AL East Sleepers: Tampa Bay Devil Rays

For a team that, in any given year, is a collection of sleepers, this team has a number of high-upside contributors looking for either a rebound or breakout season. For the Rays to compete, they will need every player on the roster firing at all cylinders as the 2010 season is going to be – in all likelihood – the most competitive it has been since the 1990s.

Both the Red Sox and Yankees have restocked, the Rays have plugged up their disappointments and shored up their injuries, while the Orioles just got a serious infusion of young talent. The Blue Jays are still an NL West contender in any given year.

BOS 5, TB 3: Beckett’s back

Any questions about Josh Beckett returning to his 2007 form were answered against the Tampa Bay Rays. At least for one start.

Know Thine Enemy 2009: Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays are coming off their first successful season in the history of the franchise. Finally, they’re not considered doormats with no vision of the future. Now the Pirates stand alone there. (Even the Royals are much improved!)

This club is scary in the pool of young talent they already hold plus more on the way in the minor leagues. The Rays will compete for a very, very long time. But will they be able to withstand the Red Sox and Yankees assault in 2009?

The battle between what we see visually and numerically

JD Drew is a lifetime .284 hitter. If Drew only “drew” 30 walks a season then his offensive contributions would diminish greatly. What he “lacks” in batting average, Drew more than makes up for in reaching base via the walk…and of course he hits for power too.

But JD Drew has been an on base machine over his career. People’s beliefs on how walks impact the game of baseball may vary. But can anyone argue that a .392 career on base percentage, isn’t really, really good? That is how often Drew has reached base in his career.

Who should be the fourth outfielder in 2009?

With JD Drew, Jason Bay, and Jacoby Ellsbury all under contract for 2009, the Red Sox starting outfield is set in stone before pitchers and catchers report. Unless you consider Jonathan Van Every, Chris Carter, or Jeff Bailey a long-term solution, the team still needs to acquire a fourth outfielder via free agency or trade. Needing to acquire a fourth outfielder may seem like an exercise in gluttony, but let’s be candid about our current situation. JD Drew has played 135 games or less seven times in his ten year career and the Red Sox can afford to pay above market on some spare parts to sit the bench.

Why limit ourselves to Mark Teixeira?

UPDATE 11:01 PM: SOX OWNER SAYS “NOT A FACTOR” FOR TEIXEIRA

UPDATE 6:54 PM: RED SOX FINALIZING DEAL WITH TEIXEIRA

Milton Bradley – SD Dirk

The question becomes — why are we looking at just Teixeira? There are two main arguments against signing Teixiera: the first being the length and dollars of the contract and the second being the blocking of Lars Anderson and Mike Lowell.

Considering it seems like a foregone conclusion that the Sox are going to bring in a bopper, (and thus push Mike Lowell out of a job) why not bring in players who would command short-term deals? Why are we limiting ourselves to Mark Teixeira? Why couldn’t we look at…

2009 Free Agent Checkup

The Red Sox hit a bump in the road over the weekend and through Monday in the Metrodome, losing three of four mainly due to lackluster starts from Lester, Wakefield [...]

BLOGPOLL: NL Awards 4/14

Each week, I will be participating in the 2008 MLB Blog Poll, put together by BaseballHappenings.com. Below are my current votes for the Most Valuable Player, Cy Young and Rookie [...]