Looking at last season's stats, there's not a whole lot for Fantasy owners to get excited about with this Devil Rays squad. Their pitching staff was atrocious and their offense never fully played up to its potential with both '05 rookies Jorge Cantu and Jonny Gomes suffering sophomore slumps.
Only three other major league teams had higher ERAs over the season than the Devil Rays. But that's OK because Tampa Bay's hitters underwhelmed everyone with a majors-low 689 runs scored.
Even some of their stars had problems. Rocco Baldelli missed the start of the season with a hamstring problem and Scott Kazmir was shut down when concerns grew over the health of his left shoulder. B.J. Upton couldn't get a grip defensively and Delmon Young was suspended 50 games for throwing a bat at an umpire.
But 2006 wasn't a lost season for Tampa Bay or smart Fantasy owners. Carl Crawford continues to see his numbers climb across the board and Ty Wigginton broke through with a career season, hitting 24 homers and knocking in a team-leading 79 runs. Wigginton even missed a month, but was still able to lead the team in homers.
The biggest offseason action for this team was just that time marched on and their young prospects aged a few more months. Within a couple years, it's going to be Young and Upton, along with Elijah Dukes, Reid Brignac and Evan Longoria, that gives the team a chance to compete in the high-powered AL East.
Only three other teams stole more bases than the Devil Rays last year, paced by Crawford's AL-leading 58 swipes. Head coach Joe Maddon will have the green light on once again in 2007 with speedsters like Baldelli, Crawford, Upton and Young.
Kazmir should be fine to start the season, but the rest of this staff is below par, to say the least. Casey Fossum, Jae Seo and James Shields essentially have rotation spots locked down if they don't implode this spring.
Position battles
First base: Ty Wigginton vs. Akinori Iwamura
Everyone knows the Devil Rays are desperate for pitching, so what do they do? They go out and sign a mediocre Japanese hitter that will now battle their RBI leader from a year ago for a starting spot. Another option for these two is that Iwamura moves over to third base and Upton over to shortstop, but that's a longshot. Consider Wigginton the better Fantasy bet, despite Tampa Bay's need to get Iwamura at-bats.
Fifth starting pitcher: Tim Corcoran, Brian Stokes, Jason Hammel vs. Jeff Niemann
Corcoran pitched well last season, but the Devil Rays hope either Hammel or former first-round pick Jeff Niemann can beat him out in March for the fifth spot. Stokes is a 27-year-old minor league hurler. Any promising arms in the minors will surely get a shot later in the season, but for now, these three are destined for Fantasy free agency in AL-only leagues as Tampa Bay's fifth starters.
| | Rookies/Prospects | Age | Pos. | 2006 high | Destination |
| 1 | Delmon Young | 21 | RF | Majors | Majors |
| He should break 20-20, but we still see a future 30-30 man here |
| 2 | Akinori Iwamura | 28 | INF | Japan | Majors |
| Even Rays say power won't translate, but he's worth an AL-only flier |
| 3 | Jeff Niemann | 24 | RH SP | Double-A | Triple-A |
| Drafted in Jered Weaver-Justin Verlander-Jeremy Sowers class |
| 4 | Reid Brignac | 21 | SS | Double-A | Double-A |
| Offense at thin spot is intriguing and might lead to quick rise |
| 5 | Evan Longoria | 21 | 3B | Double-A | Double-A |
| Bigger prospect than Brignac or Ryan Braun, but more blocked at 3B in TB |
| Best of the rest: 3B Joel Guzman, 22; OF Elijah Dukes, 22; RHP Mitch Talbot, 23; RHP Andrew Sonnanstine, 24; RHP Juan Salas, 28; LHP Jacob McGee, 20; RHP Wade Davis, 21. |
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