Jonah Keri, co-author of Baseball Between The Numbers, was kind enough to answer several questions about the Tampa Bay Rays in an email exchange. Keri is a frequent contributor to ESPN.com (click here for archive) whose writing has appeared in Baseball Prospectus, Playboy, the New York Times, Salon, Slate and many other publications. He also writes a popular stock market column for Investor's Business Daily and offers analysis on everything from college basketball to politics on his website, JonahKeri.com.

Jonah, thanks for taking the time answer some questions.

Reid Brignac has regressed offensively since his breakout performance in the California League back in 2006. Brignac finished with a sub-.300 OBP in his Triple-A debut but has made strides defensively. How does he compare defensively to Jason Bartlett, and does he have a chance to win the job in camp? Or is there any chance that the Rays would deal him this winter, under the impression that Bartlett could man the position until Tim Beckham is ready down the road?

JK: I have no inside knowledge on this front per se, but I could see the Rays dealing Brignac, yes. Andrew Friedman is always looking for value. So whether or not they trade Brignac could depend on whether teams see the Cal League stats and improved defense or focus on the offensive regression of the past couple years. If they keep Brignac, I imagine they'll stick with Bartlett for his defense.

With David Price set to crack the rotation, who do you think will be the odd man out? According to this data, Andy Sonnanstine was considerably more valuable than many people gave him credit for in 2008. With that being said, he seems like the best bet to stay. However, would Edwin Jackson, because of his stuff, bring in more value in return if he is traded? If you had to bet, which pitcher is more likely to be dealt?

JK: Again, I think it will come down to value. If teams are willing to shell out more for Sonnanstine, he could be dealt. If Jackson can fetch more, he might go. I think Jackson would work well in a bullpen role too, so that could be another option. I'd like to see the Rays see if they could get a true impact bat for Scott Kazmir. But it's rare that we see that kind of blockbuster deal. Then again, the Delmon Young deal was a shocker when it happened.

Jeff Niemann is unlikely to ever emerge as a front-line stud at this point, but would be ranked a lot higher in another organization without so much pitching depth. Out of options, where do you see him at this point next offseason?

JK: Another good bullpen candidate. Someone who throws that hard coming downhill with his height...if they just slot Niemann in the pen and stop shuttling him back and forth, he could be a good, cheap option.

Will Mitch Talbot earn a spot in the Rays' bullpen in 2009?

JK: Another who'd be worth a shot. That's the beauty of having so much organizational pitching depth, of course. There's no need to hand out a three-year contract to some random veteran. Save a few million here and a few million there with equivalent talent, and suddenly you've got the cash to, say, buy out David Price's arbitration years in 2010.

The Rays excelled at run prevention in 2008, ranking first in defensive efficiency. What steps will they take, if any, to prevent a regression on this front?

JK: The infield is the strength of the defense, and the Rays are going to bring everyone back there. There's a good chance the team will add a new right fielder. Going after a player who can hit without hurting the defense would help on that front, obviously. That means stay far, far away from Raul Ibanez, for example.

The Boston Red Sox will be back, the New York Yankees seemingly have the chance to sign every big-name free-agent pitcher this offseason and the Toronto Blue Jays return some excellent pitching. Is it possible for the Rays to be even stronger next year, yet still miss out on the playoffs?

JK: Most definitely. The AL East won't stop being a tough division any team soon. The Baltimore Orioles are going to improve too, as prospects like Matt Wieters, Chris Tillman et al come up.

If you could choose between Price and Wieters, who would you take?

JK: Wieters. Much less risk of injury and much more predictable performance for position players than pitchers.

Bartlett received a fifth-place vote for A.L. M.V.P., and even was selected as the Rays' Team M.V.P. by the local chapter of the BBWAA. What is wrong with that picture?

JK: Well plenty, of course. I don't want to take anything away from Bartlett, who was a huge defensive upgrade. Let's just say there were plenty of better MVP candidates. Several on his own team, in fact.

Andrew Friedman has a great track record of exploiting inefficiencies, having found several sleepers like Eric Hinske and Carlos Pena on the cheap in the recent past. With a handful of players due for raises in arbitration and little money to work with, do you have any predictions for what Friedman will do this winter?

JK: I expect the payroll to go up somewhat, given the team likely surpassed its revenue projections for 2008 with its playoff run, and that they're well positioned to contend again in '09. Using internal options for the bullpen would be a good way to defray some of the raises that other players are getting. I do think a Kazmir deal could make some sense, especially if it's for a younger, less expensive, but still talented hitter.

Did Chuck LaMar receive too much credit for the Rays' success during the postseason coverage?

JK: I think he received the right amount of coverage. The focus was mostly on Andrew Friedman, Matt Silverman and Stu Sternberg. Vince Naimoli, Chuck LaMar made plenty of mistakes during their respective tenures. But the old regime did make some contributions to the team that became the '08 Rays. Seemed reasonable to save at least some credit for them.

Do you think B.J. Upton would ever consider signing a similar deal to Evan Longoria, or is he more likely to go year-to-year until free agency?

JK: Well the dollar amounts would be much higher for Upton of course, since he's a fair bit further along on the service time clock than Longoria was when he signed. I imagine Upton will take the best deal available to him. If the Rays make a big, multi-year deal, I'd imagine he's strongly consider it. If the Rays opt not to extend a lucrative long-term offer, Upton will do fine year-to-year.

Has Carl Crawford reached his peak as a player, barring an improvement in his approach on on-base skills? Do you foresee a bounceback when he is fully healthy in '09?

JK: I could see a power spike. He's 27, at a stage in his career where you should expect a small, but gradual erosion in speed. Players of that age, assuming health, do often see power spikes. The biggest level of upside would be an improved batting eye. If Crawford learns to take more pitches, both to work walks and to find pitches to hit in favorable counts, everyone benefits.

Do you think Tampa Bay fans will get to see Wade Davis at some point next year?

JK: I do. How much he's involved will depend on the health of the Rays' pitchers. If everyone's healthy and producing, we might be talking about just a September cup of coffee for Davis--or possibly a David Price-style call-up where they get him on the roster before Sept. 1 as a prelude to a possible spot on the playoff roster.

Since Rocco Baldelli cannot play back-to-back days in the outfield due to his mitochondrial disorder, would it be an unwise decision for Tampa Bay to make him a serious offer and give him a roster spot?

JK: Depends on price, of course. He's a free agent so he can go anywhere he likes. If other teams value him as anything close to the future star he was once thought to be, I imagine the Rays will pass. If teams balk because of Baldelli's health, a contract loaded with playing time and performance incentives would make sense.

Thanks for answering the questions, Jonah.

For those who have not read BBTN, I encourage you to do so. It will change the way you look at the game forever. Also, Keri recently finished the Page 2 guide to MLB Free Agency, which you don't want to miss.

To reach Tyler Hissey, send an email to TylerHissey@gmail.com

A lot is being made about the Tampa Bay Rays’ solid core of young talent at the major league level.

It is hard to talk about the Rays without mentioning the current core of cost-effective, team-controlled youngsters who led the franchise to the World Series. Everyone has heard of former first-round picks Evan Longoria and David Price by now, of course.

