The Tampa Bay Rays are sending lefty swinging RF Matt Joyce, righty starting pitcher James Shields and lefty starting pitcher David Price to the All-Star Game next week. 26-year old Matt Joyce was pleasantly surprised to learn of his selection to the All-Star team. Joyce got off to a very fast start to this season before he started to slow down a bit. Joyce has played in 77 games for the Rays so far this year and he is 76 for 255 (.298 avg, .880 OPS) with 44 runs scored, 11 homers, 40 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. James Shields has been one of the best pitchers in all of baseball so far this year. Shields has started 17 games (14 quality starts) for the Rays so far this year and he is 8-5 with a 2.45 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP. Shields has only given up 96 hits in 128 2/3 innings this year while whiffing 127 batters as he has been nasty. He has been very aggressive in the strikezone as he has only walked 30 batters so far this year. Lefty David Price hasn’t been getting the run support he got last year and the result is a so-so record. Price has started 18 games for the Rays so far this year and he is 8-7 with a 3.56 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. He has only given up 107 hits in 124 innings so far this year with 122 whiffs, as he has also been nasty. Where Price’s game has improved is his control as he has only walked 23 batters so far this year! The Rays are going to be well represented in the All-Star Game next week.

When 27-year old righty starting pitcher Jeff Niemann went on the D.L. in early August he was 10-3 with a 3.12 ERA. After three starts since coming off the D.L. he is now 10-6 with a 4.28 ERA. In his first three starts since being activated he is 0-3 with a 27.00 ERA and a 2.70 WHIP. He has given up 19 hits (4 homers) and he has walked 8 batters in only 10 innings. With the Rays wanting to watch Jeremy Hellickson’s innings they aren’t going to use him in Niemann’s spot. That leaves it to biting the bullet and letting Niemann keep starting or use Andy Sonnanstine in his spot. I’m not a fan of either of those scenarios.

The Rays traded for 31-year old righty reliever Chad Qualls with the idea that he would fill Grant Balfour’s role until he was ready to return to action. Qualls has not done a good job of that yet. Qualls has pitched in 7 games (0 starts) for the Rays so far and he is 0-0 with a 5.40 ERA and a 1.65 WHIP. Qualls has walked 5 batters in only 6 2/3 innings for the Rays while striking out 3 batters. The Rays might be better off using Dan Wheeler in Balfour’s old role until Qualls gets straightened out.

The Rays should really be in the market for a lefty reliever to team with 34-year old Randy Choate. Choate should only be pitching to lefty hitters which is when he is most effective. But because he’s the only lefty in the pen he has been used against some righty swingers this year. Choate has pitched in 30 games (0 starts) for the Rays so far this season and he is 0-2 with a 6.00 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP as he has 16 whiffs in only 15 innings showing that the stuff is still there to succeed. Choate was solid for the Rays last season working in 61 games (0 starts) in which he was 1-0 with 5 saves, a 3.47 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. Hopefully Choate can get into a groove and start pitching like he did last year.

I know, it’s early in the season but that doesn’t mask how poorly lefty Randy Choate and righty Mike Ekstrom are pitching out of the pen so far this year. With J.P. Howell out of action due to injury Choate is the only lefty in the pen so they need him to step up. He has pitched in 4 games this season for the Rays and he is 0-1 with a 23.14 ERA and a 3.43 WHIP. He has given up a stunning 8 hits (1 homer) in only 2 1/3 innings so far this season. The Rays desperately need Choate to turn things around soon. Ekstrom has been really awful for the Rays this season. In 3 games, Ekstrom is 0-1 with a 19.29 ERA and a 3.86 WHIP. He has given up 4 hits and walked 5 batters in only 2 1/3 innings this season which is pathetic. With the way Joaquin Benoit is pitching in AAA, Ekstrom better start pitching better soon or he won’t be in the majors much longer.