The Tampa Bay Rays’ James Shields dominated opponents during interleague play last season.

The same can’t be said for Tommy Hanson, who hasn’t experienced much recent success against AL clubs.

With a chance to become the majors’ first seven-game winner, Shields takes the hill opposite Hanson on Friday night when the Rays open a three-game set with the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves.

Shields, who enjoyed a career year in 2011 by going 16-12 with a 2.82 ERA, posted especially impressive numbers over four starts against the NL. The All-Star right-hander opened interleague play with three complete game victories before dropping to 3-1 with a 1.32 ERA following somewhat of a rocky display during a 4-3 loss to Cincinnati on June 29. When all was said and done, Shields struck out 42 and walked just four over 34 innings while opponents hit just .145 against him.

In his only career appearance against Atlanta (24-15), Shields gave up three runs over six frames during a 3-1 road loss June 17, 2010. Shields has had his way with Dan Uggla, limiting him to just three hits in 15 at-bats in their matchups.

“We’ve faced a lot of those guys before. I think I’m the only one on the staff who faced the National League East in the past,” Shields told the team’s official website. “They’re a good team. They’re a good squad. We can’t take them lightly. We have to keep playing our game.”

Though his ERA went up to 3.52, Shields improved to 6-1 this season after giving up six runs – four earned – over 6 1-3 innings of Sunday’s 9-8 win at Baltimore. Shields is surely looking forward to getting back home, where he’s gone 8-0 with a 2.48 ERA over 10 starts – all Rays wins – dating to last year.

Hanson (4-3, 3.43), meanwhile, improved to 3-1 over his last five outings after striking out a season-high nine over five innings of one-run ball during Sunday’s 7-4 victory at St. Louis.

“I felt good with everything and for the most part did a good job of locating,” he said.

Hanson, though, could find it difficult to build on last weekend’s effort given his recent struggles in interleague play. Since compiling a 0.75 ERA in winning his first four career starts against the AL, the right-hander has gone 1-2 with a 9.78 ERA over his last four.

Hanson scattered three hits over seven shutout innings of a 6-2 victory over Tampa Bay (24-15) on June 16, 2010.

Winners of nine of 13, the Braves defeated Miami 7-0 on Thursday behind Brandon Beachy’s five-hitter. Beachy struck out six and walked zero in throwing his first career shutout.

Atlanta won nine straight in interleague play June 19-July 2 before falling 5-4 to the Orioles on July 3. The Braves have outscored Tampa Bay 113-77 in taking 15 of 21 all-time meetings between the teams.

Coming off a two-game split with Boston, Tampa Bay’s four-game winning streak was snapped Thursday with a 5-3 defeat. Matt Moore dropped to 1-4 on the season while Luke Scott, Carlos Pena, Elliot Johnson and Chris Gimenez – the club’s 3-5-7-8 hitters, went a combined 0 for 15.

Since winning 13 of their first 14 games on their own field, the Rays have dropped three of four at home thanks in part to going 5 for 34 (.147) with runners in scoring position.

Can the Tampa Bay Rays hang with the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees in the American League East? As I predicted in my preview of the division, they’ll be in the thick of the race. But in terms of fantasy baseball, does it really matter? Tampa has a talented team and these five Rays will help you stay in the race for your fantasy baseball championship — and that’s all that matters, right?

Desmond Jennings (OF) – Some fantasy owners may take B.J. Upton over Jennings, but I rolled the dice last year on Upton’s upside and won’t do it again. I’d rather ride with Jennings, who in 247 at-bats last season banged out 10 homers and stole 22 bags. Project those numbers over a full season — and Jennings should get plenty of playing time in 2012 — and you have a major category contributor. The former top prospect may be a reach before round eighth, unless you play in a keepers league.

