Expansion Revision: 1998 Devil Rays and beyond - Page 32

Moriarty9 · 10-15-2009, 01:08 PM

New York nearly no-hit
Haren throws one-hitter in Bronx
July 27, 2009

NEW YORK — Carlos Pena's leadoff single in the seventh inning was the only mark in the hit column for the Yankees today as Dan Haren threw a complete game one-hitter at Yankee Stadium.

Haren took his no-hit bid into the seventh inning when Pena got a basehit through the right side of the infield on the first pitch offered. With the Yankees trailing 8-0, Pena was replaced by pinch-runner Skip Schumaker, who was thrown out trying to steal second base just a few pitches later.

"Danny was on top of his game, that's for sure," said Tampa Bay Devil Rays manager Christian O'Neal. "To come into this stadium and do what he did is remarkable. I would've loved to see it happen."

Haren allowed one hit and three walks in nine shutout innings, striking out seven New York batters. With the win, he improves to 14-2 with a 2.68 ERA, bolstering his candidacy for a second consecutive Cy Young award.

While the Yankees mustered just one hit, the Devil Rays put eight runs on the scoreboard. Brendan Harris went 2-for-4 as the leadoff hitter, scoring one run and driving in three on the day, and hitting a two-run home run. He was the only Tampa Bay player with multiple hits, as the club was the beneficiary of 10 walks issued by New York pitchers.

Lastings Milledge, batting seventh tonight, went 1-for-2 with a walk, a RBI, and two runs scored before being ejected for arguing a called third strike. He bumped the home plate umpire during the argument and is expected to be suspended by Major League Baseball. Jeff Francoeur replaced Milledge and drew a walk in his only plate appearance.

Moriarty9 · 10-15-2009, 01:15 PM

Head injury ends Baldelli's career
Former Devil Rays outfielder fractures skull
July 27, 2009

ANAHEIM — The injury sustained by Rocco Baldelli today was described by the Cleveland Indians medical diector quint bluntly: "It is the worst trauma of this type I have ever seen. His career is over."

The 27-year-old Indians outfielder was injured making a defensive play in the afternoon's game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and suffered a fractured skull.

Baldelli has a history of injuries, and has struggled this year with a .211 average with four home runs and 27 RBI in 56 games. In 766 games over in eight seasons, Baldelli has hit .266 with 68 home runs, 329 RBI, and 358 runs. He played with the New York Yankees (2002-2004), Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2005-2006), Angels (2005-2006), and Indians (2007-2009).

Baldelli had a promising career and was expected to be a big star, but never quite was able to consistently perform at his potential level.

Moriarty9 · 10-15-2009, 01:23 PM

Greinke's season over
Fractured elbow ends career year
July 29, 2009

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays quest for a third straight World Series took a big hit tonight as they lost pitcher Zack Greinke for the season with a fractured elbow.

Greinke went 10-0 with a 3.44 ERA for Tampa Bay this season, and was on his way to an 11th win at Tropicana Field against the New York Yankees when he suffered the elbow injury.

Greinke was perfect through four innings with six strikeouts when he was taken out of the game.

He finishes the year at 10-0 in 20 starts, and was on pace to go 16-0 on the season. Greinke is now 36-11 with a 3.45 ERA in his career.

Devil Rays manager Christian O'Neal said he and the front office will discuss whether Jon Lester will take Greinke's spot in the rotation, or if any sort of trade can be made before the rapidly approaching July 31 trade deadline.

Moriarty9 · 10-15-2009, 04:16 PM

Collins fired by Brewers
Last place team makes dugout change
August 7, 2009

MILWAUKEE — Stuck in sixth place, the Brewers have fired manager Terry Collins after a 40-68 start to the season.

Collins was in his first year as manager of the Brewers.

Milwaukee General Manager Dave Dombrowski is expected to hire a replacement soon. Candidates will include bench coach Pedro Sanchez, who managed the Baltimore Orioles from 2003-2005, making the playoffs as a Wild Card team in 2004.

Other rumored candidates include former Cleveland Indians skipper Rick Dailey and former Cincinnati Reds manager Pedro Moreno.

Moriarty9 · 10-17-2009, 03:38 PM

Devil Rays win 111 games
Holliday, Howard punished AL pitching
October 5, 2009

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays set a new franchise record for wins in a season and are looking at the chance to win their third consecutive World Series, fifth in seven years.

The Devil Rays won the American League East by 22 games over the Wild Card winning Toronto Blue Jays, 89-73. It is Tampa Bay's eighth division title in the last nine seasons, and eighth in the franchise's 12 year history.

The team was led offensively by a pair of potential free agents: Ryan Howard and Matt Holliday. Howard led the American League in home runs with 47, runs with 126 and total bases with 352. He was third in RBI with 132 and eighth in walks with 94. Holliday led baseball in batting average (.340) and led the AL in hits with 208. The outfielder was second in the league in runs scored (118), fifth in RBI (124), and sixth in total bases (322).

"Matt and Ryan were huge all year, and we expect them to be big in the playoffs," said Devil Rays manager Christian O'Neal. "They're some of the best hitters I've seen."

Howard hit .277 with 47 homers, 132 RBI, and 126 runs scored in 154 games. He set a career high for himself in home runs and tied a career high in triples with four. He has told Tampa Bay that he wants roughly $26 million annually in a new contract, which he said would be a hometown discount.

Holliday has also talked about a possible contract extension, telling the Devil Rays front office he wants a five-year deal worth $25 million annually. He hit .340 with 26 home runs, 124 RBI, 118 runs scored, and stole 21 bases. Holliday set career highs in hits, runs, RBI, and steals.

The Tampa Bay offense was, however, more than just two guys. Aubrey Huff had his best season in several years, and arguably the best of his career. Huff hit .336 (a career high) with 41 doubles, 25 home runs, 91 runs scored, and 103 RBI in 150 games, stealing a career high 10 bases. He primarily played first base, giving Howard time as the DH and allowing Brian Buscher and Alex Gordon to play third base for a good portion of the year, but started 43 games at third and spent 27 innings in the outfield. He made three starts as the Devil Rays DH.

Josh Hamilton found himself with strong numbers but little recognition as much of the spotlight was on Howard and Holliday. Hamilton hit .280 with 26 home runs, 99 runs scored, 114 RBI, and 25 stolen bases in 150 games.

Picked up from the Seattle Mariners on June 13, catcher John Baker was fantastic for Tampa Bay. In 84 games with the Devil Rays, Baker hit .334 with 12 home runs and 62 RBI, bringing his season numbers to .314 with 20 homers, 78 runs, and 90 RBI in 140 games.

Cliff Pennington has made a case for the Rookie of the Year award after hitting .261 with 16 home runs and 72 RBI, scoring 98 times and stealing 26 bases. Though he started the season at shortstop, he spent most of the year playing a strong second base.

Buscher played well in his 100 games, hitting .343 with three home runs, 28 RBI, and 45 runs scored. Gordon, however, struggled. In 82 games, Gordon hit .199 with four home runs, 19 RBI, and 23 runs scored.

The other contributors of note were Nomar Garciaparra (.269, 7 HR, 39 RBI, 50 R, 297 AB), Brendan Harris (.246, 8 HR, 46 RBI, 56 R, 92 G), Ben Francisco (.241, 14 HR, 50 RBI, 89 G), and backup catcher Gerald Laird (.310, 3 HR, 17 RBI, 16 R, 142 AB).

The pitching was also solid this season as the Devil Rays team ERA was an AL-best 3.87 (the league ERA was 4.71). The starting rotation featured four All Stars in 2009: Dan Haren, Pedro Martinez, Zack Greinke and Felix Hernandez.

Haren struggled down the stretch, hurting his chances at winning a second straight Cy Young award, but he still pitched well overall. Haren went 17-4 with a 3.22 ERA in 31 starts, striking out 207, posting a 1.06 WHIP, and holding opponents to a .226 average.

