Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Ernesto Frieri reacts as Ryan Goins runs around the bases after giving up a 2-run home run during the fifth inning. (Photo courtesy of Kim Klement/USA Today Sports)
Let me turn back the clock to Wednesday afternoon, when the Tampa Bay Rays crushed the Toronto Blue Jays by a score of 9-3? With the loss fresh in their memory, the Jays returned the favor Friday, pounding the Rays 11-5 in an error laden, and home run filled loss. Starter Burch Smith posted a lackluster 3.2 IP/6 ER/6 H/3 BB/1 HBP/3 K/1 HR on 62 pitches (40 strikes) line. The outcome is somewhat deceiving, thanks to a couple of fielding gaffes with Smith was on the mound… cough, and a terrible call by the umpires in the third inning on a botched double play. I digress.
I won’t regale you with all the morose details, though I will remind you that this is only Spring Training.
The New What Next
Jake Odorizzi will make his fourth start of the spring Saturday afternoon when the Rays play the Twins in the fourth game of the 2015 Knutson Challenge. Jeff Beliveau, Brandon Gomes, C.J. Riefenhauser, and Steve Geltz are also slated to pitch.
Rays 3/21/15 Starting Lineup
DeJesus DH
Guyer RF
Cabrera SS
Loney 1B
Jennings LF
Francisco 3B
Franklin 2B
Casali C
Kiermaier CF
Odorizzi RHP
Noteworthiness
— Steven Souza received a precautionary MRI due to right forearm tightness. Souza attempted to make a diving catch in the fourth inning on a sinking liner to right. Souza charged hard before planting his right hand and diving head first toward the line. After firing the ball to the infield following the play, he rolled on the turf in obvious pain.
It was a funky play to begin with, and then when I saw his reaction, I kind of just took my mind off the play, Souza said. We were all getting out of there pretty quick. I didn’t realize the umpire had called the out sign until after I talked to the guys who were kind of huddled around first base.
Souza’s forearm did not stay cramped.
No, it loosened up, Manager Kevin Cash told reporters. He relaxed a lot. It just kind of stunned him for a second. After his at-bat, he was fine, wanting to play, and we’re just like, ‘Let’s be smart here.’
The MRI came back clean and Souza is fine.
— Team officials confirmed Drew Smyly (shoulder tendinitis) will throw off the mound for the first time since March 6, tomorrow. Cash told the reporters,
We would anticipate three or four sessions off the mound and see where that leads us.
— Rene Rivera will not play for several days due to “very minor calf tightness.
— Jake McGee (elbow surgery) threw his second bullpen session of the week Friday.
— Grant Balfour threw 38 pitches Friday in his second round of live batting practice this week. He is scheduled to make his spring debut against the visiting Pirates, Monday.
Everything was very, very good. He felt great, Cash said. Didn’t even realize he threw that many pitches. I asked him how many, and he said 25. He missed by almost 15 pitches.
— The Rays optioned Burch Smith to the minors. With the roster move, the competition for an open spot in the starting rotation is down to Nathan Karns, Matt Andriese, Mike Montgomery and Everett Teaford. Smith pitched twice at Triple-A in 2014. Manager Kevein Cash said Smith needs to be brought along slowly this spring, after Friday’s game.
Steven Souza in the field on March 19, 2015. (Photo courtesy of Kim Klement/USA Today Sports)
To be certain, there is a measure of concern surrounding the Tampa Bay Rays starting rotation, and rightly so; Alex Colome has finally been released from the hospital after contracting pneumonia, Drew Smyly is starting to throw after battling shoulder tendinitis, and Alex Cobb is coping with his own bout of tendinitis. The challenge for Matt Silverman and Kevin Cash will be to cobble together a handful of pitchers plug the hole in the rotation until Smyly and Cobb return.
More nerve wracking, none of the players tapped to fill the void — Nathan Karns, Burch Smith, Matt Andriese, Everett Teaford, Mike Montgomery — are projected by Steamer to be anything more than replacement level players (as it relates to WAR). Does that mean any of the presumed replacements couldn’t outperform their projections? Absolutely not. However, it speaks to the challenge set before them considering Cobb, Smyly and Matt Moore are projected for a combined 5.7 WAR.
