Zorbist is a switch hitter that struggles to hit .240 against righties batting from the left side.
Kapler did hit over .300 last season, so it's not like he can't hit, and hit over .270 last season against righties, so there is your platoon.
Regarding Percival, Sternberg isn't paying Percival 8 million across two years to set up Joe Nelson.
Yeah, Percival crapped the bed big time last night, and last week against Baltimore, but my guess is Maddon is probably under some pressure from GM Friedman to keep him in the closer roll for a little while longer, but there has to be a point when enough is enough, I mean the dude is 38 after all.
RF remains the one trouble spot for the Rays every day lineup.
I think there was a sincere hope coming into 2009 that by early to mid June, David Price and at least one other AAA pitcher would be ready for promotion and then they could take a realistic look at trading one of the back end starters (Kazmir, Sonnanstine) along with either Gross or Kapler for a more every day RF.
Plan B would be that Matt Joyce, the potential slugger obtained from Detroit in the Ed Jackson trade, would be ready for more regular duty.
So far Joyce is doing pretty well at AAA, but the lead plan is currently in Poop mode since Kazmir is showing real signs of being untradeable.
Crazy stuff right now....Rays are #2 in MLB scoring, but in bottom half of MLB in pitching...almost inverse from last season.
I think there was a sincere hope coming into 2009 that by early to mid June, David Price and at least one other AAA pitcher would be ready for promotion and then they could take a realistic look at trading one of the back end starters (Kazmir, Sonnanstine) along with either Gross or Kapler for a more every day RF.
Plan B would be that Matt Joyce, the potential slugger obtained from Detroit in the Ed Jackson trade, would be ready for more regular duty.
So far Joyce is doing pretty well at AAA, but the lead plan is currently in Poop mode since Kazmir is showing real signs of being untradeable.
Crazy stuff right now....Rays are #2 in MLB scoring, but in bottom half of MLB in pitching...almost inverse from last season.
The net value of that trade remains to be seen.
The current Rays ownership has not had many misses in either FA signings or trades when given a two to three year evaluation window.
If Matt Joyce can make the big leagues full time by next April and meet the scouting projections of 25+ HRs and .280 BA from the left side, that trade balances out just fine.
But just as when they traded for the following guys, we have to go through one to two years wait time
1) Ed Jackson from the Dodgers
2) Dioner Navarro from the Dodgers
3) Ben Zobrist from Houston
4) Jason Bartlett and Matt Garza (not much wait for either)
5) Grant Balfour
FA signings in past couple years
Carlos Pena
Akinori Iwamura
Willie Aybar
---
Oh and I personally believe that by year's end, Sonnanstine will have continued his maturation and will have 12 to 14 wins and an ERA under 4.5.....thus making him a very legit #4 SP
The current Rays ownership has not had many misses in either FA signings or trades when given a two to three year evaluation window.
If Matt Joyce can make the big leagues full time by next April and meet the scouting projections of 25+ HRs and .280 BA from the left side, that trade balances out just fine.
But just as when they traded for the following guys, we have to go through one to two years wait time
1) Ed Jackson from the Dodgers
2) Dioner Navarro from the Dodgers
3) Ben Zobrist from Houston
4) Jason Bartlett and Matt Garza (not much wait for either)
5) Grant Balfour
FA signings in past couple years
Carlos Pena
Akinori Iwamura
Willie Aybar
---
Oh and I personally believe that by year's end, Sonnanstine will have continued his maturation and will have 12 to 14 wins and an ERA under 4.5.....thus making him a very legit #4 SP
and you are right on with your Zobrist commentsBoth are very solid defenders.
And both have histories that counter their first six weeks of this season offensively.
Gross hit 13 HRs last year in 250 AB and Kapler is a steady .280 style hitter
Bottom line to the Rays offense is that it's 2nd in MLB for Runs Scored. So the key is to maintain the current pace (overall) and get the pitching in line so it's again in Top10
ope:<TABLE class="tablehead statCont" cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=2><TBODY><TR class=gamehead><TD colSpan=5>2009 STATS</TD></TR><TR class="colhead playerStatSub"><TD>BA</TD><TD>HR</TD><TD>RBI</TD><TD>OBP</TD><TD>SLG</TD></TR><TR class="oddrow playerStats"><TD>.304</TD><TD>11</TD><TD>33</TD><TD>.418</TD><TD>.681</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Can't do much better than that.
Can't do much better than that.
<TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 border=0 sizset="171" sizcache="2"><TBODY sizset="171" sizcache="2"><TR class=stathead><TD>Player News (last updated: June 6, 2009)</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow><TD>News: Zobrist went deep on Saturday for the third time in his last four games.
Spin: You would be hard-pressed to find a hotter bat right now. Part of Zobrist's success can be attributed to his patience at the plate, as he now has a walk in seven straight games.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Spin: You would be hard-pressed to find a hotter bat right now. Part of Zobrist's success can be attributed to his patience at the plate, as he now has a walk in seven straight games.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
