How will the D-Rays look this year?

[George_Foreman]

C: Dioner Navarro
1B: Jorge Cantu
2B: Iwamura
SS: BJ Upton
3B: Joel Guzman
LF: Carl Crawford
CF: Dukes (Baldelli will be traded for SP)
RF: Delmon Young
DH: Jonny Gomes

Nothing like batting CC 6th.

that's clearly not a batting order.

What, you don't always lead off with your catcher and hit your DH in the 9-hole?

[greenandgold]

BJ Upton is off of SS for basically good. IF he plays in the infield, it will be at 3rd base, but more than likely I think he is at center field next year.

5 games started at SS - is that out of the question?

[raiders_umpire]

BJ Upton is off of SS for basically good. IF he plays in the infield, it will be at 3rd base, but more than likely I think he is at center field next year.

5 games started at SS - is that out of the question?

Yea it pretty much is. He has basically already told the DRO to move him to the OF if that is what is needed to make the team better. With his huge fielding and throwing problems along with Longoria, Brignac, and others in the minors that are getting close to the big leagues, his time to move was close anyways. Hopefully the move to a lesser position and the time off this winter will get his bat back to the numbers it was in 04 and 05.

[thedude]

I thought Tampa was dropping the word "Devil" from the team name...

[raiders_umpire]

:-? I thought Tampa was dropping the word "Devil" from the team name...

Nope, they organization did not make a decision fast enough to get MLB to drop the "Devil" for this years season.

[thedude]

:-? I thought Tampa was dropping the word "Devil" from the team name...

Nope, they organization did not make a decision fast enough to get MLB to drop the "Devil" for this years season.

So they are switching next year?

[raiders_umpire]

:-? I thought Tampa was dropping the word "Devil" from the team name...

Nope, they organization did not make a decision fast enough to get MLB to drop the "Devil" for this years season.

So they are switching next year?

Since the MLB deadline came and went by, the DRO decided to put the name of the team on the back burner, and instead try to improve the team. So since no decision has been made on the teams name, we are still the Devil Rays as of this year.

[deerayfan072]

BJ Upton is off of SS for basically good. IF he plays in the infield, it will be at 3rd base, but more than likely I think he is at center field next year.

I see a lineup consisting of something like this.

CF--BJ Upton/Rocco Baldelli
RF--Delmon Young
LF--Carl Crawford
2B--Jorge Cantu
1B--Greg Norton/Ty Wigginton
DH--Elijah Dukes/Jonny Gomes
3B--Iwamura (If he don't sign then I think the Drays just might hold onto Rocco, and Upton will be in this spot.)
C--Dioner Navarro
SS--Ben Zobrist

This is not a very good lineup once you get past Crawford in the #3 spot.

About right to me, except i think wiggy could go to 3rd if iwamura doesnt sign and we still trade Rocco.

Rotation if we don't make a trade would be:

Kazmir
Shields
Seo
Fossum
Niemann/Talbot/Sorrenstine

That looks horrible, outside of Kaz we lose a lot. Shoelds is nice as a 3, but ebing you 2 you are asking a lot. If Seo can come back to his Mets form that would be nice

[deerayfan072]

I would think the lineuo would look like this:

Rocco
Upton
CC
Delmon
Norton/Gomes/Wiggy
Iwamura/ Wiggy if he doesnt sign
Cantu
Navvaro
Zobrist

[jt787]

Does it really matter?

Will they ever be better than the red sox, yanks, or blue jays?
Maybe in 10 more years.. but for now they can't pull a miracle like the tigers did.