Sunday, November 30, 2008

Winter League Update: November 25th-29th

Dominican RepublicDominican Winter League:
Joel Guzman, Estrellas de Oriente: On 11/25 he was 1-5 (homer) with a walk, a run scored, and an RBI. On 11/26 he went 1-4 (single) with a walk and 2 runs scored. On 11/28 he was 1-3 (single) with a walk, 2 runs scored and an RBI.
Willy Aybar, Tigres del Licey: On 11/26 he was 2-5 (single, double) with 2 runs scored and an RBI. On 11/28 he went 1-5 (single) with a run scored and an RBI. On 11/29 he was 1-3 (double) with a walk and a run scored.
Juan Salas, Aguilas Cibaenas: On 11/28 he pitched 1.0 shutout inning, striking out one.

MexicoMexican Pacific League:
Jon Weber, Venados de Mazatlan: On 11/25 he was 4-5 (2 singles, 2 doubles) with 2 runs scored. On 11/26 he went 2-4 (single, double) with a walk, a run scored and a stolen base. On 11/27 he was 2-5 (single, double) with a run scored, 2 RBI, and a stolen base. On 11/28 he went 3-5 (2 singles, double) with 2 RBI. On 11/29 he continued his multi-hit game streak going 2-4 (2 singles) with a run scored, an RBI, and a caught stealing.
Heath Phillips, Caneros de los Mochis: On 11/29 he took the loss going 5.1 innings, allowing 7 earned runs on 7 hits, 4 walks, and striking out 5.
Dale Thayer, Naranjeros de Hermosillo: On 11/29 he took the loss going 0.2 innings, allowing 4 earned runs on 3 hits, a walk, and struck out one.

Puerto RicoPuerto Rican Winter League:
Gabriel Martinez, Leones de Ponce: On 11/25 he was 2-3 (single, double) with an RBI. On 11/28 he went 0-1. On 11/29 he was 1-4 (double).
Chris Kelly, Lobos de Arecibo: On 11/25 he went 0.1 innings, allowing 2 earned runs on 4 hits. On 11/26 he went 0.1 innings, gave up one hit, one walk, and struck out one. On 11/28 he gave up a hit but got no outs.
Eduardo Morlan, Criollos de Caguas: On 11/26 he allowed only a walk in a scoreless inning of work.

VenezuelaVenezuelan Winter League:
Cesar Suarez, Tiburones de La Guaira: On 11/25 he was 1-3 (single). On 11/26 he went 1-6 (homer) with a run scored and an RBI. On 11/27 he was 0-1 with a walk, 2 runs scored and an RBI. On 11/29 he went 0-3.
Fernando Perez, Leones del Caracas: On 11/26 he was 0-3.
John Jaso, Leones del Caracas: On 11/26 he was 2-3 (2 singles) with a walk and a caught stealing. On 11/28 he went 0-3 with a walk.
Carlos Hernandez, Navegantes del Magallanes: On 11/29 he struck out the only batter he faced.

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Prospect Poll: #1 Position Player

VoteSince Kevin and Andy have started posting our Top 15 position players, I wanted to get started on the reader voting. Everyone did such a good job on the pitchers that both Scout (RaysDigest) and DugoutCentral picked up Tyler Hissey's artice on your voting results.

For stats check StatCorner, FirstInning, or Baseball-Reference.

Friday, November 28, 2008

Updated Winter League Stats

Rays players Winter League statistics through Thursday's games:

BatterLgABRH2B3BHRRBIBBSOAvgOBPSLG
Andrus, EroldVWL2625110149.192.300.308
Aybar, WillyDWL522100101.400.400.600
Gimenez, HectorVWL861728300131418.326.417.360
Guzman, JoelDWL741421505131017.284.386.554
Hall, J.T.AFL7691822012922.237.314.316
Hughes, RhyneAFL1092043123527733.394.432.697
Jaso, JohnVWL1915100053.263.417.316
Jennings, DesmondAFL39792017410.231.326.359
Loyola, MaikoDWL1220000033.000.200.000
Martinez, GabrielPRL44511400757.250.340.341
Perez, FernandoVWL2137020014.333.364.524
Spring, MattAFL574101029617.175.250.298
Suarez, CesarVWL55916212628.291.328.473
Weber, JonMPL889257018821.284.344.398

PitcherLgGGSIPERAFIPDIPSSO/9BB/9H/9HR/9
Hendrickson, BenVWL3210.16.104.554.468.76.112.20.9
Hernandez, CarlosVWL200.240.5012.209.240.027.027.00.0
Kelly, ChrisPRL7011.12.383.733.364.83.211.10.0
Mason, ChrisAFL13013.010.384.744.652.83.514.50.7
Morlan, EduardoPRL709.00.001.421.7411.02.08.00.0
Phillips, HeathMPL8849.23.263.643.726.33.85.80.4
Reid, RyanAFL10014.06.434.203.9711.64.510.31.3
Salas, JuanDWL301.20.009.209.505.421.65.40.0
Thayer, DaleMPL909.02.002.422.625.01.08.00.0
Townsend, WadeAFL3310.28.445.545.386.84.211.81.7
Wlodarczyk, MikeAFL12013.07.625.975.1912.56.212.52.1

AFL = Arizona Fall League, MPL = Mexican Pacific League, DWL = Dominican Winter League, VWL = Venezuelan Winter League, PRL = Puerto Rican League.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

#15 Elias Otero Statistics

Statistics for Elias Otero:

YearAgeLevelABRH2B3BHRRBIBBSOAvgOBPSLG
200820R+20538691375322042.337.399.541

YearAgeLevelOPSISOPBB%K%BABIPGB%LD%wOBA
200820R+.940.2048.618.0.4055018.399


Splits in R+ in 2008:
SplitABISOPBB%K%BABIPGB%LD%AVGOBPSLGwOBA
June63.2548.618.6.4904918.397.443.651.460
July64.25011.716.9.4174911.359.429.609.435
August78.1285.818.6.3285224.269.337.397.319
AWAY104.2418.418.5.4184022.346.412.587.423
HOME101.1688.817.5.3926214.327.386.495.374

Top 15 Hitters: #15 Elias Otero

Elias OteroElias Otero
6’2" 166 lbs DOB: 12/19/1987
Shortstop/2nd baseman
Bats: Switch | Throws: Right
2008: Princeton
Acquired: Undrafted free agent(New Mexico JC)

This is the only guy on the list who is basically here for his stat line: a .332/.398/.534 line at Princeton this year from a middle infielder is impressive, even though he was playing mostly against younger competition. With Tim Beckham also in Princeton, Otero mainly played 2nd base, though he can also play shortstop.

On the scouting side, well, there just isn't much(any, really) information on him. About all I know is that he was drafted out of the Puerto Rican Baseball Academy by the Pirates in 2005(21st round), but he didn't sign and attended New Mexico Junior College.

