[HAPPY HOUR HANGOVER] Nationals Land Lastings Milledge, May Still Seek Elijah Dukes

Tampa Bay Rays (66-96)
What is the best cure for The Hangover? Happy Hour!

There was just too much going on in the Raysiverse that we couldn’t wait until tomorrow morning when nobody turns on their computers. Without further ado…

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA…

• The Nationals traded Ryan Church to the Mets for Lastings Milledge. This move does not necessarily mean that the Nationals are no longer interested in Elijah Dukes. The Nationals would want Dukes to play center field. Church logged considerable time in center last season and Milledge is primarily a left fielder although he can play center. Washington may still be in the market for a center fielder. [Newsday]
• Marc Lancaster also thinks the the Nationals may still try to acquire Elijah Dukes because Washington’s GM Jim Bowden is quite fond of “toolsy outfielders”. [TBO]
• The Troy Percival deal has now been officially announced. The only difference from previous reports is that incentives could reach $4 million over the two years based on games played and games finished. [tampabay.com]
• Larry Brown Sports is surprised that a player would turn down more money from the Yankees to sign with the Rays. If everything else was equal, we would be surprised also, but the Rays undoubtedly promised Troy Percival that he would be the closer, as opposed to a set-up man in New York. [Larry Brown Sports]
• This morning we wondered aloud whether Evan Longoria would be MiLB’s top prospect. He is not. He comes in at #2. [MiLB]

With fewer than 200 professional games under his belt, Longoria appears ready for the big leagues. He made it to Triple-A in his first full season and has shown the ability to hit for average and power in his brief pro career. Defensively, he’s got good hands and a strong arm at third base.

Players who come out of Long Beach State seem to have pretty good heads on their shoulders and know how to play the game the right way (see Tulowitzki, Troy). Longoria definitely fits that mold and his makeup and work ethic are off the charts. That should enable him to get to the big leagues, and stay there, in short order. It’s not guaranteed, but it’s hard to imagine he won’t make the 2008 big-league roster as the Opening Day third baseman, pushing Akinori Iwamura to second base.

• Saturday is the deadline for teams to offer arbitration to eligible players. While Scott Kazmir, Carlos Pena, Jonny Gomes and Dan Wheeler are no-brainers…Gary Glover and Grant Balfour are not, especially with the signing of Troy Percival and the acquisition of Matt Garza which presumably bumps Jason Hammel to the bullpen. [Devil Rays]
• WOOHOO! The acquisition of Matt Garza and Jason Bartlett leaves at least one blogger believing that the Rays are now better than the Royals. [Royals Review]
• Based on “Mariginal Revenue Products” estimates, whatever those are…Carlos Pena was the 5th most valuable American Leaguer. [Sabernomics]

[THE HANGOVER] Four Rays Prospects Make Top 20

Tampa Bay Rays (66-96)
It takes three things to win in baseball: Pitching, Pitching and Pitching.

On Wednesday, the Rays added Matt Garza to a rotation that already features two of the best young pitchers in baseball, in Scott Kazmir and James Shields. Garza, one of the top pitching prospects in baseball, was ranked #21 in Baseball America’s list of “2007 Top 100 Prospects”.

Earlier this week we mentioned that MiLB was unveiling their top 50 prospects and shortstop Reid Brignac was the first Rays farmhand to make the list at #32. Well, considerably more of the list has been revealed and three more Rays prospects have made the list, all starting pitchers.

11. David Price – He’s got tremendous stuff, with a plus fastball, slider and above-average changeup, excellent command of his pitches and the kind of leadership on the mound that screams “future ace.” Price has great makeup and is extremely competitive. Add in the fact that this enticing package all comes in a left-hander and it’s no wonder he nearly hit the top 10.

