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Balfour Might Be Back

From Lancaster :

 

Percival figures to miss at least a few days after leaving today’s game with tightness in his left hamstring and the Rays don’t want to be short in the bullpen. They could make room for Balfour by optioning down Ben Zobrist, who was likely to get the ax anyway when Willy Aybar returned, and waiting a day or two on Aybar if necessary while they see how Percival responds to treatment.

Balfour has earned a promotion, but Gary Glover deserves an axe to the right arm some time at Durham instead of Ben Zobrist. Carrying 8 relievers seems like legitimately poor roster management, particularly when you have four former starters in the bullpen all ready (Hammel, Howell, Wheeler, Glover) and you have starters capable of going 6+ innings every night and Hammel can't find his way into a game as it is.

---

In other links:

Major League Jerk  has completed a mock draft with the Rays selecting the flashy Tim Beckham.

Speaking of Percival, the Sporting News had a nice piece on him yesterday.

Finally go check out SaberScouting's draft coverage.

0 recs | Comment 29 comments

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Hopefully Percy's alright

But you’re right. Now would be a good time to DFA Glover and see what Balfour or Salas can do at the major league level.

by JMB on May 28, 2008 8:10 PM EDT   0 recs

Seems straight forward.

DFA Glover for Balfour, send down Zobrist for Aybar. If Percival goes on the DL bring up Salas.

"I've seen many, many blue skies turn gray, but the sun will eventually return, and so will I. So will I." - Carlos Pena

by R.J. Anderson on May 28, 2008 8:12 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Do Balfour or Salas have options remaining? That would be a problem when Percival (or Aybar, in Lancaster’s scenario) comes back.

Longlorious.

by RATW on May 28, 2008 8:19 PM EDT   0 recs

Salas does.

Balfour does not.

"I've seen many, many blue skies turn gray, but the sun will eventually return, and so will I. So will I." - Carlos Pena

by R.J. Anderson on May 28, 2008 8:22 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

I don't have a problem with that

Call Balfour up, and let him stay if he does well. If he doesn’t do well, he will have now performed poorly in two major league stints, and losing him to waivers would not be any major loss.

by Patrick L. Kennedy on May 28, 2008 9:47 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

That’s a pretty small sample to let Balfour go, but he is a frustrating case so I see where you are coming from. His minor league numbers are pretty consistently outstanding and I don’t buy the whole “AAAA” label others have suggested. There were similar arguments with Lee Gardner, Bobby Seay and others who later proved they could indeed pitch at the major league level if given the right opportunity. If he will just keep the ball in the zone enough to limit the walks, with this defense and his excellent K/IP and lack of HR allowed, he should be more than an adequate improvement over Glover.

Longlorious.

by RATW on May 28, 2008 11:00 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

One more Link

Has Longoria to moving to SS. Awesome video as well. Sorry for the long link, not sure how to shorten it up.

http://sports.yahoo.com/fantasy/blog/roto_arcade/post/The-solution-to-your-shortstop-issue-And-no-it;_ylt=AvJrUR3vGOCc7_5H_V3mL61NC5kB?urn=fantasy,84906

by LeftRight on May 28, 2008 8:41 PM EDT   0 recs

Yeah, Lancaster wrote about Longoria at shortstop..

Longoria backup shortstop link

Longlorious.

by RATW on May 28, 2008 8:49 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

bad idea?

seems like Longoria as backup ss makes the defense worse at ss and at 3b on those days. For a team relying on pitching and defense is that the right move?

by K-Rock on May 28, 2008 9:35 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

It shouldn't be done with any regularity

But if Bartlett plays everyday, and Longoria is only very rarely needed at the shortstop position, I don’t have a problem with it.

by Patrick L. Kennedy on May 28, 2008 9:48 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

That's the only way I'm ok as well

Hopefully Aybar’s increased offensive production while playing various positions would off-set any defensive lapses on those few days he played 3b. Good choices to have to make.

by K-Rock on May 28, 2008 10:11 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

on those days,

they can just move Longo to SS, Aki back to 3B, and Aybar at 2B (where he belongs). i obviously don’t want to move Aki around, but this seems like the best defensive setup on a day with bartlett off and longo filling in for him. if zobrist stays, then this is all moot.

by davidsmarch on May 28, 2008 10:58 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Nothing to do with this thread

but I don’t feel like starting a new post.

