Times wires
Monday, July 18, 2011
Cubs 6, Phillies 1
CHICAGO — Aramis Ramirez and former Ray Carlos Peña homered to back a dominant start by Rodrigo Lopez, and Chicago beat Philadelphia on a night when Phillies ace Roy Halladay left the game because of the heat. Halladay doubled over and was visited by a trainer after Starlin Castro led off the fifth inning with a single.
Times wires
Monday, July 18, 2011
White Sox 5, Royals 2
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Mark Buerhle pitched seven innings in another impressive start, and Chicago capitalized on an error by Kansas City shortstop Alcides Escobar. Buehrle hasn't allowed more than three earned runs in 14 starts since April 22, though the veteran left-hander won for the first time since June 9. Buehrle threw 111 pitches in 95 degree temperatures.
By John Romano, Times Sports Columnist
Monday, July 18, 2011
ST. PETERSBURG
You like him. I understand that.
You like the fastball, and you especially like the curve. You like the poise, and you like the spunk. Really, how could you not like Alex Cobb after watching him take on the Yankees in a monumental-for-July game Monday night?
The problem is, what do the Rays do with Cobb today?
On the one hand, they have a 23-year-old who clearly has earned a chance to pitch in the big leagues. On the other hand, they have two All-Stars and one rookie of the year candidate already in the rotation. And the other two starters are actually the hot ones.
That doesn't leave a lot of space for a right-hander who has dominated at Triple A and has looked increasingly impressive with each big-league appearance.
For the record, Cobb was close to marvelous Monday night. The final line won't blow you away — six innings, three hits, one earned run — but the circumstances were unique.
All he was asked to do was stop his team from falling farther out of the pennant race, while pitching against one of the top lineups in baseball, and making sure he went deep enough to rescue an exhausted bullpen. That's all.
Throw in another Tropicana Field moment for ESPN — a lightning strike knocked out some lights and caused an 18-minute delay with two men on and a full count on All-Star second baseman Robinson Cano — and you have to admit the kid has guts.
He came out of the dugout after the delay and got Cano to bounce out harmlessly to second base to preserve Tampa Bay's lead before a bullpen meltdown a few innings later.
In all, Cobb faced 25 New York hitters and allowed only three balls out of the infield. Were it not for an error, a couple of stolen bases and one walk too many, he could have exited the game with a shutout intact.
So, yeah, it's looking more and more like Cobb is the real deal.
His numbers have gotten better at every minor-league stop, including this season at Durham, where he is 5-1 with a 1.87 ERA.
He's got the stuff. He's getting the command. And he has flashed the attitude.
All he needs is a job opening.
So what would you do?
The Rays are obviously not going to mess with James Shields, David Price or Jeremy Hellickson. That leaves Wade Davis, Jeff Niemann and Cobb competing for two spots.
Davis was 3-1 with a 3.19 ERA in his last five starts before going on the DL. Niemann is 3-0 with a 2.08 in his past five starts since coming off the DL. And Cobb is 2-0 with a 2.65 ERA in five starts since his second callup May 31.
The simple solution is using one of those starters to help out a beleaguered bullpen. But that ain't going to happen.
You might think Niemann actually has potential as a closer, and you might recall all the baserunners Davis has allowed in recent starts, but the Rays place far too much value on their starting pitchers to mess with their arms or psyches in the middle of a season.
Same goes for Cobb.
This is not the same situation as Price in 2008. He was in his first season of pro ball, and the Rays were already trying to limit his innings when they put him in the bullpen. And they had no intention of him starting any more games after September.
In this case, the Rays do not want to take Cobb out of his rhythm. If another starter ends up on the disabled list — or Hellickson begins to fatigue in his first full season in the majors— Cobb could be making extremely valuable starts in September.
Cobb will probably get another start on Saturday in Kansas City — Davis says he is ready to come of the DL, but manager Joe Maddon said it is unlikely he will be activated by then — but there's a good chance he'll return to Durham afterward.
The one unknown is whether the Rays find a trading partner before July 31. All of Tampa Bay's starters are under the team's contractual control for years to come, but the Rays eventually have to make room for Cobb — and later Matt Moore — in the rotation.