12. Wade Davis – Davis and McGee. McGee and Davis. It doesn’t matter in which order you put them (though on this list, Davis is ranked higher); both will reach Tampa in short order and help support its quickly improving young offense. Davis got the bump up to Double-A in 2007 earlier than McGee and thus might be a touch closer to joining Scott Kazmir in the Rays’ rotation.

20. Jake McGee – If the Rays are known mostly for their young offensive talent, McGee is a big reason why they’ll soon be known for pitching as well…Another year in the Minors wouldn’t be a bad thing, but he could be ready by late 2008 should the need arise.

With the top 10 yet to be revealed, we don’t know yet whether Evan Longoria will come in at #1, but he will be on the list, which gives the Rays five players in the top 32 and four in the top 20, including three starting pitchers, two of whom are left handed.

One can never assume that prospects will be productive major leaguers, much less develop into a perennial all-star. But for the sake of argument, let’s assume that all three of these starting pitchers develop into mid-rotation major league starting pitchers, with one of them blossoming into an ace. If the Rays struggle to sign Soctt Kazmir to a long-term contract, there is a very good chance he will be traded following the 2009 season. Until then? Let’s enjoy the show.

2007 Top 100 Prospects [Baseball America]
Promotions lead to changing of the guard in 2007 [MiLB]

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA…

• Troy Percival passed his physical yesterday and will be introduced today as the Rays new closer. The deal is 2 years for $8 million, with up to $2 million in incentives. [tampabay.com]
• ESPN is reporting that the Rays have talked to Geoff Jenkins agent for the purpose of playing right field for the Rays in 2008. We understand that it is the Rays responsibility to explore all options, but Jenkins is a player the Rays DO NOT want. He hit a combined 38 home runs the past two seasons and hit .255 last year. He just completed a long-term deal with the Brewers that paid him over $7 million each of the last 4 seasons. What is he commanding on the open market? We have no idea. But if it is more than the league minimum it is too much. A combination of Justin Ruggiano and Jonny Gomes can produce the .255-21-64 line Jenkins produced last year and play defense just as well, if not better. [ESPN]
• Baseball America has the best breakdown yet of all six players involved in the Delmon Young-for-Matt Garza trade. [Baseball America]
• Marc Lancaster has quotes from a conference call with Matt Garza and Jason Bartlett. [TBO]

Garza seems to be a live wire, certainly not lacking in confidence, who already has studied up on the Rays and is definitely excited to be coming to Tampa Bay. Bartlett was a bit more reserved and was surprised by the trade, but that fits his businesslike reputation.

• Beyond the Boxscore examines the numbers posted by the six players involved in the trade. [Beyond the Boxscore]
• One Twins blogger thinks the Twins finally got the “uncontrollable hotheaded immature player” that they needed, demonstrating Delmon Young’s effect on the Minnesota clubhouse with…Legos [MN Gameday]
• Yahoo! Sports takes a look at the Rays off-season needs and 2008 projections. We lost them when they referred to Scott Kazmir and James Shields as “a reasonable one-two”. [Yahoo! Sports]
• A lighter take on the Delmon Young-for-Matt Garza trade. [Fox Sports]
• One blogger thought it was important enough to take time from his busy life to let everybody know that the Delmon Young-for-Matt Garza trade was not a “blockbuster” as many people have referred to it…Apparently trading a #1 overall pick that hit .290 and drove in 90 and has one of the best arms in baseball, AT AGE 21…for one of the top 20 prospects in baseball does not qualify for “blockbuster” status. We all owe Blogging Baseball an apology. [Blogging Baseball]
• A collection of YouTube clips featuring the three players acquired from the Twins. [DRaysBay]

