Tampa Bay Devil Rays
General Manager – Andrew Friedman New to the regime, the revamped front office will attempt to bring winning baseball to Tampa Bay for the first time in franchise history. Friedman has already built a reputation for being a little too similar to his predecessor, Chuck Lamar, in that he demanded far too much in trades. Friedman, however, is on the right track by acquiring Edwin Jackson and Chuck Tiffany, both pitchers the Rays need. Now he needs to clear up the outfield jam by cutting Damon Hollins, moving Aubrey Huff, and bringing the Joey Gathright/Scott Olsen rumors with the Marlins alive again.
Manager – Joe Maddon New to managing, the one-time contender for the Sox’s job has so far earned good reviews for his style, which is needed for the young and fustrated ballclub. His in-game decisions won’t be picked apart until after the season, but so far it seems as if the Rays made the right choice in who they selected as manager.
C – Toby Hall Hall hit .287/.315/.368 for the Rays last year, further underscoring the need for the Rays to get a threat behind the plate. Hall is fine defensively, but not gifted, and it still amazes me Hall has hung on this long as starting catcher for the Rays. He has yet to have an OPS over .700 since his rookie campaign in 2001 when he hit .298/.321/.447 in 188 AB. While the Rays have other pressing needs ranging from finding pitching to settling their talented outfield jam, they also need to be on the lookout for an upgrade at catcher.
1B – Travis Lee Travis Lee started last year and hit .272/.331/.426, and is known as the best first-baseman of all time in terms of fielding percentage. Off to a .239/.300/.543 start this year, Lee is hardly the answer at first for the future Rays, and I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that the Rays are contemplating moving one of their outfielders, most likely Jonny Gomes, to first. The Devil Rays are 7-6 thus far and may be in reach of a .500 season, but that will only occur with Rocco Baldelli back in the fold, Delmon Young manning an outfield corner, Gomes at first, and Joey Gathright plus another player dealt for a quality arm.
2B – Jorge Cantu Cantu introduced himself to baseball last year, hitting .286/.311/.497 with 28 HR and 40 2B in 598 AB. He was in danger of losing his job in 2006 to Roberto Freaking Alomar, Jr but fortunately, cooler heads prevailed. Cantu is off to a .258/.324/.452 start, and I’m encouraged by the rise in his isolated eye. He may top 100 RBI again this year (117 the previous) and should be entrenched at second for the Rays for years to come – that is, if the new regime has a brain, unlike the old regime. It’s also possible that Cantu, 6’1″, could be moved to first as I’ve heard rumblings as such, but that’d only happen if an outfielder was moved for a second baseman who is a better fielder and can handle himself with the bat.
SS – Nick Green The backup who was a Brave before being dealt for Jorge Sosa, Green doesn’t have a future as a starter. For Atlanta in 2004, he hit for a .698 OPS in 264 AB. Green amassed 318 AB last year and hit .239/.329/.346 for the boys in green. He’s off to an anemic .115/.258/.115 start, and the Rays will hope for a return of Julio Lugo quickly. It also may be time for the Devil Rays to decide what to do about BJ Upton. His stick has been major-league worthy for two years now, but it’s his defense that needs to improve.
3B – Sean Burroughs A fresh start may be what Burroughs needed, but he got off to a poor start when he started the season on the DL. Just activated, he will try to put up the numbers to stick with the Rays before Aubrey Huff returns. Burroughs didn’t exactly do terrible last year for San Diego, hitting .298/.348/.365, but the Padres wanted power, which Burroughs couldn’t provide. These are fine numbers for a second baseman, and that may be a career move Burroughs is heading to eventually, especially if he replicates these numbers this year and the Rays decide to shift Cantu to first.
LF – Carl Crawford Already regarded as one of the best left-fielders in the game, Crawford hit .301/.331/.469 last year. If only that OBP was 30 points higher, he’d be a potential Hall of Famer. He may survive without plate disclipline like Vlad Guerrero, but we shall see. He’s off to a .296/.356/.327 start, and has stolen three bases while being caught once. Crawford is a catalyst at the top of the Rays order, and that’ll continue for several more years, as he signed a long-term pact last year.