James Shields (OF) – Shields was a mess in 2010, but he bounced back in a big way last season. In addition to hurling an MLB-best 11 complete games, he went 16-12 with a 2.82 ERA and 1.04 WHIP. Shields appears to have unlocked his potential and with the Rays holding a contract option for next season, he should be extra motivated to duplicate last season’s performance. With an abundance of quality pitchers in the draft, however, you can wait until the eighth round to pick Shields.

Ben Zobrist (2B/OF) – Zobrist is one of the more underrated players in fantasy baseball. He provides solid, across-the-board production, especially for a middle infielder. Over the last three seasons, he is averaging 19 homers, 86 RBI and 20 stolen bases. And that includes a down year in 2010. Furthermore, Zobrist walks a ton and is a doubles-hitting machine, making him valuable in OPS leagues. If you’re still looking for a second baseman by round five, don’t let Zobrist get away, as the position is thin.

David Price (SP) – After winning 19 games in 2010, Price slumped to a record of 12-13 last season. His overall numbers, however, weren’t terrible. His ERA jumped to 3.49 from 2.72 the year before, but his strikeouts went up to 218 and his WHIP dropped to 1.14. Those numbers indicate Price may have been the victim of bad luck last season and is due for a bounce-back season. The price is right in the fifth round.

Evan Longoria (3B) – Longoria blasted 33 home runs and knocked in 99 runs, but his career-low .244 batting average frustrated many fantasy baseball owners in 2011. Remember, he missed nearly the first month of the season and batted .263 in May. In September, however, he pulverized the baseball with a .289 batting average, seven homers and 22 RBI. In my opinion, the 26-year-old is poised for a huge season and possibly a run at the AL MVP. Draft him in the second round.

Note: Unless otherwise noted, draft projections are based on participation in a 10-team fantasy baseball league with standard 5×5 scoring.

More fantasy baseball from this Yahoo! contributor:
Fan’s Take: Top Five Boston Red Sox in Fantasy Baseball
Fan’s Take: Top Five Toronto Blue Jays in Fantasy Baseball
Fan’s Take: Top Five Baltimore Orioles in Fantasy Baseball
Adam Martini is a freelance sports writer who roots for the New York Mets (and any team that is playing the New York Yankees ). A dedicated fantasy baseball player since 1998, his games of choice growing up were Strat-O-Matic and MicroLeague Baseball
Sources

Baseball-Reference.com.

The Official Site of Major League Baseball.

PORT CHARLOTTE — Rays RHP Alex Cobb said he has been upset with his fastball location during camp, even though Friday was just his second appearance since August surgery.

Cobb found little solace after he watched, and heard, one of his errant fastballs hit Orioles LF Nolan Reimold in the jaw in the first inning of a 3-3 tie at Charlotte Sports Park.

Reimold was on the ground for several minutes before getting up on his own. He was carted off the field and taken to a hospital, where a CT scan was negative. Orioles manager Buck Showalter said the ball hit Reimold’s helmet and jaw equally, and he was relieved to hear Reimold had no breaks, just a loose tooth, but it could have been worse.

Said Cobb, “That’s probably the worst feeling you can have as a pitcher is seeing someone like that, being the cause of a guy taking a step back in his career possibly. It’s just something you never want to see on a baseball field. And when you’re the cause of it, it’s a feeling you can’t describe.”

Said Rays manager Joe Maddon: “It’s an awful feeling, an awful moment for everybody.”

Cobb said he got Reimold’s phone number through their common agent and planned to check on him. Other than that moment, Cobb was happy with how he felt during his three shutout innings, in which he allowed two hits and two walks and struck out two.

The fastball command will come as he works his way back from surgery to remove a blood clot and blockage in the area of his first right rib.

“He’s got great fight,” Maddon said. “When you hit someone like that, it can be unsettling, but he was okay after that, and I liked that. That’s just part of this game; it stinks sometimes.”

ON TRACK: 3B Evan Longoria (bruised right hand) was encouraged after taking batting practice, and he hopes to play in the next few days.

Longoria, who has been limited since getting hit by a Matt Bush pitch March 1, said he felt great after taking his regular swings in the cage.

