DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA...

• Yesterday, the Rays added Wade Davis, Jake McGee and Dale Thayer to the 40-man roster. The moves give the Rays 39 players on the 40-man roster.This is significant because with an open slot on the 40-man roster, the Rays will be able to make a selection in the upcoming Rule 5 draft. Given the Rays need for help in the bullpen and the current nature of the payroll (it's high) it would not surprise us to see the Rays select a player with a real shot at being on the roster all season. The Rule 5 draft will be held December 11. [Rays Index]
  
• The Rays released the schedule of games for their first Spring Training at Charlotte Sports Park. The first game will be a home game on February 25 versus the Reds at 1:05. [The Heater]
• David Chalk of Bugs and Cranks continues his latest "Ain't S#!t" series comparing other nominees to Joe Maddon for Sports Illustrated's "Sportsman of the Year" award. [Bugs and Cranks]
  
• David Chalk of Bugs and Cranks points out there is precedent for a coach to win Sports Illustrated's "Sportsman of the Year" award. [Bugs and Cranks]
  
• The various Rays prospects in the Arizona Fall League have concluded their season. Biscuit Crumbs has the final stats. [Biscuit Crumbs]
  

Joe Smith of the St. Pete Times is reporting that the Rays have added Wade Davis, Jake McGee and Dale Thayer to the 40-man roster.

Thayer is a bit of a surprise as the Rays left him unprotected last season and he went undrafted in the Rule 5 draft. However, a look at Rays Prospects' recent analysis of relief pitching in the Rays organization showed that Thayer had a very strong season with Durham.

Davis is considered one of the best pitching prospects in baseball. McGee was on a similar level to Davis, however, he will miss most of the 2008 season recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Rays add McGee, Davis and Thayer to 40-man roster [The Heater]
A Look at Relief Pitching [Rays Prospects]

Yesterday we presented our updated Trade Value Index (TVI). With a little over a week until next Thursday's trade deadline, rather than take a look at the players the Rays may target we will take a look at the players most likely to be sent packing should Andrew Friedman and Co. decide to pull the trigger on a deal.

Gerry Hunsicker, Rays' Senior VP for baseball operations and Friedman's guru, has made two of the best deadline deals in recent memory. In 2004, Hunsicker landed Carlos Beltran and 6 years earlier he traded for Randy Johnson. While the Astros failed to reach the World Series in either year, both Beltran and Johnson were key figures in Houston's playoff runs.

On the other hand Friedman sounds more like a guy that is willing to sit on the talent in place.

Keep in mind all of the "rumors" in the media recently are 99% speculation. They have a simple formula and the Rays always fit the formula. The media looks at a player and picks the teams still in contention that would view that player as an improvement. Then they decide which teams have the stronger farm system. The Rays will almost always satisfy both criteria.

The problem is the Rays are not like most ball clubs and are in the process of redefining success for small-market clubs. We feel that the Rays are more likely to follow the blueprint of the Angels who rarely make in-season deals and prefer to hold on to their homegrown talent.

That being said, there is still a chance the Rays will swing a deal for a mid-level player such as a middle reliever to add depth to a staff that has suffered a number of injuries. There is also a need for a right-handed hitting outfielder as the Rays have struggled against lefties this season and possibly a utility infielder that is an upgrade over Ben Zobrist and can serve as a backup shortstop.

So if a trade is made, which players are most likely to be used as bait...

Jason Hammel 3:2
Any deals involving pitchers will almost certainly involve Hammel to open a spot in either the bullpen or the rotation (with either Edwin Jackson or Andy Sonnanstine moving to the bullpen). Hammel can still bring the heat with a mid-90s fastball, but do any teams still think he can be a starter?

Jeff Niemann 2:1
While other teams will certainly ask for David Price, Wade Davis or Jeremy Hellickson, Niemann is the piece of value that the Rays would prefer to trade. While certainly Niemann's star shines less brightly these days, he is still young, and very big and he has a lot of upside.

Jonny Gomes 3:1
Like Hammel, any deal for a right-handed hitting outfielder will almost certainly involve Gomes going in the other direction. Nobody doubts Gomes' power or his intensity, and if given regular playing time, he could be a solid DH or outfielder for another team.

