Jan 04
If you have been hanging around these parts for a while, you know that the model for this site is to tell you what the Rays have done, what they are doing and try to project what they will do based on what we have learned. Unlike most team blogs, we do not very often tell you what the Tampa Bay Rays should do. We prefer to live under the premise that the people that run the Rays are smarter than we are, and know many, many more things that even the most learned fan will never know.
However, for the next 12 days we will step away from the standard, and we present to you 12 “presents” the Tampa Bay Rays should give to their fans. Looking back at last year’s 12 Days of Raysmas, we see that the Rays didn’t come through on very many of our wishes, and the result was a somewhat disappointing season. Let’s hope that changes in 2010.
On the eleventh day of Raysmas, the Tampa Bay Rays gave to us, ELEVEN postseason wins…
Three, fo’, fo’. You do the math.
Jan 04
Things have been very quiet on the rumor-front for the Rays. The two biggest questions remaining are Pat Burrell and Dioner Navarro. Can the Rays find a taker for Burrell’s hefty contract and are the Rays willing to start the season with Navi and Kelly Shoppach as the two catchers?
Richard Durrett of ESPN Dallas mentions Navarro as a potential answer for the Rangers catching situation.
The Rangers have shown interest in Tampa Bay catcher Dioner Navarro, who agreed to a $2.1 million for next year with the Rays. Maybe there’s a trade that could be worked up to bring him to Arlington.
Several bloggers saw this report and thought it indicated that the Rangers are still interested in Navi. They may indeed still be interested, but there is nothing in Durrett’s report that suggests this is the case. Rather it seems as though he is just commenting on the same reports we all heard during the Winter Meetings.
DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA…
- Joe Smith writes about Matt Joyce and the improvements he showed in 2009 and his thoughts on competing for a job with the Rays this spring. [St. Pete Times]
- Here is an important quote from Jake McGee that you don’t often hear from young pitchers. On moving to the bullpen and being a closer: “I’d like that role a lot,” McGee said. “I’d be able to better focus and put all my energy into one batter or one inning, and not have to pace myself.”
- David Price was named Middle Tennessee’s prep male athlete of the decade. [The Tennessean]
- And Carlos Pena was named one of the 9 Greatest Athletes of the ’00s by a source that is indeed biased. [NESW]
- Making a case for Fred McGriff in the Hall of Fame. [7th Inning Stache]
- Winston Abreu was named the best triple-A relief pitcher of 2009. [MLB]
- And Durham was named the triple-A team of the year. [MLB]
- If you are into decade lists, Roger Mooney has the Rays top 10 moments of the decade. [Tampa Tribune]
- And Roger Mooney has the Rays all-decade team, which some would call the “2008 Tampa Bay Rays.” [Tampa Tribune]
- Congrats to the St. Pete Times, who was named as having one of the top 10 best sports web sites by the AP. [St. Pete Times]
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/jan/01/010201/top-10-rays-moments-decade/sports-rays/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+tbo%2Frays+%28TBO+%3E+Devil+Rays%29&utm_content=Google+Reader