The key will be any residual soreness Longoria has today; he didn’t expect any. Longoria planned to face LHP Matt Moore in live batting practice today. Though he doesn’t want to put a timetable on his return, if all goes well, Longoria could be in the lineup Sunday against the Pirates.

“It’s only been, what, five, six days, but it always seems like eternity,” Longoria said of being sidelined. “I’m really looking forward to getting back out there. Fortunately we have a lot of time left.”

HELPING HAND: INF Sean Rodriguez got X-rays and saw a hand specialist in St. Petersburg about his injured left index finger. Rodriguez said though the knuckle is badly sprained and swollen, he should be back in two to three days. “When I talked to the hand doctor, he said it’s all pain tolerance,” Rodriguez said. “I said, ‘In that case, I’m good.’ “

PRICE CHECK: LHP David Price‘s neck felt better, but it was still stiff, one day after having minor spasms while toweling off. Price said he didn’t know when he would throw next, but he still didn’t expect the injury to throw him off schedule.

MISCELLANY: 3B Matt Mangini had a two-run single and OF Brad Coon hit a solo homer for the Rays (2-5-1). … LHP Alex Torres struggled with his command, walking three and hitting a batter in two innings. … The attendance at Charlotte Sports Park was 4,179. … SS Reid Brignac was off after playing two days straight, Maddon said.

Joe Smith can be reached at joesmith@tampabay.com.

By Al Yellon

– Editor

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Dec 24, 2011 – According to this Spanish-language report from ESPN Deportes, the Tampa Bay Rays are interested in signing former Yankees catcher/DH Jorge Posada. Here’s Google Translate’s helpful translation:

Sources said this week that the Tampa Bay Rays are in “interest in exploring” the possibility of signing veteran Puerto Rican Jorge Posada for the 2012 season to serve as a kind of “utility” in the first base, designated hitter and backup catcher behind the recently signed Jose Molina .

The article goes on to say that Posada has also “drawn interest” from the Orioles and Phillies, but has not yet decided whether to play or not in 2012.

This idea makes some sense from the Rays’ point of view, although it would give them two catchers over age 36; on the other hand, this is something that has been completely opposite from the way Andrew Friedman (and his predecessors) have operated in Tampa. Posada turned 40 last August.

The Rays are entering their 15th season. In the previous 14, they have had only five players age 40 or older:

Wade Boggs, who was a Tampa-area native and was signed for a specific reason — because he was headed to the Hall of Fame and the then-Devil Rays wanted him to get his 3000th hit in a Tampa Bay uniform (and subsequently got the Hall to change its “cap” rules when they tried to pay Boggs to say he wanted to have a Tampa Bay cap on his plaque).

Fred McGriff, another Tampa native who had been good for the Rays before leaving for the Cubs and Dodgers and who was repatriated for 72 pretty bad (.181/.272/.306 with two HR) at-bats in 2004. The “Crime Dog” was trying to burnish his credentials for the Hall of Fame, too. (Didn’t work out, and probably won’t.)

Julio Franco, who had one at-bat for Tampa Bay in 1999 and who they probably should have kept; he played seven more years after that as a useful bench player for the Braves and Mets.

And two 40-year-old relievers, Brian Shouse and Russ Springer, who both pitched for the team in 2009, the only season in the last four that the Rays have not won 90+ games and made the playoffs.

So the Rays’ record with 40-year-old players isn’t great — they either do it for box office reasons, have him in his one useless season, or get guys who don’t contribute to a playoff team. Truth be told, Posada is probably done; he had the worst year of his career in 2011, hitting .235/.315/.398 and making news only because he played second base for an inning in this bizarre game on Aug. 25.

Announce your retirement, Jorge. Go out as a Yankee and have your legacy like that of the two men you came in with, Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera; don’t be one of those 40-plus guys who takes a spin with another team “just because”.

And with the Rays, being over 40 doesn’t appear to work out that well, anyway.

