It can be said that the 2011 off-season should be much less interesting than last year. There will be nothing as dramatic as Carl Crawford going to the Red Sox or Rafael Soriano signing with the Yankees. With that said, here are my five key questions that will have to be answered this off-season.
- Where will the Rays find more offense? You have to figure that if they are going to add any top-name players, it would most likely be via a trade. The Rays will not be big players in the free agent market. But, they have a well-stocked farm system to use in trying to find more power, perhaps at the first base and designated hitter positions.
- Is BJ Upton part of the team when Spring Training opens? I’ll guess no (see question one). I think BJ Upton will be a key component to any trade that might bring offense at positions the Rays need help with. The Rays have options in center field. The amount of money the Rays would have to pay BJ just might be passing his value to the team. It’s time for him to move on.
- Where does Matt Moore begin the season? Ok. I’ll answer this one with a question. How could he not start the season with the Rays? While the sample is small, Moore showed in just one game that he’s ready for just about anything. There’s no bigger stage than to throw game one of the ALDS and produce results as he did. Most certainly, the Rays will have to monitor his progress. But, finding a place in the rotation for him is essential.
- If Matt Moore stays, who goes? This one could get interesting, and have a tie-in to question one. Would the Rays use James Shields as trade bait to get that offense? Maybe, if the deal is as good as the one they pulled off for Matt Garza last year. Jeff Niemann could easily go. For me, I liked what I saw of Wade Davis in the bullpen. I’d be interested in seeing him play a late-inning role with the Rays over the next several seasons.
- Will the Rays play the free agent game? The Rays only have a few players available on the free agent market. Of those, I’ll guess that Johnny Damon stays and Casey Kotchman and Juan Cruz go. Damon clearly would like to see his career end close to his Orlando home. He proved to be a good fit for the Rays and showed that he still has some offense left in his bat. Kotchman, on the other hand, I think will go where the money is. But, it’s unclear whether his defensive skills can out-weigh his lack of power and make him a first baseman that other teams covet.
As far as the Rays obtaining free agents, it’s fairly safe to say they will not be big spenders. They will most likely look for role players who fit needs that they have, perhaps in the bullpen and bench depth. If the Rays want to make things interesting, bringing back Carlos Pena or bringing in career Yankee Jorge Posada would be fun. But, if you think that’s too much of a gamble, you might try this Sports Betting Website.
