Expansion Revision: 1998 Devil Rays and beyond

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Off-season wrap-up



Rangers make pitch to improve staff
ARLINGTON, Tex. — Jeremy Bonderman and Roy Halladay will be wearing Rangers uniforms in 2009, beefing up the team's rotation in hopes of returning to the post-season.
Bonderman is considered a quality arm, though he struggled with the Arizona Diamondbacks last season, going 9-10 with a 5.13 ERA in 25 starts. Bonderman signed a six-year deal worth $71.52 million. He will earn $10.73 million in 2009 and will see pay raises annually, maxing out in 2014, the final year of the deal, at $13.12 million.
Halladay went 10-6 with a 3.90 ERA in 17 starts for the Oakland A's in 2008 after coming back from a ruptured bicep tendon injury suffered in May 2007. He is now signed for four years and $20.45 million.

Braves build up corner outfield spots
ATLANTA — The Braves have bulked up their lineup by adding corner outfielders Garret Anderson and Jody Gerut to the mix at Turner Field.
Anderson, 36, is a left-handed hitter who hit .304 with 21 home runs and 97 RBI in 143 games with the Rangers last year. He inked a two-year deal worth $9.58 million annually.
Gerut, also a left-handed hitter, comes to the Braves after hitting .293 with 21 homers and 81 RBI for the New York Mets in 2008. He is signed for four years at $77.11 million. He will earn $17.34 million in 2009, $18.64 million in 2010, $19.92 million in 2011, and $21.21 million in 2012.

Hudson to take over as leadoff hitter
BALTIMORE — The Orioles will have a new leadoff man in 2009 in the person of Orlando Hudson.
The switch-hitting Hudson comes to Baltimore after spending his first eight years in the National League, largely with the St. Louis Cardinals but most recently the Philadelphia Phillies. Hudson will split time between second base and designated hitter with Brian Roberts. Hudson will earn $23.15 million over the four-year contract he signed this winter.

Rollins heads to the Windy City
CHICAGO — After playing in the World Series with the Dodgers, shortstop Jimmy Rollins is heading to the White Sox for the next six years at $18.8 million annually.
Rollins hit .286 with 17 home runs, 49 RBI, 95 runs, and 59 stolen bases in 140 games with Los Angeles last year.

Indians bring Ordonez into Tribe
CLEVELAND — The Indians will have a new bat in the middle of their lineup after signing Magglio Ordonez to a two-year contract worth $21.28 million annually, with a player option for the 2011 season.
Ordonez, 35, hit .334 with 25 home runs and 101 RBI with the Kansas City Royals.

Astros acquire ace
HOUSTON — Brandon Webb is expected to be the Opening Day starter for the Astros in 2009. Webb, 29, signed a three-year, $54.34 million deal with Houston this winter after seven years in the American League with the Orioles (2002-2005) and Rangers (2006-2008).
Webb was 16-13 with a 3.78 ERA in 36 starts for Texas last year and owns a career record of 98-66 with a 3.78 ERA in 224 starts.

Mets bring in left-hander Buehrle
FLUSHING, N.Y. — Mark Buehrle's win-loss record wasn't spectacular with the St. Louis Cardinals last year, but the lefty pitched well and was rewarded with a four-year, $66.63 million deal with the Mets.
Buehrle went 12-13 with a 3.22 ERA in 36 starts with St. Louis last year.

Embree closes deal with Florida
MIAMI — The Marlins have brought in 39-year-old left-hander Alan Embree to be their closer. Embree signed a two-year deal worth $12.55 million annually.
Embree has never worked as a closer before, earning only 16 saves in his 15-year-career. He went 6-3 with five saves and a 2.25 ERA in 62 appearances last season with the NL champion Dodgers.

Brewers pleased with additions
MILWUAKEE — Wes Helms will take over at third base and Carl Pavano will slide into the #2 spot in the rotation for the Brewers in 2009.
Helms hit .303 with nine home runs and 47 RBI in 109 games with the Chicago White Sox in 2008, earning him a one-year, $1.4 million deal with the BrewCrew. He will play third base and bat second.
Pavano battled through a few nagging injuries last year with the Cubs and Phillies, but managed to go 14-8 with a 3.99 ERA in 32 starts. He was 10-4 with a 2.86 ERA in 21 starts with the Cubs. Pavano signed a bargain deal for the Brewers, one year at $1.48 million.

Young brings experience to Twins
MINNEAPOLIS — Michael Young earned his second World Series ring with the Devil Rays this past fall, and he hopes to earn a third with the Minnesota Twins after signing a three-year deal worth $54.68 million.
Young hit .291 with 11 homers, 67 RBI and 99 runs scored in 151 games last year.

Helton changes his (pin)stripes
NEW YORK — After spending his entire 12-year-career with the Rockies, Todd Helton will be wearing a Yankees uniform the next couple years.
Helton, 35, signed a two-year deal worth more than $39 million with a $22.18 million player option for the 2011 season. He hit .301 with 17 home runs, 59 RBI, and 80 runs in 121 games with Colorado in 2008, and is a career .333 hitter with 440 home runs and 2,201 hits.

Many players changing teams
OAKLAND — The A's have brought in Nick Johnson (.277, 9 HR, 38 RBI, 256 AB w/White Sox), Derrek Lee (.296, 16 HR, 89 RBI w/Detroit) and Mark Grudzielanek (.282, 3 HR, 48 RBI, 319 AB w/Tampa Bay) to their lineup for 2009, while also bringing in Andy Pettitte to head the rotation.
Pettitte, 36, went 10-11 with a 4.40 ERA in 33 starts last year, following up an 18-10 record in 2007. Pettitte will earn $7.19 million annually through 2010.

