Tampa Bay Rays 2010 preview
Article By rfagan.tsn on 17th February, 2010
The Rays entered 2009 determined to prove that their trip to the 2008 World Series wasn't a fluke. Didn't happen. Because of injuries and a group of underperforming stars, they weren't a factor in the AL East race in the second half, and an 11-game losing streak in early September erased any thoughts of claiming the wild card. That painful learning experience behind them, there are plenty of reasons -- Evan Longoria, an MVP-caliber hitter, anchors a strong lineup, and the rotation is solid --to believe 2010 will have more in common with 2008 than 2009 for Tampa Bay.
Will Carl Crawford be trade bait if the Rays struggle? Three questions
1. Is Rafael Soriano the answer to the bullpen issues?
Few were shocked when the Rays reached the middle of June and neither Troy Percival nor Jason Isringhausen, their mind-is-willing-but-flesh-is-weak veteran closers, was healthy. The bullpen, which was a strength for the Rays during their playoff push in 2008, fell into a bit of disarray. Lefthander J.P. Howell, one of nine different Rays to record at least one save last year, did an admirable job until he faltered late in the season.
That ninth-inning uncertainty is why the Rays targeted Soriano, who was 27-for-31 in save opportunities for the Braves in 2009. "When you get one guy that you feel can handle the ninth inning, it permits you to mix and match through the first eight, which is kind of a nice thing to do," Rays manager Joe Maddon said.
2. Will Pat Burrell and Dioner Navarro produce offensively?
You would be hard-pressed to find a pair of teammates who disappointed more in 2009, and neither will have a long leash should his struggles continue into 2010. Navarro, the squad's unofficial Mr. Clutch in 2008, dropped from a .295 batting average and .757 OPS to a .218 average and .583 OPS. The Rays traded for catcher Kelly Shoppach this offseason, and he will share time behind the plate.
Burrell,...
Read Complete Article at Latest Sporting News Articles for MLB
Will Carl Crawford be trade bait if the Rays struggle? Three questions
1. Is Rafael Soriano the answer to the bullpen issues?
Few were shocked when the Rays reached the middle of June and neither Troy Percival nor Jason Isringhausen, their mind-is-willing-but-flesh-is-weak veteran closers, was healthy. The bullpen, which was a strength for the Rays during their playoff push in 2008, fell into a bit of disarray. Lefthander J.P. Howell, one of nine different Rays to record at least one save last year, did an admirable job until he faltered late in the season.
That ninth-inning uncertainty is why the Rays targeted Soriano, who was 27-for-31 in save opportunities for the Braves in 2009. "When you get one guy that you feel can handle the ninth inning, it permits you to mix and match through the first eight, which is kind of a nice thing to do," Rays manager Joe Maddon said.
2. Will Pat Burrell and Dioner Navarro produce offensively?
You would be hard-pressed to find a pair of teammates who disappointed more in 2009, and neither will have a long leash should his struggles continue into 2010. Navarro, the squad's unofficial Mr. Clutch in 2008, dropped from a .295 batting average and .757 OPS to a .218 average and .583 OPS. The Rays traded for catcher Kelly Shoppach this offseason, and he will share time behind the plate.
Burrell,...
Read Complete Article at Latest Sporting News Articles for MLB
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