CF – Joey Gathright The speedster who may be headed to the other Florida team by the end of the year, he’s off to a .191/.361/.214 start with 2 SB and 1 CS. He hit .270/.316/.340 with 20 SB and 5 CS in 76 games last year. The Rays have to hope that he starts impressing so he can be moved for a pitcher. Gathright is valuable, but his value is best maximized in the National League. I still think a Gathright/Olsen deal is going to happen, but the Rays may have to chip in more.
RF – Jonny Gomes The eventual first-baseman, I think, if Cantu doesn’t shift over, Gomes is alternating between DH and RF right now. He bashed 21 HR last year with 54 RBI in 348 AB. The prolific K’er (113 last year), he nonetheless hit .282/.372/.534. Struggling to be accepted by the old regime, he’s secure in the new one and has started off hitting .300/.463/.675. Only 26, Gomes may turn into one of the feared sluggers in the MLB.
DH – Russ Branyan Branyan, who keeps bouncing around despite posting solid slugging numbers, is trying to stick in Tampa now. Off to a .182/.231/.273 line, he hit .257/.378/.490 last year and if he can replicate that, will be one heck of a utility guy for the Rays, playing left, right, first, third, and DH. He’s benefiting from the injuries to Lugo, Huff, and Baldelli, but once all three return, there’s going to be some serious fighting for time.
Bench – Josh Paul, Ty Wigginton, Tomas Perez, Damon Hollins A weak bench. Paul is a no-hit catcher who is a favorite of Maddon. Perez is only filler until Lugo returns, and Hollins is an okay fourth outfielder, but is doomed to a career of AAA/majors bouncing with many different organizations before his career is over. Ty Wigginton is the only one with upside here. Off to a nice start as a 3B for the Mets in his career, he was moved to make room for David Wright and failed miserably in Pittsburgh. Starting most of the games so far, Wright is hitting .293/.370/.683 to begin the year, and if he keeps it up, should notch a starting spot permanently in the lineup.
DL: Julio Lugo, Aubrey Huff, Rocco Baldelli, Mark Hendrickson. Luis Ordaz Hitting .295/.362/.403, Lugo has been on the block for quite a while now. Getting on the DL after only one game, Lugo is due back shortly and will attempt to hit well enough to finally get traded to a team who needs him. He hasn’t been moved yet because the Rays haven’t liked the offers in return, but this is pretty much the time to trade him now – before the trading deadline – to really get value for him. Hopefully the Rays do it. Huff was off to a .182/.379/.273 start before getting hurt. Hitting .261/.321/.428 in 2005, Huff has to try to get back to 2004 levels (.853 OPS) so the Rays can move him and get value for him. Rocco Baldelli is trying to return from his deady injury that caused him to miss 2005. He’ll probably struggle most of 2006 and then return to form in 2007. He’s coming back eventually. Hendrickson, who threw a complete game for Maddon’s first win. Hendrickson is filler, nothing more, nothing less. His time of getting 30 starts a year is done. Ordaz is basically the only person on the club who is capable of backing up Julio Lugo.
SP 1 – Scott Kazmir The ace and youngster is going to attempt to build on his solid year of a 3.77 ERA in 186.0 IP last year. Going 10-9, the Rays are going to lean a bit more on Kazmir this year and hope he morphs into a front-line contender. He’s got a 4.82 ERA so far this year, and still hasn’t gotten his control issues under … well, control. We’ll see if he can improve that area as the season goes on.
SP 2 – Seth McClung Perhaps the potential of McClung will never be realized. In two starts so far this season, he has a 9.00 ERA after a 6.59 ERA in 109.1 IP last year. McClung figures to be on a short leash, and if he doesn’t do well in the next couple starts, may never got an extended look as a starter again.