Cardinals take gamble on Peavy
ST. LOUIS — Jake Peavy made only five starts for the Houston Astros in 2008 due to an elbow injury, but the Cardinals took a risk and signed the 27-year-old to a five-year deal worth $20.88 million annually. In eight years with Houston, Peavy went 71-63 with a 3.67 ERA in 182 starts. In 2007, he was 15-11 with a 3.36 ERA in 36 starts.

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Devil Rays roster finalized
Tampa Bay settles on 25 players to start
April 4, 2009

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays will begin their second consecutive World Series title defense Monday at Fenway Park in Boston, and the final decision on which players will start that title defense was announced today.

The Devil Rays will carry 12 pitchers and 13 position players to open the season, with four left-handed pitchers on the staff and six players who can bat left-handed on the squad.

Reigning Cy Young winner Dan Haren will lead the rotation, followed by Pedro Martinez, Zack Greinke, Felix Hernandez, and John Lackey.

Haren, 28, went 21-5 with a 2.48 ERA in 31 starts with Tampa Bay in 2008, and is poised for a strong 2009 season. He will be in the first year of his new multi-year deal and earning $17 million. There will be big expectations for Haren after claiming the '08 Cy Young.

Martinez, 37, will hope that his first win of 2009 will be the 250th of his career when he takes the mound at Fenway Park on Wednesday. The six-time Cy Young winner was 17-8 with a 2.97 ERA in 31 starts last season, proving critics that he can still pitch as well as anyone. Martinez has 249 career wins and 3,604 strikeouts. He has won 15 or more games in each of the last four seasons, and in nine of the last 10 years. This will be his 12th season with the Devil Rays.

Greinke, 25, had a good first full season in the rotation in 2008, going 13-8 with a 3.35 ERA in 30 starts. He is 26-11 with a 3.46 ERA in his brief big league career, and is looking to prove he is deserving of the number three slot in the pitching rotation.

Hernandez has been a frustration for the Devil Rays as he continues to battle inconsistency. The club hopes this year will be his breakout season, even though he is still just 22-years-old. Hernandez was 9-10 with a 3.82 ERA in 27 starts and is 55-40 with a 4.07 ERA in five big league seasons.

Lackey pitched well down the stretch and into the playoffs, though he only threw 3 2/3 relief innings, and is looking to have a strong season in 2009. He went 11-8 with a 4.64 ERA in 31 games, 29 starts, in 2008, and is 20-18 in the last two seasons after going 29-9 in his first two seasons.

Jonathan Papelbon enters just his second Opening Day as the team's closer and hopes to build upon his success last year. Papelbon was 2-3 with 38 saves in 42 opportunities and a 2.47 ERA in 56 appearances.

The bullpen features six relievers, other than the closer, including four left-handers. Jon Lester and Jeff Francis will be the long relievers and spot starters for Tampa Bay while southpaws Craig Breslow and Brian Fuentes help set up for Papelbon along with right-handers Manny Delcarmen and David Aardsma.

Lester has had great success in AAA, going 28-10 with a 2.37 ERA in 53 games, but he has not yet been able to do so in Tampa Bay, where he is 5-6 with a 7.94 ERA in 79 1/3 innings. He went 3-1 with a 6.18 ERA in five games, including four starts last season with the Devil Rays.

Francis had his best season to date in 2008, going 8-3 with a save and a 4.88 ERA in 42 games, making five starts. The 28-year-old Canadian hopes to continue to improve, which he has done every year since coming up with Tampa Bay in 2005.

Breslow, 28, won the Rookie of the Year award as a middle reliever in 2008, going 11-2 with a save and a 2.42 ERA in 70 2/3 innings over 55 relief appearances. He threw 3 1/3 innings of shutout relief in the post-season and seems poised for a strong second season.

Fuentes, 33, was simply stellar for Tampa Bay last year. In 53 appearances, the southpaw went 6-2 with five saves and a 1.84 ERA. Fuentes has had a trend of alternating good seasons with bad ones, but he hopes to buck that trend in 2009. In even-numbered years since joining the Devil Rays prior to the 2004 season, Fuentes has posted an ERA of 2.05 while odd-numbered years have seen a 4.79 ERA. Can he have a strong 2009 season, or will his ERA bloat?

Delcarmen, 27, has proven himself a valuable reliever and is the primary set-up man for Papelbon. He went 3-3 with three saves and a 2.00 ERA in 51 appearances in 2008, after posting a 3.46 ERA in 2007. Delcarmen is 11-5 with a 3.14 ERA in 134 career appearances, all out of the bullpen.

Aardsma, 27, appeared in just 17 games last season but was very impressive and earned himself a spot in this year's bullpen from the start. He posted a 1.77 ERA in 20 1/3 innings last season, striking out 26.

Offensively, there are a number of familiar faces in the middle of the lineup, but some players getting increased playing time elsewhere.

Lastings Milledge will open the season in centerfield as the team's new leadoff hitter. Milledge, 24, hit .286 with four home runs, 40 RBI, 38 runs scored, and 12 stolen bases in 14 tries over 231 at bats in 80 games. The speedster will get his first opportunity at being an every day starter in the big leagues.

Brendan Harris got the bulk of the playing time at second base during the '08 playoffs over Mark Grudzielanek, and has earned the starting job in 2009. Harris, 28, hit .276 with six homers and 25 RBI in 174 at bats last season, but hit .382 with four RBI in 12 games during the post-season. The Devil Rays are not counting on Harris to be a big bat in the lineup and feel he will be a valuable player going forward.

One man that the team does expect to be a big bat is Ryan Howard. The 29-year-old first baseman hit .288 with 38 home runs, 112 RBI, and 109 runs scored last season, numbers manager Christian O'Neal has suggested could be improved upon by his number-three hitter.

Matt Holliday will bat cleanup for Tampa Bay after hitting .285 with 20 home runs and 86 RBI while scoring 89 runs in 140 games. Holliday was a big part of the team's success in the World Series and is looking to have a career year.