Martinez missed much of September with a knee injury, but will be ready to go for the post-season. The 37-year-old was impressive in 2009, going 14-4 with a 3.65 ERA in 29 starts.

Hernandez had the best season of his young career as the 23-year-old, in his sixth big league season, finally was able to keep from consistent inconsistency. Hernandez went 16-6 with a 3.29 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and .217 batting average against in 32 starts. He did struggle in September, going 0-3 with a 4.99 ERA in five starts, but finished his regular season on a high note on October 1, throwing a complete game shutout, striking out six Baltimore Orioles at Tropicana Field.

Greinke finished his season on July 29 when he fractured his elbow during a start at home against the New York Yankees. It was a crushing blow to the Devil Rays as Greinke was 10-0 with a 3.44 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and .220 average against in 20 starts. He was on his way to an 11th win at the time as he had thrown four perfect innings and struck out six before the injury.

John Lackey had his most productive season since going 17-6 in 2006, by putting together a 13-10 season with a 4.74 ERA in 28 starts.

After the Greinke injury, left-hander Jon Lester joined the starting rotation and pitched pretty well. Lester went 10-7 with a 4.53 ERA in 153 innings this season, making 37 appearances and 16 starts. He went 7-1 with a 3.84 ERA in 12 starts once he officially joined the rotation after Greinke went down for the year.

Jonathan Papelbon was an All Star this season and finished second in the American League with 39 saves. In 61 games, Papelbon was 7-3 with a 2.74 ERA, striking out 73 batters in 69 innings. Opponents hit .217 against him and the closer posted a 1.12 WHIP.

Left-handed reliever Craig Breslow was huge for Tampa Bay in 2009, going 9-2 with three saves and a 3.03 ERA in 64 games. He provided multiple innings when needed and, aside from a rough month of July, was solid all year long.

Manny Delcarmen got off to a rough start (7.20 ERA in April) and was inconsistent at times during the year, but pitched well enough to go 6-4 with six saves and a 3.58 ERA in 58 appearances.

David Aardsma, still officially a rookie, helped out a great deal as well, going 2-1 with a pair of saves and a 4.32 ERA in 43 games. Opponents hit .219 against him.

Jeff Francis figured to get some time in the rotation if Lester didn't adapt to the role well, but found himself making only two starts during 2009. The lefty went 6-3 with three saves and a 4.99 ERA in 40 games, throwing 70 1/3 innings.

The team lost left-handed reliever Brian Fuentes (1-1, 4.22 ERA, 10 2/3 IP) to a back injury in May, and centerfielder Lastings Milledge (.249, 6 3B, 8 HR, 56 RBI, 68 R, 17 SB) on September 4 when his cheekbone was fractured by a pitch.

The Devil Rays will open up the American League Division Series against the Kansas City Royals of the AL Central. Kansas City won their division by nine games with a record of 87-75.

Moriarty9 · 10-18-2009, 02:40 PM

Haren, Beckett to open ALDS
Can underdog Royals dethrone Devil Rays?
October 7, 2009

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The American League Division Series opens up at Tropicana Field tonight with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, owners of baseball's best record, hosting the Kansas City Royals, winners of the AL Central with an 87-75 record.

Most expect Tampa Bay to easily get past the Royals, but Kansas City ace Josh Beckett (16-11, 4.02 ERA) will be taking the ball in Game 1 tonight in hopes of throwing a kink into those plans.

Beckett has no post-season experience and went 1-2 with a 4.79 ERA against the Devil Rays this season, but he has finished the season on a high note, going 8-2 in his final 12 starts of the regular season.

The Royals also have the league's top closer in 2009 in Matt Capps. In 68 appearances this year, Capps saved an AL-leading 41 games and posted a 2.23 ERA. He has been solid against the Devil Rays as well, having allowed just one baserunner in 4 1/3 innings. He saved 11 games and posted a 2.65 ERA during the month of September, and has picked up 20 saves since the start of August.

Offensively, Kansas City has a couple of strong hitters in Evan Longoria and Jason Bay, as well as catcher Geovany Soto.

Longoria hit .260 with 28 home runs and 94 RBI in 138 games this season. Fortunately for the Devil Rays, he struggled in 41 at bats against Tampa Bay in 2009, hitting .122 with 16 strikeouts. Against the three starting pitchers planned for the ALDS — Dan Haren, Felix Hernandez, and Pedro Martinez — Longoria is hitting .105 (4-38). He's also 0-for-4 against closer Jonathan Papelbon.

Bay hit .259 with six triples, 22 homers, and 92 RBI in 141 games. He too struggled against the Devil Rays, hitting .128 with 12 strikeouts in 39 at bats this year. Also like Longoria, he has minimal success against the Tampa Bay starters: .143 against Haren and Martinez, .250 against Hernandez.

Soto hit .274 with 22 home runs and 77 RBI in 135 games, putting up some of the best numbers by any catcher in the league. He was especially good down the stretch, hitting .359 with six home runs in September. However, like many others, he struggled agaisnt the Devil Rays. In 28 at bats against Tampa Bay pitching, Soto hit .214 with 12 strikeouts.

Former Devil Ray slugger Paul Konerko had a productive season when in the lineup for Kansas City, hitting .303 with 15 home runs and 45 RBI in just 211 at bats. He missed roughly three months with injuries this season, limiting his playing time. Konerko came up with Tampa Bay in 1998, and hit .293 with 111 home runs in 647 games over five seasons with the Devil Rays. He's one of a few players on the team with playoff experience (.255, 4 HR, 102 AB in post-season play, all with Tampa Bay), and finished the year on a hot streak, hitting .352 with seven home runs in the final 24 games, coming off an injury. Unlike most of the others in the lineup, Konerko has some success against Devil Rays starters. He's 5-for-13 against Haren, hitting .286 against Hernandez, and .389 with a pair of homers against Martinez.

Despite some of the successes that Kansas City players have, the edge is still widely given to the Devil Rays.

Haren went 2-1 with a 2.11 ERA against the Royals this season, and Hernandez 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA. Papelbon saved four games against KC, allowing one run in five innings. Rookie Cliff Pennington hit .333 with three homers in 39 at bats against the Royals, and Aubrey Huff hit .326 with four home runs. Matt Holliday (.368, 2 HR) and Josh Hamilton (.306, 2 HR) also hit Kansas City pitching well. Ryan Howard has hit Beckett well over his career, hitting .310 with three homers in 29 at bats. Huff has similar dominance over the Royals ace, hitting .395 with four round-trippers in 38 at bats.

Moriarty9 · 10-18-2009, 02:57 PM

Haren K's 12 in KC shutout
Devil Rays take Game 1 of Division Series
October 7, 2009

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Dan Haren threw a complete game five-hit shutout of the Kansas City Royals in Game 1 of the ALDS, picking up 12 strikeouts on the way as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays picked up a 6-0 win.

Haren's greatest difficulty came in the first inning as he gave up back-to-back singles to open up the game. The Tampa Bay ace roared back and struck out the meat of the Kansas City lineup — Geovany Soto, Evan Longoria, and Jason Bay — swinging to get out of the inning.

The only other time the Royals got a player into scoring position came when Soto hit a two-out double in the ninth inning.

Royals starter Josh Beckett was matching Haren for the first few innings before giving up a pair of runs in the fourth inning and then pitching around trouble before hitting the wall in the seventh inning. He was charged with six runs on 12 hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Soto went 3-for-4 for the Royals, picking up all of the hits from his team after the first inning. Aside from catcher John Baker, every Tampa Bay player in the lineup had at least one hit with five players collecting a pair of hits each.