Fernando Perez 7:2
Perez has loads of talent but he still struggles with strikeouts. The Rays have no room in center with BJ Upton but could Perez play right field in '09 and be the Rays leadoff hitter? Or is he expendable? Like Niemann, Perez is one player we can see the Rays using as trade-bait.

Ben Zobrist 5:1
Whether as a utility infielder or a starting shortstop, Benny Boo Boo has proven that he can be a major leaguer. He will never be an all-star, but there are plenty of teams out there with worse options plaing short or second.

Mitch Talbot 5:1
Talbot would not be the key player in a trade, but he could be the arm that puts a deal over the top. He is a bit of a tweener. He has shown flashes of brilliance, like his performance in '06 SL playoffs, but he has been very up-and-down since moving to Durham. There is some upside and there does not seem to be a future for him with the Rays.

Dale Thayer 7:1
Thayer who seemed destined to be a career minor leaguer, has blossomed this season in Durham with a 1.43 ERA and 57Ks in 50.1 innings with only 17 walks. With Jeff Niemann and Juan Salas also in Durham as bullpen insurance, Thayer is certainly expendable. He is also Rule 5 eligible this winter, so now may be a good time to move him.

Eric Hinske 7:1
Hinske is a free agent at the end of the year, and with Gabe Gross and a healthy Cliff Floyd, Hinske is certainly expendable. But he has also been one of the Rays better hitters this season. Would the Rays risk moving an offensive contributor with the offense struggling a bit?

Juan Salas 8:1
If the Rays don't trade for a relief pitcher, Salas is probably the next guy up from Durham when somebody is needed. He has pitched well for Durham, with a 2.12 ERA and 38Ks in 34 innings with only 8 walks. Might somebody be enticed by the comparisons of Salas' cutter to Mariano Rivera's?

James Houser 8:1
Like Jeff Niemann, Houser is another name that the Rays will counter with when teams ask for one of the big pitching prospects. He is a tall lefty with some upside. Could be more tempting than a Mitch Talbot.

Justin Ruggiano 8:1
Ruggiano is similar to Mitch Talbot in that he is a bit of tweener. He posts good numbers in triple-A and could be serviceable as a 4th outfielder in the major leagues, but does he have a future with the Rays? Again, would not be the key player in a trade, but he could be the bat that puts a deal over the top.

Joel Guzman 10:1
Won't be 24 until November, and while he has a ton of power and a very good glove with plenty of positional flexibility, he still strikes out way too much (88 in 355 ABs this year) and his OBP is embarassing (.271). He will also be out of options in '09, so a move now or this winter may be necessary. Might somebody else be tempted by the talent?

Shawn Riggans 10:1
To us, this is the most intriguing name on the list. Riggans can hit. He still has plenty of room for improvement behind the plate and he is not that young (even for a catcher; 28 in a few days). The Rays also have Mike DiFeLice in Durham. DiFelice will be on the team in September no matter what happens, but would Maddon prefer DiFelice on a potential playoff roster? There is also John Jaso who was recently promoted to Durham and could make Riggans even more expendable.

Reid Brignac 10:1
Have the Rays soured a bit on Brignac? We can't see Brignac being traded, especially until Tim Beckham shows that he is a major leaguer-in-waiting. And there is also that open right field slot in '09. Could the Rays give Brignac a shot at RF in spring training? Still, no matter what the plans are, teams will ask for Brignac. Will the Rays bite?

Dan Johnson 12:1
Having a huge season since being demoted to Durham. Unfortunately, he has shown little or no power in the majors and has very little positional flexibility for a guy that is better suited for a bench role. Still, he has big league experience which a NL contender might value.

Al Reyes 15:1
A free agent at the end of the year, but has been struggling with injuries which make him more valuable to the Rays than to any suitor.

Chris Mason 15:1
Would anybody want him?

Gary Glover 20:1
Ditto

Grant Balfour 50:1
Another name that is very intriguing to us. If there is any inkling in the Rays front office that this recent run by Balfour is a fluke, then now is the time to trade the power righty and sell high. But everything we have seen indicates that Balfour is the real-deal and maybe he just needed to find some confidence which he has plenty of right now.