Josh Hamilton was huge for the Devil Rays in the 2008 post-season, and his .295 average, 28 home runs, 87 RBI, 103 runs, and 22 stolen bases in the regular season weren't too bad either. Hamilton will play right field in 2009 and bat fifth. He played a large amount of time in center field last season.

Aubrey Huff quietly has been a steady and productive Devil Ray for the bulk of his career, which will be 10-years-old this season. Huff hit .292 with 22 home runs, 80 RBI, and scored 102 runs in 146 games last season. This year, he will split his time between the corner infield positions and, at times, as the DH while hitting sixth.

Russell Martin disappointed during the regular season by hitting .268 with 12 homers and 58 RBI in 113 games (after hitting .326 with 23 homers and 82 RBI with the New York Yankees in 2007), but made up for it with a .377 average in the playoffs. The 26-year-old looks to bounce back in 2009 and play more like he did in October than he did in the early months of 2008.

Limited to just 136 at bats in 2008, Alex Gordon figures to get more playing time in 2009 as he will play third base against most right-handed pitchers, according to O'Neal. Gordon hit .250 with five home runs and 19 RBI in 2008, and figures to improve with added playing time.

Ben Francisco, acquired from the Chicago Cubs last summer, will split time with Gordon, playing primarily against left-handed pitchers in left field, pushing Holliday to the DH role and Huff over to third base. Francisco, 27, hit .333 with a pair of homers and 23 RBI in 39 games with Tampa Bay, .288 with 11 homers and 51 RBI in 110 games on the season.

Cliff Pennington will make his big league debut for the Devil Rays on Opening Day as the club's ninth hitter and starting shortstop. The 24-year-old switch-hitter from Corpus Christi, Texas hit .311 with 24 home runs and 94 RBI over 160 minor league games the last two seasons, but Tampa Bay isn't counting on much offense just yet from the youngster.

Gerald Laird returns as the Tampa Bay back-up catcher after performing well in the role last season. Laird hit .304 with five home runs and 33 RBI in 171 at bats in 2008.

Jeff Francoeur and Alexis Gomez round out the roster as extra outfielders for the club. Francoeur, 25, hit .280 with 11 home runs and 71 RBI in 109 games last year while Gomez, 30, hit .272 with 15 homers and 81 RBI in 146 games. Both players have publicly stated they will take on whatever role the Devil Rays ask of them, but both are rumored to be interested in a more active role. Most would not be surprised if Francoeur and/or Gomez end up elsewhere this summer, especially if Harris or Pennington struggle up the middle.

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Three-run homers give Rays win
Red Sox leave 'em loaded in bottom of the ninth
April 6, 2009

BOSTON — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays used a pair of three-run home runs to pace themselves to a 7-3 win on Opening Day at Fenway Park while the hometown Red Sox left the bases loaded in the last of the ninth inning.

Ben Francisco and Josh Hamilton hit three-run homers for Tampa Bay and Ryan Howard picked up a RBI double to account for the seven Devil Rays runs. Howard, Francisco and Matt Holliday had two hits each for Tampa Bay.

The Red Sox threatened in the ninth inning to pull off a dramatic come-from-behind win, but it wasn't meant to be. Down by four runs, Ryan Sweeney opened the final frame with a base hit off left-handed reliever Craig Breslow. Chad Tracy popped out and Robinson Cano grounded into a fielder's choice, putting one man on with two outs. David Aardsma came on to relieve Breslow with a few right-handed hitters due, but struggled.

Aardsma gave up a single to Jose Bautista and then walked Matt Kemp to load the bases as Tampa Bay closer Jonathan Papelbon warmed up in the bullpen with Alberto Callaspo due. Aardsma buckled down and was able to induce a routine ground out from Callaspo to end the game with the closer still warming in the bullpen.

Dan Haren picked up the win for the Devil Rays, giving up three runs on five hits and two walks in seven innings. He struck out seven and threw 103 pitches.

Left-hander Cliff Lee took the loss for the Red Sox after giving up four runs on five hits and three walks with six strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings. Leo Nunez was charged with three runs in just 2/3 of an inning and Matt Herges rounded out the game for Boston, throwing 1 2/3 innings of shutout baseball.

Tampa Bay shortstop Cliff Pennington got his first big league hit, a double off Lee in the seventh inning. Pennington went 1-for-4 in the ninth spot in the order in his big league debut.

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Martinez notches 250th win
Huff homer provides Tampa Bay's offense
April 8, 2009

BOSTON — Pedro Martinez was strong in his 2009 debut, strong enough to lead the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to a 3-1 win, the 250th victory of his career.

Martinez held the Boston Red Sox to one run on five hits and two walks with six strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings at Fenway Park.

The win was the 188th of his Tampa Bay career, having picked up 10 wins with the Los Angeles Dodgers (1992-1993) and 52 with the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals (1994-1997). Martinez is now 250-115 in his career with a 3.25 ERA and 3,610 strikeouts and a 1.10 WHIP.

The six-time Cy Young winner didn't get much for run support as all of the Devil Rays' runs came on one swing of the bat from Aubrey Huff. With two men on and nobody out in the top of the second inning, Huff hit a home run to left-center field off Red Sox hurler Chris Carpenter.

Huff was the only player on either team to get multiple hits, going 2-for-4.

Carpenter gave up three runs on five hits and four walks with three strikeouts in 8 2/3 innings.

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Elbow forces Greinke out
Lester hit hard in first appearance
April 9, 2009

BOSTON — Zack Greinke threw just 12 pitches in his first start of the year, leaving the game with a sore elbow that will put off his next start.

David Aardsma finished off the first inning and took the loss for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays before Jon Lester came in to start the second inning.

Lester was hit hard, giving up eight runs, six earned, on nine hits and five walks in six innings. He struck out four batters and threw 116 pitches.

Kelvim Escobar got the win for the Boston Red Sox, his team's first win of the young season. Escobar tired late in the game and was hit for a few more runs, finishing the day with six runs on 10 hits and four walks with five strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings.