Middle infielders, even old ones, posting a .932 OPS in the Appy League is impressive enough to get him on the list, though he's something of a question mark with only one season's worth of at-bats and virtually no scouting info on him. He'll probably begin 2009 at Hudson Valley, although there's an outside shot they push him to the slightly more age-appropriate level in low-A and Bowling Green. If he's able to replicate his 2008 stat line, then he could really emerge as someone to watch for going forward.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Hudson Valley Renegades Release 2009 Schedule

Hudson Valley RenegadesThe Hudson Valley Renegades, our Short-Season A affiliate in the New York-Penn League, today unveiled their 2009 schedule. The Renegades will host Opening Day on June 19th when they take on the division rival Aberdeen IronBirds (Orioles) in a three-game series.

The 2009 season features eight fireworks shows, a road-home series against the Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets) June 28th-30th, a home-road series against the Staten Island Yankees (Yankees) July 27th-28th and a three-game series against the 2008 New York-Penn League Champion Batavia Muckdogs (Cardinals) July 14th-16th.

There will be 38 home games with eight homestands of two games or more. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m. for home games except for the following; Sunday games will be at 5:05 p.m. or 1:05 p.m., the games on June 22nd and 24th will start at 6:35 p.m. and the Wednesday, July 15th game is a day game starting at 12:05 p.m.

The longest homestand of the year will be an eight-game homestand August 19th–26th with the Renegades taking on Mahoning Valley (Indians) for three games, Staten Island (Yankees) for two games and finishing with Tri-City (Astros) for three games. The last time the Renegades had an eight-game homestand was in 1998 and the team went 7-1.

Updated links to the 2009 schedules for the Rays organization:

Tampa Bay Rays (MLB) - First game on April 6th @ Boston Red Sox.
Durham Bulls (AAA) - First game on April 9th hosting Norfolk Tides.
Montgomery Biscuits (AA) - First game on April 9th hosting West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx.
Charlotte Stone Crabs (A+) - First game on April 9th hosting Fort Myers Miracle.
Bowling Green Hot Rods (A) - First game on April 9th @ Hickory Crawdads.
Hudson Valley Renegades (A-) - First game on June 19th hosting Aberdeen IronBirds.
Princeton Devil Rays (R) - First game June 23rd hosting Burlington Royals.

Rays in the Winter Leagues

Winter LeaguesDominican Winter League:
On November 23rd Joel Guzman was 1-3 (single) with a walk, a run scored and a stolen base. So far he has put up a .943 OPS in 65 AB for the Estrellas de Oriente.

Mexican Pacific League:
On November 23rd: Jon Weber went 1-3 (single) with a walk. He has a .607 OPS in 74 AB for the Venados de Mazatlan. Heath Phillips went 7.0 innings giving up 2 earned runs on 6 hits and a walk while striking out 3. He has a 3.26 ERA over 49.2 innings for the Caneros de los Mochis. Dale Thayer pitched one inning allowing one earned run on two hits. His ERA is 2.00 in 9 innings for the Naranjeros de Hermosillo.

Puerto Rican Winter League:
On November 23rd Gabriel Martinez went 1-4 (double) with a walk, a run scored and 2 RBI. His OPS is .612 in 41 AB for the Leones de Ponce.

Venezuelan Winter League:
On November 24th: Cesar Suarez was 2-4 (singles). He has an OPS of .803 in 46 AB for the Tiburones de La Guaira. Fernando Perez went 1-1 (single) with a run scored and a stolen base. His OPS is 1.032 in 18 AB for the Leones del Caracas. John Jaso was 0-2 with 3 walks. He has put up an OPS of .600 in 16 AB for the Leones del Caracas.

VWL notes: Erold Andrus hasn't played since 11/16 and Carlos Hernandez last pitched on 11/15. Both play for the Navegantes del Magallanes.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Top 15 Hitters: Introduction/Sleepers

Today begins the process of posting our top 15 hitting prospects in the Rays organization, which will be followed by a (longer, due to more system depth) top pitching prospect list.

However, it's important to understand how these lists were formed and what they mean. The hitter's list was made up by myself and Andy, our newest writer. I'll let him introduce himself, but the point is that the list is a welding together of two opinions: He had guys he liked, I had guys I liked, we made our cases, and came to some kind of consensus.

Of course, that doesn't mean that we spent hours combing over this stuff, because we didn't. Rather, when we post a new prospect, it will be accompanied by a "profile," a write-up done by Andy or me(and in the case of the pitchers, Doug). This should really be the focal point: To learn more about the prospect and stimulate discussion of him. What his ceiling is, when he'll get to the majors, what his tools are, etc. That's more important than just looking at the list and saying, "oh, well you think Reid Fronk is a better prospect than Jake Jefferies because you ranked him one spot higher." The actual rankings are more of an outline than a set-in-stone hierarchy.

Anyway, today's post is about the guys who garnered discussion for making the list and sleepers to keep an eye on. Without further delay...

Rhyne Hughes, 1B: The proverbial "last guy out," Hughes put an exclamation point on a productive regular season by going nuts in the Arizona Fall League. Playing as a 24-year old in AA, Hughes hit 14 home runs for the Biscuits and posted a solid .268/.356/.448 line. He turned 25 in September, was sent to Arizona, where he lead his team in hitting with a .394 average. In just over 100 ABs, he knocked 20 extra base hits on his way to a .394/.432/.697 line.

Hughes has always been old for his competition, taking some glean off his shiny stat line. Additionally, his average-at-best tools don't seem to measure up his performance. He struggles to make contact consistently(112 strikeouts in 395 ABs in Montgomery), and doesn't have the bat to be an MLB regular, or the glove to play anywhere but 1st base, which really diminishes his value. A junior-college draft pick in 2004, Hughes is eligible for the Rule 5 draft this off-season.

Chris Nowak, 1B/3B: Nowak's been remarkably consistent over the past four seasons: a batting average a little over .300, an OBP a bit under .400, and a SLG% in the mid-.400s. Nowak is similar to Hughes in that he's more production than tools, although Nowak has a little more defensive flexibility(he can masquerade as a 3rd baseman, though he'd be below-average at the major-league level). His on-base skills could get him to the majors one day, but it's hard to envision Nowak as an acceptable regular. He'll be 26 on Opening Day in 2009, where he'll probably be playing 3rd base for Durham.

Jason Corder, OF: Corder was the Rays 7th round in 2008, a college senior from Long Beach State who signed for just $50,000. He has a strong throwing arm and good power, profiling him as a corner outfielder. He hit .306/.342/.456 in Hudson Valley in his debut, and will move up to full-season ball as a 23-year old in 2009. He'll really need to display his power in games, since his other tools(besides throwing arm) are nothing spectacular.

