Huge Congrats Go Out to Fernando Rodney

Fernando Rodney pitching against the Cleveland Indians on July 17, 2012. Save number 27. (Photo courtesy of Danger McClintock)

Fernando Rodney earned a pair of huge awards, being named the American League Comeback Player of the Year, and the Major League Baseball Delivery Man of the Year. The Delivery Man award recognizes the most outstanding relief pitcher of the regular season, and is voted on by a panel from MLB.

Rodney was quoted as saying, “I was surprised by the year I had,” and  “Next year, I want to be the same guy and do my job. I want to be the same person I am today.”

It bears mentioning that Rodney collected 48 saves in a career-high 76 appearances in his first year with the Rays. The 35 year-old reliever also earned his first All-Star selection following a disappointing 2011 season with the Angels, where he went 3-5 with a 4.50 ERA in 39 games. Fernando set the major league record for a relief pitcher with a minimum of 50 innings pitched with a 0.60 ERA, surpassing Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley who previously set the record with a 0.61 ERA set in 1990.

…And Because We Can’t Just Ignore the Yankees Postseason Collapse

A healthy round of applause go out to the Detroit Tigers for deflating the balloon like egos of A-Rod and company, sweeping the Yankees in four games in the ALCS. To add insult to injury, even ESPN wrote an article critical of the Bronx Bummers! Yes, you read that right, ESPN was critical of the Yankees! We cannot wait to see what the Yankees look like next season. With the hot-stove rumor mill a-cranking, word on the street is that we may not see the return of Soriano and Swisher because of money issues…yes, money issues. The question also begs, will we see the return of a healthy Rivera, Jeter, or Petite following their collective leg injuries? And then there’s the impotent bat of A-Rod…Oy vey. Sucks to be a Yankee fan!

Nate Silver; the Baseball and Political Parts of My Brain Have Now Found Serenity

Statistical guru and sabermetrician, Nate Silver, appeared on the Daily Show last night to promote his new book, The Signal and the Noise. Most known in baseball circles as the man who developed PECOTA, Silver has also used his statistical models as a means to explain the science behind effective political forecasting. Regardless of your political leanings, Silver is a pretty interesting guy and his interview (linked below) is worth checking out!

Nate Silver Interview Part 1

Nate Silver Interview Part 2

Nate Silver Interview Part 3

An Open Letter to John Romano and the Tampa Bay Times About the Rays Stadium Situation (In Addendum)

“Noting that the Rays are the first team to win 90 games and be last in attendance. John Romano looks anew at stadium issue.”

-Topkin

Marc Topkin’s tweet (above) was a glaring segue into a piece in the Times titled, If we accept reality, there might be a win-win in Tampa Bay Rays stadium saga.

I’ve gotta hand it to the Times, they never cease to bang the drum for a new facility in Tampa which, apparently, is the only logical solution to the Rays attendance problem.

I think most people would agree the Rays deserve a new stadium. The Trop has seen better days. However, I’m just still not convinced that downtown Tampa is any better than downtown St. Pete. And to be fair, I think everyone should be questioning this assumption. The question begs, is there another location in the area that would be suitable? I’d say yes.

Consider that the Lightning sold-out half their games last season (granted they have a 19,000 seat facility) and the Bucs have had a hard time filling RayJa to even 85% capacity. Mind you, it’s far easier to fill a smaller facility, (the Times Forum) so perhaps the Lightning aren’t the best example. However, what excuses can be made for the Bucs not being able to fill their facility?

There are only eight home games at RayJa, and it wasn’t even half filled yesterday. The Bucs haven’t sold out a game this season, including their home opener. Consider too, attendance at RayJa has steadily dropped since 2008; from 64,511 per game to 52,074. The Bucs are now dead last in attendance, and have consistently been toward the very bottom in attendance since 2008. That is not very convincing evidence that Tampa would be any better suited to house another professional franchise, much less one that whose schedule bleeds into both football and hockey season. Rather, it’s fairly damming evidence to say the least. If Tampa can’t fully support a professional football team that only plays eight home games in a season, how can they also support a baseball team that hosts 81 games? I don’t know the answer to that either!

I also don’t know what to make of Sternberg’s request for a clause in their current contract with the city, I’m still working that out. Though in the end, he has a right to request whatever may be best for his team. Part of me feels that there has to be some common ground between the city and the Rays organization, and the cities wanton desire to haggle over the terms of his request is reasonable. After all, how else can that common ground be found. But before the reporters at the Times wholly throw their support toward the idea, that there is one (and only one) solution to the stadium situation, perhaps they should look at things objectively. You know, seek out the same common ground that was mentioned above.

Again the Rays undoubtedly deserve better. But it seems unreasonable for Romano and the Times to err in the direction of one plan, while discounting something that could be better or more feasible.

I for one am tired of being tagged by the unofficial mouthpiece of the Rays organization, (ahem, the Times) and any other local or national media outlet, as being a bunch of yokels that are standing between the Rays and progress. I think it’s fair to criticize the arguments for a facility in any area, not just downtown Tampa. And yes, including Carilon. See, that’s how large scale projects work.

If anyone from the Times may be reading this, please know that there is a huge faction of us that realize the Trop is inadequate. We too want more for the Rays. But don’t shove the idea that there is one (and only one) solution to the problem down our collective throats. Because you are sadly mistaken.

Who Should Return Next Season; A Poll

My hopes for an underdog in the ALCS were dashed last night thanks to the O’s loss at the hands of those bloated, overpaid, primadonnas in the Bronx. Hooray, two teams with high payroll’s are going head-to-head with one-another! Sure sounds like compelling baseball to me. Furthermore, the NL side of the coin doesn’t look much better. Oh well, I suppose there’s no time like the present to look ahead.

As it stands, there are ten players on the Rays 2012 roster that are either free-agents, or Tampa Bay holds the option on their contract:

Free Agents

Kyle Farnsworth
JP Howell
Jeff Keppinger
Carlos Pena
Joel Peralta
BJ Upton

Contracts with Options

Jose Molina
Luke Scott
James Shields
Fernando Rodney

The question du jour stands; Who should come back next season, and who should go the way of the buffalo? Marc Topkin, of the Times, made some rather cogent points in his latest article. Most notably, “With potentially five open spots in the lineup and an abundance of starting pitching, the Rays certainly have a lot to do this winter,” and “Since the Rays don’t share, or even establish, a set payroll number — maintaining it’s flexible with an impact on future seasons — it’s always a bit of a guess how much they’ll have to work with.” I guess the question could be, who can the Rays afford?

We’re in the process of writing a similar piece on what can be expected once Spring Training rolls around. That said, this is a “your feedback is welcomed” kind of post. Please take the poll below and have your say. Also, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section. (below) Vote for those that you think should return. Note: I left the poll open for repeat voters, so you can have your say for more than one player. Sadly, you may have to take the poll more than once…that’s Poll Daddy’s fault, not ours! Ahem…they’re the turkey’s, not us.

[polldaddy poll=6605243]