News
For Rays, Price has been right of late
Tampa Bay (76-73) vs. Toronto (66-82), 1:38 p.m. ET
By Zach Schonbrun / MLB.com
09/20/09 12:43 AM ET
ST. PETERSBURG -- A year ago, it would've been hard to imagine that David Price would be overshadowed by not one but two Rays rookie starters. And the fact that that may be the case this season isn't necessarily a poor reflection on how Price has pitched. Jeff Niemann has dazzled all year long, leading the team in wins and ERA while making a serious bid to earn American League Rookie of the Year Award honors. Wade Davis, though only three starts into his Major League career, has already thrown a shutout and set a team record for strikeouts in a debut. Price, meanwhile, has been trying to find his way through the big leagues in his first season as a starter. The former No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft has found more of a groove lately, going 2-1 with a 3.57 ERA over his past four starts. And since Price last faced Toronto -- allowing six runs and nine hits in three innings on July 25 in what may have been his "rock bottom" performance -- he's 5-2 with a 3.33 ERA. Rays manager Joe Maddon differentiated between the development of Davis, who made 28 starts and threw almost 160 innings for Triple-A Durham this season before being called up on Sept. 4, and Price, who has been nurtured (and tested) in the big leagues since May. "David was probably more accelerated," Maddon said. "He got there a little bit sooner. But the threat is always to bring them up too quickly. With David, I think he's been pretty much right on." Price has undoubtedly taken a positive step in the second half of the season. He rebounded from a rough first inning to throw seven innings for the win against Baltimore on Monday, snapping Tampa Bay's 11-game losing streak in another clutch performance. Over his past eight starts, he's allowed only four home runs and 39 hits (after allowing 11 home runs and 63 hits in his previous 12). And, to think, he's been Tampa Bay's third-most impressive rookie starter lately. "What these guys have done in a short period of time is really impressive," Maddon said. "It speaks well of our future."
Pitching matchup
TB: LHP David Price (8-7, 4.60 ERA)
Price gave the Rays a quality start Monday night in Baltimore when he allowed three earned runs on seven hits in seven innings against the Orioles to pick up his eighth win of the season. The left-hander kept his pitch count down and remained cool when the Orioles scored four in the first. Price has live stuff in most of his outings. Fastball command has been his biggest improvement over the course of the past month. As a result, he's been getting ahead in the counts more often and walking fewer hitters.
Halladay earned a win his last time out, defeating the Yankees on the road on Tuesday night. Over six innings, the Blue Jays ace played damage control, allowing only two runs despite 11 hits surrendered. Halladay finished with six strikeouts and one walk in the win -- only his second in a six-start span. Halladay, who has three starts remaining for the Jays, has now won at least 15 games in six of the past eight seasons.
Tidbits
Wearing a cast on his left hand, Rays first baseman Carlos Pena made an appearance in the clubhouse Saturday. Pena, who is out for the season after breaking two fingers Sept. 7, said he has three pins in his hand now but is feeling well and progressing better than expected. He said he came to the dugout Friday night to watch some of the game. "He brought his wonderful attitude out [Friday] and I'm sure that's affected our attitude, too," Maddon said. ... Fernando Perez was active and ready to play if necessary Saturday. ... B.J. Upton received Saturday night off, just to give him some rest, Maddon said. Ben Zobrist started in center field. ... Four-time All Star and former World Series MVP Pedro Guerrero threw out the first pitch on Saturday as the Rays celebrated Festival Latino Night.
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• Official game notes On television
• FS-F On radio
• WFLA 970 Up next
• Monday: Off-day
• Tuesday: Rays (Jeff Niemann, 12-6, 3.80) vs. Mariners (Ryan Rowland-Smith, 4-3, 3.59), 7:08 p.m. ET
• Wednesday: Rays (TBD) vs. Mariners (Brandon Morrow, 1-4, 5.08), 7:08 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.
