MVN - Most Valuable Network

Roster Magazine Tampa Bay Preview

Today is a special day for MVN, as we launch our first ever online magazine, Roster. Thanks to the hard work of countless authors here at the Network and abroad, we were able to provide an in-depth baseball preview, complete with fantasy and real life analysis to get you ready for the upcoming season.

The final product has finally hit the “shelves” so to speak, as the release went out on the web this afternoon. You can access the magazine two different ways, by clicking in to http://rostermag.com or http://mvn.com/roster. There are five featured columns, and team-by-team breakdown written by the bloggers that cover them. I urge you to check out the whole issue, but here’s the Tampa Bay preview I wrote for the magazine. Enjoy.

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TAMPA BAY RAYS: SEASON PREVIEW

2007: A brimming sense of optimism coming into the year was replaced by a dash of reality, as the Rays failed to improve record wise in the 2007 season. The team, led by a roster of talented newcomers, finished with the worst record in baseball, securing yet another top pick in the Amateur draft this summer.

In a season of losses, few gains were made that kept fans excited about future prospects in St. Petersburg. BJ Upton’s resurgence along with Carlos Pena’s launch onto the national scene bode well for 2008, giving Tampa Bay two legit sluggers to pencil in the lineup. The Rays losses were painful, often handing over leads in the late innings in excruciating fashion. That bullpen collapse forced management to retool an outfit that had the most blown saves in the major leagues.

OFF-SEASON ADDITIONS:SS Jason Barlett, P Matt Garza, P Trevor Miller, OF Cliff Floyd, 3B Willy Aybar, P Troy Percival, C Mike DeFelice

OFF-SEASON LOSSES:OF Delmon Young, SS Brendan Harris, P Shawn Camp, IF Greg Norton, P Brian Stokes, OF Elijah Dukes, P Doug Waechter, P Jae Seo, OF Jason Pridie, P Jon Switzer

2008 PROJECTED LINEUP

1. Akinori Iwamura, 2B
2. Carl Crawford, LF
3. BJ Upton, CF
4. Carlos Pena, 1B
5. Cliff Floyd, DH
6. Rocco Baldelli/Jonny Gomes, RF
7. Evan Longoria/Willy Aybar, 3B
8. Dioner Navarro, C
9. Jason Bartlett, SS

2008 PROJECTED STAFF

1. Scott Kazmir
2. James Shields
3. Matt Garza
4. Andrew Sonnastine
5. Edwin Jackson/Jeff Niemann

Setup: Dan Wheeler, Al Reyes
Closer: Troy Percival

FANTASY STUD:Tough to argue against the speedy Carl Crawford, but BJ Upton wins out here because of position eligibility. “Bossman Junior” is available at second base in most leagues, providing big punch out of a scarce position. After going 20/20 in his first full season, the sky’s the limit for this former second overall pick. Upton is now settled in as the starting CF, and his bat will only get better as he gets acclimated to his new role in the outfield.

FANTASY DUD: Troy Percival was brought in to shut the door for the Rays, but his health may prohibit him from becoming the guy you imagine. The 38-year old closer hasn’t thrown more than 50 innings since 2002, and his availability on back-to-back days will be a question until he proves otherwise. Percival won’t be a bad selection toward the latter end of the closer ranks, but don’t expect the lights out reliever that led the Angels to a World Championship six years ago.

UNDER THE RADAR:For a guy that was once the face of the franchise, Rocco Baldelli has become an afterthought when you talk about the talent in the Rays stable. Cursed by a body that can’t ever seem to stay healthy, Rocco has lost his starting job in centerfield. Managers and scouts will tell you, however, that the talent that made Baldelli the sixth overall pick in 2000 is still there. It’s just a matter of playing everyday. With less pressure to carry the team, look for Baldelli to restate his claim as one of the better players in a Rays uniform. He’ll likely rotate between right field, designated hitter and maybe first base, but get enough at bats to put up 20 homers and 15 steals. Keep an eye on him.

PROSPECT WATCH:The biggest question facing the Rays this spring training revolves around their consensus top prospect, Evan Longoria. Will Tampa Bay start the young third sacker? Or will they leave him in Triple-A, Ryan Braun style, and bring him up a few months into the season? According to the men in charge, Longoria comes into camp with the chance to make the team. Expect that to happen, as Joe Maddon won’t have a choice but to put the former Long Beach standout in the starting lineup. Blessed with great bat speed and a solid eye, Longoria will invoke Ryan Zimmerman comparison in his first season at Tropicana Field.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 27th, 2008 at 2:34 pm and is filed under Roster. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.