David Price: The future is...in the minors

The defending AL Champion Tampa Bay Rays optioned 23 year old left handed pitcher David Price to their minor league camp today. The move was based solely on the Rays desire to closely monitor the workload of their young phenom. After pitching 139.1 innings between the majors and minors last season, the Rays do not want to increase his innings by more than 20% in 2009. A 20% increase would put Price’s ‘09 innings pitched to roughly 165 innings.

While I completely understand the decision made by the Rays and am not at all surprised by it, I think it’s the wrong one for the organization. The Rays who are hampered by a limited payroll, play in the same division with the infinite money of the Yankees and Red Sox and realistically have a short amount of time to be competitive. Regardless of how deep their minor league system is and how good they are at developing players, we just have not seen a team consistently compete with one of the lower payrolls in the league. Now I fully understand that with Price pitching in the minors he can be lifted at any point in the game without any real consequences as to the outcome of the game. In the big leagues though, this is much harder to justify. Removing Price from a 1-0 game in the 5th inning is easier said than done, especially if the Rays lose the game. I also understand the Rays desire to give Price regular work and keep him on a consistent pitching schedule but I think it would be more beneficial to their major league team if he was with them all season. They could possibly start Price in the bullpen and then move him into the rotation later in the season similar to what the Yankees did with Joba Chamberlain in ‘08.

Is it possible for the Rays to compete this year even with David Price in the minors for half of the season? Absolutely. In fact I think the Rays have a stronger team than last season. Unfortunately for them so do the Yankees and Red Sox. This means EVERY game matters. This is why I believe David Price should be on their major league roster all season, even if he’s in the bullpen. In such a competitive division you must have your 25 best players available even if that means taking a risk with the left arm of your future ace.

-Robb Lennahan

Best Rotation in the Game?

CC Sabathia, Chien Ming Wang, AJ Burnett, Andy Pettitte, and Joba Chamberlain. Not a bad starting five. In fact, I challenge you to name a better starting five. Sabathia, the best left handed pitcher in baseball the last two seasons, and Wang will be good for a minimum 15 wins each with an era in the mid 3’s. Burnett and Pettitte will be good for 12-15 wins each with an era in the low 4’s. And Joba, if he stays healthy he will dominate, albeit in limited innings, I’m hearing around 150. What starting five can top this? Let’s try and find one.

Exhibit A
Boston Red Sox
Beckett, Matsuzaka, Lester, Wakefield, Penny, Smoltz, Buckholz

This rotation is very top heavy, yet very fragile. Beckett must stay healthy to lead at the top of the rotation. You should get solid years from Matsuzaka and Lester once again, but the remaining arms are very spotty. Wakefield is going on 43 years old and has a tendency to be inconsistent. Penny and Smoltz were top of the rotation starters in years past, but both are coming off of major injuries and cannot be counted on until the second half of the season. Buckholz has shown flashes of brilliance but is not ready to become a regular member of a major league rotation.

Exhibit B
Tampa Bay Rays
Kazmir, Shields, Garza, Sonnanstine, Price

Young, hard throwing, and durable. That describes how the front four performed last year. But that was last year. Can they repeat solid 2008’s and prove they are consistent big league pitchers. Price is the X factor. He looks to be a can’s miss prospect. His showing in the postseason was nothing short of phenomenal in relief. But being a big league starter is a whole other animal. Also, the oft-injured Scott Kazmir will be a key as the Rays don’t have much depth in the starting rotation should he or someone else go down with an injury.

Exhibit C
Chicago Cubs
Zambrano, Harden, Dempster, Lilly, Marshall

The Cubs rotation was among the best in the game in 2008. However, expect a slight drop off this year. The combination of Harden’s health and whether or not the Cubs get repeat performances out of Lilly and Dempster, who each tallied 17 wins last year will be the key to Chicago’s success in the rotation this year. Zambrano should bounce back from a down year to lead this formidable five.

Exhibit D
San Francisco Giants
Lincecum, Cain, Johnson, Zito, Sanchez

The Giants rotation will be key for them competing for a division crown in the weak NL West. Cy Young Tim Lincecum should only improve this year. Matt Cain and Jonathan Sanchez have immense talent and are young and hungry. The veteran lefty duo of Randy Johnson and Barry Zito will also contribute. Johnson is looking to reach the magical 300 win mark while Zito showed he may have figured out how to pitch again, as he went 6-5 while holding batters to a .232 average in the second half of last year.

Honorable mention: Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Arizona Diamondbacks.

While arguments A-D were compelling, I would still take the Yankees rotation going into 2009 above anyone else’s. No other rotation boasts the same type of power and guile that the Yankees do. With an established ace who is coming of off back to back brilliant seasons, a sinkerballer who posted back to back 19 win seasons in 2006 and 2007, a flame thrower who wants to prove he can be a consistent winner, a wily lefty who still has what it takes to get batters out, and a 23 year old fire balling phenom, I sure do like their chances. Only time will tell if my argument will hold true.

-Favad Ali

BOLD Predictions for the 2009 Season:

(Johnny Cueto and Edinson Volquez)

• The Reds will eek past the Cardinals to finish 2nd in the NL Central and they will contend for the Wild Card. Youngsters Edinson Volquez and Johnny Cueto will become a solid 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation. Combined with their power bullpen, they and the Reds will finish with their first +.500 season since 2000.
  

• The A’s make it interesting the AL West for a change. After winning the division by 7.5 games in ‘07 and 21 games in ‘08, the Angels, minus Mark Teixeira, Garrett Anderson, and Francisco Rodriguez will feel the heat from Oakland. I don't expect Oakland to win out, but they will sure make it a tight race.
  

• The Rays have only improved and will stay on top of the AL East. Plus, they are still the most athletic team in the Bigs. The addition of Pat Burrell and a full year from David Price won't hurt either. I wouldn't consider this as that bold of a prediction but I know most others do.
  

• Joe Girardi becomes the first manager fired. Entering a brand new stadium after spending $400+ million on the free agent market, he will fill the role of scapegoat when the Yankees are not leading the division come June.
  
  Of course this is as of right now, February 10th and with so many free agents still left unsigned I may want to retract these statements come April 5th.

-Robb Lennahan

Beyond Belief: The Josh Hamilton Story

I recently read this book and thought I’d share a little bit about it with you. We all know the plot of the story. Josh was the #1 pick in the draft out of high school for Tampa Bay (at the time Devil) Rays. A can’t miss prospect who becomes a cocaine addict, recovers, and was the feel good story of the 2008 baseball season. First and foremost this is not a book about baseball. This is a book about drug addiction with a backdrop of baseball.

After re-aggravating a back injury during the offseason of 2001 Josh used cocaine for the first time at the age of 20. This is followed by numerous suspensions from Major League Baseball, trips in and out of rehab, and the loss of family and friends. More low points include blowing through his 3.96 million dollar signing bonus and selling his wife’s wedding ring for crack.

On October 6th, 2005 after a 4 year spiral into the dark world of crack cocaine addiction, Josh started on the road to recovery with the help of his grandmother and his religion. Josh is still clean to this day and as I’m sure you all know is flourishing in baseball right now with the Texas Rangers. He led the AL in RBI in 2008 and also put on a memorable show at the HR Derby at the All-Star Game.

Being a fan of his is definitely an added bonus to reading the book along with all the insights and a look at the inner workings of the game; such as day to day life in the minors and the big leagues. Also, the book is an interesting look at a ball club’s pre-draft preparations. Baseball fan or not, this book is a flat out a must read.

-Robb Lennahan