NewsPrice gets call in Rays' Interleague finale
Tampa Bay (41-35) vs. Florida (38-38), 1:38 p.m. ET
By Bill Chastain / MLB.com
06/27/09 11:15 PM ET
ST. PETERSBURG -- David Price gets the nod Sunday against the Marlins as the Rays wrap up Interleague Play for the 2009 season. |
In his last start Tuesday against the Phillies, Price lasted just 4 1/3 innings, allowing 10 runs, of which only five were earned. While the numbers didn't look good, Price said he's watched the video of his performance and he felt pretty good about the way he pitched, noting that he couldn't identify any glaring problems.
"I didn't see anything," Price said. "I had good stuff. I did. I was very pleased with all of my pitches. Just one of those nights. Everybody has them. I think location was fine. ... [John] Mayberry's [first-inning] home run was down and in. That was a good pitch and he hit it out." Rays manager Joe Maddon wasn't alarmed about the way Price threw the ball. "I saw him throw fastball strikes the last time out, which I liked," Maddon said. "The slider was better, better in a sense that there was break, but still a little bit flat. I'd like to see him get a little bit of tilt to that. I'd like to see him utilize his changeup a little more, too." Maddon's biggest concern about Price comes down to fastball command. "Throwing strikes with [the fastball], seeing more of that," Maddon said. "And I think if he does that he's going to build the rest of his game. I just want to see him get back out there, being the same kind of composed young pitcher that he is. And eventually he's going to turn out pretty good." Price has enjoyed a great deal of success in recent years, from his time at Vanderbilt to his rapid rise through the Rays' farm system. So struggling would seem to be something new to the prodigy. But Price remembered his sophomore year at Vanderbilt. "I struggled big time," Price said. "I started off really well, then I struggled the rest of the year; probably was the best thing that could have happened to me. Made me a better player, made me a better person, made me a better teammate." Price learned the simple lesson that he needed to "just keep on going" and that the ability to forget is a nice virtue for a pitcher to have. "My work hasn't changed between starts," Price said. "I still get my four days of work in and go out there and pitch in the fifth." Pitching matchupTB: LHP David Price (1-2, 4.45 ERA)
Price's outing against Philadelphia -- his second consecutive loss -- was his worst of the season. Price was rattled from the outset, allowing six runs in the first inning, including a three-run bomb by Mayberry. An error by Evan Longoria on the first play of the game didn't help, but Price allowed 10 hits in 4 1/3 innings -- the second straight start he's allowed 10 hits and five runs. He's throwing more strikes, and only walked two batters on Tuesday. Problem is, his strikes are getting hammered. FLA: LHP Andrew Miller (2-3, 4.17 ERA)
Miller had his best outing of the season his last time out but it did not start out that way. Brian Roberts smacked a double off the left field wall to open the game and Miller threw his next pitch against the backstop, appearing to be in for a long night. However, the left-hander regrouped and did not allow another hit the rest of the way. The 24-year-old retired the next 13 batters on his way to a no-decision after allowing just one hit and one run over seven innings while fanning four Orioles and walking two. It was the second time this season Miller threw seven innings and the seventh time in his four-year career that the 6-foot-6 lefty reached his career high in innings pitched. Tidbits
Andy Sonnanstine was optioned to Triple-A Durham after Friday night's game to make room on the 25-man roster for Scott Kazmir, who came off the disabled list. Maddon said the decision to send out Sonnanstine was not easy because he has so much respect for the right-hander and for his contribution to the 2008 American League championship team. Sonnanstine has had trouble retiring right-handed hitters this season as they were hitting .370 against him as opposed to lefties, who were hitting .261. "I think there's definitely something we put our finger on that's going to definitely help him with that," Maddon said. " ... It's been the righties who have been biting him this year. When we really looked into it, we saw some significant differences in regard to what he was doing. If he can address that, work on that, and then I believe if he gets that taken care of he'll be fine again." Maddon said he fully expects Sonnanstine to be back with the club this season. ... As part of the '80s night celebration at Tropicana Field on Saturday, the national anthem was played on an electric guitar and a bald eagle was released to soar around the inside of the stadium. The stately bird watched most of the first inning from atop the Batter's Eye restaurant in center field. ... Sunday will afford Rays fans their final opportunity to vote at Tropicana Field for this year's All-Star Game. ... Autograph Sunday with James Shields and Grant Balfour signing autographs for kids 14 and under will take place along the first-base line from noon until 12:30 p.m. ET. Also, the first 10,000 kids 14 and under attending will receive a Shields bobblehead doll. Tickets
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• Monday: Rays (Jeff Niemann, 6-4, 4.23) at Blue Jays (Roy Halladay, 10-1, 2.53), 7:07 p.m. ET
• Tuesday: Rays (Matt Garza, 5-5, 3.61) at Blue Jays (Brett Cecil, 2-1, 5.19), 7:07 p.m. ET
• Wednesday: Rays (James Shields, 6-5, 3.41) at Blue Jays (Ricky Romero, 5-3, 3.20), 1:07 p.m. ET
Bill Chastain is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
