Dave Cameron Officially Ends the Rays 2009 Season

Even though it was early, I felt that the first 6 weeks killed any realistic chance of going to the playoffs. The bad performances by Burrell, Kaz, Sonny, and Percival totally negated what was gained from Bartlett and Zobrist playing so well. There were at least 8 games we had no chance of winning due to early implosions by Kaz and Sonny. The black hole starts just didn’t happen in 2008.

It’s critical for the FO to address the catching situation this offseason. I bet Zaun sticks around to catch 30-40% of the games, but we need someone who has either real offensive or defensive value at that position. I also think they should pick up the CC option and trade him if they get an obscenely good offer and either let Aki go, or pick up that option and trade him.

This would be a nice 2010 opening day roster:
C Doumit (not sure how)
1B Pena
2B Zobrist
SS Bartlett
3B Longo
LF Crawford
CF Upton
RF Joyce

C Zaun
IF Aybar
IF Brignac
OF Matt Murton
OF Nando

SP1 Shields
SP2 Garza
SP3 Price
SP4 Niemann
SP5 Davis

BP Howell
BP Wheeler
BP Balfour
BP Choate
BP Cormier
BP Friedman’d
BP Friedman’d

Friedman’d = FA pickup, trade acquisition, or SP conversion. Whatever works. Talbot and Sonny to the pen suits me just fine.

When the NYY may win the division by double figures, i doubt we’d be able to contend

proven, good, talent. Anyone else take it that way?

Seems that with Brignac, Zo, S-Rod, Aybar etc we’ve got middle infield covered.

Or would moving Pena be an idea with Zo/Aybar/PTBNL playing there?

Just poach AL talent.

resign the gabes for 1 year in right (and then Deezy plays if he is ready, which he should be, by 2011), play Joyce in left. Brignac at short, and Talbot as the 5th starter assuming Davis is the 4th (price and niemann 2-3). Then we take Sonny, throw him in the bullpen, and release everyone except for Howell, Cormier, Sonny, Choate, Thayer and use the money we saved to cheaply fill up the bullpen’s last two spots. That team should be a mid 80s win team+, and I think that plan going forward sets us up big time going down the road.

With Dave Duncan?

Marlins aren’t going to extend him and they looooove prospects

or will he be the only high paid guy to leave the Rays? The article indicates we have to part with other pieces (young pieces). Is he referencing minor league guys, or young talent like Beej, Brignac etc.

With the collapse, the Rays have to wonder what could have been. There is no doubt that this is a talented team that they put together, with both tremendous ability and depth at most positions.

Other than maybe payroll implications, given the above statement, why the pressing need to reload? This is/was a team with the talent to make the playoffs, it just didn’t happen this year. Other than catcher, there is no obvious hole for significant improvement.

Lets make it happen