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Rays Winter Leagues Recap: Alex Colome Rolls for Escogido

By Robbie Knopf

Nov 17, 2014

Of all the Tampa Bay Rays prospects in Winter Ball, the one for whom it is important could be Alex Colome. Colome is all but assured of a 25-man roster spot because he is now out-of-options, but it has yet to be determined whether he will be the Rays’ fifth starter or a long reliever. As Colome hopes to start games, his biggest concern is innings. His 120.2 innings this year were his most since 2011, and he needs more than that to prove that he can handle a starter’s workload if need be. Colome is pitching for the Leones del Escogido hoping to build up those innings and convince the Rays that they don’t need to sign another Erik Bedard type to man the fifth spot.

Dominican Winter League: Leones del Escogido 8, Tigres del Licey 2

Alex Colome’s first start for the Leones was a train wreck as he allowed 5 runs in just 1.1 innings. His second outing was more in line with expectations. Colome went 4.2 innings allowing no runs on 4 hits, striking out 6 while walking 2. Winter Ball stats only mean so much, but these are hitters that Colome should be dominating, and hopefully this is the start of him doing just that.

Colome squarely out-pitched Ramon Ortiz, who allowed 6 runs in 3.2 innings for Licey. Jose Ruiz had both RBIs for Licey in their loss.

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Aguilas Cibaenas 6, Gigantes del Cibao 3

Manny Ramirez still has something. He had a huge game for Cibaenas in this one, going 2 for 5 with 2 doubles and 4 RBI. He now has a .269/.380/.479 line in 79 plate appearances. The odds are certainly that the Rays will be Ramirez’s last major league team, but he’s going to keep trying. To his credit, he isn’t embarrassing himself out there.

Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League: Gigantes de Carolina 4, Senadores de San Juan 1

The Gigantes are amusing because they have one former Rays draft pick, one former Rays minor leaguer, and one current Rays prospect. The draft pick, Danny Dorn, went 2 for 3 with a walk. Dorn, currently with the Arizona Diamondbacks, has a .341/.417/.488 line in 11 games for Carolina.

Jesus Feliciano, meanwhile, went 2 for 3 with a walk, a stolen base, and 2 runs scored. The 2012 Durham Bulls were the last affiliated team that Feliciano played for, but you wouldn’t know that from his RCPBL stats. He has a .417/.456/.604 line with 14 RBI in 13 games.

Finally, Cameron Seitzer had a strong game, going 1 for 3 with a walk, a double, and an RBI. Seitzer now has a 4-game hitting streak going, albeit with exactly 1 hit in each game. Seitzer has a .238/.360/.381 line in 12 games as he hopes to entice someone to take him in the Rule 5 Draft.

Venezuelan Winter League: Tiburones de La Guaira 8, Leones del Caracas 1

This game wasn’t close, but all of the current and former Rays prospects involved made it amusing. For La Guaira, Cesar Suarez went 1 for 3 with a homer, a walk, 3 RBI, and 2 runs scored while Miguel Rojas went 2 for 4 with a double, 2 RBI, and a run scored. Ryan Reid also tossed a perfect inning of relief. For Caracas, Henry Rodriguez went 2 for 4 while Daniel Mayora went 0 for 3 with a walk.

Rojas and Rodriguez were teammates on the 2007 Venezuelan Summer League Devil Rays/Reds and are two of the three players on the team to make the major leagues. The other is Wilking Rodriguez, who finally made it this year for the Kansas City Royals.