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Living in Hurricane Alley: A Devil Rays Dynasty


mooseknucks

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One More Trade Rumor Swirls the Trop

Astros GM Tim Purpurra has his mind set on Tampa's latest hero, Jake Westbrook. Purpura has considered dishing the Rocket for Westbrook and a minor leaguer, but has received mixed reviews on the matter ...

Peter Gammons: "Although the trade would clearly free up a little cap space, Purpura would be wise to reconsider a trade including the Rocket. He's still got a few good years in him despite old age, and his contract isn't as enormous as some other pitchers in the league."

The exclaim of the fans has also pushed Purpura to tone down the deal to possibly Andy Pettite. Sicili Ronin has said to the media numerous times before the start that Westbrook is off limits. Westbrook and the Devil Rays have been conveining nightly to discuss contracts and extensions.

Westbrook, currently making four million a year (eight over two), has told the club he wants to be penciled in long term. This may be a problem considering McShaft has asked for a long term deal, as long as the buy out contract of Howard Dorothy, who's agent, Scott Boras, has demanded a five year sixty-five million dollar contract, penciling him in until 2010.

Right now, General Manager Ronin has said he does not hope to step on anyone's toes, but he has stated that, "I will wait until the end of the season, and than talk money in the offseason. I'll negotiate much better with numbers in front of me, proving worth. Don't expect to see Howard Dorothy pitch more than fifteen starts through the All Star break, I don't plan on penciling a rookie pitcher for thirteen million a year. It's unheard of with veteran pitchers, let alone rookies. Brian Cashman has been my biggest site, but I'll get what I can out of Dorothy before his agent's ego explodes. "

Don't expect any contract extensions just yet, but over the next few weeks, some players might be made happy by Mr. Ronin.

--Tony Marciloni; Tampa Tribune

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I like the trade rumors and the possible resigning or axing of players. Also we get a sense of what is happening within the team, such as Piniella's internal problems with the GM. GO RAYS man :wtg:

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From the Front Office

General Manager Ronin Reports on Dorothy

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Dorothy fans one of his nine with a blazing ninety-nine MPH 4-seam

"Today, the twenty three year old phenom Howard Dorothy made his AAA appearance against Toledo. Dorothy dominated through eight innings before crumbling. Poor defense and lack of motivation after giving up a five run lead, all helped contribute to the 6-5 loss. Dorothy pitched the whole game, tossing seventy-eight pitches and fanning nine. He gave up three earned runs and scorched the gun six times, hitting one hundred miles per hour. His regular fastball is clocked at a blazing ninety-seven. Dorothy's knuckle-curve gave hitters trouble, as did his cutting slurve. His palm ball loses twenty-five miles per hour, buckling hitters. Even though Dorothy got the loss, we're still excited to see such a good young arm, but also aggrivated with Scott Boras. Negotiations will ensue but for now, we're going to buy out Dorothy's contract at the league minimum and try to dish him by the deadline."

--Sicili Ronin

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Devil Rays and Dorothy Reach Agreement

The Devil Rays have spent the past few days deliberating a contract agreement upon Dorothy's call up from AAA Durham. Agent Scott Boras wanted to negotiate the actual circumstances and contract of lefty heat throwing Howard Dorothy but General Manager Sicili Ronin opted to not negotiate until a few starts showed him material. The deal leaves Ronin four months to decide a proposal for a deal on Dorothy. Ronin has until July 1st to strike a deal or else he has a week after to strike a deal with another team. Until than Dorothy has a no-trade clause unless Ronin decides to outright reject a contract proposal.

For all you non-contract knowing baseball fans, that means Ronin has four months to devise a contract that Scott Boras will accept. If Ronin see's a few starts and doesn't like Dorothy's style, he can tell Boras he wants no part of his contract. If he says that early or on July 1st, Ronin has one week to trade off Dorothy.

Contract Standards:

- 1 year at 3.5 million

- No trade until July 1st

- Trade if no deal can be struck

- One week after public address if no contract is reach to be traded

- Non-ace contract; Indespensible

We'll keep you updated on the status of Dorothy's contract.

--Tony Marciloni; Tampa Tribune

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The Trop See's a Winning Team

Tampa Bay Devil Rays (4-0) v. Oakland Athletics (1-3)

Scott Kazmir (2-0) v. Joe Blanton (0-1)

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Left to Right: Kazmir lights up Keith Ginter and McShaft preserves the win with stellar fielding

Batting:

Jorge Cantu: 3/4, 2 runs, solo homerun

Harlen McShaft: 2/4, 2 runs, solo homerun

Julio Lugo: 3/4, 2 runs, 2 solo homeruns

Travis Hafner: 1/4, solo homerun

Pitching:

Scott Kazmir 2-0: 7 innings, 3 runs, 8 hits, 7 K's

Billy Koch S1: 2 innings, 2 hits, 4 K's

McShaft pushed the team in the right direction by cracking his fourth homerun of the year in his first atbat to score a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Just like previous games, five of their runs were scored on homeruns but in the second inning, the bats broke out to bring in some manufactured runs. Cantu kept up his hot hitting by driving his average up to .533 by going 3/4 and jacking a line drive homerun out in the late innings.

Kazmir held things up until the seventh inning, when he lost control giving up back to back singles and a two RBI triple to Bobby Crosby, followed by Scott Hatteberg's RBI ground out. Koch came out and gave up a couple of hits but cleaned up. He proceeded to pinpoint his corners and strike out the side to finish up the game, completing a save. Koch came in with a 6-3 win but closed it with an 8-3 victory.

