Welcome to TBO.com. Skip directly to: our Keyword Search, Section Navigation, Content.

TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Sports

TBO > Sports

Talbot Hoping He Can Take Next Step

By MARC LANCASTER

mlancaster@tampatrib.com

Published: March 4, 2009

Related Links

Which MLB veteran has the best chance to make an impact with the Rays?

PORT CHARLOTTE - For a quick, perhaps subconscious, glimpse of the world Mitch Talbot inhabits this spring, listen to how he describes the place he would like to begin this season, the major leagues.

"I definitely believe in myself that I can pitch up there," he said. "I'm established at the Triple-A level, and I know it's still a big step, but I don't see why I couldn't handle it."

Even though the 25-year-old now has a handful of big-league games to his credit (including one start) after making his debut in September, even though he's in big-league camp with Tampa Bay for the third consecutive spring, even though he is spending his days surrounded mostly by established major-leaguers, the big leagues aren't "here" but "there."

Anointed heading into camp as one of four pitchers who would be given a chance to step into the vacant fifth spot in the Rays' rotation, Talbot still has a chance to make that jump. But the odds are stacked against him on a couple of fronts.

First, and most importantly, he has minor-league options remaining and thus can be sent back to Durham without the risk that the Rays might lose him through waivers. That isn't the case for competitors Jason Hammel and Jeff Niemann, and that alone could give them the edge over Talbot if only because the Rays would prefer to keep all of them in the organization.

Second, while Hammel and Niemann have been outstanding in their Grapefruit League appearances to date, Talbot has been hit harder than any other Rays starter. The right-hander is sporting a 15.75 ERA heading into tonight's start against Puerto Rico's World Baseball Classic team. Most of that damage was done Saturday against the Phillies, who homered three times off Talbot in a five-run first inning before he settled down for a pair of quiet frames.

"They ambushed me a little bit," Talbot admitted.

Manager Joe Maddon already has seized that experience as a teaching point, impressing upon Talbot the importance of making in-game adjustments quickly. The Phillies were all over his fastball, but he kept going to that well instead of backing off and going with his off-speed stuff.

"I would like to think that it may actually be a good thing, that he learned a lesson," Maddon said. "If he had done well he might not have learned that lesson. The important thing is to see the next time he's in trouble if that actually made sense to him."

If it did, the majors would be one step closer for Talbot.

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

Share this: