Wade Davis Tosses Complete Game Shutout In First Major League Win

by Tommy Rancel on Sep 18, 2009 12:00 AM EDT Comment 34 comments

Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon, left, congratulates starting pitcher Wade Davis after the Rays defeated the Baltimore Orioles 3-0. Davis threw a four-hit shutout to earn his first major league win. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

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There are very few things keeping me interested in the 2009 Rays season. One is Evan Longoria's chase for a 30 home run/30 GIDP season. The other two are David Price starts and Wade Davis starts. I'll have a post on Price later today, but WD-Day is quickly becoming my favorite day of the week. After making a memorable seven inning debut against the Tigers, Davis was rudely welcomed to the AL East by the Boston Red Sox in his second start. After that start Davis said there would be better things to come; he did not lie.

In just his third start, Davis tossed a complete game, four-hit shutout against the Baltimore Orioles. It was his first major league win and the first 10 strikeout game of his career. Davis used 124 pitches (80 strikes) to complete the shutout. His previous high pitch count of 111 came as a member of the Durham Bulls. He threw 104 pitches in his MLB debut. The 124 pitches are a season high for a Rays starter. Davis used 23 of those pitches in the first inning as he pulled Houdini and escaped a based loaded no-out situation without surrendering a run. From there it was all Davis all the time.

Once again, he worked mainly off his fastball (72.8%), but mixed in his other pitches well and showed great command of his breaking ball. Scouts have raved about Davis's plus curveball and we are definitely seeing it in the big leagues. He threw 18 curves on the night with 15 of them going for strikes. He averaged a vertical break of nearly seven inches on the curve to go along with a horizontal break of seven inches to the first base side of the plate. Here is a look at the fantastic movement...

via brooksbaseball.net

There were a few times that his curve broke nearly 10 inches down and even one that broke at 11 inches. Horizontally, he broke off a curve that moved nearly 12 inches to the right. Amazing.

Davis used his slider when needed, and continues to throw a very pedestrian show-me change-up. However, with his fastball and curve that's all it really needs to be. The 2009 season may be one of disappointment for the Rays, but since being called up from Durham, Mr. Wade Davis has been anything but that.

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pitch count scares me

but a fantastic start for Wade

by usfraysfan on Sep 18, 2009 12:04 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

At this point they can push back his start

Or even skip his next turn if they are really concerned. I think Davis projects as a Garza type and he was pumping 95 in the 9th inning. I’d give him a few days extra rest just to be sure.

www.draysbay.com

by Tommy Rancel on Sep 18, 2009 7:26 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

I was thinking about that too

I think it would definitely make sense to just push him back a few days. Looking at the rest of the schedule, with the Seattle series sandwiched by two off days, if they just used a six-man rotation he wouldn’t start for over a week. Even if they don’t use the six-man, it will be until Wednesday before he starts now anyways.

by usfraysfan on Sep 18, 2009 8:24 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe

Maddon/Hickey thougt that once he got thru the stressful 1st inning that after that he had zero stress to his (Davis) arm after the 1st.

by Slamdog on Sep 18, 2009 7:28 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I absolutely love the vertical spread on all those pitches

Everything is separate real nice and without seeing a gun most of the game I’d be willing to bet the speeds were split nice as well.

Embrace Eternity

by Sandy Kazmir on Sep 18, 2009 12:07 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah it looks like this:

I absolutely love the Curveballs at different speeds and breaks so that nobody could sit on one and feel like they knew where it was going.

Embrace Eternity

by Sandy Kazmir on Sep 18, 2009 12:11 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

wow, beyond impressive

one of the few times “hey watch this guy his stuff is disgusting just wait til next year” didnt backfire on me, thanks wade

by Toe Finch on Sep 18, 2009 12:55 AM EDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs

interesting note on yahoo's team report..... I wonder for just how cheap he would stay

• 2B Akinori Iwamura(notes) told the St. Petersburg Times he would have interest in staying with the Rays even if they do as expected and decline his $4.85 million option for next season and allow him to become a free agent. "I love this team and I love the Tampa area," Iwamura said through interpreter Bori Uchibori. "My son was born in Tampa, and my wife’s getting used to Tampa and starting to like it. So of course I’d like to stay."

Jennings, Hellickson, Davis, Brignac, Beckham, Moore > Your top 3

by Dbullsfan on Sep 18, 2009 6:18 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I just don't know where he'd play.

I’d be suprised if he doesn’t get a better offer from another team then what the Rays would want to pony out.

I can't wait until we trade him for a reliever.

by kericr on Sep 18, 2009 7:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I just hope we don't see him peppering hits off the green monster in a red sox uni

by usfraysfan on Sep 18, 2009 8:26 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

They are not going to replace Dustin Pedobear with Aki. They'd be stupid to do something like that.

I can't wait until we trade him for a reliever.

by kericr on Sep 18, 2009 9:08 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Stick him on 3rd

Lowell is done

Embrace Eternity

by Sandy Kazmir on Sep 18, 2009 10:03 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thats what I was thinking

by usfraysfan on Sep 18, 2009 12:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Position

I could see him being a super utility guy. I believe he played the outfield for Japan in the first World Baseball classic.

by MetsRaysFan on Sep 18, 2009 9:14 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed.

I think he might be better in that role than Aybar at this point. Maybe move Aybar for some young flame-throwers?

by rglass44 on Sep 18, 2009 10:30 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I guess it depends on whether you believe Aybar's true defensive abilities are closer to this year or last year.

Personally, I don’t think the team has much faith in Aybar anymore. I have no idea why he’s splitting time with Chris Richard at 1B since the Pena injury; there’s no reason for him to be doing that IMO. Richard is a career minor-leaguer, there’s nothing to see out of him.

I can't wait until we trade him for a reliever.

by kericr on Sep 18, 2009 10:55 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Meh

Give the guy some ABs. The season’s over, might as well let him try to get a few hits to tell his grandkids about.

by rglass44 on Sep 18, 2009 11:00 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The difference between Aki and Aybar

Overall isn’t worth the difference in salary between the two.

www.draysbay.com

by Tommy Rancel on Sep 18, 2009 11:15 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

This is predicated on a paycut.

by rglass44 on Sep 18, 2009 3:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

that's a big pay cut

www.draysbay.com

by Tommy Rancel on Sep 18, 2009 4:41 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

aybar has a better price tag,

is younger, and is a more viable option at DH and 1B.

by Navi's_Navy on Sep 18, 2009 11:52 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Aki may be willing to take a pay cut

and he is a more viable option at 2b, 3b, SS and the outfield. I am not saying they should keep him over Aybar, I am just saying if Aki is willing to play for less than 4.85M then they should certainly consider keeping him.

by MetsRaysFan on Sep 18, 2009 12:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs