Kuzul

The 2013 MLB season is now in full swing, and the Rays haven't had very good start to their year. Tampa Bay stands at 3-4 after the first week of baseball, dropping a couple of tough games but showing some bright signs as well.It's just the beginning of what should be an exciting year for this talented Rays team.Here are five things I've taken away from the first seven games of the season.Begin Slideshow

Every year, there's at least one surprise when it's time to dole out the hardware. Last year, R.A. Dickey was the first knuckleballer to ever win the Cy Young, but he's not alone when it comes to the seemingly out-of-nowhere greatness that we see on podiums every fall.How about Neftali Feliz winning the Rookie of the Year in 2010? The duo of Andrew Bailey and Chris Coghlan winning rookie honors in 2009? To some extent, Cliff Lee winning the Cy Young in 2008 was a shock. The player vying for the MVP every year seem familiar, but Dustin Pedroia in 2008 could be considered a dark horse.So that's what we're going to try to find today: players that have a legitimate shot at winning the MVP, the Cy Young, or the Rookie of the Year...but aren't yet in the news nightly.Because in 2003, Eric Gagne won the National League Cy ...

The population of third basemen in Major League Baseball is talented and getting increasingly young, and with the promotion of Manny Machado and impending ascension of top prospects Anthony Rendon, Nick Castellanos and Mike Olt (if he stays at 3B), the position is getting deeper and becoming even younger..  With that said, it should be understood the position has several question marks among the top echelon of players (ie, health issues, consistency issues), so in consideration of the depth of the position it may be advisable to wait until the middle rounds to make a selection if you do not get one of the top three or four options. Of course, even in the middle rounds there will be some questions that attach to your selection, but if you're going to select a third baseman with some questions it would be better to gamble with a fifteenth round pick than a fourth or fifth round pick. ...

Evan Longoria and the Tampa Bay Rays agreed to a 10-year contract extension (six years guaranteed) worth $100 million earlier this week. The deal will keep Longoria with the Rays through the 2022 season with a team option for 2023. The Rays drafted Longoria with the third overall pick in 2006 and he was the first player selected by owner Stu Sternberg and GM Andrew Friedman. Via the New York Daily News:  “We drafted Evan in 2006 with the belief that he and the organization would grow with each other and together accomplish great things,” said Rays Principal Owner Stuart Sternberg. “That is why the Rays and Evan signed a long-term contract in 2008, and it is why we are extending our commitments today. Evan has clearly become a cornerstone player and a fixture in our organization. We are proud of what we have accomplished these past seven years, and ...

If you see a brunette beauty who answers by the name of Jamie Edmondson, stop her. She just stole a blueberry muffin from Sweet Tomatoes. Reports have it that she was last seen with Evan Longoria. Thanks to Busted Coverage, we get a light-hearted story of thievery by none other than a former Playmate and the girlfriend of the Tampa Bay Rays star. The website noticed a couple of tweets from the lovely lady who apparently wanted to take a snack from the soup and salad buffet restaurant. And she has the audacity to tweet out the tasty treat to the masses. First up is this hilarity (via Twitter): Lunch at Sweet Tomatoes...2 observations...1. I am always the youngest person here and 2. most of my lunch ends up on my belly #messyeater— jaime edmondson (@jaimeedmondson) November 30, 2012  In Los Angeles, the restaurant is called Souplantation and yes, it is filled with the elderly. Not ...

After watching him help the Angels sweep the Red Sox earlier this week, and based on his entire body of work this season, it's clear that Mike Trout is one of the most exciting young players in the majors. He may even be the American League MVP when all is said and done, but there is one thing I don't think the 21-year-old phenom should be: Rookie of the Year. Technically, Trout is a rookie. As the MLB rules state, “A player shall be considered a rookie unless, during a previous season or seasons, he has (a) exceeded 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched in the Major Leagues; or (b) accumulated more than 45 days on the active roster of a Major League club or clubs during the period of 25-player limit (excluding time in the military service and time on the disabled list). Trout makes the cut...barely. He played ...

With several surprises and disappointments, the 2012 MLB season has been a compelling one to watch thus far. However, something that has made the game less fun to follow is the number of superstar players that have suffered significant injuries. Yes, sometimes new players can emerge when established veterans go on the disabled list. Look at Bryce Harper with the Nationals or Freddy Galvis for the Phillies. (Unfortunately, Galvis has joined the ranks of the injured.) Sure, we watch baseball because we love the game, but a big reason we love the game is because we get to see top players perform at an elite level. Superstars provide the game with its flash and sizzle. They compel us to watch. Without its marquee talent on the field, baseball is just a little less exciting.But the game will be far more exciting to watch in the weeks and months to come once some ...

Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper are the future of the Washington Nationals. Strasburg will be the ace of a formidable starting rotation for years to come, and Bryce Harper will anchor the outfield and the lineup with his five-tool talent. The future is in good hands. Here are seven reasons why the Washington Nationals need to quickly sign both players to long-term contracts to ensure the successful future of the franchise.Begin Slideshow

Around lunchtime on Tuesday, a report surfaced that Tampa Bay third baseman Longoria would miss six to eight weeks with a partial hamstring tear, a seemingly crippling blow to the Rays' chances of making the American League playoffs this year. Then around 1 p.m. EST, the Rays' Web site published a dissimilar account of Longoria's progress, saying he had incurred a "hamstring-knee thing" (the words of GM Andrew Friedman) but would not be headed for the disabled list.Fast forward to 6:06 p.m., just minutes after I had published the original version of this story, the Rays finally made it official: Longoria (four HRs, 19 RBI, 15 runs, two steals, .329 batting) will indeed miss four to eight weeks with a hamstring tear.Even with the final prognosis, I'm still recommending that fantasy owners make a sincere, aggressive trade play for Longo—before the weekend—in the form of a two-tiered, scenario-based proposal (like ...

With Evan Longoria expected to miss anywhere from six to eight weeks with a hamstring injury, the Tampa Bay Rays are left without their most consistent offensive performer.Longoria's April put him in the running as an early AL MVP candidate, but any chances of that happening now seem slim to none.Through 23 games in April, Longoria launched four home runs, compiled 19 RBI, hit seven doubles and put together a line of .329/.433/.561.He is the offensive leader of a team that usually doesn't score too many runs, and there's no doubt that his absence will be missed.As with the loss of any superstar, the victim's team will likely perform at a lower level.Take Miguel Cabrera or Prince Fielder away from the Tigers, Robinson Cano away from the Yankees or Matt Kemp away from the Dodgers, and it's likely that the respective teams will all suffer.The Rays, though, will suffer even ...