Carlos Pena Closing in on Franchise Record

by R.J. Anderson on Sep 4, 2009 11:37 PM EDT

The most peculiar pitcher on the staff was on display tonight with Jeff Niemann pitching. On the other side, Justin Verlander, one of the three best pitchers in the American League this season. Nobody makes contact with him. Contrasting styles to say the least.
Niemann is a broken pitching machine. He throws almost all fastballs, then he'll glitch and throws a change-up or curveball, catching you completely off guard or out in front. Tonight, 74 fastballs with only four resulting in foolishness; meanwhile 6 of his 14 change-ups caused whiffs and one of his 15 curves did. I never held the perception of Niemann as a pitch-to-contact, low strikeout and walk pitcher, but here he is. People are going to look at the results and find this avatar brilliant.
Carlos Pena is one home run from 40. I would imagine he notches that this weekend. That would place him at 117 home runs in his Rays career. Believe it or not (or perhaps, can you believe this?) with 13 more home runs, Pena will become the franchise career leader in home runs. Aubrey Huff is the current leader and Fred McGriff is third. Carl Crawford and Jonny Gomes - really - round out the top five. Evan Longoria is seventh with 53 pops and Toby Hall is tenth with 44. I couldn't believe this. Not that Hall is top ten - okay, that too - but that he has 44 career homers.
J.P. Howell is going through a rough stretch, eh? Thankfully nobody is paying attention anymore, otherwise the cries for a veteran closer would be deafening. At this point Russ Springer closing could a) ensure his status as a Type-B b) allow J.P. to roam and c) give J.P. some less stressful occasions to get back into the groove.
Perhaps I'm alone on this, but I want to pretend Fernando Perez has a deep meaning behind his mustache. Intricate symbolism even. Unfortunately the holy strip did not prevent him from being victimized by Gerald Laird.
Laird is hideous looking and balding. I'm sure the ladies love him.
I have never seen a player launch a ball into the stands immediately after recording out three in the ninth inning. Correction: I had never seen it. Fernando Rodney allowed me such an opportunity tonight. It strikes me as odd that he chose this time imitate Dwayne Wade but he did.
13 months and one day ago Shawn Riggans took a Rodney fastball to the chest and survived. Rodney's antics and Riggans bullpen catching reminded me of this. Oddly I just remarked to Tommy about how brisk this season has felt. We are four weeks from ending this season. Time flies.

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The Rays are making me ;_;

2009 Rays Baseball: Welp.....we'll try again in 2010
Be a TRUE Seminole: http://www.seminoles.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/071509aab.html

by JMB on Sep 4, 2009 11:40 PM EDT reply actions

Late but Hellickson was awesome again

7 ip 3 h 0 r 0 bb 9 so

Vroom vroom party starter
www.raysprospects.com

by Imperialism32 on Sep 4, 2009 11:41 PM EDT reply actions

At least our propects make me ^_^

2009 Rays Baseball: Welp.....we'll try again in 2010
Be a TRUE Seminole: http://www.seminoles.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/071509aab.html

by JMB on Sep 4, 2009 11:42 PM EDT up reply actions

*prospects

2009 Rays Baseball: Welp.....we'll try again in 2010
Be a TRUE Seminole: http://www.seminoles.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/071509aab.html

by JMB on Sep 4, 2009 11:42 PM EDT up reply actions

21 of his 107 pitches went for swinging strikes too

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

by Dbullsfan on Sep 4, 2009 11:49 PM EDT up reply actions

this guy is a monster, i understand the critics and that MiLB’ers can’t handle the bendy stuff as well as ML’ers, but the SwStr% and the gaudy numbers really make me believe we have a hell of a pitcher on our hands and not a #3-#4 guy.

