The Rays have spent some money this winter, adding Yunel Escobar for shortstop, James Loney for first base and Roberto Hernandez to the pitching staff. Their rotation is fine even with James Shields gone and the infield might be set, if Ben Zobrist plays second base, but the team still has some needs as is.
Outfield: Desmond Jennings is the only sure starter in the Tampa Bay outfield, and it’s still unclear if he’ll be playing left or center. Matt Joyce will start somewhere against righties, probably in right field but perhaps at designated hitter. A career .201/.288/.325 hitter in 234 at-bats against lefties, he’s more useful being platooned.
Beyond those two, the Rays have the option of playing Zobrist in right, but they seem more likely to use him at second initially. Brandon Guyer was looking like a nice sleeper entering last season, but he opened up in Triple-A and then suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in May. Sam Fuld is also back healthy after missing much of the season, but he should be viewed as a reserve. Top prospect Wil Myers will almost certainly spend the first month in Triple-A to push back his free agency clock, and he might be held back until mid-June, depending on how he’s performing and the Rays’ needs in right field.
ESPN’s Jayson Stark today mentioned Michael Bourn as a possibility for the Rays, as unlikely as that would seem to be. Not only would he blow up their budget, but he’d also cost them their first-round pick. Scott Hairston would seem to be a nice fit as a starter early who can be eased into a reserve role when Myers comes up, but the Rays haven’t been mentioned in connection with him. Perhaps they think Guyer is his equal. Still, even if the the Rays do opt to go with a Guyer-Jennings-Joyce outfield, they’re going to need a…
Designated hitter: In recently posting a Rays depth chart, I put Ryan Roberts at DH for lack of any better alternatives. It shouldn’t be difficult to do better there, though. Tampa Bay could re-sign Luke Scott to DH against right-handers after he hit .229/.285/.439 for them last season. Travis Hafner and Jim Thome are alternatives there, but they’re pure DHs incapable of playing elsewhere. Scott can at least play a passable first base and perhaps still left field when healthy.
One alternative here would be to sign Kelly Johnson, put Zobrist in right field and use Joyce primarily at DH.
Bullpen: The Rays have only three sure things for the pen right now: Fernando Rodney, Jake McGee and Joel Peralta. They’ll probably stick Hernandez there initially, and they do have some adequate holdovers in Cesar Ramos and Brandon Gomes, plus guys with upside like Josh Lueke, Dane De La Rosa and Frank De Los Santos. Still, one imagines they have their eyes on a couple of cheap veterans who might be candidates for turnarounds. No teams are beating down the doors of Francisco Rodriguez, Matt Capps and Ramon Ramirez at the moment. And then there’s Hideki Okajima, who wants to return to the U.S. after a terrific season in Japan. The Rays could also consider trading Jeff Niemann for bullpen help.
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The Giants lost their third game in a row, their fifth loss in their last six games as they went down 5-0 to the Rockies this afternoon. Starter Barry Zito labored into the sixth, allowing five runs on 11 hits in 5.2 innings. It marks the sixth consecutive game in which Giants pitching has allowed…
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Entering tonight’s game against the Tigers, Mitch Moreland has a .921 OPS with ten home runs and has arguably been the Rangers’ most dangerous hitter thus far in the 2013 season. Going into the season, first base was assumed to be a weak spot for the Rangers as Moreland had been more or less average…
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In the bottom of the eighth inning with the Marlins leading 2-0, Diamondbacks reliever Josh Collmenter was trying to keep the deficit at two as he faced the top of the lineup. Adeiny Hechavarria decided to attempt to bunt the first pitch he saw, but popped it up. Catcher Miguel Montero and Collmenter converged on…
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With a three-run home run to right-center in the third inning and a solo shot to straightaway center in the fifth — his ninth and tenth of the season, respectively — against Rangers starter Derek Holland, Miguel Cabrera put himself in a tie with Hall of Famer Hank Greenberg with 331 career home runs. Cabrera,…
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Daniel Murphy has hit out of the #2 spot in the Mets’ lineup throughout most of the season, but manager Terry Collins decided to shake things up today by moving up to lead-off. Murphy responded with an eighth-inning solo home run that gave the Mets a 4-3 lead. The jolt of offense seems to have…
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Pirates closer Jason Grilli spent most of his 20′s and early 30′s bouncing from organization to organization — he pitched for the White Sox, Tigers, Rockies, and Rangers. Between 2004-09, working almost exclusively as a reliever, he posted a 4.62 ERA. He suffered a knee injury during spring training in 2010 with the Indians, forcing…
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It’s not every day a player can say he accomplished a Ruthian feat, but Matt Moore has earned that very prestigious honor today. As the pitcher of record behind the Rays’ 3-1 win over the Orioles this afternoon, Moore improved to 8-0 in nine starts this season, becoming the first lefty age 23 or younger…