[THE HANGOVER] Jonny Gomes Never Saw A Pitch He Didn’t Like

Devil Rays

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA…

• MVN’s Devil Rays blog has a new lead writer and a new name, and the only surprise is that there wasn’t already a blog using the moniker. We’ve never met Eric SanInocencio or his wife, but let’s hope that the title is the only portion of the new blog that is based on her TV interests. Among the million things we love about Mrs. Professor, is that she really doesn’t watch a lot of “ho shows” or “chick flicks”. Now the same cannot be said for my buddies Greater James and G-Unit. Those two guys watch more women’s television than a girl after a bad breakup on a Lifetime (Supply of Midol) Network bender. [Rays Anatomy]
• While it is not surprising to see either Vlad Guerrero (6th) and Alfonso Soriano (9th) on the list of players with the highest percentage of swings on pitches out of the strikezone, it is surprising that Delmon Young is not listed in the top 10. In fact, Young is not even the worst on the Rays. Jonny Gomes ranked 3rd in baseball with 55.8% of his swings on pitches out of the strikezone. Apparently a mistake pitch to Gomes is one that is in the strikezone. Those that blame Joe Maddon for not getting Gomes more at bats, need look no further than this stat to understand why he has been unable to ever show any consistency or repeat his 2005 performance. [The Mockingbird]
• Scott Kazmir ranked second in the majors with 10.41 strikeouts per 9 innings and despite being 4th in baseball with 3,609 pitches thrown, he was also 5th in baseball with 6.62 K/100 pitches. James Shields, on the other hand, was among the most economical pitchers in baseball. He was 21st in baseball with 7.70 K/9, but his K/100 pitches was much better at 5.79 (13th). He threw the 6th fewest pitches per inning at 14.9. [Baseball Analysts]
• Delmon Young was a unanimous selection for the TOPPS “Major League Rookie All-Star Team”. Luckily for Young, the award is voted on by baseball managers and not minor league umpires. [Biz of Baseball]

THE HANGOVER The Rays Are Not Shopping Scott Kazmir

Devil Rays (66-96)

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA…

• The big news in the Raysiverse is that Scott Kazmir may be available. Calm down people. Kid K is not going anywhere. First of all, the source used by the New York Post is “An executive familiar with Tampa’s thinking”. So nobody…NOBODY…from the Rays front office said that they were actively shopping Kazmir. Just somebody talking to a reporter for a New York tabloid and speculating what they might do. And quite frankly, if the price for Johan Santana does get ridiculous, then it is only fair for the Rays front office to at least see what could be had for the best young left-hander in the game. Remember last off-season, Rocco Baldelli and Carl Crawford were both made available and no team was willing to meet the price. The price for Kid K will be astronomical and if a team can meet that price, then the Rays will need to make a decision. But we would put the chances of that happening at only slightly above “no chance in hell”. [New York Post]
• Gary Shelton has 20 reasons why A-Rod should join the Devil Rays. He forgot reason #21…The Trop will feel like Yankee Stadium…30,000 Yankees fans booing him. [tampabay.com]
• Jonny Gomes has had a big hand in helping kids fight cancer. [devilrays.com]
• The Devil Rays franchise has become the poster-child for what is wrong with revenue sharing in major league baseball. Critics point to the fact the Rays took in more revenue sharing (>$30 million) than they spent on the team’s payroll (~$25 million). The Rays front office has a plan. We are yet to see if the plan will work but spending money on mediocre free agents so that they can finish 3rd in the East rather than last is not part of the formula. When the core of the franchise is in place, with a solid minor league system in the works to fill the gaps, the team will then spend money on the one or two players needed to get the Rays over the top. Not before then. [New York Times]
• The Stat Pack interviews Will Carrol and he tackles several issues including the Rays medical staff as well as their ability to keep Scott Kazmir healthy. [The Stat Pack]

• The Rays have made a commitment to the medical staff from top to bottom in the organization, something that started in the Naimoli era and continues today. They have a plan that’s supported by everyone in the organization and great people working together to carry it out.

• Rattler Radio is running a series of posts looking at major league franchises and either their last championship or the closest they have come to winning one. The post for the Devil Rays is up and it was probably an easy one to write. [Rattler Radio]
• Former (?) Rays catcher Josh Paul has written a book about the mental side of being a catcher and he sat down with Baseball Prospectus to talk about it. The interview is behind the wall of a BP subscription. [Baseball Prospectus]

The Hangover: The Emergence Of Dioner Navarro

Devil Rays 7, Yankees 6 (10 innings).

It is easy to talk about how good a hitter Dioner Navarro has been on the morning after he hit a walk-off extra-inning home run to beat the hated Yankees.

But exactly how good has Navi been in the second half? Since the All-Star break, Navarro is hitting .293/.348/.494. He has hit 8 home runs and driven in 31. He has the 3rd highest OPS (.842) of any catcher since the break, trailing only Jorge Posada (1.061) and Chris Snyder (.932).

Compare that to his first half numbers and we have the ultimate “Tale of Two Hitters”. At the break Navi was hitting .177/.238/.254 with 1 home run and 13 RBI. His OPS of .491 ranked 33rd among catcher with at 150 plate appearances…DEAD LAST.

All this is makes for a neat story about a guy that finally found his stroke in the 2007 season, but at this point, of bigger concern to us is: What can we expect from Dioner Navarro in 2008? Will he maintain his second half pace into the 2008 season? Will he continue to develop and post numbers in 2008 even better than his 2007 second half numbers? Or…are the second half numbers the result of a “hot streak” and the true Dioner Navarro is somewhere in between his first half and second half totals?

On June 22, Navi was hitting .170 and we presented some numbers to indicate that Navi’s poor first half was just as much the result of “bad luck” as it was poor hitting. In short the number of line drives he was hitting should have been translating into more base hits. And in the second half a lot more of those line-drives started finding holes.

Also keep in mind that Navarro is posting an .842 OPS as a catcher in the second half of a season. The second-half of a season is when catchers are supposed to wear down and slow down. If Navi had posted an .842 OPS in the first-half, would anybody be clamoring for the Rays to bring in a free agent catcher next season? Not likely.

But the most telling stat about Lil Pudge is 24. As in that will be Navi’s age on opening day in 2008. Anybody want to take a guess as to what Jorge Posada’s numbers were when he was 23? Try .255-8-51…in AAA! *Broken Record warning* Catchers are notoriously slow developers as hitters.

So what can we expect in 2008? Can Navi develop a power game and hit 25 home runs? Not likely. He isn’t exactly threatening the catwalks or the center field restaurant with his home runs. Most of them are line drives that scrape the top of the wall. But we do believe that when Navi fully develops he is a .320-.330 hitter. He hits a ton of line drives and he has excellent plate discipline.

Our conservative guess for Navarro’s 2008 line is .300-15-70 with a .370 OBP. For a catcher that is above-average defensively, that is plenty of offense.

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA…

• No surprise here. Carl Crawford will not play in the final week. [Devil Rays]
• Joe Maddon met with Akinori Iwamura and asked him to work out at second base in the off-season. [TBO]
• Gary Shelton says that this last place finish feels a lot different from years past and that there is hope for the years to come. But the most telling question that Shelton asks is: “How in the heck did this team finish last, anyway?” [tampabay.com]
• Buster Olney brings up the possibility of Barry Bonds playing for the Devil Rays, suggesting that the Rays and the Royals could be his only options for 2008. We find it hard to believe that a 73 year old Bonds is going to sign a subpar contract to play for a non-contender. Not to mention is the upgrade to Bonds at $5-8 million worth it, when the Rays have Jonny Gomes and Rocco Baldelli (not to mention Elijah Dukes) at DH at les than half the price? This is a non-story. [MLB Trade Rumors]

The Hangover: Apparently One Good Season Makes Carlos Pena A Derek Jeter

Angels 10, Devil Rays 7.
Just the links today as we try to recover from a weekend in the Live Music Capital of the World.