Mark Thomas, C: Thomas was one of my favorite sleepers heading into the 2008 season, and he responding by hitting .234/.278/.361 at Hudson Valley. Undeterred, I'm putting him on the sleeper list again this season. A 22nd-round draft-and-follow pick in 2006, Thomas is agile behind the plate with a strong arm. Being given the unenviable task of catching knuckleballer Diego Echeverria contributed to his 23 passed balls on the year, but more than a few were his fault. The Rays could test him by sending him to low-A Bowling Green to start 2009, but more likely he'll stay back in extended spring training before reporting back to Hudson Valley. If nothing else, the fact he often started behind the plate while 2008 3rd-rounder Jake Jefferies DH'd shows that the organization is willing to give him chances.

Mike McCormick, C: Like Thomas, it might be best to just write McCormick's 2008 season off. A converted 3rd baseman, he hit well enough in Hudson Valley in 2007 to move up to full-season ball, where he produced a meek .216/.276/.365 line. Silver lining? Well, um, 13 home runs isn't bad for a catcher in low-A, right? In 52 post-ASG games, he hit for a .709 OPS, far better than his .579 pre-ASG offering. He's pretty toolsy but clearly struggled in full-season ball. With Jake Jefferies seemingly ticketed for the low-A starting catching job, it will be interesting to see if the Rays bump McCormick up to the Florida State League, or if he stays in low-A and tries to find ABs.

D.J. Jones, OF: Jones is really only this list because of his upper-tier athleticism. His .227/.293/.320 line with rookie-level Princeton didn't do a whole lot to inspire confidence he can convert his tools into performance. But the fact is that he's very gifted athletically, so I have him as a potential sleeper. Of course, the 11th-round pick in 2007 will already be 21 on Opening Day and still in short-season ball, so he's going to have to prove sooner rather than later those 150 Apply League ABs aren't an indictment of his true ability.

That's it for today, although I'll leave you with one with one ultra-deep sleeper: Luis Marchena. And yes, I did just pick a name at random. Just remember where you heard it first.

Obviously you guys don't know the actual top 15 yet, but does anyone have any hitters they think could break out in 2009?

Charlotte Stone Crabs Release 2009 Schedule

The Charlotte Stone Crabs (A+) released their regular season schedule today for their upcoming inaugural Florida State League season.

The Stone Crabs will host their Opening Night at Charlotte Sports Park on April 9, 2009 in their first-ever home game. Other key home games during the 2009 season include two games during July 4th weekend (July 4-5) and the regular season series finale against Sarasota over Labor Day weekend (September 4-6).

All home games will have a start time of 7:05 p.m. except for Sunday games, which will start at 5:35 p.m. Game times for away games are still being determined. The team will play a total of 140 games with 70 being played at home.

Updated links to the 2009 schedules released so far:

Tampa Bay Rays (MLB) - First game on April 6th @ Boston Red Sox.
Durham Bulls (AAA) - First game on April 9th hosting Norfolk Tides.
Montgomery Biscuits (AA) - First game on April 9th hosting West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx.
Charlotte Stone Crabs (A+) - First game on April 9th hosting Fort Myers Miracle.
Bowling Green Hot Rods (A) - First game on April 9th @ Hickory Crawdads.
Hudson Valley Renegades (A-) - Not released, games start mid-June.
Princeton Devil Rays (R) - First game June 23rd hosting Burlington Royals.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Recent Rays Winter League Action

Winter LeaguesDominican Winter League:
On November 21st Juan Salas pitched 0.2 innings of scoreless ball, allowing no hits, 2 walks, and striking out one for the Aguilas Cibaenas.

On November 22nd: Maiko Loyola went 0-4 with a strikeout for the Estrellas de Oriente. Joel Guzman, also playing for the Estrellas de Oriente, was 1-3 (homer) with a walk, a run scored, and 2 RBI.

Mexican Pacific League:
On November 21st Jon Weber went 1-5 (double) for the Venados de Mazatlan. On November 22nd Weber was 2-5 (singles), had a run scored and an RBI with 2 strikeouts.

Puerto Rican Winter League:
On November 21st: Eduardo Morlan pitched 1.2 innings of scoreless relief, allowing one hit, no walks, and striking out 3 for the Criollos de Caguas. Chris Kelly gave up no runs, no hits, walked one and struck out 3 in 1.2 innings for the Lobos de Arecibo. Gabriel Martinez went 0-1 for the Leones de Ponce.

On November 22nd Martinez went 0-2.

Venezuelan Winter League:
On November 21st: Cesar Suarez was 0-2 with a walk and an RBI for the Tiburones de La Guaira. Fernando Perez went 1-5 (single) with a run scored, a stolen base, and a caught stealing for the Leones del Caracas.

On November 22nd: Perez was 2-4 (singles) with a walk, a run scored, a strikeout and a caught stealing. John Jaso, also playing for the Leones del Caracas, went 1-4 (single) with a caught stealing.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

40-Man Roster - Rule 5 Draft Strategy

Rule 5 DraftThe San Diego Padres' Paul DePodesta provides some interesting considerations: "These can be tricky decisions. On the one hand, you'd like to protect as many players as possible. However, on the other hand you have to anticipate roster moves that could happen between now and Opening Day in 2009. How many spots may we need for Major League free agents? How many players could we potentially outright or non-tender? Do we want to leave some spots open for potential waiver claims? Another part of the game is whether or not you think a certain player would, in fact, get selected in the draft AND if you think that player has the ability to stick in the Majors for the season. Sometimes teams will protect a lesser prospect simply because he has a greater chance of being taken or even because of organizational needs/depth going forward."

"When weighing the risk of a player getting taken, it can be counterintuitive. It would seem logical that the best way to protect a player would be to put him on the 40-man roster. That is often, but not always, the case. Sometimes, for players who are borderline roster considerations, you may be safer by leaving him OFF the 40-man. The reason is that if he's taken in the Rule V, he has to stay in the Majors or else be offered back. However, if for some reason (add a free agent, add someone through trade, need someone during the season due to injury) you need to add a player to the 40-man at a later date, you may be forced to outright someone to make room. When you outright a first year roster player, he still has all of his minor league options, so teams can claim him and send him right into their minor league system. In short, it's much easier to lose a player trying to remove him from the 40-man than it is to lose him via the Rule V draft."

