What's Wrong with the Tampa Bay Rays? (and How to Fix It)

(Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images)

It’s not quite time to hit the panic button, but a 16-19 start for the defending AL champs definitely calls for some explanation. While it is a long season, playing in baseball’s toughest division means there’s a much smaller margin of error.

As much as I hate to be critical of Joe Maddon and the Rays’ brass, it’s time to take a look at what’s gone wrong and consider some changes.

Starting Pitching
The starting rotation was supposed to be the strength of this team. While Matt Garza and James Shields have held up their end, Scott Kazmir has had control issues, and Andy Sonnanstine and Jeff Niemann have left a lot to be desired. The Rays starters have a 5.09 ERA (9th in AL) and have issued more walks than all but two other AL clubs.

The rough start has made many question the offseason trade of Edwin Jackson, who won 14 games last year and is off to a hot start for Detroit. The reason for the trade, we were told, was to make room for David Price.

That hasn’t happened, nor have we used the player we got in return (Matt Joyce). Why trade Jackson if you aren’t going to use those pieces?

Instead they’re stuck with Sonnanstine, who is a good control pitcher, but has maxed out his potential, and Niemann, who is so wild that he always seems to reach his pitch count-max by the third or fourth inning. He’s also lost velocity and is not the same pitcher he was when they drafted him fourth overall in 2004.

Solution: The fact remains that Price is a major league talent right now. His struggles at AAA are not as alarming as many in the media have suggested, as his strikeout per innings pitched ratio is still very high.

Wade Davis is also waiting in AAA, and while he’s a prospect they don’t want to rush, he is a better pitcher right now than Niemann or Sonnanstine. At some point you have to go with the guy that gives you the best chance to win.

It may not be time to make a change just yet, but don’t be surprised to see Price and Davis show up sooner rather than later.

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