But here is a brief list, in no particular order, of several of the remaining high-level prospects in the Tampa Bay organization who are not yet household names for non-prospect fanatics.

Wade Davis, RHP—Davis’ stock took a bit of his this year, as he struggled to consistently command his pitches. He remains a high-level prospect, though, thanks to his solid movement on a low-90s fastball and an excellent curve ball. The right-hander has not shown the ability yet to consistently command his other offerings, a developing change-up and cut fastball.

Davis began the season in the Southern League, where he went 9-6 with a 3.85 ERA and 81-to-42 K/W ratio in 19 starts for the Montgomery Biscuits. He was a bit unlucky—with a high BABIP—and allowed nearly a hit per inning, but flashed signs of brilliance. He then earned a promotion to Triple-A in July, joining the Durham Bulls. He put together a nice string of quality outings for the Bulls, going 4-2 with a 2.72 ERA and 55-to-24 K/W ratio in nine outings. The difference, though it was a small sample size, had a lot to do with luck, as his BABIP decreased and he limited opponents to a .205 batting average.

Davis will spend most, if not all, of the 2009 season in a starting role again at Durham. The 6’5 former fourth-round pick, though, could join the Rays at some point if he can continue to improve his consistency.

Jeremy Hellickson, RHP—Hellickson does not have the prototypical body for a big-league pitcher, at 6’1, 185. The 21-year-old right-hander, though, is a legitimate major league prospect. He has an above-average fastball and two solid secondary pitches but what differentiates him is his excellent command.

Hellickson tore up the Florida State League this spring, going 7-1 with a 2.00 ERA and stellar 83-to-5 K/W ratio in 14 starts. Upon his promotion to Double-A Montgomery, though, he ran into some difficulties, allowing 15 home runs in 75.1 innings pitched. While he was prone to giving up the long ball, he rebounded nicely after a few rough appearances to finish his stint with the Biscuits 4-4 with a 3.94 ERA. His command remained exceptional—79-to-13 K/W ratio—but he posted an opponents’ batting average of .292. While he lacks a true out pitch, he still profiles as a solid middle-of-the rotation starter.

Reid Brignac, Shortstop—Brignac has made tremendous strides defensively the past two seasons. Considered the best defensive shortstop in the International League this year, he seems destined to stick at the position in the majors for years to come. While Jason Bartlett is currently manning the position effectively—defensively, that is—and is locked up for a few more years, the 22-year-old Louisiana native has a chance to serve as a stopgap until number one overall pick Tim Beckham, who has a real chance to remain at the position, is ready.

Brignac projects to hit for power at the major league level as well. Since his breakout offensive performance in the California League in 2006, however, he has regressed severely at the plate as he jumped two levels. His on-base skills, in fact, leave a bit to be desired, and he took another step back in his first full season with the Durham Bulls in 2008. He batted only .250/.299/.412, drawing only 25 walks while striking out 93 times. He will need to improve his plate discipline, but, with his above-average defense, he seems ready to latch on with the Rays in the near future.

Some other names to look out for: Nick Barnese, Beckham, John Jaso, Desmond Jennings, Jeff Niemann, Jake McGee

Barnese, who posted a 2.45 ERA and 84-to24 K/W ratio for Hudson Valley in the New York Penn League this summer, induces a ton of groundball outs with a solid, low-90s sinking fastball. He will look to make a major leap in his development next year, as he makes the jump to full-season ball.

Beckham has tremendous tools, and scouts feel that he can remain at shortstop. At 18 years old, though, he has a long way to go in terms of development before reaching the majors. The Georgia prep prospect is still a bit raw, as he did not begin playing baseball competitively until he was 14. While it is foolish to read too much into a prospect’s short-season professional debut, he did not exactly set the Appalachian League on fire—.243/.297/.345, in 177 at-bats. He has tremendous upside, which prompted the Rays to select him with their second consecutive first overall pick over more expensive college options like Pedro Alvarez and Buster Posey, and is an exceptional athlete. Look for Beckham, who earned a late-season promotion to Hudson Valley, to begin ’09 in the South Atlantic League.

Jaso has excellent on-base skills and can really hit, but has yet to show that he can handle his catching responsibilities effectively. The organization, it seems, is not sold on his defense, but he has a career minor league line of.273/.391/.426 and .817 OPS.

Jennings had a season to forget, as injuries prevented him from taking another giant leap forward in his development. The former Alabama quarterback recruit was looking to build upon a breakout 2007 campaign, in which he hit .315/.401/.465 in the Sally League, and established himself as one of the premier outfield prospects in the minors. An athletic, physically gifted athletic specimen, he took a major step forward as baseball player in ’07, swiping 45 bags while improving his plate discipline.

Unfortunately, Jennings began the season in extended spring training and sat out the first two months with back and shoulder injuries. When he was healthy enough, he reported to the Florida State League, hoping to stay on the field without any issues. After only 24 games roaming center field for Vero Beach, however, he re-injured his shoulder, requiring season-ending surgery. He should be ready at the start of spring training and remains a top outfield prospect.

Niemann may get traded this offseason, following a solid, injury-free performance in the International League. His star has dimmed, but he finally made his major league debut in April, posted a .3.59 ERA in 24 starts at Durham and consistently sat in the mid-90s with his fastball in an encouraging year in which he was linked to numerous trade rumors. He tends to get lost in the translation, with the Rays’ apparent surplus of pitching, but several organizations would love to have him in their system. The former Rice star no longer projects as a front-line stud, but he has a chance to turn into a solid number three or four guy in the big leagues. Out of options, he should finally stick in the majors for good next year.

McGee, lost early in the spring after tearing his ulnar collateral ligament, underwent successful Tommy John surgery—another James Andrews patient—and is out until the middle of ’09. Before the injury, the flamethrowing lefty was regarded as one of the premier pitching prospects in one of the majors’ deepest farm systems. According to Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon, he may end up as a dominant closer for the Rays.

There are certainly others as well—from Fernando Perez to Heath Rollins—and expect to find a complete top prospect list in the next couple of weeks.

With the Rays’ ability to make cost-effective roster decisions, a solid core of young stars locked up for the long term, and with several of the aforementioned prospects close to reaching the show, it is clear that the Rays are not a one-year wonder. Many were critical when the Rays refused to give up a few of these prospects in deals at the trade deadline, but they made it to the Fall Classic without having to deal away any cheap, team-controlled assets. While the American League East will always provide a tremendous challenge—with the financial superpowers—the Rays seem equipped to make a nice little run.

To reach Tyler Hissey, send an email to TylerHissey@gmail.com.

11:44 Update: The Phillies made it interesting, scoring one more time in the ninth. Price struck out Utley with one in the ninth inning, though, before getting Howard to ground into the Rays’ shift to end the game and give the Rays a 4-2 victory.

Shields, who scattered seven hits in 5.2 shutout innings, picked up the win. Myers suffered the loss, as he allowed all four runs, three of which were earned, in seven frames.

The win was huge for the Rays, who did not want to head to Philadelphia down two games. Tampa Bay is now back in the drivers’ seat, with favorable pitching matchups the rest of the series. Matt Garza, the Most Valuable Player of the ALCS, will square off against veteran lefty Jamie Moyer at Citizen's Bank Ballpark in Game 3 on Saturday night, if the weather holds up.

