Price Jumping to Biscuits?

by JWallace on Jun 18, 2008 12:20 PM EDT

In both the Tampa Tribune and Vero newspapers they suggest David Price may have made his last dominating start in Single A. Which is unfortunately only in that his next start was likely going to be in Sarasota next week. Still, the numbers look gaudy.....28 1/3 innings.....23 hits.....4 ER....5 walks....

That double A rotation is just sick....

Wade Davis, Jake McGee, Richard De los Santos , James Houser (2.08 ERA in 13 starts) and Price(?)

Hellickson is killing Single A hitters ( .99 WHIP), yet there clearly is no open spot in the AA rotation to promote him without moving maybe Houser to Durham.

But this does raise an odd question I've never had to worry about in 10 years....how do we manage the logjam of quality pitching prospects effectively when we really don't have an opening in the major league rotation?

I hope the Rays management is preparing to work some deals to turn our surplus of projectable arms into position player prospects. With Garza, Kaz and Shields, we clearly don't have room for everyone coming through....Granted it gives Price time to develop, but Price might be pounding on the AAA door already by seasons end.

This post was written by a member of the DRaysBay community and does not necessarily express the views or opinions of DRaysBay staff.

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how do we manage the logjam of quality pitching prospects effectively when we really don't have an opening in the major league rotation?

Move the least effective to the bullpen?

"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 Jun 18, 2008 12:25 PM EDT reply actions

Play the best players at the MLB level, options be damned?

by GomesSweetGomes on Jun 18, 2008 12:29 PM EDT up reply actions

The boys currently in AAA are future bullpen arms

Blake
USF--Class of '09

by usfraysfan on Jun 18, 2008 12:52 PM EDT reply actions

You can never have enough pitching.

If we deal one of our top-tier arms for a position player, it had better be for a ‘can’t miss’ MLB-ready prospect and maybe a couple second-tier players. In my opinion, every upper-tier pitcher should be protected like a precious commodity.

Jamie DeLuca

by JDeLuca on Jun 18, 2008 1:23 PM EDT reply actions

couldn't agree more

by rglass44 on Jun 18, 2008 2:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Pitching, Pitching, and more Pitching

I think if this years taught us anything, if we didn’t already know. It is how important pitching and defense are to winning ball games.

by Sveet on Jun 18, 2008 2:41 PM EDT up reply actions

This is all true

But there comes a point where you want to be competiting to win the World Series, even at the expense of winning AAA, AA, and A championships. In other words you have to pull the trigger on a trade if it means a championship.

by matthan on Jun 18, 2008 4:04 PM EDT up reply actions

ya but just look what happened to the expos/nationals since the bartolo colon trade

i mean they traded 3 allstars for 2 months of colon and didnt make the playoffs and have never recovered since, if you can gaurentee me that we trade for someone like sabathia and are able to sign him then im all for it but just for 2 months of him for the prospects we would have to give up them no way!

by RaysOfHope on Jun 18, 2008 4:12 PM EDT up reply actions

wade to AAA soon to make room for hellickson?

by RaysOfHope on Jun 18, 2008 4:00 PM EDT reply actions

it wont be long until

Davis in AAA
Houser in AAA
Price in AA
Hellickson in AA

I am not feeling very confident about a McGee promotion

anyway that will have a AAA rotation of Davis, Niemann, Talbout and Houser while the AA rotation has McGee, Price and Hellickson. I am probably forgetting other studs but anyway I see all these promotions within a month or 2(by then Price may be pitching for Durham) the Rays front office seems to actually be smart these days, they wont have their top spects rot so guys like Ben Hendrickson and Jeremy Cummings.

by joeybw on Jun 18, 2008 4:30 PM EDT reply actions

actually

2 months from now the AAA rotation would be more like

Wade Davis
David Price
Jeff Niemann
Jacob McGee(if he can heat up)
Mitch Talbot

If that turns out to be the case, wow, wouldn’t wanna face the Bulls in the playoffs!

by joeybw on Jun 18, 2008 4:36 PM EDT reply actions

AAA rotation of Davis, Niemann, Talbot and Houser while the AA rotation has McGee, Price and Hellickson.

Add Chris Mason to the AAA rotation

As soon as those promotions take place and those rotations are set, we will have a far better idea of how things will progress with all of those guys. They will be in more demanding roles, and every one of them will be less than 18 months from ML ready. Things are really FINALLY starting to shape up for our abundance of young arms in the system. We talked about it for awhile, but it’s startinig to take place. It feels like we are creating a factory for pitching and we will have 1 guy in line to take the next guys job when he gest promoted. EXACTLY what Friedman, Hunsicker and co. had to have had in mind when they decided to take the mind set that they will gather 20 good pitchers to fill 10 spots

by blazinrayz on Jun 19, 2008 3:53 AM EDT reply actions

Don't forget Jeremy Cummings in Durham

I know he doesn’t have the upside of the other guys, but I don’t see how he doesn’t keep his spot in the rotation if he can keep up anything like he is pitching now.

5-1 1.96 in 7 starts

by Dbullsfan on Jun 19, 2008 4:08 AM EDT reply actions

AND WE HAVE JESSE DARCY!!!!!!! OMG!!!!

by rglass44 on Jun 19, 2008 10:10 AM EDT up reply actions

I'll have to keep an eye on him

but unless some spots open in the bullpen, I dont know where some of these guys will be going.

by blazinrayz on Jun 19, 2008 4:22 AM EDT reply actions

Jeremy Cummings

is a 10 year minor league veteran (31 years old) who has had a solid but not outstanding career there. This is his 7th season at AAA, interrupted a few years ago by two demotions to AA. I saw him pitch at Durham this year and his results were terrific: 7 IP, 5 hits, 0 runs, 0 BBs, 11 Ks against Pawtucket, the best hitting team in the league.

On the other hand, the hardest fastball he threw was clocked at 84. It may have been a very slow gun, but most of his pitches registered between 72-78. Maybe 10 of them reached the low 80s all game. A few were in the 60s. As far as I could tell, he was not throwing a knuckleball.

by bobr on Jun 19, 2008 8:45 AM EDT reply actions

sounds like livan hernandez to me

by RaysOfHope on Jun 19, 2008 1:42 PM EDT reply actions

Kevin Witt wasn't much for being a prospect but

he did help Durham win 2 titles and I think Cummings may be a guy like that in pitcher form this year. I don’t think anyone is kidding themselves over Cummings he is no more than a good AAAA starter with a potential of throwing some long relief one day in the majors but as long as he is winning he needs to pitch.

by Dbullsfan on Jun 19, 2008 4:37 PM EDT reply actions

I definitely think he has some value

Certainly organizations load up their minor league affiliates with veteran AAAA players to boost those teams’ chances at winning. That happens all the time, and I think it’s a smart idea. However the key if you’re going to do that is that those veterans don’t block prospects on their ascension.

by Patrick L. Kennedy on Jun 19, 2008 8:39 PM EDT up reply actions