A good first half for the Rays, all things considered.
Marlette is also third in whiffs (123) and pitcher WAR (4.1).
This has been one of the more frustrating offenses I've dealt with in recent years, reliant on rookies & second-year guys (Berumen, Marin, Stack) and seemingly in need of the home run. Lengthy absences from Arroyave and Franco didn't help either. But the pitching and defense has been one of the best in any of my dozens of seasons in various Rays saves with the only minor complaint to be had is that they don't strike out a ton of people (although they fan enough). Allowing 3.23 runs/game in this day and age is almost unheard of.
A lot of underachieving going on here. Wander's having one of his best seasons despite missing over a month, and Berumen's had a good rookie year despite a recent slump and the fact he walks about once every two weeks. But Charlton has been dreadful as has new catcher acquisition Gutierrez which has resulted in Contreras playing a lot more than anticipated and faring decently. Rivas and Hoppenbrouwers have been better than expected in 4th OF/supersub capacities.
When your 5-man rotation is on pace to
average 5 WAR apiece for the season you know you've got something special. Scheu was kind of the question mark and he's been great, especially with our very good D this year. The meltdown in the last game in Boston has put kind of a fine point on how the back end of the pen isn't quite as lockdown as hoped and if we do make a move in the next month before the deadline it will be for someone to help there although we can only take on about $5M in salary, period.
With all the guys we've graduated over the past couple of the years the farm system has been depleted, and right now it's propped up by a couple of guys who have been with the club this year in Gutierrez and Hoppenbrouwers (who has lost rookie eligibility and probably shouldn't be on this list). Gutierrez was a bit shaky in relief for us but has looked pretty good in the Durham rotation since going back and of course he's penciled in to next year's with our top 3 of DiCostanzo, Marlette and Ferguson all free agents this winter. The other guys are at least a couple of years away save perhaps Corniell who could be a 4th OF-type.