The Rays ran into one of the majors’ most effective pitchers, Cole Hamels, on the way to losing the opener. But, with the series again even, they remain the favorites, with Garza and Andy Sonnanstine slated to pitch Games 3 and 4 against the fairly average duo of Moyer, now 45 years old, and Joe Blanton.

Philadelphia will look to use its home field advantage, though, to jump out to another series lead. In order for this to happen, the Phillies are going to need for Howard and Rollins, who is now 0-for-10 in the series, to pick it up offensively and improve on their poor execution with runners in scoring position. The Phillies, following the loss, are now 1-for-28 with RISP. On the lone hit, though, the Phillies could not score a run, quite amazingly.

11:16 Update: With one out in the eighth inning, pinch hitter Eric Bruntlett blasted a home run to left field off of Price. Bruntlett is now 2-for-9 in the postseason. He batted .217/.297/.297, with two home runs and 15 RBIs, in 212 at-bats during the regular season.

10:55 Update: Price came on of relief of Wheeler with two outs in the top of the seventh. The young left-hander walked the first batter he faced, the dangerous Chase Ultey. He continued to impress by striking out the struggling Ryan Howard a few minutes later, though. Howard, who is now 2-for-4 on the night, went down looking.

Price has still not allowed a run in limited postseason work.

Click here for an old interview that I did with Price back before the start of spring training.

10:37 Update: David Price is warming up in the Rays’ bullpen. Price, the top prospect in the minors entering the season, caught the nation’s eye with his tremendous performance in the Rays’ game 7 win over the Boston Red Sox in the American League Championship Series. The number one pick out of Vanderbilt University in the 2007 draft, he tossed 1.1 innings of scoreless ball, flashing a mid-90s heater, filthy slider and tremendous poise for such a young kid to help the Rays hold off the Red Sox in their biggest game of the year.

Although a minor arm injury set him back a few weeks in spring training, Price began the year with a ####, touching 99 on the gun while impressing Alex Rodriguez, his teammates and the rest of those watching him mow down the New York Yankees during a Grapefruit League game on the YES Network.

Price then spent the next several weeks at the Rays' training complex in St. Petersburg, where he had the opportunity to face A-Rod again, drawing praise from the Future Hall of Famer during an extended spring training game.

When he was healthy enough to make his long-anticipated debut, Price made the move to the Florida State League, where he set the circuit on fire with his performance for the Vero Beach Devil Rays. In six starts there, he went 4-0 with a 1.82 ERA and a 37-to-7 K/W ratio in 34.2 innings pitched.

Price then went a perfect 7-0 in the Southern League, posting a 1.89 ERA in nine starts for the Montgomery Biscuits. With Montgomery, he earned Southern League Postseason All-Star honors, in addition to being named the league Pitcher of the Week twice.

Soon enough, Price forced the organization’s hand to promote him to Triple-A Durham. Although he had some struggles (4.50 ERA in four starts) there, he continued to impress and was called up to Tampa Bay on September 13. In 19 minor league starts combined between all three stops, he finished 12-1 with a 2.30 ERA, 109-to-32 K/W ratio and .228 opponents’ batting average to earn USA Today Minor League Player of the Year honors.

During September, Joe Maddon used Price sparingly, perhaps waiting to unleash his secret weapon at the perfect time—the ALCS. In five appearances, including one solid start against the Baltimore Orioles, he posted a 1.93 ERA in only 14.0 innings pitched.

Price earned his first major league win during Game 2 of the ALCS, and his first save a few days later in the series finale. He has not allowed an earned run in three postseason appearances.

10:26 Update: Shields’ night is done. With his pitch count over 100, he was removed after surrendering two hits in the top of the sixth inning. The 26-year-old right-hander, the eldest pitcher on the Rays’ staff, allowed seven hits and walked two hitters in 5.2 shutout innings. With runners on the corners, Dan Wheeler came on in relief to record the final out of the inning. He retired Philadelphia third baseman Pedro Feliz on a fielder’s choice, getting Shields off the hook as the Phillies continued to struggle with men on base. “Big Game” James has now allowed eight earned runs in 29.0 postseason innings pitched.

10:04 Update: James Shields has looked fairly solid through five shutout innings. Shields, who went 9-2 with a 1.59 ERA during the regular season at Tropicana Field, has scattered five hits and surrendered three walks. The Phillies’ struggles to cash in on opportunities with runners in scoring position have continued, however, in part due to his ability to get several big outs. Shields labored through the first few innings, though, and may not last much longer.

Brett Myers, on the other hand, has not had the same luck. Myers has allowed four runs, three earned, on five hits. The Rays have capitalized on their chances using any way possible, with only one of the runs coming on a base hit—an RBI single by B.J. Upton in the second inning. The Rays scored twice on RBI groundouts in the first inning.

 
 

According to the St. Petersburg Times, Troy Percival flew home to California after the Tampa Bay Rays left him off of their ALCS roster.

Yeah, that Percival. The guy who has been lauded for his leadership abilities and for being a “good teammate” all season. The one who was main figure in many stories, including some of my own, about how several new veterans—Cliff Floyd as well—have helped to instill a winning culture in the Tampa Bay clubhouse while offering leadership to the Rays’ younger players.

Seriously, how many stories have focused on how his veteran leadership has played a major factor in the turnaround of the Rays’ bullpen?

Percival really came off as the ultimate team-first guy.

Well, at least until he started to, you know, suck at pitching.

Sure, he has been hurt. This has played a major part in his poor performance. But, even when healthy, he has been ineffective, a shell of the closer who once threw in the mid-90s for the Angels back in the day. After the All-Star break, his command and stuff were more consistent with someone his age, he nearly walked a batter per inning and posted an ERA closer to a touchdown than a field goal.

While much was made about his health status, the fact of the matter is that the Rays would have been foolish to leave David Price or Edwin Jackson off the ALCS squad even if Percival was healthy. Pleasing veterans is nice. Winning, however, is better.

As I wrote the other day:

There is a lot of discussion about whether or not Troy Percival will be put on the Tampa Bay Rays’ ALCS roster. Well, if it were up to me, I would decline that offer. Percival is a veteran who has World Series experience, two factors which have led several mainstream analysts and writers to talk about how he is an essential piece to the puzzle and needs to be on the roster. To their credit, he certainly has had a tremendous positive impact on several of the Rays’ young talented arms, all while helping to instill a culture of winning in the clubhouse. However, based on his performance in the second half—6.11 post-All-Star break ERA, 16 walks in 17.2 innings pitched—and an obvious decline in his command and stuff, Joe Maddon can no longer trust him with a lead late in the game. Period.

As critical as I was, I still thought that Percival would come out to the ballpark to be with his team.

He says that he wants to be with his family. I get that, to an extent.

Plus, he probably would not make that much of a difference if he was actually headed to Boston to cheer on his teammates the rest of the series, anyway. Baseball is really more about talent than anything else, especially being a cheerleader.