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Rays top O's in slugfest
Nine homers hit as Baltimore falls 17-7
April 10, 2009

BALTIMORE — The wind was blowing out at Camden Yards, and batters from the Orioles and Tampa Bay Devil Rays took advantage as nine home runs were hit in the game.

Tampa Bay topped Baltimore 17-7 in the first meeting between the two clubs. Lastings Milledge hit a home run off Orioles starter Scott Olsen on the first pitch of the game, setting a tone that would continue throughout. Russell Martin and Brendan Harris hit their first home runs of the season while Aubrey Huff and Josh Hamilton knocked their second homers of the year out of the park. Martin's home run was a Grand Slam off Olsen in the fourth inning.

Mike Jacobs hit two home runs, giving him five on the season, for Baltimore, while Orlando Hudson and Ryan Ludwick each went deep for the O's as well.

Olsen took the loss for Baltimore, giving up six runs, five earned, on five hits, including two home runs, and one walk in three-plus innings of work. Robert Ramsay was hit hard in relief, giving up four runs in just two-thirds of an inning, and Jeremy Affeldt gave up five runs in two innings.

Felix Hernandez pitched most of the game for Tampa Bay and got the win, giving up seven runs, six earned, on one walk and 10 hits, including four homers. Hernandez struck out eight before handing the ball off to Craig Breslow for a 1-2-3 ninth inning.

Every player in the Devil Rays lineup had at least one hit and was on base at least twice. Martin and Matt Holliday had three hits each for the Devil Rays while Martin and Hamilton drove in four runs each. Ben Francisco was 1-for-3 with two walks and three runs scored. Rookie shortstop Cliff Pennington was 1-for-4 with a walk and a run scored, and is hitting .267 thus far.

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Martinez bests Bedard
Pennington gets four hits as leadoff
April 18, 2009

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — In a return to Tropicana Field against his old team, Erik Bedard of the Chicago White Sox was pretty good, but Pedro Martinez and company were just a little bit better.

The Tampa Bay Devil Rays beat the White Sox 3-2 behind the pitching of Martinez and a solid game from rookie shortstop Cliff Pennington, who had four hits out of the leadoff spot.

Bedard fell to 0-2 on the season, but pitched well enough to win as he gave up three runs on eight hits and one walk, striking out 11 Tampa Bay batters in 6 2/3 innings. Ugueth Urbina threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief for Chicago.

Martinez is now 2-0 with a 1.96 ERA, holding the White Sox to two runs on five hits and one walk with six K's in eight innings. Jonathan Papelbon picked up his third save of the season with a seven-pitch ninth inning.

Pennington scored the game-winning run, coming home from second base on a Lastings Milledge single in the seventh inning. He finished the night 4-for-4 with a double and two of Tampa Bay's three runs. The big day boosted Pennington's average to .318. It was just his second time batting leadoff for the Devil Rays with Milledge, batting .204, pushed down to the number two spot.

Former Devil Rays outfielder Jorge Piedra was 1-for-2 with two RBI for Chicago, accounting for all of the White Sox scoring. Former Tampa Bay shortstop Jimmy Rollins, now with Chicago, was 1-for-4 with a double as the leadoff hitter for the White Sox.

Tampa Bay will look to sweep the four-game series with Chicago tomorrow night at Tropicana Field. Chicago will send Jeff Karstens (1-1 with a 2.77 ERA in two starts) to the mound while Zack Greinke returns to the mound. Greinke faced just two batters in his first start of the season on April 9 in Boston before leaving with a sore elbow. He's coming off a 13-9, 3.35 ERA season in 2008.

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Mariners sink Rays bullpen
Relievers blow lead with seven run eighth
April 22, 2009

SEATTLE — Jon Lester was solid, but the Tampa Bay Devil Rays bullpen was not.

The Devil Rays blew a 6-3 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning by allowing seven runs to the Seattle Mariners in a 10-8 loss on the road.

Manny Delcarmen and Brian Fuentes allowed the bulk of the damage, each giving up three runs. Fuentes was charged with the loss and a blown save.

Lester was knocked out of the game in the last of the seventh inning by a two-out RBI double by Albert Pujols that put Seattle within three runs of the Devil Rays. Lester finished the night with three runs on seven hits and three walks in 6 2/3 innings, and left the game in position to pick up a win.

Although Delcarmen was able to retire Alex Rodriguez to end the seventh, he was unable to retire any of the three batters he faced in the eighth inning. Fuentes didn't fare a whole lot better, giving up three runs in two-thirds of an inning before being pulled for David Aardsma, who walked the only batter he faced and was charged with an earned run as Craig Breslow recorded the final out of a disastrous seven-run eighth inning.

Mariners lefty Barry Zito, a former Tampa Bay hurler, danced around danger in the outing, giving up four runs on 12 hits and a walk in five innings. Reliever Royce Ring picked up the win in relief, giving up one run in two innings of work. Dave Borkowski recorded his second save of the season, giving up one run in in one-third of an inning. Borkowski gave up a solo home run to Matt Holliday on his first pitch and got Aubrey Huff to fly out to left field on his second and final pitch.

Rookie shortstop Cliff Pennington went 2-for-5 with two runs scored and three RBI, hitting the first home run of his career, a three-run homer off Zito in the seventh inning.

Huff and leadoff hitter Lastings Milledge had three hits each, with Huff hitting a two-run home run, his fifth of the season, in the seventh inning.

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Harris fractures foot
Nomar called up to play second
April 28, 2009

MINNEAPOLIS — Tampa Bay Devil Rays manager Christian O'Neal confirmed today that infielder Brendan Harris fractured his right foot playing against the Minnesota Twins last night, and that Nomar Garciaparra will take his place in the lineup tonight.

