Expansion Revision: 1998 Devil Rays and beyond

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Devil Rays sting Marlins
Burgess throws three-hit shutout, K's 10
June 24, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — William Burgess got plenty of run support, but he didn't need much as he held the Florida Marlins to three hits in a complete game shutout at Tropicana Field.

Burgess allowed no runs on three hits and one walk in nine innings, striking out 10 Florida batters, improving to 8-2 on the year.

"He looked good out there, and after a couple of extra-inning games the last two days, it was huge for him to go the distance," said Tampa Bay Devil Rays manager Christian O'Neal. "He really stepped up tonight, and every guy in this clubhouse knows it."

The Devil Rays lineup gave Burgess plenty of help, racking up 13 runs against four Florida hurlers. The scoring was highlighted by a pair of five-run innings, the sixth and eighth innings.

Mark DeRosa, batting ninth and playing right field, went 4-for-4 with three runs scored and three RBI, hitting the only home run in the game, a three-run shot off George Sherrill in the sixth inning.

Nomar Garciaparra had two hits, two runs scored, and two RBI, while Aubrey Huff had a three-run double off Clay Rapada in the eighth inning.

Emilio Bonifacio and Derrek Lee had two hits each for Tampa Bay.

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Rays, Padres make big swap
Holliday heads west, Gonzalez coming east
July 3, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays and San Diego Padres made a blockbuster trade today in which eight players will change uniforms.

The Padres acquired outfielder Matt Holliday, firstbaseman Derrek Lee, and pitchers Brian Wolfe and Zack Greinke from Tampa Bay in exchange for firstbaseman Adrian Gonzalez, reliever Carl Sadler, and minor leaguers Lawrence Jones and Danny Herrera. San Diego will also get roughly $3 million as part of the deal.

"We touched base with the Devil Rays about a trade centering around Adrian and Matt, and after some negotiations, we made a deal that works for both clubs," said San Diego GM Ed Wheelock.

The Padres are leading the National League West by three games over the Arizona Diamondbacks and are hoping the additions to their club will help pad that lead. Tampa Bay, on the other hand, is 13 games out in the American League East and adds some minor league talent while gaining two good big league players.

Gonzalez, 29, has been the most productive player this year of any of those involved in the trade. In 80 games with San Diego, Gonzalez hit .280 with 19 home runs and 57 RBI, putting him on pace to hit .281 with 37 homers, 111 RBI, and 119 runs scored. He hit .344 with 38 homers and 128 RBI for San Diego last year and is a career .311 hitter with 280 home runs. Gonzalez is a four-time All Star and winner of the 2007 AL MVP when he hit .358 with 48 home runs and 148 RBI for the Toronto Blue Jays. He is signed through 2015 and is owed $19.86 million this season. He will be paid $23.24 million in the final year of his current deal.

Sadler has been a valuable reliever for the Padres this year, and Tampa Bay manager Christian O'Neal said he believes the left-hander can be very valuable for the Devil Rays. In 45 1/3 innings over 37 appearances, Sadler has poted a 2-1 record, 2.78 ERA, .217 opponents average against, and 1.15 WHIP. The career National Leaguer went 6-4 with three saves and a 3.72 ERA in 70 games with San Diego last year and is 41-32 with 27 saves and a 3.15 ERA in 11 big league seasons with the Montreal Expos, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Padres. He is signed through next season at $4.5 million annually.

Jones is a 20-year-old outfielder drafted in the third round of the 2009 amateur draft. He has spent most of the year in AA this season, but has played in 12 games at the AAA level in 2011. In those 12 games, Jones has hit .275 with three RBI and five runs scored. He is not a power hitter and is best known for his speed.

Herrera is a 26-year-old lefty who has worked primarily as a closer in the minor leagues. He owns a 16-15 record with 51 saves and a 3.14 ERA in 155 career relief appearances in the minor leagues. This year, with San Diego's AAA affiliate, he has posted a 1-2 record with six saves and a 2.29 ERA in 15 games. He had seven saves in 14 games with the Padres' AA affiliate earlier in the season.

To get this talent, however, the Devil Rays gave up a lot — especially by dealing fan favorite Holliday.

Holliday, 31, is hitting .330 with 11 home runs and 45 RBI so far this season. Limited to 56 games last year with an injury, Holliday hit .290 with 11 homers and 43 RBI, coming off a 2009 in which he hit .340 with 26 home runs and 124 RBI in 156 games. He is signed through 2014 with a team option for the 2015 season at $28 million. He is owed $26.18 million this year.

By dealing Holliday, the Devil Rays gain some payroll flexibility this year and going forward while gaining a suitable replacement in the lineup in Gonzalez.

With Gonzalez coming in to play first base, Derrek Lee and his $2.55 million contract became expendable. Lee, 35, has shown power but has largely disappointed. In 79 games, Lee has hit .206 with eight home runs and 38 RBI, putting him on pace for 16 homers and 77 RBI in 551 at bats. He hit .262 with 21 homers and 76 RBI for the Diamondbacks last season and returns to where his career started. Lee came up with San Diego in 1997 and was with the club through the 2001 season, when he hit .266 with 21 home runs and 85 RBI.

Greinke has not been the same pitcher since fracturing his elbow during the 2009 season. At the time of that injury, he was 10-0 with a 3.44 ERA. In 2010, he rebounded from the injury with a 10-13 record, 4.44 ERA, and 1.52 WHIP. This season, he has worked in the bullpen and in the rotation, going 1-3 with a 6.98 ERA, 2.07 WHIP, and .329 opponents average against. His Devil Rays career ends with a 47-27 record and 3.91 ERA in 124 games, including 104 starts.

Wolfe, having impressed in AAA, was in his second stint of the year with the big league club when traded this morning. The 30-year-old rookie right-hander has a 2.53 ERA and 0.98 WHIP in 21 1/3 innings of work, allowing 17 hits, eight runs, six earned runs, four walks, and three home runs with 17 strikeouts. Wolfe is a native of Fullerton, California.

In San Diego, Holliday will take over in left field, putting Pat Burrell and Bernardo Chavez to the bench after platooning the first half of the year. Holliday will bat third.

Lee will take over for Gonzalez at first base and will hit sixth while Greinke joins the San Diego starting rotation and Wolfe becomes a member fo the Padres bullpen. Greinke, who was scheduled to start today for Tampa Bay, will likely start for the Padres if he can arrive in San Diego in time for tonight's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. With the Devil Rays in Arlington, Texas, Greinke should have no problem getting to California on time.

The Devil Rays lineup will now have Gonzalez in the number three slot, formerly held by Holliday. Aubrey Huff, who had spent time at first and third, as well as DH, will move between first and DH with thirdbaseman Alex Gordon returning to the big leagues. Gordon missed 2010 with an injury and has played in 44 games in AAA this year, hitting .262 with four home runs and 25 RBI.

Also joining the big league club will be Mike Pelfrey, who will take Greinke's spot in the rotation. Pelfrey went 12-1 with a 1.00 ERA in 16 starts in AAA, and will make his first big league start of the year tomorrow.

Tampa Bay will benefit from the return of outfielder Josh Hamilton next week. Hamilton was hitting .328 with nine home runs and 23 RBI through 33 games when he fractured his jaw.

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Lackey dealt for Quentin
Devil Rays add pop to lineup with deal
July 7, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — With John Lackey determined to enter the free agent market, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays decided to cut bait and trade the pitcher today.

Lackey was traded to the Houston Astros in exchange for outfielder Carlos Quentin.

Lackey, 32, is eligible to become a free agent for the first time in his career this off-season and had told the Tampa Bay front office he intended to test the market. The native Texan will now have to decide on looking for an extension with the Astros or testing the market over the winter. In 17 starts this year, Lackey has gone 7-6 with a 4.26 ERA, posting a 1.20 WHIP. He owns a career 80-51 record and 4.12 ERA in seven seasons with the Devil Rays. He started off strong, going 29-9 in his first two big league seasons, but has struggled to duplicate that success since. Lackey went 11-8 with a 3.56 ERA last season, his best performance as of late.

Lackey is owed more than $5.5 million this season, and is reportedly expecting $12-15 million annually in his next contract.

The Devil Rays could have let Lackey walk and possibly get a draft pick as compensation, but instead the club has acquired Quentin, a 28-year-old corner outfielder with some pop in his bat.

Quentin hit .260 with 14 home runs and 35 RBI in 59 games with Houston this season, putting him on a pace to hit 26 homers and 66 RBI in 111 games for the year. He hit .256 with 24 homers and 106 RBI in 144 games with the Boston Red Sox last season, and was traded to Houston in the off-season.

Quentin is owed more than $6.6 million this season and is arbitration eligible at the end of the season.

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2011 All Star Break

TEAM — 40-50, 15.5 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays in the division, 7.5 games behind the New York Yankees in the Wild Card

Danny Haren, RHP — Haren has struggled thus far, going 6-8 with a 4.71 ERA in 18 starts. He is on pace to go 11-14 in 32 starts, striking out 124 in 210 innings. Haren went 13-5 with a 3.67 ERA last season, 17-4 with a 3.22 ERA the year prior, and 21-5 with a 2.48 ERA in 2008.

