Location: St. Petersburg, Fla. | Ballpark: Tropicana Field (36,048) | Spring Training: Port Charlotte, Fla. (inaugural season)
Owner: Stuart Sternberg | GM: Andrew Friedman | Manager: Joe Maddon | World Championships: 0
The Devil Rays won't know exactly what they got from the Dodgers for closer Danys Baez and veteran middle reliever Lance Carter for a few years, when they see how starting pitching prospects Edwin Jackson and Chuck Tiffany progress.
But after monitoring their process as they came through the Dodgers system, Los Angeles farm director Terry Collins said he expects each to be something special.
"I hated to see them go," Collins said. "As an organization, this trade was made in the best interests of the major league team. But if we were an organization building with our farm system, we don't trade these guys."
Scouts and media analysts seemed to sour on Jackson when he didn't follow up the stunning major league debut he made on his 20th birthday with more dazzling success.
But Collins thinks Jackson, who is only 22, hurt himself by trying to be too perfect and made too many changes to his mechanics. As a result, Collins said he remains confident that Jackson is very capable of being a dominating No. 1 starter.
"He is for me. He was for me," Collins said. "If he does what got him to the big leagues, he is going to be there. He has (Curt) Schilling stuff -- a 97 mph fastball and, he may not have the splitter, but he has a breaking ball and the other stuff will come with age. ... The upside is really there."
Tiffany, who just turned 21, is further away, but he could move quickly. He has shown stretches of brilliance at the lower levels of the Dodgers organization and is likely to open the 2006 season at Double-A Montgomery.
"He's a guy," Collins said, "who's got a huge upside."
What sets Tiffany apart, Collins said, is his feisty competitiveness and an innate ability to pitch with what appears to be only average stuff.
"He's (throwing) at maybe 91-92 (mph), but with a good feel for it, with a good curveball and a good changeup," Collins said. "He's a pitcher. When you see him out there throwing with Jackson and (Dodgers prospect Greg) Miller, you think, 'He has OK stuff.' But he knows how to use it. And when he's on the mound, he's a different cat. He competes."
Copyright (C) 2006 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.
IDK, but it sure seems like it. Looking how hard guys throw before and after Tampa Bay then how hard they throw when they're here. Also look how much better power pitchers were before/after Hickey compared to what they are with him. Or even as more time w/ Hickey goes by, they get worse.
I am kind of tooting my own horn here. I had a previous thread where I predicted a real good June: They went 19-7 in June (unfortunately the Red Sox were hot as well).
I still them right there with the Red Sox for the division crown. I think they will be in the lead by the end of July. The starti
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It was set. Paper-work about to be filled out. Jason Bay to the Rays for Jeff Neiman and Reid Brignac. But then, the Sox come calling in offering a little more. Uh-oh! The&n
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A little misleading but that is what was laid out on the radio yesterday. The Rays GM ( I think that is who was talking, it might have been one of the owners as well, not sure) basically said how dissappointed he was in the attendance Monday night.
The fact is, attendance is up quite a bit over last year and double what it w
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This is the dumbist rule in the MLB, "every team needs to have a all star", why would that be a rule at all?!?! Take the A's for example, who would they have as their all star besides Matt Holliday? Orlando Cabrera?
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I am sick of interleague in its current form. I don't like the unbalanced schedules. There is not reason baseball can't do something that makes sense: like the NFL does theirs. Play all the teams in a division from the other league one year and then another division the next and so on. Not that difficult.
Trying to ensure the local rivalries play every yea
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Both of these pitchers are back at the cost of Sonny and Abreu. Sucks for Abreu, but he's the odd man out. As for Sonny it was a good ride for him, but unless Price emplodes his next two starts or another starter gets hurt he's probally gonna stay in AAA. His crap ERA and giving up a boatload of HRs really has cost him. Now with what we've heard Kazmir is back on his game.&
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In the bottom of the 8th JP Howell was warmed up and allready to go in the game to close tonights win out before the Phils bullpen decided to blowup and turn the game into a laugher. Then when the game was out of reach JP was sat down and Choate was brought in to face the prodominate lefty hitting trio in the 9th. I know Maddon is either too cool or whatever to say that JP is the close
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I'm sorry Rays fans, but Joe Maddon is just another over hyped, ESPN 'baseball genius'. This guy has made so many questionable moves, and this year, he's off the charts. First off, Ben Zobrist should have been starting in right field like five weeks ago. Only now with an i
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Even if there was a left/right situation, why would TB's moronic, vastly over-rated so-called professional manager replace Wheels in the 9th inning with 2 out and a 4-1 lead. Why protentially waste another pitcher from you bullen?
There is a reason why TB will not be playing in the fall and his name with M.
He is awesome but for the love of God man, learn to lay off the slider low and outside. For such a good hitter he HAS to get rid of all the strikeouts. Is he leading the league in K's? If he can cut them in half he'll lead the league in ..... everything!
Joyce's minor league numbers aren't all that impressive. He had 2 season where he had more than 400 at bats and neither season did he hit over .260. He has some pop but I dont see him becoming a consistent 30 homer guy, probably more around 20-25.
I know its early but I just dont see why he is getting a lot of hype. He is a good prospect but definately not great.