Take a look at Price’s line tonight. I know St. Lucie is the worst team in the FSL, but this is Price’s second professional start and that is one hell of a line.

by bobr on May 28, 2008 9:05 PM EDT   0 recs

Holy balls

Wow. David Price is a total beast. 0 ER in official professional action.

by JMB on May 28, 2008 9:13 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Price owned.

Townsend looked good also.

Top Josh Paul Pornos- Big Navi Stroking, 2pitchers1cup, BJ to the Balls

BELIEVE in 08!

by SRQman on May 28, 2008 9:26 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Townsend striking out the side twice in two innings is more surprising.

Longlorious.

by RATW on May 28, 2008 9:29 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Plus we have better options.

"I've seen many, many blue skies turn gray, but the sun will eventually return, and so will I. So will I." - Carlos Pena

by R.J. Anderson on May 28, 2008 10:11 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

I do not hate Glover.

I do not think he is a very good pitcher, but while he is a Ray I hope he proves us all wrong.

I always begin with this assumption. If a player is in the major leagues, he is an outstanding ballplayer, better than 99% of people who play the game, most likely a star most of his life.

Given that, as often as not, the difference between success and failure in the majors is often due to some very slight variance in talent or psychology, or even simply to opportunity. I look at some former Rays, players universally disliked here, and note that some are doing reasonably well this year. I am guessing that some Toronto fans are bitter about Hinske’s performance so far this year.

Unless I am convinced a player is dogging it, I cannot imagine booing one of my own or disliking, let alone hating, him.

That is why I object to people referring to one another as a Jackson hater or Sonnanstine lover or Garza apologist or any other such actual or implied pejorative. Perhaps it is simply contemporary rhetoric and not intended to be taken literally, but I find it misleading and unpleasant.

When I consider Glover, I recognize that he throws hard enough, until this year did not generally walk that many, and has had some fine outings, even this year. If I am glad to see him replaced, it is simply because I think there are better options, that the fine line between effective and ineffective indicates someone else will probably contribute more.

by bobr on May 28, 2008 10:31 PM EDT   0 recs

bobr, are you a philosopher or a lwayer

cause evrything you right seems like one of my philosophy professors or lawyer uncles? your thoughts are way too measured for a blog. btw i mean both w/ the upmost respect, not some jab or whatever.

by rglass44 on May 28, 2008 11:51 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

I'm a lawyer

And I think that Glover blows donkey nuts. How’s that for analysis?

by stpetelawyer on May 29, 2008 2:30 PM EDT to parent up   3 recs

Rec'd

www.citadel-insurance.com

by SeanDubbs on May 29, 2008 2:43 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Beckham..

If we draft Beckham would we eventually move Brignac to second? FYI, Tristan Crockcroft had Brignac as part of his All 2012 team at SS.

by matthan on May 29, 2008 8:47 AM EDT   0 recs

I doubt it.

I don’t think teams do it that way. My guess is both would play shortstop until they are at the same level. Presumably the hope is that Brignac will be ready for the majors next year, in which case the Rays will have to decide how best to use him, Iwamura and Bartlett. Any number of possibilities exist from position changes to trades to bench roles and more I am sure.

Assuming Beckham moves quickly, he would still not be ready until at least 2010 and more likely later than that. By that time, so many things will have changed that there is no predicting who will play where. But if he is really a legitimate shortstop, and if Brignac is as well, you increase their value by leaving them there and don’t make the decision to move one until it becomes necessary.

by bobr on May 29, 2008 9:14 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Tristan Crockroft knows less about baseball than most people that post on this blog...

if you want fantasy news goto him or the Eric Carrol. If you want insight about prospects or the game go elsewhere.

by rglass44 on May 29, 2008 9:39 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

No

I think you keep them at their learned positions, both at SS. There is no guarantee either, let alone both, will end up fulfilling their potential. Maybe only 1 makes it at the ML level.

If they both are on the verge of making it, you consider your options at that point. I’m sure either natural athlete could learn 2B in a hurry if they are already a SS.

by RayFanNY on May 31, 2008 8:56 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

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