You could argue that the Rays can not afford to let any more games slip away. They are dangerously close to slipping out of contention already. But a converted starter in the bullpen is not going to be the difference between third place and the wild card.
The Rays need another bat. They need an experienced reliever. And they need to protect their future when it comes to the starting rotation.
You like Alex Cobb today.
And the Rays need to make sure you still like him in the future.
By John Romano, Times Sports Columnist
Monday, July 18, 2011
ST. PETERSBURG
A bunt single. A stolen base. An error and a fielder's choice, and a runner crosses the plate without the ball ever reaching the outfield.
This is how an underdog survives.
A walk, and another stolen base. A groundout to the right side, a hitter beating out an infield single, and another run scores without the ball leaving the infield.
This is how a scrappy team excels.
The problem is the team playing small ball Monday night was the one that leads the American League in home runs. And the team that manufactured runs the old-fashioned way was the one that has the $207 million payroll.
In other words, the Yankees beat the Rays at what is supposedly their own game. And that's not an encouraging sign for Tampa Bay going forward.
In their past six games, the Rays have lost five times to the payroll-enhancing big boys in New York and Boston. And hardly any of the losses have been knockouts.
The Rays have lost 5-4, 1-0, 1-0 and 5-4 in that span. For all the talk of the Yankees buying themselves the best bats in the game, they still manage to play smart baseball when the situation calls for it, including the tying run scoring when a double play was broken up Monday night.
"One of the things Joe (Maddon) talked about to start the second half was exactly that," leftfielder Sam Fuld said. "We need to do a better job of playing small ball and doing the little things because we can't rely on hitting a three-run homer.
"We can't do that, and we're not going to beat teams like that. We have to win games 3-2 on most nights if we're going to have a chance."
It should come as no surprise that Tampa Bay is in the middle of the pack in the American League in most offensive categories. It is simply the way the team is constructed.
The team has invested much of its resources in starting pitching and defense because that's the best way to make up the payroll difference with Boston and New York.
This is why the bottom third of the batting order is almost comically inept on most nights. Using a combination of on-base percentage and slugging percentage as a guide, the Rays are 11th, 11th and 14th in the AL in production in the seventh, eighth and ninth spots.
So, yes, the idea that Tampa Bay had the most futile five-hour offensive performance in major-league history Sunday night — three singles and one walk in 16 innings against the Red Sox was the worst showing of a game of that length in the past century or so — is only mildly disturbing.
The bigger issue is the Rays do not compensate for their shortcomings with any kind of savvy at the plate or on the bases.
They strike out far too much, they walk too infrequently, and they get thrown out stealing bases more than any team in the AL. Too many innings end after a half-dozen pitches, and too many scoring opportunities disappear needlessly.
"I did make a plea recently with them to do a better job with two strikes. That was my biggest concern that we have a better two-strike approach or plan, which is more of a small-ball methodology," Maddon said. "If you're not going to hit for a high average, at least move the ball. If you're not going to drive in points or drive the ball out of the ballpark, at least move the ball.
"You can't do anything positive with a strikeout."
In case you're wondering, the Rays struck out nine times Monday. The night before was 13. The night before that it was 10.
And, please, do not whine about the hitting coach. These are major-league players. If they can't figure out how to come to the plate with a game plan at this point, chances are they're never going to learn.
"Offensively we've talked about it. That's where we need to pick it up," Evan Longoria said. "As an offensive player, I accept that and I understand that."
Yes, this team needs offensive help to be playing meaningful games in September. Maybe that help comes in a trade, but the odds of adding to this roster grow more dim with every loss.
So the hitters need to look at themselves. Not everyone in this lineup is capable of hitting .300 or bashing 20 homers, but they can at least give themselves a better chance of scoring runs with a more thoughtful approach.
"A lot of that is mental. What are you trying to do here? What are you looking for, what are you expecting the pitcher to throw?" Maddon said. "It's not about my hands, my feet, my head, and all of that crap. It's what am I thinking? So I've challenged them to think on a more professional level."
By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Monday, July 18, 2011
ST. PETERSBURG — Alex Torres didn't expect to be in the big leagues Monday, much less on the mound in the ninth inning with the game on the line against the Yankees.
