Tampa Bay Rays-Cession: Four Rookies to Watch As Payroll Cuts Are Announced

There is a saying that bad news doesn't get better with time. However, announcing plans to cut payroll while your team is in the middle of a division race can't be a good idea.

That's exactly what Tampa Bay Rays owner Stu Sternberg did when he announced that even if the Rays win the World Series payroll will be cut in 2011. The current estimate is that the Rays will cut this year's $72 million payroll by $15-20 million.

Prior to Tuesday's game Sternberg said,  "Unfortunately there's nothing that can happen between now and April that can change that unless Joe Maddon hits the lottery and wants to donate it, or I hit the lottery.''

This is the reality of having one of the best teams on the field coupled with one of the worst attendances. The Rays have done everything to try to boost attendance and revenue including hosting postgame concerts on Saturday's in the summer. There were even empty seats when the Yankees and Red Sox recently played in Tropicana Field.

With the upcoming reduction in payroll the Rays will be fielding an even younger team. The starting lineup this season has an average age of 26 years old.

Here are four Rays rookies that will be critical in the franchise's future.

4. Desmond Jennings, Outfielder

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PORT CHARLOTTE, FL - FEBRUARY 26: (EDITOR'S NOTE: IMAGE HAS BEEN DIGITALLY DESATURATED) Desmond Jennings #27 of the Tampa Bay Rays poses for a photo during Spring Training Media Photo Day at Charlotte County Sports Park on February 26, 2010 in Port Charl

If Stu Sternberg is planning on reducing the payroll then it can safely be assumed Carl Crawford's days in a Rays uniform are numbered. This will leave very large shoes to fill in left field.

Enter Desmond Jennings.

Desmond has played in 10 games this season including three starts. He is currently batting .200 for the Rays.

He hit a career .299 in the minors and was the Rays 2009 Minor League Player of the Year and Southern League MVP. He was caught stealing only four times in 41 attempts, a 90.2 success rate in the minors this year.

Looking at his success in the minor leagues suggests that he is perfect for the Rays. Baseball America had him ranked as the best prospect in the Rays system and the third best prospect in the game at mid-season. He was also recently rated the International League's best base runner, best defensive outfielder, and most outstanding player. He will need to live up to those accolades in order to attempt to replace Crawford.

3. John Jaso, Catcher

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John Jaso is already a non-traditional player for Tampa Bay. He is the first Rays catcher to ever bat lead-off and he has been doing a good job. He has two lead-off home runs this season.

No rookie has ever started more games as catcher and batting lead-off than John Jaso. By the end of the season he may surpass the record 43 games started by Rollie Hemsley in 1939 for Cleveland.

Prior to Wednesday night's game he was ranked second among AL rookies in RBI, OBP, and runs scored. He is also ranked third in batting, third in hits, and fifth in doubles.

He is a large contributor to the Rays offense but still has some work to do behind the plate. He has had difficulty framing balls, sometimes pitchers don't look comfortable with him, and his decisions aren't always the best. With this being said, his defensive issues are outweighed by Navarro's inability to hit and run.

2. Jeremy Hellickson, Pitcher

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OAKLAND, CA - AUGUST 20: Jeremy Hellickson #58 of the Tampa Bay Rays bats against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on August 20, 2010 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

In 2008, David Price was the young Rays pitcher making waves into the postseason. This season, Jeremy Hellickson is the hot prospect everyone is talking about. Although he is currently serving as a reliever for Tampa Bay, he has been very impressive since making his debut in August.

He made four starts for the Rays in August going 3-0 with a 2.05 ERA. Jeremy is the  He became the first modern era pitcher to pitch six plus innings allowing three hits or fewer in each of his first three Major League appearances. Since rejoining the Rays in September he has made five relief appearances.

He was named the Rays and Sporting News Minor League Pitcher of the Year, USA Today and Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year, and International League's Most Valuable Pitcher. He also started the 2010 All-Star Futures Game on July 11 at Angel Stadium.

If Matt Garza is lost as a salary casualty, Hellickson will be needed immediately to fill the void in the starting rotation.

1. Wade Davis, Pitcher

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NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 22: Wade Davis #40 of the Tampa Bay Rays pitches against the New York Yankees on September 22, 2010 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

Wade Davis has been phenomenal for Tampa Bay this season. His performance has improved as the season has progressed. He wasn't slowed down by his 15-day DL stint in August for a right shoulder strain. He currently has more wins than any other AL rookie and was named AL Rookie of the Month for July.

He has started 27 games this season and 33 total in his career. He is currently riding a seven-game winning streak that started on July 3, 2010. It is the longest winning streak ever by a Rays rookie and tied for the longest streak by a Major League rookie this season. It is also the longest current streak in the AL, and one shy of the longest streak of the season. He has not lost since June 27 at home against Arizona.

He will be a key component in the Rays rotation this postseason. Aside from pitching lights out in general, he has been a top performer against the New York Yankees. In his four starts versus New York this season the Rays are 3-1.

This is a large contrast to the Rays 0-9 record in Matt Garza's last nine starts against the Yankees.