Read More: Derek Jeter (SS – NYY), Jorge Posada (DH – NYY), Mariano Rivera (P – NYY), Julio Franco (1B – ATL), Russ Springer (P – CIN), Brian Shouse (P – BOS), Jose Molina (C – TAM), Tampa Bay Rays

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The Tampa Bay Rays have reportedly been in pursuit of free agent outfielder Carlos Beltran of late, but it appears they’re out of the running to land him now as Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports tweeted on Thursday that the bidding is down to the Cleveland Indians, Toronto Blue Jays and St. Louis Cardinals. 

Meanwhile, Rosenthal and his Fox colleague Jon Morosi write that the Rays have now turned their interest toward trading for Colorado’s Seth Smith.

The 29-year old from Jackson Miss. hit 15 home runs and drove in 59 runs while posting an .830 OPS for the Rockies in 2011. He also flashed a bit of speed in stealing 10 bases. His power numbers have not dipped below 15 homers since 2008, when he played in just 67 games. For his career, Smith owns a .275 batting average and an .833 OPS.

For more on the Rays, check out DRays Bay, SB Nation’s Tampa Bay Rays blog.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP)—Matt Moore has parlayed a brief, impressive
major league debut into a long-term contract with the Tampa Bay Rays.

The young left-hander agreed Friday to a deal that guarantees him $14
million over five years. It includes club options that could more than double
the value over eight seasons.

The budget-minded Rays have made the playoffs three of the past four years
and are counting on Moore to be part of a talented pitching rotation that will
enable them to remain competitive with the big-spending New York Yankees and
Boston Red Sox in the AL East, arguably baseball’s toughest division.

The deal announced at Tropicana Field contains club options for the 2017,
2018 and 2019 seasons that could make it worth about $39.75 million over eight
years.

“Matt was signed and developed in this organization,” Rays executive vice
president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. ” And as we’ve said many
times before, for us to have any chance of sustaining this level of success,
it’s very important for us to develop championship-caliber players and people
like Matt.”

The hard-throwing 22-year-old made his big league debut for the Rays in
mid-September, going 1-0 with a 2.89 ERA in three appearances, including one
start.

Moore started Game 1 of Tampa Bay’s AL Division Series against Texas,
working seven shutout innings to beat the Rangers and become the youngest
pitcher to start and win a team’s first game of the postseason. He began the
2010 season at Double-A Montgomery was a combined 12-3 with a 1.92 ERA in 27
starts with Montgomery and Triple-A Durham.

Friedman said the club began discussions on a contract “right at the end of
the season and really started ramping up in the last two or three weeks.”

Moore was a little surprised the Rays approached him about a long-term deal
at this stage in his career. In 2008, the Rays took a similar approach in giving
third baseman Evan Longoria a multi-year contract before he had spent much time
in the majors.

“There’s not very much of a case to be built except for what I’ve done in
the lower levels in the minor leagues,” said Moore, who allowed three earned
runs, struck out 15 and walked three in 9 1-3 innings over three regular-season
appearances.

“I understand the potential and all that is there, and the hype,” the
left-hander added. “I had a great time when I was here last year. And like
Andrew said, they drafted me in 2007 and this is the only place I’ve known. I’m
looking forward to calling it home for the next eight years. … I feel like the
risk is being shared on both ends. I’m happy where we are.”

Barring a trade, the Rays will enter spring training with six talented young
starters, with Moore joining a rotation currently comprised of David Price,
James Shields, Jeremy Hellickson, Wade Davis and Jeff Niemann.

Friedman said the team has no plans to begin next season with a six-man
rotation, but did not speculate on how the situation will play out, including
whether one member of last season’s rotation could wind up in the bullpen.

“This contract doesn’t specifically answer that question,” Friedman said.
“We’re fortunate in that we have more than five pitchers who are more than
capable of pitching in the American League East. There’s a lot more of the
winter to go. My guess is it’ll take until we get into spring to really answer
those questions.”

