Expansion Revision: 1998 Devil Rays and beyond

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Devil Rays gear up for 2010
Fewer big names but just as much optimism
April 4, 2010

BALTIMORE — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays will open up the 2010 season tomorrow against the Orioles and while there have been a number of changes to the roster since winning 111 games last summer, the team is hopeful they can go further into the playoffs than last fall.

Christian O'Neal, in the final year of his current contract, has a .596 career winning percentage during his 12-year career, winning 1,159 games, making the playoffs 10 times, winning the American League East eight times, claiming four American League pennants, and winning four World Series championships. Now the 52-year-old manager will have to adapt from a roster filled with All Stars to a club that has a number of players without the same level of popularity.

"Pitching is the name of the game and that's what we have here," O'Neal said. "We have a lot of pitching depth in the rotation and in the bullpen."

The pitching staff is led by Danny Haren, who won his second straight Cy Young award last season. Haren went 17-4 with a 3.22 ERA in 31 starts last season, and is slated as the club's Opening Day starter.

"We're really confident with Danny out on the mound, and he's shown that we have plenty of reason to be confident with him out there," said O'Neal. "He's got 38 wins in the last two seasons, so its awful difficult to think of anyone better to head up the rotation. The awards help out too."

Felix Hernandez will start the year as the second man in the rotation after putting together his best season in a Devil Rays uniform. Hernandez, 23, went 16-6 with a 3.29 ERA in 32 starts.

Pedro Martinez will be the third starter in the rotation, a spot the six-time Cy Young winner is unfamiliar with. The 38-year-old future Hall of Famer is in the final year of his contract and is hoping to follow up on a strong 2009 season, in which he went 14-4 with a 3.65 ERA in 29 starts.

Coming off a fractured elbow, right-hander Zack Greinke returns to the Devil Rays rotation in hopes of picking up where he left off in 2009. Greinke was 10-0 with a 3.44 ERA before suffering his season-ending injury.

"Zack didn't get a full spring training in, and he's coming off a big injury, so we're going to be slow and cautious with him for a little bit until we see how he responds," said O'Neal. "We have the depth to ease him back into things, so that's what we're going to do."

Rounding out the rotation to open the season will be left-hander Jon Lester, who replaced Greinke in the rotation last season. Lester went 10-7 with a 4.53 ERA in 37 games, making 16 starts. He was strong once he joined the rotation, going 7-1 with a 3.84 ERA in 12 starts. In the postseason, he posted a 2.08 ERA in 13 innings.

Though he had a productive season of his own, John Lackey will open the season as the long reliever and spot starter. Lackey went 13-10 with a 4.74 ERA in 28 starts last season.

"John's a professional and understands how these things work," O'Neal said. "He'll get his time out on the mound, and he'll get some starts in, and who knows what will happen as the season progresses."

Jonathan Papelbon enters his third season as Tampa Bay closer. Papelbon went 7-3 with 39 saves and a 2.74 ERA in 61 appearances last season.

"Paps has been stellar at the end of the game," said O'Neal. "We know that if we have the lead going into the ninth inning, we can hand the ball to him and within a few minutes that we're going to come away with a win."

Bridging the gap from the starters and Papelbon will be southpaws Brian Fuentes (1-1, 4.22 ERA, 14 games in 2009) and Craig Breslow (9-2, 3 saves, 3.03 ERA, 64 games), and right-handed relievers Manny Delcarmen (6-4, 6 saves, 3.58 ERA, 58 games), David Aardsma (2-1, 2 saves, 4.32 ERA, 43 games), and Jesse Crain (0-2, 1 save, 3.69 ERA, 21 games).

The offense doesn't have the same big names as last season, but O'Neal is confident they can do the job.

John Baker was a big surprise in baseball last season, especially once he was dealt to the Devil Rays from the Seattle Mariners. Baker, 28, hit .314 with 20 home runs and 90 RBI in 140 games. Backing up Baker is Gerald Laird, who hit .310 with three home runs with 17 RBI in 142 at bats.

Ryan Howard won the MVP award last season, but has since joined the Chicago Cubs as a free agent. Aubrey Huff will take over as the regular firstbaseman in his absence. Huff hit .336 with 41 doubles, 25 home runs, 103 RBI, and 91 runs scored in 150 games.

"Aubrey has been so valuable to this team with his offense, his defense, his flexibility in the field to play wherever we need him," said O'Neal. "Hopefully it'll help him out even more to have a position to play consistently."

Rookie infielder Emilio Bonifacio battled with Brendan Harris throughout the spring and will open the season as the starting second baseman. Bonifacio, a 24-year-old switch-hitter, is 6-for-17 with three RBI and five runs scored in his big league career. In 115 games in AAA last season, Bonifacio hit .276 with seven home runs, 37 RBI, and 64 runs in 115 games. Harris will share time with Bonifacio at second base and spell Cliff Pennington at shortstop. The 29-year-old hit .246 with eight home runs, 46 RBI, and 56 runs scored in 366 at bats last season.