But, for him—of all people—not to go has unquestionably put his team-first, leader reputation at risk and reflects poorly on him. Which has left a bad taste in my mouth. It must hurt knowing that the Rays do not need his servies with so much at stake, choosing instead to go with a youngster like Price even though he made it clear that he wanted to be put on the roster. Especially for someone as proud as Percival, who is one of the all-time best closers in the history of the game.

Still, if Jeff Kent and his massive ego can deal with taking on a part-time role with the Los Angeles Dodgers with the chance of picking up a ring outweighing his hurt feelings, Percival can as well.

He should be with his team, cheering along with Eric Hinske and Jonny Gomes and the other Rays left off the ALCS roster who are making the trip up to New England. Period.

As a high school basketball coach once told me, “It is easy to be a leader when things are going right. When times get rough, however, real leaders must step up and do the right thing.”

Indeed.

To reach Tyler Hissey, send an email to TylerHissey@gmail.com.

The Tampa Bay Rays had to win on Saturday night. Trailing 1-0 in the American League Championship Series, they were faced with the possibility of heading to Fenway Park down two games to zilch, with one of the best starters in baseball, lefty Jon Lester, waiting to pitch in Game 3 for the Boston Red Sox.

But, in a marathon, back-and-forth thriller, those pesky Rays found a way to get it done, beating the Red Sox in yet another one-run contest between the two clubs. 

The game, though, started off more like a home run derby than anything else.

Scott Kazmir continued to struggle in the first inning, throwing 38 pitches before getting to make the walk back to the dugout for the first time—similar to his 37-pitch first against the Chicago White Sox in the Division Series.

Unlike his performance in the ALDS, however, the rest of the outing did not go as well for Kazmir, who surrendered three jacks and gave up five earned runs in 4.1 innings.

When he was taken out of the game in the fifth, though, little did he know that he was still hours away from having to speak to reporters.

The reason: the other supposed ace, Josh Beckett—best postseason pitcher of this generation, as many people like to call him—was equally as unimpressive. Beckett did not have his normal punch on his heater, and also struggled with his command, giving up eight earned runs on nine hits while also failing to make it out of the fifth.

Evan Longoria, the shoe-in for AL Rookie of the Year, was able to work his way out of a rough playoff slump off the big right-hander from Texas. Longoria homered in the bottom half of the first—to bring the score to a 2-all tie, as Boston scraped across two during the nightmare of a first by the fellow Texan, Kazmir—to start the Cowbell parade and homer frenzy at Tropicana Field.

Dustin Pedroia then went yard in the top of the third, answering right back to the Longoria blast.
Then B.J. Upton hit a  bomb, making it a possibility that he will leave the yard more times in the postseason than he did during the regular season—four to nine, if you are scoring at home. Upton has now hit safely in five postseason games since going 0-for-5 in the first game of the ALDS.

Shortly after that, Carl Crawford singled in Longoria, who doubled in his second at-bat, to give the Rays a 4-3 lead.

Add in a bunch more home runs—Cliff Floyd, Pedroia (again), Kevin Youkilis and Jason Bay—while each starter was out on the mound.

But after the Rays chased Beckett and put up three runs to take an 8-6 lead in the fifth, the game changed completely, from a slugfest to a relief pitching duel.

Joe Maddon was forced to get creative with his bullpen, knowing that this was essentially a must-win ballgame for his club. Maddon, the unconventional thinker and perhaps the favorite to be named top skipper in the AL, brought in one of his best late-inning guys, Grant Balfour, in the fifth. Balfour, however, was not himself, walking two while giving up a bomb.

While many people were ready to criticize this choice—as Balfour could have been used later—if the Rays had lost, lefty J.P. Howell bailed out his teammate by continuing to put up zeroes. Howell, an underrated force in the Rays' bullpen all year, lasted 1.1 innings, getting some pretty big outs.

The Red Sox bullpen was also able to shut down the Rays’ offense, as everyone from Manny Delcarmen to closer Jonathan Papelbon put up zeroes until Mike Timlin entered the game in its final frame.

Dan Wheeler, despite allowing Pedroia to score from third base after an ugly 2-0 wild pitch, was huge. Wheeler threw 48 pitches, a season high, in 3.1 huge innings with Maddon's bullpen nearly tapped out. 

But that ended when Timlin walked the bases loaded, albeit one an intentional free pass, in the eleventh. The best player in the majors with a Columbia degree, the speedy Fernando Perez, was then able to score on a sacrifice fly from Upton, whose flyball was just deep enough to give the Rays the win in extras to tie the ALCS at one game apiece.

Oh, some guy named David Price got the win.

Add this one to the ESPN Classic library, because the two best teams in baseball provided a game to remember, and I only hope that the series will remain this exciting throughout.

Inside the Box Score

A few thoughts on the game that popped into my head.

• Going into Fenway, the Rays have much better chances now. This win was huge. But can the Rays rely on Kazmir to come back in game six? He has not been efficient with his pitches, seemingly laboring through five innings in nearly every outing lately. And, is his elbow still bothering him? It is telling that he is hardly using his slider, once an X factor for him. 

• Ditto for Beckett. Is he fully healthy right now, and can he come back strong in game six?

• Longoria picked the right time to get back on track. Whether it was running into Beckett at the right time or because of Maddon’s pre-game talk with him, he had a day, finishing 3-for-5, with a homer, three runs scored and three RBIs. He was mired in a 0-for-13 slump entering the game. Pedroia seems like his back on track, too. 

• Floyd hit a bomb, though many people may have forgot about that since he was removed in place of Willy Aybar so early in the game.

• Jason Varitek put up another 0-for-the day. He really just cannot hit anymore. I know he handles pitchers well, is the captain and has all the “intangibles,” but, if I were a GM, I would stay away when he hits free agency following the postseason. He hit .220/.313/.359 in 131 games over the year, and is now 3-for-21 in the playoffs.

• Youkilis, on the other hand, continues to impress. He finished the night 3-for-6, with another homer, and is now batting .357/.400/.571 in six playoff games. He truly is a great player. All those scouts could not have been any more wrong about him. Not a lot of people may realize it, but he finished sixth in the AL in batting average (.312), sixth in on-base percentage (.390), fourth in OPS (.958), third in slugging (.569) and fourth in RBI (115).

• The game took five hours and 27 minutes. Now, that is a lot of cowbell.

• Price recorded two outs in the 11th frame after walking J.D. Drew, earning the win. The former first-round pick out of Vanderbilt now has more playoffs wins than CC Sabathia. After dominating the minors in his first professional campaign, the USA Today Minor League Player of the Year has allowed only three earned runs in 15.0 innings pitched with the Rays, including this series, since getting called up on September 13. And, though it is a bit premature, he seems ready to overtake Kazmir as the lefty “ace” on the Tampa Bay staff.

• Jason Bay has three home runs, nine RBIs and a line of .440/.517/.920, with a ridiculous 1.437 OPS, in six playoff games, all without any Jason-Being-Jason antics grabbing the headlines. Sure, losing Manny was huge, but the Red Sox seem to be doing just fine without him.

One more thing: Ben Zobrist's walk, when he was attempting to sacrifice bunt, was a tremendous at-bat and totally changed the dynamic of the inning. Zobrist essentially got the same result of a sacrifice, moving up the runner, but did not pay the oh-so-costly price of making an out. 