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Boggs Looking to Play Ball Again

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Former Tampa Bay third baseman Wade Boggs has noticed the winning ways of the new style Devil Rays. Many have said that he doesn't fit in at all seeing as the team is full of youngsters, but some think the lockerroom prescense issue could be solved. Lou Pinella has expressed great interest in this matter because he was the one telling about the problem.

Boggs, forty-seven years young, has trained with the team as their hitting coach but has contimplated thoughts of returning. Boggs retired to spend time with his family but that was five years ago. The scouts all conveined and decided to give Boggs a look over. He still has decent bat speed and hits some hard lines through the infield. The downside is his fairly average fielding on top of the fact that their young phenom Harlen McShaft is manning Boggs' position. Obviously McShaft has opted to move around but Boggs isn't sure if he is going to make another trip around the bases. If it does happen, Boggs has elected to play first base if anything, platooning with Phelps.

Wade Boggs: "I would love to come back for this great, young team, but I don't want to step on anyone's toes or anything. I really haven't known what the hell to do with myself and all my free time. My family is one hundred percent behind me and they want me to play another round."

Lou Pinella: "He's done enough for us as a hitting coach but he could easily do more as a player. Like I've said, we need a great prescense in the lockerroom to give the veteran speeches. It's just not the same coming from staff as it is coming from a player. It seems to settle in much nicer coming from a peer than a superior."

Sicili Ronin: "Boggs and I have discussed this and he feels like he wants to play. He wants to give baseball one last shot before he hits fifty and he's too old to do it anymore. I told him I'd give him a chunk of change for a year or two, and it's up to him from there. I will not publicly tell the world what I'm planning on offering but it will probably get out sooner or later. Remember, this is not final."

Harlen McShaft: "I would gladly move to DH or first base. I played first in high school and freshman year of college, so I'm not opposed to it. I've had many a conversation with Wade about my duties over there and told he and Lou that I would move. I plan on doing my part and doing what's right. Boggsy doesn't have to pull seniority on me, he's given more time to the game and deserves to play were he wants to play."

Josh Phelps: "I don't want to platoon but I feel that's better than moving out completely if Harlen decides to move to first. I'm pulling towards Boggs wanting to play first because that won't cut all my time out completely. That's all I have to say. I'll be pretty unhappy if I ride the bench."

So not only do the fans notice the winning ways, but so does Wade Boggs. We will keep you updated.

--Tony Marciloni; Tampa Tribune

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Rays Streak Stopped at Four

Tampa Bay Devil Rays (4-1) v. Oakland Athletics (2-3)

Dewon Brazleton (0-1) v. Keichi Yabu (1-0)

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Left to Right: Cantu's great defensive game couldn't help the lacking offense and Chavez lost his cool early in the night

Batting:

Josh Phelps: 2/3, 1 run, solo homerun

Rocco Baldelli: 2/4, RBI triple

Pitching:

Dewon Brazleton 0-1: 5 innings, 4 hits, 4 runs, 3 HBP, 2 K's

Jesus Colome: 3 innings, 1 hit, 2 K's

Travis Harper: 1 inning, 1 K

Everything fell apart for Brazleton in the four run fifth inning. Three batters got hit and two homeruns got jacked over four hundred feet. Eric Byrnes hit a three shot and Jason Kendall closely followed with a solo shot. The next two batters got plunked and Oakland thirdbaseman didn't take too kindly to being hit. He was ejected.

Phelps followed in the bottom half with an effort to start some scoring but to no avail. His solo homerun to right capped the scoring as Bradford, Dotel and Street completed the win rookie Keichi Yabu. The loss could've been worse but none the less, the Rays were none to happy with being shutdown by soft throwing lefty Yabu.

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'Rays Back on the Right Track

Tampa Bay Devil Rays (5-1) v. Oakland Athletics (2-4)

Chien Ming Wang (0-0) v. Barry Zito (0-2)

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Left to Right: Huff cracks a 2-run homer and McShaft tee's off to break a 4-4 tie and his second of the game

Batting:

Harlen McShaft: 3/4, 2 homeruns (6), 4 RBI's (9)

Aubrey Huff: 2/4, 2-run homerun (3), 2 RBI's (6)

Jorge Cantu: 3/4, solo homerun (2), .478 BA

Pitching:

Chien Ming Wang ND: 5.2 innings, 6 H, 3 R, 2 K's

Jesus Colome 1-0: 2.1 innings, 3 H, 2 R, 2 K's

Billy Koch S2: 1 inning, 1 H, 3 K's

Wang didn't start out the game on the right note, and failed to execute on key pitches. He gave up three hits in the first inning for one run but was quickly erased by McShaft's solo shot on the bottom half. Wang cruised until he had two outs in the sixth and gave up a two-run job to shortstop Bobby Crosby, cutting the lead to 4-3. Colome came on and scattered along giving up hits left and right at inoppurtune times. He gave up an RBI double to Chavez in the seventh to tie the game, and an RBI single to Eric Chavez the next inning, shortly after McShaft's lead changing three-run bomb.

Koch came on and gave up a hit, than struck out the remaining three batters in quick fashion, all on three pitches. Overlooked by McShaft's two bombs was Jorge Cantu, who's quietly jumping off to an amazing start, leading the team in average (.478) and hits (12). Cantu, like McShaft, is a rookie with a phenominal hitting technique and continues to pull homeruns and slap singles the other way.

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