AAA: Durham Bulls - 2, Charlotte - 10

So as you probably know, David Price got shelled. Four Innings and Six runs were the story, as well as his continual struggle for control this season cost him. Chad Orvella continues to not be a good pitcher, allowing sixteen earned runs in only ten innings. Also, John Jaso hasn't played in 6 games besides one AB today.

Other Notables:

Chris Richard  - 1-4, HR

Matt Joyce - 2-4, R

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AAA: Durham Bulls - 8, Charlotte - 2

Durham pitcher James Houser went five innings and allowed two earned runs, he struck out four, and only walked one. DRaysBay favorite Dale Thayer pitched two scoreless, only giving up a single hit, and striking out one. Reid Brignac went 1-4 with a home run and a walk, while Matt Joyce went 2-3 with two walks.

Other Notables:

Jason Isringhausen: 1 IP, 2 H, 0 ER

Ruggiano: 1-4, HR

AA: Montgomery Biscuits - 12, Birmingham -2

As you all probably know, Jeremy Hellickson was taken out after 2 innings. This makes me sad. Moving on, Desmond Jennings doesn't, going 2-3 with a triple. Rhyne Hughes went 1-4 with a double.

Other Notables: 

Matt Spring - 1-2, BB

A+:  Charlotte Stone Crabs - 6, Jupiter - 0

Darin Downs pitched eight innings, gave up no runs, struck out six, walked none, and only gave up four hits. 24-years old, Downs was traded to the Rays last July after being a fifth-round pick of the Chicago Cubs in 2003. Emeel Salem went 2-5 as the table setter, and 10th-round 2008 selection Matthew Hall went 1-5 with a homer and is currently hitting .259/.333/.407, which isn't bad for a shortstop in his first cup of pro ball.

Other Notables:

Reid Fronk - 0-4, 2K

Matt Fields - 2-3, 2B, BB

A: Game 1: Bowling Green Hot Rods - 4, Rome -6

Starter Frank De Los Santos got the start. He allowed five runs over three and two-thirds innings. Number one overall pick Timothy Beckham went 2-3 and tripled.

Other Notables:
Jake Jeffries - 0-2, BB

Mike Sheridan - 0-3

Joshua Satow -1 IP, 1K, 1H, 0 ER

Game 2: Bowling Green Hot Rods - 3, Rome - 2

Criminally underrated pitcher Joseph Cruz got the start, he only went 4.2 innings due to pitch count issues, but the 20 year old struck out seven hitters, walked none, and only allowed two hits.  Tim Beckham went 2-4 and homered, bringing his season line to .307/.330/.455. Jake Jeffries went 1-3.

Other Notables:

Jamie Bagley - 1IP, 0ER, BB

AAA: Durham Bulls - 3, Charotte - 8

Tommy's spring training mancrush Carlos Hernandez got the start, and continued to disappoint. Getting absolutely shelled giving up five runs in four and two-thirds inning, giving up ten hits, and only striking out 2. Reid Brignac went 2-4, with an RBI.

Other Notables:

Matt Joyce: 0-4

AA: Game 1: Montgomery Biscuits - 3, Mississippi - 1

Ryan Morse got the start, in a seven inning game, he went five, striking out two, walking one, and only gave up one run. Desmond Jennings continues to be a force of nature. Deezy went 3-5 while fellow teammate Matt Spring went 1-3 with a walk.

Other Notables:

Calvin Medlock - 1 IP, 0H, 0 ER, 1 K

Game 2: Montgomery Biscuits - 6, Mississippi - 5

Jason Cromer was the starter in the other seven inning game, giving up one earned one in five innings, striking out three, walking one. Desmond Jennings crushed the ball, going 3-4, with two runs, a double, and two runs batted in. 

Other Notables:

Eduardo Morlan - 0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER

A+: Charlotte Stone Crabs -10, Jupiter - 8

Jeremy Hall was the starter, going four innings, giving up three runs, striking out three, but walking two. Offense was the story, as Greg Sexton and Matt Fields each had home runs. Cody Cipriano went 1-1 with a home run and a walk. 

Other Notables:

Matt Gorgen-1IP, 1 K, 0ER, 0 H, 0 BB

A:  Postponed Due to Rain

AAA: Durham Bulls - 4, Columbus - 2

The starter yesterday for the Bulls was top prospect Wade Davis, who's start was less than ideal. Only going five innings, he had three strikeouts and three walks, giving up only two earned runs on six hits. Matt Joyce went 1-3 with a double and a walk, and Jon Weber went 1-4 with a double and a run batted in.

Other Notables:

Jason Isringhausen - 1 IP, 0 ER

Wilson Abreu - 1.2 IP, 3 K, 0 ER

AA: Postponed Due To Rain

A+: Charlotte Stone Crabs - 5, Fort Myers - 6

Non-Prospect Lefty David Newmann got the start, David is a 24 year old who's previously had Tommy John surgery. David went six innings, struck out five, and gave up three runs on five hits. Cody Cipriano hit a three-run home run in the third inning, but the Stone Crabs would be shut down after that and a blown save would cost them the game.

