2009 Fantasy Baseball: The Top Five Tampa Bay Rays

by faketeams on Jan 10, 2009 2:00 PM EST in Baseball

The Tampa Bay Rays Top 5 was easy enough to assemble. Ordering those players was a little more challenging thanks to the third season of declining HRs and SBs of Carl Crawford. The production of 2006 is now two full seasons removed. It is time to begin thinking those levels are gone.

Despite that glum assessment for a member of the Barack Obama of major league baseball teams, I still think Crawford is valuable. Assuming good health, I can see 30-40 SBs and hope for a focus on HRs as his legs continue to betray his base stealing.

For pitchers, I could have really flipped a coin on Shields and Kazmir. Kazmir is the pitcher with the most upside in Ks. In fact, he threw 63 fewer innings than Shields and struck out six more batters. However, Shields to the #4 spot due to an injury-free past and better control.

Rank	Player	Position
1	B.J. Upton	OF
2	Evan Longoria	3B
3	Carl Crawford	OF
4	James Shields	SP
5	Scott Kazmir	SP

Poll

Which Tampa Bay Ray should be in the top five?

OF Pat Burrell

13 votes

SP Matt Garza

4 votes

SP David Price

20 votes

1B Carlos Pena

13 votes

None of the above

18 votes

68 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

I like it

2 and 3 are going to be very close but that’s how I have them ranked as well.

What's on my mind

by Jason Collette on Jan 10, 2009 2:50 PM EST reply actions

+1

If you had them flipped, I wouldn’t disagree.

If Burrell can hit 30+ away from CBP, he is going to be a very nice player this year – kind of a Aubrey huff ’08 type of value.

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by faketeams on Jan 10, 2009 3:02 PM EST up reply actions

Percival?

Do you see Troy Percival emulating his comeback year last yr and putting up decent number again? If not and Perciavl flops/gets injured, do you see the Rays moving David Price to the closer role?

by chicity'sfinest on Jan 10, 2009 6:06 PM EST reply actions

No way the Rays move Price to closer

His value is in the number of innings he can throw…I would anticipate 150-170 this year, with an outcome based on a 150 inning season…

Furthermore, I am trying to ascertain Upton’s value and wether or not i should protect him in my AL only league at $44. Kind of a Sizemore with a better average now that his shoulder is all healed up. Anyhow, is a line of
.305
30 HR
95 RBI
40 Sbs

with possible HR upside out of the question for Upton in 2009? and does that make him worthy of a protect when the draft is lining as very lean in the SB category?

by thomasps3 on Jan 10, 2009 7:26 PM EST up reply actions

Upton

I think if Upton hits those 30 Hrs, he will steal fewer bases than in 2008. A very optimistic projection but I wouldn’t be surprised to see his 2009 be closer to that than to his 2008.

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by faketeams on Jan 10, 2009 7:59 PM EST up reply actions