But that was exactly what happened, as part of the fallout from Sunday's marathon, and it didn't turn out well as he walked in the decisive run in the Rays' 5-4 loss.
The loss dropped the Rays to 50-44, and a season-high eight games behind the division leading Red Sox and 6½ behind the wild-card leading Yankees.
Making it worse was that the Rays blew a 4-1 second-inning lead.
Torres was called up to provide a fresh arm for the weary bullpen, but Rays manager Joe Maddon went through his three available relievers and had to turn to Torres, 23, in the ninth.
The Yankees, who had tied it with two in the eighth, took advantage before a crowd of 22,471 at Tropicana Field.
Curtis Granderson singled, then Mark Teixeira struck out and Robinson Cano grounded out. Maddon then had Nick Swisher intentionally walked, and Torres followed by walking Andruw Jones on five pitches to load the bases.
Torres threw strike one to Russell Martin, then two balls. A foul ball evened the count, but Torres threw ball three and, after Martin fouled off another, ball four to force in the run.
The game didn't have quite the zaniness of the Sunday night/Monday morning marathon, but it had its moments. Specifically, an 18-minute delay during the top of the fifth inning because a bank of lights along the first-base line went out after lightning struck a power line from a substation near Tropicana Field.
Alex Cobb gave the Rays a heads-up effort on the mound, especially since his start was in question after he was struck in the head by a ball Friday during batting practice at Triple-A Durham. Cobb, 23, went six innings in his sixth start during his third stint with the Rays this season, allowing only two runs, one earned, on three hits, walking four and striking out three and lowering his ERA to 3.09.
The Yankees took advantage of a Sean Rodriguez error and the Rays' inability to turn a double play on Cano's grounder to take a 1-0 first-inning lead.
But the Rays, blanked over 16 innings and held to just three hits the night before, came back with a relative explosion, scoring three runs in their first.
Johnny Damon, who said he didn't get to sleep until around 4:30 a.m. thinking about the tough loss, got them started with a walk and Ben Zobrist followed with a single to right. Evan Longoria, whose struggles have been considered a major part of the Rays' offensive woes, ripped the first pitch from A.J. Burnett into the left-centerfield gap for a two-run double. A B.J. Upton double play later, Longoria scored when Burnett muffed the throw to first on Rodriguez's grounder.
The Rays made it 4-1 in the second when catcher Robinson Chirinos, making his big-league debut as a replacement for Jose Lobaton, who was replacing John Jaso, doubled on the first pitch he saw. Two strikeouts and two walks later, he scored on Casey Kotchman's infield single.
Marc Topkin can be reached at topkin@sptimes.com.
By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Monday, July 18, 2011
Rays vs. Yankees
When/where: 7:10 tonight; Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg
TV/radio: Sun Sports, Bay News 9 en Español; 620-AM, 680-AM (Spanish)
Starting pitchers
Rays:
RH Jeremy Hellickson (8-7, 3.21)
Yankees:
RH Bartolo Colon (6-5, 3.47)
Tickets: $17-$275 at box office, Ticketmaster, raysbaseball.com, team store in Tampa.
Watch for …
Long time coming: Hellickson is coming off a career-long 15-day layoff between starts as the Rays try to manage his innings. He is 3-1 with a 1.82 ERA when starting on six-plus days rest. This will be his first career start against New York, having faced them twice in relief (1-0, 4.91 ERA).
Bounce back: Colon is coming off a rough outing in which he allowed eight runs (though just three earned) while getting two outs in Toronto. He is 9-3 with a 3.84 ERA in 19 career starts against Tampa Bay.
Key matchups
Rays vs. Colon
J. Damon 20-for-54, 2 HRs
Ben Zobrist 3-for-5, HR
B.J. Upton 4-for-14
Yankees vs. Hellickson
Robinson Cano 1-for-2
Mark Teixeira 1-for-2
Derek Jeter 1-for-2
On deck
Wednesday: vs. Yankees, 7:10, Sun Sports. Rays — David Price (9-7, 3.73); Yankees — Freddy Garcia (7-7, 3.43)
Speech of the day
In honor of ALS Awareness Day (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease), Rays radio play-by-play man Andy Freed read Gehrig's legendary speech before Monday's game, including the line, "Today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth."