Moriarty9 · 10-19-2009, 12:07 AM

Royals shutout Rays in Game 2
Hernandez leaves in third inning with back spasm
October 8, 2009

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Kansas City Royals have evened up the American League Division Series with a 2-0 win in Game 2 at Tropicana Field behind the pitching of Joe Blanton and the bullpen.

Blanton threw 6 1/3 innings of shutout baseball, giving up four hits and two walks while striking out five. He threw 93 pitches, 61 for strikes, before being lifted for reliever Brian Wilson. Kevin Hart also pitched and Matt Capps picked up the save with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.

"They did a really good job of keeping us off balance, off the bases and off the scoreboard," said Tampa Bay Devil Rays manager Christian O'Neal. "We just have to tip our hats to them and go out there in Kansas City and return the favor."

Devil Rays starter Felix Hernandez threw 37 pitches, 26 for strikes, in 2 2/3 innings, giving up one run on two hits before leaving the game with back spasms. Reliever Jesse Crain finished the inning for Tampa Bay before left-hander Jon Lester worked the next five innings. Lester gave up one run on a pair of hits and four walks with four strikeouts in five innings. Manny Delcarmen worked a scoreless eighth inning.

Evan Longoria hit a solo home run off Hernandez to open the second inning, and Timo Perez hit a two-out RBI double off Lester in the sixth inning to account for the rest of the scoring in the game.

Kansas City rightfielder Steven Pearce went 2-for-4 while Tampa Bay rightfielder Ben Francisco went 2-for-3 with a walk. Matt Holliday had a double and Brendan Harris tripled.

Moriarty9 · 10-19-2009, 12:53 PM

Martinez strong in 6-1 win
Devil Rays one win shy of going to ALCS
October 10, 2009

KANSAS CITY — Pedro Martinez led the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to a 6-1 victory over the Royals at Kauffman Stadium tonight in Game 3 of the American League Division Series.

Martinez worked eight innings, giving up one run on four hits and three walks, striking out six. The lone Kansas City run came on a Brandon Wood solo home run off Martinez in the eighth inning, ending the legend's shutout bid. David Aardsma worked a scoreless ninth inning with the five-run lead.

The Devil Rays pounded out 12 hits in the game, nine of them coming off Royals starting pitcher Matt Belisle, who gave up five runs on nine hits and three walks in 5 1/3 innings. Seven Tampa Bay players had a hit in the game, and five had multiple hits. Josh Hamilton and Nomar Garciaparra had a double, two hits and two RBI each. Garciaparra was given the start in place of Brendan Harris due to Belisle's success against Harris in the past.

Moriarty9 · 10-19-2009, 01:24 PM

Royals force Game 5
KC's Beckett outperforms Haren
October 11, 2009

KANSAS CITY — The Royals were supposed to be swept out of the playoffs by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, but nobody seemed to send that memo to Kauffman Stadium.

The Royals evened up the best-of-five American League Division Series with a 5-3 win tonight in Game 4, forcing a decisive fifth game to determine who will go on to the League Championship Series to take on the Toronto Blue Jays for the pennant.

Josh Beckett pitched well for Kansas City, holding Tampa Bay to two runs on seven hits in six innings. He struck out six and walked nobody.

Dan Haren was charged with five runs, four earned, on six hits and one walk with four strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings.

Brandon Wood knocked Haren out of the game with a two-run home run in the seventh inning. Mark Ellis went 2-for-2 for the Royals before being lifted for pinch-hitter Matt Stairs.

Aubrey Huff went 3-for-4 for Tampa Bay while Josh Hamilton went 2-for-4 with a solo home run off Beckett in the fourth inning. Ryan Howard hit a solo homer off Beckett in the sixth inning.

The Devil Rays and Royals will meet Tuesday night at Tropicana Field in Game 5. Joe Blanton, who threw 6 1/3 shutout innings against Tampa Bay in Game 2, will take the mound for Kansas City. Left-hander Jon Lester, who allowed one run in five innings of work in relief of Felix Hernandez in Game 2, will pitch for the Devil Rays.

Moriarty9 · 10-19-2009, 01:40 PM

Royals advance to ALCS
Devil Rays left stunned at the Trop
October 13, 2009

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays will not win a third consecutive World Series this season as the team with the best record in baseball was ousted by the Kansas City Royals in Game 5 of the American League Division Series.

As he did in Game 2 of the ALDS, Royals pitcher Joe Blanton was fantastic. Blanton worked eight scoreless innings, holding Tampa Bay to just four hits and two walks before handing it off to the bullpen for a scoreless ninth inning.

Jon Lester was fantastic for the Devil Rays, but made one mistake that leadoff hitter Marlon Byrd hit out of the park for a two-run home run and the only real offense in Kansas City's 2-0 win.

Lester gave up two runs on just two hits and four walks in eight innings. Jonathan Papelbon worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning for Tampa Bay.

Byrd's home run, which followed a Brandon Wood walk, was the first hit of the game for the Royals, and put an end to Lester's no-hit bid, his shutout, and eventually the Devil Rays season.

"Blanton really did a number on us in this series," said Tampa Bay manager Christian O'Neal. "We had no answer for him."

O'Neal also praised Lester.

"He's hit with the loss in a really big game but he pitched his heart out and nobody blames Jon Lester for this at all," the skipper said. "The kid gives up two hits in eight innings and we lose. It's a tough loss, but he pitched great."

The Royals will play the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League Championship Series in hopes of playing the Arizona Diamondbacks or Houston Astros in the World Series.

Moriarty9 · 10-19-2009, 02:06 PM

Holliday to remain in Tampa Bay
Devil Rays re-sign slugger with one year extension
November 5, 2009

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Citing a desire to get a third World Series ring, Matt Holliday re-signed with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at a lesser rate than what he would likely have earned as a free agent.

Holliday signed a one-year deal worth $19.95 million in 2010, roughly $5 million less than what he had originally asked for. The difference was made up in a contractual offer that will pay the slugger an additional $5 million if he wins the Most Valuable Player award in 2010.

"I want to stay here with the Devil Rays, and I know the money situation isn't great, but I'm willing to make some short term sacrifices right now if it means winning a World Series," Holliday said. "We'll re-evaluate next year and see how the organization is doing then."

Holliday hit .340 with 26 home runs, 124 RBI, 118 runs scored, and 21 stolen bases in 156 games. He was one of a few Tampa Bay players tthat performed well offensively in the playoffs this fall, hitting .333 in 18 at bats.

The Holliday signing ultimately brings an end to Ryan Howard's time with the Devil Rays. Both Holliday and Howard were set to become free agents this off-season, and Tampa Bay's front office had said for months that it would not have the resources to bring both players back in 2010.

Aubrey Huff will likely take over at first base on a full-time basis with Howard gone, opening up third base to be won by Brian Buscher, Alex Gordon, or any low-money infielder that may signed in the coming months.

Moriarty9 · 10-19-2009, 02:18 PM

Francis dealt west for prospect
Tampa Bay trades lefty to Mariners for outfielder
November 8, 2009

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Jeff Francis looks poised to finally get a full-time job as a starting pitcher after the left-hander was traded today by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to the Seattle Mariners for a minor league outfielder.

Francis went 6-3 with three saves and a 4.99 ERA in 40 games with the Devil Rays in 2009, making two starts. In five big league seasons, Francis is 24-17 with five saves and a 5.58 ERA. He has appeared in 120 games, 24 of which were starts.

"We wish Jeff the best of luck in Seattle," said Tampa Bay GM Shaun Moriarty. "He was a good guy to have, and I wish he had been given a better shot here because I think he's talented, but we've just had so much depth that he was often the odd man out."

In exchange for Francis, the Mariners sent 19-year-old outfielder John Meyers to the Devil Rays organization. Meyers, a left-handed hitter, split his time this past season between A and AA baseball. Altogether, he hit .293 with five triples, three home runs and 46 RBI, while scoring 58 bases and stealing 40 bases in 106 minor league games. He was Seattle's first round draft selection in the 2008 amateur draft.