Pennington, winner of the 2009 Rookie of the Year award, hit .261 with 16 home runs and 72 RBI with 98 runs scored and 26 stolen bases in 152 games. He will be the team's starting shortstop, a role he had to open the 2009 season before being shifted to second base.

With Huff playing first base, Brian Buscher traded to the Atlanta Braves, and Alex Gordon out for the season with a ruptured disc in his back, the team was faced with a decision between Bill Mueller and Garrett Atkins for third base. Mueller, 39, is a switch-hitter who hit .261 with 12 home runs, 44 RBI, and 71 runs scored in 132 games with the Oakland Athletics last season. He won out the starting job over Atkins, who hit .268 with 12 home runs, 55 RBI, and 51 runs scored in 154 games with the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Last year's outfield was a strong one, as evident by the three Gold Gloves awarded between Matt Holliday, Lastings Milledge, and Josh Hamilton. Holliday is back in the fold and will move up one spot in the batting order to the coveted number three position. Holliday hit .340 with 26 home runs and 124 RBI with 118 runs scored and 21 stolen bases in 156 games. Holliday will see a lot of time as the club's designated hitter, but will also see time in left field.

Hamilton is back as well after hitting .280 with 26 homers and 114 RBI, scoring 99 runs and swiping 25 bags in 150 games.

Milledge will open the year on the disabled list, just where he ended the 2009 season. Helping fill in will be Ryan Freel, a free agent acquisition who hit .275 with six home runs and 49 RBI with 54 runs scored in 121 games with the World Series champion Kansas City Royals last season. Freel can play infield and outfield, and will open the year as the regular left fielder and leadoff hitter.

Ben Francisco played in just 89 games last season, but hit .241 with 14 home runs and 50 RBI for Tampa Bay.

The extra outfielder will be Rick Ankiel, who will also be used as an extra arm out of the bullpen. Ankiel came up with the Detroit Tigers as a starting pitcher in 1998 and owns a career record of 36-50 with 15 saves and a 4.57 ERA in 358 games, including 113 starts. He last pitched in 2006 with the Colorado Rockies, going 4-1 with nine saves and a 2.96 ERA in 60 games before spending more time in the outfield. He hit .274 with 10 home runs and 46 RBI in 387 at bats with the Rockies and Cincinnati Reds in 2007, and struggled with the Florida Marlins in 2008. He spent last season in Florida's minor league system.

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Devil Rays open year with win
Eveland's start wasted by Cordero in 3-2 O's loss
April 5, 2010

BALTIMORE — The Orioles and Tampa Bay Devil Rays opened up the season with a fine pitchers' duel between Dan Haren and Dana Eveland at Camden Yards this afternoon.

Tampa Bay won the game, 3-2, putting up a pair of runs in the eighth inning off reliever Francisco Cordero.

Working with a 2-1 lead in the eighth, Cordero was quickly in trouble as Devil Rays leftfielder Ryan Freel opened the inning with a double. Cliff Pennington followed with a base hit, advancing Freel to third base as the potential tying run. After a Matt Holliday flyball out, Josh Hamilton singled up the middle, scoring Freel to tie the game and putting the go-ahead run at third base in Pennington. Aubrey Huff was walked on four pitches, loading the bases with nobody out in a tie game. Cordero worked the corners with Ben Francisco at the plate and ultimately walked him, pushing Pennington across the plate to give Tampa Bay a 3-2 lead.

Cordero was charged with a blown save opportunity and the loss, giving up two runs on three hits and two walks in 1 1/3 innings of relief. Eveland did not factor in the decision for Baltimore, though he allowed just one run on four hits and three walks in six innings. Eveland struck out four and threw 103 pitches.

Haren stuck around just long enough to get the win for Tampa Bay. He allowed two runs on six hits and two walks, striking out seven batters in seven innings of work. Southpaw reliever Brian Fuentes worked to the lefty-heavy lineup in the eighth inning and Jonathan Papelbon struck out three in the ninth inning to record his first save of the year.

Hamilton went 3-for-4 with a RBI for the Devil Rays with Pennington and Freel picking up a pair of hits each. Freel, in his first game with Tampa Bay, also walked once, hit two doubles, and scored twice. Hamilton, Freel, and Pennington combined for all of Tampa Bay's hits.

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Baltimore's Blackburn bombarded
Devil Rays soak Orioles pitching in wet one, 14-2
April 7, 2010

BALTIMORE — Nick Blackburn and the Orioles probably wish the rain came a little earlier and lasted all night long as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays cruised to a 14-2 win at Camden Yards.