Comparison of the day
Manager Joe Maddon has often compared RHP Alex Cobb, left, to fellow Rays rookie RHP Jeremy Hellickson, talking about their demeanor, poise and pitching ability. Hellickson sees the similarities but points out one difference he likes: He's six months older. "I've pretty much been the youngest player on every level," he said, smiling. "So it's nice to have someone a little younger than me here."
Outage of the day
The game was delayed for 18 minutes in the top of the fifth when lightning struck a branch line to a substation of the Trop, causing a bank of lights to go dark. The scoreboard also flickered, and both teams went to their dugouts.
Times wires
Monday, July 18, 2011
Indians 6, Twins 3
Game 2
MINNEAPOLIS — Lou Marson hit a tiebreaking solo homer in the seventh inning and Cleveland completed a doubleheader sweep. Marson also doubled and scored in the fifth against Scott Diamond, who turned in a decent major-league debut for the Twins but took the defeat.
Times wires
Monday, July 18, 2011
Braves 7, Rockies 4
DENVER — Freddie Freeman homered and drove in three runs and right-hander Derek Lowe handcuffed Colorado for 61/3 innings to lead Atlanta. Lowe's grounder to third in the second resulted in a two-run error on first baseman Todd Helton, who lost the throw in the sun, and ignited the Braves' fifth win in five tries over the Rockies this month.
Times wires
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
D'backs 3, Brewers 0
PHOENIX — Josh Collmenter pitched eight three-hit innings for his first win in six weeks for Arizona, which won the opener of the four-game series. The right-hander retired 21 of his last 22 batters in the longest outing of his rookie season. Yuniesky Betancourt reached on a bunt single leading off the sixth for Milwaukee's only hit during the stretch. Collmenter struck out a career-best seven while running his scoreless streak to 14 innings, all against the Brewers over his past two starts. Ryan Roberts homered for the second straight day.
Times wires
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Pirates 2, Reds 0
PITTSBURGH — Charlie Morton pitched five shutout innings and Pittsburgh moved into first place in the crowded NL Central. The Pirates kicked off an important two-week stretch by shutting down Cincinnati after Morton extricated himself from a bases-loaded jam in the first inning following a lengthy rain delay to win for the first time since June 15. Pittsburgh moved a half-game ahead of Milwaukee.
Times wires
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Giants 5, Dodgers 0
SAN FRANCISCO — Ryan Vogelsong pitched into the seventh inning and combined with two relievers on a seven-hitter, leading the Giants. Pablo Sandoval homered for San Francisco, which has won eight of 10. Nate Schierholtz added two hits and an RBI, continuing his torrid pace set after manager Bruce Bochy moved him to cleanup last week. Cody Ross' two-run double in the sixth helped break it open.
By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Lightning captain Vinny Lecavalier doesn't claim to know all the ins and outs of what is going on in the protracted contract negotiations between the team and Steven Stamkos.
But he does know this:
"I know Stammer wants to be part of the Lightning."
Besides, he added, "We're two months from training camp, so I'm not worried at all."
If anyone has a relevant perspective on how negotiations can go, it is Lecavalier, who in 2001 did not sign a new contract coming out of his entry-level deal until the night before Tampa Bay's Oct. 5 season opener.
Lecavalier is not saying his teammate's negotiations will drag on that long, just that it is too early to be sounding the alarms that are clanging among fans and in the blogosphere.
"There are so many little things, the structure of the contract, it really is one step at a time," Lecavalier said last week by phone from his Montreal home. "It's not something you do overnight. If they're talking, things are going well. That's what people have to think about."
And they are talking.
"Still working on it," Stamkos' agent, Don Meehan, wrote in an e-mail.
Added Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman: "Both parties have bargained in good faith with the intention of reaching an agreement. We talk on a regular basis, and I'm encouraged."
There are plenty of similarities between the Stamkos and Lecavalier situations.
Both are former No. 1 overall draft picks; Lecavalier in 1998, Stamkos in 2008. Lecavalier was 21 and believed to be a future franchise player, same as Stamkos. And Lecavalier could not get together with the team on money, same as Stamkos.
But Stamkos, who it is believed was offered a five-year contract with an average salary of $7.5 million coming out of his entry-level deal, has extra layers of considerations.