In the meantime, the Rays are excited to have Moore locked up long-term.

“We’ve already seen glimpses of his talent, but more than that he’s shown
he has the mettle to compete in the American League East,” Friedman said.
“It’s a difficult environment. … He’s gotten a lot of experience quickly, but
we’re all excited to see what Matt can do over the long term.”

The budget-minded Rays have made the playoffs three of the past four years and are counting on Moore to be part of a talented pitching rotation that will enable them to remain competitive with the big-spending New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox in the AL East, arguably baseball’s toughest division.

The deal announced at Tropicana Field contains club options for the 2017, 2018 and 2019 seasons that could make it worth about $39.75 million over eight years.

“Matt was signed and developed in this organization,” Rays executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. “ And as we’ve said many times before, for us to have any chance of sustaining this level of success, it’s very important for us to develop championship-caliber players and people like Matt.”

The hard-throwing 22-year-old made his big league debut for the Rays in mid-September, going 1-0 with a 2.89 ERA in three appearances, including one start.

Moore started Game 1 of Tampa Bay’s AL Division Series against Texas, working seven shutout innings to beat the Rangers and become the youngest pitcher to start and win a team’s first game of the postseason. He began the 2010 season at Double-A Montgomery was a combined 12-3 with a 1.92 ERA in 27 starts with Montgomery and Triple-A Durham.

Friedman said the club began discussions on a contract “right at the end of the season and really started ramping up in the last two or three weeks.”

Moore was a little surprised the Rays approached him about a long-term deal at this stage in his career. In 2008, the Rays took a similar approach in giving third baseman Evan Longoria a multi-year contract before he had spent much time in the majors.

“There’s not very much of a case to be built except for what I’ve done in the lower levels in the minor leagues,” said Moore, who allowed three earned runs, struck out 15 and walked three in 9 1-3 innings over three regular-season appearances.

“I understand the potential and all that is there, and the hype,” the left-hander added. “I had a great time when I was here last year. And like Andrew said, they drafted me in 2007 and this is the only place I’ve known. I’m looking forward to calling it home for the next eight years. … I feel like the risk is being shared on both ends. I’m happy where we are.”

Barring a trade, the Rays will enter spring training with six talented young starters, with Moore joining a rotation currently comprised of David Price, James Shields, Jeremy Hellickson, Wade Davis and Jeff Niemann.

Friedman said the team has no plans to begin next season with a six-man rotation, but did not speculate on how the situation will play out, including whether one member of last season’s rotation could wind up in the bullpen.

“This contract doesn’t specifically answer that question,” Friedman said. “We’re fortunate in that we have more than five pitchers who are more than capable of pitching in the American League East. There’s a lot more of the winter to go. My guess is it’ll take until we get into spring to really answer those questions.”

In the meantime, the Rays are excited to have Moore locked up long-term.

“We’ve already seen glimpses of his talent, but more than that he’s shown he has the mettle to compete in the American League East,” Friedman said. “It’s a difficult environment. … He’s gotten a lot of experience quickly, but we’re all excited to see what Matt can do over the long term.”

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Over the past four seasons the Tampa Bay Rays have gone from being the doormat of the AL East to one of the most successful franchises in baseball. Since 2008, the Rays have three playoff appearances, two AL East titles and represented the American League in the 2008 World Series.

One of the key components of the Rays success has been their ability to develop talent from within the organization. Whether the players are drafted or acquired through a trade, the Rays have excelled at grooming young talent in their system. During the past four seasons the Rays have had significant contributions by home grown talent at every position on the field, except one.

The Rays minor league system has been unable to develop a quality, Major League ready first baseman. However, over the past five years, they have enjoyed reliable (and sometimes exceptional) offensive and defensive production from the position.

Carlos Pena was signed to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training before the 2007 season. Pena made the most of his opportunity with the Rays and became a fixture at first base from 2007-2010. During his tenure with the Rays he hit 144 home runs and accumulated 407 RBIs. Pena left the Rays via free agency after the 2010 season and signed with the Chicago Cubs.

After Pena’s departure the Rays were left with a hole at first base. Early in the season they turned to Dan Johnson(notes), but he struggled to produce during the first month of the 2011 season.

Johnson’s struggles cleared the way for Casey Kotchman(notes) to have a shot at the everyday first base job. Kotchman (once a top prospect for the Los Angeles Angels) played for four different teams from 2008-2010 and his production declined with each stop. After a miserable 2010 season with the Seattle Mariners, the Rays were able to sign Kotchman to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training before the 2011 season.

Just like Carlos Pena did before him, Kotchman made the most of his opportunity with the Rays. He experienced a career revival in 2011 by hitting .306 with 10 home runs and 48 RBIs. Unfortunately, for the Rays, Kotchman was only signed to a one-year contract and he became a free agent after the 2011 season.

So once again, the Rays are left with a hole to fill at first base and they don’t have many viable options within their organization to fill the void. Let’s take a look at five potential options, outside of the Tampa Bay organization, that could man first base for the Rays in 2012.

Casey Kotchman

If it ain’t broke, don’t try to fix it. The Rays won 91 games with Kotchman at first in 2011.

On the plus side, he’s an excellent defensive first baseman and that fits well with the Rays philosophy of winning with pitching and defense. He also led the team in hitting with a .306 average.

On the negative side, he lacks the power you would ideally like to see from a corner infielder. His .306 average was the highest of his career and he’ll most likely revert to his career average of .270-.280 in 2012. Also, after the success he had in 2011, he’ll be looking for a multi-year contract and his price may be too high for the Rays, especially since he has limited upside potential.

Carlos Pena

Pena is once again a free agent after completing his one-year, $10 million contract with the Cubs in 2011.

Pena was always a fan favorite with the Rays and re-signing him would excite a fan base that struggles to support the Rays at Tropicana Field. He’s a known commodity. He plays excellent defense and has the power you look for in a corner infielder.

On the down side, Pena strikes out a lot and he’ll never hit for a great average. His numbers were solid with the Cubs in 2011. He hit .225 with 28 home runs and 80 RBIs. He would bring some much needed explosiveness to the Rays pedestrian offense and could provide Evan Longoria(notes) with some protection in the line-up.

There’s no doubt the Rays would love to have Pena back, but the price tag will be an issue. The Rays won’t pay $10 million for a free agent first baseman. The Rays would need to sell Pena on the idea of playing for less money to have a shot at contending for a World Series ring, while playing close to home (he lives in Orlando).

Yonder Alonso(notes)

Alonso was once the top prospect in the Cincinnati Reds organization, but his status has slipped some over the past couple seasons. He’s currently ranked as the third best prospect in the Red’s system.

The Red’s tried to convert Alonso to left field (since they already have a superstar first baseman in Joey Votto(notes)), but his natural position is first base. However, even at his best, he is considered an average fielder.

Alonso has shown some ability at the plate. In 117 career Major League at-bats he’s hit .299 with 5 home runs and 18 RBIs. During his three years in the minors he posted a .293 average with 36 home runs and 179 RBIs in 1179 at-bats.

Recently, there have been rumors that the Red’s would be willing to deal Alonso if the right offer came along. He would fit in with the Rays strategy of pursuing young players, with some upside potential, who have a low price tag. He wouldn’t be eligible to arbitration until 2015 and wouldn’t be a free agent until 2018.

The Rays currently have eight Major League ready starting pitchers in their organization, so they could be in the market for an Alonso trade, but the asking price would determine the level of interest from the Rays. The Rays won’t deal any of their top four starters (Shields, Hellickson, Price or Moore) straight up for Alonso, but if a deal is built around Wade Davis(notes), Jeff Neimann, Alex Cobb(notes) or Alex Torres(notes), the Rays might listen.

