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Pitching Is The Rays' Greatest Asset

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By MARC LANCASTER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 8, 2008

LAS VEGAS - If the Rays are to swing a significant trade during this week's winter meetings or later this offseason, chances are they'll be parting with a starting pitcher to make it happen.

Baseball's most valuable commodity is the one true surplus Tampa Bay has this winter, and that depth could come in handy as the Rays search for an impact hitter to plug into the right field or designated hitter slots. Depending on the needs of potential trade partners, it's conceivable the Rays could bid farewell to one member of their starting rotation, either Andy Sonnanstine or Edwin Jackson, or a pitcher who isn't entrenched here but could start elsewhere, like Jeff Niemann or Jason Hammel.

"I think pitching is our greatest area of depth," Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman said. "But I also think you need more depth on the pitching side than you do elsewhere, so it's not something that I think we're at a point where we're having a hard time getting innings or having opportunities for guys."

That hasn't been the case yet, but things will change at some point in 2009 when it's time for David Price to step into the rotation. Whether a trade frees up one of the existing rotation slots or Price's arrival pushes someone like Sonnanstine or Jackson to the bullpen, it shouldn't be long before the big left-hander is ready to move into a starting role in Tampa Bay.

While the Rays' vast improvements on defense and in the bullpen were a huge factor in the team's 2008 turnaround, the ability to send a starter to the mound every day with a reasonable expectation to win was the backbone of Tampa Bay's run to the World Series. Each of the Rays' starters reached double digits in wins, and all but Scott Kazmir - who missed the first month while recovering from an elbow injury suffered in spring training - started at least 30 games.

That kind of stability does wonders during the long haul of a six-month regular season, and the last thing the Rays want to do is jeopardize that foundation.

"We've worked very hard over the last couple of years to build up pitching depth, and it's not something that we're going to take lightly," Friedman said. "We're very sensitive to the fact that last year for the most part we were fortunate with injuries. Outside of April with Kaz, our guys being able to answer the bell every fifth day was great. ... But it's not something you can count on every year, so we're very cognizant of that."

Nonetheless, the Rays' depth throughout the organization, which also includes pitchers like Mitch Talbot, Wade Davis and Jeremy Hellickson, should put them in an enviable position when it comes to working out a trade this winter.

"We'll continue to be opportunistic and continue to look at ways to improve our team," Friedman said. "If we feel like a certain move does that, we'll be aggressive in doing so, but trading away pitching is not necessarily something we're seeking out."

Reporter Marc Lancaster can be reached at (813) 259-7227.

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