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA…

• The Devil Rays are 63-88 with 11 games remaining and are 2 games behind Baltimore in the AL East and Kansas City for the worst record in baseball (1 game behind in win column).
• An 8-3 finish will give the Rays 71 wins (a franchise record)
• A 10-1 finish and the Rays will avoid 90 losses for the first time.
• Scott Boras is up to his old tricks and this time it might cost the Devil Rays if they wish to sign Carlos Pena to a long-term deal. Boras believes that the Rays need to step-up because of the bargain they received this year, believing that the Rays got “a player who had probably a $15-million season for about $1.2-million” and “the greatest player to ever put on a Devil Ray uniform” (which sounds great on the surface, but really isn’t saying much). Boras has the amazing ability of making each of his clients out to be the greatest player ever. Pena has been great, but it is not like he is hitting 40 home runs from short stop. He is a first baseman. The drop-off from Pena to the #20 first baseman (stats-wise) is not that great. [tampabay.com]
  
• BJ Upton stole home last night, to become just the third Devil Rays player to successfully complete a straight-steal of home. [tampabay.com]
• Joe Maddon was ejected in the seventh inning after Jonny Gomes was called out on a check-swing. It was Papa Joe’s sixth career ejection. [Devil Rays]
• Jorge Velandia has is making the most out of his rare major league opportunity. He reached base 8 times in 12 plate appearances, covering 3 starts and he has played the best defensive shortstop we have seen in a long time, from a player wearing green and grey. [TBO]
• Durham Bulls pitching coach Xavier Hernandez has joined the Devil Rays coaching staff for the final two weeks of the season. [TBO]
• Scott Kazmir was named the AL player of the week. He shares the award with Fausto Carmona of the Cleveland Indians. This is the second time that Kid K has been honored with the award. [Devil Rays]
• Carl Crawford will be out of the lineup until at least Friday, and it is still unclear if he will return this season. This would be a good opportunity for CC and Rocco Baldelli to get to know each other again. [tampabay.com]
• Akinori Iwamura talks about life as a major leaguer with a newborn son. Translation: The wife wakes up the middle of the night. [Celebrity Baby Blog]
• JP Howell was recalled from Durham, but will not be inserted into the rotation as a 6th starter. He will work out of the bullpen, but hopes to get another shot as a major league starter down the line. [Devil Rays]
• Poor Vinny Testaverde. He comes in at #13 on the list of “100 Players You Love To Hate.” Did you know that Vinny is not only still alive, but he was still playing in the NFL, as a backup with the New England Patriots last season? That is the definition of parity in the NFL. The Pats were one knee injury or concussion away from being 7-9 instead of 12-4. [ESPN]

The Hangover: Joe Maddon Back For At Least One More Season

Blue Jays 7, Devil Rays 2.
Just the links today

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA…

• When we first read the headline “Reports: Rays’ Maddon to get extension” we thought “why would the Rays extend Maddon’s contract when they could just pick up the two-year option on the existing contract?” Then we remembered that MLB.com hires editors to write headlines that know nothing about baseball. There is a subtle, but very important difference between picking up an option that already exists and giving somebody an extension and adding years to a contract that do not already exist. A distinction that is lost on the folks at MLB.com. [MLB]
• Of course the headline at St. Pete Times “Maddon back for two years”, is not exactly correct either. Yes, the option is for two years, but Joe Maddon will never see the second year of that option. This is how every pro sports team handles coaches/managers. At the end of 2008 the Rays will either fire Maddon or they will sign him to a new contract. No coach ever enters a season with only one year left on a contract. Players have a habit of not playing hard or listening to managers if they think he won’t be back the next season and they will. When was the last time you heard of a manager that becomes a free agent because their contract expired? [St. Pete Times]
• In another non-story story on MLB.com, Bill Chastain feels the need to inform us that Carlos Pena wants to play for the Devil Rays next year. Of course, Pena has no choice in the matter, since he will not be a free agent. While he was signed to just a 1-year contract this season, Pena is only arbitration eligible and hell will freeze over before the Rays decline the arbitration. [MLB]
• We understand that all players go through cold-spells, but is it us or is Jonny Gomesa little too comfortable with his? [TBO]

“I’ve gone through these slides since T-ball,” he said of his most recent slump. “That’s what you’re getting with me.”

