23-year old righty swinging outfielder Desmond Jennings is likely done for the rest of spring training due to a sprained left wrist. This ends all of the talk of him possibly winning a job with the Rays this spring. Jennings is the Rays’ #1 prospect according to the 2010 Baseball America Prospect Handbook. Jennings played in 132 games in AA+AAA ball last season and he was 158 of 497 (.318 avg, .888 OPS) with 92 runs scored, 11 homers, 62 RBIs and 52 stolen bases. Jennings will likely get a shot with the Rays at some point in 2010 if he puts up numbers in the minors like he did in 2009.

It was a shame to see Carlos Pena break two fingers against the Yankees when he was hit by a C.C. Sabathia pitch. Pena was leading the American League in homers when he was injured but he will now be passed most likely by Mark Teixeira. Pena played in 135 games this season for the Rays and he was 107 for 471 (.227 avg, .893 OPS) with 91 runs scored, 39 homers and 100 RBIs. He did whiff an amazing 163 times this season but he also walked 87 times which helped boost his OPS. The Rays will likely go with Willy Aybar and Chris Richard the rest of the way at 1B and that will be a huge drop from Carlos Pena.

The Rays have lost 36-year old righty reliever Jason Isringhausen for the season as he needs Tommy John Surgery. This is just bad luck for Izzy who was on the verge of getting a chance as the closer of the Rays. He pitched in 9 games (0 starts) for the Rays this season and he was 0-1 with a 2.25 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. The Rays have recalled 32-year old righty reliever Winston Abreu from AAA ball to replace Isringhausen on both the active roster and in the bullpen. Abreu pitched in 23 games (0 starts) in AAA-ball this season and he was 3-0 with 10 saves, a 1.41 ERA and a 0.75 WHIP. He whiffed 49 batters and only allowed 14 hits in AAA in 32 innings pitched. The Rays hope that Abreu is a late bloomer as he has pitched in 33 games (0 starts) in his major league career in which he is 0-1 with a 6.81 ERA and a 1.62 WHIP.

The Rays have placed veteran righty reliever Troy Percival on the 15-day disabled list due to a sore arm. Percival has left the team and returned to California to talk with his family about retirement. Percival pitched in 14 games for the Rays this season and he was 0-1 with 6 saves, a 6.35 ERA and a 1.68 WHIP. The Rays will start out with the idea of using a committee to replace Percival as the closer. But, that almost never works so the Rays need one of these guys to step up and take the job. Jason Isringhausen makes the most sense based on his experience as a closer. He has pitched in 5 games for the Rays this season and he is 0-1 with a 3.60 ERA and a 1.80 WHIP. Righty Grant Balfour without a doubt has the best stuff of the auditioning pitchers, but, he has pitched in 22 games this season for the Rays and he is 2-0 with 1 save, a 5.75 ERA and a 1.67 WHIP. Balfour could win the job as the closer if he started throwing more strikes as he has walked 14 batters in 20 1/3 innings this season. Righty Dan Wheeler was the fill-in last season as the closer whenever Percival was out and he did a decent job. He has pitched in 20 games this season for the Rays and he is 1-1 with a 4.86 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. Lefty J.P. Howell is probably the best pitcher of this motley crew but he’s too valuable in the fact that he can pitch multiple innings per outing. Howell has pitched in 22 games for the Rays this season and he is 0-2 with 1 save, a 2.86 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP. Righty Joe Nelson is the biggest longshot of this bunch and that’s because he is pitching batting practice. He has worked in 22 games for the Rays this season and he is 1-0 with 2 saves, a 6.43 ERA and a 1.95 WHIP. He has allowed a stunning 6 homers and has walked 16 batters in only 21 innings this season. The Rays need one of these guys to step up big time.

The Rays have placed starting shortstop Jason Bartlett on the 15-day D.L. due to a sprained ankle. I laughed last season when the writers voted Bartlett as the team M.V.P. year. But this season he’s playing like one as he has played in 44 games in which he is 60 for 161 (.373 avg, 1.014 OPS) with 32 runs scored, 7 homers, 30 RBIs and 14 stolen bases. Ben Zobrist will likely get some playing time at SS while Bartlett is out. But, Reid Brignac will also get some P.T. in place of Bartlett. Brignac was the #4 prospect in the Rays’ minor league system coming into this season according to Baseball America. Brignac has played in 5 games already this season for the Rays and he is 3 for 12 (.250 avg, .583 OPS) with 3 runs scored and 2 RBIs. He played in 36 AAA games this season also and he was 41 for 141 (.291 avg, .817 OPS) with 24 runs scored, 3 homers, 15 RBIs and 2 stolen bases. The Rays can’t afford to be without Bartlett too long as he’s almost impossible to replace. The Rays have called up 33-year old righty swinging corner infielder Joe Dillon to replace Bartlett on the active roster. Dillon played in 12 games in AAA ball this season and he was 11 for 42 (.262 avg, .732 OPS) with 4 runs scored, 1 homer and 6 RBIs. Dillon has played in 122 games in his major league career and he is 48 for 187 (.257 avg, .709 OPS) with 31 runs scored, 2 homers and 17 RBIs.