Durham 7, Charlotte 1. Jeff Niemann may have used the motivation of Mitch Talbot's promotion to fuel his best start of the year, a complete game effort in which he allowed 1 run while striking out 12 and walking only 1 batter. Niemann threw 107 pitches, 74 for strikes...Justin Ruggiano was 3-4 with 2 solo home runs, his 6th and 7th...Dan Johnson added his 12th home run...Reid Brignac was 2-4 and struck out twice.

Mississippi 6, Montgomery 4. Jeremy Hellickson's second double-A start went much better than his first, giving up 2 runs in 4 innings. He struck out 3 without walking a batter and gave up 5 hits including a home run...Chris Nowak drove in 2 with 2 doubles in 4 at bats.

Palm Beach 11, Vero Beach 2 (gm 1). Ryan Morse gave up 9 runs (5 earned) in 3 innings. He gave up 7 hits and 4 walks...Wade Townsend came off the DL and pitched 1 perfect inning in relief...The D-Rays made 5 errors in the 7 inning contest and managed only 3 hits including a solo home run from Ryan Royster his 5th.

Vero Beach 4, Palm Beach 3 (gm 2). Chuck Tiffany made his second straight start working 4 innings and allowing 3 unearned runs. He struck out 4 and walked 2.

Hickory 3, Columbus 2. Jason Ragan pitched 5 scoreless innings for Columbus...Chase Fontaine finished 2-5 with his 1st home run, a solo shot...Maiko Loyola was 2-4 with a triple and 2 stolen bases. He now has 33 steals on the season, which is 3rd most in the SALy.

Batavia 12, Hudson Valley 0.

Princeton 9, Bluefield 5.

NOTES FROM DOWN ON THE FARM...

• The Durham Bulls had 4 players named to the IL Al-Star team including Reid Brignac, Chris Richard, Jeremy Cummings and Dale Thayer. [Durham Bulls]
  
• 6 members of the Montgomery Biscuits were named to the SL South All-Star squad. The players include Wade Davis, Jakes McGee, James Houser, Gaby Martinez, Rashad Eldridge and John Jaso. Jaso will be making his second straight appearance on the team, something we assume doesn't happen very often. McGee will obviously not be able to participate due to his injury. Also, Gaby Martinez will not make the game due to a personal matter. [Biscuits' Batter]
  

Tampa Bay Rays (66-96)
Correction: On Friday we mentioned that Saturday was the deadline for offering arbitration to all players that are arbitration eligible. In fact, the deadline was only for teams to offer arbitration to their free agents. Players with at least three years, but less than six years of major league experience, are also eligible for arbitration, but there is a separate deadline for teams to offer those players arbitration. That would be the non-tender deadline of December 12...Trying to understand baseball's contract rules is often like trying to understand the tax code or Joe Maddon's starting lineups.

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA...

• We have yet another new Tampa Bay Rays website in the blogosphere, The Rays Way. The new blogger is younger, but he is a diehard Rays fan, which is not always the case with some of these sites. We are not saying a site cannot be good if it is not run by fans, but there is something that is added to the mix when the writer(s) have an emotional attachment to the team they are covering. So if you have a moment, stop by and welcome The Rays Way to the neighborhood. [The Rays Way]
• We think Marc Topkin is in Nashville for the winter meetings. We say "think" because there is no by-line on the blog post. We also assume it is Topkin (and not Eduardo Encina) because the writer announces that he will not report on every rumor because "so many of them are made up". And we already know that Topkin is the one person that always just knows what rumors are true, and which are not. [tampabay.com]
• Marc Lancaster thinks the Rays will not be very active at the winter meetings (despite still needing a left bat, a lefty reliever, a backup catcher and a right fielder, not to mention possibly adding a veteran starting pitcher). [TBO]

But when the Tampa Bay contingent rolls into the Opryland Hotel this morning for four days of non-stop talk, if not necessarily much action, the group can take comfort in knowing most of its frontline needs already have been addressed.

