View from the catwalk: “Carried by babies”

Rays Links

• Zach Crizer, I refuse to accept any discussion of baseball economics, and the Rays and the Yankees, that doesn’t even acknowledge the resource disparity between MLB teams, the inadequate job that baseball does in addressing it, and the effect that disparity has on the viable strategies of teams in different size markets as well as on the local fans’ experience of the sport. You can write your paeans to the wealth of large cities if you want, just don’t expect those of us who identify as being from somewhere else to be persuaded by them.
• With the Triple-A season complete, the Rays finished up their September call-up, and there were no surprises, with Austin Meadows (starting outfielder of the future, valuable outfield depth of the present), Hoby Milner (possibly the best LOOGY option on the 40-man), and Austin Pruitt and Chih-Wei Hu (bulk for the bullpen).
• Eno Sarris wrote about the most surprising teams this year, which includes the Rays.
• Topkin talked to Rays players about making a run of it.
• Back during the Players’ Weekend, Wade Boggs gave Jake Bauers some advice on his hands.

• For the rookie dressup, the Rays rookies wore diapers, while veterans Sergio Romo and Mallex Smith wore “riding babies costumes” (because apparently these exist), riffing on the fact that there are a ton of Rays rookies, who have carried this team all year long. Tommy Pham wore a suit. It’s a nice suit.

• Speaking of Rookies, Ryan Yarbrough, headliner, broke the Rays rookie wins record.

Other Links

• Brendan Gawlowski is the new minor league editor at Baseball Prospectus, and he reintroduced himself, and also gave an invitation to apply for unspecified positions, if you think you have something to offer.
• Jeff Sullivan wrote about former-Ray Dylan Floro, who is doing good work out of the Dodgers’ bullpen.
• David Laurila talked to three pitchers, including former-Ray Taylor Guerrieri, about developing their curve balls.
• Chris Bouton classified and wrote about players who get traded over and over, including former-Ray Edwin Jackson.
• Dr. Meredith Wills writes that thicker laces produce more spherical balls, which may account for the home run surge.