Friday, November 21, 2008

Winter League Stats Update

Rays players Winter League statistics through Thursday's games:

BatterLgABRH2B3BHRRBIBBSOAvgOBPSLG
Andrus, EroldVWL2625110149.192.300.308
Gimenez, HectorVWL721424200121316.333.432.361
Guzman, JoelDWL5391750310412.321.393.585
Hall, J.T.AFL7691822012922.237.314.316
Hughes, RhyneAFL1092043123527733.394.432.697
Jaso, JohnVWL1012100012.200.273.300
Jennings, DesmondAFL39792017410.231.326.359
Loyola, MaikoDWL821000032.125.364.125
Martinez, GabrielPRL3448200445.235.333.294
Perez, FernandoVWL803020002.375.375.875
Spring, MattAFL574101029617.175.250.298
Suarez, CesarVWL40812211417.300.333.475
Weber, JonMPL614132015616.213.284.295

PitcherLgGGSIPERAFIPDIPSSO/9BB/9H/9HR/9
Hendrickson, BenVWL3210.16.104.554.468.76.112.20.9
Hernandez, CarlosVWL200.240.5012.209.240.027.027.00.0
Kelly, ChrisPRL409.01.004.093.592.02.09.00.0
Mason, ChrisAFL13013.010.384.744.652.83.514.50.7
Morlan, EduardoPRL506.10.001.151.5911.41.49.90.0
Phillips, HeathMPL7742.23.383.793.866.84.25.50.4
Reid, RyanAFL10014.06.434.203.9711.64.510.31.3
Salas, JuanDWL201.00.009.209.280.018.09.00.0
Thayer, DaleMPL808.01.132.332.505.61.16.80.0
Townsend, WadeAFL3310.28.445.545.386.84.211.81.7
Wlodarczyk, MikeAFL12013.07.625.975.1912.56.212.52.1

AFL = Arizona Fall League, MPL = Mexican Pacific League, DWL = Dominican Winter League, VWL = Venezuelan Winter League, PRL = Puerto Rican League.

Friday Reading

Tampa Bay RaysLisa Winston takes a look at all the Rays Arizona Fall League players, focusing on Rhyne Hughes: It's hard to imagine what more the 25-year-old could have done in Arizona to win a coveted spot on the Rays' 40-man roster next spring. However, given the glut of young talent on the Rays and the lack of free agents opening spots, only three players -- all pitchers -- ended up being added to the 40-man squad and Hughes was not among them. So perhaps the fact that Hughes flirted with .400 against some of the best young arms in the Minors will result in his name being called in the Rule 5 Draft on Dec. 11. If not, it has certainly improved his own standing in his organization.

Mike Wlodarczyk writes his final AFL blog entry (the part about Chris Mason starting fires is funny on several levels): I personally feel like I've gotten a lot out of this short season while continuing my development as a reliever. Even though I struggled over my final three appearances, I feel that the strides I made early in the season considerably outweigh my recent struggles. Numbers don't always tell the whole story; and there is always room for improvement as I've learned from past mistakes.

Tyler Hissey had a nice interview with Jonah Keri, mostly about the Rays future: JK: Again, I think it will come down to value. If teams are willing to shell out more for Sonnanstine, he could be dealt. If Jackson can fetch more, he might go. I think Jackson would work well in a bullpen role too, so that could be another option. I'd like to see the Rays see if they could get a true impact bat for Scott Kazmir. But it's rare that we see that kind of blockbuster deal. Then again, the Delmon Young deal was a shocker when it happened.

The Rays, via The Heater, announced their (somewhat pricey, and what's a berm?) Spring Training schedule: The Rays also announced pricing options for the 16 home games at the newly renovated Charlotte Sports Park. Individual ticket prices will range from $9 to $23. Here's the breakdown for single-game tickets: field box, $23; baseline box, $18; field reserve, $18; baseline reserve, $16; berm, $9. Tickets go on sale Jan. 8.

And finally, Selgy at RaysBB provides an extremely detailed look at a possible Tampa location for the Rays (scroll down a little): Not sure if this belongs here or not, but while looking over a few pieces of land throughout the bay area I have determined Tampa will be the best place to build a new stadium and I will include reasons to support my reasoning. For those of you who say that they would stop going to games if the Rays were to move out of St. Pete, this bulletin isn't intended on challenging you on that issue, just why I feel they will eventually end up in Tampa.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

40-Man Roster Moves

Tampa Bay RaysThe Rays began the day with 36 players on the 40-man roster. Today they purchased the contracts of RHSP Wade Davis and RHRP Dale Thayer from Triple-A Durham and purchased the contract of LHP Jacob McGee from Double-A Montgomery. Since no one was removed from the 40-man the total stands at 39. This is important for several reasons, if the Rays sign a free agent or trade for a player between now and the December 11th Rule 5 draft they can add him to the roster without having to drop someone else and risk losing them in the draft. This also allows the Rays to participate in the Rule 5 draft because you can't draft anyone if you do not have an opening on your roster.

Davis and McGee were no-brainers and Thayer was quite good at Durham this year. As a relief pitcher, Thayer was likely to be taken as relief pitchers and outfielders are often taken in the draft because they are the easiest to "hide" on an active roster if they aren't quite ready for MLB. Anyone selected in the Rule 5 draft must be kept on the selecting team's 25-man major league roster for the entire season following the draft. An outfielder can be a 4th or 5th outfielder who is used as a defensive substitution, a pinch hitter or runner, but basically doesn't see much action. A reliever also can fill a role without being used much, such as in mop-up situations where the game is already out of hand.

Jacob McGeeYou may wonder why adding McGee was necessary since he just underwent Tommy John surgery and is unlikely to see any action until late in the season, making him useless to a selecting team. The rules state that an injured player can be placed on the disabled list, opening another spot on the selecting team's 25-man roster. Another team could have selected McGee, put him on the DL and let him rehab until he was health enough to activate, and come away with a highly rated prospect without hurting their active roster. There are some limitations to using the DL, McGee would have to be on the selecting team's active roster for 90 days or else the requirement that he remain on the 25-man roster would extend into 2010. For example, if he were activated for 30 days in 2009, he would have to remain active on the major league roster for at least 60 days in 2010 to satisfy the Rule 5 requirements. None of this really matters now that McGee is on the 40-man roster, but I wanted you to know why he was definitely a risk of being taken despite the injury.

I'm working on an article detailing the Rule 5 draft and will make sure to post it prior to December 11th. It's turned out to be a large project (and article) so don't expect to see it for a week or two. If you have any specific questions about the draft post them in the comments or email me.

Javelinas Win Final AFL Game

Peoria JavelinasThe Peoria Javelinas beat the Phoenix Desert Dogs 13-6 today in their final game of the AFL season. Desmond Jennings was 0-1 after he came in as a pinch hitter and then stayed to play center field. Rhyne Hughes went 1-2 (double), scored a run, and drove in 2 RBI. J.T. Hall was 1-3 (double) with a walk and an RBI. The Javelinas finish with a 16-22 record. The AFL championship game is Saturday between the Mesa Solar Sox and the Phoenix Desert Dogs.

