Rays cut roster

The Rays reduced their roster to 34 on Wednesday by sending pitchers J.P. Howell, Tim Corcoran and Scott Dohmann to Triple-A Durham. Howell's demotion means Edwin Jackson is the fifth starter.

Howell and Corcoran were optioned; Dohmann was outrighted and taken off the 40-man roster after clearing waivers.

Comments

[Terry]

Team must be improving. In years past, pitchers like Corcoran and Howell would've made the team.

[CW]

By the decision to name Jackson as the 5th starter over Howell, it seems as though Friedman/Maddon place a higher value on a pitchers ability to throw hard instead of his ability to record outs. Jackson has yet to prove that he can throw strikes will any sort of consistancy, from one outing to the next (evidenced by last years number, winter ball, and his spring numbers). If in time Jackson can harness his high heat he will in fact be a dominant pitcher. But the fact of the matter is, he hasn't yet. Howell on the other hand isn't flashy with his 83-85 mph fastball, but he know how to pitch by mixing pitches and speeds. Friedman and Maddon should look no furher than history to see that control and makeup (ie Greg Maddax) are more valuable assets for a pitcher than a 95 mph fastball (Jesus Colome comes to mind) Thoughts Marc or anyone else?

[Sean Daly]

I disagree, CW. I saw EJ throw last Sat against the Sox, and he was night-and-day compared to last year. He still starts off too many batters 2-0, but I'm loving the way he's stepping off the mound, settling himself, and then coming back to mow these guys down. (Howell against Manny or Ortiz over the course of nine innings? Over the course of a season? Disaster. Even mentioning him in the same breath as Maddux is a farce. Last year Howell's fastball was topping out at 79. That's a nightmare scenario.) Sure, Mohr's lunging grab saved Jackson a few runs against the BoSox. But I'm extremely confident with him as the fifth. It's just a matter of him staying confident, too.

That said, why Dan Miceli is still on that team boggles the mind.

[Ron]

Let's face it. It doesn't matter who the fifth starter on the worst team in baseball is. This won't help or hurt the team either way. The Bucs and Lightning have shown how to get fans in the seats. Just put a winner on the field. Until ownership puts some money on the field, we will constantly read about our great farm system, as we continue to trade them away for more, youner prospects.

[JD]

Ron obviously doesn't read national baseball publications. Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus, and Sports Illustrated all wrote articles this spring saying the Rays would be the best team in baseball within 3 years. Jackson has been great all spring. He was the #1 rated pitching prospect in all of baseball in 2004 and he is only 22 years old. You don't give up on a kid like him. And look at the Durham rotation now. Talbot, Niemann, Sonnanstine, Howell, etc are only a phone call away. Add David Price from Vanderbilt with the #1 pick in the draft this year and the Rays could throw out 5 aces as a rotation in 2 years. Stop whining. You are showing your ignorance.

[Ron]

Ron doesn't care what is predicted for 3 years down the road. Most of the prospects you're talking about will be traded away because the team won't pay them. It's not whining, it's realism. I would like nothing better than to see this team step up and compete, but I look at the history and the current environment, not some pie in the sky predictions.

[Bob R.]

I would like Ron to point to one home-grown star who was traded away when he became too expensive. The only one who comes to mind is Huff who had ceased to be a star when traded and who needed to be moved for various reasons unrelated to money and at least partially to open the way for superior talent.

On the other hand, the two legitimate young stars developed by the Rays (Crawford and Baldelli) were both extended by this administration. And further, prior to this off-season, the front office asserted it would not trade current major leaguers unless the return was impact major league talent. And they have kept that promise, despite, according to rumors, the fact that teams were after Baldelli and Crawford.

It is a cliche that the Rays trade significant major league talent for cheaper prospects, a cliche unsupported by any data.

[jim]

The only reason the disgraceful rays are able to behave the way they do ( not pay anyone and get rid fo everybody) is the media lets them. Both the times and the tribune should excoriate the new owner. where is the money? He is spending nothing. He should be degraded every day by the mainstream media in both area papers. I won't go to the games anymore, they are no longer an expansion team and should start acting like a normal franchise.