Harris was placed on the 60-day disabled list and is not expected to return until early July at the soonest. In 20 games this year, Harris hit .237 with three home runs and 14 RBI with 13 runs scored

Garciaparra is a seven-time All Star who has struggled whose career has been derailed by several injuries over the last few seasons. A career .296 hitter with 201 home runs, Garciaparra signed a minor league deal with the Devil Rays this winter and had been playing in AAA. In 25 games with Akron, Tampa Bay's AAA affiliate, he hit .316 with 13 RBI and 14 runs scored. He will take over as the Devil Rays starting second baseman, even though he has spent much of the last couple seasons at corner infield positions after a number of years at shortstop.

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Rays' Haren strains back
Garciaparra homers, has three hits
April 28, 2009

MINNEAPOLIS — Danny Haren will likely skip his next start after leaving tonight's game with back pain, according to Tampa Bay Devil Rays manager Christian O'Neal.

Haren, the reigning American League Cy Young winner, threw just 41 pitches before leaving the game against the Minnesota Twins at the Metrodome tonight. O'Neal said Haren will probably miss his next regularly scheduled start as a precautionary measure. The Devil Rays ace is 3-0 with a 3.09 ERA so far this year.

Manny Delcarmen came on in relief of Haren and was credited with the win for throwing 1 2/3 innings of perfect baseball. Jon Lester, who allowed one hit and two walks over the final five scoreless innings was credited with a save.

The pitching stats for Tampa Bay's hurlers was much different from Minnesota's starting pitcher, Lenny DiNardo. DiNardo fell to 0-3 with an 11.81 ERA in the 7-2 Devil Rays win, giving up six runs on seven hits and a walk in 1 1/3 innings.

Nomar Garciaparra, making his Tampa Bay debut and his return to the big leagues, went 3-for-5 with a solo home run, driving in one run and scoring three times. Garciaparra, originally pencilled into the lineup as the ninth hitter and playing second base, wound up batting second and playing shortstop with rookie infielder Cliff Pennington being moved from the second spot in the order to last in the lineup, and shifting over from shortstop to second base. Pennington was primarily a second baseman in the minor leagues, and has been scuffling offensively as of late. His average, which had been over .310 just over a week ago is now down to .253 after going 0-for-4 in tonight's game.

Garciaparra played a strong shortstop, fielding all five balls hit his way cleanly. It is the first time he has played shortstop since 2005 with the Kansas City Royals.

"Kind of last minute we talked it over with Nomar and he was more comfortable at shortstop than second base, and at the same time we thought it'd help take some pressure off of Cliff where he would be playing a position he's more familiar with as well," O'Neal said after the game, explaining the last minute lineup change. "Moving Nomar up to the second spot in the lineup was just a hunch and it paid off."

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Milestone Watch

3,000 Hits
SEATTLE — Mariners outfielder Ken Griffey, Jr. is just 39 hits away from joining the 3,000 hit club. The 39-year-old is off to a slow start this season, hitting just .153 in 20 games. He should join the 3,000 hit club at some point in July, baseball projection analysts say.

600 Home Runs
SEATTLE — Though he hasn't hit one in 59 at bats so far this season, Mariners legend Ken Griffey, Jr. is just three round-trippers away from 600 in his career. He hit 12 home runs in 316 at bats last season, an average of a home run every 26.3 at bats.

400 Home Runs
ATLANTA — Though he's 37, Braves star Chipper Jones will soon reach 400 home runs and could get to 500 in his career if he continues to produce. Jones needs five home runs to reach the 400 homer plateau and is currently on pace to hit 20 more homers this season, for a total of 23 on the year. He hit 32 home runs last season and has hit 26 or more homers in each of the last five years.

1,000 Games
NEW YORK — Mets reliever Hector Carrasco and Colorado Rockies reliever Bob Wickman each need 24 appearances this season to reach 1,000 games in their careers. Angels lefty Mike Stanton is 36 appearances away from 1,100 in his career, but he will need to improve his performance if he expects to reach that number. Stanton has posted an 8.59 ERA, 1.91 WHIP, and .296 opponents average against in six appearances so far this season. He went 3-3 with a 3.39 ERA in 58 1/3 innings out of the Angels bullpen last season.

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Lackey quiets Bronx Bombers
Takes two-hit shutout into eighth at Stadium
May 7, 2009

NEW YORK — John Lackey had a fine game tonight at Yankee Stadium, leading the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to a 4-1 win on the road.

Lackey was working on a two-hit shutout in the bottom of the eighth inning when the New York Yankees offense began showing signs of life.

Trailing 4-0, Rich Becker put the Yankees on the scoreboard with a 381-foot flyball to right field, hitting a solo shot off Lackey to open the inning. Lackey was able to neutralize any other threats throughout the game, and finished the night with one run allowed on five hits and two walks, striking out six in eight innings. With the win, he improves to 4-1 with a 3.41 ERA on the season.

Jonathan Papelbon threw a scoreless ninth inning to record his sixth save of the year.

Tampa Bay scored four runs on nine hits, all of New York starter Gil Meche, who fell to 1-4 on the year with the loss. Meche allowed four runs in 7 1/3 innings, striking out five, allowing nine hits and issuing two walks. Yankees reliever Jim Mecir threw 1 2/3 hitless innings of relief.

Cliff Pennington, Matt Holliday, and Aubrey Huff had two hits each for the Devil Rays, with Holliday and Huff each hitting a double. Jeff Francoeur also doubled in the game, going 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored.

Tampa Bay baserunners seemed to run at will against Meche and catcher Nick Hundley, combining for a perfect six-for-six in stolen base attempts, with Pennington swiping three bags.

With the win, the Devil Rays are now 20-10 on the season, holding a 1.5 game lead over the 19-12 Toronto Blue Jays. The Yankees fell to 14-16, six games back in the American League East, ahead of only the 10-19 Boston Red Sox, who are 9.5 games out.

Tampa Bay now heads to Boston for a three-game set at Fenway Park this weekend before heading to Camden Yards in Baltimore for two games with the Orioles before returning home for an eight-game home stand.