Matt Silverman spoke on the subject Wednesday,
Our focus is on getting our rotation set for the month of April and making sure that we match up properly given the personnel that we have. That’s something we’re focused on, and hopefully we’ll figure out over the next couple days.
During the broadcast of the game Thursday afternoon, Silverman once again reiterated if any deals for a starter were to be made, Tampa Bay would seek depth Triple-A Durham. The team is confident in their in-house options.
On the bright side, Smyly and Cobb are expected to return shortly after the start of the season, and the Rays will have two off-days within the first 15 days of the season.
We have an off-day after the first series, Silverman told the media. That helps. We’re going to be utilizing a number of arms, and trying to put our guys in the position to succeed and weather this storm.
Karns, a pitcher battling for one of those spots, took the hill against the Minnesota Twins in his fourth start of the spring. And while he wasn’t his sharpest — something Karns partly attributed to the heat — he battled through a couple of heavy lifting situations to give the Rays a solid start. The 27 year-old righty put together a 4-1/3 IP outing in which he allowed two runs on six hits and a walk, while striking out four on 62 pitches (39 Strikes, 63% K/BB).
Karns put down the first five batters of the game to give him a streak 22 consecutive hitters sent down, but a two-out single by Jose Martinez starting a rally for Minnesota. Eric Fryer followed Martinez with a two-run double, giving the Twins an early 2-0 lead. Nathan got into another jam in the fourth after he loaded the bases with no outs on a couple of singles and a walk, yet Karns coaxed an infield popper for the first out (the infield fly rule was in play), and a double play to get out of the inning.
What Karns lacked with spotty fastball command, he made up for by pitching to contact. He forced the Twins to pound the ball into the ground four times and popping them up twice. Dependence upon the defenders behind him will go a long way in keeping him efficient, among other things. The outcome of any given Spring Training game is ultimately pointless. However, one thing that can be evaluated is how a pitcher handles himself in a tough situation. Karns did an excellent job maintaining his cool and limiting the damage to only two runs. In Karns, Cash sees a pitcher with the ability to help the team stay afloat to start the season if he can prevent any self inflicted wounds from being too costly — like he did Thursday.
From the fifth inning on Kirby Yates, Kevin Jepsen, Brad Boxberger and Jordan Norberto retired 13 consecutive batters before Norberto allowed a ninth inning base runner. The four relievers combined for six strikeouts, giving Tampa Bay a grand total of 10 punch outs on the day.
As for the offense, Steven Souza provided all the runs the Rays would need with a second inning RBI on a groundout to third, and a fourth inning, two-run blast to left:
The New What Next
Burch Smith will take the hill for Tampa Bay when it takes on the Blue Jays in Port Charlotte. Matt Andriese is also expected to see action, along with Ernesto Frieri. Rays 3/19/15 Starting Lineup
Guyer CF
Beckham SS
Jennings DH
Longoria 3B
Souza RF
Forsythe 1B
Jaso LF
Wilson C
Casilla 2B
Smith P
Noteworthiness
Kevin Cash made another round of cuts Thursday, optioning Enny Romero and Mikie Mahtook, and reassigning Vince Belnome. The option of Romero cuts the field to fill out the season-opening rotation to Burch Smith, Matt Andriese, Mike Montgomery and Everett Teaford (also listed above).
Drew Smyly played catch at a distance of 100 feet and is scheduled, if all is well, to throw off the mound Saturday.
August Fagerstrom (FanGraphs) offered a preview of team defenses. Spoiler alert, the Rays are tied for eighth with the Athletics in the coming season. Of note, the middle infield is projected to relinquish 10 runs, however Fagerstrom didn’t note who — Asdrubal Cabrera or Nick Franklin — would play where. On the whole, the Rays defense is projected to save 14 runs.
Rays’ owner Stu Sternberg offered up some thoughts on the Stadium Saga in Port Charlotte, Thursday. Both Roger Mooney (Tampa Tribune) and Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) covered Sternberg’s media blitz, however both left out a significant acknowledgement made by the Rays owner — he seems to be pivoting from an earlier stance, that baseball isn’t sustainable in downtown St. Petersburg. Sternberg told Bill Chastain (MLB.com),
We might find out that it’s impossible and it can’t be done, and there’s no place that works. I personally believe it can. I personally believe that there’s a location that works dramatically better than where we are, whether it’s 10 feet away or 12 miles away.
