The Tampa Bay Rays continued to silence the naysayers on Monday afternoon, defeating star left-hander Jon Lester and the Boston Red Sox to take a 2-1 lead in the American League Championship Series.

This was not how the script was supposed to play out.

After all, the Rays were facing the new ace of the Boston staff. Lester, who had not allowed a run in 14.0 innings in the Division Series, was expected to shut down a Rays’ lineup featuring several hitters who have struggled against lefties.

According to nearly every article written before the first pitch, in fact, it was practically a foregone conclusion that the Rays would have a difficult time scoring runs while the Rex Sox cruised to a 2-1 series lead. Many writers seemed to forget that anything can happen in a short series, let alone one game, as Boston had its best pitcher in Lester, who has been practically untouchable at Fenway Park, on the bump.

Rocco Baldelli, Evan Longoria, B.J. Upton and the Tampa Bay offense, however, had other plans, reminding us what Kevin Garnett taught us back during the NBA Finals: anything is possible.

It started with Upton, who is turning into the Rays’ version of Mr. October. Coming off his game-winning sacrifice fly in Game Two, he gave the Rays a commanding 4-0 lead after blasting a long three-run homer off of Lester in the top of third inning. The speedy center fielder, a target of criticism among Tampa Bay fans for his apparent lack of hustle at times during the regular season, now has a 1.162 OPS in 31 playoff at-bats. Even more impressive, though, he has five dingers this October, only four fewer than he hit all year—thanks to a shoulder injury that prevented him from turning on the ball as well as he did in his 20/20 campaign back in 2007.

Longoria then increased the Rays’ lead to 5-0 later that frame, belting a long homer, his fourth in October, over the Green Monster.

Baldelli, making his first appearance in the ALCS, also got in on the homer barrage. A native of nearby Woonsocket, R.I., he put the game out of reach with a three-run jack in the top of the eighth inning that increased the Rays’ lead to seven. While his mitochondrial disorder may prevent him from ever fulfilling his potential and injuries have made all of the Joe DiMaggio comparisons seem laughable now, it was a nice moment for the once-promising center fielder who struggled through years of losing with the Devil Rays.

Carlos Pena added a solo shot in the top of the ninth to bring the score to its eventual 9-1 final, as Tampa Bay once again tied the ALCS record for most home runs in a game. For a team that is always applauded for its ability to manufacture runs, they have left the yard a lot this past week. Three things have been a constant during the TBS broadcast in the past two ALCS games, in fact: Craig Sager wearing a crazy suit, a lot of Frank TV ads and equally as many Tampa Bay home runs.

With the way that Matt Garza was pitching on the night, there was more than enough offense. Too bad they could not save some of those runs for later in the series, especially if they are shut down like they were by Daisuke Matsuzaka again.

Whether it had anything to do with his refusal to speak with reporters before the game—a ritual which he broke before his latest start, a rough outing against the Chicago White Sox in the Division Series—Garza gave his team an excellent effort. With his bullpen on the ropers after Game Two, he worked into the seventh inning. Although his fastball command was not where it has been, he attacked the strike zone in order to stay ahead of a patient Boston lineup for most of the night, allowing only one earned run while striking out five to earn the win.

J.P. Howell tossed two scoreless frames in relief of Garza, again proving his value to the Rays. Edwin Jackson got a tune-up inning in the ninth, retiring the side on 14 pitches.

And, just like that, Tampa Bay has once again silenced some of its critics and doubters. There is a lot of baseball left to be played, and the series will likely go back and forth. There is no masking the significance of what transpired on Monday afternoon, however.

The Rays’ offense, which has not been an area of strength for a team that has excelled at run prevention, was able to get to Boston’s best pitcher. For Tampa Bay to advance to the World Series, this—stealing a game from Lester—was an absolute must.

The Rays also guaranteed that they will return to Tropicana Field for at least one more night of Cowbell.

Only a few days ago, after Boston won the series opener down in St. Petersburg, it seemed as if the Rays’ home field advantage was no longer a factor. The Red Sox had just taken down the majors’ best home team on its own turf, with postseason stud Josh Beckett slated to start Game Two.

What a difference 18—I mean, 20—innings have made.

Now, all of the chatter about the Rays allegedly losing that advantage—and the lack of postseason experience nonsense—can be put to rest.

The tide has officially turned.

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:

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.

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.

The Tampa Bay Rays are looking to upgrade their roster at the trade deadline.

Tampa Bay Vice President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman, however, appears set to address the Rays’ need for a right-handed bat and relief help internally, rather than overpaying with prospects for a brief rental.

Two of the players repeatedly linked to Tampa Bay, Casey Blake and Xavier Nady, were each shipped earlier this weekend, reducing the list of potential right-handed hitting outfielders on the market.