His 51 goals in 2009-10 tied for the league best, and his 96 goals the past two seasons are a league high. NBC analyst and former Whalers coach Pierre McGuire called him "one of the true wonders of the league."
Then again, he had only five goals in his last 28 regular-season games.
There also is the specter of a new collective bargaining agreement that will be negotiated after next season. Will the salary cap be lower? Will player salaries take a hit? Is it better to front load or back load the money in a contract?
Then there is this: the explosion of hockey-related Internet sites and social media.
Now, any rumor, even those without credence, gets an airing. And the lack of apparent movement in Stamkos' negotiations is fertile ground for speculation he is unhappy in Tampa (he is not) or is about to be traded (he isn't).
"Everybody is speculating," Lecavalier said. "Everybody is saying false rumors, so it gets the fans worried. But I don't think it should. There are a lot of things to talk about and make sure it's done the right way and both parties are happy."
Will Stamkos sign with the Lightning, Lecavalier was asked.
"I have no doubt."
Damian Cristodero can be reached at cristodero@sptimes.com.
By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
The NFL is planning for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to play the Chicago Bears at London's Wembley Stadium and is stepping up efforts to sell tickets, another sign the lockout is about to end.
The league has said unless there was a new collective bargaining agreement by Aug. 1, the game would be moved to Tampa. But on Tuesday, the NFL's United Kingdom office sent an e-mail to local fans suggesting an agreement is near and encouraging them to buy tickets to the Wembley game Oct. 23.
The e-mail, obtained by Pro Football Talk, said "Negotiating teams from the NFL owners and players will resume talks aimed at getting a new Collective Bargaining Agreement agreed, which would end the fourth-month labor dispute and guarantee a fifth consecutive International Series game at Wembley Stadium. NFL General Counsel Jeff Pash says. "The principals have done their jobs, the commissioner (Roger Goodell) and Mr. (DeMaurice) Smith, and the owners and players have done their work. Now it's up to us to get things properly documented, identify any remaining points that need to be cleared up and keep driving this process toward a conclusion.''
By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Earlier this summer, Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris said he and his coaches had cooked up a plan to install any new elements of their offensive and defensive schemes in as little as seven days.
But a provision in the new collective bargaining agreement might impact those intentions.
Somewhere in the volumes of rules and regulations that make up the CBA will be an agreement that no two-a-day practices will be conducted during training camp this season. Given the lack of an offseason because of the NFL's work stoppage, Morris and his staff surely were planning on taking advantage of some twice-per-day workouts to get caught up on installation that normally would have been done during offseason practices.
Now, the anticipated timeline might have to be altered yet again, putting further stress on coaches to get their teams ready. The offensive line will be particularly affected as it will have a new position coach, Pat Morris. He has not yet had the chance to work with any of the players he'll be coaching.
Under normal circumstances, coaches spend a great deal of the summertime installing offensive plays, defensive coverages and the like. Then, when training camp begins, only a small amount of installation remains. The rest of the time is spent going through repetitions of things already in the playbook.
Though this won't be an ideal situation, the Bucs do have a couple things working in their favor. They have Morris returning as the defensive coordinator for the second straight season and, for the third consecutive season, Greg Olson remains the offensive coordinator. That gives the Bucs the kind of consistency that teams who have undergone coaching changes can only dream about under the current difficult circumstances.
Look for the Bucs to take full advantage of the ability to have walkthroughs on days when they also have a conventional practice. Teams will be permitted to double up only if the second "practice" is a walkthrough in which players are not wearing helmets.
The Bucs also will likely spent more time in the meeting room, particularly after the four-month layoff.
By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
RHP Dane De La Rosa is the next pitcher to be called up by the Tampa Bay Rays to make his major-league debut.
De La Rosa, 28, will join the bullpen tonight. He is already on the 40-man roster - which is a factor in his promotion over others such as Lance Cormier - and was 4-3, 3.86 in 35 games for Triple-A Durham, striking out 50 and walking 21 in 46 2/3 innings.
De La Rosa is an interesting story, as we wrote about in spring training, having spent 2005, and 2007-09 in the independent leagues after initially giving up baseball to sell real estate in 2006.
De La Rosa will wear No. 49.
