Davis hit often in ugly loss

Posted Mar 21, 2010 by Roger Mooney

Updated Mar 21, 2010 at 05:26 PM

ROGER MOONEY

FORT MYERS With Rays manager Joe Maddon telling reporters Sunday morning in Bradenton that he could make a decision on the fifth spot in the rotation as early as this week, Wade Davis did not exactly turn in a performance that would dispel any fears that he’s ready to start the season.

Davis, competing with Andy Sonnanstine for the final spot in the rotation, lasted two innings against the Twins. He gave up nine hits and seven runs (five earned) in the Rays 12-3 loss.

“It wasn’t very good,” Rays bench coach Dave Martinez, who ran the split-squad, said of the game in general.

Martinez could also have been talking about Davis, who has pitched past the second inning only once in his four outings.

Davis retired the first batter he faced, walked the next and allowed six straight hits.

Afterwards, Davis said he’s going through the “dead arm” period that all pitchers experience about this time of the spring.

He also said he was too slow to adjust from throwing his four-seam fastball to his two-seamer.

The four-seamer, which he couldn’t get down in the strike zone, was hit often during the first inning. The two-seamer produced more ground balls.

Davis said that is the one thing he learned from the outing.

“Just little stuff,” he said. “Missed up in the zone a little bit. I kept pitching to contact and a couple of them found some holes. That’s how this game works. I learned a lot.”

Martinez said he talked with Davis about that in the dugout after Davis finished the second inning and was glad to see Davis realized his mistake.

“When something like that happens, you stay with what works,” Martinez said.

Davis is still a rookie with all of six big league starts on his resume, so he is still in the learning process.

He has a 10.24 ERA in four outings this month. He’s looked sharp just once, and that was when he allowed three hits and struck out five against the Red Sox in his previous start.

Sonnanstine, whose start against the Pirates on Sunday in Bradenton was rained out, is 0-0 with a 2.00 ERA in three appearances. The right-hander who won 13 games for the Rays in 2008 but lost his spot in the rotation last summer, might be headed to the bullpen in the wake of the injury to J.P. Howell. That’s why Maddon wants to make the decision regarding the fifth starter as soon as possible. Maddon wants the fifth starter to prepare for the start of the season, and he wants the pitcher heading to the bullpen to adjust to the role as a reliever.

When asked after Sunday’s start about being the fifth starter, Davis said, “I’m going to win as many ball games as I can this year, wherever. Hopefully It’s in the big leagues. I don’t know if (Sunday) mattered or not. It always (stinks) when you don’t throw well. I’m confident in myself. I made some good pitches today. I’m definitely planning on having a good season.”