David Price Makes #2 of the Best Starting Pitchers of 2010
This year is the first year in a long time that starting pitchers are dominating more than hitters. ERA’s are so low this year for many pitchers, which made it very hard to pick a top five. A lot of people probably know who number one is going to be, but the other four can be anyone’s guess.
2. David Price, Tampa Bay Rays: At the age of 25, Price is proving to be the Rays ace. Two years ago when Price entered the league at the end of the 2008 season, the Rays were expecting him to be their future ace. Price shined in the ALCS as the Rays closer beating the Red Sox. Last year Price moved into the rotation and had just an all right season going 10-7 with a 4.42 ERA. This year Price is now what the Rays expected two years ago. This year Price is the ace. Price is 11-3 with a 2.44 ERA and 84 strikeouts. Price just needed a little time to develop and is now helping the Rays stay in contention in the tough AL East. The Rays were the best team in baseball for the first two and a half months of the season. They fell back a little bit, giving the lead to the Yankees and also letting the Red sox pass them. I think the Rays just need a rest and they will get that in a few weeks when the all-star break rolls around. The Rays are still very much in the race for first, they are only three games back and have the fourth best record in baseball. Like I said with the Red Sox, the Rays still have a lot of games against the Red Sox and Yankees which will determine who is the best team not just in the division but, probably in all of baseball.
Click here for the full list at: Around the Diamond: Top Five Starting Pitchers of 2010
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Finishing strong, Rays get win No. 81
Rays clinch non-losing season with 81st victory
ST. PETERSBURG — There will not be a postseason in Tampa Bay, but there will not be a losing record, either.
The Tampa Bay Rays did take a step back after their magical run to the World Series in 2008, but they didn’t slide back into their sorry past.
Tuesday’s 3-1 win against the free-falling Baltimore Orioles in front of 10,349, the smallest home crowd of the season, guaranteed that.
It was win No. 81 for the Rays. They need one victory in their final five games to clinch only the second winning season in their 12-year history.
“That’s we want to do,” left fielder Carl Crawford said. “We want to at least finish on a positive note and have a winning record. Two winning years in a row with this organization never happened, so that’s good for us as we continue to move forward as an organization.”
Click here to read the full article – By ROGER MOONEY of Bradenton.com
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Burrell frustrated by Rays’ recent woes
Pat Burrell allowed Monday that the he let the frustrations accrued during the past 11 games to finally boil over in the Rays’ second game of their doubleheader with the Red Sox on Sunday.
Burrell was sent to the plate to pinch-hit in the eighth inning and tried to check his swing with two strikes, but was called out by home-plate umpire Lance Barksdale. Burrell argued that he had checked his swing, which prompted Barksdale to quickly eject Burrell.
“I was dead wrong, I knew I was out, I swung,” Burrell said.
Burrell is mired in a 1-for-19 stretch during the road trip that has seen the Rays lose all seven games they have played to move their losing streak to 11 before defeating the Orioles, 8-4, on Monday night in Baltimore.
Click here to read the full article – By Bill Chastain of MLB.com
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Niemann’s come long way since debut
On one hand, Jeff Niemann’s first trip to Baltimore this season wasn’t a precursor for things to come, while on the other, it personified why the 6-foot-9, 280-pound right-hander is a leading candidate for American League Rookie of the Year.
Niemann had just won a Spring Training battle with Jason Hammell to be the fifth starter in the Rays’ rotation and he wanted to go out and make a strong impression in his first start to validate the Rays’ faith in him. Instead he got off to the worst of all possible starts. The first seven Orioles hitters reached base safely as Niemann surrendered five first-inning runs, including a grand slam to Melvin Mora.
Click here to read the full article – By Bill Chastain of MLB.com
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Tampa Bay Rays say they’re set to return to top of AL East next season
Of all the Rays accomplished last season, winning the American League East championship was the achievement they were most proud of because it signified they were the best — and thus better than the Yankees and Red Sox — over the rigors of a full season.
Sunday, when they were officially dethroned in being eliminated from the race by the Yankees, they spoke of rededicating themselves to prevail again.
“Our goal coming into this season was to defend our American League East crown,” executive VP Andrew Friedman said. “Obviously we fell short of that.
“With our recent skid I think the focus is going to be much more on how we’ve played the last two weeks as opposed to the body of work and the talent we have on hand.
Click here to read the full article – By Marc Topkin of tampabay.com
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Only thing Crawford hasn’t stolen: Attention
Carl Crawford used to joke with reporters that where attention was concerned, he held a position under the radar and would remain there until one day he would just explode.
For years, Crawford labored in semi-obscurity for the Rays. While the franchise struggled, Crawford tirelessly carved out a name for himself. And while ESPN never seemed to show his daily highlights, including his speedy stealing on the bases, his peers recognized what unique talents the native of Houston brought to the game.
“Carl is definitely one of the most underrated players in the game,” Angels outfielder Torii Hunter said. “That’s probably because of the market he’s in, where he’s played. This guy has five tools. He’s a tremendous athlete. He can beat you in so many ways — with power, average, steals, his glove, his arm.
Click here to read the full article – By Bill Chastain of MLB.com
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Garza aiming for strong September
In Matt Garza’s previous start in Detroit on Friday, he had to deal with the swirling rumors of an impending trade involving teammate Scott Kazmir, who was dealt to Anaheim after the game. On Wednesday, he’ll have to pitch around another mental obstacle: the calendar.
Garza has struggled in his career pitching in September, and Wednesday’s start against Boston will be his first in the month in 2009. It’s not a welcoming prospect for a pitcher currently going through a season-long winless drought.
Garza is 4-7 with a 5.07 ERA and a 1.65 WHIP in 15 starts in September in his career, his worst numbers for any month. And with Garza on pace to log more innings that he has ever before, the potential of fatigue for the 25-year-old right-hander looms.
Click here to read the full article – By Zach Schonbrun of MLB.com
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Pena having a powerful but odd year
Carlos Pena currently owns one of the odder distinctions for a Major League hitter: The Rays first baseman has 37 home runs and 35 singles.
“It’s almost like, ‘How do you do that?’” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “It’s pretty impressive in a way.”
According to Dave Haller of the Rays’ public relations staff, only two players in Major League history have hit as many home runs as singles while hitting a minimum of 30 home runs. Mark McGwire did it four times and Barry Bonds did it once.
Click here to read the full article – By Bill Chastain of MLB.com
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