Our trip through the American League East continues today in sunny St. Petersburg, Florida. Let's stop at the Trop for a look at the Tampa Bay Rays All-Time Team.
The always-competitive Rays have raised a couple banners in their relatively short history. They were American League champions in 2008 and 2020 - two of the four seasons in which they won the East division.
Manager Joe Maddon always gets the most of out his scrappy squad. What will he do with this roster?
Julio Lugo and Matt Joyce aren't All-Time starter material, but the Rays don't have any suitable competition there. Kevin Kiermaier challenged B.J. Upton for the starting center field position.
Kiermaier's dWAR is higher than the total WAR of every Rays outfielder except Carl Crawford. He's in. That leaves Upton to compete for a bench role with a couple of new faces.
Finally, the Rays have some options! At the start of 2020, only three middle infielders had met the four-season minimum to qualify for the Tampa roster. That pool got a lot bigger over the last three years.
Dioner Navarro has no serious competition as a backup catcher, but every other bench player's status is in flux. Ji-Man Choi pushed for Aubrey Huff's spot but unfortunately couldn't usurp the Rays' fifth-ranked hitter and slugger.
Jorge Cantu played just 332 games for Tampa across four seasons. His replacement-level production doesn't measure up to more recent Rays Wendle, Lowe, or Diaz. Lowe (rhymes with "oww!") is an easy choice for Maddon to make.
Maddon makes another change in the outfield. Desmond Jennings grades out as a better defender than Randy Winn, but the switch-hitting Winn will, uh, win the fifth outfield spot for his ability with the bat.
The Rays' rotation gets thin after the top two starters, but there isn't anyone in camp that can push for a spot. Tyler Glasnow technically qualifies, but he's made just 50 starts for Tampa over five seasons. Help is on the way however...
Andrew Kittredge bumps J.P. Howell out of the Tampa Bay bullpen. Hopefully he'll appear in some Topps sets so I can add him to the binder.
Looking ahead, Shane McClanahan won't qualify for this roster until the end of 2024, but he's on track to push Blake Snell for the #2 starter spot. Fun fact for all you collectors: McClanahan has 1,600 more cards than Kittredge - and "Kitt" has been in the league three years longer.
Wander Franco has played the equivalent of one full season in Tampa, but the star shortstop is signed loooong term. Randy Arozarena could easily force Matt Joyce out of the starting lineup in a couple years.
It shouldn't be a surprise that a young small-market franchise like the Rays has made so many changes to their All-Time roster and... this just in, we have some breaking news...
Joe Maddon has been fired as manager of the All-Time Rays. Maddon compiled a .517 winning percentage over nine seasons with Tampa. He will be replaced by Kevin Cash, who has compiled a .536 winning percentage over eight seasons with the club. Great, now I need a Cash card.
TL; DR: Three changes from the original roster (four if you count the manager). Howell, Cantu, Jennings, and Maddon out. Kittredge, Lowe, Winn and Cash in. Cash in now, honey. Cash in now.
We'll close out the AL East tomorrow with a look at the Toronto Blue Jays.
Thanks for reading!
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Man, how does Andrew Kittredge make an all-time roster without getting a single card in a major release? That's stunning. He did get his first Topps card last year--in Topps 206 of all things. So it's not that there's a contractual issue, at least anymore, as I'd have to think there was one at some point. He's got some minor league cards out there too.
ReplyDeleteAt least this team now has one Hall of Famer with the Crime Dog's election.
I thought the pitching staff would be even stronger, it seems like they're turning up a new standout every single year.
ReplyDeleteNo Wade Boggs ;)
ReplyDeleteThem thar Rays have got a bunch of youngins lookin to take care of sum biznez
ReplyDeleteSurprised Kettredge didn't have some Bowman card out there. Weakest All Time roster so far (for obvious reasons) but I'm sure they'll put up a fight consistently
ReplyDeleteI was thinking Kevin Cash would probably be a better manager choice, and then there it was!
ReplyDeleteThis will definitely look different in a few years, I agree.
ReplyDeleteWriting about the Rays directly after the Yankees just isn't fair. It's like night and day. It'll see if the Rays can make up ground over the next century (or two).
ReplyDeleteI would not have thought of replacing Madden with Cash but that does seem like a good move.
ReplyDeleteI never liked Maddon. I'm glad Cash replaced him.
ReplyDeleteSome slim pickings in some areas there for the Rays but I think that's a pretty decent squad. Glad to see McGriff! Early (Devil) Rays cards are always super cool.
ReplyDelete