William Burgess, RHP — Claimed off waivers on April 29, Burgess has gone 7-2 with a 2.25 ERA in 10 games, including eight starts. Counting his stats with the Pittsburgh Pirates this year, Burgess is on pace to go 16-5 with a 2.51 ERA in 25 games, 22 starts.

Jon Lester, LHP — Lester has been a big disappointment after going 12-9 with a 4.74 ERA last season and 10-7 with a 4.53 ERA in 2009. He is 4-8 with a hefty 6.62 ERA in 18 starts this year, on pace to go 7-14.

Burke Badenhop, RHP — Recently added to the starting rotation, the 28-year-old rookie (he pitched 21 innings last season, going 1-2 with a 4.29 ERA) is 1-4 with a 4.71 ERA in 42 innings over 16 appearances, including two starts.

Pedro Martinez, RHP — The 39-year-old has been inconsistent with a handful of terrible starts and a couple of solid ones. Overall, he has a 4-6 record with a bloated 6.29 ERA in 13 starts. He is currently on the disabled list with a knee injury.

Carl Sadler, LHP — Sadler was just acquired and has only thrown 4 1/3 innings — though he has not allowed a run, hit or walk — out of the bullpen so far for Tampa Bay. In 37 games with San Diego, he went 2-1 with a 2.78 ERA. He is on pace to go 4-2 with a 2.52 ERA in 72 outings.

Craig Breslow, LHP — Breslow has been his usual self. He is 3-3 with a pair of saves and a 3.29 ERA in 41 innings out of the bullpen.

David Price, LHP — Price has not been as effective as last year (3-2, 2 saves, 2.87 ERA) but has been adequate for the Devil Rays bullpen. In 33 1/3 innings this year, he is 2-2 with two saves and a 3.51 ERA.

Akinori Otsuka, RHP — The 39-year-old reliever has been as advertised, and even better than last year with Texas (3-3, 4.91 ERA, 88 IP) ... at least so far. In 54 2/3 innings this year, Ostuka is 1-2 with a 4.12 ERA.

Manny Delcarmen, RHP — Though he missed a short amount of time with a back injury, Manny Delcarmen has performed well in his first year as closer. He is 1-2 with 14 saves and a 1.25 ERA in 22 games. A free agent at the end of the year, he is on pace to go 2-4 with 25 saves in 40 appearances.

Ed Hughes, RHP — Hughes is back in AAA after a disappointing start. In 8 starts with Tampa Bay, Hughes went 3-3 with a 6.39 ERA after going 5-3 with a 4.61 ERA in 19 games, three starts, with the Devil Rays last year. He has gone 3-2 with a 1.38 ERA since going back to AAA.

Adrian Gonzalez, 1B/DH — Gonzalez was just acquired in the Matt Holliday deal and is off to a slow start with Tampa Bay. He is just 5-for-28 (.179) with one home run and three RBI in seven games since the trade. He is on pace to hit .272 with 36 home runs and 108 RBI with 117 runs scored.

Aubrey Huff, 3B/1B — Huff is on pace to perform much in the way he did last year when he hit .262 with 23 homers and 90 RBI in 128 games. In 85 games this year, he's hitting .266 with 13 homers and 59 RBI, putting him on a pace to hit 23 homers and 106 RBI.

Marco Scutaro, SS — The 35-year-old has not met expectations this year, hitting .258 with six home runs, 36 RBI, and 28 runs. He is on pace to hit 11 homers and 65 RBI — which would be good for him — but is below par on his contact hitting.

Lastings Milledge, OF — He'sbeen banged up with calf and finger injuries, but Milledge has been a disappointment with a .239 average, but he has hit nine homers and 34 RBI, putting him on pace for 16 homers and 61 RBI in 131 games.

Emilio Bonifacio, 2B — Like many of his teammates, the batting average and contact hitting just isn't there for Bonifacio this year. In 73 games, he's hitting .237 with five home runs, 22 RBI, and 31 runs scored — on a pace for nine homers and 40 RBI in 131 games after hitting .278 with 11 homers and 76 RBI in 141 games last year.

John Meyers, OF — Meyers has not shown the ability he is projected to have thus far. He's hitting .200 with five homers, 15 RBI, 41 runs, and nine stolen bases in 76 games. Meyers is on pace for nine homers and 27 RBI but with 74 runs scored.

Carlos Quentin, OF — Like Gonzalez, the recently-acquired Quentin is off to a slow start in Tampa Bay. Quentin is 3-for-15 with the Devil Rays but is on pace to hit .256 with 25 homers and 65 RBI in 113 games.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C — The Devil Rays have used a catching platoon this year with both parts performing similarly well. Saltalamacchia is hitting .246 with six home run and 31 RBI in 65 games, on pace to club 11 homers and drive in 56 runs over 117 games.

Gerald Laird, C — Laird is hitting .248 with four homers and 21 RBI in 61 games, on pace to hit seven homers and 108 RBI in 283 at bats over 110 games.

Nomar Garciaparra, 3B/1B/SS — In his second stint with Tampa Bay, Nomar appears to be at the end of the road. He's hitting .230 with no home runs, 15 RBI, and 14 runs scored in 152 at bats over 62 games. He's on pace to drive in 27 runs and score 25 times in 274 at bats.

Mark DeRosa, 3B/OF — After starting the year in AAA, DeRosa is with the big club and hitting .291 with four home runs and 23 RBI in 51 games. He's on pace to hit seven homers and 41 RBI in 92 games.

Josh Hamilton, OF — Hamilton has been limited to 33 games due to a fractured jaw, but has been productive while in the lineup: .328, nine homers, 23 RBI, 29 runs, 10 steals. He hit .308 with 29 homers and 107 RBI last season.

Rick Ankiel, OF/1B/LHP — Ankiel has been better as a pitcher (two hits, two walks, no runs, eight strikeouts in seven innings) than he has been as a hitter (.178, one homer, four RBI, 73 at bats) this year.

Ben Francisco, OF — Out for the year with a neck injury, Francisco went 0-for-9 before being lost for the year in the third game of the season.

Cliff Pennington, 2B/SS — Rookie of the Year just two seasons ago, Pennington was just designated for assignment. He's hit .144 with one homer and six RBI in 104 at bats this year off the bench. Limited in play with a couple nagging issues last year, Pennington hit .271 with five homers and 47 RBI in 118 games last year after hitting .261 with 16 homers and 72 RBI as a rookie in 2009.

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Devil Rays dethrone Royals
Haren solid as Tampa kicks off second half
July 15, 2011

KANSAS CITY — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays had a nice start to the second half of the season tonight, beating the Royals 10-2.

Danny Haren improved to 7-8 with the win, holding Kansas City to one run on two hits and one walk in 7 1/3 innings, striking out seven. David Price worked the final 1 2/3 innings, giving up a solo home run to former Devil Ray Jorge Piedra. It was Piedra's fourth of the year.

The lineup put together 15 hits against Josh Beckett (six runs in five innings) and the KC bullpen with every starter but Emilio Bonifacio getting at least one hit.

Adrian Gonzalez went 3-for-5 with a run and a RBI, Josh Hamilton went 3-for-5 with a double, a run, and two RBI, while Rick Ankiel went 3-for-4 with a RBI, two doubles, and three runs scored in the ninth spot in the order. Marco Scutaro picked up two hits, hitting a three-run homer off Beckett in the third inning.

Carlos Quentin hit a two-run homer off Beckett, his 15th of the year, first with Tampa Bay.

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Pedro announces retirement
Martinez picks up win then dishes on future
September 1, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Pedro Martinez had a strong start at Tropicana Field tonight, but announced it will be one of his last as he will retire at season's end.

"It's time," said Martinez. "I've accomplished just about everything I've wanted to, and it's time. It took me a while to realize that, but it's time."

Martinez held the Boston Red Sox to four runs, one earned, on seven hits and two walks, striking out five in 7 2/3 innings of work. His record improved to 5-7 on the season with the win.

The future Hall of Famer will turn 40-years-old next month, and will finish his career just shy of 300 wins and 4,000 strikeouts. Martinez has a 276-142 record in his career with a 3.44 ERA, 3,793 2/3 innings, and 3,928 strikeouts.

"I wanted to get to 300 wins and 4,000 K's, but it's going to be a lot of work to get there, and there are only so many bullets left in this arm," said Martinez. "I've had a pretty good run otherwise."

A pretty good run indeed. In addition to his stats, Martinez has won a record six Cy Young awards, and was named to eight All Star teams. After throwing five two-hitters and a one-hitter, Martinez threw a no-hitter against the Chicago White Sox in 2006. He has since thrown another one-hitter and another two-hitter.

