The Rays Tank: Rotation shuffle incoming

Regardless of whether the Rays will lose Matt Moore for the season, the timing could not be better from a schedule standpoint for the Rays to promote whoever they want from Durham.

Matt Moore went down on Monday, and the rotation continuing on was as follows:

Tuesday: Chris Archer
Wednesday: Jake Odorizzi
Thursday: off day
Friday: David Price (5 days rest)
Saturday: Alex Cobb (5 days rest)
Sunday: open
Monday: Chris Archer (5 days rest)
Tuesday: Jake Odorizzi (5 days rest)
Wednesday: David Price

When David Price takes the mound on Wednesday in Baltimore, he will be on normal rest.

The first instinct in scheduling the rotation is to plug whichever Durham starter was on Moore's schedule into the lineup, which is Erik Bedard, who returned to the Rays despite coming in third for the fifth starter's slot.

The Rays could also move the schedule around, bumping Archer and/or Odorizzi up a day to normal rest, and using the Durham starter that fits their own slots (Nathan Karns and Enny Romero, respectively).

If the Rays were feeling even more adventurous, David Price could be bumped back a day to Thursday, to make sure he faces the Yankees when the Rays return home next week, and the Rays could use two different starters (as we saw last season with Odorizzi and Colome making close appearances mid-year).

Then again, there's also long reliever Cesar Ramos, who seemed to have been the Rays' second choice for the fifth starting slot, but is likely not stretched out to a standard starter's pitch count.

There's much to consider. Ian will follow with some more analysis later today in the series preview on who the most ideal starter might be.

LINKS

- Doug Thorburn gave some analysis on Chris Archer's stride for Baseball Prospectus ($).

- A brief article on adoption and baseball, from the VP of the NZMG Foundation on how a family was partially inspired by Chris Archer. The Foundation partnered with Chris's Archway Foundation in Durham.

- MLB made the new home plate collision rule official, and they're calling it 'experimental'

- In an article on Tommy John risk, Dr. Andrews points to youth baseball as a significant factor

- An interesting read on baseball and weather in the Hardball Times. #DomeSweetDome

- 538: How to Predict MLB Records From Early Results

- Bryce Harper pranked some fans.

- The Tanaka of the National League is FAUSTO!?

- Ben Lindbergh investigated player extensions and team turnover trends for Fox Sports.

- Finally, Micahel Pineda looks to be back to form, shutting down the Red Sox as he squared off against Clay Buchholz. During the fourth inning, the Sox broadcast noticed a "foreign substance" on his pitching hand and wasn't pleased. You know who didn't care, though? Any of the players or coaches on either team. Glass houses, Remy.