Spring training site
St. Petersburg, Fla.
2007 record
66-96, fifth in AL East, 30 games behind Red Sox
New faces
3B Willy Aybar (trade, Braves); SS Jason Bartlett (trade, Twins); OF Cliff Floyd (free agent, Cubs); RHP Matt Garza (trade, Twins); 1B-OF Eric Hinske (free agent, Red Sox); LHP Trever Miller (free agent, Astros); Troy Percival (free agent, Cardinals)
Biggest offseason acquisition
Matt Garza was a big-time prospect in Minnesota, but the Twins seemed to run out of patience (much as the Rays lost their patience with Delmon Young and Elijah Dukes this offseason). Garza, who went 5-7 for the Twins last season, won a rotation spot out of spring training and the Rays like what they see from the 24-year-old right-hander.
Gone but not forgotten
The Rays turned the page and dealt young outfielders Dukes and Young, who have the talent to make the organization regret it. Young, who drove in 93 runs last season, was part of the deal for Garza, and the Rays essentially gave away Dukes to the Nationals. Dukes hit 10 homers in 184 at-bats in 2007 but has been a frequent visitor to the team doghouse.
Spring training battles
The Rays are already scrambling to fill in for injured starters as Scott Kazmir and Rocco Baldelli will open the season on the disabled list. It looks as if Jason Hammel will keep the seat warm for Kazmir, the club's ace. Johnny Gomes will start in right. And the bullpen, one of the worst in baseball in 2007, is being reconstructed from scratch.
Projected lineup
- 2B Akinori Iwamura
- LF Carl Crawford
- 1B Carlos Pena
- CF B.J. Upton
- DH Cliff Floyd
- RF Jonny Gomes
- 3B Willy Aybar
- C Dioner Navarro
- SS Jason Bartlett
Projected starting rotation
- RHP James Shields
- RHP Matt Garza
- RHP Andy Sonnanstine
- RHP Edwin Jackson
- RHP Jason Hammel
Projected bullpen
- RHP Troy Percival (closer)
- RHP Al Reyes
- RHP Dan Wheeler
- RHP Gary Glover
- LHP Trever Miller
- RHP Grant Balfour
- LHP J.P. Howell
Biggest strength
The lineup from 1-6 is formidable, at almost the same level as the top teams in the American League, with plenty of speed and power with Crawford and Upton. But 7-9 is not, at least until third base prospect Evan Longoria is ready.
Glaring weakness
Counting on retreads such as Troy Percival is not going to evoke much late-inning confidence. Al Reyes was decent last year, and Wheeler comes over with a nice resume from Houston, but this bullpen has a long way to go to be effective against teams like the Red Sox and Yankees in the AL East.