New York hits the road, heading to Baltimore for three games this weekend and then three games in Canada against the Toronto Blue Jays before coming back to Yankee Stadium for a 10-game home stand.

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Fuentes lost for season
Tampa Bay lefty ruptures disc in back
May 12, 2009

BALTIMORE — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays lost left-handed reliever Brian Fuentes for the remainder of the year with a ruptured disc in his back.

Fuentes threw only one pitch in tonight's 10-9 win over the Baltimore Orioles. He is expected to be ready for spring training in 2010.

He finishes his season at 1-1 with a 4.22 ERA in 14 appearances. He was a big key to the Tampa Bay bullpen in their World Series run last year, posting a 6-2 record and a 1.84 ERA in 53 appearances.

Manager Christian O'Neal is expected to decide between relievers Joaquin Benoit and Jesse Crain, or minor league infielders Brian Buscher, Chris Barnwell, or Andy Tracy.

[Moriarty9]

Rays, Mariners swap catchers
Seattle picks up Martin, established backstop
June 13, 2009

SEATTLE — Three games below .500 but just three games back in the American League West, the Mariners picked up an established catcher in Russell Martin from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

The Mariners acquired Martin in exchange for John Baker, a slightly older catcher that has less big league experience.

Martin, 26, hit .260 with four home runs and 24 RBI in 54 games this year with Tampa Bay. He hit .268 with 12 homers and 58 RBI in 113 games last season, his first with Tampa Bay. A career .295 hitter, he has not put up the numbers with the Devil Rays that he put up with the New York Yankees.

Baker, 28, is a left-handed hitter that has just 944 big at bats under his belt, all with Seattle. He is hitting .284 with eight home runs and 28 RBI in 56 games this season.

The cash-strapped Devil Rays save some money with the deal. Martin is making just under $6 million and is arbitration eligible this winter. Baker is owed $405,808 this year, and is not yet arbitration eligible.

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Devil Rays bolster farm system
Tampa Bay adds to minors with amateur draft
June 15, 2009

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays bolstered their minor league system during the amateur draft.

The Devil Rays had a pair of first round draft picks, selecting infielder Anthony Bender with the 19th pick of the draft, and outfielder Santiago Acarcon with the 30th pick of the draft.

Bender is a 21-year-old from Texas that played all four infield positions in college, but Tampa Bay scouts consider him a second baseman. Devil Rays scouting director Dan Plesac said Bender has great power potential, is patient, and is "an excellent baserunner." He is an average defensive infielder.

Acarcon, 21, is a left-handed hitter from Mexico that Plesac believes could be a "dominant hitter" for a decade. He has "plus-plus contact" and a is considered a "pure hitter."

With their second round draft pick, Tampa Bay added infielder Curt Carrey. The 17-year-old switch-hitter is primarily a shortstop from Montreal with, Plesac said, "practically no flaws in his hitting" that should be "near the top of the lineup."

The Devil Rays added to their minor league pitching depth with the 90th pick overall with the third round selection of Leonardo Montes. The 17-year-old right-hander is from Landen, Ohio and Plesac is confident that he has "great potential" with a "feisty, great temperament."

Pitching picks continued in the fourth round with Juan Fernandez, the fifth round with Jon Long, and the sixth round with Esteban Flores.

Fernandez, 21, is a right-hander from Puerto Rico with "well above average" breaking pitches.

Long, 19, is a right-hander from Maryland that Plesac says has "above average stuff for a kid his age," but did note he does tend to give up a lot of long fly balls and home runs.

Flores is an 18-year-old right-hander from Seattle with "passable stuff" that could be a force on the mound if he learns to attack hitters more and keep his head in the game.

The seventh round selection was outfielder Ron McKnight, a 21-year-old switch-hitter from Quincy, Massachusetts. McKnight, Plesac said, "will be a very good contact hitter" and an "above average baserunner."

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Haren, Pennington get honors
Monthly awards given for Rays pitcher, rookie
July 1, 2009

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Reigning Cy Young winner Danny Haren and rookie infielder Cliff Pennington were honored today for their performances in the month of June.

Haren was named pitcher of the month after posting a 5-0 record with a 2.97 ERA, striking out 36 in 33 1/3 innings. The right-hander is now 10-2 with a 3.19 ERA in 15 starts this season. He is on pace to go 20-4 with 190 strikeouts in 199 2/3 innings.

Pennington was recognized as the American League's top rookie in June, hitting .344 with six doubles, three home runs, 14 RBI, and 18 runs scored. Though he has been inconsistent as he breaks into the big leagues, Pennington has been productive, hitting .268 with six homers, 34 RBI, 43 runs scored and 17 stolen bases. He's on pace to hit 12 home runs, 69 RBI, 87 runs scored, and 34 steals.

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Lilly throws no-hitter
Detroit can't muster any offense
July 4, 2009

MINNEAPOLIS — It was a game that all pitchers dream about: a no-hitter.

It happened today at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.

Ted Lilly of the Minnesota Twins was right on target against the Detroit Tigers in his 2-0 victory. He really zeroed in on them, holding them hitless with five strikeouts and five walks.

Lilly said he just had it all today: "Very good stuff and great location, a combination that's hard to beat."

This season Lilly has worked 106 2/3 innings with 95 strikeouts en route to a 9-6 record and a 3.97 ERA.

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Eight Devil Rays go to MoTown
Tampa Bay well represented at 2009 All Star Game
July 14, 2009

DETROIT — The Tigers may be hosting the All Star Game, but its Tampa Bay Devil Rays uniforms that will be seen more than any other in the Motor City.

Eight Devil Rays players have been named to the American League's All Star Game roster, and as the reigning World Series champions, the club's manager and some of its coaches will be in uniform as well.

