When Jason Bartlett was with Minnesota, he wanted to play his game.  An article posted yesterday in the St. Paul Pioneer Press highlights how Bartlett felt the Twins were trying to change him.  To be more of a leader.  They wanted him to do things a certain way to fix errors he was making in the field.

The Rays, on the other hand, have let Jason be Jason.  As we’ve seen with Jason Bartlett, he has definitely grown into the role of a quiet leader.  His current time on the disabled list is proving he’s one of the few players that the Rays find nearly impossible to replace.  The Rays are 2-5 since JB sprained his ankle.

* The Rays love the Trop. They go for three in a row this afternoon and Matt Garza is on the mound. You have to like the Rays chances when he’s pitching. But, Nick Blackburn beat the Rays at the Metrodome.

* Matt Joyce returns to the Rays and is expected to be inserted immediately into the starting lineup. It would be great to see him hit like he was in Durham. Up until now, with Edwin Jackson pitching well in Detroit, that trade has been Edwin for a “minor leaguer”.

* Speaking of Joyce, Joe Maddon said he’s here to play, not sit on the bench. Does this mean we’re going to see less of the Gabe’s?

* I know they like to bet on everything in Vegas. Is there a line on when BJ will be replaced as the leadoff hitter?

* Assuming some of you play Fantasy Baseball, it’s fun to see the race for Randy Choate explode. According to Yahoo! Fantasy Baseball, he’s been added to over 1,000 teams in the past couple of days. If I actually thought he was going to secure the closer slot, I might join the race. But, the way Joe manages, Choate may not get another save all season. Or, he might get 30. It’s a mystery.

Myself and Michael apoligize for the difficulties we have had lately. Apparently you guys have been able to see the site and we have not. We are sorry for not posting in quite a while but we are back now and will still write daily. Hopefully you guys will come back and we are sorry if you missed our outstanding writing. (wink, wink)

Also, there may be some changes coming to Rise of the Rays soon, so watch for that.

AAA – RF Ray Sadler homered and drove in five and Jon Weber added a double, home run and three RBI as the Durham Bulls pounded Buffalo 10-2. Starting pitcher improved his record to 4-2 by allowing just two earned runs in eight innings. Joe Bateman pitched a scoreless ninth to improve his ERA to 0.87.

AA – The Carolina Mud Cats crushed Montgomery 9-3. Jason Cromer lasted only three innings, allowing six runs (five earned) on eight hits. Neal Frontz, Ryan Reid and Eduardo Morlan all allowed runs in relief. 3B Cesar Suarez was 3-3 at the plate and JT Hall was 2-4 with a double. Desmond Jennings, dropped to third in the batting order, went 1-5.

A – The Charlotte Stone Crabs defeated Tampa 8-5 behind an 11-hit attack led by Reid Fronk’s 3-5 and a couple hits a piece by 1B Cody Cipriano and SS Shawn O’Malley. Jeremy Hall had a rough start, allowing five runs in five innings work, but with the win, his record improves to 5-3. Chad Bradford made another scoreless appearance for Charlotte. His next stop on the rehab road will be Montgomery.

A – The Rome Braves beat up Bowling Green 11-2. Starter Joe Cruz pitched well, allowing just two runs in six innings. But, the bullpen imploded, allowing nine runs in the final three innings. Neil Schenk allowed three runs in the 7th and Diego Echeverria gave up six more in the 9th. The Hot Rods offense was provided by 2B Robi Estrada who tripled, homered and scored both runs.

AAA – Durham got seven runs in the first five innings and held on to beat Rochester 8-7.  Newcomer Matt DeSalvo made his first start with the Bulls, allowing three runs on five hits in four innings of work.  DeSalvo spent last year in the Braves organization, making two appearances with the Braves.  Jason Childers picked up the win with his three innings of relief, allowing two runs on four hits.  His record improves to 5-1.  Offensively, Durham was led by Ray Sadler who went 3-6 and a couple hits a piece from Jon Weber, Brandon Chaves and Matthew Hall.  Chaves is 6-11 with the Bulls since being brought up from Montgomery.

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Google “worst leadoff hitter in baseball” and you’ll find an interesting article by Steve Treder in the Hardball Times that dates back to March, 2008.  But, I think it’s still relevant today.  This article “highlights” the ten worst leadoff hitters of the past 50+ years.

BJ Upton is such an easy target right now.  We’re 50 games into the season and he’s hitting .192.  Plain and simple, that’s just historically bad.  In the article, the distinction for worst leadoff hitter goes to the Chicago Cubs’ Ivan Dejesus.  As a leadoff hitter in 1981, Dejesus hit .173 with an OBP of .272.  In the same year, Alfredo Griffin of the Blue Jays hit .203 with an OBP of .236 as a leadoff hitter, which earned hit fourth worst.  Coming into today, BJ is .192 and .291.  So, BJ’s numbers are better. but not by much. 

