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Art Deco · 10-19-2024, 07:53 PM

It was a good season for the Rays even if they did fall two games short of their ultimate goal, especially considering the slow start they got off to. The good news is that most of the core returns for 2038 although we do bid adieu to Wander Franco, who is decline and turns 37 when next season starts. He did have a nice playoff (317/419/619) so we'll let him go out on a high note. The main area that will have to be made over is the bullpen, with Jadon Smith and Tony Alicea declining their player options and Ruben Abeyta and Jamie Arnold free agents. Although they all put up decent numbers overall they were a source of aggravation throughout the season and especially in the playoffs, so maybe the new crew will be more consistent.

Here's how our salary obligations for 2038 shake out, with minimum-salary guys not listed:

Our total projected payroll assuming everyone is kept is just under $123M and we have a $170M payroll budget so there will be plenty of money to spend to fill our needs, either via trade or free agency. Gutierrez will probably be moved and there's another name or two I could part with (see below) so we'll have around $50M to play with.

The position-by-position outlook:

Catcher: Billy Doughty took the job by the throat in the second half and should be a fixture behind the plate for years to come. Hence the desire to jettison Gutierrez, who was sent to Durham as he's not a great defensive C and his bat was down as well. I'll see what I can get for him in trade and if noting special he'll likely to be non-tendered, leaving Art Bing as a solid backup (good glove, decent power).

First Base: Despite a good postseason Joe Stack took a step back this year from 3.9 WAR to 1.0 and found himself on the bench against lefties but is now due a raise to at least $7M. With Danny Charlton available to play the position and Luis Berumen better suited to DHing instead of playing the OF, Stack will be shopped to hopefully fill one or more of our needs. Either way expect lefty-killer Agustin Lopez to get ABs against southpaws as he tuned them up to the tune of 364/411/561 in 190 PAs this year and followed that up by hitting them at 458/552/583 in the playoffs.

Second Base: Franco is gone, leaving a hole. I'd like to shift Justin Blackwell over here from SS (where he had an atrocious -13.9 ZR) and bring in a much better glove to play the position. Blackwell only had 0.7 WAR despite a 20/20 season as a result.

Shortstop: See second base.

Third Base: Can we get back Danny Arroyave to his previous 30 HR, 90 RBI level? He had a star-crossed, injury-riddled (3 IL stints) season but came on in the playoffs, looking like his old self. We'll pay around $8M to find out.

Infield: Luis Cisneros was the primary IF back and played a lot of 3B in Arroyave's absence, has some pop and put up a +4.1 ZR at the hot corner and can also fake it at 2B/SS, so he'll likely be back. One-time top prospect Claus Hoppenbrouwers missed most of the year and can play the middle infield as well as the outfield and will be in the mix.

Left Field: If Berumen is moved to DH, LF opens up for either an acquisition or a possible Mal Stephens/Alex Rivas platoon. After hitting 260/312/525 with 17 HR and 9 SB in 242 AB in 2036, Stephens dropped off to 218/268/359 with 5 HR and 14 SB in a similar number of at-bats while Rivas hit 284/329/403 with 47 SB but only 1.5 WAR thanks to a brutal -10.2 ZR as he was miscast in CF before we moved him off the position.

Center Field: Rookie Danny Rodriguez came up and provided a spark, earning 1.1 in only 30 games and playing plus D at the position (+2.4 ZR in only 30 games), then followed that up with a solid postseason (although he didn't hit in the World Series). The job is his.

Right Field: Tony Fisher was our best acquisition last winter, hitting 260/363/543 with 28 HR and 76 RBI in 103 games before his season was cut short with a severe hip strain and he was missed in the postseason. He should settle in as a neutral fielder so the bat will more than play. He could play LF if we get someone who's better defensively in RF.

Designated Hitter: As mentioned we project Berumen here as part of our general effort to improve the atrocious team defense, an effort that started with Doughty and D-Rod becoming regulars late in the season.

Outfield: We also have Duk-yoon Ko, known as the Korean Kyle Schwarber but who unfortunately didn't hit like Schwarber, struggling to a 176/310/372 line. Unlike Schwarber, he's a plus defensive OF but it's questionable where he fits in and he can't hit lefties.

Others: Rookie Frank Duron was up briefly and the man can hit (65 contact, 55 power with 60 potential) and raked at Durham, but he's really a 1B/DH type and there isn't much room at those positions. Another rookie and former first-round pick Danny Dicochea also impressed in some brief action but he too is probably better suited for 1B than 3B and there's no room at the inn for him either.

Rotation: Coming back intact with Marlette/Morales/Bryant as good a threesome as anybody's and Leo Gutierrez looks like a legit MLB starter. The fifth starter's job could go to holdover Mario Urizar, who had a good WAR but lousy numbers thanks to the bad D behind him and could thrive if we improve there, or top prospect Dwayne Marion, who should be ready for a shot.

Bullpen: As mentioned at the outset this is the big renovation project for the offseason with lefty Branden Gammage the only late-inning guy coming back. Middle men like Bridgewater, Mauricio and Coggin will return but we're going to need at least 2-3 more quality arms including a legitimate closer. Could we re-sign a Smith or Alicea? Possible (we'll have the money) but we'll see.

