Date: April 6, 2012

Bottom 2: Matt Joyce struck out swinging against C.C. Sabathia (6 pitches)

Bottom 4: Joyce struck out swinging against Sabathia (4 pitches)

Bottom 6: Joyce struck out swinging against Sabathia (5 pitches)

Bottom 8: Called out on strikes against David Robertson (5 pitches)

Final Line: 0-for-4, 4 K 

RE24: -1.1

WPA: -0.222

Notes: Clearly an off night for Joyce, who batted ninth in Joe Maddon’s ever-changing lineup mash-up. Okay, so he can’t really hit left-handers. But that doesn’t explain why Jeff Keppinger hit cleanup.

Total 2012 Sombreros: 3

#1 Matt Moore

Tampa Bay Rays

DOB: 6/18/1989

Previous Rank: 31

ETA: 2011

It’s almost impossible to earn a ranking ahead of Bryce Harper, but philosophically we consider a pitcher with present ace stuff and Major League opportunity to be more valuable than even a likely Hall of Fame hitter.  Moore made considerable steps forward in 2011 in the command department and catapulted himself forward into becoming the top pitching prospect in the game.  He then went on to make three appearances during Tampa’s stretch into the postseason before tossing seven innings of two-hit baseball to open the Division Series in Arlington.  Pretty impressive for a 22-year-old.

Moore is 6-foot-2 with extremely clean and effortless mechanics.  His body projects, but honestly, what do we need to project here?  Moore is the easiest 70 fastball guy in baseball.  His secondary stuff and command are top shelf, and his makeup is championship caliber.  His fastball reaches 97 mph.  His breaker is a deadly downer that consistently receives double-plus grades.  His changeup is an easy plus pitch with double-plus potential.  His slider is new and rarely used, but it is also plus.  Stephen Strasburg didn’t even have four plus pitches as a 22-year-old, and he isn’t a lefty.

Matt Moore will challenge for a Cy Young as soon as he is given slack on the leash to grab 100 pitches per start and 32 or so starts per season.  There is not a pitcher in the game today I would rather have signed long-term than Matt Moore.  Not Gerrit Cole.  Not Tim Lincecum.  Not Strasburg.  Not Justin Verlander.  Not Clayton Kershaw.  Matt Moore will be the American League’s best pitcher sooner rather than later.

#40 Hak-Ju Lee

Tampa Bay Rays

DOB: 11/4/1990

Previous Rank: N/R

ETA: 2013

Lee was signed as an 18-year-old out of South Korea and was sent to Tampa from the Cubs in the Matt Garza deal.  He likely will prove to be the most valuable chip that was traded in that deal except for maybe Garza himself.  Lee is an exceptional fielder, arguably the best shortstop in the Minors today in terms of what he is capable of in the field.  He has phenomenal range and a plus arm with outstanding instincts and feel for the position.  His bat is behind and he will never provide the thump to be the consistent all-star that some other shortstop prospects likely will.

Lee is going to approach a .300 average in at least a season or two.  In 2011 across two stops including 100 at-bats in the Southern League with Montgomery, Lee posted a .292/.365/.416 slash line with 33 swipes and 37 XBH’s.  He will probably never approach a 20-bomb Major League season, but he runs well and can stretch for a handful of extra bags each year beyond a replacement level guy.

We expect Lee to begin 2012 as a 21-year-old shortstop in Double-A with a chance to reach the Show later in the season or open the 2013 season as the starter at Tropicana.  If we’ve learned anything, though, it’s that Tampa is more than willing to be aggressive with promotions especially in years in which they are in contention.  We expect Tampa to be very competitive in 2012 too.

Tampa Bay Rays:

Matt Moore 1-0, 9.1 IP, 14.46 K/9, 2.89 ERA, 2.17 FIP, 1.85 xFIP, 0.4 fWAR

Sean Rodriguez, SS

B.J. Upton, CF

Evan Longoria, 3B

Ben Zobrist, 2B

Johnny Damon, DH

Kelly Shoppach, C

Casey Kotchman, 1B

Desmond Jennings, LF

Matt Joyce, RF

Texas Rangers:

C.J. Wilson: 16-7, 223.1 IP, 8.30 K/9, 3.60 ERA, 3.68 FIP, 3.79 xFIP, 5.9 fWAR

Ian Kinsler, 2B

Elvis Andrus, SS

Josh Hamilton, CF

Michael Young, 1B

Adrian Beltre, 3B

Mike Napoli, C

Nelson Cruz, RF

Yorvit Torrealba, DH

Craig Gentry, LF

As a ballplayer, there are certain moments shared with teammates that seem to outlive any play, game, or season.

While hitting a go-ahead or walk-off bomb is an incredible, personal accomplishment, it’s the ensuing reaction of your teammates that makes it so memorable.  There are always those one or two guys – your closest buddies on the team – who are especially excited for you, just as you’d be for them.  Perhaps excited isn’t even the right word.  Rather, they’re proud of you.

Those emotions were transparent last night following Matt Joyce’s go-ahead, three-run shot, as he navigated the Rays’ dugout through a sea of high-fives and hugs.  Waiting for him at the end of the line was his good buddy and teammate since 2009, Reid Brignac, who greeted him in a manner that screamed, “Dude, I knew you could do it.”