Talbot wants to prove his stuff to Rays
Mitch Talbot, while it sounds good on paper, is NOT what I would consider to be a serious contender for the 5th spot in the Rays starting location on opening day. Talbot has shown some raw talent, but the numbers he has posted in very limited time spent in the bigs have been less than impressive. Couple that, with the fact that Jeff Neimann and Jason Hammel are out of options, and David Price is a superstar in the making, and it seems like a pretty sure thing that Talbot will start his season in Triple-A Durham. However, as the season goes on, injuries are inevitable, so Talbot may see some time with the team later on in the season as arms get fatigued and weary, but if both Talbot and Price start the year in the minors, I would say Price would be the first call up.
Super utility man Aybar gets 2 year deal
Willy Aybar signed a 2 year deals with the Rays this week and will hope to help provide a spark off the bench for this years team.
Less than a week after my opinion post about Morgan Ensberg possibly pushing Aybar for a spot on the big league opening day roster, Aybar signed a 2-year deal with an option for 2011. Aybar, who was a spark off the bench for last years AL East champs, filled a variety of rolls for the club. Being able to play both corners to spell Evan Longoria and Carlos Pena is of great value, and when Aybar’s bat gets hot, he could even take a turn or two at DH. All that said, Aybar should be a valuable asset AGAIN this year for the Rays, HOWEVER, I will stand by my statement that, should the team need a last minute addition at the trade deadline to help strengthen and make a run at the Playoffs, I would not rule out seeing Aybar’s name on the list of talent they make available. Ensberg will be toiling away in the minors, and he at one point in his career had All-Star caliber skills. However, for the time being, I am looking forward to sitting back and watching Aybar provide some energy and change of pace off the bench.
Scott Kazmir and Grant Balfour to miss World Baseball Classic
Nothing makes me happier than hearing this. Kazmir is currently the teams ace, until Price gets some innings under his belt, and Balfour was a savage out of the bullpen last year. While it is fantastic that these guys were selected to represent their countries on the worlds largest stage, I am being selfish in saying that I want to see all the mileage added to these guys this year…helping go towards securing another AL pennant. I think that Kazmir will post 17-19 wins for the Rays this season with the addition of the run support coming from the bat of Pat Burrell, and I think Balfour will take steps to further taking over the closer role when Troy Percival finally hangs them up.
This is just my two cents for now…anyone else see it another way?
Tampa Bay Rays | Sports Blog | Spring Training
Thomas Gemkow is the editor-in-chief of TampaBayRaysFan.com. Founded in January of 2009, TampaBayRaysFan.com is a compilation of all the best of the Rays, from across the web. The website can be followed on Twitter