Blake, who has been among the most productive hitters with runners in scoring position so far, was the more likely option to be shipped to the Rays, who reportedly were the runner-up to acquire his services. The soon-to-be potential free agent was dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers for minor leaguers Jonathan Meloan and Carlos Santana. Blake, currently batting .293/.368/.470, will help improve the Dodgers’ offensive attack and will most likely remain at third base with his new club—the Rays wanted to move him to the outfield—prompting a demotion for rookie Blake DeWitt and his sub-.700 OPS to the minors on Sunday.

Tampa Bay fell short in its offer, reluctantly refusing to give up any quality prospects for three months of a surging hitter.

Nady was traded earlier this weekend to the Rays’ in-division rival, the New York Yankees, who are back in the American League East race and are likely to be without regulars Hideki Matsui and Jorge Posada perhaps for the rest of the season. The veteran outfielder was sent along with reliever Damaso Marte in exchange for four prospects, highlighted by 19-year-old outfielder Jose Tabata, who was ranked by Scout.com as the third-best position player prospect in the New York organization. Right-handed pitchers Jeff Karstens, Dan McCutchen—not to be confused with the Pirates’ stud outfield prospect, Andrew—and Ross Oldendorph were also included.

Considering the Pirates’ reported asking price—labeled as ludicrous by many within in the industry—for Nady and his teammate, Jason Bay, last week, the cost, perceived as low, came as a surprise to many.

Nady, who is enjoying a career season, is currently batting .327/.384/.530, for a.914 OPS, potentially adding the bat that the Yankees need and clearing the way for Posada to have season-ending surgery. His value was at is peak, however, turning off Tampa Bay, which was not willing to part with any promising prospects.

With the aforementioned pair no longer available, Friedman seems set to look internally, with Triple-A Durham outfielder Justin Ruggiano as a possibility to make an impact down the stretch. Ruggiano, 26, spent a few weeks in the majors earlier in the season, hitting .290/.333/.452 in 15 games, but did not get any real playing time. He has been productive since his demotion, however, while showing the ability to hit left-handed pitching—.966 OPS in 68 at-bats against southpaws. In 52 games overall, he is batting .303/.359/.500 with seven home runs and 38 RBIs. It will be interesting to see if he gets a fair look the next time around if the club does not end up striking a deal before the deadline on Thursday.

Joe Maddon also announced that Rocco Baldelli, who is currently rehabbing with the Montgomery Biscuits, may be an option in this regard as well. Baldelli, who hit a home run and played five innings in the outfield on Saturday night, has made steady progress with his rare medical condition and is reportedly coming along nicely. Regardless, the Rays have not been able to count on the former star in several years, so why should they expect to now? It would not be a surprise to see him come up in September, though, if he can stay on the field over the next few weeks.

In 27 at-bats with the Biscuits, Baldelli is batting .333/.419/.667 with three home runs and eight RBIs. Tampa Bay will still wait to see if he is a legitimate option over the next month before making a decision.

Friedman and his staff are reportedly looking for bullpen help as well—rumors have linked Brian Fuentes of the Colorado Rockies, Huston Street of the Oakland Athletics and Tyler Walker of the San Francisco Giants to the Rays. Again, though, the club seems more likely to make a change through its farm system, especially with top prospect David Price making pitching look easy down in the minors.

The Rockies’ asking price has turned off Tampa Bay, which would likely not consider including Wade Davis or Jeremy Hellickson in any deal, let along for a reliever like Fuentes, whose value is high right now because his recent performance and is approaching his career high in innings pitched. The Colorado organization also appears to be close to making a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals—the favorites, according to Peter Gammons of ESPN—and are considering turning into buyers, not sellers, at the deadline.

Street has caught the eyes of Friedman as well, especially considering that his value is fairly low right now. The closer, one of the few Oakland regulars over the past few years not to be shipped by Billy Beane yet, would be a great addition. His teammate, outfielder Matt Murton, has also been linked to the Rays.

Price, 8-0 with a 2.01 ERA in 12 starts professional starts, is still the most likely candidate to help the Rays address their bullpen needs. Perhaps he will turn into the Joba Chamberlain of 2008 (if Jeff Samardzija does not beat him to it), as he is currently dominating the Southern League. The number one overall pick in the 2007 draft out of Vanderbilt University, he is 4-0 with a 31-to-12 K/W ratio and 2.19 ERA with the Biscuits, dazzling with his excellent stuff and advanced pitching smarts.

The lanky southpaw began the year in the Florida State League, where he was a perfect 4-0 in six starts for the Vero Beach Devil Rays. In fact, Price looked absolutely dominant at times, overmatching young hitters with his mid-90s fastball and excellent command. He posted a 1.82 ERA, 37-to-7 K/W ratio and .220 opponents’ batting average, allowing only seven earned runs on 28 hits in 34.2 innings pitched.

Rumors—Friedman has made phone calls about veteran second baseman Jeff Kent and soon-to-be free agent Mark Teixeira, according to several sources.

