In a pair of moves yesterday, Rays' fans got a glimpse of the pitching staff of the future. In the first move, Seth McClung was sent to the minors and replaced by Edwin Jackson. McClung was 2-10 in 15 starts, leading the league in losses and clearly losing favor with manager Joe Maddon and the front office. Maddon has made it clear that he wants McClung to pitch out of the bullpen but gave him every chance to prove he could be a major league starting pitcher. Now McClung will go to Durham and work out of the bullpen and try to return to the big league club in his new role. Jackson made one start earlier this season for the Devil Rays, picking up a no decision against the Rangers, in 7 innings. We have been pretty hard on Jackson since he was sent back to Durham as he has been roughed up in his last 7 or 8 starts. It turns out that Jackson was working on some mechanical issues including a new release point. Still, we have seen no indication that he has worked out these mechanical flaws. In his last start he did work into the 7th inning, but gave up 6 runs (5 earned) on 7 hits and 1 walk. He struck out 5. The only promising sign in the linescore is the 1 walk. That is a marked improvement from his previous starts. On the season, he has averaged 4.5 walks per nine innings in Durham. Still, we applaud the move as Jackson can't be any worse than McClung has been and has a bigger upside, and now it looks like he will work on those flaws in the Tampa bullpen. In fact Tim Corcoran will take McClung's spot in the rotation for the time being, with his first start penciled for Saturday in Atlanta. Corcoran has made one big league start. He pitched the season finale last year against Baltimore going 4+ innings picking up a no-decision.
In a separate move, the team dealt Joey Gathright and infielder Fernando Cortez to the Kansas City Royals for starting pitcher J. P. Howell. Gathright has proven to be the poster child for the old cliche, "you can't steal first base". In 55 games with the Rays, Gathright batted .201 with 12 stolen bases. He did have a 30 to 20 strikeout to walk ratio, which is decent for a potential leadoff hitter. However, his OBP was only .305 and that just doesn't get it done. Howell, 23, is a left handed pitcher that was 3-2 with a 4.75 ERA in 8 starts for AAA Omaha. We have to be a bit skeptical about a pitcher that couldn't even crack the starting rotation for the worst team in baseball even though he was a member of that rotation last season. He was a first round selection (#31) of the Royals in the 2004 entry draft. It appears as though Kansas City rushed him to the big leagues as Howell moved from single-A to the majors in his first full season of professional baseball. Last season he made 15 starts for the Royals going 3-5 with a 6.19 ERA. Fernando Cortez was batting .222 with no home runs and 8 stolen bases.
Devil Rays trade Gathright for Howell [SI.com]
Rays send McClung to minors [Bradenton Herald]
Corcoran to make surprise start [tbo.com]
In a separate move, the team dealt Joey Gathright and infielder Fernando Cortez to the Kansas City Royals for starting pitcher J. P. Howell. Gathright has proven to be the poster child for the old cliche, "you can't steal first base". In 55 games with the Rays, Gathright batted .201 with 12 stolen bases. He did have a 30 to 20 strikeout to walk ratio, which is decent for a potential leadoff hitter. However, his OBP was only .305 and that just doesn't get it done. Howell, 23, is a left handed pitcher that was 3-2 with a 4.75 ERA in 8 starts for AAA Omaha. We have to be a bit skeptical about a pitcher that couldn't even crack the starting rotation for the worst team in baseball even though he was a member of that rotation last season. He was a first round selection (#31) of the Royals in the 2004 entry draft. It appears as though Kansas City rushed him to the big leagues as Howell moved from single-A to the majors in his first full season of professional baseball. Last season he made 15 starts for the Royals going 3-5 with a 6.19 ERA. Fernando Cortez was batting .222 with no home runs and 8 stolen bases.
Devil Rays trade Gathright for Howell [SI.com]
Rays send McClung to minors [Bradenton Herald]
Corcoran to make surprise start [tbo.com]
posted by The Professor at 9:44 AM
1 Comments:
Corky,
Thought you might like a Bulls fan view on this shuffle. Mostly agree with your take (and you ran your numbers better than mine).
Watched Gathright all last year (till he was called up) and while he was back this year. About all he did for us was some competent (very) coverage of our large center field area. Sure liked Cortez, but his eye never developed and he kept getting pushed around the infield playing 2nd, 3rd, and even 1st for a couple of games. Of course, some of that was driven by TB's insistence on playing B.J. every day (except for the day they made him sit down after getting arrested for speeding and drunk driving at 3:30 AM in his 2007 Mercedes) at shortstop. My cohort of season ticket holders agree that BJ should be moved somewhere where his range is still useful, but erratic throwing could do less damage (such as 2nd base).
OK we'll take McClung (not that we have any choice in the matter). He and Waechter can commiserate with each other.
Very skeptical about Jackson. What numbers don't show is how his 1st innings aren't very good (4 runs in 1st inning last time out). Does not auger well for his future as a reliever. But Coleman (our pitching coach) has a huge rep, so maybe he knows something we don't.
We need a starter (you guys got Jamie and he's sure doing well I'm pleased to see), so we'll see if Howell's the man. We need some help there.
But mostly we need someone who can control these millionaire teenagers around here. Young doesn't sound very repentant (blaming the umpires in his returning interview and expressing disdain for the fans); manager's done his suspension; Dukes is on his second disappearance this season (we in stands hear it was an altercation with coach the first time, with a teammate this second time); and BJ will be making a court appearance any day now.
Always thought that Bill Evers' balancing act between winning games for Durham and developing players for Tampa Bay was too much in favor of Tampa Bay. But would now have to say that he at least kept a leash on these young guys better that current manager.
Like your blog.
Keep it up.
Chris
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