SP 3 – Casey Fossum Fossum hasn’t been the same since leaving Boston. In one year with Arizona, he posted a 6.65 ERA as a starter, and then somehow got a starting job for Tampa again last year. He posted a 4.92 ERA in 25 starts (32 games) and is attempting to finish the season with an ERA under 5.00 again, but he’s off to a lousy start with a 6.94 ERA in 2 games this season. I do want Fossum to succeed, but I’m hoping that ERA rises tonight before it starts dropping. The lefty will have a long career in the majors, but his shift to reliever is not only coming, it’s coming soon.
SP 4 – Edwin Jackson? Jackson may be called up this weekend to start in place of Hendrickson. Acquired from LA for two relievers in the offseason, Jackson has good potential but his ceiling has been dampened over the past few years. In three starts for AAA, he has a 4.50 ERA with 6 walks and 15 K’s. He’s an eventual starting pitcher, but may never be higher than a #3 or #4 pitcher.
SP 5 – Doug Waechter He posted a 6.01 ERA in 14 starts in 2004. A 5.62 ERA followed in 2005 in 25 starts (four relief appearances), and now rests at a 3.72 ERA in two games started this year. The progression is encouraging for Rays fans, and Waechter seems on his way to a solid major league career, but he needs to control his WHIP a bit more, which has been holding steady around 1.42 his entire career.
RP – Chad Orvella, Travis Harper, Brian Meadows, Shawn Camp, Jason Childers, Scott Dunn, Ruddy Lugo This is a bullpen we’re not exactly familiar with. Orvella, someone with tremendous stuff and likely the eventual closer for the Raysm was just called up. Last year, he had a 3.60 ERA in 50 IP, and should stick with Tampa for the remainder of the season, unless he’s sent down to make room for either Edwin Jackson or Mark Hendrickson. Harper has been around for a while, and had a 3.89 ERA in 2004, but in 2005 had a 6.75 ERA, mostly due to a forgettable inning against the Yankees. He’s off to a 4.50 start in 6 IP this year and is at the very least, an average reliever. Meadows was released by the Dodgers during spring training after two okay years with the Pirates. He’s off to a terrible start with a 8.44 ERA. Camp came over from Kansas City and posted startingly similar numbers to Harper in ’04 and ’05 and has started ’06 off with a 3.00 ERA in 9 IP. Childers is in his rookie year. Born in 1975, he’s gotten off to a lousy start, with 4.1 IP an a 8.31 ERA. The Rays may choose to send him down over Orvella when Hendrickson returns or Jackson comes up. Julio Lugo’s brother had a 1.12 ERA for AA last year, and has a 5.06 ERA so far this year in 5.1 IP. Dunn, who got a cup of coffee with the Angels last year, has a 1.59 ERA in 5.2 IP so far this year, but a 1.94 WHIP shows that ERA is way, way too low. Basically, their bullpen stinks. Look for a lot of late-inning losses for these Rays.
CL – Dan Miceli He’s a fine reliever, but an odd choice for closer. He basically got the job because he’s a veteran. After a solid year in 2004 for Houston with a 3.59 ERA, he only logged 18.1 IP for the Rockies last year with an ERA over 5.00. He’s got 3 saves so far this year with a 9.53 ERA in 5.2 IP. Not exactly someone we’d fear.
Fire Brand’s Most Favorite Move – Realizing Cantu and Gomes are GOOD The new regime is smart, based on their committing to Cantu and Gomes. If they can solve the outfield jam well and get some pitching to go with their eventual powerful offense, they’ll be a force for years. Until then, it’s a waiting game as it’s all about pitching.
Fire Brand’s Least Favorite Move – Waiting, waiting on Huff, Gathright and Lugo You can’t just keep pumping up their trade value and then not move them. Huff should have been moved a year ago, Lugo should have been moved no later than the beginning of this year. The Rays are now going to have to cross their fingers on Huff and Lugo, and then pray Gathright draws interest from NL ballclubs. They may still come out smelling like roses, but right now they smell like garbage.
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