The Sweet Spot is running its first full Spring Training preview item today that will include a short paragraph on the player each blogger is most excited to see in 2012. Do you see my dilemma? How can you possibly pick just one player on this roster to be excited about?
I ultimately went with Joe because my non-sexual crush on him burst into an all out affair this week after he signed his extension and held one of the greatest open interviews in the history of sports yesterday on 620 WDAE. (During the interview I emailed my former boss the following “You already know this, but Joe’s a stud.”) If I write about Joe again, this blog is going to turn into his CV so, I’ll save the remaining thoughts I have about the skipper for another day.
I grappled with this decision for several days before writing the blurb I ultimately used. (I found out hours later about this ridiculous DJ Kitty mascot and immediately reconsidered making the person in charge of hiring and firing in the marketing department the player I was most excited to watch).
Here are the options I am excited about that were left on the proverbial cutting room floor:
- Sean Rodriguez: I love this guy. Love him. There is something about him that gives you that “old ballplayer vibe.” I know, I know, that is not scientific in the least but, I sense it about SRod (He REALLY REALLY needs a better nickname too). Maybe it’s because he grew up in the game. Maybe it’s because he looks like he wears eye black to bed. But he just reeks of a guy that is going to play this game for 25 years. So, I am excited to see if this is the year he puts it together.
- Matt Joyce: Sure we added Luke Scott and Carlos Pena and Jeff Keppinger. Sure we have an entire season of Desmond Jennings. Sure BJ will be in a contract year. None of that will matter for the Rays offense if Matt Joyce backslides. Call me an optimist, but I don’t think he will. I think Joe has a good book on Joyce and will continue to use him in situations where he can succeed. Besides, looking through our lineup, Matt is going to get a ton of good pitches.
- Kyle Farnsworth: He was solid last year. And, if memory serves, had been solid the year before in Kansas City. So, maybe my unease isn’t justified. But who can forget the gas can that used his name and pitched for the Yankees and Cubs? If he reverts to that Farnsworth, we are going to have big matchup problems in the late innings.
Who’d I miss? (Besides the obvious. I mean, we’re all excited to see Evan Longoria walk from the on-deck circle to the batter’s box. We’re all excited to see Matt Moore spin that breaking ball up there. We’re all excited to see BJ go back on a ball over his head.)
I can’t wait to give the Orioles a standing ovation the first time they are in the Trop. I know that isn’t necessarily relevant, but if I had to choose a player, it would be Carlos Pena. I’m completely biased of course.
You are completely biased. But it’s part of your charm.
Judging by the comments over at ESPN, looks like picking Joe Maddon was a cop out.
My bad.
Ah yes, the comments on the ESPN board. The ony forum more classy is probably YouTube video comments sections…
True enough they are classy Merrill, even more so than the Youtube sections. The only sites I can think of with Ritzier occupants may be a little more risque.
OK, I can’t keep a straight face now, those are the trashiest comment sections on the web, BY FAR. To make matters worse, the simpletons that comment there seem to insist that teams with fans that don’t post there, must have no fans at all.
I love some good tongue-in-cheek..hehe.
I guess I should also answer the original story line, how’s this one. Who is the 5th starter and who goes to the bullpen? My preference, Davis is the #5 man and Niemann to the bullpen, but we will see how it pans out.
Davis certainly seems dead set on remaining in the rotation but, I like his stuff in the ‘pen. Besides, Jeff can’t get ready fast. Right? Maybe this deserves deeper evaluation…
I gotta think that if we are keeping both, Davis goes in the ‘pen. I just can’t imagine Big Nyquil being able to consistantly getting that body warmed up on short notice week in and out. I bet he has a pretty interesting regiment pre and post-game from the trainers to keep him going…and even as a starter with a routine there’s a lot of question about his longevity.
I agree with this analysis 100%. I just need to dig into the numbers to make sure I am right and, real life keeps hindering my ability to do that.
Sean John Rodriguez is affectionately called “Diddy” in my household or “Sean John” or “Diddy-rod” (get it?) or “puffy”… use them at your leisure
I think Matt Moore merits some mention in this space. Can he continue to embarrass major leaguers on the regular? How will his innings be managed? 6 man rotation for a month? or (god forbid) Durham for a month?
I am also excited to see whether Howell can return to being the Dude.
It will be interesting to see if he can dominate all season, I would expect him to have some stumbling points as he gets used to life in the big leagues but he seems like the real deal. I think it would be interesting to see if Maddon would use a 6 man rotation for the first month or so, it would give him a much better idea of who the odd man out is. I don’t think there is anyway Moore finds himself in Durham though, they have made that painfully clear, what isn’t clear is where he ends up in the rotation.
I would love to see Howell turn things around and be a real factor this year,
I expounded on the potential for a 6-man rotation when Moore signed his deal but, I thought I saw a quote from Joe saying he wasn’t considering that.
He has come out against it for the first month, due to all of the off days. But, mentioned it on several occaisons noting that the “6-man rotation is not something with which we are unfamiliar”. And again citing the use of it as one of the primary contributors to our stretch run.
No love for “Diddy-Rod”, Mark? I figured that was right up your alley…
“Diddy-Rod” is good but, it has too many syllables to be a nickname. We need something shorter. What is actually Diddy going by now?
As for the 6-man rotation, I predicted that way back when Moore signed his extension and, I still like the idea.
I don’t see Matt Moore headed to Durham. There is no reason to postpone his arb clock because we bought his arb years. And the Rays gave Wade Davis a long-term deal last season. Jeff Niemann has to be worried. Right?
The way both of them (Davis and Neimann) responded to media questions on the matter, I gotta think Davis is more uneasy about the whole thing…and it makes sense. Maybe Neimann gets shipped off, but in our rotation he’s gotta be the #5, MAYBE #4 guy. Almost any other club he’s a shoe-in #3 and possibly #2 (eek).
So if Jeff gets shipped? New club, new future. But I’ve always gotten the impression that a starter going to the bullpen is the worst kind of demotion…that they’d rather be a AAA starter than a MLB reliever. Maybe I’m totally off-base, but they sure talk like that. Maybe that’s why Davis is nervous, he won’t be shipped…he’s be demoted.
There is a lot of pride around being a “starter” but not enough pride to send an established big leaguer back to AAA. Trust me on this.