Rays and Padres: Down But Not Out
Stan McNeal - SportingNews.com
Jan 21, 2011
When the Padres failed to acquire any major league players from the Red Sox in exchange for Adrian Gonzalez, I wasn't impressed. To paraphrase from that day's story: The poor Padres apparently have forgotten they are required to field a major league club next season.
Such opinion was widespread. In fact, when the Padres fell a game short of the playoffs last season, much of the baseball world figured that was the end of the good times in San Diego. The trade of their best player was inevitable, and so was the fall of the franchise.
A similar gloom surrounded another small-revenue club residing in a different league on another coast. The dismantling of the Rays had been expected since ownership announced early last season that the team's $72-plus million payroll would be slashed in 2011. When the Rangers ended the Rays' season at Tropicana Field, the crowd knew it was seeing a bunch of Rays for the last time.
Sure enough, a parade of talent left for greener pastures: Carl Crawford, Matt Garza, Rafael Soriano and Carlos Pena, plus the majority of the league-leading bullpen. After Garza was dealt to the Cubs for prospects, the St. Petersburg Times wrote, "The lessening of the Rays continues, and there is sadness in that."
Mere weeks later, new hope is alive and well in San Diego and St. Pete. Perhaps this is nothing more than the optimism that is as much a part of spring training as sunshine and blisters. In January, even the Pirates think they can win. But one doesn't have to look too closely at the Padres or Rays to see that another 90-win summer is more than a dream.
Padres
OK, a reality check: New first baseman Brad Hawpe will not make Padres fans forget Gonzalez. Hawpe likely is down to his last chance at an everyday job, and there are fewer places more difficult to prove you can hit than Petco Park.
With the exception of first base, however, the rest of San Diego's lineup should be better after the team focused on improving up the middle. At second base and shortstop, Orlando Hudson and Jason Bartlett are considered upgrades on defense and offense. "Especially on defense," an NL scout says.
New center fielder Cameron Maybin is only 23 and could benefit from a fresh start on the other side of the country. "There were a lot of expectations on him at a young age, and he might have put some pressure on himself," manager Bud Black says. "We've told him you're going to be our center fielder, now play your game. He's going to be a big part of where we're going."
The Padres, of course, are built on pitching and they still have plenty. Mat Latos and Clayton Richard can hold their own with any 1-2 tandem west of Philadelphia. The backbone of the bullpen is as strong as any team's with Heath Bell, Mike Adams and Luke Gregerson. Though Bell, with a $7.5 million salary and closing in on free agency, could be the next victim of the Padres' payroll woes, he is unlikely to be traded as long as the team is contending.
"If you can pitch and catch the ball every night, you have a chance to win," Black says. "That's what we did last year and will have to do again. All the good teams pitch."
Rays
The similarities between San Diego and Tampa Bay extend beyond their coastal locations and employing Angels' alums as managers. Young pitching is their No. 1 common denominator.
Even after losing Garza, the Rays feature a rotation to envy, led by AL Cy Young award runner-up David Price. Armed with a 95-plus mph fastball, the 25-year-old lefthander has assumed the top spot right on schedule. Jeremy Hellickson, 23, went 3-0 in four starts last season and is the favorite to replace Garza in the rotation.
No one expects youngster Desmond Jennings to produce like Crawford in left field, but he has the same kind of tools and almost as much potential. Reid Brignac was ready to push Bartlett at shortstop even if Bartlett had not been traded. The departure of Pena leaves a sizable hole at first, but he hit .196 last season and the Rays still were one of three major league teams to score 800 runs. Their offense could be boosted further if they, as expected, bring in a bargain free agent such as Johnny Damon or Vladimir Guerrero.
The Rays' key to keeping up with the Yankees and Red Sox rests with the bullpen, just like last season. Tampa Bay could lose seven relievers, presenting a rebuilding challenge that manager Joe Maddon admits, "I don't want to say it's nearly impossible, but it's quite challenging."
To understand how valuable Soriano and Joaquin Benoit were to the bullpen, consider that the Yankees and Tigers committed more than $50 million to sign them. The Rays will be fortunate if their entire payroll is $50 million.
But Tampa Bay went to last spring with nearly as many bullpen questions. When Benoit signed a minor league deal, no one expected him to put up a 1.34 ERA in 63 outings. Soriano, who had landed in Tampa Bay only because the Braves signed Billy Wagner, enjoyed the best season of his career. The rest of the 'pen fell in place and posted an AL-best 3.33 ERA.
"We're just going to have to get somewhat lucky and be diligent and do our work putting this bullpen back together," Maddon says. "That, to me, is the key to our success."
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