I will be appearing on the Sports Café with Sean Duade today to discuss the Rays. I will be on from 11:20 to 11:40. Click here to tune in.

The Tampa Bay Rays have a four-game lead in the American League East, having already surpassed their previous season-high of 70 wins.

With Carl Crawford and Evan Longoria recently placed on the disabled list, however, the skeptics are surfacing on the airwaves, Internet and in print in full force.

Crawford broke his right wrist, possibly forcing him to miss the remainder of the season.

Longoria fractured his wrist after getting struck with a J.J. Putz pitch this weekend against the Seattle Mariners, forcing him to join his teammate on the DL retroactive to Friday.

While it is true that the Rays had a tough battled ahead of themselves even before the injury bug struck, do not expect this club to roll over and die. So, hold off on the J.J. bleeping Putz cries for the time being, because Tampa Bay will remain in the hunt down to the end.

Crawford is perhaps the most popular player in the history of the franchise, a two-time All-Star and a perennial threat to swipe 50 bases. Regardless, it will not be difficult to replace his performance offensively, as crazy as it sounds. The speedy left fielder has struggled through one of the worst seasons of his career, batting .273/.319/.400. Although he put together a nifty little 11-game hitting streak before the injury, a .718 OPS just does not cut it at a position, left field, which is not all that demanding defensively.

It will be difficult to replace the speed that Crawford brings to the table, but his poor on-base percentage has not allowed him to take full advantage of it yet. Hence the low—for him, at least—stolen base total. Eric Hinske, Justin Ruggiano, called up in aftermath of the news, or any other option should not be that much of a drop off production wise.

Perhaps this will situation will finally provide a real opportunity for Ruggiano, who is labeled by some scouts as a AAAA player but has put up solid statistics at each level in the minors. He was batting .315/.374/.537 with 11 home runs and 51 RBIs for Triple-A Durham at the time of the promotion.

The real hole created by losing Crawford has more to do with his defense in left field, as he has tremendous range and great instincts. He has registered the best range factor and zone rating at his position in the majors, roaming the gaps in left center with grace. Along with B.J. Upton, who has tremendous range in center field, he has helped steal his fair share of doubles by making highlight-reel plays.

The loss of Longoria hurts a lot more, of course. The rookie third baseman has undoubtedly been the Rays’ most valuable position player, posting a line of .278/.352/.533 while playing tremendous defense at the hot corner. He has already broke Jonny Gomes’ single-season record for most homers for a rookie by hitting his 22nd bomb before getting hurt, was elected to the All-Star team and is the favorite to win AL Rookie of the Year.

Longoria has also provided enough walk-off hits to make David Ortiz jealous. He truly has helped carry an offense that has had its fair share of struggles.

Thus, the Rays are going to have a difficult time replacing him with a combination of Willy Aybar and Ben Zobrist, who will see the majority of the innings at third base while the star rookie is sidelined (expected to be at least three weeks). Clearly, then, the loss of Longoria came did not come at a great time.

However, Tampa Bay has gotten to this point by relying on its excellent pitching and defense. When a team builds its success on these two pillars, it takes a lot for the house of cards to come piling down. With an improved bullpen, a talented young starting rotation and one of the majors’ best team defenses—having converted 71.7 percent of balls put into play into outs, second-best percentage total in baseball—the Rays have been excellent at run prevention.

While the defense will take a hit with the loss of Crawford and Longoria, it will still be an area of strength down the stretch.

Pitching-wise, Andrew Friedman made another nice pick-up on the waiver wire, acquiring ground-ball specialist Chad Bradford from the Baltimore Orioles. Bradford does not strike out a lot of hitters, but has posted the premier ground-ball ratio in the league and a 2.34 ERA in 42.1 innings pitched. For a bullpen predominantly consisting of pitchers prone to giving up the long ball, he has helped diversify the Rays’ relief corps—which has seen the emergence of Grant Balfour— tremendously.

Not to mention, Tampa Bay has a secret weapon, top prospect David Price, waiting in the wings down in the minors. Price, the number one overall pick out of Vanderbilt University in the 2007 First-Year draft, is 11-0 with a 1.87 ERA and 92-to-23 K/W ratio in 15 starts combined between Single-A Vero Beach and Double-A Montgomery. The 22-year-old southpaw, who has a mid-90s fastball, excellent pitching sense and tremendous command, will make his Triple-A debut on Wednesday night for Durham.

Most likely, Price will come up to fill a relief role, adding a power arm out of the bullpen—reminiscent of Joba Chamberlain for the New York Yankees last summer—while limiting his innings. There is still an outside chance that he may crack the starting rotation upon his debut, moving either Edwin Jackson or Andy Sonnanstine to a new role. Either way, the 22-year-old southpaw will impact the East race somehow, perhaps providing a necessary turbo boost as the Rays near the finish line.

There will be a major void in the lineup for the time being in the absence of Longoria, the team leader in home runs and RBIs who will miss roughly around 80 plate appearances. Still, the Rays rank 10th in the league in runs scored, with several key players having down campaigns with the stick who should pick it up the rest of the way.

Carlos Pena (AP)

The perfect example is Carlos Pena, who hit 46 homers and finished second in the AL with a 1.038 OPS to win Comeback Player of the Year in 2007. Pena, signed to a three-year, $24.125-million contract before spring training, has struggled through an injury-plagued, unproductive campaign. He has been hot of late, though, posting a 1.019 OPS with seven home runs in 80 at-bats since the All-Star break. A Gold Glover-caliber first baseman, he is batting .391/.545/.826 in his past seven games. Look for him to carry the load down the stretch.

Then there is Rocco Baldelli, who looked good in his debut against Seattle on Sunday afternoon. While a rare mitochondrial disorder will limit Baldelli from playing regularly, he has a chance to add a nice boost as well. The former star, who was once compared by a scout to Joe DiMaggio, still has a nice set of skills and will see some innings at DH and in right field.

Baldelli, who went 1-for-4 with an RBI in his debut, posted a .977 OPS in 13 games with Montgomery in the Southern League while on a rehab assignment.

Even if Baldelli does not add any real value, Crawford does miss the remainder of the season and Longoria is out for longer than expected, the Rays are built to last. There is a lot of baseball left to be played, for sure. Plus, Tampa Bay has a tough September schedule, featuring several important division games on the road, where it has struggled.

Regardless, the once-lowly Devil Rays have enough talent to win the division if the pitching holds. Even if Boston does take home the division crown, though, Tampa Bay also has the inside track at the Wild Card, as New York is now eight games back.

The injury bug struck at the wrong time, but the Rays have what it takes to survive the unfortunate circumstances. Do not begin to doubt them now. They are still in strong position, and have a legitimate chance to win the A.L. East.

To reach Tyler Hissey, send an email to TylerHissey@gmail.com.

Note: This post is from Monday. Ben Zobrist has been called up to the Rays, with Jonny Gomes getting shipped to Triple-A.

Davis Improves To 3-0 At Durham

Wade Davis improved to 3-0 in the International League on Monday, tossing six shutout innings in the Durham Bulls’ 5-0 win over the Richmond Braves. Davis, one of the top pitching prospects in the minors, struck out five while walking two, lowering his ERA with Durham to 2.25.