Javelinas Blank Scorpions

Peoria JavelinasThe Peoria Javelinas shut out the Scottsdale Scorpions 5-0 Wednesday night. Phil Hughes got the win, striking out 10 while only allowing 2 hits in 5.0 innings. Rhyne Hughes was 1-3 (double) with a walk, a HBP and 2 strikeouts. Matt Spring was 1-2 (single). Desmond Jennings was 0-3 with a run scored and 2 RBI (sac fly). The Javelinas (15-22) wrap up their Arizona Fall League season today against the Phoenix Desert Dogs (18-17) at 2:35 eastern.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Why You Do Not Trade Andy Sonnanstine

Tampa Bay RaysThere was more to the article about the Rays organization's starting pitching posted last week, but it just became way too long. Consider this a continuation of that article, but with a different way of measuring how our starters performed this past year.

The questions I want to answer here are: Which Rays' starting pitchers pitched at the level of a #1 starter in 2008? Who was a #2 (at their level)? Who was a #3? And so forth. Was James Shields a "true number one starter"? What about Andy Sonnanstine? What was Edwin Jackson? Wade Davis? Alex Cobb? In our organization, the list goes on and on.

To answer these questions we first need to know: What is a #1-#5 starter? Luckily, Matthew Carruthon answered this in his article Rotation Slots by tRA+ at StatCorner. I'll let you read all the details and methodology used, but based on 2007-8 data he found the following:

#1 SP = tRA+ of 118 or higher, the average #1 has a 130 tRA+.
#2 SP = tRA+ from 106 to 117, the average #2 has a 112 tRA+.
#3 SP = tRA+ from 95 to 105, the average #3 has a 100 tRA+.
#4 SP = tRA+ from 86 to 94, the average #4 has a 91 tRA+.
#5 SP = tRA+ of 85 or lower, the average #5 has a 76 tRA+.

Using those numbers as our guidelines, let's take a look at the starting pitchers in the Rays system and see how well they pitched in 2008. Remember, StatCorner only covers down to full-season A ball, so there are no Hudson Valley, Princeton, DSL or VSL players (click the links to see stats for those pitchers). The data does not include innings pitched as a reliever, only as a starter. Age is as of today and pitchers are listed by level, so some appear more than once.

Here are the definitions of the stats we'll be using from the StatCorner Glossary:

xIP: Derived from xOuts, "xOuts stands for the expected number of outs a pitcher has generated based on his defense and park neutral outcomes." This is how much they pitched.

tRA: "tRA involves assigning run and out values to all events under a pitcher's control and coming up with an expected number of runs allowed and outs generated in a defense and park neutral environment. tRA is on a R/9 scale and does not involve any regression of the rates so while it should be more useful at determining a pitcher's true talent level, the best method for pitching projection is to use tRA*, the regressed version of tRA." This is how well they pitched.

tRA+: "tRA+ is equal to [((lgTRA - tRA) / lgTRA) + 1] * 100. A tRA+ of 150 represents that the pitcher's tRA was 50% better than league average. A tRA+ of 75 means the pitcher's tRA was 25% worse than average." This is how well they pitched relative to the rest of their respective leagues.

2008 #1-Level Starters:
PitcherAgeLevelxIPtRA+
Hellickson, Jeremy21.6A+76.7148
Price, David23.2A+33.3142
AVERAGE #1 SPxxxxxxxxxxxx130
Talbot, Mitch25.0AAA164.8127
Davis, Wade23.2AAA52.6127
Sonnanstine, Andy25.6MLB198.8122
Price, David23.2AA54.0122
Shields, James26.8MLB212.6121
Cummings, Jeremy32.0AAA81.7120

We need to find a place on the big league roster (pen) for Talbot, and soon for Davis. Hellickson just dominated High-A. Not a bad first year for Price, pitched like a #1 at two levels and a #2 at a third. Cummings is a minor league free agent. Do not trade Andy Sonnanstine.

2008 #2-Level Starters:
PitcherAgeLevelxIPtRA+
Rollins, Heath23.4A+123.8116
Davis, Wade23.2AA105.6113
Price, David23.2AAA18.7113
AVERAGE #2 SPxxxxxxxxxxxx112
Garza, Matt24.9MLB181.2111
Darcy, Jesse23.3A102.5111
Rollins, Heath23.4AA23.0110
Niemann, Jeff25.7AAA127.9109
McGee, Jacob22.3AA74.6108

Rollins handled his promotion well, and Davis improved when he moved up to AAA. Darcy was a little old for Low-A ball, but he had a good year and I think he's undervalued. It seems that trading the bat-flipper was a good idea. Niemann is ready in case of injury, and McGee didn't pitch too poorly considering his elbow was going out.

2008 #3-Level Starters:
PitcherAgeLevelxIPtRA+
Kazmir, Scott24.8MLB147.7103
Hellickson, Jeremy21.6AA73.6102
AVERAGE #3 SPxxxxxxxxxxxx100
Houser, James23.8AA88.9100
Morse, Ryan25.4A+102.998
De los Santos, Richard24.4AA70.698
Cobb, Alexander21.1A129.496

Kazmir was our fourth best starter, that's how you win 97 games. You hear how poorly Hellickson pitched after his promotion to AA, but a #3 isn't that bad for a 21 year old, expect him to do better in AA next year. De los Santos is a minor league free agent. Houser keeps missing time due to injury and Cobb, while very young, needs to improve next year at Charlotte.

2008 #4-Level Starters:
PitcherAgeLevelxIPtRA+
AVERAGE #4 SPxxxxxxxxxxxx91
Hendrickson, Ben27.8AAA141.587
Flores, Brian23.8A108.887

I still believe Flores has a future out of the pen. Hendrickson is a minor league free agent.

2008 #5-Level Starters:
PitcherAgeLevelxIPtRA+
Ragan, Jason25.8A105.184
Jackson, Edwin25.2MLB174.883
Walker, Matthew22.2A+41.983
Mann, Brandon24.4A+122.281
Hall, Jeremy25.1A94.680
AVERAGE #5 SPxxxxxxxxxxxx76
Gibson, Glenn21.1A57.466

There's Mr. Jackson, I wondered where he was hiding. Ragan was released, Walker was suspended, Gibson we've discussed before, and the rest aren't worth mentioning.

If you feel I'm putting too much emphasis on 2008 numbers when analyzing our pitchers I realize that some of these are small sample sizes and that pitchers have up years and down years. And you have to take into account if a pitcher is injured (McGee, Kazmir?) or recovering from an injury. However, 2008 results are the most recent and best numbers we have to assess a pitchers value. Would looking at 2007 be better? No, but just for fun lets look at a couple of pitchers numbers from 2007:

PitcherAgeLevelxIPtRA+
Sonnanstine, Andy24.6AAA70.3130
Sonnanstine, Andy24.6MLB131.8108
Jackson, Edwin24.2MLB163.977

Do not trade Andy Sonnanstine!

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Javelinas Fall To Solar Sox

Peoria JavelinasThe Peoria Javelinas lost to the Mesa Solar Sox Tuesday afternoon by a score of 10-4. J.T. Hall was 0-3 with an RBI (sac fly) and a strikeout. Matt Spring was 0-4 with a strikeout. Chris Mason took the loss after going 1.1 innings in relief. He gave up one earned run on one hit and struck out one. Mike Wlodarczyk came on to relieve Mason but could only get one out while allowing 3 earned runs on 2 hits and 2 walks. He struck out one but threw a wild pitch and hit 2 batters. The Javelinas (14-22) play the Scottsdale Scorpions (13-21) Wednesday evening at 9:05 eastern in their next to last game of the AFL season.

AL MVP: Pena 9th, Longoria 11th, Bartlett 18th

Carlos Pena1. Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox (16) 317
2. Justin Morneau, Minnesota Twins (7) 257
3. Kevin Youkilis, Boston Red Sox (2) 201
4. Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins (2) 188
5. Carlos Quentin, Chicago White Sox 160
6. Francisco Rodriguez, Los Angeles Angels (1) 143
7. Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers 112
8. Alex Rodriguez New York Yankees 45
9. Carlos Pena, Tampa Bay Rays 44
10. Grady Sizemore, Cleveland Indians 42
11. Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays 38
12. Cliff Lee, Cleveland Indians 24
13. Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers 17
14. Vladimir Guerrero, Los Angeles Angels 16
15. Jermaine Dye, Chicago White Sox 14
16. Aubrey Huff, Baltimore Orioles 12
17. Milton Bradley, Texas Rangers 9
18. Jason Bartlett, Tampa Bay Rays 6
19. Mike Mussina, New York Yankees 3
20. Raul Ibanez, Seattle Mariners 1
21. Ian Kinsler, Texas Rangers 1
22. Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners 1
23. Mark Teixeira, Los Angeles Angels 1

Stone Crabs Announce Opening Night

The Charlotte Stone Crabs (A+) announced today that they will host their Inaugural Season Opening Night on April 9, 2009, at Charlotte Sports Park. Our new High-A affiliate will face off against the Fort Myers Miracle at 7:05 p.m. at the newly-renovated stadium in the first affiliated minor league game in Charlotte County since 2002. The team plans to announce the remaining games of its 2009 season schedule later this week.

A festival-type atmosphere is expected for the Stone Crabs' first-ever game with details still being discussed. The team will give out Stone Crabs magnet schedules to the first 4,000 fans courtesy of Pro Air Conditioning and Electric, and a variety of other promotions and activities will take place at the stadium before and after the game.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Arizona Fall League: Javelinas Lose 13-6

Peoria JavelinasThe AFL Peoria Javelinas lost 13-6 to the Mesa Solar Sox this afternoon. Catcher Matt Spring was the only Rays player to see action, going 0-3 with a walk and two strikeouts. Behind the plate he allowed a stolen base and a passed ball. The Javelinas (14-21) will take on the Solar Sox (24-11), winners of six straight, again on Tuesday at 2:35 eastern.

Your Rays Top 10 Pitching Prospects - Fan Vote

Heath RollinsHeath Rollins wins the Rays #10 Pitching Prospect with 56% of the vote. Eduardo Morlan and Kyle Lobstein tied for 2nd with 13%. I could have left it open longer to get a clear 2nd place finisher, but Rollins had the 10th spot wrapped up. We'll start posting Top 10 Hitters polls at some point in the future.

Your Top 10:
1. David Price (78% of the vote)
2. Wade Davis (58%)
3. Jeremy Hellickson (65%)
4. Jeff Niemann (41%)
5. Jacob McGee (37%)
6. James Houser (32%)
7. Mitch Talbot (30%)
8. Nick Barnese (43%)
9. Matthew Moore (53%)
10. Heath Rollins (56%)

Townsend (Bad) News

Per Joe Smith at The Heater: Rays RHP prospect Wade Townsend, their first-round pick in 2005, underwent surgery on his right shoulder, and it is doubtful he'll pitch in the 2009 season, according to Mitch Lukevics, director of minor league operations.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

A Look at Relief Pitching

Rays Relief PitchingWe previously examined the starting pitching in the Rays organization, now let's look at the relief pitching (using primarily StatCorner numbers, definitions are shown at the end of the article). A few notes: StatCorner only covers down to full-season A ball, so no Hudson Valley, Princeton, DSL or VSL players (click on the links to see stats for those pitchers). Data does not include innings pitched as a starter, only as a reliever. Age is as of today. Pitchers are listed by level, so some appear on multiple lists.

Tampa Bay Rays (MLB):
PitcherAgeLevelxIPtRApRAA
Balfour, Grant30.8MLB55.42.0814.7
Howell, J.P.25.5MLB86.63.687.6
Miller, Trever35.4MLB41.24.79-1.5
Wheeler, Dan30.9MLB61.44.72-1.7
Bradford, Chad34.2MLB17.95.45-1.9
Percival, Troy39.3MLB43.25.59-5.4
Hammel, Jason26.2MLB49.26.19-9.4

Miller is a free agent. The big question mark is of course closer, should Balfour replace Percival? Balfour struck out 36.6% of the 224 batters he faced, but it will be hard to maintain a BABIP of .227 (average is ~.300). Percy has the experience, but just was not that good, and his health and age (39.3) are issues. Howell was solid, and Bradford gives us a quality matchup ROOGY. Hammel walked 10.1% and only struck out 12.7%, and it wasn't just bad luck, his BABIP was .293. The bullpen, along with RF and DH, have to be the Rays offseason priorities.

Durham Bulls (AAA):
PitcherAgeLevelxIPtRApRAA
Thayer, Dale27.8AAA72.42.8212.2
Salas, Juan30.0AAA43.71.9511.6
Balfour, Grant30.8AAA20.80.808.2
Dohmann, Scott30.8AAA41.72.727.5
Medlock, Calvin26.0AAA63.75.38-7.3
DeBarr, Nick25.2AAA74.96.41-17.2

DeBarr is a minor league free agent. Balfour struck out an amazing 45.9% of the batters he faced in AAA. Thayer (not on 40-man) and Salas may be spring training options if they remain in the organization, but the younger guys (DeBarr and Medlock) are not.

Montgomery Biscuits (AA):
PitcherAgeLevelxIPtRApRAA
Andrade, Steve30.8AA39.93.466.4
Morlan, Eduardo22.7AA47.54.402.7
Reid, Ryan23.5AA48.34.512.2
Bean, Colter31.8AA51.34.591.8
Deago, Roger31.3AA79.44.96-0.5
Frontz, Neal24.6AA22.86.88-5.0
Gonzalez, Jino26.2AA36.86.93-8.3

Andrade, Bean, and Deago are minor league free agents. Morlan and Reid are the ones to watch here. Morlan should start the year in AAA after a full AA season. Reid has a half year of AA under his belt, but may return for a while in '09 after a rough Arizona Fall League outing.