Other Notables:

Austin Hinkle: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 1 R(0 ER), 2K, 2 BB

A:  Bowling Green Hot Rods - 3, Rome - 10

2008 Sixth Round draft selection Shane Dyer was the starting pitcher. Despite getting over two-thirds ground outs, Dyer was handed the loss by giving up four earned runs in six innings, he did strike out 6, while only walking one. Tim Beckham drove in two of the Hot Rod's runs, via a triple in the fifth inning. Beckham is now batting .284/.310/.383 with one homer, clearly he still has  much learning to do. 

Other Notables:

Jake Jeffries - 1-4

Mike Sheridan - 0-3, Walk

AAA: Durham Bulls - 6, Columbus - 10

Uber prospect and Part Time Velociraptor David Price got the start. On a very low pitch count, he went Three and Two-Thirds innings, only struck out one, but walked three. He gave up four hits, and six runs, but only two of those were earned. Dale Thayer pitched one run inning, as did Dewon Day. Offensively, Matt Joyce went 3-5 with a homer, Chris Richard also went 2-4, homering and doubling.

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We'll update this as more of our picks sign.

1. Tim Beckham - Signed

3. Jake Jefferies - Signed

5. Michael Sheridan - Signed, reporting to Hudson Valley.

6. Shane Dyer - Signed, reporting to Hudson Valley

7. Jason Corder - Signed

8. Anthony Scelfo - Signed

9. Shawn Smith - Signed, reporting to Princeton

10. Matthew Hall - Signed

11. Brad Furdal - Signed

12. Brian Bryles - Signed

13. Jason McEachern - Signed, reporting to Princeton

14. Michael McKenna - Signed, reporting to Hudson Valley

16. Matt Gorgen - Signed

17. Jeremy Beckham - Signed

18. David Genao - Signed

20. Jason Tweedy - Signed, reporting to Hudson Valley

22. Jason Appel - Signed, reporting to Hudson Valley

23. Neil Schenk - Signed

24. Marquis Fleming - Signed, reporting to Hudson Valley

25. Josh Satow - Signed

26. Michael Jarman - Signed, reporting to Hudson Valley

28. Tommy Raftery - Signed

34. Matt Long - Signed, reporting to Princeton

35. James Bagley - Signed

The Rays' two half-season minor league affiliates play their first games today. The Short Season Hudson Valley Renegades of the NY-Penn League will take on the Aberdeen IronBirds at 7:05, while the Rookie League Princeton Devil Rays of the Appalachian League play at 7 o'clock sharp. RH Tyree Hayes will make the opening night start for Hudson Valley, while LH Matt Moore gets the nod for the P-Rays. He will face the Pulaski Mariners, a re-incarnated version of the Pulaski franchise that took a year off after Toronto severed their affiliation with the team.

The Poughkeepsie Journal and Times Herald-Record did a wealth of articles on the Renegades prior to their season debut, befitting the team's popularity in the Hudson Valley region. Among them:

Journal:

Renegades eager to start new season

A great time to be a Renegade

Interactive look at the roster

Times Herald-Record:

Alvarez gets chance to guide the 'Gades

Renegades pitcher goes distance for mom

Meet the 2008 Hudson Valley Renegades

Hayes gets the first call for Renegades

All are worth reading if you get the chance, particularly "A great time to be a Renegade", which takes a look at the changed attitudes of players this season regarding the major league team's success. The interactive roster is also cool, but more than anything else it is a quick way to discover the team suck-ups. Three players had Renegades coach Jared Sandberg listed as their favorite professional player, while one other had Pitching Coach Rafael Montalvo as their favorite. Give a bit of credit to Michael Ross for breaking orthodoxy and choosing himself as his "favorite pro player".

Also, check out "Renegades pitcher goes distance for mom", a great profile of 24th round choice Marquis Fleming. And just for reference, the Hudson Valley rotation will be, in order, Hayes, Frank De Los Santos, Chris Andujar, Nick Barnese, and Shane Dyer. Should be a good pitching staff, which is nothing new for Hudson Valley. Let's just hope the lineup doesn't stick to tradition.

Meanwhile, the Bluefield Daily Telegraph ran a couple articles on the impending P-Rays season. One profiled opening day starter Moore, while the other just gave a general overview of the season.

AA Montgomery Biscuits (34-35)

BISCUITS 9, Mobile 7-Montgomery jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first, and extended that lead to 7-0 later on en route to a 9-7 win over the Mobile BayBears.  Mobile did briefly claw back in the game, scoring five runs in the sixth to chase LHP James Houser from the ballgame. All but one of those runs were unearned, however, as Houser saw his ERA drop to 2.08. The Biscuits and BayBears each made three errors in a sloppy ballgame, though four Biscuit players had multiple hits and the team had 12 total. RHP Ryan Reid closed out the ballgame for Montgomery, earning his second save of the year and possibly signaling a setup role for RHP Eduardo Morlan when he starts pitching regularly. The first half of Montgomery's season concludes today with a game in Mobile. By winning, the Biscuits can finish with a .500 record. 

BISCUITS Up Next-at Mobile, 7:05 EST (LH Jino Gonzalez)

Details on the other Rays minor league affiliates after the jump

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