The Tampa Bay Rays will welcome the San Diego Padres to Tropicana Field Friday night for a three game set, following a pair of big wins against the Toronto Blue Jays Wednesday and Thursday. The Rays are again just a couple of games under .500, and look primed to change that this weekend against a suddenly hot Padres team.
Allow me to hand out a few kudos before I move on to the series preview:
- Pricey looked like Pricey Thursday night. Though the Rays ace didn’t get the win, he prevailed in the matchup against friend R.A. Dickey, in what was the third-ever meeting of reigning Cy Young Award winners. Price was aggressive, attacking the Jays with his fastball, and his velocity was closer to normal, hitting 94 mph regularly and 95 mph multiple times. Working eight innings for the second time this season, Price allowed four runs (two earned) on seven hits and a walk while striking out eight, on 117 pitches (82 for strikes).
- Fernando Rodney and Kyle Farnsworth looked, gasp… good! Even though Rodney didn’t have a clean inning — allowing two base runners — his location was much closer to his 2012 norm, and his fastball was crisp. Topping out at 100 MPH several times, Rodney struck out Melky Cabrera on a 100 MPH fastball to end the ninth with two Jays on base. As for Farnsworth, I’ll gladly take his contribution of a 1-2-3 inning.
- Considering that Tampa Bay could only get one hit off Dickey last year, that they were able to tag him for three runs (two earned) on five hits and five walks almost seems like a minor miracle. Though the Rays gave up a two-run lead, they were able to scratch out runs in the third and the seventh innings to tie the game. They were also able to eke out the game winning run on a Luke Scott two-out bases loaded walk-off walk in the 10th, off an erratic Brad Lincoln.
Edinson Voloquez: A Former pitcher on the Reds staff, Volquez throws about 60% fastballs along with a substantial number of change-ups and curveballs. His sinker, and especially his curveball, induce a lot of ground balls. Voloquez gets lots of whiffs on his pitches. Per JinAZ of the Red Reporter, “All except his curve have above-average swing-and-miss %’s, and his change-up is particularly amazing (almost double the typical whiff rate of the other pitches).” The right-hander won at Tropicana Field in 2011 in his only career start against the Rays, giving up three runs and four hits over 6 1-3 innings in a 4-3 victory while with the Reds. Tampa Bay has posted a .240 BA/.387 OBP/.460 SLG/.847 against Voloquez (1-0, 4.26 ERA vs the Rays over the last three seasons), though te current Rays haven’t much experience against him, just a mere 50 at-bats. Key match-ups: Yunel Escobar (3-11, 2B), Kelly Johnson (4-12, 2B, 2 RBI, 3 BB), Evan Longoria (1-3, 2B, 2 RBI), Jose Molina (3-6, 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, BB).
Burch Smith: Per Rotowire, “Smith will be called up from Double-A San Antonio to start Saturday against the Rays, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.” Scouts have noted Smith’s lighting quick arm, and he has touched 100 MPH in favorable conditions. Per the scouting report, “(Smith’s) delivery shows a decent amount of deception and is capped off by low arm slot; employs a “drop and drive” style in delivery which is somewhat concerning for future control and currently causes him to pitch up in the zone; decent secondary offerings including a changeup with sink and a looping curveball. Smith has been nothing short of fantastic in his Double-A debut, striking out 10.73 batters per nine innings and walking just 1.38. While he continues to pitch up in the zone, Smith has only allowed one home run in 26 innings of work. There is legitimate concern that as he faces more advanced hitters Smith’s pitching style will become less effective, but his mix of deception and velocity will carry him into the Padres rotation at some point in 2013.”
Eric Stults: Per Rotowire, “Stults tossed 6.1 innings of one-run ball Tuesday, yielding seven hits and two walks while tallying four strikeouts, as San Diego fended off Miami.” The current Rays have only accrued 10 total at-bats against the veteran left-hander. A journeyman of sorts, Stults pitched 63 games over four years with four different teams: Dodgers, Rockies, Blue Jays and White Sox. He was picked up by the Padres in 2012 because he could be plugged into the rotation or be slotted as a long reliever in the bullpen. The soft throwing lefty probably won’t get a lot of strikeouts Sunday as he’s want to get a lot of contact. Key Match-ups: Kelly Johnson (1-3), Ryan Roberts (2-6).
Noteworthiness
- San Diego owns an identical 16-18 record as the Rays, having won six victories in its last seven contests, including four straight.
- The Padres have given up only two runs in the last four games and their pen ranks near the top of the National League in ERA (2.87).
- Since going 0-3 with an 11.68 ERA over his first three starts, Edinson Volquez is 3-0 with a 2.49 ERA over his last four.
- The Rays have scored 72 runs over its last 11 games while batting .301 with 15 homers.
- Per Marc Topkin,
“The Padres are coming off a sweep of the Marlins and have won 11 of their past 14 after a 5-15 start. 3B Chase Headley is the key to their lineup, hitting .320 with a .935 on-base-plus-slugging percentage. OF Carlos Quentin, a former Stanford teammate of Rays OF Sam Fuld, is known for hitting and getting hit. He was hit an MLB-most 17 times last season. 1B Yonder Alonso leads the team in homers (four, with Will Venable) and RBIs (22). The pitching has improved, with a 3.19 ERA over the 14-game run after a rough start. LHP Clayton Richard and OF Cameron Maybin are among the Padres on the DL. Manager Bud Black is a friend and former Angels colleague of Rays manager Joe Maddon.”
- Chase Headley is on a 13-game hitting streak, and has a .400 average in that stretch.
- The Rays are tied with the Padres in their series at six games a piece, though San Diego took two of three at the Trop in 2007 and 2010.
- Roster move: RHP Brandon Gomes has been placed on the 15-day DL with right lat strain. In kind, Josh Lueke has been called up from Durham to fill the hole. Lueke has done well in Triple-A, going 2-0 and posting a 0.95 ERA with 29 Ks in 19 innings of work. He’s also accrued seven saves and a .176 BAA.