• For those that like to talk about how well the Rays play against the Yankees and the Red Sox, we point you to Doberman on the Diamond. They have listed the most lopsided match-ups in the history of major league baseball. The Devil Rays are on the wrong end of the TOP TWO. The Rays are 54-109 (.331) all-time against the New York Yankees and 56-107 (.344) against the Red Sox. The Rangers are the only other team that has a winning percentage of less than .400 against one team. They are 226-351 (.392) all-time against the Orioles. [Doberman on the Diamond]
• Our guess is that Rocco Baldelli is dating his physical therapist. [Talk-Sports.net]

The Hangover: Jason Hammel Pitching Himself Out Of The 2008 Rotation

Rangers 9, Devil Rays 1.
Jason Hammel deserved a few starts worth of buffer from criticism as he adjusted back to being a starting pitcher. After making 13 starts in Durham, Hammel was called up to the Rays and inserted into the bullpen. At first it appeared as though he was one or two appearances away from replacing Edwin Jackson in the rotation, but then Jackson started to pitch a little better and Hammel was stuck in the ‘pen. With the demotion of JP Howell, Hammel finally got his opportunity to start again at the major league level after 10 relief appearances.

Hammel was going to need a few starts to lengthen out his arm and increase the pitch-load that he could sustain. We are now 5 starts into the conversion process and the reigns now come off and the pressure is on. Joe Maddon has made it clear that players are more likely to win positions for 2008 by their play in 2007 rather than their play in Spring Training. With at least two spots open, Hammel is auditioning for a spot in the 2008 rotation and he is off to a bad start. His numbers at Durham were solid (3.42 ERA), but he did have occasional bouts of control problems. He averaged 3.30 walks per 9 innings to go with 7 wild pitches in 13 starts. The problem has only gotten worse at the major league level, as he is averaging 5.92 walks per 9 innings after walking 4 more last night in his 4 innings of work.

In two stints as a starting pitcher with the Rays, Hammel’s numbers have failed to impress and they are only exasperated by his inability to find the strike zone. Nothing irks a manager more than a walk. If Hammel has any hopes of being a starting pitcher at the major league level in 2008 he needs to start hitting the strike zone on a more consistent basis. Otherwise, one of those “?”s in the 2008 rotation will not be replaced with the name “Jason Hammel”.

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA…

• A little overdue but the CorkBoard (in side panel) has been updated. Enjoy.
• With two days left to sign David Price we have upped our alert level to “scared shitless”. Pressure from Major League Baseball could be making the negotiations more difficult than they need to be. If the Rays fail to sign Price, the team will receive a compensatory pick next year after the #1 pick, and we will award the team and Major League Baseball a compensatory middle finger. [tampabay.com]
• We would like to present Ken Daley with this weeks “Captain Obvious Award” for pointing out that the Devil Rays are not likely to have a 20-game winner this season. Considering the franchise record for wins in a season is 14 (Rolando Arrojo, 1998) and that the team is now 3/4 of the way through the season and the team leaders have 9 wins, we would be happy if either Scott Kazmir or James Shields won 15. Of course with only 6 weeks remaining, that would require 6 wins by one of the young hurlers in their final 9-10 starts. [Devil Rays]
• The runner up for the “Captain Obvious Award” goes to Matt Silverman when asked about the negotiations with David Price as the Wednesday deadline approaches. [TBO]

“If he ends up not getting signed, it’s because we couldn’t reach an agreement with him,” said Silverman.

