Odds and Sods

The Tampa Devil Rays are the perennial dormat of the AL East. In their 9 year history, they have never won more than 70 games in a season and have moved above 5th place just once (2004). Last season, they finished 61-101 the 2nd worst season in their history. Whether becoming an early retirement home for players such as Wade Boggs and Fred McGriff or attempting to build with young talent through the farm system, the D-Rays have never been able to put it together into a solid product on their field. Their stadium and market are terrible. Those two factors may be why they have gotten outdrawn by their AAA team before.

Starting Pitching

The Devil Rays have one of the most exciting young starters in baseball with lefthander Scott Kazmir. If he doesn’t get ejected for hitting batters, his stuff can be downright overpowering and neutralize even the best of lineups. The rest of the rotation…not so much. They aren’t talented. They aren’t young. They don’t have a lot of upside. If Fossum and Seo can at least keep the team in a few games, that would be about all they can hope for.

Bullpen

Scott McClung is the projected closer. He put up back to back 6+ ERA seasons and doesn’t inspire much confidence. Neither do the rest of them.

Lineup

The lineup is actually fairly decent. They have some fairly accomplished youngsters with Carl Crawford, Rocco Baldelli, and Jorge Cantu. They have mega-prospect and bat-throwing wiz Delmon Young in Right field. They also picked up Japanese Second Baseman Akinori Iwamura. If B.J. Upton can put it together and solve his defensive woes long enough to stay in the lineup, it has the potential to be fairly productive, which they are going to need.

The Scuttlebutt

There won’t be much going on this season in Tampa Bay. The biggest storyline will probably be the development of their younger players, particularly Delmon Young. Kazmir could also make a Cy Young run.

Outlook:Poor

The Rays have amassed a decent amount of young position player talent, which is not a bad thing. However, young pitching talent is much easier to build around. With a patchwork rotation of has beens this team is going nowhere. I can’t see them breaking 70 wins.