Kent, though, is on the wrong side of 40, and is no longer an adequate defensive second baseman. While the Rays have struggled to score runs, the team defense—with one of the highest defensive efficiency ratings in the majors—has been excellent, especially in the infield.

The play of Akinori Iwamura, who was forced to make the transition up the middle from third base to make room for Evan Longoria, has played a huge factor in that, as he has helped to form an excellent double play combination with shortstop Jason Bartlett.

So, where would the veteran second baseman—a headache in the clubhouse at times, especially around young players, who played a huge role in the divide among the young talent and veterans in Los Angeles in 2007—spend the majority of his innings? DH? Not so fast, as he is only batting .255/.310/.411 with 10 homers and 43 RBIS.

Not to mention, Kent has not exactly torn it up against lefties, either, with a .795 OPS in 88 at-bats against southpaws. His bat speed has steadily decreased over the years, he comes with baggage and would most likely not provide that much of an upgrade, regardless. Thus, odds are against the Rays—who have received a great boost from the veteran presence provided by Cliff Floyd and Troy Percival—from adding Kent for their stretch run.

The market for Teixeira, a Scott Boras client who will demand a lengthy, multi-million contract this offseason, has been expectedly slim. Several of the contending teams do not have a need at first base or designated hitter, and are unwilling to deal any legitimate prospects for a brief, three-month rental.

Teixeira had a monster second half for the Atlanta Braves after he was acquired at the deadline in the biggest deal of the season last summer. The Braves, however, were 2.5 games out in the National League East when they acquired the switch-hitting slugger. They then finished six games back, despite a monster performance from their new acquisition.

Atlanta general manager Frank Wren, a longtime right-hand man for John Schuerholz during the dynasty years, is not used to being a seller at the deadline. The Braves, though, are undoubtedly out of it—done in by too many one-run losses—and should try to make some deals with an eye on the future. Still, Wren most likely would want a deal to include Price—who is absolutely not available—making this a long shot to happen. Six years of a potential ace for three months of the player who is the poster boy for why deadline deals often fail to live up the hype? Yeah, that is not going to happen.

This article was originally posted at Scout.com.

Overall, though, it was still a solid start for Price, who is likely to earn a promotion to Triple-A Durham sometime later this week. Jeremy Cummings, an International League All-Star who has been a nice addition to the Bulls’ starting rotation, was added to the US Olympic roster yesterday. This will perhaps clear the way for the 22-year-old, whose ERA jumped to 2.19 on the night. If he does not get the call in the next few days, a promotion will come soon enough, as it is unlikely that he will be in Montgomery this time next month.

The first overall pick in the 2007 draft out of Vanderbilt University, Price has made pitching in the minors look easy so far in his first professional season. The lanky southpaw began the year in the Florida State League, where he was a perfect 4-0 in six starts for the Vero Beach Devil Rays. In fact, he looked absolutely dominant at times, overmatching young hitters with his mid-90s fastball and excellent command. He posted a 1.82 ERA, 37-to-7 K/W ratio and .220 opponents’ batting average, allowing only seven earned runs on 28 hits in 34.2 innings pitched.

After showing that he was ready for the next level, Price earned his promotion to Montgomery. He has made the transition flawlessly—Jeremy Hellickson, on the other hand, struggled a bit getting adjusted—making pitching in the Southern League look easy by going 4-0 with a 2.03 ERA and a 25-to-10 K/W ratio in his first five appearances before Wednesday. Overall, combined between Vero Beach and Montgomery, he is now 8-0 with a 2.07 ERA—only 16 earned runs in 71.2 innings pitched—and 68-to-19 K/W ratio.

The Tampa Bay Rays have been reportedly searching for bullpen help. Instead of incurring the cost of acquiring a reliever along the lines of Brian Fuentes, the Rays will most likely look for internal reinforcements. Price is perhaps the missing link for Tampa Bay as the club attempts to make its first postseason appearance. He has the command, pitching sense and overall stuff—far beyond his years—to get hitters out at the highest level, evident by his dominant showing in spring training against the New York Yankees.

Whether or not Price will come up as a power late-innings reliever or take a spot in the Rays’ starting rotation (if a Tampa Bay starter should get hurt or falter), it is almost certain that he will have an impact when rosters are expanded in September, if not sooner. He is gifted enough on the mound to make a significant contribution. Thus, it would not be a surprise to see him turn into this year’s version of Joba Chamberlain, who added a huge boost to push the Yankees into the postseason down the stretch in ’07.

Often times, prospects do not live up to the hype, and it is rare to see a player like Evan Longoria make a flawless jump to the majors. Price, though, is the real deal, possessing the mental make-up and pure ability to make a similar to transition to Longoria.

Also worth mentioning, Rocco Baldelli played three innings in right field for the Biscuits, going 0-for-1. If he can remain on the field until then, Baldelli is also a likely candidate to join the Rays as a September call-up.

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