By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
The Tampa Bay Lightning have agreed to terms on a five-year deal with star center Steven Stamkos.
Stamkos, one of the league's top players, had been a restricted free agent. Though the protracted contract talks led to rampid speculation about offer sheets from other teams, both Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman and Stamkos had said they were optimistic they'd get a deal done before the season. It was believed the deal would be in the $7.5 million a year range, but no terms have been officially released so far.
"Steven is extremely important to this franchise and is part of the foundation of our hockey team," Yzerman said in a statement. "We are very pleased to have him signed and look forward to seeing him in a Lightning uniform for years to come."
Stamkos led the NHL with 96 goals over the past two seasons, including 45 goals and 91 points last year.
"I am excited we were able to reach an agreement today," Stamkos said in a statement. "This was obviously very important to me and I appreciate Mr. Vinik and Steve Yzerman for all their work in the transformation of the franchise as we move forward. There is no place I'd rather be than as a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning."
A native of Markham, Ontario, Stamkos made his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut in 2011, playing in all 18 games as the Lightning fell one game short of the Stanley Cup Final. He recorded six goals and 13 points in those games while averaging 19:43 in ice time. Stamkos notched three three-point games during the postseason, twice during the Eastern Conference Finals against Boston (Game 2 and Game 6, 1g-2a) and another in Game 5 of the quarterfinals against Pittsburgh (2g-1a). He was tied for third on the team during the playoffs for goals and shots on goal with 46.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, Stamkos has played in 243 career games with Tampa Bay, averaging nearly a point per game with 232 career points. He has also registered 119 career goals, 50 power-play goals and 14 game-winning goals. Stamkos won a share of the 2010 Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the NHL's leading goal-scorer with 51, making him the third-youngest player in NHL history to score 50 goals or more in a season. Stamkos is also the sixth player in NHL history to score 100 career goals before the age of 21.
By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
The Tampa Bay Lightning has agreed to terms on a five-year deal with star center Steven Stamkos, worth around $37.5 million.
The annual cap hit for Stamkos' deal will be $7.5 million, with the it breaking down as $8 million in each of the first four years and $5.5 in the final year.
Stamkos, 21, one of the league's top players, had been a restricted free agent. Though the protracted contract talks led to rampant speculation about offer sheets from other teams, both Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman and Stamkos had said they were optimistic they'd get a deal done before the season.
Stamkos' agent, Mark Guy, told the Times Tuesday that offer sheets from other teams "wasn't something that was ever explored." He said talks with the Lightning had been ongoing for the past month, and everything was verified and signed off on today.
"When you're dealing with a player that's this important to the franchise and has had as much success that he's had at such a young age, these things take time to work through," Guy said. "There are a lot of variables to work out, it was a good process for both sides. Steven is extremely excited and happy and grateful for Tampa, for Mr. Yzerman and Mr. Vinik, for the whole group. And he's excited to have it done...
"Steven's direction the entire time was to get a deal done with Tampa, and that's what Steve and that's what we were just working toward."
Yzerman, who was in Toronto Tuesday, said in a statement: "Steven is extremely important to this franchise and is part of the foundation of our hockey team. We are very pleased to have him signed and look forward to seeing him in a Lightning uniform for years to come."
Stamkos led the NHL with 96 goals over the past two seasons, including 45 goals and 91 points last year.
"I am excited we were able to reach an agreement today," Stamkos said in a statement. "This was obviously very important to me and I appreciate Mr. Vinik and Steve Yzerman for all their work in the transformation of the franchise as we move forward. There is no place I'd rather be than as a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning."
Stamkos made his Stanley Cup playoffs debut this year, playing in 18 games as the Lightning fell one game short of the Stanley Cup Final, losing to the Bruins in Game 7. He had six goals and 13 points in the postseason, including three, three-point games. The former No. 1 overall pick in 2008 has 119 career goals in 243 games, and won a share of the 2010 Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the league's leading scorer.
By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Star center Steven Stamkos knew all along he'd be staying with the Lightning, and said his new long-term deal - a five-year, $37.5 million pact officially announced Tuesday - was pretty much wrapped up a couple weeks ago.
