NewsInbox: Will Howell take over as closer?
Beat reporter Bill Chastain answers Rays fans' questions
By Bill Chastain / MLB.com
10/26/09 12:48 PM ET
Can you please tell me why we bother shopping for a closer when we have J.P. Howell? I thought Howell did a fantastic job this year with the closer role and should be our full-time closer.-- Alex P., St. Louis
I don't think the Rays would be upset to begin the 2010 season with Howell as the closer. They also believe he did a fine job in that role during the 2009 season, and there's also a feeling that he simply ran out of gas due to the combined effects of enduring a lengthened 2008 season and participating in the World Baseball Classic. However, I believe the Rays also feel they would be stronger overall if they added another closer type to their bullpen. That doesn't mean Howell will not close in 2010, it just means the team is keeping its options open for trying to improve the bullpen.
Get rid of Pat Burrell! The money the Rays pay him could be used to keep Akinori Iwamura, who is a much better player.
-- Pete, Bradenton, Fla.
Every general manager in baseball wishes he could put his team together without having to worry about what one player is being paid as compared to another. Unfortunately from the Rays' point of view, contracts are binding, so even if they wanted to give up on Pat Burrell, his contract doesn't allow them to do so. Unless they trade Burrell, the Rays will be on the hook to pay him $9 million in 2010. So they can't just waive Burrell and use the money they would be paying him to pay Aki; the Rays have the option of paying Aki $4.25 million in 2010 or exercising a $250,000 buyout.
Will Jake McGee be healthy next year and have a chance to play in the bullpen? I looked at his rehab stats and they were not impressive. So what should we expect?
-- Michael V., Tampa
From everything I've heard, McGee is well on his road to recovery after tearing the ulnar collateral ligament in his left arm in 2008. Manager Joe Maddon recently mentioned the possibility of having him join the Rays' 'pen in '10. He's a big left-hander and has a 95-mph fastball, so if he's healthy, his addition could be a big plus. I wouldn't put too much stock in his 2009 numbers since he was on the mend.
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Is Danys Baez available from the Orioles? I do believe that an overhaul of the bullpen is in order -- too many soft tossers. Toward the end of the year teams almost seemed as if they were waiting for them. Also, it was strange that the only pitcher to actually improve was the one who had to pitch through the spring and not be held back (Jeff Nieman).
-- J.R., Gulfport
Baez is a free agent and available after finishing off a three-year, $19 million deal with the Orioles. The former Rays closer went 4-6 with a 4.02 ERA with 40 strikeouts in 71 2/3 innings. Baez had 71 saves for the Rays from 2004-2005. I don't know if the Rays have any interest, but he's certainly an available choice.
I hate the situation the Rays have/use in right field, using three or four different guys. I miss Jonny Gomes. If you give Gomes the chance to play every day, he will hit you 30 home runs. I say play Matt Joyce every day in right and Ben Zobrist every day at second. I understand the game, but CAN'T stand the situation of this person playing against left-handers, etc. -- BOO!!! Look at the Phils. Jayson Werth played every day this year and look at what he did! And the closer situation, I have ALWAYS thought and still do, of Jeff Niemann as a closer -- a BIG man firing it in the ninth, and a rotation of Matt Garza, James Shields, Wade Davis, David Price and a free agent. Any comments?
-- Ace H., Hockessin, Del.
Until the Rays have a player they feel can be an everyday right fielder, I think Rays fans will continue to see Maddon go with the matchups that he feels will help the team win on any given day. Joyce certainly is a possibility to become an everyday right fielder, which is one reason he remained at Triple-A Durham for most of 2009, as they wanted him to play every day. As for Niemann out of the bullpen, I think that would have been a possibility had he not worked out so well as a starter. Several Major League scouts actually mentioned to me the possibility of using him in the bullpen this past spring. I don't see that happening any time soon now.
What do you think about the team's DH position next year? Will the Rays bring in another free-agent player?
-- Yu-Hung Su, Chiayi, Taiwan
Based on the fact the Rays still are under contract to pay Burrell $9 million in 2010, I just don't see the team going out and bringing in another DH. Unless Burrell is traded, I think the Rays will start the season with him and the hope that 2009 was a fluke. By the midway point of 2010, I would expect the Rays to take action with him if he's still not producing. However, Burrell's career numbers do suggest that 2009 was a fluke. Watching what he does at the beginning of 2009 should be interesting.
Bill Chastain is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
