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I don't want to get ahead of myself.... But, with the pitching rotation, the great defense, and the added power over the off season. What are your expectations for the squad this season?

I honestly believe, we will win the AL East and will be participating in the Fall Classic. This team is really, really good.

I hope I didn't just jinx everything.

JMO......

Defensively this team is great.

The starting rotation at worst is mediocre, and at best could be 7 innings deep every night.

Still question marks offensively at CF, LF, 1B, SS, 2B, C, DH. Power should be better, but there are too many holes in the lineup to be good offensively

Bullpen could be iffy.....can Farnsworth stay healthy and repeat his success? Is Rodney even serviceable? Will Peralta stay solid? If all 3 are solid, that's huge.....if not, then the starters better go deep

My prediction.....Rays win 94, and finish 1st or second

SubyWill wrote:
I honestly believe, we will win the AL East and will be participating in the Fall Classic. This team is really, really good.

BTW- Maddon made the same statement yesterday

craig01 wrote:JMO......

Defensively this team is great.

The starting rotation at worst is mediocre, and at best could be 7 innings deep every night.

Still question marks offensively at CF, LF, 1B, SS, 2B, C, DH. Power should be better, but there are too many holes in the lineup to be good offensively

Bullpen could be iffy.....can Farnsworth stay healthy and repeat his success? Is Rodney even serviceable? Will Peralta stay solid? If all 3 are solid, that's huge.....if not, then the starters better go deep

My prediction.....Rays win 94, and finish 1st or second

Didn't we get Carlos Pena back though? he's a great defender and he's powerful.

I expect us to at least get to the World Series too. I love our Pitching Staff, our offense got better, and, we got Carlos back, which should make us better defensively too... not that Casey was a bad defender.

Pena has the power but his batting average, like most of the rays lineup, is not very good, which makes the Rays offense very sporadic. But the rotation is so good that it always keeps the rays in the game. I think that the bullpen will be fine, Joe seems to know how to put those guys in the right situation. I think the rays are going to be first in the division or make the wildcard. They have a very good chance at making it to the World Series, pitching and defense always gives them a chance.

Diehardmagicfan wrote:Pena has the power but his batting average, like most of the rays lineup, is not very good, which makes the Rays offense very sporadic. But the rotation is so good that it always keeps the rays in the game. I think that the bullpen will be fine, Joe seems to know how to put those guys in the right situation. I think the rays are going to be first in the division or make the wildcard. They have a very good chance at making it to the World Series, pitching and defense always gives them a chance.

Didn't they make changes to the playoff system this year? I think they added a second wild card for both leagues where both wild card teams have a 1 game playoff against each other so they could make the ALCS. if that was this year than we're definitely making the playoffs.

Its not official that it is going to change. It will most likely will.

Diehardmagicfan wrote:Its not official that it is going to change. It will most likely will.

Ah, okay.

The Real Dalic wrote:

Diehardmagicfan wrote:Its not official that it is going to change. It will most likely will.

Ah, okay.

It will be an additional wild card team in each league.

Both wild card teams would play a one-game playoff to advance.

This is a great move.....(and I am a baseball purist at heart, usually resistant to change)

The additions of Luke Scott and Pena should handle 1st and DH. Power numbers should rise from last year, hopefully Longo can get and stay healthy for an entire season. Jennings-Zobrist-Longo-Pena-Upton-Scott/Joyce-Keppinger-Molina-Rod. Sounds like a really solid lineup top to bottom.

Otis Gotta Go wrote:The additions of Luke Scott and Pena should handle 1st and DH. Power numbers should rise from last year, hopefully Longo can get and stay healthy for an entire season. Jennings-Zobrist-Longo-Pena-Upton-Scott/Joyce-Keppinger-Molina-Rod. Sounds like a really solid lineup top to bottom.

Definitely an improvement in power, but this lineup may just lead the AL in K's too.

Personally, I think the balance is lacking due to the lack of quality contact hitters in the lineup.

craig01 wrote:

Otis Gotta Go wrote:The additions of Luke Scott and Pena should handle 1st and DH. Power numbers should rise from last year, hopefully Longo can get and stay healthy for an entire season. Jennings-Zobrist-Longo-Pena-Upton-Scott/Joyce-Keppinger-Molina-Rod. Sounds like a really solid lineup top to bottom.

Definitely an improvement in power, but this lineup may just lead the AL in K's too.

Personally, I think the balance is lacking due to the lack of quality contact hitters in the lineup.

We also added a nice vet in Keppinger and we still have Fuld who's a nice contact hitter if we need them. I'm probably forgetting a few more players that are considered contact hitters.

Overall though, I think we should be better than last year in literally every category... at least, I hope so.

The Rays depended on manufacturing runs last year, and were good at capitalizing on opponents defensive errors.....and relying on many deep starts by the rotation.

The Rays should be better as long as the rotation and defense stay reliable.....and it would be hard for the to get much worse at the plate (although this spring is showing ominous signs)

My biggest fear early on is that the Rays get off to a slow start (NYY, Bost, Det) and that that culture of winning is delayed.

I think the bats will struggle all year, unless players like Upton, Rodriguez, Jennings give some consistent production.