Davis was called up to the Bulls in the middle of July after beginning the season with the Montgomery Biscuits in the Southern League. With Montgomery, he posted a 3.85 ERA and 81-to-42 K/W ratio in 19 games started, going 9-6. Since the call-up, he is 3-0 with a 23-to-11 K/W ratio in four starts. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound right-hander, selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the third round out of the 2004 First-Year draft, has truly established himself as one of top starting pitching prospects in the game. He has a mid-90s heater, a solid hard hammer and improving command. While he struggled a bit with the Biscuits, he is the premier arm in the Rays’ system this side of David Price.

Zobrist Swinging A Hot Stick

Ben Zobrist is never going to be more than a utility player in the majors. Zobrist, though, can add some value to a club at the highest level. He has the ability to play numerous positions on the diamond and some decent on-base skills. Since filling at shortstop for the Rays when Jason Bartlett was on the disabled list, the 27-year-old has torn it up at Durham. He is batting .515 with two home runs, six RBIs and eight walks in his past 10 games going into Monday, raising his line with the club to .333/.423/.506. He has been playing all over the infield, as top prospect Reid Brignac has seen the majority of innings at shortstop, but is seeing the ball well at the plate right now.

Zobrist, who hit a few key home runs during his stint with Tampa Bay, had another big night in the Bulls’ 5-0 win over Richmond. He went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored.

Alvarez Watch: Pedro Alvarez and his agent, Scott Boras, are reportedly nowhere close to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the negotiation process. Alvarez, the number two overall pick out of Vanderbilt University, is a premier bat who has the chance to make a fast rise to the majors. In fact, the opportunity is there for him to turn into the best homegrown position player to come through the system since current Chicago Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez, an International signing in the 1990s. Pittsburgh cannot miss out on this chance here.

The Pirates and team president Frank Coonelly, who was responsible for enforcing slot money regulations when he worked in the commissioner’s office, recently added a solid group of prospects in deals involving their two departed outfielders, Jason Bay and Xavier Nady.

However, even with the addition of Andy LaRoche, who has a chance to be an impact corner infield bat, the majority of the players who the club acquired do not project as stars. Brandon Moss, for example, has a few tools, but seems like he will end up as more of a fourth outfielder.

After Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh does not have many future high-impact hitting prospects in its system. McCutchen is going to be an excellent player, perhaps in the near future, but the organization needs to get Alvarez locked up. Under first-year general manager Neil Huntington, the franchise has come along way since the Matt Morris debacle and the club finally has a vision. Huntington, however, must ensure that Alvarez is a part of a seemingly bright future by coming to an agreement with the superagent, Boras. Rather than taking a compensation pick in the 2008 draft if they fail to reach an agreement, they need to do what it takes to get it done before the August 15 deadline. The Bucs have missed out on too many opportunities to add a future All-Star piece to the puzzle via the first round of the draft.

Several other first-round picks—including San Diego State left-hand Brian Matusz and Florida State catcher Buster Posey—remain unsigned as well. Matusz, the best college southpaw in the nation this past season, was selected by the Baltimore Orioles. Posey was nabbed by the San Francisco Giants fifth overall, capping off an incredible campaign in which he won the Golden Spikes award and finished with a line of .463/.566/.879, 26 homers and 93 RBIs.

The deadline is only two weeks away.

Waiver Season:

Tim Dierkes, the founder of one the invaluable resource MLB Trade Rumors, breaks down the potential waiver trade candidates in the American League. He lists Jonny Gomes and Trever Miller as potential Rays to get moved in the piece.

Gomes has received only 142 at-bats. Still, though, he has not exactly made the most of his brief chances, hitting .183/.291/.394 with eight home runs. Plus, Evan Longoria just stole the big slugger's claim to fame when he broke the single-season club rookie home run record this weekend against the Detroit Tigers. He is one of those guys who needs to see regular playing time to add any value with his bat, yet he is simply not good enough to see regular playing time. Quite the predicament.

Gomes is a tough guy to root against. He is an excellent team player, a popular fan favorite at Tropicana Field and has already had to overcome so many obstacles not only in his career, but in life.

If Rocco Baldelli actually ends up giving Tampa Bay anything at all, however, Gomes may be the odd man out.

Miller broke a record on Sunday. The only problem: it was the wrong kind of record, a frivolous one at that. He recorded the win in the Rays' extra-innings victory over the Detroit Tigers, registering his first decision in about...well...almost since his last stint in the 727. At least 121 appearances without a loss or win makes it seem that long.

Overall, the lefty specialist has not exactly been special, posting a 5.00 ERA while walking 18 in 27.0 innings pitched. He has held left-handed hitters to a .641 OPS, but he has left a bit to be desired with his performance.

The Rays' roster will change. Baldelli is anxious to return. Price, with his make-up, mid-90s heater and excellent performance (10-0, 1.97 ERA, 85-to-19 K/W ratio), is inching near his debut as well.

Dierkes' waiver predictions for Tampa Bay, then, clearly have some merit to them.

The Rays, by the way, actually lost a home game on Monday night, as Cliff Lee continued to shut down the American League.

Lee was not dominant, but effective enough, holding Tampa Bay--which has struggled against left-handers--to two runs in seven innings. After stopping the Rays' five-game winning streak, he is now 15-2 with 2.58 ERA and 127-to-22 K/W ratio.

Matt Garza was hit with the loss, allowing four runs in five innings. Garza, who is a completely different pitcher when he is efficient and works ahead in the count, has posted a 3.70 ERA and 84-t0-40 K/W ratio in 21 starts.

Tampa Bay did not give up any ground in its three-game lead in the AL East, as the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees each lost as well.

The story here, though: Willy Aybar played shortstop in the loss. Yes, Willy Aybar, who had never spent an inning at short in the majors prior to Monday. Bartlett missed the game with an injury, as did Carl Crawford, whose hamstring continued to bother him.

Tampa Bay is currently first in defensive efficiency, having converted 71.2 percent of balls put into play into outs. With the addition of Bartlett in the Delmon Young deal, Akinori Iwamura's flawless transition to second base and the emergence of Longoria, the once-lowly Devil Rays have move from worst to first in team defense. Getting rid of mediocre middle infield defenders Brendan Harris, Ty Wigginton and Josh Wilson, as well as B.J. Upton's move to center field, has helped out dramatically.

Aybar falls into that shaky category, however. Longoria, who saw some time at the position earlier this summer even though he had not played there since his days a stud in JUCO ball, remained at the hot corner, but is still considered the "backup."

Luckily, Bartlett is unlikely to be put back to the disabled list. If he does make his second DL stint, though, the Rays will most likely call up Brignac or Zobrist to fill the void.

Scouting Scandal:

Add the New York Yankees to the list of teams being investigated by Major League Baseball related to the international signing scandal.

Michael Schmidt of the Times:

The Yankees are among the six to eight teams that are being looked at as part of the investigation, the person said. Many of the people investigators are looking at worked for several other major league teams, according to the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he did not want to jeopardize his access to sensitive information.

M.L.B. is looking into whether Yankees prospects did not receive portions of their signing bonuses, which then went to team employees, the person said. The Yankees employees on leave are based in the Dominican Republic.