Martinez has also experienced great results in the post-season. In 31 statrs in the playoffs — roughly an entire season's worth of starts — Martinez has gone 22-8 with a 2.48 ERA with 225 strikeouts in 228 2/3 innings, posting a 1.04 WHIP and opponents hitting .224 against him. He has four World Series rings, all with Tampa Bay, winning them in 2003, 2004, 2007, and 2008.

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Martinez loses final start
Future Hall of Famer ends year at 8-8
October 2, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Pedro Martinez may have been charged with a loss tonight, but he left the mound in the seventh inning to a monstrous standing ovation at Tropicana Field.

In the final start of his career, on the final day of the season, Martinez waved his cap to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays fans on hand, all of whom were on their feet and boisterous. Martinez came out for a curtain call after the crowd continued to stand, applaud and chant in recognition of an illustrious career.

The Devil Rays lost the game, 4-1, and Martinez wrapped up the year with an unremarkable 8-8 record, but it was in recognition of his 279 career wins — 217 of which came in a Devil Rays uniform.

After retiring the first two batters of the seventh inning, Tampa Bay manager Christian O'Neal made a slow trip out to the mound, allowing the fans to have the opportunity to rise and show their appreciation for Martinez's work.

"There were only two options for Pedro to leave this game tonight," O'Neal said. "Either he was going to throw a complete game, or he was going to pulled out in the middle of an inning so that he could come into the dugout with the fans there do their thing."

Martinez gave up four runs, only one of which was earned, on five hits and two walks, striking out five in 6 2/3 innings of work. Kason Gabbard worked 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief.

Martinez — and the Devil Rays — end the year with some disappointing numbers. The team finished at 81-81, good for fourth place in the American League East and missing out on the Wild Card by five games. Martinez, in his swan song season, went 8-8 with a 5.24 ERA in 22 games, 20 of which were starts. He missed some time this year with a knee injury and made two relief appearances before returning to the rotation when he came back from the injury.

Martinez struggled right off the bat this year, going 1-2 with a 7.76 ERA in five April starts and then 2-4 with a 6.55 ERA in six starts in May. He rebounded nicely, however, going 5-2 with a 3.47 ERA the rest of the way. He put up a 4-0 record and a 3.53 ERA in the month of August, making five starts.

Overall, the six-time Cy Young winner won four World Series — all with Tampa Bay — and was an eight-time All Star. In his 20-year-career, Martinez pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1992-1993), Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals (1994-1997), and Tampa Bay (1998-2011). He put together an impressive 279-143 record and 3.45 ERA in 3,828 1/3 innings of work in 620 games, including 548 starts, while striking out 3,945 batters.

In his Devil Rays career, Martinez went 217-106. He struggled the last two seasons, going 16-24 in 53 outings after going 14-4 in 2009, and 17-8 in 2008.

Martinez will soon formally decline his part of mutually-held option for the 2012 season with Tampa Bay.

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Milledge dealt to Pirates
Shortstop Spencer to join Devil Rays
October 23, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays dealt centerfielder Lastings Milledge to the Pittsburgh Pirates today for a 23-year-old shortstop that is a Rookie of the Year candidate in the National League.

Milledge, 26, hit .248 with 16 home runs, 63 RBI, 73 runs scored, and 15 stolen bases in 125 games for Tampa Bay this season. He hit .338 with six homers, 44 RBI, 56 runs, and 15 steals in 101 games last year.

Milledge has battled injuries the last few years, and as a result has not quite lived up to the hype and potential surrounding him. He earned almost $7.3 million in 2011 and is expected to see a pay increase as an arbitration-eligible player this off-season.

While dumping Milledge's salary, the Devil Rays get Melvin Spencer. In 152 games for the Pirates this year, he hit .293 with six triples, 18 home runs, 66 RBI, 83 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases. He had no big league experience prior to this season and was a ninth-round pick of the Boston Red Sox in 2008 who was later dealt to Pittsburgh in a deal for pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka.

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Clark, McCay fired
New coaches promoted
November 6, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — After missing the playoffs each of the last two seasons, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays today fired hitting coach Jack Clark and pitching coach Garth McCay.

Both Clark and McCay were signed through 2012.

The organization today promoted two of its AAA coaches to fill those roles.

Barry Long, a big proponent of on-base percentage, will take over as hitting instructor.

Al Nipper, a former Boston Red Sox pitcher, takes over as pitching coach.

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Orioles look to soar high
Baltimore optimistic for 2012 season
March 17, 2012

SARASOTA, Fla. — The Baltimore Orioles are working hard this spring to prepare for the upcoming season in hopes they can improve on last year's total of 87 wins.

Dana Eveland is back as Baltimore's ace. The left-hander went 17-10 with a 3.33 ERA in 36 games last season, throwing 221 2/3 innings.

"Dana is a workhorse, that's for sure," said Orioles manager Phil Garner. "We need Dana to do his job for the rest of us to do our jobs."

Though the final roster has not been set, nevermind the starting lineup and rotation, Garner and pitching coach Dan Warthen are looking at a rotation led by Eveland and likely followed by Jeffrey Fisher, Nick Blackburn and lefties Dontrelle Willis and Scott Lewis, though right-hander Karl Porter is a candidate to make the rotation.

Fisher went 9-13 with a 3.82 ERA in 28 starts as a rookie last season and the Orioles believe he can become a quality starter.

Blackburn went 14-12 with a 4.08 ERA in 35 starts after winning 13 games in 2010 and 14 games in 2009. He has been consistent for the most part with Baltimore, winning either 13 or 14 games in each of the last four seasons.

Willis is in camp as a non-roster invitee, signed to a minor league deal this winter. The 30-year-old is hoping to salvage his career and is coming off a season in which he went 10-12 with a 5.27 ERA in 30 starts for the Houston Astros. Willis returns to the American League, where he has spent most of his career. He came up with the Kansas City Royals in 2002 and was with the club until he was traded to the San Diego Padres in July 2010. He was a waiver wire claim for the Astros prior to the 2011 season and owns a career record of 86-95 with a 4.37 ERA. Willis appears likely to make the big league club in Baltimore.

Lewis is a 28-year-old southpaw with just four games of big league experience, but he is a strong candidate to make the back-end of the rotation. He went 0-1 with a 5.32 ERA in four starts with Baltimore last year, struggling with his control. He was 10-9 in the minor leagues last season, 12-4 the year before.

Porter, 25, has no big league experience at all and has not put up overwhelming numbers in the minor leagues but Baltimore coaches are said to be impressed with his stuff.

Joakim Soria returns as Orioles closer, a role in which he excelled last season. In 50 appearances, Soria went 5-2 with 34 saves and a 1.97 ERA, holding opponents to a .191 average and posting a 1.11 WHIP.

"He's one of the best in the business," Garner said of his closer.

If Soria suffers an injury or falters, the Orioles have a backup plan in Eric Gagne. The 36-year-old went 6-2 with 12 saves and a 1.32 ERA in 30 games last season with the Chicago White Sox and has 206 saves in his career. Signed to a two-year deal this winter, Gagne is an excellent insurance policy.

Darren O'Day will be a key setup man for Baltimore. He went 7-5 with one save and a 2.54 ERA in 66 games last season, the best year of his five-year career.

Francisco Cordero, 36, will be working to build off a strong 2011 campaign in which he went 7-2 with two saves and a 3.54 ERA in 57 games for Baltimore. He has struggled in recent years with performance from season-to-season, but the Orioles bullpen appears to have enough depth to cover for Cordero if he is to struggle.

Other relievers potentially on the staff include Doug Waechter (2-3, 5 saves, 3.72 ERA, 51 games with Baltimore last year), 24-year-old Robbie Haley (1-3, 2 saves, 3.61 ERA, 49 games with Baltimore last year), Zach McClellan (0-1, 1 save, 4.27 ERA, 37 games with the Orioles last season), Francis Beltran (1-0, 6.75 ERA, 10 games with Baltimore in 2011), and rookie left-hander Raul Alonso, who has only 7 2/3 innings above the AA level.

Offensively, the Orioles have some pretty good players in Grady Sizemore and Tomoyuki Honda, but there are a lot of inexperienced players fighting for roster spots as well.

Fernando Rodriguez is the front-runner to take over as the full-time catcher in Baltimore. The 24-year-old hit .268 with 11 home runs and 57 RBI in 123 games as a rookie last season, making two errors behind the plate, allowing seven passed balls and throwing out 23.5% of would-be-base-stealers.

Ronny Paulino is most likely to be the back-up catcher, with 561 games played in his eight-year-career with the Oakland Athletics and Baltimore. However, Paulino hit just .190 with two homers and 22 RBI in 76 games. Giving him a run for his money will be Barrett Reed and Melvin Johnston. Reed, 26, has no experience above the AA level while Johnston has no big league experience.

Acquired this winter by a trade with the Florida Marlins, Joey Votto will be the firstbaseman for Baltimore this year. Votto hit .258 with 15 home runs and 54 RBI with 66 runs scored in 157 games for the Marlins.