Kaz/Shields/Garza/Sonny/Price/Davis/Hellickson-necessitate a drool cup or a 7 man rotation

by CubFanRaysaddict on Sep 5, 2009 12:33 AM EDT up reply actions

21? That is nutso

Embrace Eternity

by Sandy Kazmir on Sep 5, 2009 12:14 PM EDT up reply actions

I was at the game

He was very impressive. His ability to hit the catchers glove was amazing, phenomenal control. He left one pitch up and out in the first that was rocketed off the wall (maybe a foot from a HR), after that he went the next 5 innings w/o allowing a hit. The radar gun wasn’t on for some reason, so no data on pitch speed. As a side note I love his motion with minimal movement and great balance. It was fun to see the batters getting frustrated and looking completely overmatched.

by Mulva on Sep 5, 2009 9:14 AM EDT up reply actions

Pena the epitomy of a streak hitter

When he’s got it going nobody fools him, when he doesn’t our bullpen can retire him

by sternfan1 on Sep 4, 2009 11:42 PM EDT reply actions

When he’s got it going nobody fools him, when he doesn’t our 2007 bullpen can retire him

Fixed

2009 Rays Baseball: Welp.....we'll try again in 2010
Be a TRUE Seminole: http://www.seminoles.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/071509aab.html

by JMB on Sep 4, 2009 11:42 PM EDT up reply actions

No i was correct the first time

this entire pen is broke, and i don’t know where the help comes from

by sternfan1 on Sep 4, 2009 11:45 PM EDT up reply actions

You missed my point entirely

Our bullpen might suck right now, but they aren’t 2007 level suck. My comment was that Brian Stokes, Casey Fossum, Jay Witasik, and Al Reyes would have no problem retiring a slumping Pena.

2009 Rays Baseball: Welp.....we'll try again in 2010
Be a TRUE Seminole: http://www.seminoles.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/071509aab.html

by JMB on Sep 5, 2009 3:41 AM EDT up reply actions

Pena

His results are very streaky, but in my opinion the epitomy of a streak hitter is one that not only does hit and slump in streaks, it is also someone who during those times doesn’t change their swing or approach to batting. Gabe Kapler was a good example earlier in the year.

Pena on the other hand has changed his swing considerably. He has lost most of his ugly uppercut that made him a K machine and is swinging much more level. He has shortened his swing as well, using more hands and less arms. That tells me two things, he is teachable, and he could stay a more consistent batter for a long time, as long as there isn’t a reversion to his old style and it is not corrected.

Gary Williams for President!
Put Rose in Hall of Fame

by terp12 on Sep 5, 2009 11:23 AM EDT up reply actions

Is something wrong with JP?

He’s been struggling for a long time, it’s beyond a slump, unless 5 weeks is a slump

by Transplanted on Sep 4, 2009 11:44 PM EDT reply actions

The BB are killing him. Mix that in with the long ball and it spells disaster

by sternfan1 on Sep 4, 2009 11:46 PM EDT up reply actions

that is JP's one flaw in his game

he can get wild, which can reduce the effectiveness of his changeup. Perhaps the workload and pressure of being a new closer has caught up. Its different from being a middle reliever.

by sofladude77 on Sep 5, 2009 12:06 AM EDT up reply actions

If I had easy access to JP's pitches & numbers

I’d attempt to research a change in what’s happening, don’t feel like going through like 100 pitchfx pages right now

by Transplanted on Sep 5, 2009 12:12 AM EDT up reply actions

Do we have a weekday series left v BAL or TOR?

Expect our 1st sub 10K mark in attendance

by sternfan1 on Sep 4, 2009 11:44 PM EDT reply actions

sternfan circa 30ad

‘ya, he turned water into wine, but it was a cheap vintage, everyone knows a 23ad Bordeaux isn’t drinkable for another five years’. Not to pile on raymondo/sternfan, b/c he has had some great points recently, but constant negativity gets old, i’m sure stern has had some horrid memories being an Indians fan and Rays fan for a long time, these aren’t the worst of times for this team.

Kaz/Shields/Garza/Sonny/Price/Davis/Hellickson-necessitate a drool cup or a 7 man rotation

by CubFanRaysaddict on Sep 5, 2009 12:36 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

rec'd

by vincesucks on Sep 5, 2009 12:39 AM EDT up reply actions

Great game!

by vincesucks on Sep 5, 2009 12:38 AM EDT reply actions

Rodney

“I have never seen a player launch a ball into the stands immediately after recording out three in the ninth inning. Correction: I had never seen it. Fernando Rodney allowed me such an opportunity tonight. It strikes me as odd that he chose this time imitate Dwayne Wade but he did.”