• Marc Topkin redeems what little faith we had in Rays writers with something “not-so-obvious”. Jonny Gomes was inserted into the leadoff spot last night by Joe Maddon and Topkin cited Gomes’ OBP and that he “has some speed”. Gomes has some speed? Huh-wah? We were ready to jump on Topkin for this guffaw but we decided to looked it up first. Did you know that Gomes was 23-25 in 2003 with AA Orlando? Neither did we. And with his stolen base last night (albeit a terrible throw), Gomes is now 9-11 this season combined between Durham and Tampa Bay. Who knew that Mr. Kotter could gets those legs moving between first and second? [tampabay.com]
• A scheduling quirk had the Rays playing a night game on getaway day. The late time, meant the team would not likely be in their Boston hotel rooms until about 6:00 am. With noontime temperatures approaching 105, the late start was understandable, but will likely leave the team sluggish in their series opener against the Scarlett Hose. Tonight’s starter James Shields made the trip a day ahead of the rest of the team so that he may be well-rested. [TBO]
• The Red Sox lead in the AL East is down to 4 games. Is there panic in the land of pink hats? I didn’t know there was baseball in Ireland?! reviews the various panic levels in the Red Sox blogosphere…HA! There was panic when the lead was back to single-digits. It is the nature of Red Sox nation. How much fun would it be if the Red Sox lost another game or two at the hand of the Rays. Oh boy! We are starting to get giddy for this series. [I didn’t know there was baseball in Ireland?!]
• Red Sox Chick lists the “Reasons to be cheerful”, with number 6 being that the Devil Rays are in town. The list sounds like she is trying just as much to convince herself as much as she is trying to convince the rest of the Pink Hat Nation…Can this be? Are we openly rooting for the Yankees to catch the Red Sox? Ahhh, the Evil of Two Lessers. [Red Sox Chick]
• HAHAHAHA! [Over The Monster]
• A Canadian blogger looks at the history of the Devil Rays in part 1 of a 2-part series. Who knew it could take so many words and two entire posts. We could do it in four words…”Big pile of poo”. [Jack Jock’s Thought]

The Hangover: Pitching, Pitching, Pitching

Devil Rays 4, Tiggers 0.
We have a favorite saying around these parts.

Baseball is about three things…Pitching, pitching, pitching.

We can’t emphasize it enough. It is amazing how good a team can look when they get good pitching. After losing their previous three games and last eight road games, the Rays entered the final two games with the Tigers with their two aces, Scott Kazmir and James Shields. The two combined to throw 13 innings and allowed only 1 run on 8 hits and 1 walk while striking out 16. With only 94 pitches, Kid K could have pitched the 7th inning, but with an 8-0 lead, there was no need. In the two games, the bullpen combined to allow only 1 run in 5 innings.

The result was two wins and a series split against the defending AL champs in their ballpark.

Of course the downside is three games in Arlington against the Rangers during which neither Shields nor Kazmir will make a start. With Duke, Nuke and the Hammer going in each of the next three games, two out of three is probably hoping for too much. Of course, if the Rays lose tonight, that might change to “hope we don’t get swept”.

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA…

• Finally…The Rays beat a team and another site actually gives them credit, rather than predicting Armageddon or blaming a late night at Tampa strip clubs and an outbreak of herpes. [Bless You Boys]
• Carl Crawford was 3-4 and now leads the majors with a .417 average during day games. He also stole his 37th base which leads the AL.
• The Devil Rays are 3rd in the AL in home runs (132), but only 8th in runs scored (537). Joe Maddon believes this is because the players hit too many flyballs and strikeout way too often. They lead the AL with 885 strikeouts. [Devil Rays]

“What would you think the league average for two-strike batting average? How about .197,” Maddon said. “What do you think ours is? Try .179. Then you see why we don’t score runners from third with less than two outs because we strike out too much. We don’t put the ball in play enough.”