Edgar Gonzalez, who split last season with Baltimore and the Atlanta Braves, will split time between first and second base. In 137 games last year, he hit .271 with 17 homers and 70 RBI. Though not a good fielder, his bat is one the Orioles need to find a way to get into the lineup.

Aaron Miles is the regular second baseman after signing a three-year deal as a free agent. Miles, 35, hit .293 with three home runs, 40 RBI, 57 runs scored, and 17 stolen bases in 132 games with the Colorado Rockies last season. Miles is a career .303 hitter with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Braves, and Rockies.

Orlando Hudson will get some time at second base as well. The 34-year-old switch-hitter hit just .227 with one home run and 29 RBI in 77 games last year, but is owed $6.37 million in 2012.

Third base is a big question mark for the Orioles. Candidates for the starting job include Kory Castro, Pablo Ozuna, and Jeffrey Miller. There is also a possibility that Miles moves to third base to allow Gonzalez to play second base.

Castro struck out in his only big league at bat last season, splitting the year between AA and AAA where hit a combined .227 in 114 minor league games. He has 41 at bats over the last three years in Baltimore.

Ozuna, a free agent acquisition, hit .324 in 17 games with the Chicago Cubs last season. He does have the most experience of any candidate with 743 games with the Chicago White Sox, Arizona Diamondbacks, Kansas City Royals, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and the Cubs. Ozuna hit .234 with five homers and 37 RBI in 103 games with the 2010 Cubs, the last time he had significant playing time.

Miller is a 26-year-old utility man who split last season between AA and AAA, and has no big league experience. Miller hit .311 with two homers and 11 RBI in 51 games in AAA last season, and has played every position but pitcher and catcher during his minor league career.

At shortstop, the Garner seems certain to use 22-year-old rookie Cristian Sardina this year. The switch-hitter has no big league experience and is a career .294 hitter in 290 minor league games.

Scott Podsednik is slated to be the leadoff hitter and leftfielder for Baltimore in 2012. Podsednik, 36, hit .260 with three home runs, 46 RBI, 56 runs, and 28 stolen bases in 128 games with the Orioles last year.

Sizemore will bat third and star in centerfield. He hit 285 with 23 home runs and 80 RBI, scoring 88 times and stealing 23 bases in 143 games.

Fighting for time in the outfield will be Randy Davis and Alex Bellemare, and, to a lesser degree, Jose Perez.

Davis hit .239 with nine home runs and 27 RBI in 47 games last season with Baltimore while Bellemare hit .252 with nine homers, 39 RBI, 73 runs scored, and 42 stolen bases in 116 games. Perez, a left-handed hitter, hit .313 with one home run and three RBI in 16 at bats with the Orioles.

Honda has spent much of the spring as the club's DH, but is a very capable right fielder. The 24-year-old left-handed slugger hit .346 with 15 home runs and 51 RBI in 76 games.

[Moriarty9]

Red Sox are in rough shape
Fenway Faithful likely to have tough year
March 17, 2012

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Joe Maddon is in the last year of his contract as manager of the Boston Red Sox, and he may not last long enough to see it all the way through.

The Red Sox lost 94 games last season and do not appear to be in any better shape. It will take some moves from GM Dan Evans and work from Maddon, bench coach Grady Little, hitting coach Lloyd McClendon, and pitching coach Bryce Firth if the team is to try to avoid a losing season.

One bright spot will be having Kevin Slowey for the full season. Slowey, 27, was acquired from the San Francisco Giants last season and made 18 starts for the Red Sox down the stretch. Overall, he went 14-8 with a 3.16 ERA on the year. He owns a 67-59 record and 3.77 ERA in his career. Firth is a big fan of Slowey and believes he has ace potential.

The Red Sox also bolstered their rotation with the signing of left-handed starter Cole Hamels. The 28-year-old has seven years of big league time with the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he went 72-60 with a 4.57 ERA in 183 starts. Last season, he went 13-12 with a 4.41 ERA in 34 starts.

"Cole is going to help us out a lot," said Maddon. "He works hard, he pitches a lot of innings, he knows what he's doing."

Joe Saunders, another lefty, enters his second season with the Red Sox in 2012. Saunders went 10-13 with a 5.21 ERA in 28 starts for Boston last year after going 61-69 in seven seasons with the Florida Marlins.

Daisuke Matsuzaka has been a disappointment for Boston since they acquired him a trade from the Pittsburgh Pirates during the 2010 season. He was especially poor last season, going 2-7 with a 5.93 ERA in 16 games, including 12 starts. He spent half the year in AAA as a result, going 6-4 with a 2.12 ERA in 19 starts there. Matsuzaka twice won 15 games during his four full seasons with the Pirates.

Jon Garland rounds out the rotation, and isn't a bad guy to have at the back end of a rotation, The 32-year-old went 8-12 with a 4.61 ERA in 32 games, including 26 starts, last year. He went 13-11 with a 4.24 ERA in 32 starts for Boston in 2010.

Fighting Matsuzaka and Garland for the fifth spot in the rotation is Kelvim Escobar. The 35-year-old went 10-17 with a 5.06 ERA in 34 starts last year for the Red Sox, but was 12-14 with a 4.70 ERA in 2010, and 18-8 with a 3.73 ERA in 2009. The team hopes he can reverse his downward progression.

Jesse Crain was effective in his first year as Boston's closer. The 30-year-old went 0-6 with 27 saves and a 2.77 ERA in 62 games, not bad for a team that won 68 games. The former Devil Rays reliever is 3-12 with 33 saves and a 3.41 ERA in 185 big league appearances.

Setting up for Crain will be right-handers Leo Nunez and Pat Neshek. Nunez was Boston's closer in 2010 and is a candidate to return to the role if Crain falters. Nunez went 2-6 with seven saves and a 3.53 ERA in 59 games last year after saving 27 games and posting a 2.56 ERA in 2010. Neshek went 2-6 with a pair of saves and a 4.46 ERA in 56 games for Boston last season, his first year with the club. He previously pitched in nearly 200 games for the Washington Nationals, going 14-6 out of the Nats' bullpen.

Helping bridge the gap from starters to closer will be David Aardsma. The hard-throwing righty went 1-2 with one save and a 5.88 ERA in 36 games for Boston last season after three years with the Devil Rays.

The rest of the guys fighting for jobs in the bullpen are largely inexperienced: Luis Mercado, Jason Hammel, David Sanders, and Eulogio De La Cruz.

Mercado, 21, is a Costa Rican-born right-hander who pitched 4 2/3 innings of perfect baseball, striking out seven batters, for the Red Sox last September. He is expected to be the primary middle reliever.

Hammel, 28, made five relief appearances last season, going 0-1 with a 5.29 ERA in 17 innings. His previous big league experience came with Boston in 2010, going 9-11 with a 5.88 ERA in 25 games, including 22 starts. Overall, he is 9-12 with a 5.81 ERA in 148 2/3 innings in the big leagues with a 1.69 WHIP and .290 opponents average against.

Sanders, a 32-year-old lefty, has just 17 1/3 innings of big league experience, most of which came with Boston last season. He posted a 5.40 ERA in 13 1/3 innings over seven relief appearances in 2010.

De La Cruz, 28, went 1-0 with two saves and a 6.29 ERA in 27 appearances last season with a 2.14 WHIP and .320 opponents average against.

Behind the plate, Victor Martinez remains a strong option despite hits to his power numbers due to decreased playing time as a result of nagging injuries. Martinez, who was named to five consecutive All Star teams from 2003-2007 with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, has not been the force the Red Sox expected him to be when he signed a seven-year contract with Boston in February 2008. Martinez hit .292 with seven home runs and 49 RBI in 108 games last season, .302 with eight homers and 71 RBI in 134 games in 2010.

Pablo Sandoval has emerged as a quality catcher when Martinez has been out of the lineup, and may push his way into the lineup even when Martinez is healthy. Sandoval hit .299 with nine homers and 65 RBI in 138 games last year, .309 with 12 homers and 79 RBI in 150 games in 2010. Sandoval has been spending some time at first and third base in an attempt to get his bat into the lineup, but he is a natural catcher and a better defensive player behind the plate than Martinez, who is owed more than $25 million this season, more than $26 million next year, and $27 million in 2014.

Thought Martinez or Sandoval could move to first base full-time, Maddon seems intent on giving the job to rookie Wesley Rogers. A Massachusetts native, Rogers is farily popular for a 23-year-old kid with no big league experience. He hit .313 with seven homers and 27 RBI in 62 games in AAA last year, .353 with five home runs and 36 RBI in 68 games in AA last year.

At second base, the club is looking at a platoon between Pete Orr and Maicer Izturis. Orr, a left-handed hitter, hit .262 with four homers, 38 RBI, 45 runs scored, and 17 stolen bases in 134 games with the Texas Rangers last season. The Red Sox are his sixth team in the last four years, and seventh team in his seven-year career. He came up with the Chicago Cubs in 2005, was with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim from 2007-2009, the Kansas City Royals in 2009, Arizona Diamondbacks and Milwaukee Brewers in 2010, and Texas last year.

