ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Pitching has kept the Tampa Bay Rays afloat this season. So it seemed only fitting Sunday that the staff's two biggest success stories were rewarded with a place on the American League's 2012 All-Star Game roster.
David Price, bouncing back from a difficult 2011 campaign, earned his third consecutive All-Star nod. And Fernando Rodney, the Rays' colorful new closer, made the All-Star team for the first time in his career.
The pitching results – coming not from a vote of fans but fellow players– were revealed live on Sunday in a 1 p.m. broadcast on TBS, prior to Tampa Bay's 5-3 loss to the Detroit Tigers at Tropicana Field. The 83rd annual Midsummer Classic will be played Tuesday, July 10 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City and televised nationally by FOX.
This marks the third straight year that the Rays have had two pitchers on the AL All-Star staff (with the Rangers the only other team to do so). The only Tampa Bay player with more All-Star selections than Price is former Rays' left fielder Carl Crawford with four. Third baseman Evan Longoria also has three.
Price has been superb this season in compiling a mark of 11-4 with an ERA of 2.92. In 104.2 innings pitched, he's yielded 93 hits, struck out 97 and walked just 35. Along the way, the 26-year-old lefthander has rekindled memories of his spectacular 2010 season, when he finished 19-6 with a 2.72 ERA, placed second in the AL Cy Young Award balloting and earned his first All-Star spot.
"It definitely feels good, especially being (selected) by your peers, the players you play against and your teammates," he told reporters following the game. "That's a good feeling right there. … We've played exceptionally well whenever I've pitched. I've had hands-down the most Web Gems of any pitcher on our squad and we've played some good baseball and had some good hits. And that's why I'm here."
Price was named to the AL roster last year by manager Ron Washington, in spite of his struggles in a season that saw him finish 12-13 with a 3.49 ERA. But this year, his command has returned, along with an improved pitch selection, and Price has emerged as the bright spot in Tampa Bay's starting rotation.
He notched his AL-tops 11th victory Friday night by holding the Tigers to five hits in seven innings before leaving early as a precaution with back pain – a condition that has not given him any further problems the past few days. Price bested 2011 Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander in a 4-2 win.
And for the record, he boasts a record of 7-1 with a 2.24 ERA against former Cy Young Award winners in 11 career regular-season starts. The Rays are 10-1 in those games. Price also expressed happiness over Rodney's section.
"If he didn't make it, it would have been a huge mistake," he said. "So I was very happy to see him. The way he's thrown the ball for us this year – he's done everything and more. He's a great guy in the clubhouse and it's definitely an honor for him and he deserves it."
Rodney has been a welcome surprise for the Rays after signing as a free agent during the off-season. The 37-year-old righty has been lights out, saving 22 games in 23 opportunities while posting an ERA of 1.02. In 35.2 innings, he's allowed just 22 hits, one home run and five walks while striking out 35.
"I say thank you God for the opportunity on the new Tampa team and I say thank you to Joe (Maddon) for giving me the opportunity to be the closer this year," Rodney said.
His remarkable performance has allowed the Rays to fill the formidable void left by the elbow injury to last year's standout closer, Kyle Farnsworth. And it follows two less-than-memorable seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, with whom he totaled 14 saves in 21 chances and a 4.24 ERA in 2010 and three of seven saves with a 4.50 ERA in 2011.
But with the Rays, Rodney has regained the form he displayed with the Tigers, when he saved 37 of 38 games (though his ERA was considerably less dazzling at 4.40). He's now the oldest first-time All-Star in Rays' history.
"I'm happy," he said. "It's going to be something for all my family and all the fans who follow me. .. It's something sweet and something I'll never forget."
Rodney becomes the 12th different Rays player to make the All-Star team since 2008 (only the Boston Red Sox have had more with 16). He's the ninth player acquired through free agency, the draft or trade by Tampa Bay vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman to make his first All-Star game with the Rays.
Maddon says above-average fastball command has made the difference for both pitchers, adding that Rodney has a "devastating" changeup that fools batters as well.
As for Price, the Rays' skipper said the standout fastball was on display "the other day (against Detroit). He threw it wherever he wanted to with great velocity and movement. He's incorporated some other pitchers – the cutter, the change-up, the curveball, those are all complimentary to the fastball. But for me, watching from the side, I just think the fastball and fastball command has been the big part of what he's doing."
Both Price and Rodney were the last ones chosen on the players' ballot: Price got 158 votes behind Verlander (258) , Chris Sale of the White Sox (242), CC Sabathia (184) and Jered Weather (168). Rodney had 119 votes, following Baltimore's Jim Johnson (171) and Cleveland's Chris Perez (151).
"That's okay," he said. "I guess being fifth in the Miss America beauty pageant isn't so bad, either."
