***Official Devil Rays in 2007 Thread***

[THAY3R]

This is the year things start turning around. Unfortunately, the season is already not off to a good start.

Jorge Cantu and Jonny Gomes were sent down to the minors. they both are Major League quality bats, and it's a shame they were sent down. Cantu has demanded a trade, and I hope the Rays can get some value out of him.


For some reason they think Upton is best suited for 2B.... O RLY?
Upton is still an outstanding prospect with outstanding range who couldn't stick at SS because he had throwing issues. What an awful decision by the Drays to put him at 2nd, where his range is less valuable and his throwing issues won't change. Stick him in CF where he belongs.


As you probably could tell with the demotions of Cantu and Gomes, the DRays are absolutely loaded with position players.


Iwamura, Gomes, Cantu, Baldelli, Crawford, Upton, Young, Dukes, Zobrist and Wigginton are all quality Major Leaguers, but unfortunately there are only 6-7 positions for them(They would all lose significant value if they played DH or 1B - except Gomes)
Not to mention stud prospects Longoria, Brignac and Guzman almost ready.

My solution?
Trade Rocco and Wigginton for Pitching, and stick Bossman Junior(that's his real 1st name) in Centerfield where he can blossom into an all star.


Other than All Star Scott Kazmir, Tampa Bay's Major League Pitching is very weak, though loaded in the minors. It won't be long before Niemann, Davis and McGee are ML ready.

Their Bullpen is alot better this year than last, but that is almost impossible not to do. Salas was lights out last year in the minors, I hope he gets a major role this year. Orvella belongs in the Majors. The DRays organization has improved ten fold since ousting Namoli and Lamar, but they still are making some basic mistakes.


Remember the name Elijah Dukes. He is starting in CF tomorrow night, and hopefully he is here to stay. I'm sure you all have heard of Delmon Young, but Dukes is also a top prospect and out performed Young last year in Durham, showing both Power AND Patience. He has many temper and off the field issues(including multiple arrests), but as a baseball player he has the potential to be one of the best players in baseball.

Here are my overall grades :

Offense : B
Defense : B+
Starting Pitching : D+
Bullpen : C+
Bench : A
Minors Hitting : A-
Minors Pitching : B
Longterm Potential: A

I'm optimistic this year that we can pull off 70+ wins and this will be the year they get out of the cellar in this uber tough division. BP even gives them a 13% chance of making the playoffs this year, though I think next year will be the year where they can truly be contenders.


GO DEVIL RAYS!!

[NT!]

wow, cantu and gomes got sent down? that's crazy

[tdarko]

Thayer,

Dukes will either rape a woman, kill a pedestrian or knockout his manager and not finish the season in the big leagues even though hitting .323 with power numbers. Sorry, man.

[THAY3R]

Albert Belle had 10 extremely productive years, no reason Dukes can't do the same.

[tdarko]

Thayer,

Well I was actually just kidding. Belle isn't a very good guy to compare though, he wasn't an everyday problem and didn't leave the team for a time b/c of suspension and didn't have felony charges all over his record at Dukes' point in his career. My point is that Dukes is the most [censored] up individual in baseball, everyone is afraid of him. But my God his ability is second to few.

[James282]

Dukes is starting for me this week in my scoresheet league, and Iwamura is my dh. Navarro is my catcher on the bench, and zobrist is my back up SS. Being an expansion team sucks, but I'm looking forward to cheering for the Rays this year!

James

[Green Kool Aid]

thayer i thought you were a yankees fan, no?

[James282]

[ QUOTE ]
thayer i thought you were a yankees fan, no?

[/ QUOTE ]

pretty sure he likes both.

James

[THAY3R]

I grew up in NY, lived in Chapel Hill for 6 years, and have live in Florida for my last 10 or so years.

So basically I'm a NY/Tarheel/DRay fan [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[prohornblower]

[ QUOTE ]
wow, cantu and gomes got sent down? that's crazy

[/ QUOTE ]

I didn't know much about Cantu but last year during the WBC, I remember seeing a couple games and he looked really good. One game he launched a homer to just right of center, about 420 feet away.

What happened? Did I just happen to see his most impressive hit ever?