The more Blake Snell thinks about beginning the season aga

ST. PETERSBURG Joe Maddon Jersey , Fla. (AP) —inst Justin Verlander and the Houston Astros, the more excited Tampa Bay’s ace gets about a rare opening day matchup between a reigning Cy Young Award winner and the runner-up for the honor.“It’s cool. It’s going to be a challenge, it’s going to be a battle.I can’t wait for it,” Snell said, looking ahead to Thursday’s opener at Tropicana Field.“I know he’s going to have his ‘A’ game, so he can expect the same,” the 26-year-old left-hander added. “It’s going to be fun going against him.”It’ll be the first career opening day start for Snell — 21-5 with a 1.89 ERA a year ago, when the Rays won more games (90) than any club that didn’t make the playoffs.The 36-year-old Verlander, 16-9 with a 2.52 ERA and an AL-leading 290 strikeouts in 214 innings last season, is making his 11th opening day start.“Two really, really talented pitchers,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “One guy that kind of set the world on fire last year in Blake. And then Justin Verlander, he’s done it for what, a decade and half now? It will be fun to watch.”Since the Cy Young Award was first presented in 1956, there have only been two reigning winners who wound up facing the runner-up on opening day the next season, with both instances occurring in 1979.With Snell and Verlander going against each other, as well as NL Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom and the New York Mets facing Max Scherzer and the Washington Nationals Willson Contreras Jersey , the number grows to four on Thursday.In 1979, reigning AL winner Ron Guidry (Yankees) faced runner-up Mike Caldwell (Brewers) and NL winner Gaylord Perry (Padres) faced Burt Hooton (Dodgers).“You couldn’t ask, as a baseball fan, for a better matchup right out the chute. It should be a lot of fun to watch,” Tampa Bay’s Kevin Kiermaier said.“I would expect a pitcher’s duel type of matchup. We definitely have our work cut out for us, but those guys on the other side, they know what they’re facing as well. May the best team win,” Kiermaier added. “But we’re ready to go. We’re feeling good about ourselves.”Both pitchers entered the matchup fresh off agreeing to lucrative contract extensions — Snell signing a $50 million, five-year deal through 2023 and Verlander getting a three-year contract that $66 million in guaranteed money for 2020 and 2021.“I’ve had opening days everywhere (minor leagues) except here. I feel like I’m going to be just as excited. I don’t feel like it changes,” Snell said. “I don’t need a crowd to excite me to pitch. It helps, but I don’t think it’s really going to waver me.”Snell is 1-1 with a 2.92 ERA in two career starts against Verlander. The young lefty made five starts against former Cy Young Award winners, going 3-0 with a 0.59 ERA.“This is going to be one of the best pitching matchups you’ll see probably all year, and it’s happening day one, so it’s going to be pretty special,” reliever Ryne Stanek said.Snell becomes the youngest Rays pitcher to start on opening day since David Price, Tampa Bay’s only other Cy Young winner, was 25 in 2011. In addition to leading the AL in wins and ERA http://www.chicagocubsteamshop.com/authentic-david-ross-jersey , he fanned 221 batters in 180 2/3 innings last season.“I don’t know if he could be better,” Cash said.“I’m sure there’s some details within specific games or specific pitches that can improve, there’s no doubt. I think every pitcher will tell you, ideally they’d like to see fastball command improve,” the manager added. “But I would sound dumb to sit here and say that he’s got to get better. Just do what he did, or something close.” Annual ranking of top Dodgers prospects heading into the 2019 season, with rankings and analysis by David Hood"WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections 2019 Spring TrainingProspectsCommentaryNews and NotesProspectsDodgers top prospects 2019: No. 31 - 104New,375commentsAnnual ranking of top Dodgersprospectsheading into the2019season, withrankingsand analysis by David HoodPSTShareTweetShareShareDodgers top prospects 2019: No. 31 - 104Carlos Rincon checks in at No. 33 on the prospect listPhoto credit: Tomo San | LA DodgersIt’s taken much longer than I expected, but I’m finally ready to unveil my 2019 Dodgers prospect rankings.This year’s addition is the longest one yet, jumping to 104 names from last off-season’s opening of 87 in November of 2017.The off-season