• On the other hand, Roger Mooney believes the Rays may actually open up their wallet. This seems to be a bit far in the other direction. Based on the moves already made and speculating on arbitration values, the Rays 2008 Payroll is in the neighborhood of $38 million already, which is already a couple of million over their projected payroll increase of 20%. More likely the additions will come via trade [Bradenton Herald]
  
• The St. Pete Times has a story that shows the Rays have a lot of hoops to jump through before they get approval to build a new stadium. IF they can successfully maneuver the gauntlet, they will break ground in less than 500 days. [St. Pete Times]
  
• The Rule 5 Draft is on Thursday and the Rays have the first pick, should they decide to use it. MLB Trade Rumors has a source that the Rays may select outfielder Brian Barton, and outfielder in AA for the Indians. He is a speedster that has posted strong OPS numbers throughout the minors, but some worry that the numbers may be skewed because he has always been older than most of his competition and may not be a major league talent. It would cost the Rays $50,000 to select Barton and would have to keep him on the 25-man roster all season long or offer him back to the Indians for $25,000. In addition there are several Rays players that may be selected by other teams, including Dale Thayer and Nick DeBarr. [MLB Trade Rumors]
• A statistical look at Brian Barton and the other top prospects that are available in the Rule 5 draft. [Beyond the Boxscore]
  
• The Rays have already had one of their busiest off-seasons in team history, but there is still plenty of work to do. All of the sudden there is a glaring hole in right field that may or may not be able to be filled by some combination of Rocco Baldelli, Jonny Gomes and Justin Ruggiano, none of whom screams huge 2008 numbers. The team also needs a left-handed bat, a veteran catcher to back up Dioner Navarro, and a lefty in the bullpen. [Devil Rays]
  
• If the goal of the Tampa Bay Rays brass was to get more people to pay attention to the Rays, it looks like it is working. The Tampa Bay Bucs are now 8-4, following a game that I am fairly certain took a couple of days off of my life, and are playing their best ball since the Super Bowl season...yet Best Bucs Blog took time to write a post about the Tampa Bay Rays and all the changes that have occurred or have been proposed, entitled "Cautiously Optimistic". The title is an apt one. There is still a lot of work to do. [Best Bucs Blog]
• Before last season we called for people to jump on board the Devil Rays Bandwagon, so as to enjoy the ride to the top. With all the recent changes others are starting to take notice and are ready to jump on board. [New University]
  
• It was no surprise, but on Friday, Joe Maddon named Troy Percival the team's 2008 closer. While Al Reyes is the most directly affected, Juan Salas will also have a considerably different role in 2008. If Reyes were to be the closer in 2008, the Rays would have likely given Salas occasional save opportunities with the purpose of auditioning as well as training Salas to be the closer for 2009 and beyond. With Percy on board for the next two seasons, Salas, who has options remaining, may now begin the season in Durham as the Bulls' closer. [TBO]
• We have no doubt that Troy Percival is great in the clubhouse, and he may be a great presence for the other relievers, but lets ease up on all the talk of the "leadership" effect from a player that spends at least 8 innings of every game sitting in the bullpen. [TBO]
  
• Dennis Maffezzoli thinks that the Rays added a couple of big pieces in Matt Garza and Jason Bartlett, in addition he believes trading Delmon Young might have been addition-by-subtraction. [Herald-Tribune]
  
• With the loss of Delmon Young, the price for Carl Crawford just went up. We wouldn't go so far as to say he is "untouchable" as the Chicago Tribune suggests, but the bounty would be great. [Chicago Tribune]
• Oh, It's THOSE Girls wrote an open letter to new Rays shortstop Jason Bartlett. Apparently they are going to miss his baseball skills and his cuteness, and have named him an "honorary boyfriend". [Oh, It's THOSE Girls]
  

Team USA 4, South Africa 2.
Evan Longoria went 1-4 with a triple and Justin Ruggiano went 0-4 as Team USA moved to 5-1 and clinched a spot in the World Cup quarterfinals. They have one final game in the preliminary round versus Taipei with the quarterfinals set to played on Friday with the opponent yet to be determined. Longoria was the team's DH while Andy LaRoche played third base.

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA...