Tampa Bay's scouting director, Dan Plesac, said Meyers has "superstar potential" but noted the Californian would have to overcome a handful of flaws to reach his potential. Meyers, Plesac said, projects to be an average contact hitter with a solid batting eye. Though Meyers hit just three home runs in 461 at bats, Plesac said he has a high ceiling in the power department and could one day be a cleanup hitter. Ultimately, his best attribute is his speed. "He is always a threat to steal a base," Plesac said.

The trade was made as Francis was set to receive a new contract through arbitration, the final time he would go through the arbitration process before becoming a free agent. The move saves the Devil Rays money for the 2010 season and provides a young positional player into the minor league system.

Moriarty9 · 10-19-2009, 02:24 PM

Devil Rays outfield win Gold Gloves
Holliday, Hamilton and Milledge receive awards
November 12, 2009

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The entire Tampa Bay Devil Rays outfield was recognized today as three players were awarded Gold Gloves.

Matt Holliday, Lastings Milledge, and Josh Hamilton were honored with the awards for defensive excellence.

Holliday played 121 games in left field and made three errors, but had nine assists and one double play.

Milledge played 107 games in center field and did not commit a single error in his 924 innings in the field. He made two assists and helped turn a double play before a fractured cheekbone ended his season prematurely.

Hamilton played 113 games in right field and 41 more in center field for Tampa Bay, committing six errors in all. He had 10 assists.

Moriarty9 · 10-19-2009, 02:29 PM

Pennington named top rookie
Infielder becomes fourth Devil Ray to win award
November 13, 2009

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Like Erubiel Durazo, Aubrey Huff, and Craig Breslow before him, Tampa Bay Devil Rays infielder Cliff Pennington was good enough his first season in the big leagues that he was honored as the Rookie of the Year.

Pennington, 25, won the award today after hitting .261 with 16 home runs, 72 RBI, 98 runs scored, and stealing 26 bases in 152 games. He played 104 games at second base, making four errors, and played in 51 games at shortstop, where the rookie made an additional four errors.

"We're really proud of Cliff," said Devil Rays manager Christian O'Neal. "The kid earned this award, that's for sure."

Pennington is the fourth Tampa Bay player to win the Rookie of the Year, the first since Breslow, who won the award last season.

Moriarty9 · 10-19-2009, 02:33 PM

Haren takes home another Cy
Right-hander wins back-to-back Cy Young awards
November 13, 2009

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Dan Haren didn't put up the same numbers he had in 2008, but his 2009 stats were good enough to win the Cy Young award.

Haren went 17-4 with a 3.22 ERA in 31 starts for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, posting a 1.06 WHIP and holding opponents to a .226 average.

Haren won the award last season, going 21-5 with a 2.48 ERA in 31 starts with a 1.05 WHIP and .219 opponents average against.

Devil Rays pitchers have won nine of the last 11 Cy Young awards with the lone exceptions being Ben Sheets of the Texas Rangers in 2005 and Hong-Chih Kuo of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 2007.

Haren is the first Tampa Bay hurler to win the award multiple times since Pedro Martinez, who won the award six times, including five straight from 1999 through 2003.

Moriarty9 · 10-19-2009, 02:40 PM

Howard to hit market as MVP
Devil Rays sweep big awards with slugger's win
November 16, 2009

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Ryan Howard will hit the free agent market shortly, and will his price tag may have gone up after winning the American League Most Valuable Player award for the 2009 season.

Howard hit .277 with 47 home runs, 132 RBI, and 126 runs in 154 games for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays this season, power numbers big enough to win the MVP.

While the Devil Rays fell short in their bid for a third straight World Series title, the team saw its players recognized frequently in the award season. Three players won Gold Glove awards, Cliff Pennington won Rookie of the Year, Dan Haren won the Cy Young, and now Howard has won the MVP.

Moriarty9 · 10-19-2009, 03:25 PM

Rays, Braves do hot corner swap
Atkins, catching prospect dealt for Buscher
December 12, 2009

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Atlanta Braves swapped thirdbasemen today that locals hope will pay dividends in 2010.

The Devil Rays acquired Garret Atkins and minor league catcher Tony Mendez from the Braves for Brian Buscher.

Buscher hit .343 with three home runs and 28 RBI over 268 at bats last season with Tampa Bay while playing each infield position and even a couple innings in left field. He went just 2-for-10 in the playoffs with three strikeouts and was set to compete for the starting job this spring. Now he will do so with Omar Infante and others in Atlanta.

Atkins becomes the front-runner in the Devil Rays competition. He hit .268 with 12 home runs and 55 RBI in 154 games with the Braves and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim last season.

Neither player makes much money, but Atkins is owed roughly $100,000 more in 2010 than Buscher.

Mendez, 23, is a strong defensive catcher from Chile. He went 1-for-6 with a two-run double for the Braves this season after hitting .298 with two home runs and 18 RBI in 191 at bats with a low-level Atlanta farm team. He was an 11th round draft pick by the Braves in 2008.

Moriarty9 · 10-19-2009, 03:30 PM

Mueller added to the mix
Devil Rays add another thirdbaseman
December 21, 2009

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays today agreed to terms on a one-year deal worth $1.7 million with veteran third baseman Bill Mueller.

Mueller, 38, hit .261 with 12 home runs and 44 RBI, scoring 71 runs in 132 games with the Oakland Athletics last season. He is a career .277 hitter who has played with the San Francisco Giants (1996-1999), Cincinnati Reds (2000), Chicago Cubs (2000-2002), Texas Rangers (2003), Boston Red Sox (2005-2006), Detroit Tigers (2006), Cleveland Indians (2007), Houston Astros (2007-2008), and A's.

Mueller will compete with Garret Atkins and Alex Gordon for the starting job at third base with the Devil Rays in 2010.

Moriarty9 · 10-19-2009, 03:42 PM

Howard signs with Cubs
AL MVP pledges to help break curse
January 13, 2010

CHICAGO — Ryan Howard already has a couple World Series rings, now he hopes to win another and break a curse with the Cubs.

Howard signed a six-year deal with Chicago today that includes a player option for a seventh season in 2016. That option is worth $23.17 million. He will be paid $18.95 million in 2010 and will see increases every year until the final year of the guaranteed portion of the contract, 2015, tops out at $22.47 million.

The contract is significantly less than what Howard had been demanding at the start of free agency, then commanding roughly $30 million annually. Without many suitors at that hefty price tag, Howard found himself negotiating at a lower rate.

Howard hit .277 with 47 home runs and 132 RBI with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays last season. He is a career .301 hitter with 285 home runs and 780 RBI in seven seasons.

Winner of the American League Most Valuable Player award this past season, Howard had expressed interest in remaining at Tampa Bay and offered a hometown discount of a multi-year deal worth $25 million annually. The Devil Rays balked at the offer and told Howard and cleanup hitter Matt Holliday the best the cash-strapped organization could do for either was a one-year deal between $18 and 20 million with the hopes of finding funds for a more lucrative deal in the future. Holliday signed on at $19.95 million, with a $5 million bonus if he can win the MVP, which left Howard on the outs.