It was actually tossed into the press box and it was certainly done on purpose. No idea why but he was aiming at someone in the media and not throwing out a souvenir. Dude is crazy and I have a feeling more will come out about this.

by bpoe13 on Sep 5, 2009 12:39 AM EDT reply actions

is there video anywhere? I have a life, you see, and so I didnt watch the game.

by vincesucks on Sep 5, 2009 12:40 AM EDT up reply actions

im calling bs here

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090904&content_id=6802492&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

by bpoe13 on Sep 5, 2009 12:43 AM EDT up reply actions

The only thing worse than being an ugly balding man...

…is being thrown out twice in two tries by that ugly balding man.

Ouch.

by rcpratt on Sep 5, 2009 1:02 AM EDT reply actions

I didn't feel like starting a new thread so I decided to put this here but a bit OT

but I was thinking, with all the talk about Jason Bartlett, whether to keep him or trade him and the acquisition of Sean Rodriguez, there has been talk about Reid Brignac playing 2B next season possibly. Whether it be with Zobrist in the outfield or a platoon or some sort. I decided to look to see how Brignac was defensively at 2B in Durham, I figured even though I never noticed him in a boxscore at 2B he prolly got a start there every now and than. Actually he has hardly played their all season. He has 35 AB’s at 2B this year (couldn’t find games played) compared to 378 AB’s at SS. Now I know 2B isn’t that tough of a position to learn, Aki did it over an off-season but still, you would think that if the FO had plans of Brignac playing 2B in the majors in 2010 that they would have told Charlie Montoyo to give Brignac more starts their. This leads me to believe that either Bartlett or Brignac will get moved this off-season, I suppose they could send Brignac back down to AAA again or have him on the bench but I see little value in either one of those situations.

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

by Dbullsfan on Sep 5, 2009 7:36 AM EDT reply actions

Brignac is only valuable as a SS

2B is not a position where you put a great glove unless he can prodduce

My guess is he goes back to AAA with Zo at 2B, Bartlett at SS and Rodriguez the super sub/utl

by sternfan1 on Sep 5, 2009 7:45 AM EDT up reply actions

Maddon should've kept with the official closer-by-committee

"That's not baseball. Little numbers in a newspaper is...So-dookie, or whatever."

by Orlando Rays on Sep 5, 2009 8:26 AM EDT reply actions

well while I'd like to agree with you b/c I love Howell in that rover type position

Wheeler has shown for some reason he can’t pitch the 9th (I know he did against Boston the other night, but for the most part it seems he struggles in that role) and Maddon seems to have 0 faith in Lance Cormier in clutch situations for some reason so who does that leave us with to pitch the 9th. I know all innings are supposed to be the same but they aren’t and I don’t trust Balfour, Springer, or whoever besides Howell in the 9th. We have good relievers (Cormier, Wheeler,) and Springer, Balfour, loogy’s can be good if used right, we just seem to have the wrong pitcher in a lot of the time and that is on Maddon.

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

by Dbullsfan on Sep 5, 2009 8:31 AM EDT up reply actions

For all the pitching we have at the minor league level, and there is plenty

it doesn’t appear like there’s anyone who’s ready to step up and assume a late inning role here

I’m tired of all these retreads we keep bringing in, with little sustained success

by sternfan1 on Sep 5, 2009 8:38 AM EDT up reply actions

yea I would like to see them try Davis in that role

Hellickson is ready to start 2010 in the rotation.

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

by Dbullsfan on Sep 5, 2009 12:20 PM EDT up reply actions

or shall I say the "P" word and closer

and try the big lefty.

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

by Dbullsfan on Sep 5, 2009 12:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Do you kiss a picture of Hell-boy before you go to bed everynight?

It’s ok if you do

Swav or Die (>'-')> <('-')> <('-'<)
For the lulz

by SRQman on Sep 5, 2009 12:22 PM EDT up reply actions

okay really bored/can't sleep

Was looking up Hellickson’s stats per inning and although it isn’t the best stat to use was looking at opponent batting average including last night

as a whole it is pretty darn good in AAA (SSS) sitting at .157

7th inning of before he is at .142
.136 6th or before
.127 5th or before
and .090 first 3 innings.

I know there are a ton of stats to use to show how good of job he has done in Durham but I love this one because his labe was always he is going to be too “hittable” at the higher levels.

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

by Dbullsfan on Sep 5, 2009 8:27 AM EDT reply actions