Blackburn was pounded for seven runs, six earned, on seven hits in just 1 1/3 innings in his first start of the season. Latroy Hawkins gave up two runs in 2 2/3 innings of relief, Darren O'Day gave up three runs, two earned, in 1 1/3 innings, and Jeremy Affeldt was hit for two runs in 2 2/3 innings. Zach McClellan was the only Baltimore pitcher with any success, working a scoreless fifth inning.

Felix Hernandez was well on his way to picking up his first win of the season when the skies really opened up and the game was halted for 52 minutes. Hernandez allowed one run on one hit and one walk in four innings, just one inning short of what he would've need to earn the win. John Lackey picked up the win in relief, pitching five innings in which he allowed one run on two hits and a walk, striking out six Baltimore batters.

"Everything clicked for us tonight," said Devil Rays manager Christian O'Neal. "Felix and John pitched really, really well, the defense played very well in some less than ideal conditions out there, and the offense was locked in from the start."

Tampa Bay batters collected 14 runs on 16 hits and three walks. Ryan Freel is off to fantastic start to his Devil Rays career, albeit the season is just two games old. Freel had four hits, including two doubles, with two runs scored and two runs driven in. Cliff Pennington went 4-for-5 with a double and a two-run home run off Hawkins in the third inning. Pennington scored four times and knocked in four runs. Matt Holliday had a solid game, going 3-for-5 with a walk, a double, a two-run homer off Blackburn, one run scored, and three RBI. Emilio Bonifacio had two hits, two runs, and two RBI out of the last spot in the order.

In all, the Devil Rays eight extra-base hits, including six doubles. Freel has hit four doubles in two games, and is 6-for-10 thus far. Pennington is 6-for-9 with a home run and five RBI.

Mike Jacobs, who proved a thorn in Tampa Bay's side last season, had two of Baltimore's three hits, and hit a solo homer off Hernandez in the second inning.

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Orioles avoid sweep
Pedro unable to outpitch Young
April 8, 2010

BALTIMORE — Chris Young and the Orioles managed avoid a sweep in their season-opening three-game series with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays by winning today's finale, 4-2, at Camden Yards.

Young held the Orioles to two runs on five hits and a pair of walks while striking out nine in 6 2/3 innings. Francisco Cordero worked 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief and Joakim Soria threw a scoreless ninth to record his first save of the year.

Pedro Martinez pitched well, though he appeared to tire as early as the fifth inning. He threw 94 pitches in the game, 64 for strikes, but his fastballs were well hit. Martinez allowed three runs on 10 hits and a walk, striking out five in six innings. Left-handed reliever Craig Breslow gave up a solo home run to Stephen Drew in the seventh inning.

Drew went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI, while Orioles DH Mike Sweeney and leftfielder Jon Huber had three hits each for Baltimore. Mike Jacobs hit his second homer of the season, a solo blast off Martinez in the fourth inning.

John Baker and Rick Ankiel had two hits each for the Devil Rays with Josh Hamilton and Aubrey Huff each hitting a solo home run to account for the Tampa Bay runs. Emilio Bonifacio and Cliff Pennington accounted for the rest of the Devil Rays offense.

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Jays top Rays at Rogers Centre
Greinke struggles in 'final spring training' start
April 9, 2010

TORONTO — Zack Greinke missed the final two months of the 2009 season and got a late start in spring training, but he won't use that as an excuse for a tough outing at the Rogers Centre tonight.

"I didn't do my job, and that's all there is to it," said Greinke after the Tampa Bay Devil Rays lost, 5-4, to the Toronto Blue Jays. "It doesn't matter when I last threw or how much I was able to throw this spring. I'm in the rotation and I need to do my job. This is just a little extra motivation for next time out, to prove myself all over again."

Greinke was hit for five runs on eight hits and three walks in six innings in the loss. His manager, Christian O'Neal, was a bit more forgiving than the pitcher was himself.

"To me, this was kind of Zack's final spring training start because he didn't get the amount of time and work in that everyone else did because of the injury rehab," O'Neal said. "I know he's frustrated, and I'm glad he's frustrated, but he's coming off a serious injury and getting back into the groove of things takes time."

Edgar Gonzalez pitched for Toronto and got the win, allowing three runs on five hits and three walks in 6 1/3 innings.

Ryan Freel and Emilio Bonifacio had two hits each for Tampa Bay. Freel went 2-for-4 with a walk, a triple, one RBI, two runs scored, and two stolen bases. Bonifacio also swiped two bags while going 2-for-2 with a triple, two walks, and two runs scored. Cliff Pennington went 1-for-4 with a two-run double in the fifth inning. He now has seven RBI in four games this year.

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Hernandez gets extension
Pitcher will forgo final year of arbitration
April 12, 2010

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Felix Hernandez will avoid arbitration this off-season and has a little bit of security going forward after signing a four-year contract worth $54.25 million.

Hernandez, who is making $7.26 million in 2010, will earn $13.5 million in 2011 as the first year of the deal, will make $13 million in 2012, $13.75 million in 2013, and $14 million in 2014, the final year on the contract extension. He will earn a $50,000 bonus if he wins the Cy Young award at any time.

The 24-year-old Hernandez, who threw only four innings in his first start of the season before being pulled because of back spasms, went 16-6 with a 3.29 ERA in 32 starts last season with a 1.13 WHIP and .217 opponents average against. In his seventh season in the big leagues, his fifth with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, went 71-46 with a 3.91 ERA in 170 starts.

Hernandez has been impressive in the post-season with Tampa Bay the last four seasons, even though his win-loss record has not. In eight starts, Hernandez is just 4-3, but with a couple of tough-luck losses as he has posted a 1.71 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and .209 average against in 52 2/3 innings of work in the playoffs.

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Career over for Hernandez
Devil Rays 'stunned' to lose young star
May 6, 2010

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Less than one month after signing a four-year contract extension, Tampa Bay Devil Rays All Star pitcher Felix Hernandez appears to have thrown his last pitch.

Hernandez tore back muslces during last night's start against the New York Yankees at Tropicana Field. The initial belief is that the 24-year-old's career is over.

"We're stunned, we really are," said Devil Rays manager Christian O'Neal. "It hasn't really sunk in just yet."

Hernandez fell to the ground in the sixth inning of the game, which Tampa Bay won 3-1, on his 84th pitch of the night. The crowd fell silent as medical personnel treated Hernandez on the carpet of the domed stadium before he was carted off.

Hernandez signed a four-year extension worth $54.25 million on April 12, just a few days after he turned 24-years-old. He earned the extension after going 16-6 with a 3.29 ERA in 32 starts last season.

In six starts this year, Hernandez went 4-1 with a 3.11 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and .204 opponents average against.

Hernandez had left his first start of the season, April 7 in Baltimore, in the fifth inning with back spasms. He returned to the mound on April 13 at home and pitched well and without pain or discomfort. He has experienced some tightness in games since, but nobody expected Hernandez to suffer such a devastating injury. It is unclear at this time if the previous back spasms have any connection to this back injury.

O'Neal said he has not yet spoken with the coaching staff and the front office regarding how to replace Hernandez in the rotation and on the roster.

"It really isn't a big thought for me just yet," the manager said. "I'm thinking more about Felix and his family, and how this will affect them and even the other players on the team to lose such a good guy to something like this. It's a real kick in the stomach to watch a guy with so much ability, such a young guy who has already done so much, and see him struck down before he even got to the prime of his career."

Right-hander John Lackey is expected to take Hernandez's spot in the pitching rotation while AAA left-handed reliever David Price, whose big league experience consists of 11 innings with the Washington Nationals in 2008, is a strong possibility to join the bullpen.

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As of late, my internet has conspired against this dynasty as I would write up a story and in the process would lose my connection just before posting it. As a result, I'd lose the story and have the option of re-writing the story or throwing my hands up in the air and forgetting about it.
As a result, I'm just posting the details of the new Matt Holliday contract extension.

Holliday inks new contract
Signs through 2014, team option for 2015
May 12, 2010

2010 (current contract) — $19.95 M
2011 — $26.18 M
2012 — $26.45 M
2013 — $25 M
2014 — $26.9 M
2015 (team option) — $28 M

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Martinez bouncing back?
Veteran has two straight solid starts
May 19, 2010

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — After starting the year with a 1-5 record and 9.68 ERA in six starts, Pedro Martinez appears to be working his way back to normalcy.

Martinez led the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to a 6-2 win over the Chicago White Sox at Tropicana Field last night, turning in a strong performance after a quality outing in his last start as well.

"We know he's getting older but he's as smart as ever, still has great talent, and knows how to get the job done," said Devil Rays manager Christian O'Neal. "We're confident he'll be fine."

After an awful start to the year, Martinez has won his last two starts, holding opponents to a 2.52 ERA over those starts. Martinez allowed four runs on 13 hits and five walks in 14 1/3 innings during his last two starts. He has only struck out five, however, but has dropped his season ERA by more than two full runs.

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Holliday lost for season
Catches line drive with cheekbone
June 6, 2010

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays have not had an easy season, and it won't be any easier now that Matt Holliday has been lost for the year.

Holliday fractured his cheekbone when he was chasing down a linedrive at Tropicana Field, slipped and the ball struck him in the face.

The injury is a big one for the Devil Rays, who are currently 29-28, five games back in the American League East, three back in the Wild Card standings.

Holliday's season comes to an end with a .290 average, 11 home runs, 43 RBI, and 39 runs scored in 56 games. He was on pace for 31 homers, 122 RBI, 111 runs, and 26 stolen bases.