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10-15-2009, 01:08 PM	#621 (permalink)
Moriarty9 All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,855 Thanks: 9 Thanked 3x in 3 posts	New York nearly no-hit Haren throws one-hitter in Bronx July 27, 2009 NEW YORK — Carlos Pena's leadoff single in the seventh inning was the only mark in the hit column for the Yankees today as Dan Haren threw a complete game one-hitter at Yankee Stadium. Haren took his no-hit bid into the seventh inning when Pena got a basehit through the right side of the infield on the first pitch offered. With the Yankees trailing 8-0, Pena was replaced by pinch-runner Skip Schumaker, who was thrown out trying to steal second base just a few pitches later. "Danny was on top of his game, that's for sure," said Tampa Bay Devil Rays manager Christian O'Neal. "To come into this stadium and do what he did is remarkable. I would've loved to see it happen." Haren allowed one hit and three walks in nine shutout innings, striking out seven New York batters. With the win, he improves to 14-2 with a 2.68 ERA, bolstering his candidacy for a second consecutive Cy Young award. While the Yankees mustered just one hit, the Devil Rays put eight runs on the scoreboard. Brendan Harris went 2-for-4 as the leadoff hitter, scoring one run and driving in three on the day, and hitting a two-run home run. He was the only Tampa Bay player with multiple hits, as the club was the beneficiary of 10 walks issued by New York pitchers. Lastings Milledge, batting seventh tonight, went 1-for-2 with a walk, a RBI, and two runs scored before being ejected for arguing a called third strike. He bumped the home plate umpire during the argument and is expected to be suspended by Major League Baseball. Jeff Francoeur replaced Milledge and drew a walk in his only plate appearance.

10-15-2009, 01:15 PM	#622 (permalink)
Moriarty9 All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,855 Thanks: 9 Thanked 3x in 3 posts	Head injury ends Baldelli's career Former Devil Rays outfielder fractures skull July 27, 2009 ANAHEIM — The injury sustained by Rocco Baldelli today was described by the Cleveland Indians medical diector quint bluntly: "It is the worst trauma of this type I have ever seen. His career is over." The 27-year-old Indians outfielder was injured making a defensive play in the afternoon's game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and suffered a fractured skull. Baldelli has a history of injuries, and has struggled this year with a .211 average with four home runs and 27 RBI in 56 games. In 766 games over in eight seasons, Baldelli has hit .266 with 68 home runs, 329 RBI, and 358 runs. He played with the New York Yankees (2002-2004), Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2005-2006), Angels (2005-2006), and Indians (2007-2009). Baldelli had a promising career and was expected to be a big star, but never quite was able to consistently perform at his potential level.

10-15-2009, 01:23 PM	#623 (permalink)
Moriarty9 All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,855 Thanks: 9 Thanked 3x in 3 posts	Greinke's season over Fractured elbow ends career year July 29, 2009 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays quest for a third straight World Series took a big hit tonight as they lost pitcher Zack Greinke for the season with a fractured elbow. Greinke went 10-0 with a 3.44 ERA for Tampa Bay this season, and was on his way to an 11th win at Tropicana Field against the New York Yankees when he suffered the elbow injury. Greinke was perfect through four innings with six strikeouts when he was taken out of the game. He finishes the year at 10-0 in 20 starts, and was on pace to go 16-0 on the season. Greinke is now 36-11 with a 3.45 ERA in his career. Devil Rays manager Christian O'Neal said he and the front office will discuss whether Jon Lester will take Greinke's spot in the rotation, or if any sort of trade can be made before the rapidly approaching July 31 trade deadline.

10-15-2009, 04:16 PM	#624 (permalink)
Moriarty9 All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,855 Thanks: 9 Thanked 3x in 3 posts	Collins fired by Brewers Last place team makes dugout change August 7, 2009 MILWAUKEE — Stuck in sixth place, the Brewers have fired manager Terry Collins after a 40-68 start to the season. Collins was in his first year as manager of the Brewers. Milwaukee General Manager Dave Dombrowski is expected to hire a replacement soon. Candidates will include bench coach Pedro Sanchez, who managed the Baltimore Orioles from 2003-2005, making the playoffs as a Wild Card team in 2004. Other rumored candidates include former Cleveland Indians skipper Rick Dailey and former Cincinnati Reds manager Pedro Moreno.

10-17-2009, 03:38 PM	#625 (permalink)
Moriarty9 All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,855 Thanks: 9 Thanked 3x in 3 posts	Devil Rays win 111 games Holliday, Howard punished AL pitching October 5, 2009 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays set a new franchise record for wins in a season and are looking at the chance to win their third consecutive World Series, fifth in seven years. The Devil Rays won the American League East by 22 games over the Wild Card winning Toronto Blue Jays, 89-73. It is Tampa Bay's eighth division title in the last nine seasons, and eighth in the franchise's 12 year history. The team was led offensively by a pair of potential free agents: Ryan Howard and Matt Holliday. Howard led the American League in home runs with 47, runs with 126 and total bases with 352. He was third in RBI with 132 and eighth in walks with 94. Holliday led baseball in batting average (.340) and led the AL in hits with 208. The outfielder was second in the league in runs scored (118), fifth in RBI (124), and sixth in total bases (322). "Matt and Ryan were huge all year, and we expect them to be big in the playoffs," said Devil Rays manager Christian O'Neal. "They're some of the best hitters I've seen." Howard hit .277 with 47 homers, 132 RBI, and 126 runs scored in 154 games. He set a career high for himself in home runs and tied a career high in triples with four. He has told Tampa Bay that he wants roughly $26 million annually in a new contract, which he said would be a hometown discount. Holliday has also talked about a possible contract extension, telling the Devil Rays front office he wants a five-year deal worth $25 million annually. He hit .340 with 26 home runs, 124 RBI, 118 runs scored, and stole 21 bases. Holliday set career highs in hits, runs, RBI, and steals. The Tampa Bay offense was, however, more than just two guys. Aubrey Huff had his best season in several years, and arguably the best of his career. Huff hit .336 (a career high) with 41 doubles, 25 home runs, 91 runs scored, and 103 RBI in 150 games, stealing a career high 10 bases. He primarily played first base, giving Howard time as the DH and allowing Brian Buscher and Alex Gordon to play third base for a good portion of the year, but started 43 games at third and spent 27 innings in the outfield. He made three starts as the Devil Rays DH. Josh Hamilton found himself with strong numbers but little recognition as much of the spotlight was on Howard and Holliday. Hamilton hit .280 with 26 home runs, 99 runs scored, 114 RBI, and 25 stolen bases in 150 games. Picked up from the Seattle Mariners on June 13, catcher John Baker was fantastic for Tampa Bay. In 84 games with the Devil Rays, Baker hit .334 with 12 home runs and 62 RBI, bringing his season numbers to .314 with 20 homers, 78 runs, and 90 RBI in 140 games. Cliff Pennington has made a case for the Rookie of the Year award after hitting .261 with 16 home runs and 72 RBI, scoring 98 times and stealing 26 bases. Though he started the season at shortstop, he spent most of the year playing a strong second base. Buscher played well in his 100 games, hitting .343 with three home runs, 28 RBI, and 45 runs scored. Gordon, however, struggled. In 82 games, Gordon hit .199 with four home runs, 19 RBI, and 23 runs scored. The other contributors of note were Nomar Garciaparra (.269, 7 HR, 39 RBI, 50 R, 297 AB), Brendan Harris (.246, 8 HR, 46 RBI, 56 R, 92 G), Ben Francisco (.241, 14 HR, 50 RBI, 89 G), and backup catcher Gerald Laird (.310, 3 HR, 17 RBI, 16 R, 142 AB). The pitching was also solid this season as the Devil Rays team ERA was an AL-best 3.87 (the league ERA was 4.71). The starting rotation featured four All Stars in 2009: Dan Haren, Pedro Martinez, Zack Greinke and Felix Hernandez. Haren struggled down the stretch, hurting his chances at winning a second straight Cy Young award, but he still pitched well overall. Haren went 17-4 with a 3.22 ERA in 31 starts, striking out 207, posting a 1.06 WHIP, and holding opponents to a .226 average. Martinez missed much of September with a knee injury, but will be ready to go for the post-season. The 37-year-old was impressive in 2009, going 14-4 with a 3.65 ERA in 29 starts. Hernandez had the best season of his young career as the 23-year-old, in his sixth big league season, finally was able to keep from consistent inconsistency. Hernandez went 16-6 with a 3.29 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and .217 batting average against in 32 starts. He did struggle in September, going 0-3 with a 4.99 ERA in five starts, but finished his regular season on a high note on October 1, throwing a complete game shutout, striking out six Baltimore Orioles at Tropicana Field. Greinke finished his season on July 29 when he fractured his elbow during a start at home against the New York Yankees. It was a crushing blow to the Devil Rays as Greinke was 10-0 with a 3.44 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and .220 average against in 20 starts. He was on his way to an 11th win at the time as he had thrown four perfect innings and struck out six before the injury. John Lackey had his most productive season since going 17-6 in 2006, by putting together a 13-10 season with a 4.74 ERA in 28 starts. After the Greinke injury, left-hander Jon Lester joined the starting rotation and pitched pretty well. Lester went 10-7 with a 4.53 ERA in 153 innings this season, making 37 appearances and 16 starts. He went 7-1 with a 3.84 ERA in 12 starts once he officially joined the rotation after Greinke went down for the year. Jonathan Papelbon was an All Star this season and finished second in the American League with 39 saves. In 61 games, Papelbon was 7-3 with a 2.74 ERA, striking out 73 batters in 69 innings. Opponents hit .217 against him and the closer posted a 1.12 WHIP. Left-handed reliever Craig Breslow was huge for Tampa Bay in 2009, going 9-2 with three saves and a 3.03 ERA in 64 games. He provided multiple innings when needed and, aside from a rough month of July, was solid all year long. Manny Delcarmen got off to a rough start (7.20 ERA in April) and was inconsistent at times during the year, but pitched well enough to go 6-4 with six saves and a 3.58 ERA in 58 appearances. David Aardsma, still officially a rookie, helped out a great deal as well, going 2-1 with a pair of saves and a 4.32 ERA in 43 games. Opponents hit .219 against him. Jeff Francis figured to get some time in the rotation if Lester didn't adapt to the role well, but found himself making only two starts during 2009. The lefty went 6-3 with three saves and a 4.99 ERA in 40 games, throwing 70 1/3 innings. The team lost left-handed reliever Brian Fuentes (1-1, 4.22 ERA, 10 2/3 IP) to a back injury in May, and centerfielder Lastings Milledge (.249, 6 3B, 8 HR, 56 RBI, 68 R, 17 SB) on September 4 when his cheekbone was fractured by a pitch. The Devil Rays will open up the American League Division Series against the Kansas City Royals of the AL Central. Kansas City won their division by nine games with a record of 87-75.

