Tampa Bay Rays 2007-2008 Off-Season Thread

[Terpripken]

*crickets chirping*

LOL

Well...I guess the biggest news is the name change and new unis.

Evan Longoria has turned some heads in the AFL.

The Ray's appear pretty set in the field. With the only question marks being 3B and SS.

But...the way things look now it would be...

C---Dioner Navarro (showed great strides at the plate in the 2nd half)

1B---Carlos Pena (Rays still have control through arbitration...but look for a multi-year deal)

2B---Akinori Iwamura (his bat is much more suited to the middle infield)

3B---Evan Longoria (looks like he is ready...giving the Rays something they have never had in their breif history...power at both corners)

SS---Brendan Harris/Ben Zobrist/Josh Wilson/FA (Harris's bat gives him the inside track)

LF---Carl Crawford (Maybe the games best all-around LF)

CF---B J Upton (FINALLY looks like he has found a position...he looked great there last year)

RF---Delmon Young (He and Maddon are now on same page, now time to take game to next level)

DH---Johnny Gomes/Rocco Baldelli (One will likely be traded...my bet is on Gomes who's value is higher right now)



There will once again be free parking.

I know there are alot of Rays haters out there...but I really believe this team isn't too far off.

[Terpripken]

Almost forgot...there was a 3 page spread in yesterday's St Pete Times about a possible new open air stadium at the site of Al Lang field. It would have a sail like material on cables that would offer rain protection. This is nowhere near being a done deal.

I'll try and post a link for those who might interested.

[Terpripken]

Here is link to an article on proposed new stadium.

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/11/10/So..._the_bay.shtml

[1998 Yankees]

Originally Posted by Terpripken

*crickets chirping*

Well, the effect is enhanced when you are the only poster in this thread! So, here I am to dispel that feeling.

Originally Posted by Terpripken

I know there are alot of Rays haters out there...but I really believe this team isn't too far off.

Really, how can anybody hate the Rays? That is, unless you are looking past them to the Angels or Red Sox and they proceed to take three out of four from you when you are not looking . . .

[1998 Yankees]

Originally Posted by Terpripken

Here is link to an article on proposed new stadium.

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/11/10/So..._the_bay.shtml

I have a feeling that you will not have free parking for much longer!

[Terpripken]

Originally Posted by 1998 Yankees

Well, the effect is enhanced when you are the only poster in this thread! So, here I am to dispel that feeling.

Really, how can anybody hate the Rays? That is, unless you are looking past them to the Angels or Red Sox and they proceed to take three out of four from you when you are not looking . . .

Thanks for the love. (your secret is still safe)

[1998 Yankees]

Originally Posted by Terpripken

Thanks for the love. (your secret is still safe)

LOL. It's very safe, since I have no idea what you are talking about. But please, continue to keep it to yourself!

Nice to see you back on the boards, though. Where you been?

[Terpripken]

Originally Posted by 1998 Yankees

I have a feeling that you will not have free parking for much longer!

Yeah...but its exciting.

The new ownership whether you agree with them or not, has a clear direction and (imo a solid business plan). These are Wall Street guys who know how to make money. While that in itself does not necessarily put a winning team on the field, this group is making a concerted effort to cover all the bases.

The new uniforms whether you agree with their color scheme, design or anything else is designed to dis-associate the franchise with losing.

Vince Namoli is gone. Stuart Sternberg & Co. have a pretty solid plan, let's not doom this franchise quite yet.

The Silver Slugger Award went to Carlos Pena. The Rays now have a legit star to go along with Carl Crawford. (who by the way wouldn't have made the team if not for a Greg Norton injury)

James Sheilds & Scott Kazmir are primed to be a pretty nice 1/2 punch. The rest of the potential rotation (Jackson, Hammel, Sonnanstine, et al) are raw...but all it takes is a Paul Byrd type to round out a playoff rotation.

The new talk of the stadium was leaked...but the fact that this group is committed to the area is a sigh of relief. This will reap rewards I'm sure.

Anyhow ...this isn't your older brother's??? Rays.

Look out AL East.

[Terpripken]

Originally Posted by 1998 Yankees

LOL. It's very safe, since I have no idea what you are talking about. But please, continue to keep it to yourself!

Nice to see you back on the boards, though. Where you been?

Not too much of a secret. You just like Carl Crawford.

But...who doesn't?

[1998 Yankees]

Originally Posted by Terpripken

Not too much of a secret. You just like Carl Crawford.

But...who doesn't?

You just hadda blab didn't you? First of all, I like him as a baseball player. That's all.

Secondly, and this is directed to any of my fellow Yankee fans who may be reading this, I would never trade Melky Cabrera for Carl Crawford! Never! Really, I'm serious!

[Terpripken]

Originally Posted by 1998 Yankees

You just hadda blab didn't you? First of all, I like him as a baseball player. That's all.

Secondly, and this is directed to any of my fellow Yankee fans who may be reading this, I would never trade Melky Cabrera for Carl Crawford! Never! Really, I'm serious!

Carl Crawford is quite frankly the epitome of sportmanship, athleticism, and charachter. The man is our Derek Jeter. I have had the good fortune to meet him several times. He IS the definition of a "good kid". He is the hardest worker on the team, and although his stats don't necessarily support it...he IS getting better. He is already a mentor to our hotheads. (look at the strides Delmon Young and B J Upton have made).