Tampa Bay has called up Juan Encarnacion from AAA to fill Holliday's roster spot. Encarnacion, 34, was hitting .256 with seven home runs and 26 RBI in 59 games in AAA. A career .257 hitter, Encarnacion has played with the Detroit Tigers (1997-2003), Kansas City Royals (2005), Pittsburgh Pirates (2006-2007), and Seattle Mariners (2007-2009). He hit .217 with seven RBI in 46 at bats with the Mariners last season after hitting .270 with 10 homers and 49 RBI in 296 at bats with Seattle in 2008.

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Corona made Rays top pick
Amateur draft brings promise for the future
June 15, 2010

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays and teams around the league added depth to their farm systems today in baseball's annual amateur draft.

The Devil Rays used their first pick of the draft, the 17th overall selection as awarded to the franchise when the Chicago Cubs signed Ryan Howard as a free agent, to select Ramon Corona, an 18-year-old middle infielder from Puerto Rico. Tampa Bay's scouting director Dan Plesac said Corona has a "sky high ceiling" with "plus-plus contact ... a pure hitter with an amazing approach to each at-bat." Plesac projects Corona as one day hitting up to 15 home runs in a season with average speed and defensively ability.

With the final pick of the first round, the Devil Rays went local by selecting 18-year-old catcher Shane McKenzie from Jacksonville, Florida. Plesac said McKenzie has "superstar potential" and billed him as an "elite hitter, a player with a sweet swing." He's an average defensive catcher, but Plesac projects him as a future clean-up hitter with great power potential.

In the second round, Tampa Bay tabbed outfielder Ian Wolfe, 22, from Houston. Plesac said he Wolfe projects as an everyday corner outfielder with fantastic gap power and very good power potential. He is not a strong outfielder defensively, and some scouts around the league believe Wolfe will eventually have to convert to a firstbaseman or make it as a DH.

Alfonso Gonzales, an 18-year-old Colombian right-hander, was the first pitcher taken in the draft by the Devil Rays, picked up in the third round. Plesac said Gonzales is one of the best pitchers Tampa Bay has drafted in the last few years, citing his "top-notch movement" and fine control.

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Pedro was good until he wasn't
Strong outing ruined by disastrous sixth inning
June 20, 2010

PHILADELPHIA — Pedro Martinez was poised for an impressive win, but he hit a wall in the sixth inning, and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays had to fight back to regain the lead and come away with a 9-7 win over the Phillies.

Martinez went into the bottom of the sixth inning with a 3-1 lead, but left it trailing 7-3.

"It was a tough inning, obviously, but fortunately we were able to bounce back and come away with a win," said Devil Rays manager Christian O'Neal. "We'll have to look at the numbers and re-evaluate where exactly Pedro is tending to get tired or get hit, and adjust from there."

Martinez opened the sixth inning by walking Marco Scutaro, which was followed by a game-tying home run by Nick Markakis. Despite the bump in the road, Martinez responded with a pop-up to second base and a strikeout of Cameron Maybin.

"To that point, I really wasn't concerned about Pedro at all out there," O'Neal said. "Walks happen here and there, and Markakis is a good hitter who can drive a ball out of the park at any time. So he made a mistake, Philly took advantage of it, and he came back and got the next two guys, striking out a good hitter. So, I wasn't even thinking about getting anyone up in the bullpen really."

After securing the second out of the inning, Martinez took on Brian Roberts. Roberts worked the count full before singling through the right side of the infield, putting the go-ahead run on base. Fernando Perez came to the plate and, after following off three straight two-strike pitches, hit a flyball that just barely got over the glove of jumping rightfielder Josh Hamilton for a two-run home run. Brandon Fahey followed with a single and Ryan Braun hit a two-run homer, the third such home run of the inning.

"It really happened pretty quick, and we got guys up in the bullpen, but they didn't have enough time to get loose, get warmed up," said O'Neal. "Home runs can cause damage really quickly and are not necessarily a good barometer for whether a guy is performing well, in my mind, because it can be one mistake that can do it."

Martinez finished the night with seven runs on eight hits and four walks in six innings. He avoided taking the loss as Tampa Bay picked up four runs in the seventh inning to tie the game, and two more in the eighth inning.

Hamilton hit a pair of solo home runs for the Devil Rays, bringing his season total to 15 with 54 RBI.

Ben Francisco had a big game for Tampa Bay, going 3-for-5 with a double and a three-run home run, scoring one run and driving in six.

Rick Ankiel worked 1 1/3 perfect innings in relief, helping to bridge the gap for closer Jonathan Papelbon and his 11th save of the year. Ankiel went 0-for-1 at the plate.

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Wild (Throw) Walk-off Win
Encarnacion scampers home on overthrow
June 25, 2010

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Juan Encarnacion entered the game as a pinch-runner in the bottom of the ninth inning, and came across home plate when a throw to throw him out at third base sailed into the outfield.

Rick Ankiel led off the ninth inning with a single off Atlanta Braves reliever Jonathan Broxton, and was replaced by Encarnacion on the bases. Encarnacion quickly used his speed, stealing second base off Broxton and catcher Dioner Navarro. With first base now open, the Braves decided to intentionally walk Ryan Freel, setting up force outs at first, second, and third bases. The Devil Rays went for a double-steal and Navarro threw down to third base, but his throw sailed into left field, allowing Encarnacion to score the game-winning run.

Broxton took the loss, giving up one run without recording a single out. He falls to 1-3 with a 4.80 ERA on the year as a result.

Manny Delcarmen got the win in relief for Tampa Bay after two-thirds of an inning in relief. He is now 3-1 with a 1.76 ERA.

Both starting pitchers did well, but neither factored in the decision. Hiroki Kuroda gave up three runs, two earned, on six hits and two walks with three strikeouts in seven innings. Burke Badenhop, who was hit hard in his first big league start last week, was much better this time around. Badenhop allowed three runs, one earned, on five hits and one walk with seven strikeouts in seven innings.

Lastings Milledge went 2-for3 with a walk, a double, a run, and two RBI. Ankiel went 2-for-4.

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Encarnacion error loses game
Braves win in 13 innings on dropped fly ball
June 26, 2010

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Atlanta Braves were locked in a very exciting game for 13 innings this afternoon, with the end coming on a dropped fly ball that would have retired the side.

David Aardsma took the mound for Tampa Bay in the 13th inning with the game tied at five runs apiece. Aardsma gave up a leadoff single to Charles Thomas but retired the next two batters on routine fly ball outs to left field. One out away from getting out of the inning, Aardsma walked Augie Ojeda, putting the go-ahead run in scoring position with two outs and Dioner Navarro due at the plate.

Navarro was the goat in last night's game when he overthrew third base to allow Juan Encarnacion to score the game-winning run. An ironic sort of revenge came this afternoon. Navarro hit an 0-1 fastball weakly into right field for what appeared to be a sure out, but the ball bounced off the heel of Encarnacion's glove and dropped to the turf as Thomas hustled home with the go-ahead run. Carlos Gomez followed with another routine fly ball to right field, this one caught by Encarnacion.

Aardsma took the loss, falling to 1-1 on the year. Joel Zumaya got the win in relief for Atlanta, improving to 4-0 with a 3.10 ERA after three scoreless innings of work.

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Mueller to Twins for Lopez
Devil Rays make five-player deal with Twins
July 10, 2010

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Sitting at 44-43, just 4.5 games back in the division and 3.5 back in the Wild Card, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays today made a trade they hope will help this year and down the road.

Tampa Bay dealt third baseman Bill Mueller and two minor league pitchers to the Minnesota Twins for first baseman Jose Lopez, a minor league infielder, and cash.

Mueller, 39, hit .290 with no home runs and 33 RBI with 47 runs scored in 78 games for the Devil Rays. A career .278 hitter, the Twins will become the 10th big league team of his 14-year-career.

Lopez, the key player in return from Minnesota, is a 26-year-old right-handed hitter that has spent time at both first base and second base for the Twins this season. In 176 at bats in 2010, Lopez has hit .307 with six home runs and 26 RBI. A career .284 hitter, Lopez played with the New York Yankees from 2003-2009, and played in 77 games with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2009. He is primarily a first baseman, starting 26 games there and playing 233 2/3 innings at the position this season, as opposed to 12 starts and 113 1/3 innings at second base this year.

Lopez is expected to split time with Garrett Atkins in the lineup, though Tampa Bay manager Christian O'Neal has not indicated if Aubrey Huff will move back to third base on a regular basis with Atkins and Lopez splitting time at first base, or if some other arrangement will be made.

The Devil Rays also acquired 19-year-old third baseman Caleb Bauer. He was drafted in the fourth round of the 2008 draft by the Twins and was an All Star with Minnesota's A-ball affiliate this year. In 85 games with Minnesota's A-ball team this year, Bauer hit .308 with six home runs and 33 RBI, scoring 41 times. He is hitting .438 (7-for-16) since being promoted to AA.

The minor league pitchers heading to the Twins are 33-year-old Juan Pena and 22-year-old Wendell Greer.

Pena is a five-time All Star in the minor leagues who has not pitched above the AA level. He was a sixth-round draft pick of the San Francisco Giants in 1998, and has been with the Devil Rays organization since 2005. He is 82-89 with a 3.84 ERA in his minor league career. Pena is 6-6 with a 2.87 ERA in 15 minor league starts this season.

Greer was a fifth round pick by Tampa Bay in the 2008 draft and was named to an All Star team in the low A-ball league this summer. He has pitched in both A-ball divisions and in AA this year, combining for a 10-4 record with a 1.46 ERA in 17 starts.

