When the experts around baseball begin to convene together and try to make some sense of what happened in the off-season, generally what they come back with is largely predictable and you regret laying out the money you did for material you could have written in your sleep. This year will be no different, especially in the American League East. Boston's signing of David Price and the Yankees acquistion of fireballer Aroldis Chapman will see the Red Sox and Yankees shoot to top of the AL East, at least in the mind of the experts. Toronto's run in last year's playoff will give them the three spot, leaving Tampa Bay and the Baltimore Orioles to fight it out for the 4th and 5th spots. However, do not sleep on the Rays in 2016. They are going to surprise a lot of people.
On paper, the Rays will come into this season with their deepest team in quite a long time. To go hand in hand with that, they will have one of the better hitting teams they've had in several years. Granted, that dreaded phrase on paper jumps out at you but we are also assuming that Aroldis Chapman and David Price won't blow out their arms or forget how to pitch, that Boston and New York will score enough runs for their pitching staff.
Courtesy of Tampa Bay Rays official website, the depth chart.-
At last report, Milwaukee and Pittsburgh were interested in acquiring incumbent 1st baseman James Loney and they will be better off if it does happen, even if the Rays have to eat a significant portion of the $8 miilion he's still owed. If Loney is to be traded, that would leave a lefty/righty platoon of Logan Morrison and Richie Shaffer. Last year was Shaffer's first year in the big leagues. He hit .189, hit 4 homers and 6 runs batted in. At 28, Logan Morrison is entering his prime years, hopefully ready to play. He hit 17 home runs last. Not a lot for a 1st baseman, except if you're the Tampa Bay Rays.
Second base and shortstop are the places where the Rays have an abundance of talent. Brad Miller, Tim Beckham and Nick Franklin can all play both positions, while another Logan, that being Mr. Forsythe, is one of the most underrated 2nd baseman in the MLB. Last, Forsythe showed his bat could do something, too Forsythe posted a .281 average, hit 17 home runs and drove in 68 RBIs. As well, he is one of the best defensive 2nd Basemen in baseball. It could be argued that Forsythe is defensively at 2nd than Ben Zobrist at his prime. Tim Beckham, Nick Franklin, a switch hitter with pop, give the Rays depth and, at the least, major league replacement player status in terms of ability.
At short, the Rays finally pried Brad Miller out of Seattle and now the Rays have the once promising Seattle DP combo. Miller fell out of favor in Seattle and the Rays snapped him and Logan Morrison up rather inexpensively. This offseason, the Rays have been looking for more power and the left handed hitting Miller will provide that. As with 2nd base, both Nick Franklin and Tim Beckham can cover the spot. Both of them will get chances to win the job in Spring Training as well.
Third base has been occupied since 2008 by Evan Longoria. That's probably not going to change anytime soon. What would be useful, and go a long to helping the Rays get back in the playoffs, is Evan Longoria. The chance to be a great player has presented itself numerous times and Longoria has yet to grab ahold and make it his. He has yet to have what could be termed a career year to date. Good years, yes. At thirty years of age, the likelihood of an MVP type season is unrealistic and, at best, a major anomaly.
In the outfield, last year Kevin Kiermaier posted the best defensive runs saved last year and is a lock in center for the next couple of seasons. Regression is predicted but hasn't happened as of yet. If Kiermaier's bat takes off, he will be scary good. Both Desmond Jennings and Steven Souza Jr were injured a lot last year, Jennings the last several. Souza is a big strong power hitter and Jennings can do a little bit of everything but has never truly taken off. Injuries have definitely taken their toll on the onne time centerfielder. Outfield depth, as always, has been what Brandon Guyer has given the Rays throughout his tenure in the big leagues. The Rays also have Mikie Mahtook lurking hoping to get a chance to play every day.
The Rene Rivera experiment at catcher did not go all that and he ended last season hitting under .200 last season. This is another spot where there will be competition going into Spring Training. Curt Casali hit 10 home runs and then tailed. Hank Conger was plucked up from the Astros. Where the three are most fortunate is their manager was a catcher himself one time and is well aware of the toll it takes on a player.
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