Graham of the Asbury Park Press spoke with Tim Beckham about the progress he is making in the minor leagues. [Asbury Park Press]
We usually don’t link to Bleacher Report but this is too funny to pass up. One “writer” calls Joe Maddon, the “worst all-star manager ever” because he didn’t use Tim Wakefield last night…Apparently Nick Colon isn’t aware that Maddon had already extended a courtesy by putting Wakefield on the roster in the first place and maybe Nick is too young to remember the all-star game in which both managers ran out of pitchers in extra innings or maybe Nick forgot that winning matters nowadays. [Bleacher Report]

Down On The Farm: Lobstein Strains Hamstring

The Professor — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 11:00:12 +0000

Durham. (no games scheduled)

Montgomery. (no games scheduled)

Charlotte. (no games scheduled)

Bowling Green 7, Lakewood 4.

Hudson Valley 4, Batavia 3 (10).

Princeton. (no games scheduled)

Notes from Down on the Farm…

Kyle Lobstein missed his last start with a hamstring strain, but is expected to make his next start. [Renegades Rumblings]