Another day another W. The Rays are looking like last year's Brewers, a young hungry team that is learning that winning is a lot better than losing... With the starting pitching they have, they should be able to hang around in the AL East, maybe even sneak in and grab the pennant.
Sonnastine is a very good pitcher, I think he is our third best behind Kazmir and Shields. He is very underrated. He is also a great hitter. He is probably the best hitting pitcher in the luege now. I hope that he can play all of NL games so he can hit.
He's our 4th best. Edwin Jackson is ahead of him and Matt Garza is behind. Matt Garza is just too inconsitant. He really pitched terrible today. J.P. Howell also did not have a very good outing. Scott Kamir and James Shields are co-aces. Neither of them has the advantage over the other. Edwin Jackson is third. Andy Sonnanstine is 4th, and Garza is fifth do to inconsistancy. I wouldn't say that Andy Sonnanstine is the best hitting pitcher in the league after one game. He's certainly not the best in the bigs. Micah Owing for the Arizona Diamondbacks is head and shoulders above everyone else. I believe that the Rays have a very solid rotation. Plus, David Price will be called up later adding either another good arm to the bullpen or to the rotation. Jason Hammel, J.P. Howell, and David Price make up a nice younger part of the bullpen. Guys like Troy Percival and Al Reyes are near the end so it's nice to have young arms. Jeff Neiman is also a nice, young arm.
Andy Sonnanstine is a good pitcher but is benefiting somewhat going against the other teams number 5 guy.
I would take Sonnanstine over Jackson, he's much more consistant. And I don't think it matters who Andy has pitched against, he's still pitching gems that would turn in to wins no matter who he's matched up against.
Jackson's ERA is lower and only had those two bad games earlier in the year. Since then and the two starts before, he has been an elite pitcher in the American League. Edwin Jackson arguably has the best stuff in the Ray's rotation. Scott Kazmir and James Shields have great stuff, but Edwin's is just out of control. A sick slider, a 98 MPH fastball. The dude is unhittable when on. He's had two shut-outs in a row I believe that Troy Percival has blown.
Sorry for using full names, trying to get my rating up.
Jackson has a lower ERA but I would much rather have the more consistant pitcher which is Andy right now until Edwin can prove to me that he can bring his A game every game. You said Edwin is just "out of control" and that is true because a lot of times, he lacks control. I think if he could get consitant control then he would just be downright nasty. And his fastball tops out at 98MPH but I'd say he throws an average of 94ish more. There's really nobody I'd like to see succeed more than Edwin, and I think he has the stuff to. I'm just saying if I had to choose a pitcher right now, it would be Andy. Of course I'm sure any team would choose both of them if they could.
The thing with Andy Sonnanstine is tha if his stuff is just a little wild during a start, he can't pitch his way out because he doesn't have the stuff to do so. In his loss and I think two other ocations this year, He hasn't had his best control with his fastball and relies too much on that slider. When that happens, he is going to get destroyed. Edwin Jackson has been pretty consistant. He had those two great starts, then two bad ones, and since then, he's has pitched like an ace. Andy Sonnanstine is a great pitcher, like Greg Maddux, while Edwin Jackson is more of a thrower like Radny Johnson. Fastball, fastball, slider. Strike three.
If I had to chose, I'd take Edwin because I think they're even right now, but Edwin has way more upside to him. I think he could become the next Roger Clemens. Without dating 14 year olds and steroids.
i dont think its any big secret why Andy Sonnanstine is 6-1......he doesnt walk anyone...look at his walk totals...he throws strikes and lets his defense work for him....and when you have a defense as good as the Rays your going to work some quick innings pitching to contact....lets face it with gross in right that outfield is probably in the top 3 defensive outfields in the major leagues....