But considering Stamkos, 21, is in his hockey-crazed hometown of Toronto for the summer, it was tough not to tune out all the wild, unfounded rumors spreading of the restricted free agent landing somewhere else. Stamkos, one of the game's top players, said he laughed out loud at the craziest, a text message from a friend that had a digitally enhanced photo of his face on the body of Toronto center Phil Kessel, asking if he was signing with the Leafs.
"It was comical at first, got a little annoying towards the end," Stamkos said of the rumors. "For me, it was about trying to get a deal done in Tampa. Because ultimately, that's was where I wanted to stay. I never thought about looking anywhere else."
That's why, even though both Stamkos and general manager Steve Yzerman acknowledged negotiations took longer than people expected, the All-Star said he "never lost sleep over it." And Yzerman never doubted he'd be able to pencil in Stamkos into his lineup this fall.
The Lightning locked up its franchise player at a cap hit of $7.5 million a season, with the contract breaking down to $8 million in each of the first four years, and 5.5 million the final season, when he has a no-move clause kick in. Stamkos, who has led the league with 96 goals the past two seasons, and helped take Tampa Bay to within one game of the Stanley Cup Final last year, said the five years was comfortable for both sides. And he gladly traded in his first year of unrestricted free agency for several chances to hoist the Stanley Cup.
"It keeps you motivated and keeps you wanting more," Stamkos said.
Stamkos wasn't aware of any offer sheets from other teams since the July 1st free agency period started, and agent Mark Guy said that "wasn't something ever explored. But Yzerman said the Lightning was prepared just in case it did happen, knowing how "extremely important" Stamkos was as "part of the foundation of the franchise."
Yzerman said while Stamkos is a humble and respectful, he's also very competitive, and the fact he asserted himself and brought out the best of himself in the team's biggest games, regular season and playoffs, impressed him the most.
Stamkos racked up 45 goals and 91 points last season, but said he learned a lot about himself in the postseason, when he improved other areas of his game, and played through pain, having taken a slap shot off the face in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final.
"Let's all keep in mind he's only 21, has played three years in the league," Yzerman said. "And the best years are in front of him."
Count captain Vinny Lecavalier as another one "excited" by the news.
"It's great for the team, the organization and the city of Tampa," Lecavalier wrote in a text message. "Now everybody can get focused for training camp."
TheLightning now has just over $20 million combined dedicated in cap space this season for Stamkos, Lecavalier and Marty St. Louis. But Yzerman said it's his philosophy that, with very good players, "you do your best to hold onto them," because they're so difficult to replace."
That also means, with the team's financial structure, Yzerman said they will have to look for value in other areas - "We don't have the luxury of having a third line of players making $2-$3 million dollars," he said.
With a roster pretty much set, other than wing Teddy Purcell's arbitration hearing set for today, and money allocated to re-sign key players like defensemann Eric Brewer, goalie Dwayne Roloson, it'll be up to the current young players and veterans to elevate their play for another playoff run.
That includes Stamkos, who thanked Yzerman and owner Jeff Vinik Tuesday for the transformation of the franchise, and, in signing, made a significant commmitment to taking them a step further.
Stamkos said, like in the Red Wings model, their great players "can probably make a lot more money somewhere else," but they really liked the team they have.
"That's the feeling we have in Tampa," Stamkos said. "Maybe year one ..(and) the success we had, we can build with the core bunch of players for a long time and, hopefully, win a Stanley Cup one day."
Joe Smith can be reached at joesmith@sptimes.com
By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Asked about criticism of Tropicana Field by ESPN broadcaster John Kruk and others, Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon joined the chorus, saying the Trop was "improper" for major-league baseball and needed to be replaced by a centrally located retractable-roof facility.
From Maddon:
"I don't think anybody is going to argue against the fact that we do need a new ballpark. Nobody is going to argue against that point. What it seems to be is this inability to get together regarding where it should be located.
"He's right. We do need a new ballpark. He's absolutely right. And he's right, this ballpark is improper for Major League Baseball. He's right. I can't deny that.
"You shouldn't play with all these obstructions, and all these caveats. Of course not. It's runs it's course. It was here for a moment. It served it's purpose. And now it's time to move on. Absolutely it is. And to deny that, everybody has just got their head in the sand, period.