• Baseball Musings took a look at the "Probabilistic Model of Range" for centerfielders in 2007 and the Devil Rays centerfielders finished next to last, ahead of only the Brewers. The number must be taken with a grain of salt. When we look at Range Factor, BJ Upton was above the league average of 2.71 with a 2.91. On the other hand, Elijah Dukes and Delmon Young, who had the next two most innings played in center field were both well below the league average with a 2.30, which likely brought the Rays overall Range value down. Rocco Baldelli only played 20 games in center, but came in with a 3.61 range factor. [Baseball Musings]
• Four of the 12 players named to the Topps Double-A All-Star team are Devil Rays farmhands. The list includes Evan Longoria, John Jaso, Chris Mason and Dale Thayer. [The Raw Feed]
  
• More hardware for Carlos Pena. This time it is the fictional 2007 Andre Dawson Award, presented to the best player on a last place team. No word on what exactly the trophy looks like, but we are guessing it is a hawk with bad knees. Pena is the second Devil Ray to win the award. Fred McGriff won the award in 1999. [Home Run Derby]
  
• The Cubs are trying to put together a package to land Carl Crawford. No word on whether or not discussions have already occurred. [Herald-News]
• According to team officials, there are no deals being worked on that involve Carl Crawford. The denial is interesting and possibly unnecessary as we haven't actually heard any rumors involving CC. All we have seen and read is that other teams are targeting CC. But who wouldn't want CC on their team? [Bradenton Herald]
  
• Al Reyes and Greg Norton both filed for free agency. The Rays still have until tomorrow to pick up options on both players. Reyes' option will be picked up. Norton is likely to be granted free agency. [TBO]
• The Rays are one of 10 teams interested in signing Troy Percival. While Marc Lancaster sites Percival's close relationship with Joe Maddon as a reason the Rays may have an edge, it didn't seem to help last year when he ultimately signed with the Cardinals, so we are not sure why it would help this time around, except to add another team to the bidding process and ultimately raise the price. [TBO]
  
• In the end, we were a little high with the target dollar amount, but as we predicted, the Yankees went to four years on their contract offer to Jorge Posada and the catcher decided to not even test the free agent waters. The Yankees re-signed Posada for 4 years and $52.4 million. The Yankees will have to pay the devil on the back end of the deal, but that is the advantage they have. They will be able to swallow that cost when Posada is a 40-year old part-time DH. The Rays are in no financial position to assume such a cost. [TBO]
• Redeveloping Tropicana Field and the land on which it rests is key to the Rays moving to the St. Pete Waterfront in 2012. According to Aaron Sharockman this will not be a problem as land developers are already drooling over the prospect of building a residential and office space development on the 70 acre lot that is close to the interstate. [St. Pete Times]

Transforming the Tropicana site is "the kind of thing you dream about," said Craig Sher, the chief executive of the Sembler Co., which developed BayWalk in St. Petersburg and Centro Ybor in Tampa.

"There's a real potential to build a really neat mixed-use project, residential and office," Sher said. "There's just not a lot of land left in St. Pete. Any time you get a critical mass of land, you can get something spectacular. Hopefully, we'd be on somebody's list of people to call."

• Now that the Devil Rays have changed their name to "Rays", has the team automatically eliminated itself as a potential destination for a small segment of players? Would Ray Durham have ever signed with the Tampa Bay Rays? Not likely. [Home Run Derby]
  

Joe Maddon commented on minor league relief pitcher Dale Thayer before yesterday's game. Thayer was recently promoted from AA Montgomery to AAA Durham. Of course, to say he "commented on" is being generous. Rather, it was more like Papa Joe telling us that he knows nothing about Dale Thayer.

All I know is he puts up great numbers. He pitched that one inning for us in spring training [against the Mets on March 31] and I liked his aggressiveness. His fastball was like a 92-93 mile an hour fastball, it looked like he pitched up in the zone a little bit. I’m not really sure about his breaking stuff, exactly what that’s all about, but I saw an aggressive guy. You look at his numbers in Double-A the last two years and they’re crazy good. [Joe Maddon]

How is it that the manager of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays does not know any more about one of the team's top pitching prospects than the average fan? Thayer owns the Southern League record for saves in a season and the only thing that Papa Joe knows about Thayer comes from one inning in Spring Training when it looked like he pitched up in the zone a bit. Has Papa Joe ever read a scouting report on Dale Thayer? We know more about Dale Thayer just by googling his name.