Izturis, 31, is a switch-hitter, acquired as a Rule V pick from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, who had signed Izturis to a minor league deal this winter. He hit .249 with four homers and 54 RBI with 60 runs scored and 26 stolen bases in 152 games with the Texas Rangers last year.

The team is also trying to figure out who will start at third base, if Sandoval isn't moved there on a more regular basis. The leading candidates are Jose Bautista and rookie Elliott Seguin.

Bautista, 31, hit just .105 with two homers and four RBI in 31 games with Boston last season. In six years with the Red Sox, he has hit .244 with 25 home runs and 133 RBI in 399 games. He is not a very good defender at third base.

Seguin, a second round draft pick in 2010, has no big league experience and hit just .229 with three home runs and 19 RBI in 58 games in AAA last year, though he did score 27 runs and steal 19 bases. He hit .282 and stole 28 bases in 67 games in AA last year.

The outfield appears set with Marshall Spencer in left field, Shane Victorino in center, and Tolenka Pletnikov in right field, with Dave Kirkpatrick and Norris Hopper fighting for the fourth outfielder spot.

Spencer, acquired this winter in a trade with the San Diego Padres, hit .303 with seven homers and 31 RBI, scoring 57 runs and stealing 30 bases in 107 games. He's a career .288 hitter with nine homers, 34 RBI, 67 runs, and 37 steals in 146 big league games. Based on his speed, look for Spencer to spend a significant amount of time as the Boston leadoff hitter.

Victorino has been one of the better players for the Red Sox in recent years, and has developed a reputation for coming up big in clutch situations. The 31-year-old switch-hitter hit .272 with 11 homers and 72 RBI in 155 games last season, following up a 2010 season in which he hit .305 with 15 homers, 89 RBI, 109 runs, and 53 stolen bases.

Pletnikov, 25, came over from the Seattle Mariners last July, and wrapped up the year with a .281 average, 10 home runs, 72 RBI, and 78 runs in 154 games between the two clubs. He has very good speed and is a strong defender.

Kirkpatrick is well liked by the Boston front office and are pushing for him to get a chance in 2012. The 22-year-old left-hander has no big league experience. He hit .298 with 18 runs scored and 11 stolen bases in 30 games in AAA last year, .259 with five homers, 43 RBI, 47 runs, and 31 steals in 75 games in AA.

Hopper, 32, had just one at bat last year in Boston, and has struggled in the few opportunities provided him. He's a .122 hitter in 41 at bats over the last three seasons with the Red Sox.

Lee Grant appears poised to be the club's DH, though he is also an outfielder. The 23-year-old hit .252 with three home runs with 11 RBI, 14 runs and three stolen bases in 47 games last year.

[Moriarty9]

Yanks playoff hopes on Parr
2011 Wild Card winners eye division crown
March 17, 2012

TAMPA, Fla. — In his three years at the helm, New York Yankees manager Domingo Meza has led the Bronx Bombers to improved records each year, and hopes to continue that trend in 2012.

Meza's Yankees went 69-93 in 2009, his first season as skipper. The team improved to 76-86 in 2010, and then made the playoffs as the American League Wild Card winner with an 86-76 record in 2011. If the trend continues, the Yankees should win more than 90 games this season.

If the Yankees do reach that plateau, a big reason will surely be their ace — and reigning Cy Young winner — James Parr. The 26-year-old Parr had a fantastic sophomore season, going 20-5 with a 2.18 ERA, 316 strikeouts in 235 innings, a 0.94 WHIP, and holding opponents to a .182 average.

Matt Harrison, New York's number two starter, is no slouch himself. The 26-year-old lefty went 16-9 with a 3.14 ERA in 34 starts, throwing 220 2/3 innings.

Yankees pitching coach Armando Reynoso said Parr and Harrison were one of the best 1-2 punches in all of baseball last season, and with a compined record of 36-14, it is hard to argue with him.

The trouble for the Yankees comes after their two big starters as Seth McClung is currently slotted as the number three starter. McClung, 31, went 9-13 with a 4.86 ERA in 34 starts last season, and has a career mark of 34-44 with a 5.52 ERA in four seasons as a starter for New York.

Ricardo Rodriguez, 33, has shown signs of big talent but has failed to put it all together. He went 14-14 with a 4.36 ERA in 33 starts last year after going 11-13 with a 4.89 ERA in 34 starts in 2010.

The fifth spot in the rotation is up for grabs between David Bush and Joel Hanrahan.

Bush, 32, was a member of the Yankees rotation for most of last season, but struggled significantly. He went 4-16 with a hefty 7.11 ERA in 27 starts, posting a 1.66 WHIP and allowing opponents to hit .306 against him.

Hanrahan didn't fare much better in the limited time he spent in the big leagues in 2011, but appears to be the leading candidate thus far. The 30-year-old went 3-5 with a 7.04 ERA in nine starts with the Pittsburgh Pirates last season. He signed a two-year deal for low money with the Yankees this winter, and owns a 9-11 record and 4.84 ERA in 40 games, including 31 starts.

The Yankees will also have to figure out its closer situation. Currently, Kurt Birkins is Meza's choice at the end of ballgames. Birkins, a 31-year-old lefty, has 29 saves in five big league seasons, picking up a pair of them last year. In 2011, he went 5-4 with two saves and a 3.58 ERA in 67 games. His career high in saves came in 2009 when he picked up 12 saves for the Yankees.

Competing for that job are set-up men Chris Ray and Courtney Duncan. Ray, 30, went 4-5 with five saves and a 4.22 ERA in 65 appearances last year with New York and spent two seasons as the closer for the Chicago Cubs before coming to the Yankees. In 2009, he saved 41 games for the Cubs. He struggled with Chicago in 2010 but managed to save 24 games.

Duncan had some experience closing out games for New York last season, going 2-2 with 11 saves and a 3.55 ERA in 59 games. It was the most significant number of saves since recording 10 with the Detroit Tigers in 2001, his rookie season. The 37-year-old owns a career record of 40-23 with 39 saves and a 4.09 ERA in 562 appearances.

Another former closer is J.J. Putz, who worked at the end of the Oakland A's bullpen previously. Putz, 35, went 1-3 with eight saves and a 5.79 ERA in 44 games for the Yankees last season, resulting in a longshot status for him to take the closer's job. He saved 107 games for the A's in 2006-2008, and went 5-7 with 18 saves and a 2.96 ERA in 2009 with Oakland before missing the 2010 season with a back injury.

Justin Miller served as the primary closer for New York, but his high ERA and inexperience in the role appears to have pushed him into a middle relief and set-up role in 2012. Miller went 3-3 with 22 saves and a 5.26 ERA in 52 games last season. He has 30 saves and a 4.01 ERA in his career.

Left-hander Jesse Carlson, 31, will work as a middle reliever in 2012. He went 8-2 with two saves and a 4.58 ERA in 70 games last year.

Fighting to try and make the club is 31-year-old right-hander Ryan Braun, who last pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2010, when he went 4-2 with a 5.35 ERA in 47 games. Braun is 20-8 with one save and a 4.42 ERA in 225 games over five seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies (2006-2007) and St. Louis (2008-2010).

Also hoping to make the team is 28-year-old right-hander Evan Meek. Meek pitched in eight games for the 2008 Yankees and six times for the 2010 Yankees. In his career, he has no decisions or saves with an 8.64 ERA in 16 2/3 innings of work.

Behind the plate, New York has two top-notch catchers to choose from. Marvin Thomason impressed many last season as the 22-year-old hit .319 with 18 home runs, drove in 68 runs and scored 88 times in 141 games while throwing out 31% of base-stealers. Refusing to be complacent, however, the Yankees this winter signed free agent catcher Ryan Doumit of the Chicago White Sox. Doumit, a 30-year-old switch-hitter, hit .298 with 25 homers and 96 RBI in 144 games for Chicago last season. Over his career, Doumit's 162-game average comes out to 27 home runs, 111 RBI, and 101 runs scored while hitting .303. He threw out 27.2% of would-be-base-stealers in 2011.

One place there is no debate is with who will play first base. Carlos Pena has been a wrecking ball for the Yankees since joining the team in 2007. He hit .273 with 41 home runs, 104 RBI, and 106 runs scored in 160 games for New York last season and needs 38 homers this year to reach 500 in his career.

At second base, the team will decide between Ramon Vazquez and rookie Danny Sanders.

Vazquez, 35, is a left-handed hitter that served as a utility infielder last year for New York. He hit .275 with one homer and six RBI in 69 at bats, but appeared in 79 games overall, often as a late-inning defensive replacement.

Sanders, 27, has no big league experience and has not played above the AA level, but may be in the lineup come Opening Day. He hit .299 with six home runs and 44 RBI in 111 games in AA last year.