According to a person in baseball who has not been authorized to talk publicly, Major League Baseball investigators have been in the Dominican Republic for the past four months and have set up a hot line to investigate accusations.

Carl Crawford should pick it up.

The New York Yankees landed a catcher, Ivan Rodriguez, at the trade deadline to fill in for the injured Jorge Posada. This gave New York another option with Jose Molina expected to see the majority of innings at the position before the deal. The Yankees also added a solid reliever and right-handed bat, acquiring Damaso Marte and Xavier Nady. Thus, many analysts have labeled the club as “winners” at the trade deadline, giving some deserved credit to longtime general manager Brian Cashman.

The Boston Red Sox lost the production of slugger Manny Ramirez, but got rid of his baggage and added a capable replacement who is better defensively, Jason Bay, who has gotten off to an excellent start with his new team.

However, the other team competing for the American League East title, the Tampa Bay Rays, remained pat at the deadline. Tampa Bay Executive VP of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman refused to give up any “elite” arms to acquire Bay, for whom the Pittsburgh Pirates turned his services into a nice package of four prospects in three-team deal that sent Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Friedman and the Rays have been labeled as “losers” accordingly, but are they really? Giving up a potential future top-15 shortstop in the league, Reid Brignac, or Wade Davis or Jeremy Hellickson would be inconsistent with the vision of the Rays’ ownership group for sustaining their current level of success for an extended time period.

It is truly way too early to label a team winners or losers. Just ask Omar Minaya, who was applauded for landing Bartolo Colon back in 2002 when he was the GM of the Montreal Expos. Minaya, however, parted ways with three future stars—Brandon Phillips, Cliff Lee and Grady Sizemore—as the Expos fell apart the rest of the way and failed to reach the playoffs.

A verdict, then, will not be out on this trade deadline season—all of the deals—for a long time. Plus, for a small-market team to maintain its success in the current economic market in the industry, it must look at its young prospects as cost-effective assets, which the Rays have done.

The Rays were losers, writes Jayson Stark. Yahoo! Sports agrees.

Instead, the club may receive a boost from former star Rocco Baldelli, who has made steady progress in his rare health condition. Baldelli finished a rehab assignment with Double-A Montgomery on Thursday night, and could return to the Rays during the current homestand. He hit .297/.409/.568 with three home runs and eight RBIs in 37 at-bats with the Biscuits.

A Baldelli decision may be coming, writes Marc Lancaster. This will give Friedman and his staff an important decision to make about the status of Gabe Gross and Jonny Gomes. Gross adds tremendous value with his defense in right field, leaving the club with a difficult choice here.

The internal candidate who is most likely to make an impact in the AL East race for the Rays, though, is former number one overall pick David Price. Price improved to 10-0 as a professional on Saturday night, striking out 10 in seven innings to lead the Biscuits to a win over the West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx. The talented left-hander, the best pitching prospect in the minors, is now 6-0 with a 2.08 ERA and 48-to-12 K/W ratio in eight Southern League starts. He has a chance to make the jump to the majors without pitching in Triple-A, Friedman says.

With all of the additions made elsewhere in the division, Price truly could be the ultimate upgrade for a stretch run, perhaps more so than Nady or Rodriguez. He is that good, having shown an advanced approach to pitching, mid-90s fastball and excellent command. If there is a pitcher to make a Joba-like impact, it is him.

Jeff Niemann and Justin Ruggiano could also contribute as well.

Niemann, who was linked to Pittsburgh in the Bay talks, is 7-5 with a 3.53 ERA and 88-to-36 K/W ratio at Triple-A Durham. The former first-round pick has seen his star dim as all of the injuries have taken a tool, decreasing his once-plus velocity. He is still on the track to the majors, however. He would have benefited from a trade to Pittsburgh, where he would have jumped into the starting rotation.

Ruggiano has never been a favorite among scouts, but has posted some solid statistics during his minor league career. The 26-year-old outfielder has performed well again at Durham so far, batting .316/.374/.529 with nine homers and 42 RBIs. The status of Baldelli will determine if he ever gets a realistic shot with the parent club, which he did not get during his stint with the Rays earlier this season. He went 4-for-5 with an RBI in the Bulls’ 8-2 win over the Charlotte Knights on Saturday night.

Links:

Evan Longoria continued to build his case for AL Rookie of the Year on Saturday night, tying Gomes’ rookie single-season record with his 21st home run to lead the Rays to a 9-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers. Longoria, a first-round pick back in 2006, finished 3-for-5 with three RBIs to raise his line to .280/.354/.540 and increase his RBI total to 67. He is leading the club in homers, RBIs and OPS (.879).

Tampa Bay cranked out nine runs on 11 hits overall, winning its fourth straight game while continuing to shine in the friendly confines of Tropicana Field.

Carl Crawford, hot of late, continued to perform since moving out of the two spot in the batting order. Crawford, who has a seven-game hitting streak, drove in two and scored twice. The perennial stolen-base threat—whose totals are down because of his poor on-base percentage—swiped his first bag in eight game as well, and is now batting .272/.315/.401. With a .717 OPS, a low number for a player at the left field position, he has to turn it around, and appears to be doing so. With his track record, he could add an impact bat by default, having the chance to help Tampa Bay score more runs if he can get on base more frequently to take advantage of his biggest asset, speed.

Andy Sonnanstine got the run support that has eluded him for most of July to earn the win. Sonnanstine scattered seven hits, allowing two earned runs while striking out six. Although he is now 11-6 and leading the staff in wins, it was a big outing for him, with Price waiting in the wings and his 4.58 ERA leaving a bit to be desired.

Tampa Bay is now three games up on Boston—and 5.5 on New York—in the division, improving its home record to 42-16 and 65-44 overall. They set a record for most home wins (42) in a season.

James Shields has been one of the best pitchers in the majors at home this season, going 7-1 with a 2.16 ERA, .205 opponents’ batting average and 72-to-14 K/W ratio in 12 starts at Tropicana Field. Shields will look to continue that success in the finale of the three-game series with Detroit on Sunday, writes Bill Chastain.

One thing that has gone unnoticed at times is the Rays’ team defense. With B.J. Upton and Ty Wigginton logging innings at second base and Brendan Harris and Josh Wilson and others doing the same at shortstop, the Tampa Bay infield defense was terrible in 2007. The addition of Jason Bartlett at shortstop, transition of Akinori Iwamura to second base and emergence of Longoria has helped change that landscape.

This has had tremendous overall positive effects on Tampa Bay’s young pitchers, and is a major reason why the club is still in first place this late in the game. The club currently ranks first in the league in defensive efficiency—the rate at which balls put into play are converted into outs. As much as the bullpen has improved as well, it is hard to put into words the strides that this team has made in the run prevention equation.

Friedman deserves plenty of credit for pulling the trigger on the Delmon Young deal, with improving the team defense on his mind.

Manny Who?

The Red Sox also won on Friday night, pounding out 12 runs to crush the Oakland Athletics. Bay—who scored the winning run in an extra-innings affair during his Fenway debut on Friday—continued to produce, hitting a home run in the win while Jon Lester improved to 10-3.