Of course, one of the main questions that come up when the Rays are discussed is when will Joe Maddon make a change in the batting order.  The common response is that a change will not be made, as every effort is being given to allow BJ to work himself out of this “slump”.  The best line of the Hardball Times article looks at the same question in relation to Ivan Dejesus and Alfredo Griffin.

“The common question regarding both Griffin and DeJesus isn’t why they were given starting jobs, and the leadoff role, in the first place; both had shown the ability to perform adequately. The question is why their managers (in this case, Joey Amalfitano) persisted in leaving them in the starting lineup, and moreover in the leadoff role, for an entire season (albeit a strike-shortened season) in which their performance was so far beneath adequacy as to be comical. Perhaps the only answer is to be found by considering the length and record of success of the major league managerial careers of both Mattick and Amalfitano.”

…when they are battling for the AL East title in September, they don’t have a trip to Cleveland staring them in the face.  The Rays are done in Progressive Field for the season. Have they really lost 17 in a row there?  Wow.

…they are playing so poorly, they are already being written off.  The Sporting News debates this today.  Senior Editor Chris Bahr thinks they can come back.  Writer Stan McNeal thinks they Rays are toast. USA Today’s Mike Lopresti seems to sit squarely on the fence, seeing both the good and the bad.   Coming off last season’s amazing run, they were mentioned as a top team in baseball.  Now, it’s safe to say, they’re back in the underdog roll.  Time to make their move. 

…after rain wiped out a nice beginning by Jeff Niemann, there’s no chance of rain this weekend.  Home, sweet dome.  And, the Rays concert series debuts Saturday night.  Weren’t they undefeated during that series last year?

…BJ Upton comes back home riding a 2-8 hot streak over the past two games, raising his average from .189 to .192.  Keep it up BJ!

…Minnesota visits the Trop over the weekend.  They are 5-14 on the road this season.  And, we’re back to the top of the rotation for this series.  Shields, Price and Garza.  That has to be the bright side, right?

The Rays came up in the first knowing they would need offense, and they were right. The Rays picked up a 5 run first. In most major league cases, that would be perfect. Not for the Rays. Andy Sonnanstine is on the mound. He can blow anything. I don’t think I need to go into great detail, but here it goes.

Player of the Game:

Longo. He went 2 for 5 with 2 runs and 2 RBI’s and a solo blast.A good night. Zorrilla gets honorable mention, going 2 for 3 with a double, a triple, 2 runs, and a RBI.

W:Greg Aquino (1-0)

L: Andy Sonnanstine (3-5)

SV: Luis Vizcaino (1)

On Monday, they lost a 10-run lead.  Last night, it was a five-run first that the Rays squandered.  Joe Maddon used the word “inappropriate” to describe the leads that were lost in Cleveland.  I can think of a few others. 

Andy Sonnanstine is now 3-5 with a 7.66 ERA.  Is it his turn to go?  If the Durham Bulls are on schedule, Wade Davis would pitch tomorrow.  He’s coming off an International League Pitcher of the Week honor.  Is it time to give him a chance?  No mysteries here.  Sonnanstine has an option left.  The move would be simple.  Should be simple. 

Chad Bradford appears to be coming along in his rehab assignment with Charlotte.  Who will he replace in the bullpen?  It has to be Joe Nelson, doesn’t it?

Yesterday I posted an article from Gordon Edes for Yahoo! Sports mentioning that the Rays might be interested in Cleveland’s Mark DeRosa.  He’s only signed through this year with a 5.5 million dollar contract.  Cleveland wants pitching.  I just don’t see the Rays in rent-a-player mode.  Especially at the cost of a pitcher. 

Eric Gagne just signed with the Quebec Capitales of the Can-Am Independent League.  We had Troy Percival.  We have Jason Isringhausen.  If Gagne’s healthy, and that’s a big if, could he be our closer?

AAA – The Durham Bulls seem to be getting used to their new lineup, as they went on to beat Rochester 13-2 Wednesday night.  Matt Joyce exploded for three doubles in five at bats, driving in six runs.  And, Brandon Chaves, in his second game since being called up from Montgomery went 4-4 with an RBI and two runs scored.  Overall, the Bulls pounded out 17 hits, giving starting pitcher Mitch Talbot more than enough run support.  Talbot pitched six innings, allowing two runs on eight hits.  Julio DePaula and Joe Bateman closed it out with three scoreless innings of relief, to push Durham to their 11th win in their past 14 games.

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