6.18

September 12, 2007 by Benjamin Kabak 10 Comments

That’s the Devil Rays’ bullpen ERA on the season after they blew a 7-run lead by surrendering 11 runs to the Red Sox tonight. Why is there a franchise in Tampa Bay? And is it even accurate to call this team a “Major League franchise”? Seriously.

Lil Jimmy Norden

Its no surprise that TB stinks, and probably will stink for the foreseeable future. But they have alot of interesting young talent on the way.

I also like watching them play even when they fall apart. They’re a scrappy bunch, and they always seem to give us a hard time throughout the year.

I find TB to be far more interesting than a team like SF, Washington or Pittsburgh, who seem incapable of developing quality youngsters and just hoard washed up vets and bargain basement guys.
mg

Give them a few years. I think with the addition of another young ace quality pitcher to Shields and Kazmir and a couple years of experience and the team in Tampa Bay will be a force in the AL East for a couple years.
- http://www.sportinggurus.com Adam A
  
  You are ignoring the overwhelming possibility of Kazmir’s elbow going “boom.”
Kyle

Within two years there starting rotation could be Kazmir, Price, Shields, McGee, and another good righty. That is three power lefties. If you think they are tough for us now, they will be even harder in ’09.

This team has the potential in their minors to be a 90 win team within the next 3 years.

I agree with Jimmy Norden, they are a lot more exciting then a bunch of teams in baseball. They are also in a lot better position to succeed then teams like the White Sox, Giants, and Pirates who dont have much young talent at all
Count Zero

The thing about TB is that we’ve been hearing the “wait until all the great young prospects develop” refrain for about four years now. Remember Aubrey Huff?

The fact of the matter is that the young talent never seems to take the next step, and they remain perennial cellar dwellers in a division that has absolutely no mercy on you. Which leads one to believe that either:

a) Their coaches aren’t very good at developing young players or
b) Their young players aren’t very receptive to coaching

I don’t think anyone denies that they have a lot of good arms and a lot of talented position players. But the arms seem to never learn to pitch, and the position players never seem to learn to be patient. They just never seem to step up to the next level.
- http://www.riveraveblues.com Ben K.
  
  This. Over and over again.
  
  I’ve had this conversation with a friend of mine for literally three seasons. Every year, he says, “Don’t underestimate the Devil Rays.” Every year, they are terrible. Sure, they have some good young prospects, but that’s just it. Those prospects aren’t sure things, and the Devil Rays haven’t shown any signs of life at all.
  
  Meanwhile, Scott Kazmir has thrown 550 career MLB innings, and he’s just 23. He’s totally in the red in terms of injury risk right now. And the bullpen is absolutely horrendous. A 6.18 ERA on the season means they’re giving up 2 runs for every 3 they pitch. That’s not going to win games, let alone lead to a competing team.
  
  Furthermore, their average home attendance is 16,288, and that includes the gate from games against the Yankees and the Red Sox in Tampa. They are dead last in attendance and just don’t have the resources to build a viable team.
  
  Sure, they’re better than directionless franchises like the Giants and Pirates, but that’s not saying much. Until they show legitimate on-field improvement, I will continue to question this franchise.
Barry

i still think with their young players they’ll be contenders in a couple of years.
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