After 64 games, Major League Baseball fans — especially Tampa Bay Rays fans — may find it surprising to see the Rays in last place in the American League East at 24-40, 14 games out as play begins on June 9. After all, the Rays finished 2013 with 92 wins and returned nearly the same 25-man roster at the start of this season. They have not played up to expectations, and a look at the numbers answers the question of what may have happened.
Starting rotation
The starting rotation ranks ninth in the American League in ERA at 4.16. They have allowed 4.56 runs per nine innings overall. It obviously has not helped that the rotation has taken major blows. Lefty Matt Moore is out for the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Moore made only two starts, losing both but pitching very well. Jeremy Hellickson has yet to pitch this year because of elbow surgery in January. Alex Cobb also missed much of the season with an oblique strain, and he is only 1-4 with a 4.39 ERA in seven starts since his return.
Even ace David Price has struggled some, perhaps trying to shoulder the rotation’s load all at once. Price is 4-5, 4.03, in 13 starts — not terrible but not the ace-type quality he has shown since breaking into the Majors in 2008. Eric Bedard has pitched well (3-4, 3.75 ), but Jake Odorizzi is 2-6, 5.31.
Hellickson started a Minor League rehab assignment on June 7, and he expects to make it back to the Rays by the end of June. Maybe getting him back will help take some pressure off Price and Cobb, but the Rays sorely miss Moore.
Bullpen
The bullpen has had its problems. Fernando Rodney signed with Seattle, and the Rays brought in Grant Balfour to close. Balfour dominated the league with Oakland for the past two years, saving 62 games total. This year, he is 9 for 11 so far, but he also has an ERA of 6.46 and a WHIP of 1.65. He has walked 20 and struck out 21 in 23.2 innings. No one else has a save.
The bullpen as a whole ranks ninth in ERA at 4.18 and has a 10-13 record. It is 9 for 16 in save opportunities as of June 9. Out of seven pitchers to make 19 or more appearances, only three (Jake McGee, Juan Carlos Oviedo, and Brad Boxberger) have ERA’s under 4.00.
Offense
It is tough for a closer to get saves if he gets only 11 opportunities in 64 games. The offense has not scored many runs. In fact, the Rays are dead last in the American League in runs scored with 236, which averages to 3.68 runs per game. Six players have driven in 20 or more runs with James Loney leading the team with 30. Evan Longoria leads the team with seven home runs, and he has played in all 64 games.
The Rays have a team batting average of .243 and on-base percentage of .315. Compare these numbers to the division-leading Toronto Blue Jays, who have hit .261/.331/.445 with 89 home runs, 299 RBI, and 314 runs scored — all at or very near the top in the American League.
There are still nearly four months and 100 games remaining in the 2014 season. The Tampa Bay Rays have too much talent to continue their losing ways. Still, if they want to get back into the race, they will need to turn around all three of these facets of the game. If any team can do it, the Rays can. It is surprising to see a team with this much talent play so poorly.
PHOTO CREDIT: www.wfla.com