Chastain continued,
Sternberg allowed that a new location and stadium might not prove to be the answer for making the club a bigger draw and more financially competitive. But it’s clear that he hopes to have the chance to make the Rays work in the Tampa Bay area.
Speaking of Sternberg, the Rays owner spoke with the media on a variety of subjects before Thursday’s game. The audio from the session (courtesy of Rays Radio) follows. You can read a few bulleted highlights further down in this piece:
— Sternberg was excited to at the beginning of the interview, saying, “Change is good! We embrace change, and change is good,” though also mentioning, “I’m as frightened as anybody.” The acknowledgement that he, like the fans, enters things with a measure of trepidation is equally consoling and disconcerting.
— On the subject of Joe Maddon and Andrew Friedman, Sternberg dismissively said “not a good” taste was left in his mouth from Maddon leaving, but wishes him “nothing but success” with the Cubs, and there are “no hard feelings.” As for the former President of Baseball Operations, Friedman had been approached by many teams but the job with the Dodgers was “clearly the biggest enchilada out there, so to speak.”
— On the subject of the new manager, Sternberg seemed thoroughly excited to have Kevin Cash in the dugout, saying, “The first thing I like about him, is that we got a guy here we expect to be here for a very long time. That’s a good thing, we can put that to bed.” The Rays owner was complimentary of Cash’s approach, his want to learn as much as he can, and his tireless work ethic.
Chris Archer throws a pitch (looks like a change-up to me) during the first inning of a spring training game against the Toronto Blue Jays on March 18, 2015 in Dunedin, Florida. (Photo courtesy of Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
The bad news handed down from the Tampa Bay Rays Wednesday afternoon, Alex Cobb will miss Opening Day. The good news, however, the team thumped the Toronto Blue Jays by a score of 9-3. While the latter certainly doesn’t supersede the former, seeing what the Rays hitters can do as they continue to get their timing in order is promising.
It was also incredible to see Tampa Bay hand it to Blue Jays starter Mark Buehrle after he dominated Tampa Bay last season, tagging the soft tosser for three runs on seven hits. That they hit four homers (seven in two days) was icing on the cake. Both Evan Longoria and James Loney hit their first homers of the spring in the shellacking.
Longo spoke about the beating they placed upon Buehrle and the Jays,
It’s a little bit of a confidence builder. Buehrle is always tough. I thought we swung the bats pretty well against him. We haven’t had much success against him in the past. Although it’s Spring Training, it’s something we can build on going into the season.
On the heels of the news that he would get the start Opening Day, Chris Archer tossed four strong innings of ball, allowing one hit and three walks while striking out three.
In lieu of a complete game summary, below are a few loose ends that are just begging to be tied:
I was really excited to kind of take on that honor and be able to take the ball the first day and kind of set the tone. That’s more of a selfish standpoint. If I really look at it and think about what’s best in getting ready for the long haul, the six-month season, this is the best thing I can do to prepare for that.
So it’s just the circumstances that are in front of me and there’s no need to dwell over it and pity myself. It’s just something that I’ve come across and I have to deal with it.
He also noted that he cannot pinpoint when his forearm injury occurred,
Tendinitis is just such a natural occurrence in your body that it could happen at any moment, but maybe I did throw a little too much off the mound [after my previous start], threw too many pitches in bullpen sessions. The Rays do a good job of monitoring our progression in getting ready to get on the mound. You know, I might have overdone it a little bit in a bullpen session.
On the subject of the hole in the starting rotation, Bradley Woodrum (DRaysBay) writes the Rays need some help with the rotation, but do not want to spend too much. Here’s a few guys they could consider.
Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) furthered the conversation on the Rays new found pitching challenges, writing the Rays are facing their season start with just two experienced pitchers in the rotation — and not all that experienced — and then having to fill from a group of up-and-coming, but unproven, pitchers.
As if you couldn’t discern a theme, Matt Silverman also spoke with the media about the state of Alex Cobb.
[youtube_sc url=”http://youtu.be/3RI0XJ5yoNo”]
The New What Next
Nathan Karns will get the start for the Rays Thursday afternoon against the Minnesota Twins. As was written elsewhere, the right-hander came to camp as a contender for the No. 5 spot in the rotation. Now that Alex Cobb, Drew Smyly and Alex Colome are dealing with health issues, he appears a lock to be in the rotation. Also scheduled to take the mound are Kevin Jepsen, Brad Boxberger, Jordan Norberto, and Kirby Yates.
Rays 3/19/15 Starting Lineup
DeJesus LF
Rivera DH
Cabrera SS
Longoria 3B
Francisco 1B
Forsythe 2B
Souza CF
Casali C
Elmore RF
Karns P
Noteworthiness
Additional lineup and roster notes:
The Rays welcomed Alex Colome back to the fold following his release from hospital, some by covering their faces with their gloves. Colome told Marc Topkin he lost 10-12 pounds in the hospital, and the overall experience was “scary.” He hopes to be throwing by next week.
Alex Cobb told reporters “I feel way better, and emphasize the way,” after one day of rest and treatment.
Ronald Belisario (fractured left shoulder) has been cleared to start playing catch today.
Tampa Bay will have Everett Teaford on the mound in place of Cobb, Sunday, Mike Montgomery will pitch in relief.
Manager Kevin Cash changed the lineup today because Evan Longoria wanted to play a third straight game, which he said is obviously a good sign.
Alex Cobb took the mound against the Philadelphia Phillies, Tuesday. (Photo courtesy of Will Vragovic/Tampa Bay Times)
I spent so much time talking about the abrupt exit of Alex Cobb from the game Tuesday afternoon, I completely overlooked the Tampa Bay Rays’ 5-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. It happens. Much like the players themselves, after a few months off from everyday action, I too need as many reps as I can get in order to get back into Opening Day form. Below are a few highlights from the Grapefruit League contest.
Despite his early exit from the game, Alex Cobb was flat out un-hittable in his three innings of work. Cobb allowed no runs and no hits while striking out three before coming out of the game with right forearm tightness. He threw 32 pitches of which 25 were strikes (78% K/BB).
The Outlaw, Kevin Kiermaier helped out Cobb in the first inning, charging in from center field and making a diving catch on a sinking liner off the bat of Ben Revere. This, my friends, is why Kiermaier is the Rays center fielder.
Asdrubal Cabrera put the Rays on the board in the fourth inning, bouncing an RBI single over the glove of David Buchanan, plating James Loney from third. It’s nice to see Cabrera’s bat start to warm up — he promises to be an integral part of the lineup this season.
Logan Forsythe went yard not once, but twice Tuesday afternoon — both were opposite field no-doubters.
Mikie Mahtook put a cap on the scoring, lifting a two-run homer to left field in the eighth inning. Of note, reliever Steve Geltz nonchalantly caught the ball in the Rays’ bullpen.
The New What Next
Chris Archer will take the bump Wednesday afternoon when the Rays face the Toronto Blue Jays in Dunedin, Wednesday. Also slated to pitch are Jeff Beliveau, Jim Miller, Brandon Gomes and Jhan Marinez.
Rays 3/18/15 Starting Lineup
Franklin SS
Jaso DH
Longoria 3B
Loney 1B
Jennings LF
Guyer CF
Wilson C
DeJesus RF
Beckham 2B
Archer RHP
Jake McGee threw his first session off a mound, consisting of 20 pitches. If all goes well on Wednesday, he will throw another bullpen session later in the week.
Grant Balfour threw 30 pitches to hitters on Tuesday. He is scheduled to throw in a game on Friday or Saturday, and does not believe he will miss any of the regular season.
Brandon Guyer was one of the hitters who faced Balfour. He also did some drills and, according to Kevin Cash, “seemed fine.” He is scheduled to play Wednesday against the Blue Jays.
Drew Smyly threw from 90 feet on Monday, was off on Tuesday, and will throw again on Wednesday.
Though he was projected to be released from the hospital, Sunday, RHP Alex Colome remains hospitalized with pneumonia.