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Rays rally for walk-off win
Team enters All Star break on positive note
July 11, 2010

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Jon Lester got the start, but Pedro Martinez got the win as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays put together a rally off of New York Yankees closer Tim Spooneybarger to finish the first half of the season with a 3-2 win.

Trailing 2-1 as Spooneybarger took the mound in the bottom of the ninth inning to pick up a save, the Devil Rays fought back and came up big. Gerald Laird greeted Spooneybarger by belting a 0-1 fastball 375-feet to left-center for a game-tying home run. After a Cliff Pennington flyball out to left field, Ryan Freel tripled to left-center field, putting the winning run on third base with two outs. The Yankees opted to intentionally walk Lastings Milledge, setting up a possible double play with the left-handed Josh Hamilton coming to the plate. Hamilton went after the first pitch offered, hitting a fly ball to centerfield that allowed the speedy Freel to tag up and score the game-winning run from third base.

Spooneybarger took the loss, falling to 1-2 with his third blown save of the season. It was a wasted start for Jim Parque, who held Tampa Bay to one run on five hits and five walks in 6 2/3 innings.

Jon Lester avoided a tough loss after giving up two runs on five hits and two walks in six innings of work. Left-handed reliever David Price pitched 1 2/3 innings of scoreless ball before Pedro Martinez made his first relief appearance of the year, working 1 1/3 innings of perfect ball. As the pitcher of record when Freel came home with the winning run, Martinez improves to 5-9 on the season and lowered his bloated ERA to 6.63.

"Pedro was brought in because a lot of our relievers have had a lot of work lately, we wanted a right-hander in there after Price pitched, and we have the [All Star] break now, so it gets him a little work heading into the break," said Devil Rays manager Christian O'Neal.

Tampa Bay enters the All Star break with a 46-43 record, good for second place in the American League East where they trail the Toronto Blue Jays by 3.5 games. The Devil Rays are tied with the Chicago White Sox for second in the Wild Card race, 2.5 games behind the Minnesota Twins.

The Devil Rays players and coaching staff will have the next few days off as Major League Baseball celebrates the All Star Game. The coaching staff usually takes part in the exhibition game as the club has been a fixture in the World Series the last several seasons. This year's representatives are pitcher John Lackey and outfielder Josh Hamilton.

Lackey is 6-2 with a 3.44 ERA while Hamilton is hitting .303 with 18 home runs and 62 RBI.

[Moriarty9]

Devil Rays look for better half
Tampa Bay stuck in second place at break
July 15, 2010

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays will open up the second half of the season tomorrow on the road, and manager Christian O'Neal is confident his team can gain some ground as the club evolves.

The Devil Rays are 3 1/2 games back in the American League East and 2 1/2 games behind in the Wild Card standings. The club has won three straight and is 7-3 in July so far.

The team has had to deal with the loss of Matt Holliday for the season, and 24-year-old pitching star Felix Hernandez was forced into pre-mature retirement with a career-ending injury. Coupled with the loss of slugger Ryan Howard as a free agent, and other minor moves, the Devil Rays have changed quite a bit since winning the division last season.

John Lackey, the lone member of last year's starting rotation not to make the All Star team, has been the club's ace this year, and was the only pitcher named to the American League squad this time around, even after starting the year in the bullpen. Lackey is 6-2 with one save and a 3.44 ERA in 20 games, 13 starts, for the Devil Rays with a WHIP of 1.08 and an opponents batting average of .229.

Danny Haren's bid for a third straight Cy Young award got off to a rocky start, but he has improved as the year has progressed. Haren is now 6-4 with a 4.13 ERA in 16 starts, and will open up the second half tomorrow night against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Zack Greinke went 10-0 before an injury derailed his season last July, but has not faired so well this year. Greinke is 4-9 with a 4.39 ERA in 17 starts.

Jon Lester has been one of the better Tampa Bay pitchers, going 7-3 with a 4.93 ERA in 16 starts.

Pedro Martinez went 14-4 last year, but is having the worst season of his illustrious career. Martinez is 5-9 with a 6.63 ERA in 18 games so far with opponents hitting .322 against him. The 38-year-old has a lot of work ahead of him if he is to remotely salvage the season as he heads into free agency.

Jonathan Papelbon has pitched well when called upon, but his save opportunities have diminished as the team's successes has been fewer than normal. Papelbon is 3-3 with 12 saves and a 2.02 ERA in 33 games, posting a 0.75 WHIP and .183 opponents average against.

Manny Delcarmen has been stellar out of the bullpen, going 4-1 with a save and a 1.41 ERA in 33 games. Craig Breslow has been good as the club's top left-handed reliever with a 1-1 record and 2.83 ERA in 34 outings. Rookie southpaw David Price has also been good, going 1-1 with a save and a 3.41 ERA in 23 games.