has not been terribly harsh on the prospect list, with the biggest hits coming from middle of the pack, and two players entering the top 20 via the Yasiel Puig-Matt Kemp trade.Still the system’s strength lies in the quantity of solid prospects rather than the quality at the very top.For the first time, the off-season list will not have a player in at least the 70 grade tier since I started producing this ranking.My ranking system remains largely unchanged, although I’ve fine tuned the individual rankings to have the list better reflect my preference of one similarly graded player over another.Grades are done via the 20-80 scouting scale, where 45 represents average for me. Players are grouped in tiers by their overall grade, meaning that I see the players with this grade to hold roughly the same value as prospects.The overall grade is my grade as a prospect Kyle Hendricks Jersey , not necessarily the future grade I give the player in the major leagues.That number can be found in the ceiling column, where I give a realistic best case estimate to where I see a player’s talent might take him.The risk score defines the likelihood of a player gaining a meaningful footing in the major leagues (or beyond a cup of coffee-esque trip).With each player I provide a quick pro and con blurb in relation to their tools, skills, or other relevant information. You will also find their projected defensive home or pitching role, opening day age, and previous minor league level. Lastly, each player’s name on the list will ink out to a YouTube video that you can view to analyze the player yourself. Until the prospect countdown reaches one, this is a living list, so any players moved or acquired during the off-season will be accounted for in the rankings.Like previous years, I only rank players that I have been able to watch in person or have a comfortable enough impression of the player’s tools from watching film. The often leaves players off my list that would otherwise make other media lists built from speaking with scouts. The biggest likely omission from this year’s list will be Miguel Vargas, whose quick rise through short season ball to Great Lakes has left hardly a trail of video or scouting information.As it worked out this season, the top 30 is cleanly divided by players receiving a grade of 50 or higher, and players at 45 or lower.Marshall Kasowski is the closest just missed to the 50 grade.Kasowski’s strikeout rate and pure arm strength make him an appealing relief prospect, but his ceiling in relief might be closer to the seventh inning as somewhat of a one trick pony with a well disguised fastball.Another relief prospect, Jordan Sheffield, will attempt to stunt his slide down the list by likely moving to full time relief.If he can regain the upper reaches of his velocity and hammer curveball he showed in college, he might realize his late relief potential.A pair of infielders coming off strong seasons will look to crack the top 30 in 2019.Jacob Amaya improved his batted ball profile by leaps and bounds while showing a mature approach at the plate.Deacon Liput proved to be more than a light hitting college middle infielder Mike Montgomery Jersey , displaying surprising pop in the Midwest League.Braydon Fisher saw light action in his pro debut, but his frame is teeming with potential and though he is quite far from the majors, his star could rise the highest from this grouping of players.Likewise, a handful of international arms, the hardest for me to evaluate before full season ball, appear primed to breakthrough in 2019.Edwin Uceta, Guillermo Zuniga, and Jose Martinez each pique interest, with Uceta and Martinez showing more polish over stuff at the moment.Two new off-season arrivals in minor trades also bring unique profiles that fit the modern game.Coming from the Yankees, Drew Finley was a personal favorite of mine in the 2018 draft with a high spin fastball and big breaking curve.He has yet to break through at the A level, though. In a smaller trade sending Manny Banuelos to the White Sox, the Dodgers received 1B Justin Yurchak whose plate discipline and propensity for being a tough out at the plate runs counter to the more common big power-high strikeout style of current big leaguers.Still, Yurchak did not light up A ball and will need to produce more power to move up the ladder.2019 Top Prospect List 31-104RKNAMEPOSOD AGELEVELOVERALLRISKCEILINGPROSCONSRKNAMEPOSOD AGELEVELOVERALLRISKCEILINGPROSCONS2019 Top Dodger Prospects