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With Jaime Garcia on the 15-day disabled list with a shoulder injury, the Cardinals have promoted 25-year-old lefty Tyler Lyons to take his spot in the rotation. Lyons had a 4.47 ERA with 38 strikeouts and nine walks in 46.1 innings with Triple-A Memphis. Via MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch and Chad Thornburg: The Cardinals’ decision to…
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Phillies use wacky ninth inning to defeat Aroldis Chapman, Reds
May 19, 2013, 7:15 PM EDT
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The ninth inning of today’s Reds-Phillies series finale was full of statistical improbabilities. First, Delmon Young drew a four-pitch walk (yes, Delmon Young walked) against Aroldis Chapman. He was immediately replaced by pitcher and pinch-runner Cliff Lee. With Erik Kratz at the plate battling Chapman in a 2-2 count, the lefty reliever picked Lee off…
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This pairs nicely with the situation that arose in the sixth inning in Baltimore this afternoon. Major League Baseball is likely to expand video review in 2014, reports the Associated Press. Commissioner Bud Selig, who has staunchly opposed expansion of replay usage in the past, says his view on the issue has “evolved”. After watching…
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In the top of the sixth inning of today’s series finale in Baltimore, Rays right fielder Matt Joyce blasted a 3-2 fastball down the right field line, initially ruled a double by the umpires. Watching it live, it seemed to go foul, but when reviewed in slow motion, it was clear that the ball caromed…
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Rangers put Ian Kinsler on the 15-day disabled list and call up top prospect Jurickson Profar
May 19, 2013, 5:17 PM EDT
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From Anthony Andro of FOX Sports Southwest comes word that the Rangers have placed second baseman Ian Kinsler on the 15-day disabled list with an intercostal muscle strain and recalled top infield prospect Jurickson Profar to fill the roster vacancy. Kinsler suffered the strain Thursday while trying to duck out of the way of a…
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Logan Morrison is finally making steady progress in his recovery from September 2012 knee surgery. According to Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald, the Marlins first baseman is scheduled to begin playing in minor league rehab games on Monday with the High-A Jupiter Hammerheads. He’s spent the past week-plus taking at-bats in games at extended…
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Veteran right-hander Roy Oswalt should be back in the major leagues at some point in early-to-mid June. According to Thomas Harding of MLB.com, Oswalt allowed just one hit — a leadoff bunt — over five innings Saturday in an outing at extended spring training against a group of Brewers minor leaguers. He struck out nine…
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The Phillies might, yet again, be without starting catcher Carlos Ruiz for an extended period of time. Ruiz was lifted from Sunday afternoon’s game against the Reds after straining his right hamstring while running the bases in the bottom of the second inning. Ruiz will presumably be placed on the 15-day disabled list Monday, and…
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Michael Cuddyer expects to return from disabled list Friday
May 19, 2013, 1:59 PM EDT
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From Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post: Right fielder/first baseman Michael Cuddyer said he is feeling much better after receiving a shot Tuesday to relieve the stiffness and soreness in his neck. He resumed baseball activities Saturday — throwing and hitting in the cage — and said he’ll be ready to come off the disabled…
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Tom Singer of MLB.com reports that the Pirates have scratched center fielder Andrew McCutchen from their starting lineup for Sunday’s series finale against the Astros because of soreness in his right knee. Starling Marte will slide over to center, Travis Snider will play left field and Garrett Jones will get the start in right. Gaby…
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As first reported by beat writer Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times, the Dodgers have activated infielder Mark Ellis from the 15-day disabled list. Tim Federowicz was optioned to the Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate in Albuquerque to open up a roster spot. Ellis is in the Dodgers’ starting lineup on Sunday afternoon against the Braves,…
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From MLB.com’s Evan Drellich comes word that Red Sox shortstop Stephen Drew is out of the starting lineup again on Sunday against the Twins due to lingering discomfort in his lower back. Pedro Ciriaco will get the start in his place. Drew also sat out of Saturday’s game, but he is not believed to be…
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Ike Davis went 0-for-4 in the Mets’ loss to the Cubs on Saturday and is batting just .156/.238/.359 in 39 total games this season. But the Mets’ decision-makers still aren’t ready to do anything drastic. Despite some reports to the contrary, Davis was assured Saturday by Mets general manager Sandy Alderson that a demotion to…