Four members of the Tampa Bay pitching rotation will be on the AL's staff, as well as closer Jonathan Papelbon. This is Papelbon's second All Star selection, his first coming last season. Papelbon is 3-2 with 23 saves and a 2.56 ERA in 35 games this year, on pace to pick up 41 saves.

Dan Haren, last year's Cy Young winner, is also making his second All Star Game appearance with his first coming last season. The 28-year-old right-hander is 12-2 with a 2.99 ERA in 17 starts, on pace to win 22 games this year.

Felix Hernandez is making his second All Star Game appearance as well, his first since representing the Houston Astros in 2005. Hernandez, 23, is 11-2 with a 3.38 ERA in 18 starts, and is on pace to go 20-4 on the season.

Zack Greinke is off to a fantastic start in 2009 and has earned his first All Star selection. Greinke is undefeated at 9-0 with a 3.58 ERA in 17 starts this season, on pace to win 16 games.

No stranger to the Mid-Summer Classic, this year will be the eighth time Pedro Martinez spends the All Star Break playing ball. Martinez is 9-2 with a 3.23 ERA in 18 starts so far this year, putting him on a pace to go 16-4 for the season.

While the pitching staff appears stacked with Tampa Bay hurlers, there are three postion players on the roster as well, with two of them in the starting lineup.

Ryan Howard is making his fourth All Star roster, but will be coming off the bench behind Seattle Mariners star Albert Pujols. Howard is hitting .270 with 24 home runs, 66 RBI, and 75 runs scored. He is on pace to hit 43 homers, drive in 119 and score 135 times while drawing 110 walks.

Playing left field and batting cleanup for the American League will be first-time All Star Matt Holliday. The 29-year-old has certainly earned the starting nod by hitting .361 with 14 home runs and 74 RBI in 86 first-half games. Holliday is on pace to hit 25 home runs, 133 RBI, score 124 runs, and steal 18 bases.

Aubrey Huff will bat fifth and play third base in his fourth All Star Game. The 32-year-old is hitting .342 with 15 homers, 55 RBI, and 52 runs scored. He is on pace to hit 27 homers, 99 RBI, score 94 times, and be a perfect 11-for-11 in stolen base attempts.

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Manager pleased at break
O'Neal gives high marks for team so far
July 16, 2009

KANSAS CITY — With the team preparing to start its second half of the season tomorrow against the Royals, Tampa Bay Devil Rays manager Christian O'Neal is expecting continued success.

A number of teams resume the season tonight, but the Devil Rays and Royals are of a handful of teams with an extended All Star break with an extra day off before picking things back up. As such, O'Neal sat down to talk about the first half of the year and where the team is heading.

The Devil Rays have the best record in baseball at 64-26, 13 games ahead of the 50-38 Baltimore Orioles in the American League East.

"We're obviously in great shape right now, and I don't expect that to change at all," said O'Neal. "Most of these guys have gone through the ringer in the past and know what it takes to keep playing at a high level for all of the games."

Pitching and defense is said to be what wins championships, and the Devil Rays have plenty of that. Tampa Bay has the fifth-best defense in the AL (.983) and the team's catchers have been the second best in baseball in throwing out baserunners (32.1%). The pitching staff has easily the lowest ERA (3.61) in the AL, second best in baseball, with the American League average being more than a run higher (4.82).

Four of Tampa Bay's five starting pitchers were named to this year's All Star team, a sign of just how dominant they have been. The front four — Dan Haren, Pedro Martinez, Zack Greinke, and Felix Hernandez — are a combined 41-6 on the sseason. Haren is 12-2 with a 2.99 ERA, Martinez is 9-2 with a 3.23 ERA, Greinke is 9-0 with a 3.58 ERA, and Hernandez is 11-2 with a 3.38 ERA. John Lackey rounds out the rotation with an 8-5 record and 4.45 ERA.

Jonathan Papelbon has been strong as the closer, saving 23 games and posting a 2.56 ERA in the first half. Left-handed reliever Craig Breslow has helped in the bullpen, going 3-2 with a 2.11 ERA in 41 appearances. Manny Delcarmen has gone 4-2 with a 3.06 ERA in 34 games. In 25 outings, right-hander David Aardsma is 0-1 with a 4.81 ERA.

The team's left-handed long-relievers and spot starters — Jeff Francis and Jon Lester — have the worst ERA's on the team. Francis is 2-3 with a 5.54 ERA in 39 innings while Lester is 2-4 with a 5.00 ERA in 63 innings.

The Devil Rays lost left-handed reliever Brian Fuentes to an injury earlier in the year, and he will out for the rest of the season.

Tampa Bay has the third highest team batting average in the American League (.280), has hit the most home runs in the AL (113), and scored the most runs (531) in all of baseball.

Lastings Milledge sits at the top of the batting order, but has been shuffled around at times due to a low batting average and on-base percentage. Milledge, 24, is hitting .253 with four triples, six home runs, 40 RBI, 42 runs scored, and 14 stolen bases. He has a .309 on-base percentage. The hope for Milledge was that his speed would make him a solid leadoff hitter, but that has not yet been the case.

"We think he can get there, it just takes time, he's a young kid," O'Neal said of Milledge.

After missing more than two months with a fractured foot, Brendan Harris is back in the lineup for Tampa Bay. In 134 at bats, he's hit .284 with five home runs, 23 RBI, and 24 runs scored.

"Brendan goes out there and does his job as well as anyone does their job," said O'Neal. "He does all of the little things right, and that's huge for us."

Ryan Howard's power numbers continue to impress as he sits in the three-spot in the lineup. Howard is hitting .270 with 24 home runs, 66 RBI, and 75 runs scored this year. He is a free agent at the end of the season, as is the Tampa Bay cleanup hitter: Matt Holliday.

Holliday is certainly cleaning up this season, hitting .361 with 14 home runs and 74 RBI so far this season.