10-18-2009, 02:40 PM	#626 (permalink)
Moriarty9 All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,855 Thanks: 9 Thanked 3x in 3 posts	Haren, Beckett to open ALDS Can underdog Royals dethrone Devil Rays? October 7, 2009 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The American League Division Series opens up at Tropicana Field tonight with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, owners of baseball's best record, hosting the Kansas City Royals, winners of the AL Central with an 87-75 record. Most expect Tampa Bay to easily get past the Royals, but Kansas City ace Josh Beckett (16-11, 4.02 ERA) will be taking the ball in Game 1 tonight in hopes of throwing a kink into those plans. Beckett has no post-season experience and went 1-2 with a 4.79 ERA against the Devil Rays this season, but he has finished the season on a high note, going 8-2 in his final 12 starts of the regular season. The Royals also have the league's top closer in 2009 in Matt Capps. In 68 appearances this year, Capps saved an AL-leading 41 games and posted a 2.23 ERA. He has been solid against the Devil Rays as well, having allowed just one baserunner in 4 1/3 innings. He saved 11 games and posted a 2.65 ERA during the month of September, and has picked up 20 saves since the start of August. Offensively, Kansas City has a couple of strong hitters in Evan Longoria and Jason Bay, as well as catcher Geovany Soto. Longoria hit .260 with 28 home runs and 94 RBI in 138 games this season. Fortunately for the Devil Rays, he struggled in 41 at bats against Tampa Bay in 2009, hitting .122 with 16 strikeouts. Against the three starting pitchers planned for the ALDS — Dan Haren, Felix Hernandez, and Pedro Martinez — Longoria is hitting .105 (4-38). He's also 0-for-4 against closer Jonathan Papelbon. Bay hit .259 with six triples, 22 homers, and 92 RBI in 141 games. He too struggled against the Devil Rays, hitting .128 with 12 strikeouts in 39 at bats this year. Also like Longoria, he has minimal success against the Tampa Bay starters: .143 against Haren and Martinez, .250 against Hernandez. Soto hit .274 with 22 home runs and 77 RBI in 135 games, putting up some of the best numbers by any catcher in the league. He was especially good down the stretch, hitting .359 with six home runs in September. However, like many others, he struggled agaisnt the Devil Rays. In 28 at bats against Tampa Bay pitching, Soto hit .214 with 12 strikeouts. Former Devil Ray slugger Paul Konerko had a productive season when in the lineup for Kansas City, hitting .303 with 15 home runs and 45 RBI in just 211 at bats. He missed roughly three months with injuries this season, limiting his playing time. Konerko came up with Tampa Bay in 1998, and hit .293 with 111 home runs in 647 games over five seasons with the Devil Rays. He's one of a few players on the team with playoff experience (.255, 4 HR, 102 AB in post-season play, all with Tampa Bay), and finished the year on a hot streak, hitting .352 with seven home runs in the final 24 games, coming off an injury. Unlike most of the others in the lineup, Konerko has some success against Devil Rays starters. He's 5-for-13 against Haren, hitting .286 against Hernandez, and .389 with a pair of homers against Martinez. Despite some of the successes that Kansas City players have, the edge is still widely given to the Devil Rays. Haren went 2-1 with a 2.11 ERA against the Royals this season, and Hernandez 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA. Papelbon saved four games against KC, allowing one run in five innings. Rookie Cliff Pennington hit .333 with three homers in 39 at bats against the Royals, and Aubrey Huff hit .326 with four home runs. Matt Holliday (.368, 2 HR) and Josh Hamilton (.306, 2 HR) also hit Kansas City pitching well. Ryan Howard has hit Beckett well over his career, hitting .310 with three homers in 29 at bats. Huff has similar dominance over the Royals ace, hitting .395 with four round-trippers in 38 at bats.

10-18-2009, 02:57 PM	#627 (permalink)
Moriarty9 All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,855 Thanks: 9 Thanked 3x in 3 posts	Haren K's 12 in KC shutout Devil Rays take Game 1 of Division Series October 7, 2009 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Dan Haren threw a complete game five-hit shutout of the Kansas City Royals in Game 1 of the ALDS, picking up 12 strikeouts on the way as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays picked up a 6-0 win. Haren's greatest difficulty came in the first inning as he gave up back-to-back singles to open up the game. The Tampa Bay ace roared back and struck out the meat of the Kansas City lineup — Geovany Soto, Evan Longoria, and Jason Bay — swinging to get out of the inning. The only other time the Royals got a player into scoring position came when Soto hit a two-out double in the ninth inning. Royals starter Josh Beckett was matching Haren for the first few innings before giving up a pair of runs in the fourth inning and then pitching around trouble before hitting the wall in the seventh inning. He was charged with six runs on 12 hits in 6 1/3 innings. Soto went 3-for-4 for the Royals, picking up all of the hits from his team after the first inning. Aside from catcher John Baker, every Tampa Bay player in the lineup had at least one hit with five players collecting a pair of hits each.

