Rays Blow Largest Lead In Team History

After being down 10-2 up until the eight inning, the Cleveland Indians never put away the rally caps. Scoring 2 runs in the eight and 7 runs in the bottom of the ninth, the Indians rallied to beat the Tampa Bay Rays handing the team their largest blown lead in their 11 year club history.

The worst of the embarrassment for the Rays wasn’t in losing the game after leading by eight runs, but losing the game with the score 10-5 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth was just pitiful.

The Rays have no dropped 14 games in a row at Cleveland.

Blogs weigh in the Rays Blown Lead:

Rays Index: Rays Index calls the loss “Vomit Inducing”. This is just not a good team. Good teams do not blow 10-run leads. They don’t blow 6-runs leads in the 9th innings. And they do not blow ANY leads to bad teams.

DRAYSBAY : It’s unacceptable, and frankly disgusting.  This team is in serious trouble…..

The Heater: Tampa Bay, up 10-0 at one point, gives up seven runs in the ninth inning in an embarrassing collapse.

Baseball Reflections : Kazmir isn’t the only Rays pitcher struggling – Andy Sonnanstine has been even worse with his 7.36 ERA and 1.71 K/BB ratio. Most troubling for Sonnanstine is his hits allowed….

Does Anyone Remember Pat Burrell?

When you see the statistics of seven home runs, 17 runs-batted-in and a batting average of .359 compared to one homer, eight RBIs and an average of .254, it’s really easy to say the former line is much better.  To identify the names behind these stats, current Philadelphia Phillies left-fielder Raul Ibanez is the former and former Phillies left-fielder and current Tampa Bay Rays designated hitter Pat Burrell is the latter.

Ibanez, who was acquired in the off-season as a free agent from the Seattle Mariners, has caused passionate Phillies fans to forget about the man who occupied left-field on a day-to-day basis for almost nine full seasons.  Burrell was a former number one overall pick by the Phillies in the late-1990s and he has been a fan favorite in Philadelphia for most of his time in the City of Brotherly Love.

After the Phils won the World Series in October 2008, all the baseball fans in Philadelphia knew that Pat Burrell was to be a free agent and there was concern around the city that the Phillies organization would not re-sign him.  During the winter meetings, Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro, Jr. made it clear that he was interested Raul Ibanez.  Of course all the Phillies fans knew was that he played in Seattle, a team that was very rarely seen on televisions in the Philadelphia area, and that he was 36-years old, a whole three years older than Burrell.

Despite all the potential criticism, Amaro knew what a great player Ibanez was and he signed the veteran outfielder to a three-year contract.  As a result, Burrell signed with the team the Phillies beat in the World Series, the Rays, and only received a two-year contract to be mainly a designated hitter.

Burrell made a couple memorable returns to Citizen’s Bank Park in the beginning of the 2009 season with an exhibition game and an emotional World Series ring ceremony.  In the exhibition game as a member of the Rays, Burrell unloaded on a Cole Hamels fastball, reminding Phillies fans of what they would be missing in the upcoming 2009 season.  Then in the ring ceremony, Burrell received the loudest and longest cheer from the Phillies faithful when presented with his championship ring.  Pat’s ovation lasted longer than even current Phillies superstars Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard.

But to this writer, it seems like ages ago when Pat Burrell was a member of the Phillies, in the ballpark as a member of the Rays and receiving his championship ring.  Raul Ibanez has made all of the Phillies fans forget that there was any other Phillies player that played left-field in recent years.  The Phils faithful has embraced Ibanez as the great player that he is.  Signs in the stands at Citizen’s Bank Park read “I-BOMB-EZ” and now you can see quite a few fans wearing the number-29 Ibanez jerseys.  And typical to Philadelphia, a new chant that goes “RAOOOOL” and sounds like “BOOOO” is now heard throughout the ballpark every time Ibanez steps to the plate.

There is no doubt that Raul Ibanez has won over Phillies fans with his timely hitting, solid defensive play and his hustle both in the field and on the base paths.  Does anyone in Philadelphia remember the beloved Pat Burrell?  I’m sure there are many who do, but Ibanez is easily causing some fans to forget.

2009 Tampa Bay Rays Preview

Key Additions: Pat Burrell (OF-DH), Matt Joyce (OF), Gabe Kapler (OF), Jason Isringhausen (RP), Joe Nelson (RP), Brian Shouse (RP)

Key Subtractions: Edwin Jackson (SP), Cliff Floyd (DH), Eric Hinske (OF), Rocco Baldelli (OF), Jonny Gomes (OF-DH), Trever Miller (RP)

A look at the lineup:

Catcher: Last season, Dioner Navarro took a major step forward for the Rays, becoming a franchise catcher. In 120 games, he hit .295 while knocking in 54 runs from a normally dry position. Navarro’s presence behind the plate is the real key for Tampa, as he helped lead a very young pitching staff to the World Series in 2008. His catcher’s earned run average was below four, an amazing feat being in the same division as the Yankees and Red Sox. Behind Navarro is capable backup Shawn Riggans who appeared in 44 games last year.

First Base: Carlos Pena was an afterthought before the 2006 season, but 46 homers later in ’07, he became the comeback player of the year. Last season, his numbers took a hit, as his OPS dipped from 1.038 to .871 and his average slid 35 points. He still hit 30-plus homers and knocked in 100-plus runs, which is all you can ask from a guy who played just 18 games in 2006. He’ll give you the power, but Pena does strike out a ton.

Second Base: In 2008, there was a position change at second base for Tampa Bay. BJ Upton moved to the outfield and Akinori Iwamura switched from third to accommodate stud Evan Longoria. The move went off without a hitch. Iwamura committed just seven errors at second, tied for third base in baseball among starters. Aki is a pro hitter, leading the Rays with 172 hits last season. He’s as steady as they come. If he needs a breather, Willy Aybar or Ben Zobrist can step in.

Shortstop: Jason Bartlett took over as the everyday shortstop last year and was stellar. With the stick, Bartlett doesn’t give you power (just one home run in the regular season, one in the playoffs) but he does provide an adequate bat at the bottom of the order. Speed is the name of his game, as he swiped 20 bags in ’08. Bartlett’s fielding is just ok, as he committed 16 errors last year and was in the bottom half of the majors in fielding percentage. However, Bartlett fits with the Rays well and is once again their starter for 2009.

Third Base: This is one position the Rays won’t have to worry about for a decade or so. Evan Longoria is one of the brightest stars in all the game, and last season he put his name on the map as one of the top third basemen in the game. He missed more than a month during August and September with a broken wrist, but still hit 22 home runs on the year in just 122 games. The AL Rookie of the Year slugged a healthy .531, 8th best in the AL. Longoria is going to continue to take strides forward, and it’s scary to see where he can end up in a few years. He has 40 home run power and could knock in 100-plus runs for a long, long time. Who’s the backup? Doesn’t matter, because this is his team.

Left Field: One of the most enigmatic players in baseball is Carl Crawford. The speedy left fielder has stolen 50 or more bases four times in his career, but dealt with injuries last season that allowed him to play in just 109 games. The hand injury he suffered healed just in time for him to be back for the playoffs, but his numbers had been suffering all year as his average dipped into the .270’s for the first time in his career. Crawford has a ton of talent and could hit for more power, but can’t seem to harness it. Expect 15 homers, 75 RBI’s, 40 steals and some great defense. That’s good enough for Joe Maddon, I’m sure.

Center Field: BJ Upton is one of the premier outfielders in the game today. However, he may not be ready for the start of the 2009 season. Upton had offseason shoulder surgery and has not yet participated in Spring Training as of this writing. Last year, Upton struggled with the power numbers, hitting just nine homers, down from 24 in ’08. He did steal 44 bases and although the homers were low, he still hit 37 doubles, meaning he has some pop. He might feel the heat to get back soon, because his backup, Fernando Perez, dislocated his wrist and his out three months. There is a hole in center right now, and it may not be filled for a while in Tampa.

Right Field: Right field has always been up for grabs with the Rays, but they are hoping that will change in 2009 after the acquisition of Matt Joyce. Last season, the Rays had five players start 8 or more games in right field, not exactly a consistent earmark. Joyce comes over from Detroit in a deal for starter Edwin Jackson, and with him comes a lot of promise. However, he will be feeling the heat from incumbent Gabe Gross, newcomer Gabe Kapler, and backup Justin Ruggiano. When you have two Gabe’s on the roster, you’d better look out. Joyce has a battle ahead, but the 24-year old is definitely an up and comer.

A look at the pitching:

Starters: Wow. Where can you start with this Rays pitching staff that became one of the best in all of baseball. It was all about consistency in ’08 with the Rays staff, as all five starters has between 11 and 14 wins on the season and all had ERA’s between 3.50 and 4.50. They have since dealt Edwin Jackson, but that’s ok with them, they have one of the best young pitchers in the world waiting in the wings in David Price.

Price is the prize of the Rays organization, and he showed why down the stretch last year by joining the Rays on their run to the World Series. The lefty pitched only 14 regular season innings, but stuck around long enough to appear in five playoff games, including the game seven closeout win over Boston in the ALCS. So much promise follows Price, but when will they unleash him? We may see Jason Hammel in the meantime as the Rays may try to protect the fabulous arm of David Price.

The rest of the staff is the same, and damn good. James Shields became one of the best pitchers in the American League, winning 14 games and becoming the staff ace. He’s so good, he may be even better in 2009. Scott Kazmir is an incredible talent as well, but did not finish well in ’08. His final game, a World Series loss to the Phillies in the Game 5 clincher, Kazmir went just four innings. He has 20-win potential, and is still just 25. Scary indeed.

Matt Garza and Andy Sonnanstine round out the rotation, and both had fine seasons last year as well. Garza was brought over in a deal for Delmon Young from the Twins and flourished in his first season with Tampa. He won 11 games and had an ERA under four in 184 innings. Garza’s 1.24 whip placed him in the Top-15 in the AL. Sonnanstine went 13-9, walked just 37 batters in nearly 200 innings, and basically kept the team in it every time out. You can’t expect any more from a 4th or 5th starter.

Bullpen: Perhaps the biggest reason the Rays defied the odds and streaked to the AL Pennant was the work of their bullpen. Overall, their ERA as a ‘pen was 3.55, third best in the American League. The relievers also won them 31 games and combined for 52 saves. It just goes to show you how important it is to have a strong bullpen. The Rays rode these guys to the very end, and most of the crew will be back this year.

Troy Percival is the elder statesman and though he is up there in age and tends to break down, he still gives them the veteran presence this team needs. Grant Balfour throws heat, J.P Howell is the lefty, Dan Wheeler is another of the glue guys, and now they are joined by Brian Shouse (2.81 ERA with Milwaukee) and Jason Isringhausen (293 career saves). They are loaded once again, so look for a similar season out of this cast of characters.

Prediction:

No one, and I mean no one, saw this coming from the Tampa Bay Rays. They won 97 regular season games, plus eight more in the playoffs for 105 total. That’s an outrageous number for a team that had never won more than 70 in a season.

Expect a small step backwards, only because the Yankees and Red Sox are a little bit better. However, don’t sleep on these guys again, because the young talent is in place, and they can actually get better if and when David Price steps in. Evan Longoria will get a full season to show off his skills and the all-important pitching staff is a year older. I foresee 89 wins from the Rays in 2009, which may or may not be good enough for a playoff berth. The Rays, Yanks, and Sox will all beat up on each other, but who will come away with more victories? Too close to say, but the AL East is fun again.

Patrick Gallen is the Philadelphia Phillies Examiner for examiner.com.  He also hosts his own internet radio show, “Basketball Roundup” on the Sports Journey Broadcast Network. The show airs Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10am-12pm est.

2009 AL East Preview

The American League East landscape changed dramatically last season as the Tampa Bay Rays finally wrestled the AL East Crown out of the hands of the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. To add insult to pinstriped misery, the Rays arrived as a legitimate World Series contender and pushed the Yankees out of post season play for the first time since 1994.

The Rays went on to defeat the defending World Series Champion Red Sox in a seven game ALCS battle before their magic carpet ride of a season ended in a World Series defeat at the hands of the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Rays, with a year of post season experience under their belts, on paper, seemed to have improved themselves. The Yankees have reloaded in a way that must have made Old Man Steinbrenner proud. The Red Sox added depth to what was already among the best pitching staffs in Major League Baseball.

The stage is set for a three way, Steel Cage Death Match, to decide the 2009 AL East Champion.

Any discussion of an AL East race must begin with the Yankees as their off season moves made it very clear they intend to be the team to beat. They beefed up both their already potent offense and, what was a thin starting pitching staff, as well.

It’s almost seems unfair to plunk Mark Teixeira in the middle of a lineup that already features Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter. Teixeira is an OBP machine who, like most of the Yankee batters, battles on each and every at bat. Opposition pitch counts are going to pile up quickly this season.

Teixeira may have as big an impact defensively as he will at the plate. He is an exceptional fielder and will have a positive effect on a Yankee infield that has been erratic defensively.

The Yankees’ lack of post season success over the past few years was due, in part, to the lack of a true Ace at the top of the rotation. Chien-Ming Wang has been a very good regular season starter but his post season struggles have been a source of disappointment for Yankee management and fans.

That all changed with the signing of C.C. Sabathia. The big, lefthander is a horse. Manager Joe Girardi enters this season, unlike last year, confident that his ace matches up very well against the other #1 starters in MLB.

The Yankees also added AJ Burnett but, while he has great stuff, Burnett has demonstrated an inability to stay healthy on a consistent basis. One thing the Yankees do not need is Carl Pavano, the Sequel. That said, there is no doubt that the pitching staff taking the mound in the Bronx in 2009 is far superior to the 2008 edition. And let us not forget, they have Joba Chamberlain and the great Mariano Rivera in the bullpen.

The biggest question surrounding the Yankees this season is the progressively more volatile situation surrounding the admitted (well sort of) steroid use of Alex Rodriguez. Following a press conference in Tampa during the first week of Spring Training, it seemed that the controversy might be somewhat diffused. Subsequently, each day seemed to bring to light information that rendered Arod’s public apology more than a bit hollow.

New York teams, especially the Yankees, are used to being in the glare of the media spotlight. Should ARod’s explanation continue to unravel, the negative fallout would be tremendous, even by New York standards.

In a much more serene setting to the South, the nucleus of young talent that propelled Tampa Bay to its improbable march to an AL Championship, is returning in 2009. This year, the Rays are a year wiser and brimming with the confidence gained by hanging on to defeat the Red Sox in the ALCS.

What should put fear in AL East rivals is the knowledge that the Rays should have an improved batting lineup this season. Carl Crawford, once the team’s best player, was hampered last season by hamstring problems and had a sub par offensive season as a result. He is expected back at full strength.

Rookie of the Year 3B Evan Longoria who began last season in the minors will have a full season to improve on his impressive rookie numbers. Often times, during a young player’s second season, MLB pitchers will find and begin to exploit holes in their swing. While that is always a possibility, I don’t think rival managers are holding their collective breath in anticipation of Longoria suffering from the Sophomore Jinx.

The Rays also added another big stick to their lineup when they signed free agent Pat Burrell. The ex-Phillies’ slugger is slated to DH and will provide needed power to the Tampa offense.

Rookie pitcher, David Price, who rocketed through the Tampa Bay minor league system before a September call up to the majors, will likely be slotted at the end of the starting rotation. It won’t be long, based on his post season performance, before he takes his place at the top of the Rays’ rotation. In the meantime, James Shields, Scott Kazmir and Matt Garza will man the top of Tampa’s staff.

Rays’ Manager Joe Maddon masterfully guided his young charges last season as his unusually laid back approach served to keep his team relaxed and seemingly unfazed by the pressure of playing in big games; most for the first time in their careers.

This season, Maddon’s biggest challenge will be to keep the team from reading, and believing, its press clippings. It is not unusual for a young team to suffer a drop in performance following the first taste of success. Maddon will need to ensure the team doesn’t experience an early season hangover from Banquet Circuit following last season’s Cinderella ride.

The Boston Red Sox, with the notable exception of their pursuit of Teixeira, took a decidedly relaxed approach to this off season. The investment they have made in rebuilding their minor league system has been bearing fruit over the past couple of years which allowed the Sox to be discriminating in the pursuit of high priced free agents.

Farm system products Dustin Pedroia (reigning AL MVP), Kevin Youkilis (runner up to Pedroia in MVP voting), Jon Lester, Jonathan Papelbon, Jacoby Ellsbury and Jed Lowrie all played pivotal roles in last year’s team and they are the core of the franchise moving forward. The good news for Red Sox fans is that youngsters such as pitcher Michael Bowden and 1B Lars Anderson are no more than a season away from challenging for a spot on the Major League roster.

While Boston did not make a big ticket free agent purchase, they did sign veteran starting pitchers John Smoltz, and Brad Penny as well as ex-Dodger closer Takashi Saito. All three experienced injury plagued 2008 seasons but are expected to contribute for Boston this season.

Smoltz, in particular, could be a valuable addition once he completes his rehab and joins the team, reportedly in May. Should Smoltz regain some semblance of his past form, he would slide comfortably into the “big game,” pitcher role occupied by Curt Schilling since 2004.

Saito and Penny are also slated to become important components of a very deep pitching staff. Saito could help offload some of the innings absorbed by Jonathan Papelbon, who admitted he was breaking down due to overuse at the end of last season.

While the Red Sox have a very productive lineup, it remains to be seen just how badly they will miss Manny Ramirez. The enigmatic left fielder’s production will not be matched by his replacement, Jason Bay, who, despite being a solid major league power hitter, will not rival the numbers put up by Ramirez during his time in Boston.

Time will tell whether the upgrade Bay brings in terms of defense and emotional stability can offset the shortfall in offensive statistics.

The Toronto Blue Jays had been the dark horse pick to challenge the dominance enjoyed by the Red Sox and Yankees over the past couple of years but were never quite able to crash the post season party.

While the Jays do have some talented players such as ace starting pitcher Roy Halladay, OFs Alex Rios, Vernon Wells and hot prospect Travis Snider, they have not improved significantly from 2008. Losing Burnett to the Yankees created a hole in the starting rotation and it’s unclear who is going to fill it.

The Orioles have been in a decade long rebuilding process and the once proud franchise has become one of MLB’s more inept organizations. Orioles fans have grown increasingly frustrated as highly touted prospects reach the major leagues only to be dealt in order to avoid having to sign them to long term contracts.

This past off season, the Orioles stepped up to sign young star OF Nick Markakis to a six year contract, perhaps signaling a willingness to pay the price required to keep young talent on which to build the foundation for a successful franchise.

The Markakis signing combined with the expected arrival of top MLB prospect, catcher Matt Wieters to the major league club could serve to give long suffering Orioles’fans some hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

The AL East race could very well remain unresolved until the final weeks of the season as the Red Sox, Yankees and Rays slug it out until the final bell. The prediction here is that the Red Sox hang on to repeat as Divisional Champs while the Yankees return to the post season as the Wildcard team.

Photos From Keith Alison- Flickr.