"We have two really big parts of the lineup that are coming up on free agency, and we have a limited budget," said O'Neal. "I'd love to see both of them back here next year, but we don't know what will happen. It's a long ways to go, and I can't worry about that right now. They're trying to go out there and a third straight championship."

With Howard and Holliday being the big names coming up as free agents, Josh Hamilton has somehow faded into the background despite hitting .295 with 17 home runs and 79 RBI, scoring 54 times and stealing 14 bases in the first half. The outfielder is on pace to get 31 homers, 142 RBI, 97 runs, and 25 steals.

Aubrey Huff continues to disprove his critics, this year hitting .342 with 15 home runs and 55 RBI, earning an All Star selection. He has split time between first base and third base this season, allowing Howard time as the club's designated hitter.

"Aubrey has been such a big part of this organization for so long, and he continues to do it all," said O'Neal. "He's been so valuable to the Devil Rays with his versatility, his bat, his leadership on and off the field."

Rookie infielder Cliff Pennington has done his job up the middle for Tampa Bay, usually playing second base after starting the year at shortstpo. In the first 311 at bats of his big league career, Pennington has hit .264 with eight home runs and 40 RBI with 53 runs scored and 20 stolen bases in 21 attempts. He is on pace to hit 14 homers, drive in 72 runs, score 95 runs, and swipe 36 bases — a season many middle infielders would be proud of, rookie or not.

John Baker has performed well behind the plate since being acquired from the Seattle Mariners for catcher Russell Martin. Baker has hit .277 with four homers and 13 RBI in 65 at bats with Tampa Bay, .283 with 12 homers and 41 RBI in 77 games on the year. He is on pace for 22 homers, 74 RBI, and 70 runs scored.

Backing him up and giving him days off has been Gerald Laird, whose offensive output has dramatically improved since the Baker-Martin trade. Laird, who at one point was hitting just below .200, is now hitting .277 with eight RBI and seven runs scored in 83 at bats.

Nomar Garciaparra made his return to the American League this season, and has spent the bulk of his time at shortstop. Garciaparra is hitting .265 with nine doubles, three triples, four home runs, 25 RBI, 39 runs scored, and six stolen bases in 215 at bats, putting him on pace for five triples, seven homers, 45 RBI, 70 runs, and 11 steals in 387 at bats. He has played each infield position with Tampa Bay, and is currently coming off the bench as a pinch-hitter or to give Harris and Pennington some time off.

Brian Buscher opened the year in AAA but was brought up due to injuries, and has now taken over the role previously held by Alex Gordon as the part-time third baseman. Buscher, a left-handed hitter, has hit .284 with a home run, seven RBI, and 14 runs scored in 81 at bats. He has played a flawless third base in 147 innings, and has played a little bit at each infield position and even has two innings in left field. Gordon was sent to AAA after hitting .199 with two homers and 14 RBI in 59 games.

The Tampa Bay outfield has a few extra outfielders, perhaps all of whom would be starting regularly on many other teams.

Ben Francisco hit .288 with 11 homers and 51 RBI in 108 games last season, and is on pace for similar numbers this year in less playing time. Francisco is hitting .264 with six home runs and 27 RBI in 44 games so far.

Alexis Gomez has played the role of good teammate but is unhappy with his lack of playing time after being a regular starter the last couple seasons. Gomez hit .272 with 15 homers and 81 RBI last season in 146 games, usually playing right field with Hamilton in center field. With Milledge getting a lot of time in centerfield this year, however, Gomez has been limited to just 83 at bats in 42 games so far. As a result, he has struggled to a .229 average, one home run, 12 RBI and 18 runs.

Jeff Francoeur played in 109 games last season, hitting .280 with 11 homers and 71 RBI. He hoped the production would earn him more playing time, but he's on pace to get just 74 at bats this year, and, as a result, he too has struggled to put up good numbers off the bench. Francoeur is hitting .220 with two homers and nine RBI in 41 at bats.

"I need to do a better job of keeping some of the guys sharp by getting them more ABs, more playing time," said O'Neal. "We have a crowded roster, and we never thought we'd be keeping six outfielders on the roster, but Harris and Pennington have done well enough that nobody was traded to bring in another middle infielder."

[Moriarty9]

Devil Rays win in 14 innings
Royals' Vizcaino hammered for four in 14th
July 18, 2009

KANSAS CITY — It took 14 innings, but the Tampa Bay Devil Rays defeated the Royals at Kaufmann Stadium, 9-5.

Each team used six pitchers in the game, with neither starting pitcher working into the seventh inning.

Pedro Martinez allowed two runs on three hits and a pair of walks in six innings, leaving the game after a 36-minute rain delay before the seventh inning. Relievers David Aardsma, Jeff Francis and Jonathan Papelbon let up a run each, allowing the Royals to tie the game and force extra innings.

Tampa Bay used left-hander Jon Lester in extra innings, holding Kansas City to two hits and two walks in five innings, striking out three to earn the win.

After Royals starter Joe Blanton was knocked out of the game in the sixth inning, Kansas City relievers Brian Wilson, Ambiorix Burgos, and Matt Capps dominated the Tampa Bay lineup, working a combined seven no-hit innings of work.

It wasn't until Luis Vizcaino was on the mound in the 14th inning that the Devil Rays bats woke back up. After Jeff Francoeur struck out to start the inning, Brendan Harris singled to right field and advanced to second on an error by rightfielder Matt Stairs. John Baker struck out for the second out, and it appeared Tampa Bay may strand Harris in scoring position. Matt Holliday drew a four-pitch walk, an unintentional intentional walk, setting up force outs across the infield with two outs. Josh Hamilton followed with a RBI single, giving the Devil Rays a 6-5 lead. Aubrey Huff knocked Vizcaino out of the game a couple pitches later, hitting a two-run double, advancing to third base on a throw to home plate.

Kevin Hart took over for Vizcaino and gave up a RBI single to Nomar Garciaparra before Brian Buscher ended the inning to retire the side.