• The Rays begin a 3-game series in Arlington tonight against the Rangers. The Rays swept the Rangers in 3 games earlier this season in Orlando. The Rays enter the game with a 2-game winning streak on the road. The Rays have not won 3 straight on the road since September 2005.
• Each of the Rays regular outfielders will serve as DH once in the Ranger series. [TBO]
• Jonny Gomes on the new D-Rays bullpen. [USA Today]

It’s confidence those guys have earned. It’s not in the past, when people didn’t really earn jobs and they were given jobs. These guys have earned their spot and they have career numbers, and it’s a good thing to watch them work.

The Hangover: Its Like Selling A Dead Bird To A Blind Kid

Devil Rays @ Detroit Tigers
A 3-game set…Tampa Bay is 42-68, 25.5 games back in the AL East…Detroit is 61-49, a half game back in the AL Central…The Rays are 16-35 on the road…Justin Verlander pitches for Detroit tonight. He is 11-4 with a 3.49 ERA…Edwin Jackson takes the mound for the Rays. He is 2-11 with a 6.56 ERA.

(a conversation between Joe Maddon and Jim Leyland in Leyland’s office before tonight’s game)
Papa Joe: What are the chances that my team can beat you guys tonight Jim?
Papa Jim: (taking a long slow drag on a cigarette) Well, that’s pretty difficult to say.
Papa Joe: (sporting a giddy school girl smile) Hit me with it! I’ve come a long way to see you, Jim. The least you can do is level with me. What are my chances?
Papa Jim: (lighting another cigarette) Not good.
Papa Joe: You mean, not good like one out of a hundred?
Papa Jim: (lighting up his third cigarette since the conversation started) I’d say more like one out of a million.
Papa Joe: (looking confused, and then breaking out in a big smile) So you’re telling me there’s a chance.
(Joe Maddon turns and skips his way out of Leyland’s office)
Papa Jim: (blowing smoke rings) There is no way this ends well.
(Jim Leyland shakes head and pulls out another cigarette)

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA…

• After Joe Maddon’s latest comments on BJ Upton we have to wonder if Rocco Baldelli has a future with the Devil Rays. Maddon expressed that Upton is clearly a better hitter and a more confident player while playing the outfield. [Devil Rays]

Because Upton looks so athletic in center field, Maddon was asked if Upton is wasted when he plays second base…”Not so much wasted, he’s looking very natural out there,” Maddon said. “I think from what I’m seeing, he will always hit better because that’s a mentally easier position for him to play.”

• We applaud Carl Crawford’s latest comments in which he expressed his frustration with this season. While some take the comments to mean that CC wants out, we see a young player that is growing into a team leader and letting it be known that the status quo is unacceptable. [tampabay.com]

“This year hasn’t went as planned, so I don’t know anymore,” Crawford said. “I’m just trying to wait and see what happens toward the end. Every year is a new year now…This year has been a setback, and I’m not used to setbacks. I’m frustrated with this season. It ain’t been a good year.”

• Jason Hammel threw a bullpen session on Saturday and he believes he will be able to make his next scheduled start on Tuesday. Joe Maddon is waiting to see how the shoulder feels today and tomorrow before making a decision. [Herald-Tribune]
• We may have been a little quick on the trigger earlier this season when we anointed James Shields as the Rays’ ace. [The Ledger]
• Jonny Gomes has done what Jorge Cantu could not. When benched, he kept his mouth shut and performed when given the opportunity and worked his way back into the everyday lineup with strong numbers. [tampabay.com]
• Don’t look for Akinori Iwamura to make any appearances at second base this season. Joe Maddon believes that is a move better suited for Spring Training. [TBO]
• BJ Upton’s younger brother Justin, made his major league debut for the D-Backs, 4 days younger than BJ made his debut. [TBO]
• The Devil Rays are expected to announce their new name and colors on Nov. 11. [tampabay.com]
• Former Devil Ray Jason Tyner finally hit his first major league home run after 1,220 at bats. [SFGate]