I won’t try to answer these today, but here are ten questions facing the Rays as the season comes to a close:
- Who’s here today that won’t be here in February?
- Who do the Rays need to return to the playoffs?
- What does the outfield look like next Spring?
- Joe Maddon will be back. What about his coaches? Already answered. Steve Henderson will be the only member of Maddon’s staff that will not return next season. This after a productive season that saw several offensive records broken. But, Rays management pointed to the lack of timely hitting and poor production with runners in scoring position as the reason for the change.
- Have we seen the last of Aki?
- When will Desmond Jennings emerge? Jeremy Hellickson?
- How much will the Yankees and Red Sox spend to keep the Rays away?
- Attendance will always be a topic for ownership. How will 2009′s non-playoff ending impact season ticket renewals?
- With the Twins in a new ballpark, will the Rays and the area feel more pressure to replace the Trop?
- Will the Rays finally identify a true closer? Andrew Friedman has said he doesn’t expect to bring in a true closer in the off-season. The Rays will look to improve their overall bullpen and have a few relievers that they can use situationally to close, much like this year.