Third base belongs to 33-year-old Greg Dobbs, a left-handed slugger. Dobbs hit .262 with 29 homers and 99 RBI in 156 games during 2011, his first season with the Yankees. He is a caeeer .292 hitter with 124 homers and 560 RBI in his career.

Ty Wigginton will see some time at third base as well. Wigginton hit .291 with 17 homers and 47 RBI in 114 games last season for the Bronx Bombers.

At shortstop is future Hall-of-Famer Derek Jeter. The 37-year-old hit .310 with 16 homers and 87 RBI in 137 games last season and is in the final year of his current contract. He will reach the 3,000 hit plateau this year — possibly by the end of April — and has said he'd like to retire a Yankee, but there is certainly no guarantee.

Acquired in a trade from the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Yankees plan to use Dan Ortmeier in the corner outfield spots this year. Ortmeier hit .237 with 11 home runs and 72 RBI in 150 games between the Detroit Tigers and Pittsburgh.

He will be challenged for playing time, however, by rookie Jow Bowden. The 23-year-old lefty hit .330 with 12 homers and 57 RBI in 92 games in AAA last year.

Also challenging for time at the plate and in the field will be Elijah Dukes, who hit just .203 last year for New York, but did hit 21 homers, drove in 59 runs, scored 101 times, and stole 16 bases in 154 games.

David Murphy appears set as the regular center-fielder after hitting .247 with eight home runs and 41 RBI in 129 games last year. His main competition is Wladimir Balentin, who hit .179 with two homers and five RBI in 41 games for New York in 2011, and is a career .225 hitter.

Slugging his way in as the DH will be 28-year-old Miguel Cabrera. Cabrera hit .289 with 24 homers and 82 RBI in 157 games last season for the Yankees.

[Moriarty9]

Jays prepare for title defense
Harden will miss most of season for Toronto
March 17, 2012

DUNEDIN, Fla. — After winning the World Series last year, the Toronto Blue Jays are getting ready to be the team everyone is shooting to take down.

Blue Jays manager Kyle Greer said he's optimistic about his club's chances in 2012, despite a couple of injured pitchers that will miss time to start the year.

Rich Harden went 11-6 with a 3.95 ERA in 31 starts last year before suffering a ruptured tendon in September, an injury that will keep him off a big league mound until late August or early September, assuming there are no set backs.

The team will also start without reliever Alberto Arias, who is recovering from a torn rotator cuff. Greer hopes Arias will be back by Memorial Day to help work the innings Toronto fans have seen him throw in recent years. He went 2-1 with a 5.62 ERA in 41 games before being shut down for the season with the rotator cuff injury. In 172 relief appearances with the Blue Jays the last six years, Arias has gone 12-5 with 14 saves and a 4.94 ERA.

After suffering a major back injury, 25-year-old right-hander Collin Balester is hoping to bounce back in 2012. Greer said Balester is several weeks behind the rest of the pitching staff in preparing for the season and should be taking the mound in late April, possibly early May. He went 4-1 with a 1.98 ERA in five starts last season, 5-5 with a 4.62 ERA in 14 starts in 2010.

As far as healthy pitchers, the rotation is led by Andy Sonnanstine. The 27-year-old went 15-10 with a 4.47 ERA in 35 starts last year, a down year after going 11-5 with a 3.57 ERA in 33 starts in 2010, and 18-11 with a 3.59 ERA in 35 starts in 2009.

Veteran hurler Kevin Millwood joins the team and returns to the American League after pitching for the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets, last pitching in the AL for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2002. Millwood went 12-11 with a 4.06 ERA in 35 starts for the Cubs last season, but is confident he can still pitch well in the American League.

Clayton Kershaw, a 23-year-old lefty, looks to break through and show his stuff in 2012. He went 5-8 with a 5.18 ERA in 19 starts for Toronto. He's had some arm troubles in his young career, missing the entire 2010 season with a rotator cuff injury and a few months last season with another injury.

Left-hander Jeff Francis is expected to open the season in the rotation after working primarily as a reliever for the Atlanta Braves last season. In 35 games, he made eight starts and went 2-5 with one save and a 5.29 ERA in 80 innings. He was last a regular starter in 2010 with the Braves and Detroit Tigers, going 11-11 with a 5.30 ERA in 28 games, including 24 starts.

Burke Badenhop, acquired this winter in a trade from Tampa Bay for outfielder Tilahun Mhina, joins the Toronto rotation in 2012. He went 4-5 with a 4.85 ERA for the Devil Rays last season, appearing in 26 games and making 10 starts, throwing 89 innings.

Armando Galarraga, a 30-year-old career minor leaguer, is fighting for a rotation spot, but will be with the club after being taken from Tampa Bay as a Rule V pick this year. Galarraga went 10-6 with a 2.59 ERA in 22 games for the Devil Rays' AA affiliate last year.

Mauro Zarate is pencilled in as the team's closer, a role new to him. The 29-year-old went 6-5 with five saves and a 3.36 ERA in 71 appearances for Toronto, posting a 1.19 WHIP and a .227 opponents average against.

Helping him out will be left-handers Brian Fuentes and Lorenzo Beltran. Fuentes went 6-1 with four saves and a 3.31 ERA in 59 games, throwing 92 1/3 innings for the Blue Jays last season. Beltran, 26, split last year between Toronto and the Oakland Athletics, going 7-3 with 15 saves and a 3.70 ERA in 54 games.

Bobby Parnell, a 27-year-old right-hander, went 2-0 with a save and a 1.93 ERA in 11 relief appearances with Toronto last year after working as the closer for the AAA affiliate.

Carlos Marmol was a reliable reliever for the Blue Jays in 2011, going 5-2 with five saves and a 4.88 ERA in 53 outings.

Tyler Yates, 34, spent most of the year in AAA but made 11 relief appearances, going 0-1 with a 4.74 ERA.

Behind the plate, the Blue Jays have one of the best offensive catchers in the game today in Brian McCann. McCann hit .329 with 28 home runs and 91 RBI in 132 games for Toronto, his first year with the club. In his eight-year career, seven years of which were spent in Milwaukee, he's hit .327 with 217 home runs and 740 RBI.

Australian-born catcher Bronson Fallon is slotted as the club's back-up backstop. He hit just .237 with two home runs and 12 RBI in 25 games last season. Fallon played in 102 AAA games last year, hitting .277 with 12 homers and 54 RBI.

After playing in 40 games with Toronto and the Kansas City Royals last year, 25-year-old Rafael Lopez will be the first baseman for the Blue Jays in 2012. He hit .318 with three homers and 11 RBI in 151 at bats last season. Greer said he expects Lopez to hit for average and figures the Puerto Rican-born left-handed hitter will hit roughly a dozen home runs and drive in 70 or so runs.

Brad Harman, a 26-year-old Australian, looks to continue his success after winning the Rookie of the Year award last season for Toronto. He hit .301 with 37 home runs and 101 RBI in 155 games last year. The power numbers were a surprise considering he hit 19 home runs in roughly 300 minor league games.

Keith Ginter will also see time at second base. The 35-year-old veteran hit .250 with five homers and 20 RBI in 64 games last season.

Jeremy Johnston, 24, hit .270 with seven homers and 47 RBI in 124 games last year for Toronto, in his first full season in the big leagues. He can play around the infield but is slated to play third base in 2012.

Switch-hitting shortstop Erick Aybar will be back in a starting role this year. He hit .254 with two homers and 37 RBI in 147 games last season,a sharp falloff from other recent seasons, including .300, 10 HR, 70 RBI, 107 R, 30 SB in 2010, and .318 with 12 homers, 72 RBI, and 106 runs in 154 games in 2009.

Cliff Floyd, a 39-year-old veteran, will be the DH for Toronto in 2012, reprising the role he held in 2011. Floyd hit .273 with 28 homers, 77 RBI and 105 runs in 156 games last season. He has shown some drop off lately. He hit .348 with 40 homers and 114 RBI with the White Sox in 2010 and .309 with 32 homers and 94 RBI in 2009 with Chicago.

Jason Kubel showed promise in 2011, hitting .278 with 19 homers and 84 RBI in 131 games. Greer hopes the 29-year-old will continue to improve and become a bigger part of the Blue Jays lineup.

Doyle Watkins has been inconsistent, but has produced in his two big league seasons. The 25-year-old hit .292 with 23 homers and 64 RBI in 92 games last year after hitting .318 with 18 homers and 101 RBI in 136 games as a rookie in 2010.

Nick Swisher, who spent 2011 with the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, joins Toronto's lineup in 2012. He hit .270 with 13 home runs and 47 RBI in 330 at bats over 129 games last season, performing much better with the Angels (.291, 8 HR, 34 RBI, 189 AB) than the Red Sox (.241, 5 HR, 13 RBI, 141 AB).

Also fighting for roster spots and playing time are Jose Leon, Eric Bruntlett, and Paul McAnulty.

Leon, 35, hit .154 with one homer and four RBI in 39 at bats last year. He is a .234 hitter with five home runs and 35 RBI in 113 big league games in six seasons.