Vero Beach Devil Rays (A+):
PitcherAgeLevelxIPtRApRAA
Reid, Ryan23.5A+29.70.0013.8
Frontz, Neal24.6A+47.92.677.9
Wlodarczyk, Mike25.9A+43.13.035.3
Baker, Brian25.8A+69.53.812.6
Noel, Wilton25.8A+34.24.080.2
Owen, Ryan24.3A+48.35.70-8.3
Kelly, Chris26.3A+70.66.23-16.4

Reid certainly earned his promotion to AA with a 0.00 tRA at Vero Beach. Frontz may still have a shot if he handles AA better next year (6.88 AA tRA in '08). The rest are not showing enough for their age at this level.

Columbus Catfish (A):
PitcherAgeLevelxIPtRApRAA
Hinkle, Austin22.4A48.22.4111.4
Garcia, Justin21.9A67.93.1610.4
Boggan, Kevin23.5A74.04.252.4
Risser, Travis23.8A34.65.10-2.1
Baird, John22.4A34.05.77-4.7
Barnett, Travis25.1A31.75.93-4.9
Gibson, Glenn21.1A24.88.07-9.7
Mejias, Jose Angel23.2A56.96.70-13.6

Hinkle and Garcia are the ones to watch. Hinkle struck out 34.2% while walking 9.7% with a reasonable BABIP of .297. The younger Garcia struck out 28.0% while walking 7.2%, but his .216 BABIP will be hard to maintain at Charlotte next year. Gibson needs a do-over at Bowling Green next year.

To summarize, this was not nearly as exciting as looking at our starters. The relief pitching is not as deep or high-ceiling, but that is not really a problem. Some of the starters will eventually move to the pen due to injury (ex. McGee, most likely) or the inability to develop enough quality pitches to progress through the minors in the rotation. Opportunity is another issue, there just does not appear to be many openings in the Rays starting rotation for years to come (ex. Niemann, Talbot, Davis, Rollins, Hellickson). Expect to see some of our current minor league starters converted to the bullpen over time.

Here are the definitions of the stats used from the StatCorner Glossary:

xIP: Derived from xOuts, "xOuts stands for the expected number of outs a pitcher has generated based on his defense and park neutral outcomes." This is how much they pitched.

tRA: "tRA involves assigning run and out values to all events under a pitcher's control and coming up with an expected number of runs allowed and outs generated in a defense and park neutral environment. tRA is on a R/9 scale and does not involve any regression of the rates so while it should be more useful at determining a pitcher's true talent level, the best method for pitching projection is to use tRA*, the regressed version of tRA." This is how well they pitched.

pRAA: "Stands for pitching runs above average. Using tRA as the benchmark, the formula is (lgTRA * xOuts / 27) - xRuns." This is how much 'value' they added (or cost) their team based on the quality and quantity of their pitching.

Prospect Poll: #10 Pitcher

Matthew MooreMatthew Moore wins the Rays #9 Pitching Prospect with 53% of the vote. Heath Rollins was 2nd with 16% and Eduardo Morlan was 3rd with 9%. Replacing Moore in the poll for #10 is RHSP Tyree Hayes. For pitcher statistics (you'll have to search by name) see Baseball-Reference, First Inning, StatCorner, or Minor League Baseball.

Results:
1. David Price (78% of the vote)
2. Wade Davis (58%)
3. Jeremy Hellickson (65%)
4. Jeff Niemann (41%)
5. Jacob McGee (37%)
6. James Houser (32%)
7. Mitch Talbot (30%)
8. Nick Barnese (43%)
9. Matthew Moore (53%)

Javelinas Lose, Eliminated From AFL Title Game

Peoria JavelinasDespite a six-run ninth inning rally, the Peoria Javelinas lost 10-8 to the Surprise Rafters in the AFL Saturday. Rhyne Hughes was 2-5 (double, homer) with a run scored, an RBI and 3 strikeouts. Desmond Jennings went 2-4 (singles), scored a run, drove in a run and struck out twice. The Javelinas (14-20) play the Mesa Solar Sox (23-11) Monday at 2:35 eastern. Saturday's loss ends the Javelinas hopes of playing in the AFL championship game on Saturday November 22nd between the winners of the AFL American and National Divisions. The Phoenix Desert Dogs have now clinched the National Division title, leading the Javelinas by five games with four games remaining.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Saturday Reading

Tampa Bay RaysThe Professor ranks the value of the top 50 players in the Rays organization: The TVI ranks every player on the 40-man roster and the top prospects in the organization. Our goal is to determine which players in the organization are the most valuable to the team. The rankings consider a number factors in addition to talent and good looks, such as potential, age, contract and depth of position in organization. This last factor comes into play if one player is stuck behind another player with more ability.

R.J. Anderson announces some changes to DRaysBay: Patrick L. Kennedy, who served as "owner" this season, has to take an extended leave of absence due to academic work. I'm also feeling the strains of academia, but I will remain on board, however, not as the owner. Instead I would like to introduce to the reader base and welcome a good friend of mine, Tommy Rancel, as the new owner of DRaysBay. I've known Tommy for quite a while now, and he's easily been the most underappreciated Rays blogger around. Not only will his content and personality mesh well with what we all ready have going, but for the first time in a long time DRB is going to have a sense of reliability from the ownership position that's been missing for most of its life. Joining myself as a senior editor will be Erik Hahmann.

Dan Hirsch announces some upcoming changes to RaysBB: I have been thinking about this for a few months now and I plan on handing over the forum to someone who would be much more active b/c I think that the members here deserve that. I have too many interests that take me away from the site, as I spend a lot of time with SABR-type stuff. I'd like to know who is interested in taking over. I'd prefer it is someone who is extremely active and that has been around for a good amount of time. I still plan on keeping up with the "rays database" portion of the site and updating it once a year.

The Bowling Green Hot Rods continue to make progress with stadium construction: Alliance Corp. has begun pouring concrete risers that will serve as the base for seating rows in the lower bowl. More than a dozen risers will be needed in different sections of the ballpark to accommodate seating. In addition to the risers, plumbing is being installed throughout the ballpark, beginning in the dugouts. Plus, our grounds crew continues to look after the newly-installed sod, helping it strengthen itself before winter arrives.

Aaron Sharockman takes a look at whether the Rays have a future in the bay area: Despite two relatively large population centers and a history of spring training, the Tampa Bay area remains one of the poorest, oldest and most fractured communities with a Major League Baseball team, according to a St. Petersburg Times analysis of the 25 U.S. baseball markets. Yes, attendance increased dramatically this year, but it remains near the bottom of either league. And season ticket sales rank next to last, the team says.

