Tampa Bay Rays: Top 5 Question Marks for 2011
This winter was a cold one for the Tampa Bay Rays, there's no doubt about that. Losing the face of the franchise, the MLB saves leader, and one of the top two starting pitchers will make it that way for a team.
There's questions galore with this club coming into 2011, from wondering who will be in what role in the bullpen, to how players will be switched around in several different positions.
These, in my mind, our the top five questions, or concerns, for the Rays entering this spring.
Who's Got The Power?
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Even with his dismal average, Carlos Pena was a threat to go deep every time he stepped up to the dish. Now that he's gone to the Windy City, there's a void left in the Tampa Bay offense.
By signing Manny Ramirez, hopefully the Rays will have a bit more "pop" in their order. But we all know Ramirez isn't going to put up the numbers he once did, or come close to them for that matter.
Matt Joyce has decent power, but he won't go over 25 homers even if he plays close to a full season. We're still not sure how much he will play (more on that later).
B.J. Upton isn't a big power guy. Neither is Ben Zobrist. Evan Longoria most likely will be the only Rays' hitter to go over 30 home runs this year, unless Manny goes back to old form. Don't count on it.
The Rays already had their problems with hitting for average and striking out too much, but now they also have to worry about who besides Longoria they can trust to be a power outlet this season.
Open For Closing?
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This is by far the Rays' biggest concern in my mind. They lost not only their closer Rafael Soriano, but also their setup man, lefty specialist, and practically the rest of the bullpen. So is it an open race for the closer spot?
J.P. Howell didn't throw a single pitch in 2010, and is the favorite. That's how weak this bullpen looks. Not taking anything from Howell, because he was the best setup guy in the league in 2008, but he's a question mark all in his own.
Kyle Farnsworth may get a look, but I don't trust him one bit in that role. He could end up being a situational arm for the Rays pen, but knowing the rest of their options, they're going to have to use him quite a bit, like it or not.
Jake McGee could be the closer of the future, and has some pretty electric stuff. Your top two bullpen options both being lefties may not be the greatest thing, but McGee may be the best option.
He may still, according to pitching coach Jim Hickey, end up starting down the road. Kind of like if James Shields starts serving "BP" to guys again this year.
Whose The Third Outfielder?
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Who will be the third outfielder for the Rays? How about the second? B.J. Upton in center field is the only lock in the outfield. Ben Zobrist should get the brunt of the work in right, but Matt Joyce will work his way in, depending on when Joe Maddon mixes around Zobrist and Sean Rodriguez.
In left, Johnny Damon will start, but it's clear that Desmond Jennings is the future at the position. It's more of a question of whether Damon will even be in a Rays uniform the entire season. If the Rays feel they aren't in decent shape as far as their record goes, they could send Damon (and possibly Ramirez) to another team for a decent prospect or two.
There's plenty of options in the outfield besides those that have been named. Sam Fuld, who was part of the Garza trade, could end up with a bit of playing time. Even Justin Ruggiano and Cuban defector Leslie Anderson could make the squad and play in right, though that's a small possibility.
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Who Will Protect Longo?
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It became a problem last year when Carlos Pena's average plummeted. Protecting Evan Longoria (batting behind him) is a clear key to the Rays success on offense. He'll get his heavy dose of breaking pitches this season any way, but they need to make an attempt to shore that spot in the order up.
So with that said, it probably will end up being Ramirez who hits in the four or five spot behind Longoria. Zobrist may hit in front of him with Damon, or maybe even Damon and either Rodriguez or Upton in front.
But they need someone that strikes a bit of fear when coming to the plate. I think Manny will be good enough there, if he's any where to the level he was just a couple of years ago. If not, Zobrist or Joyce could find themselves behind him in the order.
How Far Can The Rotation Carry Them?
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It's pretty clear to most that the pitching rotation will carry the Rays this season, with the loss of key hitters and bullpen members. The pitching lost Matt Garza, but won't have too steep of a fall with adding Jeremy Hellickson to the front five.
David Price obviously will be the ace, Wade Davis and Jeff Niemann may not be great but can be relied upon to be solid down the stretch, and Jeremy Hellickson should mix in some good with some growing pains.
Then there's James Shields. The masses of Rays fans called for him to be traded, but he had no value to even trade him away. So he remains in the rotation another year. I'm not going to say Shields hasn't had his moments, but if he starts pitching like he did last year, there won't be a spot in the rotation for him much longer.
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