"From my perspective, what I'm reading, it should be about location. And for me location should be where everybody benefits the most. I believe it's a regional assest, it's not a city asset. When you start looking at it as mine, and not everybody's, that's where things get skewed or not work out well.
Maddon said stadium would have to have a retractable roof, otherwise it would be "economical suicide." And though it seems obvious he was suggested the Tampa side of the bay for a location, Maddon said only that his preference was: "Where the most people could come with the least amount of resistance.''
By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
ST. PETERSBURG — Rays president Matt Silverman said the stadium situation has become a distraction that now affects the team on the field and damages the reputation of the Tampa Bay area, and he made their loudest plea yet for action, saying, "Clearly, something needs to be done."
Silverman's comments, and similar ones earlier Tuesday from manager Joe Maddon, followed the latest wave of criticism of Tropicana Field after consecutive nationally televised games were marred by quirky stadium issues — a broken light on the catwalk Sunday, a bank of lights going out Monday — with ESPN analyst John Kruk leading the chorus.
Maddon, when asked before Tuesday's game, said he agreed with Kruk, that the Trop was "improper" for major-league baseball and had "served its purpose," and it was absolutely "time to move on."
Silverman went further in a statement during the game, saying, "It's hard to combat the national media's depiction of our stadium. Our situation has become a distraction. It is affecting the clubhouse, and it spills over onto the field of play. It damages the national reputation of St. Pete and Tampa Bay, and it harms the Rays brand."
Maddon said a new stadium needed a retractable roof and should be centrally located in the Tampa Bay area. He took a thinly veiled shot at St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster for refusing to allow the team to consider sites outside the city and surrounding area, which has led to the current stalemate.
"I believe it's a regional asset, it's not a city asset," Maddon said. "When you start looking at it as 'mine,' and not 'everybody's,' that's where things get skewed or not work out well."
Foster told the Times in response that he considers the team a regional asset that needs to be supported area-wide, but his concern is to "protect the interests of the people who built the stadium" and indicated that with the Trop lease running through 2027, he wouldn't change his position on keeping the team within or adjacent to the city limits.
"They have 15 years left on their lease agreement … so yeah, I'm holding on pretty tightly," Foster said. "If they want to look at sites within Pinellas County, I'm all for that."
Maddon was finishing his daily pregame media session when he was asked about the critical comments by Kruk.
"He's right. We do need a new ballpark. He's absolutely right. And he's right, this ballpark is improper for major-league baseball," Maddon said. "You shouldn't play with all these obstructions, and all these caveats. Of course not. It's run its course. It was here for a moment. It served its purpose. And now it's time to move on. Absolutely it is. And to deny that, everybody has just got their head in the sand, period."
Maddon wouldn't say where he thought a new stadium should be built but made it clear it should be centrally located within the Tampa Bay area — "where the most people could come with the least amount of resistance."
That would seem in obvious opposition to Foster's position that the Rays can discuss sites only in St. Petersburg or the adjacent area.
"This is a great place to raise a family and for me it's a great place to have a major-league team — the Tampa Bay area," Maddon said. "So looking down the road I would hope that people have enough foresight to construct the new ballpark in the right place that maintains us here for many years, and permits us to build this (organization) into what we can. It's already pretty darn good — we could make it even better with the right facilities."
While principal owner Stuart Sternberg said last week he would consider an open-air stadium — they had proposed one in 2008 with a sail-like cover — Maddon said a new stadium would need a retractable roof.
"To do otherwise would be economic suicide — it's uncomfortable, the rain, the disruptions with the games, the disruptions with your work," Maddon said. "All that stuff would be counter-productive. If you're going to do it, do it right. Do it right, man."
Foster didn't dispute that the team was of value to the entire area.
"I agree it's a regional asset and it requires support from the entire region," Foster said. "As I said before, I am not the regional mayor. I am the mayor of the city of St. Petersburg and I will do whatever I can to protect the interests of the people who built the stadium.
"We absolutely need to work with the region. … I've always been one to look at the regional approach when it comes to attract fans to Tropicana Field. But the region didn't build Tropicana Field. It was the people of Pinellas County who built Tropicana Field. So right now I am only concerned with their interests and protecting their investments."
Times staff writer Luis Perez contributed to this report.