Bruntlett, 33, is a utility player who hit .172 with one RBI in 29 at bats for Toronto last season. He is a career .208 hitter with one homer and 20 RBI in 264 at bats in six seasons with the Dodgers, Pirates, Nationals, and Blue Jays.

McAnulty, 31, is a corner outfielder that played very little last year, but hopes to play a bigger role this year. He hit .412 with one RBI in 17 at bats with Toronto. He's a .265 hitter with 33 homers and 148 RBI in 485 big league games in his career.

[Moriarty9]

Devil Rays hope to bounce back
Tampa Bay optimistic after worst year since 1998
March 25, 2012

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Outside of their inaugural season in 1998, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays have avoided a losing season every year in the club's history. That nearly changed last season, when the team finished at 81-81 on the year. The downward trend in wins the last two seasons is something the team hopes does change.

The team's pitching staff struggled, according to its previous standards, but manager Christian O'Neal is confident that pitching coach Al Nipper can help out now that he has joined the big league staff.

Dan Haren will be the Opening Day starter for Tampa Bay. The two-time Cy Young winner had a number of struggles last season, but managed to go 15-10 with a 4.09 ERA in 33 starts for the Devil Rays. Owed $19 million this year, Haren has stated he expects to earn his keep in 2012 and predicted improved numbers.

Jon Lester has been inconsistent in his big league career, but O'Neal sees enough in the 28-year-old lefty to make him the number two starter to open the season. Lester went 12-12 with a 4.86 ERA in 32 starts last year, and is 39-34 with a 5.15 ERA in his career. Nipper has some experience with Lester in the minor leagues and believes the southpaw is set for a fine season this year.

The rest of the starting rotation is unsettled, both in order and makeup. Ed Hughes went 6-4 with a 6.26 ERA in 14 games, 10 starts, with Tampa Bay last year but was expected to open the year in the big leagues. He suffered a ligament injury in his elbow early in spring training and will miss most, if not all, of April, and may end up in AAA as a result.

William Burgess is a likely candidate for the number three spot in the rotation based on experience, but no decision has been made. Burgess, 24, had 63 big league starts, most of which came with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates. He went 11-9 with a 4.56 ERA in 25 games with Tampa Bay last season after being acquired early in the year from Pittsburgh. For the year, Burgess posted a 13-10 record and 4.28 ERA in 29 games in 2011.

Mike Pelfrey is expected to make the rotation, though where exactly is to be determined. Pelfrey, 28, went 2-4 with a 4.98 ERA in eight big league starts after going 13-1 with a 1.03 ERA in AAA last season.

The same is said for 29-year-old lefty Kason Gabbard. After going 9-3 with a 2.47 ERA in 24 AAA starts, Gabbard worked 13 1/3 innings with Tampa Bay, holding opponents to three runs on 15 hits.

A dark horse candidate for a roster spot is 22-year-old right-hander Jose Cervantes. The minor leaguer pitched in four different levels last season, putting together an 11-5 record and 1.10 ERA between them. He is getting an extended look this spring.

Dustin Moseley, a 30-year-old right-hander, is another option for the Devil Rays. Moseley went 1-2 with a 3.27 ERA in 22 innings with Tampa Bay last year after a strong 10-2 record and 2.94 ERA in AAA. Though he's seen limited big league action since coming to the Devil Rays in 2010, the former Cleveland Indians starter owns a 30-49 record and 5.80 ERA in 108 career appearances, including 101 starts.

In the bullpen, Manny Delcarmen will be back as the club's closer. Delcarmen, 30, just signed a two-year deal worth $12.25 million annually to stay with the Devil Rays and performed well last year, his first as the team's closer. Delcarmen went 3-5 with 34 saves and a 2.76 ERA in 48 games last year.

Helping set-up Delcarmen will be a trio of talented left-handers: David Price, Carl Sadler, and Craig Breslow.

Breslow, 31, went 4-4 with four saves and a 2.25 ERA in 57 games last season. He has gone 28-10 with 10 saves and a 2.51 ERA in 235 big league games in his career with Tampa Bay.

Sadler spent 2011 between San Diego and Tampa Bay, and is eager to enter his first Opening Day with the Devil Rays. Sadler went 0-2 with a 2.30 ERA in 22 appearances with the Devil Rays, 2-3 with a 2.60 ERA in 59 appearances on the year.

Price, who has been floated as a potential addition to the rotation after working primarily as a set-up man, will be back in the fold as well. The 26-year-old lefty went 5-2 with four saves and a 3.19 ERA in 38 appearances in 2012. Of his 94 career games, two are starts, and he owns an 8-4 record with seven saves and 3.15 ERA.

Also hoping to make the team are left-handers Danny Herrera and Onan Masaoka. Herrera, a 27-year-old minor leaguer, has been a dominant reliever in the minor leagues but has not yet been given a shot in the big leagues. He owns a 19-17 record, 65 saves, and a 2.88 ERA in 178 career appearances in the minor leagues.

Masaoka, 34, has spent the last few years in the Tampa Bay minor league system, pitching well. He last pitched in the big leagues with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2005, working just 2 2/3 innings. In 2004, he worked 29 games after pitching in 68 games for the 2003 Colorado Rockies. Overall, he has made 137 appearances with the Milwaukee Brewers, Colorado, and Toronto from 1999 to 2005.

Offensively, the team has a number of new faces, or relatively new faces.

There is a three-man battle going for two spots on the roster as catchers, with the starting job wide open. Jarrod Saltalamacchia is the front-runner, having played in 114 games with Tampa Bay last year. He hit .247 with six home runs and 44 RBI for the Devil Rays, and threw out 30.6% of base-stealers.

Taylor Teagarden and Stan Hicks are also in the mix. Teagarden, 28, went 1-for-5 in Tampa Bay after hitting .224 with one home run and 15 RBI in 98 at bats in AAA due to injury. In 2010, he hit .284 with 14 homers and 55 RBI in 108 games in AAA. Hicks, a 25-year-old switch-hitter, is the team's catcher of the future, but they need to decide how soon that future becomes the present. Hicks hit .303 with 10 homers and 44 RBI in 89 games in Class A ball after playing 10 games in short-season A ball. He's an excellent defensive catcher, but has struggled this spring.

Acquired in July, Adrian Gonzalez is enjoying his first spring training with Tampa Bay. He hit .345 with 23 home runs and 62 RBI in just 76 games with the Devil Rays last year, hitting .311 with 42 homers and 119 RBI in 156 games on the season. He will hit in the number three spot, where the team hopes he will continue to put up big numbers.

Emilio Bonifacio was the second baseman last season, and hit .246 with 14 home runs, 52 RBI, and 68 runs scored in 131 games. He made 10 errors there and is now in competition with Pedro Castro and rookie Anthony Bender. Castro, 23, hit .312 with one home run and 25 RBI in 52 games with the Devil Rays last season. Bender, 24, has no big league time as of yet, hitting .282 with eight home runs and 42 RBI with 67 runs and 14 stolen bases in 96 games with the club's AAA affiliate.

Aubrey Huff, now 35, is back once again, this year opening up the year with plans to be the every day thirdbaseman. Huff hit just .247 last year, the lowest average of his career, with 22 homers and 82 RBI in 147 games. A career .293 hitter, Huff said he expects much better overall numbers so long as he stays healthy.

Melvin Spencer won the National League Rookie of the Year award with the Pirates last season, but was dealt to Tampa Bay in exchange for outfielder Lastings Milledge. Spencer, 24, hit .293 with 18 home runs 66 RBI, and 83 runs scored in 152 games for Pittsburgh last year. He will have to adapt to the American League in order to carry over that success.

If Spencer can't hold the job, Troy Tulowitzki will likely be called upon to step in. The 27-year-old was a free agent signing this winter, inking a one-year deal worth just $750,000. He hit .248 with nine home runs and 60 RBI in 144 games with the Texas Rangers last season after six years with the St. Louis Cardinals.

James Loney signed a one-year deal worth $13 million after seven years with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Loney will play some first base, but will largely work as the DH for the year. He hit .287 with 19 home runs and 75 RBI in 144 games last season for the Dodgers.

The outfield is a bit crowded, leading many to believe that someone, if not Loney, will be dealt away sooner than later. Josh Hamilton has his spot secure in center field. Hamilton hit .302 with 20 home runs and 69 RBI in 96 games in an injury-plagued season, after hitting .308 with 29 homers and 107 RBI in 2010.

Carlos Quentin is owed nearly $7 million this year and showed good power last year, though his batting average was quite unimpressive, which may lead to decreased playing time in 2011. Quentin, 29, hit .234 with 26 homers and 73 RBI in 120 games between Tampa Bay and the Houston Astros after six seasons with the Boston Red Sox. With the Devil Rays, he really struggled, hitting .209 with 12 home runs and 38 RBI in 61 games.