David Aardsma has been adequate, posting a 2-2 record, two saves and a 4.55 ERA in 30 games. Left-hander Brian Fuentes has struggled mightily, going 2-3 with five saves and a 6.08 ERA in 32 appearances. He has a 1.94 WHIP and .323 opponents average against.

Rick Ankiel has done some bullpen work as well, going 1-1 with a 8.62 ERA in 15 2/3 innings of work in nine appearances. He has done fine in limited time at the plate, hitting .306 with four RBI and four runs scored in 49 at bats.

John Baker and Gerald Laird have worked as a platoon this season. Baker has hit .255 with five home runs and 26 RBI in 59 games while Laird hit .266 with two homers and 18 RBI in 52 games.

Josh Hamilton has had an All Star season this year, hitting .303 with 18 home runs, 62 RBI, 63 runs scored, and nine stolen bases in 85 games. Aubrey Huff has been productive as well, hitting .275 with 17 home runs and 63 RBI in 85 games.

Ben Francisco has responded well inhis first season as a regular starting outfielder, hitting .296 with 12 home runs and 39 RBI with 45 runs scored. Lastings Milledge has had a lot of playing time, hitting .324 with three home runs and 25 RBI in 62 games.

The team's inexperienced middle infield has played well for much of the season. Last year's Rookie of the Year, Cliff Pennington, won't win a Gold Glove at shortstop, but is hitting fairly well. Pennington is hitting .274 with four home runs and 27 RBI with 35 runs scored and nine stolen bases in 81 games. Emilio Bonifacio doesn't quite qualify as a rookie after breaking in with Tampa Bay in 2008, but would be a candidate for Rookie of the Year if he qualified. Bonifacio is hitting .285 with eight home runs and 50 RBI in 75 games.

Ryan Freel got off to a great start (.337, 14 RBI, 25 runs in April) but has fallen off considerably since. He hit .225 in June and is hitting just .106 so far in July, putting his season numbers at .253 with three home runs, 37 RBI, 64 runs scored, and 27 stolen bases in 85 games.

Garrett Atkins has shown decent power when in the game, but has hit just .233 over 86 at bats. He does have five home runs and 20 RBI in those at bats though.

Jose Lopez was acquired from the Minnesota Twins for Bill Mueller just before the All Star break and is 2-for-8 since joining the Devil Rays. For the year, he is hitting .304 with six home runs and 26 RBI over 184 at bats.

Brendan Harris has taken a reduced role with the club, and has struggled without the consistent at bats and playing time. He's hit .185 with one home run, nine RBI, and 11 runs scored in 92 at bats this year.

[Moriarty9]

Fuentes to Tribe for prospect
Struggling lefty dealt by Devil Rays for Moseley
July 20, 2010

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Brian Fuentes hopes a change of scenery will do him good.

Fuentes, 34, was dealt by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to the Cleveland Indians today for minor league pitcher Dustin Moseley.

The left-handed reliever went 2-3 with five saves and a 6.39 ERA in 34 games with the Devil Rays this season. He went 1-1 with a 4.22 ERA in 14 games last year, in an injury-shortened season. He is 26-15 with a 3.27 ERA in 292 career appearances, all out of the bullpen.

Moseley, 28, made two starts with the Indians this season, going 0-1 with a 3.75 ERA in 12 innings. He is 10-3 with a 1.85 ERA in 18 minor league starts this season, including an 8-3 mark with a 2.01 ERA in AAA. He will be assigned to Tampa Bay's AAA affiliate.

Right-hander Ed Hughes, 23 of Gloucester, Mass., will be called up to take Fuentes' spot in the bullpen. Hughes went 0-2 with a 7.71 ERA in three games, two starts, with Tampa Bay last season.

[MorseMoose]

Originally Posted by Moriarty9

Atlanta and Minnesota battled back-and-forth in the World Series before the Braves won the deciding Game 7 to become champions.

Way late to this thread, but crazy!

[Moriarty9]

Lester throws four-hit shutout
Lefty bests Baltimore's young in pitchers' duel
July 23, 2010

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Jon Lester was on top of his game tonight, and he needed to be.

Lester led the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to a 2-0 win over the Baltimore Orioles at Tropicana Field tonight in a game where neither time could get a run across the plate until the eighth inning.

Lester, 8-3 with a 4.77 ERA, threw a four-hit shutout, walking two and striking out five for Tampa Bay against Baltimore starter Chris Young, who fell to 1-13 with a 6.39 ERA with the loss. Young pitched very well for the Orioles, something he has been unable to do at all this year. The tall right-hander held the Devil Rays to two runs on seven hits and two walks with six strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings.

Ben Francisco was the offensive hero, going 2-for-4 with a two-run single in the bottom of the eighth inning.

With the win, Tampa Bay is now 49-48 on the season, tied for second in the division, 4.5 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays.