Tampa Bay Rays 2015 season preview and predictions

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Mar 9, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash (16) before a spring training baseball game against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

2015 Predictions

Projected Lineup:

May 24, 2014; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Rays players celebrate with center fielder Desmond Jennings (8) after defeating the Boston Red Sox in fifteen innings at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

LF, Desmond Jennings (R)
2B, Asdrubal Cabrera (S)
3B, Evan Longoria (R)
1B, James Loney (L)
LF, Steven Souza (R)
DH/C, Jon Jaso (L)
C, Rene Rivera (R)
CF, Kevin Kiermaier (L)
SS, Nick Franklin (S)

Bench:

OF, David DeJuses (L)
INF, Logan Forsythe (R)
INF, Tim Beckham (R)
OF, Brandon Guyer (R)

Rotation:

RHP, Alex Cobb

LHP, Matt Moore (DL)

RHP, Chris Archer

RHP, Jake Odorizzi

LHP, Drew Smyly

RHP, Nate Karns

Sep 9, 2014; Bronx, NY, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Chris Archer (22) pitches against the New York Yankees during the third inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports /

Bullpen:

RHP, Jake McGee (Closer)
RHP, Brad Boxberger (Setup)
RHP, Kevin Jepsen (Setup)
RHP, Grant Balfour (Middle)
RHP, Ernest Frieri (Middle)
LHP, Jeff Beliveau (Middle)
RHP, Alex Colome (Long)

Top Prospects:

SS, Daniel Robertson
SS, Adrian Rondon
C, Justin O’Conner
RHP, Brent Honeywell
1B, Casie Gillaspie
2B, Andrew Velasquez
SS, Willy Adames
2B, Ryan Brett

Looking at the entire organizational chart on paper it become clear the Rays are not a 2015 team. Every move made over the past six-months signals it.

Guys like Brent Honeywell, Andrew Velasquez, and gem of the Ben Zobrist deal, Daniel Robertson, are still a ways away from the majors.

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

The lineup is just dreadful. Anytime James Loney is your cleanup hitter and Desmond Jennings is the one of the few options to lead off, pitching becomes the name of your game. It’ll be ultra critical for Matt Moore to get back and find his old form by the All-Star break.

The second-half of the season will be much more important for this club than the first.

The reason? Well, it’ll take some time for Kevin Cash to lay his fingerprints all over the team. They truly won’t feel out their identity until after the first few months and Moore is back strong.

The rotation is a plus, the defense is still solid, and the bullpen can be dynamic. However, the team simply doesn’t have the tools to produce enough runs.

The second-half will be a precursor to another possible active offseason – gearing up for many of the farm-hands to cement themselves as Rays in 2016.

Record: 72-90
Playoffs: Will Not Qualify

Next: 10 Breakout Players In 2015

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