The Rays recently signed right-handed reliever Hunter Strickland to a minor league contract with an invitation to major league spring training, per Danny Russell of DRaysBay (h/t: Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times).
Strickland has already appeared in the majors with four teams – the Giants, Mariners, Nationals and Mets – since his 2014 debut. He was a tremendous part of the Giants’ bullpen from 2014-17, during which he combined for 180 2/3 innings of 2.64 ERA/3.58 SIERA pitching, posted a 23.7 percent strikeout rate against a 7.9 percent walk rate, and averaged 96.5 mph on his fastball.
While Strickland looked like a high-end reliever earlier in his career, he was not nearly as effective in the previous three seasons. His fastball velocity has largely remained intact, but offenses tattooed him in 2019, when he put together career worsts in ERA (5.55) and strikeout percentage (17.1) over 24 1/3 innings between the Mariners and Nationals. The 32-year-old inked a minors deal with the Mets before last season, but he threw just 3 1/3 frames and couldn’t consistently stay on their roster during the campaign.
He’s won two World Series’ with two teams that he either pitched quiet poorly with (6 HRs in the 2014 playoffs with the Giants) or not all with (pitched in 2 games in the 2019 playoffs for the Nationals). Overall, he’s allowed 9 HRs in 13 career postseason innings for a very questionable 7.62 ERA.
But has a career FIP in the higher 3’s.
And they will turn him into Don Drysdale.
Trade Nick Anderson for more middle infield prospects and give Strickland the closer role. Everyone laughs and says you’re cheap. Then watch him get 50 saves with a sub-2 ERA, trade him at the end of the year, sign another guy, repeat. Proven formula.
I will gladly purchase some of those Nick Anderson shares if they are for sale
Signed
31 other teams
Who is team 30 and 31?
Touché Bbites….my minds still stuck on football !
Make DeShaun happen Raiders !
A couple of teams double dipping
Long Island Ducks
No. There will be no trade of Nick Anderson.
Middle infield prospects? Lol you aren’t paying attn, or this is a joke. Rays have three top 100 middle infield, switch-hitting prospects. Three in the top 100. And there are other solid prospects.
Franco, Brujan, Edwards. Keep up.
I guess I would have just assumed that they had a bunch of good infield prospects, uh.
But I don’t think the OP meant to be taken literally. Strickland will be a free agent at the end of the year, for example.
Rather, he was paying the Ray’s a compliment.
Ya know. How they’ve the Midas touch with pitchers, or how they continually turn sow’s ears into silk purses, or poop into Tootsie Rolls.
No reason to get feisty.
@Sideline Redwine I thought the sarcasm was implied, but apparently it wasn’t clear enough 🙂
Although the Rays always manage to turn 1 scrapped pitcher into a top reliever each season, the ‘trading for more middle infield prospects’ part was 100% sarcastic. Although there is still no rule saying you have to have a left and right fielder and not an extra shortstop and second baseman. Kiermaier will figure out the outfield on his own 🙂
Probably will win the Rolaids award this year.
He’ll have Ray fans taking a record number of Rolaids, that’s for sure. One of my all-time least favorite players.
I’ll always associate him with absolutely drilling Bryce Harper, who took that shot like a man. 97, wasn’t it? That ish had to hurt.
Head Hunter Strickland
@Halos, Harper “…took that shot like a man?” Now, make no mistake, I am not a Hunter Strickland fan and was happy when the Giants got rid of him. But Harper (who did get drilled on purpose by Strickland) didn’t take it like a man. He took it like a little boy, charging the mound and riling up a bench clearing brawl. IMO, bench clearing brawls should be banned and if Bryce was a “real” man, he would’ve trotted to first without even looking at Strickland. Would’ve pissed off Strickland more, which would’ve been fine.
Okay, how’s about we try that on you and we’ll check your “real man” score? (Full disclosure, I’m a Giants fan who’s embarrassed by how Oracle Park sounds like it’s full of stood-up prom dates whenever Harper comes to bat. Get over your broken heart and move on, he signed with another team.)
Like a man? He tried to get out of the way and then came after Strickland just to get pummeled in the face, meanwhile the only shots he landed were like a 3 year old girl hitting a grown man
Mets didnt even give him a chance, gave more chances to the relievers that always blow games for us, pathetic
He looked like a world beater in those early years with the giants. Its crazy how quick you can fall off the map in the mlb.
Especially with relievers.
It goes both ways too, you have guys like him who look lights out and then they fall off the face of the earth and then you have guys like Kirby Yates who get plucked off waivers and then become elite closers.
You can get back on the map too… remember Verlander’s struggles a bit at the end of his Tigers’ days? Lackey? Daniel Bard?
Strickland Propane, and he’s even like Buck.
We sell propane and propane accessories
They really need to bring that show back.
Luanne and Lucky have sadly left us but they might be able to make it work.
Tampa’s newest reclamation project.
At least this Hunter doesn’t come with a soaking wet mullet……. Did Wood have a ritual of showering in the 5th inn Tb fans? Or did he just use Valvoline motor oil in his hair?
Another pitcher who’s ERA went up when the baseballs started getting juiced. Hmmmm…
How long before he ends up on the DL for punching something?
“Hunter Strickland was placed on the 15 day IL after injuring his hand punching one of the Rays in the touch tank. Strickland said the Ray was crowding the plate…”
A truly negative individual. His own catcher didn’t even try to stop Harper from charging him. Tells you something about how his teammates feel about him. Dude beaned Harper to get revenge for Bryce completely owning him (3 YEARS EARLIER!!). Baseball is better without people like this.
Worst of luck to you, Hunter.
Just watch the Rays turn him around along with his issues. The Rays way.
Buster doesn’t get into fights. Look back at any brawl that ever happened with him on the field
The Mets didn’t give him much of a chance. bad first outing, and then not so bad. Short season, shorter leash. Panicked moves down and out. Hope the Rays see the old Hunter. He could be a find.
He saved Seattle’s first two games which were played in Japan in late March 2019. In his next game he strained his lat pitching against Boston and has been trying to come back ever since.
This is a minor league deal and we’ll see what the Rays can do with him. I’m more curious to see if they fix Archer.
Strickland reminds me of Dibble and Rocker. Early success undermined by their severe emotional issues.
Just keep him off the New York subway and he should be fine
If any team can bring out what he is most capable of, at this point in career, it is this team.
This dude’s spin rate is insane!
Why? This guy is trash.