Tyler Hissey gives his thoughts on BA's Rays Top 10 list: 8. Jeremy Hellickson--Should be ranked higher, in my opinion. Does not have a protypical starters' body, but he has been solid at every stop along the way. Was brilliant in the FSL before allowing 15 home runs at Double-A Montgomery. Still, he has above-average stuff and excellent command.

John Sickels gives us a peek inside his 2009 Baseball Prospects Book with a look at RHSP Joseph Cruz: He is an under-the-radar guy, but has sleeper potential, being tall and projectable and already effective in pro ball. He flashes an above average fastball at times, hitting 93 MPH, but is still putting his secondary pitches together. He does throw strikes, and his K/BB and K/IP marks have been above average in the Appalachian League. We need to see what Cruz does against better hitters, but the Rays have had good success with similar pitchers, and I think he could take a step forward in 2009. Grade C but interesting.

Mike Wlodarczyk updates his AFL blog: Coming out here as a pitcher with little experience as a reliever, I didn't want to try to do too much and overwhelm myself. Instead, I focused mainly on two or three things which I thought would be influential going into next season. I am happy to say that I feel like I have met my goals of improving slider command as well as controlling the running game, among other things. However, that doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement in the coming months. As we all know from experience, if you sit idle for too long you will be passed by before you know it.

And finally, the Javelinas AFL season ends Thursday, November 20th. With only 5 games left the Javelinas are 5 games behind the Phoenix Desert Dogs in the AFL National Division. Rhyne Hughes and Desmond Jennings are in today's starting lineup.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Javelinas Win Again

Peoria JavelinasThe Peoria Javelinas defeated the Surprise Rafters 8-6 this afternoon. They coasted through the first five innings behind excellent pitching from starter Phil Hughes. He went 5.0 shutout innings allowing only two hits and a walk with six strikeouts. Chris Mason came on in relief and could only get one out while giving up four earned runs on four hits. J.T. Hall went 1-3 (single) with a walk, an RBI, and a strikeout. Matt Spring was 2-3 (single, homer) with a walk, a run scored, two RBI and a strikeout. The Javelinas (14-19) play the Rafters (9-24) again tomorrow at 2:35 eastern. Desmond Jennings should be in the lineup for the Javelinas.

Prospect Poll: #9 Pitcher

Nick BarneseNick Barnese wins the Rays #8 Pitching Prospect with 43% of the vote. Matt Moore was 2nd with 20% and Heath Rollins was 3rd with 11%. Replacing Barnese in the poll for #9 is RHSP Jesse Darcy. For pitcher statistics (you'll have to search by name) see Baseball-Reference, First Inning, StatCorner, or Minor League Baseball.

Results:
1. David Price (78% of the vote)
2. Wade Davis (58%)
3. Jeremy Hellickson (65%)
4. Jeff Niemann (41%)
5. Jacob McGee (37%)
6. James Houser (32%)
7. Mitch Talbot (30%)
8. Nick Barnese (43%)

Winter League Stats

Rays players Winter League statistics through Thursday's games:

BatterLgABRH2B3BHRRBIBBSOAvgOBPSLG
Andrus, EroldVWL2425110148.208.321.333
Gimenez, HectorVWL58111810081113.310.420.328
Guzman, JoelDWL905200401.556.556.778
Hall, J.T.AFL679161209719.239.311.313
Hughes, RhyneAFL99183993424627.394.425.667
Jennings, DesmondAFL3157201448.226.351.387
Loyola, MaikoDWL420000021.000.333.000
Martinez, GabrielPRL1737200411.412.444.529
Spring, MattAFL45371017413.156.220.244
Suarez, CesarVWL1624011203.250.250.563
Weber, JonMPL432101015411.233.298.326

PitcherLgGGSIPERAFIPDIPSSO/9BB/9H/9HR/9
Hendrickson, BenVWL3210.16.104.554.468.76.112.20.9
Hernandez, CarlosVWL100.181.0012.207.270.027.054.00.0
Kelly, ChrisPRL204.12.084.824.232.14.210.40.0
Mason, ChrisAFL11011.17.943.994.062.44.012.70.0
Morlan, EduardoPRL303.10.002.002.225.40.08.10.0
Phillips, HeathMPL6639.02.083.873.966.23.94.20.5
Reid, RyanAFL10014.06.434.203.9711.64.510.31.3
Salas, JuanDWL101.00.006.207.340.09.00.00.0
Thayer, DaleMPL505.01.802.802.991.80.09.00.0
Townsend, WadeAFL3310.28.445.545.386.84.211.81.7
Wlodarczyk, MikeAFL11012.25.685.255.0312.15.011.42.1

AFL = Arizona Fall League, MPL = Mexican Pacific League, DWL = Dominican Winter League, VWL = Venezuelan Winter League, PRL = Puerto Rican League.

Javelinas Win

Peoria JavelinasThe Peoria Javelinas defeated the Peoria Saguaros 9-6 Thursday evening. Mike Wlodarczyk got the win in relief going one inning and giving up one earned run on one hit (homer) and striking out two. Rhyne Hughes went 2-4 (single, double), scored a run and drove in two RBI. J.T. Hall was 1-3 (single) with a walk, a run scored, and an RBI. The Javelinas (13-19) play the Surprise Rafters (9-23), losers of four straight, today at 2:35 eastern. Hall and Matt Spring are in the starting lineup with Phil Hughes on the mound.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Rays Notes

Tampa Bay RaysPer the Orioles' General Manager, it doesn't appear the Rays we be giving up much to complete the trade for RHRP Chad Bradford: MacPhail had discussions with Tampa Bay Rays general manager Andrew Friedman about the player to be named in August's Chad Bradford trade but said that no decision had been reached. "Expectations shouldn't be high," MacPhail said.

As we previously told you, Wade Townsend's AFL season is over. Now Lisa Winston gives more details: This fall he went back to the AFL to make up for all that lost time, but was shelved by a shoulder injury after three starts that is expected to sideline him for an indefinite period of time into 2009.

The Professor took a statistical look at the Rays offensive needs for next year: Right fielders were far from the worst offensive position for the Rays. In fact, only first base and third base outperformed right fielders in terms of OPS. But right field is a position where a manager should expect run production. When compared to the rest of the AL, Rays right fielders were well off the pace in 2008, ranking 10th in the AL in OPS.

Videos from the AFL by David Pratt: Chris Mason, Ryan Reid, Matt Spring, J.T. Hall, J.T. Hall again, and Rhyne Hughes.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Javelinas Lose

Peoria JavelinasThe Peoria Javelinas lost 3-2 to the Peoria Saguaros today. Rhyne Hughes went 1-4 (single) and struck out three times. Desmond Jennings was 0-2 with two walks, a run scored, and a strikeout. He also had his third stolen base of the AFL season. J.T. Hall appeared as a pinch runner. The Javelinas (12-19) play the Saguaros (21-10) again Thursday at 9:05 eastern.