Kuzul

Attention all national pundits:  Please put all talk of the Rays shrinking back into the bottom of the AL East.  Tampa Bay Rays General Manager Andrew Friedman has a different memo for you to report: A Third AL East Division Crown in four years. Don't think it can happen?  The Rays lost Carl Crawford, Carlos Pena, Rafael Soriano and pretty much their entire bullpen, you say?  They traded away Jason Bartlett and Matt Garza, you say? Friedman has a different update for you:  The Tampa Bay Rays have signed Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez to one-year contracts. What in the name of Fred McGriff and Wade Boggs is going on here?  No matter what Friedman says, you can translate it best this way:  How do you like me now? The Rays have added Damon and Ramirez for a combined $7.25 million, with up to a total of 8 million dollars, including incentives.  That's less than ...

As the Rays continue to bargain shop, it appears that Kyle Farnsworth is the latest find in the bin. Early reports indicate the Tampa Bay Rays have signed Farnsworth to a one-year,$2-3 million contract.  Consider what the Rays have lost: (most likely) Rafael Soriano and Grant Balfour, along with Dan Wheeler (Red Sox), Randy Choate (Marlins) and Joaquin Benoit (Tigers). Here's how the 2011 bullpen appears: Joel Peralta, Adam Russell, Kyle Farnsworth, Jake McGee, Cesar Ramos and Andy Sonnanstine. Now, those names may not be impressive, but neither was Grant Balfour, Randy Choate and Dan Wheeler when they came to the Rays.  Soriano and Benoit had good years elsewhere, but neither put up the type of numbers they did last year with the Rays. If Friedman can sign someone with closing experience such as Jon Rauch or Brian Fuentes, he will have effectively rebuilt an entire bullpen in one season.  When the Rays ...

Carl Crawford has signed the richest outfield contract in Major League Baseball history, and it has left other teams in the American League scrambling.It has been a bizarre and very cash-driven start to the 2011 Winter Meetings. Boston has clearly emerged with potentially the best offense in the American League. But other teams will try to make sure that it's not enough to get them the AL pennant. Here are five moves other AL teams will make to keep themselves in contention.Begin Slideshow

Gold glove left fielder with five-tool ability?  Check.  Gold glove First Baseman who is also one of the five best bats in MLB?  Check. Anything else? Theo Epstein got to dream big at Disney, and he turned his dreams into a mighty fine reality. Signing Carl Crawford and trading for Adrian Gonzalez has infused life into a Boston offense that it hasn't seen since the Manny Ramirez hay day.  Have you honestly thought about this lineup? 1.  CF  Jacoby Ellsbury 2.  2B  Dustin Pedroia 3.  LF  Carl Crawford 4.  1B  Adrian Gonzalez 5.  3B  Kevin Youkilis 6.  DH  David Ortiz 7.  RF  J.D. Drew 8.   C   Jarod Saltamacchia 9.  SS  Marco Scutaro Incredible.  Meet the new Boston Bombers. And consider Crawford the happiest of them all. It's hard not to be smiling when you just signed the largest contract for an outfielder in MLB history.  Everyone knew the price went up when Jayson Werth signed his 10 figure deal.  And now Crawford is the newest ...

As of this early evening, three General Managers were rumored to have given Rays GM Andrew Friedman a call about starting pitcher and 15 game winner Matt Garza. While I won't reveal the names of those GMs, let's just say that fans of the Texas Rangers, Milwaukee Brewers, and Washington Nationals should pay attention. The Rays have a rare luxury that most teams don't have: excess starting pitching.  With the emergence and MLB-readiness of young phenom Jeremy Hellickson, the Rays can move one of their other pitchers to help off-set an offense that is set to lose All Stars Carl Crawford and Carlos Pena. Texas could offer young first basemen such as Mitch Mooreland or Chris Davis.  If they want to hold onto their younger talent, they could offer oft-injured right fielder Nelson Cruz.  Washington could offer left fielder Josh Willingham or shortstop Ian Desmond. But the Milwaukee Brewers could offer the best deal. Enter ...

Adam Dunn finally got his wish.  When Dunn's signing with the Chicago White Sox becomes official, he will have the longest contract of his career.  Last time he went through free agency, he could only find a two year deal.  But, thanks to GM Kenny Williams, Dunn has long-term security through 2014. And Williams will have another albatross contract. Before the ink is even dry on Dunn's deal, Williams will be stuck with a contract he can't move.  Dunn is a great power hitter.  This is not in question.  But Dunn wasn't even the best left handed power hitter available.  And some of Dunn's numbers are cause for long-term concern. In 2010, Dunn hit .280 against right handed pitching.  But he only hit .199 versus lefties.  His numbers from 2007-2009 vs. LHP: .268/.195/.238.  Dunn isn't a complete player, and yet he's going to be banking the highest number of any ...

This just in: Cliff Lee is good. I mean really good. Cliff Lee could pull a Ron Burgundy right now: "Hey everyone, come see how good I look!" Sometimes when you are getting ready to stare fate in the face, you may not be ready for the outcome.  Especially if you've seen it before. Enter the New York Yankees. Everyone has been drooling over Cliff Lee's postseason dominance.  As a Tampa Bay Rays fan, I've seen it first hand.  You get one crack at Lee, typically early on in the game.  If you do not take advantage of it, then you might as well go home early.  Once Lee gets in a groove, the only thing you can root for is a high pitch count.  And with a pitcher who paints the corners nearly as good as a guy named Greg Maddux, rooting for a high pitch count is almost the equivalent of chasing the ...

In 2009, Davis enjoyed a taste of the bigs with a September call up.  In 2010, Davis is getting more than a taste, as the Rays turn to their 25-year-old rookie right hander to keep their playoff hopes alive.  Davis will make his postseason debut against one of the most fearsome offenses in baseball.  Oh yeah, there's this teeny tiny bit of pressure about a must-win game if the Rays season isn't to end. The Rays, after staving off elimination by winning Game 3 last night (P.S. Thank you to the Rays offense for showing they had a pulse) could have turned to ace lefty David Price to start Game 4 on three days rest.  But Price of all people would be able to tell you how much the Rays trust their young guns to make the team's biggest outs. In 2008 as a rookie with all of 20 or so innings ...

As the Tampa Bay Rays prepare to begin their 2010 post-season quest, they are not wide eyed, or star glazed.  This isn't their first rodeo.  Their first postseason experience opened their eyes. They are ready.  They are hungry for more.  Last time they made it to the big dance.  This time they want to be the last ones standing.If the Rays are to get as far as they did in 2008, they will need to ride the coattails of third year star third baseman Evan Longoria.  Here are 10 reasons why Longoria will lead his team back to the promised land.Begin Slideshow

We interrupt this 2010 AL East Division Chase to bring you this important update: The Tampa Bay Rays are "All In" in 2010, and have no chips left for 2011. Can we hit the pause button here? Instead of focusing on how the Rays are defying logic, gravity, and every law possible by going neck-and-neck with the New York Yankees for 150 games, the attention in this huge final series showdown against New York is this: The Rays will cut their payroll in 2011 and in turn cut their playoff chances as well. The New York media swarmed around Rays owner Stu Sternberg, and as always the case, the conversation turned to payroll and attendance.  Sternberg reiterated the payroll will go down.  And with the Rays drawing less than 1.9 million fans for the season, it's no wonder why.  The outgoing expenses must match the incoming revenues. Imagine that:  An ...