We made it through spring training without any injuries, so I guess I should consider myself lucky, or maybe they'll start coming in droves after the season starts.
To get down to 27 we had to make a couple of deals and some moves. First off a deal that was actually proposed by the AI for Minnesota:
This worked out well because Rappaport was out of options and Thornton has one left, so he's going to Durham despite hitting .290-12-50 as shown above in half a season as a rookie with the Twins. He'll be the first OF up if we have an injury and could have a real role on next year's team.
Next up was this minor deal:
Burgess was not only out of options but had the right to refuse a minor league assignment so even if we got him through waivers we'd probably have to just release him. He was out most of last year, his stuff has diminished some, and he had a poor spring so we weren't keeping him. So something is better than nothing and Phelps is just barely something, a poor-fielding 2B with some pop who's on a minor league deal. He's basically minor league depth.
Finally,
we DFA'd Joe Flores, out of options and who might still hit 30-35 HR if someone put him in the lineup everyday but he wasn't beating out former MVPs Seth Williams or Josh Alexander for a 1B/DH spot. I'd still like to keep him around, so hopefully he clears.
Our depth also meant some tough cuts to go down to Durham. Joel Gird, who missed most of last year after winning a rotation spot, came back with a slight diminishing of his stuff but might still be better than Johnny Soland, who also came back with diminished stuff after his near season-long injury. Nevertheless Gird had an option and the rotation is full even after moving Jose Mendoza to the pen, so off to Durham he goes waiting for the first staff injury. Also Jon Callahan, who started at SS for us in the World Series last year while Dave Frick was hurt, was sent down. And Nelson Bocardo is long overdue for a spot but I didn't like what I was offered in trade for him so down he goes as well. That leaves this opening day roster:
C-Cordova, Baer
1B-S.Williams
2B-Beckett
SS-Frick
3B-Barela
IF-Laboy
OF-Willis, Gregory, Johns, Mendez, Parham (who can also pitch)
DH-Alexander
SP-Brophy, Ager, B.Jackson, Bookhart, Soland
LR-Harbour, Mendoza
MR-Combs, D.Anderson, Pretty (also Parham when not playing CF)
SU-Forbes, Sato, Cunningham
CL-C.Martin
I will note that Ed Pretty, who was so awful over the last 2/3 of the year despite no diminishment of his 80 stuff, had a brilliant spring and looked more like the reliever who accrued 1.9 WAR in both the 2041 and 2042 seasons than last year's disaster so he could graduate to a setup role if he continues like that in middle relief.
The preseason predictions:
The predictions really, really like us, projecting the Rays to hit .301 as a team and have a 3.45 team ERA on the way to 114 wins. 114 wins is kind of normal for this team, but usually not predicted; most years we're between 100-110. Interestingly it sees a big year from Brad Jackson, who wasn't as good last year and had a terrible spring. Otherwise, it's really bullish on the A's - the Jimmy Leonard acquisition should definitely help them.