[From Scout.com] “He has a power fastball,” Tye Waller, the Padres Director of Player Development, said. “When he can command that breaking ball and locate that breaking ball he is tough to deal with. Hopefully we can make that improvement so he can do it at the next level.” His fastball sits in the low-nineties and besides the curveball, Thayer also throws a slider which is quite effective. He also sports a changeup that he would like to throw more often. Thayer admits his breaking ball needs some work, “to get a better breaking pitch, so I am not always just throwing fastball.”

We love Joe Maddon. We really do. But even we are starting to question if being a major league manager is right for him. Whenever others speak of Maddon, they always praise his player development skills. So why does he know so little about the Rays minor league system?

when discussing potential changes? For a team that is so reliant on their farm system, wouldn't it be a good idea if We understand it is not his focus and it is Andrew Friedman and Co.'s job to scout the minor leaguers. We also understand there is plenty of "player development" to be done at the major league level with such a young team. But is it too much to ask for that Papa Joe read a scouting report every once and a while? Doesn't Friedman consult with MaddonMaddon knew something...anything about these players before he sits down in Friedman's office?

The Professor: Hey Joe...There is a kid at Durham. He is name is Evan Longoria. Heard he is pretty good with the bat. Considering his bat speed, would you trust him late in a game against power pitcher?
Papa Joe: His numbers in the minors are crazy good.
The Professor: Eh, nevermind.

Maddon on Thayer [TBO]
Scouting Report: Dale Thayer [Scout.com]

Durham 4, Columbus 3. Jason Pridie drove in 3 of the Bulls' 4 runs, with a 2-run first inning home run and a solo home run in the 5th. He also added a double and now has 5 home runs and is hitting .315 (.907 OPS) in 38 games since being promoted from AA. Justin Ruggiano was 2-4 and Evan Longoria was 1-3 with a double and a RBI. Mitch Talbot struck out 6 in 6 innings to pick up his 10th win. Shawn Camp struck out 4 in 1.2 innings for his 2nd save.

Chattanooga 9, Montgomery 8. In their first game without closer Dale Thayer, the Biscuits blew a 7th inning 8-5 lead, with the final two runs being scored on a home run in the 9th inning with 2 outs and 2 strikes, off of Nick DeBarr. Wade Davis allowed 5 runs on 7 hits and 2 walks in only 2.1 innings. 5 of the 7 outs recorded by Davis came via the strikeout.

Clearwater 12, Vero Beach 5. Jay Witasick pitched one inning in his first rehab appearance, allowing 1 hit. Jackson Brennan was 4-5 with his 18th double and 2 runs scored. Garret Groce was 2-5 and drove in 2.

Greensboro 12, Columbus 6. Wade Townsend continues his up-and-down season. After a strong effort his last time out, Townsend was touched for 7 runs (6 earned ) in 3.1 innings. He walked 5 and gave up 4 hits. He fell to 6-10 with a 5.08 ERA. The Catfish hit 4 home runs, including two by John Matulia, who doubled his season total. Cesar Suarez hit his 10th and now has 73 RBI, good for 8th in the SAL. Ryan Royster hit his 20th home run which is tied for 3rd and he has 75 RBI, tied for 5th in the league.

Hudson Valley 8, Batavia 4. Maiko Loyola was 2-5 and stole his 18th and 19th bases for the Renegades.

Burlington 3, Princeton 2 (12 innings).

NOTES FROM DOWN ON THE FARM...

• Four members of the Hudson Valley Renegades were named to the New York-Penn League All-Star team. The players are Emeel Salem, a 6th round pick this season, Maiko Loyola, Mike McCormick, a 5th round pick in 2005 and Jason Ragan. The game will be hosted by the Renegades next week. [Hudson Valley Renegades]
  
• Jay Witasick made a rehab appearance last night for Vero Beach and will likely make another on Saturday. [TCPalm]
• Tim Corcoran has been optioned to AA Montgomery and Dale Thayer has been promoted to AAA Durham. Thayer, who set the Southern League record for saves in 2006, leads the SL this season with 21. Corcoran is likely to be designated for assignment when/if the Rays sign David Price before the August 15 deadline. [OurSports Central]
• Tim Corcoran will have to shave his beard, as Devil Rays minor leaguers are not allowed to wear facial hair. [Stacy Long's Riverwalk Talk]
  

Tennessee 6, Montgomery 2. Erold Andrus was 2-4 and hit his 10th double and 1st home run since being promoted from Vero Beach. Reid Brignac was 0-4, and Fernando Perez was 2-4.

Clearwater 9, Vero Beach 8. Sergio Pedroza was 4-4 and hit his 18th home run. It was his third straight game with a home run and he is 8-10 over that span, with 3 doubles, 3 home runs and 10 RBI. He is 17-36 (.472) with 5 home runs and 5 doubles and a triple in the last 10 games.

Columbus 6, Lexington 4. This year's 2nd round pick, Will Kline, had his longest outing yet as a pro, striking out 3 in 4 innings. He gave up 1 run in 4 hits and a walk. Ryan Royster hit his 19th home run.

Staten Island 5, Hudson Valley 4. Alex Cobb, the Rays 4th round pick last year made his 10th start of the season, allowing 3 runs in 5 innings. He has a 3.18 ERA on the season.

Danville 7, Princeton 6 (10 innings). After scoring 3 in the top of the 10th to break the 3-3 tie, Danville came back with 4 in the bottom half of the frame for the victory. Two errors did in the P-Rays in the bottom of the 10th with the final run being scored on a 1-out single. Another 2006 draftee, Jeremy Hall, struck out 8 in 6 scoreless innings.

NOTES FROM DOWN ON THE FARM...

• The Durham Bulls had a scheduled off day yesterday.
  
• Dale Thayer was named the Southern League's pitcher of the week. During the week he picked up 1 win and 3 saves. [Stacy Long's Riverwalk Talk]
  
• Jed Lockett takes a look at Tyree Hayes, the son of former major leaguer Charlie Hayes. Being around the game his entire life made his career choice somewhat inevitable, but his path to becoming a pitcher did not develop until much later. [Bluefield Daily Telegraph]
• With the promotion of Rhyne Hughes to AA, JT Hall has been working at first base, a position that he is familiar with. [TCPalm]
  
• The P-Rays have made an effort this season to visit as man of the local little leagues as possible. [Princeton Rays]
  

Bristol 10, Princeton 5.

NOTES FROM DOWN ON THE FARM...

• On Monday night, three Montgomery Biscuits participated in the Southern League All-Star game. Catcher John Jaso had two singles in two at bats but was also charged with 2 passed balls. Pitcher Chris Mason struck out 2 and walked 1 in 1.1 innings. Closer Dale Thayer was charged with 3 unearned runs in the 9th inning. [Montgomery Advertiser]
• Jae Seo was named the IL's pitcher-of-the-week. He is the fourth Bull to win the award this season. [Durham Bulls]
  
• Chris Mason loves him so Karaoke, ping-pong and changing his hair color when he is pitching poorly. [Montgomery Advertiser]
  
• Tonight is the AAA All-Star game in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Justin Ruggiano will represent the Durham Bulls. [Durham Herald-Sun]
  
• On June 26, Aaron Walker of the Vero Beach Devil Rays, was struck in the face with a portion of a broken bat. His orbital bone and nose were broken and he required 30 stitches in his cheek. There will be no long-term damage to his eyesight, but Walker's season is over. [The Review]
• Chris Nowak will miss 4-6 weeks after dislocating his shoulder on Saturday. [Montgomery Advertiser]
  
• During the July 9 double-header, the Vero Beach Devil Rays held "Silent Night". We understand fans dressing like a mime or a golfer...but a nun tennis player? [MiLB.com]
  

Charotte 7, Durham 3. Jeff Niemann dropped to 9-5 in his last start before the Major League Baseball future's game on Monday, as he failed to finish the 4th inning. In 3.2 innings, Niemann allowed 8 hits including 2 home runs, and 3 walks, leading to 4 runs. He struck out only 1 and now has an ERA of 3.75. BJ Upton returned to the field after suffering from a fever and missing two games. He batted second and went 2-4 with 2 singles and a strike out.

Montgomery 11, Mobile 8. Richard De Los Santos was returned to Montgomery after a recent promotion to Durham to fill the vacant spot in the rotation left by the departure of James Houser. De Los Santos, making his first start of the year, gave up 3 runs (2 earned) in 3.2 innings on 4 hits and a walk. He struck out 2. Matt Spring and Shawn Cumberland homered for the Biscuits. Gabriel Martinez went 3-5 with 3 RBI. Reid Brignac was 0-3 with 2 walks and 2 runs scored, while Evan Longoria was 1-5 with 2 strike outs.

Charleston 6, Columbus 3. Heath Rollins struck out 4 in 6 innings and allowed 1 unearned run on 5 hits and 1 walk. Ryan Royster was 2-4 to raise his average to .324. Desmond Jennings was 0-4 and Nevin Ashley was 0-3.

Burlington 7, Princeton 4.

NOTES FROM DOWN ON THE FARM...

• Kevin Gengler of Tampa Bay's Tomorrow has some predictions for some of the Rays top minor league prospects.
  
• James Houser was placed on the Temporarily Inactive List after his father suffered a heart attack. His father is in stable condition.
• Dale Thayer, who set the Southern League record for saves in a season in 2006, is 15 for 17 in save opportunities this season.
• Reid Brignac has 17 errors on the season, but has played error-free in the last 8 games.
  
• Wednesday's game for the Vero Beach Rays was postponed due to rain. They will play a double-header today.
• Wednesday's game for the Hudson Valley Renegades was postponed due to rain. They will play a double-header today.

Roschester 10, Durham 4. After allowing only 1 hit in his last outing, Jae Seo looked more like the pitcher we have all grown to loathe. Seo was pulled before completing the 4th inning after allowing 9 runs on 12 hits and 2 walks. He struck out 1 and gave up 3 home runs. Justin Ruggiano and Joel Guzman were each 2-5. Bennny Boo Boo Zobrist was 0-5.

Mississippi 7, Montgomery 2. Jonathon Barratt walked 5 in 5 innings and allowed 3 runs (2 earned). Fernando Perez's 4th home run, was one of only 5 hits for the Biscuits. Reid Brignac and Evan Longoria were each 0-4.

Tampa 8, Vero Beach 0. Jake McGee got pounded for his 3rd loss of the season. He struck out 7 in 4.1 innings, but gave up 6 runs. His ERA now sits at 3.11 on the season. The Rays were shut out on 3 hits.

Columbus 5, Rome 3 (10 inn.). Ryan Royster was 3-5 and hit his 13th home run, a 2-run walk-off shot in the bottom of the 10th. He also added his 19th double. Woods Fines struck out 5 in 6 innings, allowing 3 runs (2 earned). Desmond Jennings was 2-4 and Nevin Ashley added 2 hits in 5 at bats.

Hudson Valley 2, Staten Island 1 (5 inn.). Doug Waechter picked up the win in his second rehab start by pitching 5 innings and only allowing 1 unearned run in the rain-shortened game. He struck out 2 and walked none.

Princeton 4, Greeneville 1 (6 inn.).

NOTES FROM DOWN ON THE FARM...

• Jeff Niemann was named to the AAA all-star team. The IL all-star team will face a team of all-stars from the PCL on July 11. Niemann will also participate in MLB's futures game.
  
• Five members of the Montgomery Biscuits were named to the Southern League's South Division All-Star team. Catcher John Jaso, starting pitcher Chris Mason and closer Dale Thayer will all participate in the game. Evan Longoria and Jason Pridie were each selected but will miss the game. Longoria will be participating in major league baseball's future's game, while Pridie was promoted to AAA Durham last week.
• Yet another player of the week award for a Rays prospect. This time it was Columbus first baseman Matt Fields being named the SAL player-of-the-week.
  
• The city of Durham unveiled a new Bronze Bull, as part of a revitalization project. the Bull is...umm...very anatomically correct.