Austin Burnett, Author at Baseball Essential

Tampa Bay’s Opportunity to Trade Longoria is Closing Quickly

Jan 21, 2016

American League East, Features, Opinions & Predictions, Tampa Bay Rays

Irrelevant preface: this is an exceptionally difficult article for me to write. My emotional investment in Tampa Bay Rays baseball over the years has precipitated elation as much as heartbreak, satisfaction ...

Examining the Rays in Arbitration

Austin Burnett

Nov 14, 2015

American League East, Features, Offseason, Opinions & Predictions, Tampa Bay Rays

Following an unremarkable 2015 season -- +3 wins from 2014, but my yearly expectations are lofty -- the Tampa Bay Rays boast one of Major League Baseball's largest arbitration classes. Based on projections done...

Matt Moore’s Demotion Will Pay Dividends for Tampa Bay

Austin Burnett

Aug 20, 2015

American League East, Features, Opinions & Predictions, Tampa Bay Rays

The long-awaited return of gifted left-handed starter Matt Moore from the laborious rehab of Tommy John surgery finally came to fruition early last month, much to the delight of the playoff-hopeful Tampa Bay Ra...

Rick Porcello’s Contract Now an Unrelenting Hindrance for the Red Sox

Austin Burnett

Jul 31, 2015

American League East, Boston Red Sox, Features, Opinions & Predictions

I can't imagine I was the only baseball fan perplexed at the details of the massive four-year contract extension given to Rick Porcello by the Boston Red Sox back on April 6. Boston now owes its top starter -- ...

Steven Souza and the Three True Outcomes

Austin Burnett

Jun 20, 2015

American League East, Features, Opinions & Predictions, Tampa Bay Rays

It's easy to cringe at Steven Souza's miserable strikeout rate of 33.1 percent and assume that the 26-year-old rookie has had immense difficulty transitioning to the major league level. By contrast, Souza's 14 ...

Just How Dominant Has Chris Archer Been in 2015?

Austin Burnett

Jun 2, 2015

American League East, Features, Opinions & Predictions, Tampa Bay Rays

Chris Archer's surgical decimation of the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday afternoon was remarkable in more ways than one. Archer dazzled over eight nearly flawless frames, allowing just two hits while walking non...

Brewers’ Will Smith Suspended Eight Games For Illegal Substance

Austin Burnett

May 22, 2015

Breaking News, Headlines, Milwaukee Brewers, National League Central

Milwaukee Brewers reliever Will Smith has been suspended eight games for being found with a foreign substance on his forearm in Thursday's evening's Brewers/Braves contest, according to MLB Communications and m...

Jake Odorizzi Epitomizes Tampa Bay’s Pitching Development Excellence

Austin Burnett

May 12, 2015

American League East, Features, Opinions & Predictions, Tampa Bay Rays

Jake Odorizzi has come a long way since he was involved in the franchise-altering Wil Myers/James Shields trade from December of 2012. When he arrived in Tampa Bay, Odorizzi was a tenured prospect with an ordin...

Alex Cobb Suffers Setback During Tendinitis Rehab

Austin Burnett

May 5, 2015

American League East, Headlines, Injuries, Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays received some discouraging news on their rehabbing ace Alex Cobb, who's been dealing with forearm tendinitis since spring training and has yet to throw a regular season pitch for the Rays in ...

Assessing the Tampa Bay Rays After Baseball’s Opening Month

Austin Burnett

May 1, 2015

American League East, Features, Opinions & Predictions, Tampa Bay Rays

Even the most optimistic of preseason conjecture wouldn't have anticipated a seamless start to the season for the revamped and injury-riddled Tampa Bay Rays. But after a month of action -- give or take a few da...

Author Austin Burnett