Kapler's miscues can't keep happening AP/Chris O'Meara
Well, one team ended up making a statement in the season-opening series at Tropicana Field and it wasn’t the Rays. The Yankees rebounded from a 15-5 embarrassment in game one of the series to take the last two games and move one game ahead of the Rays into third place in the AL East. After all the talk of Teixeira and CC Sabathia, it was Derek Jeter who came through in the clutch to give the Yankees the series win on Wednesday. The Rays need to rebound this weekend against the White Sox after losing two out of three for the second straight series. How will they do it? Here are my five keys.
1. Jeff Niemann
After giving up five runs before recording a single out in his first start of the season, Niemann needs to bounce back with a good start. David Price is still waiting in the wings and instead of looking over his shoulder at Price, Niemann needs to look 60’ 6" in front of him at home plate and focus on the task at hand. He will be opposed at the Trop tonight by John Danks, the only Chicago starter to beat the Rays in the 2008 American League Division Series.
2. Baserunning
The Rays are having trouble finding the old line between courageous and foolhardy on the basepaths. They’ve run themselves into too many outs by making over-aggressive baserunning decisions. Gabe Kapler has been guilty of a few blunders this season, including an inexcusable attempt to go from second to third last night which led to a double play. The focus just isn’t there for this team right now. They are not doing the little things that great teams do. How many years have the Rays played in the same division as Andy Pettitte? Of course they know he has the best pickoff move in the game. Yet Michel Hernandez somehow became the 99th successful pickoff of Pettitte’s career. Great teams have these scouting reports firmly planted in the player’s heads, and the players then follow through and execute. The Rays have the ability to be a great team, but they need to take it to the next level and area number one right now is baserunning.
3. Patience at the plate
What happens when I write about how the Rays were second in the league in walks in 2008 and they closely resemble a Moneyball team in that aspect? They stop drawing walks of course! After drawing 626 a year ago for an average of 3.86 per game, the Rays have drawn only 30 in 9 games this year, for an average of only 3.33 per game. Having B.J. Upton back should help. He drew 97 walks in 2008 and has drawn three in his first three games since returning to the lineup on Monday. Patience will be a key against the quality starters of the Chicago White Sox.
4. Does Joe Maddon have a handle on this bullpen yet?
The bullpen has struggled so far this year and while Troy Percival knows his role as closer, he’s having a hard time executing it. He’s given up a run in each of his first two outings, costing the Rays a game last night. Percy’s grasp on the closer’s role is loosening, and he would be wise to not blow any games in the next week or so. The rest of the crew out there, however, have less defined roles. The one change I would like to see Maddon make is to stop using Dan Wheeler in the ninth inning. In 2008 Wheeler’s eighth inning BAA was a rock-solid .142, and he allowed only one home run while facing 117 hitters. In the ninth inning, Wheeler’s numbers were far worse. His BAA skyrocketed over 100 points to .253 and he allowed four homers while facing 81 hitters. There are plenty of capable arms out there, so it should only be a matter of time before Maddon gets them all into their comfort zone.
5. Can the Rays keep the Chicago offense in check?
Carlos Quentin is back for the White Sox. He’s off to a hot start with four homers and a .778 slugging average. Jermaine Dye and Paul Konerko are also off to good starts. It’s probably only a matter of time before Jim Thome and Alexei Ramirez get going, too. The Rays need to make sure those guys don’t get hot this weekend in St. Petersburg.
The Rays now find themselves in fourth place in the AL East with a 4-5 record. Three out of four this weekend would be nice.
Check out Chicago White Sox Examiner JJ Stankevitz right here.
Check out New York Yankees Examiner Pete Sabatini right here.
Jason Bartlett hits: 12
Jason Bartlett groundball singles between short and third: 4
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