10-19-2009, 12:07 AM	#628 (permalink)
Moriarty9 All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,855 Thanks: 9 Thanked 3x in 3 posts	Royals shutout Rays in Game 2 Hernandez leaves in third inning with back spasm October 8, 2009 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Kansas City Royals have evened up the American League Division Series with a 2-0 win in Game 2 at Tropicana Field behind the pitching of Joe Blanton and the bullpen. Blanton threw 6 1/3 innings of shutout baseball, giving up four hits and two walks while striking out five. He threw 93 pitches, 61 for strikes, before being lifted for reliever Brian Wilson. Kevin Hart also pitched and Matt Capps picked up the save with a 1-2-3 ninth inning. "They did a really good job of keeping us off balance, off the bases and off the scoreboard," said Tampa Bay Devil Rays manager Christian O'Neal. "We just have to tip our hats to them and go out there in Kansas City and return the favor." Devil Rays starter Felix Hernandez threw 37 pitches, 26 for strikes, in 2 2/3 innings, giving up one run on two hits before leaving the game with back spasms. Reliever Jesse Crain finished the inning for Tampa Bay before left-hander Jon Lester worked the next five innings. Lester gave up one run on a pair of hits and four walks with four strikeouts in five innings. Manny Delcarmen worked a scoreless eighth inning. Evan Longoria hit a solo home run off Hernandez to open the second inning, and Timo Perez hit a two-out RBI double off Lester in the sixth inning to account for the rest of the scoring in the game. Kansas City rightfielder Steven Pearce went 2-for-4 while Tampa Bay rightfielder Ben Francisco went 2-for-3 with a walk. Matt Holliday had a double and Brendan Harris tripled.

10-19-2009, 12:53 PM	#629 (permalink)
Moriarty9 All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,855 Thanks: 9 Thanked 3x in 3 posts	Martinez strong in 6-1 win Devil Rays one win shy of going to ALCS October 10, 2009 KANSAS CITY — Pedro Martinez led the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to a 6-1 victory over the Royals at Kauffman Stadium tonight in Game 3 of the American League Division Series. Martinez worked eight innings, giving up one run on four hits and three walks, striking out six. The lone Kansas City run came on a Brandon Wood solo home run off Martinez in the eighth inning, ending the legend's shutout bid. David Aardsma worked a scoreless ninth inning with the five-run lead. The Devil Rays pounded out 12 hits in the game, nine of them coming off Royals starting pitcher Matt Belisle, who gave up five runs on nine hits and three walks in 5 1/3 innings. Seven Tampa Bay players had a hit in the game, and five had multiple hits. Josh Hamilton and Nomar Garciaparra had a double, two hits and two RBI each. Garciaparra was given the start in place of Brendan Harris due to Belisle's success against Harris in the past.

10-19-2009, 01:24 PM	#630 (permalink)
Moriarty9 All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,855 Thanks: 9 Thanked 3x in 3 posts	Royals force Game 5 KC's Beckett outperforms Haren October 11, 2009 KANSAS CITY — The Royals were supposed to be swept out of the playoffs by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, but nobody seemed to send that memo to Kauffman Stadium. The Royals evened up the best-of-five American League Division Series with a 5-3 win tonight in Game 4, forcing a decisive fifth game to determine who will go on to the League Championship Series to take on the Toronto Blue Jays for the pennant. Josh Beckett pitched well for Kansas City, holding Tampa Bay to two runs on seven hits in six innings. He struck out six and walked nobody. Dan Haren was charged with five runs, four earned, on six hits and one walk with four strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings. Brandon Wood knocked Haren out of the game with a two-run home run in the seventh inning. Mark Ellis went 2-for-2 for the Royals before being lifted for pinch-hitter Matt Stairs. Aubrey Huff went 3-for-4 for Tampa Bay while Josh Hamilton went 2-for-4 with a solo home run off Beckett in the fourth inning. Ryan Howard hit a solo homer off Beckett in the sixth inning. The Devil Rays and Royals will meet Tuesday night at Tropicana Field in Game 5. Joe Blanton, who threw 6 1/3 shutout innings against Tampa Bay in Game 2, will take the mound for Kansas City. Left-hander Jon Lester, who allowed one run in five innings of work in relief of Felix Hernandez in Game 2, will pitch for the Devil Rays.

10-19-2009, 01:40 PM	#631 (permalink)
Moriarty9 All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,855 Thanks: 9 Thanked 3x in 3 posts	Royals advance to ALCS Devil Rays left stunned at the Trop October 13, 2009 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays will not win a third consecutive World Series this season as the team with the best record in baseball was ousted by the Kansas City Royals in Game 5 of the American League Division Series. As he did in Game 2 of the ALDS, Royals pitcher Joe Blanton was fantastic. Blanton worked eight scoreless innings, holding Tampa Bay to just four hits and two walks before handing it off to the bullpen for a scoreless ninth inning. Jon Lester was fantastic for the Devil Rays, but made one mistake that leadoff hitter Marlon Byrd hit out of the park for a two-run home run and the only real offense in Kansas City's 2-0 win. Lester gave up two runs on just two hits and four walks in eight innings. Jonathan Papelbon worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning for Tampa Bay. Byrd's home run, which followed a Brandon Wood walk, was the first hit of the game for the Royals, and put an end to Lester's no-hit bid, his shutout, and eventually the Devil Rays season. "Blanton really did a number on us in this series," said Tampa Bay manager Christian O'Neal. "We had no answer for him." O'Neal also praised Lester. "He's hit with the loss in a really big game but he pitched his heart out and nobody blames Jon Lester for this at all," the skipper said. "The kid gives up two hits in eight innings and we lose. It's a tough loss, but he pitched great." The Royals will play the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League Championship Series in hopes of playing the Arizona Diamondbacks or Houston Astros in the World Series.

10-19-2009, 02:06 PM	#632 (permalink)
Moriarty9 All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,855 Thanks: 9 Thanked 3x in 3 posts	Holliday to remain in Tampa Bay Devil Rays re-sign slugger with one year extension November 5, 2009 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Citing a desire to get a third World Series ring, Matt Holliday re-signed with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at a lesser rate than what he would likely have earned as a free agent. Holliday signed a one-year deal worth $19.95 million in 2010, roughly $5 million less than what he had originally asked for. The difference was made up in a contractual offer that will pay the slugger an additional $5 million if he wins the Most Valuable Player award in 2010. "I want to stay here with the Devil Rays, and I know the money situation isn't great, but I'm willing to make some short term sacrifices right now if it means winning a World Series," Holliday said. "We'll re-evaluate next year and see how the organization is doing then." Holliday hit .340 with 26 home runs, 124 RBI, 118 runs scored, and 21 stolen bases in 156 games. He was one of a few Tampa Bay players tthat performed well offensively in the playoffs this fall, hitting .333 in 18 at bats. The Holliday signing ultimately brings an end to Ryan Howard's time with the Devil Rays. Both Holliday and Howard were set to become free agents this off-season, and Tampa Bay's front office had said for months that it would not have the resources to bring both players back in 2010. Aubrey Huff will likely take over at first base on a full-time basis with Howard gone, opening up third base to be won by Brian Buscher, Alex Gordon, or any low-money infielder that may signed in the coming months.

10-19-2009, 02:18 PM	#633 (permalink)
Moriarty9 All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,855 Thanks: 9 Thanked 3x in 3 posts	Francis dealt west for prospect Tampa Bay trades lefty to Mariners for outfielder November 8, 2009 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Jeff Francis looks poised to finally get a full-time job as a starting pitcher after the left-hander was traded today by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to the Seattle Mariners for a minor league outfielder. Francis went 6-3 with three saves and a 4.99 ERA in 40 games with the Devil Rays in 2009, making two starts. In five big league seasons, Francis is 24-17 with five saves and a 5.58 ERA. He has appeared in 120 games, 24 of which were starts. "We wish Jeff the best of luck in Seattle," said Tampa Bay GM Shaun Moriarty. "He was a good guy to have, and I wish he had been given a better shot here because I think he's talented, but we've just had so much depth that he was often the odd man out." In exchange for Francis, the Mariners sent 19-year-old outfielder John Meyers to the Devil Rays organization. Meyers, a left-handed hitter, split his time this past season between A and AA baseball. Altogether, he hit .293 with five triples, three home runs and 46 RBI, while scoring 58 bases and stealing 40 bases in 106 minor league games. He was Seattle's first round draft selection in the 2008 amateur draft. Tampa Bay's scouting director, Dan Plesac, said Meyers has "superstar potential" but noted the Californian would have to overcome a handful of flaws to reach his potential. Meyers, Plesac said, projects to be an average contact hitter with a solid batting eye. Though Meyers hit just three home runs in 461 at bats, Plesac said he has a high ceiling in the power department and could one day be a cleanup hitter. Ultimately, his best attribute is his speed. "He is always a threat to steal a base," Plesac said. The trade was made as Francis was set to receive a new contract through arbitration, the final time he would go through the arbitration process before becoming a free agent. The move saves the Devil Rays money for the 2010 season and provides a young positional player into the minor league system.