Lester has truly turned into an excellent front-end starter in this league, having made it through seven innings in eight of his past nine starts. The 24-year-old left-hander, who threw a no-hitter against the Kansas City Royals earlier this season, has posted a 3.14 ERA and 101-to-46 K/W ratio to help anchor the Boston pitching staff.

The Red Sox are moving on without Manny, writes Katie Zezima.

Kevin Youkilis also got in on the action, belting two homers and increasing his hit streak to nine games. He has had a great year—on the defensive side as well—and is currently batting .313/.380/.557 with 20 long balls and 74 RBIs. He is an integral part of the Boston offensive attack.

Yankees Also Win

New York also got in the win column, as the dream season continued for Mike Mussina, who surrendered only two runs on two hits in seven solid innings to help the Yankees shut down the hot-as-fire Los Angeles Angels and new acquisition Mark Teixeira.

Honestly, where would the Yankees be without Mussina? He has been a pleasant surprise for them, winning 14 games while posting an impressive 3.44 ERA and stellar 90-to-19 K/W. He does not leave a lot of room for error with his declining stuff, but has worked the corners magically with his excellent control and command

After getting roughed up in his last outing, a 13-4 loss to the Baltimore Orioles, many thought that Mussina was finally regressing back to the mean. Yet he bounced back nicely, out dueling Jered Weaver while holding the Angels scoreless after giving up two runs in the first inning.

Mussina continues to defy the passage of time, writes Brian Heyman.

Jose Molina is going to be his personal catcher, writes Anthony Rieber.

Bobby Abreu, Wilson Betemit, Jose Molina (his first of the year) and Alex Rodriguez all homered for the Yankees, who were without second baseman Robinson Cano.

Brian Bruney was called back up to the club, writes Joshua Robinson.

New York, however, will not get a boost in September from ace Chien-Ming Wang, who will miss the remainder of the regular season but could return for the playoffs.

Phil Hughes is also trying to make his way back from a broken rib, and could have an impact. Hughes is currently on a rehab assignment along with Carl Pavano, pitching for the Charleston RiverDogs in the South Atlantic League. In his second outing with Charleston on Saturday night, he earned the win in relief of Pavano, who started the game and allowed an earned run in three innings. Hughes was impressive, striking out five in 3.2 innings pitched.

Waiver Talk:

Although the trade deadline has passed, players can still move teams in the August waiver trading period. Paul DePodesta, the former Los Angeles Dodgers GM and Billy Beane protégé, provides an excellent post on this process in his blog. DePodesta, a major figure in the book Moneyball, currently works in the front office for the San Diego Padres.

Ziegler Story:

The story of Brad Ziegler is about as interesting as it gets. Click here for an excellent recap of his journey, courtesy of blogger extraordinaire Joe Posnanski of the Kansas City Star.

On Monday at 2:00, Tyler Hissey will host a live chat, similar to the trade deadline live blog on Thursday. Feel free to stop by and ask a question. Click here to access the chat.

To contact Tyler Hissey, send an email to TylerHissey@gmail.com.

David Price (AP)

David Price took another step closer to reaching Tropicana Field on Saturday night.

Price, making his eighth Double-A start, stole the show from his teammates in the Montgomery Biscuits’ lopsided win over the West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx.

Yet Again.

With a jump to the Tampa Bay Rays likely to happen before month's end, the former number one overall pick made perhaps his last home start for the Biscuits count, striking out 10 while scattering four hits in seven excellent innings of work. He allowed only one run, which came on a solo shot off the bat of Greg Halman in the sixth inning, throwing only 83 pitches without walking a batter.

The homer and a hit batsmen were the only blemishes of an otherwise great night for Price, who was given a big offensive cushion by his teammates and improved to a perfect 6-0 during his time in the Southern League.

The victory capped off an interesting week for the soon-to-be 23-year-old left-hander, who was recently the centerpiece of a feature story in the latest issue of Sports Illustrated. The weekly magazine even brought some new information to light on the Vanderbilt product who has a mid-90s heater, excellent command and the pitching sense of a crafty major league veteran.

With all that has been written about the kid, though, this information proved to be quite a surprise.

Price, who has the chance to make millions and millions of dollars during his career, nearly quit baseball during his freshman year.

The reason for his doubts—even though he was a standout two-sport star in high school and one of the most talented prep pitchers in the nation while at Blackman High School in Tennessee—is even more of a shocker.

Of all things, he nearly gave up on pitching and a top-notch education experience to work in the fast-food industry, selling fries and shakes at a Golden Arch location near his hometown. Lucky for everyone (excluding SEC hitters) and his especially his bank account—his signing bonus and future major league earnings would make McDonald's CEO Jim Skinner jealous—Vandy's head coach, Tim Corbin, talked some sense into the then-freshman. After all, he has already been drafted back in high school, was still a rarity as a 6-foot-6 lefty who threw in the 90s and had a bright future ahead of him.

Oh, the Tampa Bay organization benefited from the decision as well. After Price got over his rough intersquad outing that prompted the potential career change and came to his senses, he turned into the best collegiate pitcher in the nation, guiding the program to its best single-season finish in program history as a junior in 2007. That was just one of many accomplishments that he compiled on his resume during his time in Nashville.

Price led the nation in strikeouts during his final hurrah in the SEC, pitched for Team USA and won about every amateur baseball award imaginable—from the Golden Spikes trophy to the SEC Pitcher of the Year—during one of the best pitching careers in the history of Division I college baseball. As a junior, in fact, he turned in arguably the most impressive single-season performance in NCAA history, going 11-1 with a 2.63 ERA while breaking his own school record with 194 strikeouts. In doing so, he became perhaps the most famous baseball-related alum to step foot on the Vandy campus as a student, surpassing ESPN baseball scribe Buster Olney and Cleveland Indians starter and fellow southpaw Jeremy Sowers.

The biggest moment of his amateur days, though, came in June of ’07, when Tampa Bay selected Price with the top pick in the First-Year draft, its easiest choice of the day. He then took home a lucrative signing bonus before the August 15 deadline, emerging as one of the top pitching prospects in the minors without throwing a pitch. With the nice bonus, he also gained enough money to support his shoe fetish, an opportunity that would have certainly eluded him if Corbin did not get through to him and he was flipping burgers instead of making minor league hitting prospects look like Little Leaguers.

Price has gone on to exceed all expectations during his first professional season in 2008. Considering all of the hype, this is no small feat.

Although a minor arm injury set him back a few weeks in spring training, he began the year with a ####, touching 99 on the gun while impressing Alex Rodriguez, his teammates and the rest of those watching him mow down the New York Yankees during a Grapefruit League game on the YES Network. Even Michael Kay took notice.

Price then spent the next several weeks at the Rays' training complex in St. Petersburg, where he had the opportunity to face A-Rod again, drawing praise from the Future Hall of Famer during an extended spring training game.

When he was healthy enough to make his long-anticipated debut, Price made the move to the Florida State League, where he set the circuit on fire with his performance for the Vero Beach Devil Rays. In six starts there, he went 4-0 with a 1.82 ERA and a 37-to-7 K/W ratio in 34.2 innings pitched.

Price made it perfectly clear with his success that he was ready for the