John Meyers has great speed and is a strong defensive outfielder, but his bat is lacking and will likely result in him working off the bench. The 21-year-old lefty hit .213 with five home runs and 25 RBI, though scoring 52 runs and stealing 21 bases over 366 at bats last year.

Ben Francisco had just nine at bats last season before a neck injury ended his season. A career .265 hitter, he hit .276 with 19 homers and 74 RBI in 144 games with the 2010 Devil Rays. It is unsure how well he will rebound after missing, for all intents and purposes, the entire 2011 season.

To help with the questions marks around the offense, the Devil Rays have acquired outfielders Tilahun Mhina and Matt Kemp. Mhina, a 25-year-old left-handed hitter from South Africa, had an impressive rookie season with Toronto last year, hitting .294 with 22 home runs and 77 RBI in 126 games. He is a very good defensive right fielder and is currently penciled in as the starter on Opening Day.

Kemp, who hit .277 with 104 home runs in his seven years with Boston, signed a low-money one-year deal this winter with Tampa Bay. He hit .251 with 14 home runs and 65 RBI in 141 games, down slightly from his normal year.

[Moriarty9]

Devil Rays sting Orioles in opener
Tampa Bay offense pounds Baltimore pitching staff
April 9, 2012

BALTIMORE — The Orioles would like to forget about Opening Day after they were pounded by the visiting Tampa Bay Devil Rays, 13-4, at Camden Yards today.

Dana Eveland got off to a rough start for Baltimore, and the four relief pitchers that followed him fared no better. Eveland gave up five runs on seven hits and two walks in just 3 2/3 innings. Darren O'Day was the most effective pitcher, holding Tampa Bay to two runs, one earned, in 2 1/3 innings, while Francisco Cordero gave up one run in 1 1/3 innings. Doug Waechter was hit hard in the eighth and ninth, giving up three runs in just two-third of an inning, and young right-hander Robbie Haley surrendered two runs in the ninth inning.

The offense from just about everyone in the Devil Rays lineup, with no Tampa Bay home runs. Aubrey Huff went 4-for-5 with a RBI and three runs scored while Carlos Quentin went 3-for-4 with a walk, two runs, and three RBI. Tilahun Mhina had a positive Devil Rays debut, hitting two doubles with a RBI and two runs scored. Melvin Spencer also had a good start to his Tampa Bay career, going 3-for-4 with a walk, a run, and three RBI.

Dan Haren worked 6 1/3 innings, holding Baltimore to two runs on 10 hits and two walks. David Price gave up two runs in 1 2/3 innings of relief and left-handed rookie Danny Herrera worked a scoreless ninth inning, throwing six pitches, in his big league debut.

The Devil Rays and Orioles will have an off-day tomorrow before returning to the field on Wednesday. Jon Lester (12-12, 4.86 ERA last year) will go for Tampa Bay with Baltimore sending Jeffrey Fisher (9-13, 3.82 ERA last year) to the mound.

[Moriarty9]

Spencer, Rays roll over Dice-K
Tampa Bay shortstop hits two homers at Fenway
April 21, 2012

BOSTON — Tampa Bay Devil Rays shortstop Melvin Spencer liked his first crack against Red Sox starter Daisuke Matsuzaka at Fenway Park as he hit a pair of home runs to lead his team to victory.

Spencer walked once, scored twice, hit two home runs, and drove in five runs, as the Devil Rays beat the Red Sox 7-2. Spencer hit a three-run homer off Matsuzaka in the third inning, and then a two-run shot off him in the fourth inning.

Matsuzaka had a rough go around, charged with six runs on seven hits and two walks in just 2 1/3 innings. Leo Nunez was impressive in relief for Boston, working 3 2/3 innings of shutout ball in which he allowed one hit and one walk.

Jon Lester pitched well for Tampa Bay, holding the Red Sox to two runs on six hits and a walk, striking out five Boston batters in seven innings to improve to 2-1 with a 3.27 ERA on the young season.

Four Devil Rays had multiple hits in the game: Spencer, Ben Francisco, James Loney, and Aubrey Huff.

With the win, Tampa Bay is now 7-5 while the Red Sox fall to 4-6. Mike Pelfrey (1-0, 4.50 ERA) will take the mound for the Devil Rays at Fenway Park tomorrow afternoon while Cole Hamels (1-1, 3.55 ERA) goes for Boston.

[Moriarty9]

Rivera will retire at year's end
Former All Star closer struggling in middle relief
May 1, 2012

PHILADELPHIA — Phillies reliever Mariano Rivera has decided that his 18th season will be his last.

Rivera, 42, announced this morning that he will retire at the end of the season. He is 0-1 with a 6.35 ERA in 10 appearances this season, posting a 2.12 WHIP and .460 opponents average against.

Currently working as a middle reliever with the Phillies, Rivera is best known for being one of the game's best closers with the New York Yankees and Arizona Diamondbacks, having later success with the Florida Marlins.

Rivera owns a lifetime record of 61-77 with 379 saves and a 3.38 ERA in 900 career appearances, all but 10 of which are as a relief pitcher. He signed a one-year contract with Philadelphia this off-season after working as a reliever with the St. Louis Cardinals last season, going 2-1 with a 3.31 ERA in 38 appearances. He has not worked as a closer since 2009, when he picked up 25 saves for the Marlins.

Rivera has pitched for the Yankees (1995-2001), Diamondbacks (2001-2005), Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2006-2007), Marlins (2007-2010), Cardinals (2011), and Phillies (2012).

[Moriarty9]

Lambert claimed off waivers
Tampa Bay picks up prospect from Detroit
May 9, 2012

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays made a minor transaction today, acquiring 23-year-old catching prospect John Lambert off waivers from the Detroit Tigers.

Lambert was a 14th round draft pick by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2008 and has hit .294 with 10 home runs and 168 RBI in 327 minor league games since.

Devil Rays scouting director Dan Plesac said the organization believes Lambert has "a bright future" and that he "swings a nice stick."

He has no big league experience, and will be assigned to AAA.

[Moriarty9]

Gabbard dealt for Miller
Lefty traded for young right-hander
May 10, 2012

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — With their pitching staff cluttered by left-handers, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays today traded Kason Gabbard to the Washington Nationals for rookie pitcher Fred Miller.

Gabbard, 30, was impressive in limited time with Tampa Bay last season, but has struggled in the Devil Rays rotation this season.

Miller, 22, owns a 14-13 record in the minor leagues, but has shown signs of ability and talent. He was drafted by Washington in the 18th round of the 2008 draft. Miller just made his big league debut for the Nationals on May 5, working six shutout innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"We're hoping to have the kind of success in this deal that we had when we picked up Danny [Haren] from the Nationals," said Devil Rays GM Shaun Moriarty. "Fred Miller is a kid that has flown under the radar for awhile but he's really impressed our scouts and we think its worth the risk."

The Devil Rays acquired Dan Haren from the Nationals in June 2006, dealing away shortstop J.J. Hardy for the right-hander that would go on to win two Cy Young awards with Tampa Bay.

Haren was 10-4 with a 3.99 ERA at the time of the trade, but struggled to a 7-7 mark and 5.04 ERA in 16 starts with the Devil Rays down the stretch. He went 12-12 with a 3.51 ERA in his first full season with Tampa Bay, but then went on to go 21-5 with a 2.48 ERA in 2008, and 17-4 with a 3.22 ERA in 2009.

Hardy has had some productive seasons in Washington, and is now a career .273 hitter with 66 home runs and 352 RBI in 761 games. He hit .305 with 19 home runs and 98 RBI in 158 games with the Nationals in 2009.

[Moriarty9]

Miller, Rays blank Twins
Pitchers duel ends in Tampa Bay win
May 15, 2012

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Fred Miller was impressive in his Tampa Bay Devil Rays debut, working seven shutout innings and earning a victory over the Minnesota Twins at Tropicana Field.

Miller allowed four hits and walk four in seven innings, striking out six Minnesota batters. He threw 103 pitches, 60 for strikes, and has now thrown 13 shutout innings in his big league career.

David Price worked a scoreless eighth inning and Manny Delcarmen picked up his ninth save with a scoreless ninth inning, striking out two batters.

Yovani Gallardo pitched well for Minnesota, working six shutout innings in which he held Tampa Bay's lineup to two hits and three walks, striking out seven.

Left-handed reliever Jose Mijares was not so fortunate when he came on to start the seventh inning. Adrian Gonzalez greeted Mijares with an infield single on the first pitch of the inning. An error by thirdbaseman Troy Glaus allowed Matt Kemp to reach base and Gonzalez to move up to second base. Tilahun Mhina laid down a sacrifice bunt, moving Gonzalez to third and Kemp to second. Anthony Bender was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out. Mijares was able to get Taylor Teagarden to hit a shallow flyball to right field for the second out, and appeared to be on his way to get out of the jam when Nicholas King hit a ground ball to third base. For the second time in the inning, Glaus booted the grounder, this time allowing Gonzalez and Kemp to score.

Kemp picked up a RBI single in the eighth inning, padding Tampa Bay's lead.