News
Davis to make long-awaited debut
Tampa Bay (72-63) vs. Detroit (74-61), 1:38 p.m. ET
Wade Davis went 10-8 with a 3.40 ERA in 28 starts at Triple-A Durham. (Danny Wild/MLB.com)
By Zach Schonbrun / MLB.com
09/06/09 12:50 AM ET
ST. PETERSBURG -- The buzz around the ballpark on Sunday undoubtedly will stem from the return of Detroit's Edwin Jackson to Tropicana Field. More under the radar, however, there is anticipation -- mostly within the Rays' clubhouse. Twenty-three-year-old right-hander Wade Davis, Tampa Bay's highly touted pitching prospect, will be making his first career start on Sunday, an introduction that's been long in the making. Davis, a third-round pick in the 2004 First-Year Player Draft and the No. 31 overall prospect as ranked by MLB.com, was called up on Wednesday from Triple-A Durham, where he was 10-8 with a 3.40 ERA this season. The 6-foot-5 Davis has already drawn admirers from the Major League ranks. "You hear all this hype about Wade, you know?" Tampa Bay's James Shields said. "I'm sure he's a very polished pitcher. He knows what he's doing out there with his stuff. As long as he sticks to his own game and not do too much, I think he'll be fine." "He's ready for it," Rays left-hander David Price said. "It's something he's been ready for ever since I've known him. He's a competitor. He's going to give us a lot of chances to win a lot of ballgames." Davis drove down from Durham Wednesday night after being announced as Sunday's starter -- likely a crucial spot for the Rays, who have had little success on Sundays this season and will be looking ahead to a four-game series at Yankee Stadium beginning with a doubleheader on Monday. Furthermore, Davis' counterpart on Monday is Jackson, the All-Star Tampa Bay traded to Detroit for outfield prospect Matt Joyce in the offseason. It's a potentially haunting deal, considering how well Jackson has done for the Tigers this season, and one that fans certainly remember well. Jackson's aware of his counterpart, too, and he said he heard about Davis when he was with the Rays last season. "I know who he is and everything," Jackson said. "I really haven't seen him pitch. Maybe in Spring Training, but as far as a game, I haven't really seen him pitch. It's just all what I've heard." Others, like Rays pitcher Matt Garza, have seen him pitch in Spring Training and liked what they saw. "I'm really excited to see what he does," Garza said. "He's got so many pitches, and he hits his spots, and he's aggressive." The only one who has remained calm about his debut is Davis himself, whose stoic persona -- including what manager Joe Maddon considers a nice "game face" -- should work to his advantage when he toes a Major League rubber for the first time. He's been waiting patiently for this opportunity. Apparently others have, too. "I'm really eager to see him," Maddon said. "He's another big part of our future also. I'm really eager to see him pitch." Pitching matchupTB: RHP Wade Davis (Major League debut)
Davis boasts a low-90s fastball to go with a strong curveball and developing changeup. Maddon also likes his competitiveness. Rays fans have been waiting a while to see him pitch. On Sunday, they'll finally get the chance. DET: RHP Edwin Jackson (11-6, 3.09 ERA)
Jackson's recent struggles -- including a .302 opponents' batting average and an .889 opponents' OPS since the All-Star break and a start on Tuesday against the Indians in which he allowed four runs over five innings -- prompted manager Jim Leyland to plan a chat with Jackson, but the righty said he feels strong going into the stretch run. Tidbits
B.J. Upton's ankle condition is improving and he should be available to play on Sunday, though he likely won't be in the starting lineup, Maddon said. Upton sprained his ankle in the fifth inning of Thursday's game with Boston and did not play Friday or Saturday. Maddon said the center fielder should be ready to start by Monday against the Yankees. "I think the best we could hope for is that he'll play at some point and be able to start by Monday it looks like," Maddon said. ... Several Rays players had football jerseys hanging in their lockers representing their alma maters to commemorate the kickoff to the college football season on Saturday. Among those with specially made jerseys were Lance Cormier (Alabama) and Randy Choate (Florida State). Nameplates were also put up above several lockers with the insignias of that player's favorite college team. ... Leyland has visited his good friend and Rays senior baseball advisor Don Zimmer in the hospital the past two days, as Zimmer recovers from surgery on Wednesday for decompression of a nerve in his lower back. "He's still grumpy, so I know he's feeling better," Leyland joked. ... Saturday night's game was sold out, mostly because the Beach Boys performed after the game as part of the Rays' Summer Concert Series. Tickets
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• Monday: Rays (Andy Sonnanstine, 6-8, 6.62) at Yankees (CC Sabathia, 16-7, 3.48), 1:05 p.m. ET
• Monday: Rays (Matt Garza, 7-9, 4.01) at Yankees (A.J. Burnett, 10-8, 4.29), 7:05 p.m. ET
• Tuesday: Rays (David Price, 7-7, 4.75) at Yankees (Chad Gaudin, 5-10, 4.98), 7:05 p.m. ET
Zach Schonbrun is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