#Rays Cash said nothing wrong with Kiermaier, lineup was changed to get Guyer in game
Rays ace Alex Cobb remived himself from Tuesday’s game due to forearm tightness. (Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports)
3/18/15 1:00 Update: Rays manager Kevin Cash told the media the team plans to rest Alex Cobb for 4-7 days, then be re-evaluated. He also noted the Rays haven’t talked yet about adjusting Chris Archer’s schedule to take over as the Opening Day starter. Additionally, Matt Silverman said the team will look more toward filling the rotation internally, however, they may also look outside as well. On the whole, the team is taking an approach of getting through the first few weeks, then getting the injured guys back during the month of April. Marc Topkin opined (via Twitter) that Cobb will probably start the season on the 15-Day DL,
Cobb said had he known he was dealing with tendinitis, not regular soreness, he never would have pitched Tuesday afternoon. “Could’ve been ligament,” said Cobb who was also s thankful there was nothing worse than tendinitis, “this is not (the) worse case scenario.” Alex doesn’t have a specific timetable to resume throwing following the shutdown, though he expects to be back with the team in April:
Though no timetable, #Rays Cobb said won’t drag into May: “I would like to believe that I’d be back for April, no doubt.”
3/18/15 9:41 AM Update: The Rays have confirmed that Alex Cobb has tendinitis and is no longer expected to make opening day start. The team will have an official update around 12:30 PM today. As of now — and barring any other injuries — the Rays season opening rotation looks like this:
Chris Archer
Jake Odorizzi
Nathan Karns
Matt Andriese or Burch Smith
Enny Romero or Everett Teaford
An assumption on my part, but Nathan Karns would probably bump down to the fourth spot when Drew Smyly returns around April 10. There isn’t any indication yet of when Cobb will return, or how long he will be shelved.
10:45 PM Update: The tightness in Alex Cobb’s right forearm been diagnosed as tendinitis. The diagnosis “is relatively good news,” Marc Topkin contends, “but seems likely to keep him from making his opening day start.”
The diagnosis was confirmed by an MRI exam that Cobb had after leaving Tuesday afternoon’s game. The Rays expected to provide an update on his status Wednesday morning, with the possibility that he could miss the first few weeks of the season. In this scenario, Chris Archer would likely replace Cobb as the Opening Day starter.
According to Topkin, pitching coach Jim Hickey was aware of Cobb’s status before the game but shared his view that it was okay to pitch
There was no real concern prior to the game. I don’t think he was being selfish, I don’t think he did anything he should not have done.
Hickey also said Cobb did the right thing by removing himself from the game,
At this point, any starter coming out of the game with forearm tightness is not good, so this is certainly not good. But I really thought it was more precautionary than anything else on his part, which is also good because he can be stubborn and want to just go through it.
Alex Cobb was removed from Tuesday afternoon’s game against the Phillies as a precaution, due to right forearm tightness. Cobb, who isn’t overly concerned, told Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) he felt the tightness the last few days yet decided to pitch Anyway. He felt that three innings of work was enough. According to the Rays ace, there wasnt a particular pitch or moment of trauma,
If it was something I was really concerned of, I probably wouldn’t have thrown today at all. This was something I knew about. Throwing this much early in the spring, your forearm, triceps start tightening up, biceps too. It’s one of those three probably.
Cobb experienced similar tightness last season, saying that it’s common for pitchers to feel tightness in certain parts of their arm. As for Tuesday’s bout, Cobb told Topkin it was a “dull feeling,” similar to a cramp, that started “getting a little bit tight on me” after his last bullpen session, following his previous start.
In a telling moment from his presser with the media, Cobb mentioned that he pulled himself from the game to avoid incurring any long-term health concerns over one inning of work:
It was not excruciating pain, it was just there. And I was like, this is kind of pointless to go through and risk longer term health over an inning. I knew I was going to have to answer these questions, but I felt like it was worth the risk.
Cobb confirmed that he’ll consult with head athletic trainer Ron Porterfield to see if the team wants him to get an MRI, though he “would assume” he will be making his next start. Cobb, however, also acknowledged that he has “no idea” until he sees how it feels tomorrow,
I can’t tell you, I don’t know. If I was a betting man I would say I’ll be good tomorrow or for my next start, but don’t want to jinx it.
Rays manager Kevin Cash also spoke on the situation, saying he was encouraged that Cobb was not overly concerned and also expects the team will know more about his status on Wednesday.
Right now we appreciate him being cautious and we’ll be cautious with it too.
Video from the aforementioned presser is below (courtesy of the Tampa Bay Times):
It should be noted, both Drew Smyly and Alex Colome are expected to miss an undetermined amount time due tendinitis and pneumonia (respectively). Any setback for the Rays ace would be undesirable to say the least. The team is already trying to fill one, maybe two, spot(s) in the rotation to start the season.
