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Latest Rays slide raises more red flags

Associated Press

Fans chase down a home run ball hit by Texas Rangers' Nelson Cruz, right, as Tampa Bay Rays center fielder B.J. Upton looks on in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Saturday, July 4, 2009, in Arlington, Texas. Texas won 12-4.

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By JOE HENDERSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 6, 2009

Just one week ago the Tampa Bay Rays were the darling of the TV talking heads. They were in the process of winning seven in a row as everything finally started working just like most of us thought it would all along. It just took a little while.

Most of the gabbers on ESPN told viewers the Rays were now the team to beat in the American League. It was a legitimate argument. If I was on ESPN, I'd probably have said the same thing. The Rays were playing with confidence, skill and, well ... fooey.

It was a premature coronation.

No one is pronouncing the Rays dead because they're on a four-game losing streak, including all three games in the just-completed weekend series at Texas, but they sure played poorly in just about any important way you can imagine against the Rangers.

It's worth at least wondering if this bunch has the stuff to be a factor come September.

On this date a year ago the Rays were about to beat Kansas City for their seventh win in a row and 11th in 12 games. That put them 23 games over .500 and five games in front of the A.L. East. We all marveled because no one was having the so-called 'career year' you look for when a team breaks through like the Rays did then.

This year has been as frustrating as last year was magical.

Should be better - on paper, anyway

I admit that some of this is anecdotal, but I keep thinking back to all the things that went right last year – the clutch hits, the great defense, 13 wins from Andy Sonnanstine, 14 wins from Edwin Jackson, valuable clubhouse enforcers like Cliff Floyd and Eric Hinske, and even a loveable loose screw like Jonny Gomes. It added up to a team that was bigger than the individual parts that went into it.

This year I see a team that on paper should be better, and in some statistical categories actually is better. If you watch this team regularly though, you know better. You know something is missing. There are many theories on exactly what that is.

They have scored the second-most runs in the American League, yet the number seems thin to me. They've left a lot of runs out there on the bases at key times in too many games this season. That translates to 11 fewer wins than they had on this date last year.

And then there are the mental mistakes – such as getting two runners doubled off Sunday night in a 5-2 loss to the Rangers, or defensive mistakes such as Jason Bartlett's drop at second base when the Rays badly needed an out.

The Rays needed a streak-stopping effort Sunday from Matt Garza, but he labored from the start and got the loss. At least Garza sort of kept the Rays in the game, though, which was a lot more than David Price could say Saturday.

I remember executive vice president Andrew Friedman talking all spring of the concerns the Rays had with Price's command of the fastball and now I guess we see why. To me, Price's struggle with control and command might be the biggest concern the Rays face now.

He has been effective only once in his last four starts – 6.1 innings, 2 hits, 1 earned run against the Marlins, and even then he walked five guys.

In those other three starts, well, better cover your eyes. Price combined for 12.1 innings, 20 hits, 16 runs and an 11.68 ERA.

Scary stat: Throw out the 13-5 record the Rays had in interleague play and they're three games under .500 against the American League.

Trade help won't be coming

I can imagine people will be howling for Friedman to do something – anything – in the trade market, but I'd ask for reasonable suggestions first. Look at the position players on hand and who would you trade? Pat Burrell needs to hit like he was advertised and Dioner Navarro has been a liability at the plate but neither of those guys is going anywhere.

Pitching? It's doubtful the Rays could acquire anything better there than what they already have, and even if they could the cost to the minor league system would be prohibitive. Maybe you'd like to see an established closer like Cleveland's Kerry Wood, but it wouldn't be worth what they would have to give up. Besides, on whole the bullpen has been just fine.

No, the answers aren't out there somewhere in a convoluted rotisserie-type trade, and even if they were the Rays won't be making moves like that anyway. The answer is getting the players they already have to start performing as expected.

The answers better already be in the clubhouse because if they aren't, there'll be no answers at all.

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