So our goals for the winter are (the TL;DR version):

*Find a SS with a good glove, preferably one who can hit some
*Possibly find a corner outfielder of some quality
*Build a new bullpen including a closer and set-up guy

10-19-2024, 07:53 PM	#1439
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,953	2037-38 Offseason: State of the Team It was a good season for the Rays even if they did fall two games short of their ultimate goal, especially considering the slow start they got off to. The good news is that most of the core returns for 2038 although we do bid adieu to Wander Franco, who is decline and turns 37 when next season starts. He did have a nice playoff (317/419/619) so we'll let him go out on a high note. The main area that will have to be made over is the bullpen, with Jadon Smith and Tony Alicea declining their player options and Ruben Abeyta and Jamie Arnold free agents. Although they all put up decent numbers overall they were a source of aggravation throughout the season and especially in the playoffs, so maybe the new crew will be more consistent. Here's how our salary obligations for 2038 shake out, with minimum-salary guys not listed: Our total projected payroll assuming everyone is kept is just under $123M and we have a $170M payroll budget so there will be plenty of money to spend to fill our needs, either via trade or free agency. Gutierrez will probably be moved and there's another name or two I could part with (see below) so we'll have around $50M to play with. The position-by-position outlook: Catcher: Billy Doughty took the job by the throat in the second half and should be a fixture behind the plate for years to come. Hence the desire to jettison Gutierrez, who was sent to Durham as he's not a great defensive C and his bat was down as well. I'll see what I can get for him in trade and if noting special he'll likely to be non-tendered, leaving Art Bing as a solid backup (good glove, decent power). First Base: Despite a good postseason Joe Stack took a step back this year from 3.9 WAR to 1.0 and found himself on the bench against lefties but is now due a raise to at least $7M. With Danny Charlton available to play the position and Luis Berumen better suited to DHing instead of playing the OF, Stack will be shopped to hopefully fill one or more of our needs. Either way expect lefty-killer Agustin Lopez to get ABs against southpaws as he tuned them up to the tune of 364/411/561 in 190 PAs this year and followed that up by hitting them at 458/552/583 in the playoffs. Second Base: Franco is gone, leaving a hole. I'd like to shift Justin Blackwell over here from SS (where he had an atrocious -13.9 ZR) and bring in a much better glove to play the position. Blackwell only had 0.7 WAR despite a 20/20 season as a result. Shortstop: See second base. Third Base: Can we get back Danny Arroyave to his previous 30 HR, 90 RBI level? He had a star-crossed, injury-riddled (3 IL stints) season but came on in the playoffs, looking like his old self. We'll pay around $8M to find out. Infield: Luis Cisneros was the primary IF back and played a lot of 3B in Arroyave's absence, has some pop and put up a +4.1 ZR at the hot corner and can also fake it at 2B/SS, so he'll likely be back. One-time top prospect Claus Hoppenbrouwers missed most of the year and can play the middle infield as well as the outfield and will be in the mix. Left Field: If Berumen is moved to DH, LF opens up for either an acquisition or a possible Mal Stephens/Alex Rivas platoon. After hitting 260/312/525 with 17 HR and 9 SB in 242 AB in 2036, Stephens dropped off to 218/268/359 with 5 HR and 14 SB in a similar number of at-bats while Rivas hit 284/329/403 with 47 SB but only 1.5 WAR thanks to a brutal -10.2 ZR as he was miscast in CF before we moved him off the position. Center Field: Rookie Danny Rodriguez came up and provided a spark, earning 1.1 in only 30 games and playing plus D at the position (+2.4 ZR in only 30 games), then followed that up with a solid postseason (although he didn't hit in the World Series). The job is his. Right Field: Tony Fisher was our best acquisition last winter, hitting 260/363/543 with 28 HR and 76 RBI in 103 games before his season was cut short with a severe hip strain and he was missed in the postseason. He should settle in as a neutral fielder so the bat will more than play. He could play LF if we get someone who's better defensively in RF. Designated Hitter: As mentioned we project Berumen here as part of our general effort to improve the atrocious team defense, an effort that started with Doughty and D-Rod becoming regulars late in the season. Outfield: We also have Duk-yoon Ko, known as the Korean Kyle Schwarber but who unfortunately didn't hit like Schwarber, struggling to a 176/310/372 line. Unlike Schwarber, he's a plus defensive OF but it's questionable where he fits in and he can't hit lefties. Others: Rookie Frank Duron was up briefly and the man can hit (65 contact, 55 power with 60 potential) and raked at Durham, but he's really a 1B/DH type and there isn't much room at those positions. Another rookie and former first-round pick Danny Dicochea also impressed in some brief action but he too is probably better suited for 1B than 3B and there's no room at the inn for him either. Rotation: Coming back intact with Marlette/Morales/Bryant as good a threesome as anybody's and Leo Gutierrez looks like a legit MLB starter. The fifth starter's job could go to holdover Mario Urizar, who had a good WAR but lousy numbers thanks to the bad D behind him and could thrive if we improve there, or top prospect Dwayne Marion, who should be ready for a shot. Bullpen: As mentioned at the outset this is the big renovation project for the offseason with lefty Branden Gammage the only late-inning guy coming back. Middle men like Bridgewater, Mauricio and Coggin will return but we're going to need at least 2-3 more quality arms including a legitimate closer. Could we re-sign a Smith or Alicea? Possible (we'll have the money) but we'll see. So our goals for the winter are (the TL;DR version): Find a SS with a good glove, preferably one who can hit some Possibly find a corner outfielder of some quality *Build a new bullpen including a closer and set-up guy