10-19-2009, 02:24 PM	#634 (permalink)
Moriarty9 All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,855 Thanks: 9 Thanked 3x in 3 posts	Devil Rays outfield win Gold Gloves Holliday, Hamilton and Milledge receive awards November 12, 2009 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The entire Tampa Bay Devil Rays outfield was recognized today as three players were awarded Gold Gloves. Matt Holliday, Lastings Milledge, and Josh Hamilton were honored with the awards for defensive excellence. Holliday played 121 games in left field and made three errors, but had nine assists and one double play. Milledge played 107 games in center field and did not commit a single error in his 924 innings in the field. He made two assists and helped turn a double play before a fractured cheekbone ended his season prematurely. Hamilton played 113 games in right field and 41 more in center field for Tampa Bay, committing six errors in all. He had 10 assists.

10-19-2009, 02:29 PM	#635 (permalink)
Moriarty9 All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,855 Thanks: 9 Thanked 3x in 3 posts	Pennington named top rookie Infielder becomes fourth Devil Ray to win award November 13, 2009 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Like Erubiel Durazo, Aubrey Huff, and Craig Breslow before him, Tampa Bay Devil Rays infielder Cliff Pennington was good enough his first season in the big leagues that he was honored as the Rookie of the Year. Pennington, 25, won the award today after hitting .261 with 16 home runs, 72 RBI, 98 runs scored, and stealing 26 bases in 152 games. He played 104 games at second base, making four errors, and played in 51 games at shortstop, where the rookie made an additional four errors. "We're really proud of Cliff," said Devil Rays manager Christian O'Neal. "The kid earned this award, that's for sure." Pennington is the fourth Tampa Bay player to win the Rookie of the Year, the first since Breslow, who won the award last season.

10-19-2009, 02:33 PM	#636 (permalink)
Moriarty9 All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,855 Thanks: 9 Thanked 3x in 3 posts	Haren takes home another Cy Right-hander wins back-to-back Cy Young awards November 13, 2009 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Dan Haren didn't put up the same numbers he had in 2008, but his 2009 stats were good enough to win the Cy Young award. Haren went 17-4 with a 3.22 ERA in 31 starts for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, posting a 1.06 WHIP and holding opponents to a .226 average. Haren won the award last season, going 21-5 with a 2.48 ERA in 31 starts with a 1.05 WHIP and .219 opponents average against. Devil Rays pitchers have won nine of the last 11 Cy Young awards with the lone exceptions being Ben Sheets of the Texas Rangers in 2005 and Hong-Chih Kuo of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 2007. Haren is the first Tampa Bay hurler to win the award multiple times since Pedro Martinez, who won the award six times, including five straight from 1999 through 2003.

10-19-2009, 02:40 PM	#637 (permalink)
Moriarty9 All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,855 Thanks: 9 Thanked 3x in 3 posts	Howard to hit market as MVP Devil Rays sweep big awards with slugger's win November 16, 2009 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Ryan Howard will hit the free agent market shortly, and will his price tag may have gone up after winning the American League Most Valuable Player award for the 2009 season. Howard hit .277 with 47 home runs, 132 RBI, and 126 runs in 154 games for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays this season, power numbers big enough to win the MVP. While the Devil Rays fell short in their bid for a third straight World Series title, the team saw its players recognized frequently in the award season. Three players won Gold Glove awards, Cliff Pennington won Rookie of the Year, Dan Haren won the Cy Young, and now Howard has won the MVP.

10-19-2009, 03:25 PM	#638 (permalink)
Moriarty9 All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,855 Thanks: 9 Thanked 3x in 3 posts	Rays, Braves do hot corner swap Atkins, catching prospect dealt for Buscher December 12, 2009 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Atlanta Braves swapped thirdbasemen today that locals hope will pay dividends in 2010. The Devil Rays acquired Garret Atkins and minor league catcher Tony Mendez from the Braves for Brian Buscher. Buscher hit .343 with three home runs and 28 RBI over 268 at bats last season with Tampa Bay while playing each infield position and even a couple innings in left field. He went just 2-for-10 in the playoffs with three strikeouts and was set to compete for the starting job this spring. Now he will do so with Omar Infante and others in Atlanta. Atkins becomes the front-runner in the Devil Rays competition. He hit .268 with 12 home runs and 55 RBI in 154 games with the Braves and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim last season. Neither player makes much money, but Atkins is owed roughly $100,000 more in 2010 than Buscher. Mendez, 23, is a strong defensive catcher from Chile. He went 1-for-6 with a two-run double for the Braves this season after hitting .298 with two home runs and 18 RBI in 191 at bats with a low-level Atlanta farm team. He was an 11th round draft pick by the Braves in 2008.

10-19-2009, 03:30 PM	#639 (permalink)
Moriarty9 All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,855 Thanks: 9 Thanked 3x in 3 posts	Mueller added to the mix Devil Rays add another thirdbaseman December 21, 2009 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays today agreed to terms on a one-year deal worth $1.7 million with veteran third baseman Bill Mueller. Mueller, 38, hit .261 with 12 home runs and 44 RBI, scoring 71 runs in 132 games with the Oakland Athletics last season. He is a career .277 hitter who has played with the San Francisco Giants (1996-1999), Cincinnati Reds (2000), Chicago Cubs (2000-2002), Texas Rangers (2003), Boston Red Sox (2005-2006), Detroit Tigers (2006), Cleveland Indians (2007), Houston Astros (2007-2008), and A's. Mueller will compete with Garret Atkins and Alex Gordon for the starting job at third base with the Devil Rays in 2010.

10-19-2009, 03:42 PM	#640 (permalink)
Moriarty9 All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,855 Thanks: 9 Thanked 3x in 3 posts	Howard signs with Cubs AL MVP pledges to help break curse January 13, 2010 CHICAGO — Ryan Howard already has a couple World Series rings, now he hopes to win another and break a curse with the Cubs. Howard signed a six-year deal with Chicago today that includes a player option for a seventh season in 2016. That option is worth $23.17 million. He will be paid $18.95 million in 2010 and will see increases every year until the final year of the guaranteed portion of the contract, 2015, tops out at $22.47 million. The contract is significantly less than what Howard had been demanding at the start of free agency, then commanding roughly $30 million annually. Without many suitors at that hefty price tag, Howard found himself negotiating at a lower rate. Howard hit .277 with 47 home runs and 132 RBI with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays last season. He is a career .301 hitter with 285 home runs and 780 RBI in seven seasons. Winner of the American League Most Valuable Player award this past season, Howard had expressed interest in remaining at Tampa Bay and offered a hometown discount of a multi-year deal worth $25 million annually. The Devil Rays balked at the offer and told Howard and cleanup hitter Matt Holliday the best the cash-strapped organization could do for either was a one-year deal between $18 and 20 million with the hopes of finding funds for a more lucrative deal in the future. Holliday signed on at $19.95 million, with a $5 million bonus if he can win the MVP, which left Howard on the outs.