Signing him to a long term deal a few years back (best thing that hack of a GM Chuck LaMarr ever did) has set this franchise up for success.

[Terpripken]

11/12/07

Congratulations to RF Delmon Young for finishing 2nd in ROY vote. He garnered 3 First place votes and the praise of winner Dustin Pedroia.

"Delmon Young is an unbelievable player," Pedroia said. "He's going to be a huge impact for that organization for a long time. He's going to hit in the middle of their order. He's definitely worthy of winning this award, as much as me or any other guy. The writers vote and they have their decision, but Delmon Young is an outstanding player."

Closer Al Reyes and DH Greg Norton filed for free agency today, although the club holds options on both.

[eriqjaffe]

Originally Posted by Terpripken

11/12/07

Congratulations to RF Delmon Young for finishing 2nd in ROY vote. He garnered 3 First place votes and the praise of winner Dustin Pedroia.

"Delmon Young is an unbelievable player," Pedroia said. "He's going to be a huge impact for that organization for a long time. He's going to hit in the middle of their order. He's definitely worthy of winning this award, as much as me or any other guy. The writers vote and they have their decision, but Delmon Young is an outstanding player."

Closer Al Reyes and DH Greg Norton filed for free agency today, although the club holds options on both.

Is Delmon Young the guy who threw a bat at a AAA umpire? Or am I thinking of someone else?

[Terpripken]

Originally Posted by eriqjaffe

Is Delmon Young the guy who threw a bat at a AAA umpire? Or am I thinking of someone else?

Yes he is. He also had an issue late last season with Joe Maddon and was benched for a few games. He didn't run out a ground ball and when confronted about it, his reply was "nobody else does it so why should I?" The kid is immature, but for the most part, he has remained squeaky clean since the bat throwing incident.

It is interesting to note though...that 8 of the 48 writers refused to put him on their ballots for ROY. I'm not sure if this is residual dislike from the bat throwing incident, or that they didn't think he was worthy.

[Zoso1515]

He really wasn't that worthy. His OPS+ is like 91.

[1998 Yankees]

Originally Posted by Terpripken

Anyhow ...this isn't your older brother's??? Rays.

Look out AL East.

Originally Posted by Terpripken

11/12/07

Congratulations to RF Delmon Young for finishing 2nd in ROY vote. He garnered 3 First place votes and the praise of winner Dustin Pedroia.

You look at the Rays roster from this past season and you see Pena, Upton, Iwamura, Harris, Crawford, and Young all hitting .282 or better and four of them finishing with 80 RBI's or more, and you wonder how they could have lost 96 games. Then you look at that pitching staff . . . After Kazmir and Shields, nobody. Look out AL East? Not until you fix that, and only if you hold onto your young stars.

[Terpripken]

Originally Posted by Zoso1515

He really wasn't that worthy. His OPS+ is like 91.

His OPS was .723 while Pedroia was .823.

Young's biggest hurdle is his plate discipline. Like Carl Crawford before him, he is extremely aggressive and puts alot of balls in play that become outs rather than working the count and getting a better pitch to hit. Once his discipline improves look out, because all the other tools are there.

Defensively...he is great. 16 OF assists last year. Some scouts say he already has the best arm in RF, even surpassing Vlad's.

Was he worthy of winning? Well...Pedroia's numbers were certainly better.

Was he worthy of consideration? Umm...yes.

[Terpripken]

Originally Posted by 1998 Yankees

You look at the Rays roster from this past season and you see Pena, Upton, Iwamura, Harris, Crawford, and Young all hitting .282 or better and four of them finishing with 80 RBI's or more, and you wonder how they could have lost 96 games. Then you look at that pitching staff . . . After Kazmir and Shields, nobody. Look out AL East? Not until you fix that, and only if you hold onto your young stars.

Yes...pitching remains the big question mark. No doubt about that. But if the Rays continue with their current philosophy of developing pitching from within...you gotta like where they are headed.

Mitch Talbot, Jeff Nieman, and David Price are all big time prospects who will be ML ready soon.

Pair them with Kazmir, Sheilds, and improving Edwin Jackson and you have a good rotation.

I'm not claiming that the Rays will win the AL East in 2008. or even in 2009...only that this is a team that is slowly but surely improving.

[1998 Yankees]

Originally Posted by Terpripken

I'm not claiming that the Rays will win the AL East in 2008. or even in 2009...only that this is a team that is slowly but surely improving.

You forgot the second part of that equation, Mr. T.

Developing stars is nice, but you've got to hold on to them.

[Terpripken]

11/14/07

The Rays picked up Closer Al Reyes's 2.3 million option for 2008. It is a million dollar deal plus incentives. This ensures that the Ray's will have at least one solid reliever going into next year.

DH/1B Greg Norton will not be back however...as his option was not picked up by the team. Norton was a professional hitter and solid clubhouse presence, but the DH spot is fairly crowded now with Rocco Baldelli seemingly in the mix. He had a great 2nd half in 2006...but was hampered by injuries in 2007. His biggest claim to fame will probably be that it was his roster spot that Carlos Pena took when he was injured in Spring Training. We all know how that worked out for the Rays.


In stadium news...Florida Gov. Charlie Crist has backed the new stadium plan. I will be posting an in depth post tomorrow on the stadium proposal as I understand it...for those who are interested. Including the design, funding, location, etc.