Logan Morrison(notes)

Logan Morrison played left field for the Marlins in 2011, but he’s more suited for first base. At best, he’s an average defender. However, he does have some pop. In 2011 he appeared in 123 games and hit .247 with 23 home runs and 72 RBIs.

Morrison had attitude issues while playing for the Marlins. He was briefly demoted to the minors during the 2011 season after clashing with management.

On the downside, his limited defense and potential attitude concerns don’t fit into the Rays standard philosophy.

On the plus side, he’s young, cheap and has some offensive potential. He isn’t arbitration eligible until 2014 and would remain under team control until 2017. Those factors do fit into the budget conscious Rays philosophy.

One of the first trade rumors this offseason involved the Rays trading James Shields(notes) to the Marlins for Logan Morrison. That trade is extremely unlikely. Shields current value vastly outweighs Morrison’s. Once again, the Rays won’t part with their top four starting pitchers to obtain Morrison, but if a deal is built around one of the other four, the Rays might be interested.

Justin Smoak(notes)

Rumor has it that the Seattle Mariners may be pursuing free agent first baseman Prince Fielder(notes). If the Mariners do sign Fielder then they may deal incumbent first baseman Justin Smoak.

Smoak was once a top prospect of the Texas Rangers, but he was dealt to the Mariners as part of the Cliff Lee(notes) deal in 2010. Smoak was the everyday first baseman for the Mariners in 2011. He hit .234 with 15 home runs and 55 RBIs.

On the plus side, Smoak is a switch hitting first baseman that still hasn’t reached his offensive potential. He’s not arbitration eligible until 2014 and will remain under team control until 2017.

On the down side, he’s a below average defender. In 223 games during the 2010 and 2011 seasons, he’s posted a dWAR (defensive wins above replacement) of -0.1.

If Smoak becomes available and the Mariners are willing to trade for one of the Rays lower end pitching prospects (think Alex Torres), then the Rays may be interested in trading for the switch hitting first baseman.

The Rays front office is always creative when addressing holes in their roster. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see them pursue an option nobody saw coming. Only time will tell who the Rays run out there as their starting first baseman in 2012.

Sean McDonnell has been a resident of the Tampa Bay area for the past 21 years. He is an avid fan of the Tampa Bay Rays; Tampa Bay Bucs and USF Bulls.

*statistics provided by Yahoo sports

Sources:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/smoakju01.shtml

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/morrilo01.shtml

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/alonsyo01.shtml

Additional articles from this author:

Rays Trade John Jaso to Mariners for Josh Lueke: A Fan’s Take

Is Jose Molina a Good Fit for the Rays?: A Fan’s Take

Should the Rays Trade for Joey Votto: A Fan’s Take

Should the Rays Trade James Shields for Logan Morrison?: A Fan’s Review

How the Rays Can Increase Attendance: A Fan’s Take

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

(Reuters) – The Tampa Bay Rays sorted out their catching needs for the 2012 Major League Baseball season by signing veteran Jose Molina to a one-year deal, the team said Monday.

The $1.5 million deal includes a club option to bring the 36-year-old Molina back in 2013 for the same salary, according to a report posted on the team’s website.

Free agent Molina, an accomplished defensive catcher, hit a career-high .281 last season with the Toronto Blue Jays.

“Jose has been one of the best defensive catchers in baseball over the past decade, and his presence will bring even more stability to our defense, and he will be a great asset to our young pitchers,” said Rays General Manager Andrew Friedman.

Tampa Bay had created an opening for a veteran catcher by trading catcher John Jaso to the Seattle Mariners Sunday for reliever Josh Lueke, after earlier deciding not to pick up a $3.2 million club option to retain Kelly Shoppach.

Those moves left the Rays with only young catchers Jose Lobaton and Robinson Chirinos on their major league roster.

Over his career, Molina has thrown out 153 of 410 attempted base stealers for a 37.3 percentage that ranks fourth best among active catchers who have played a minimum of 500 games.

The Rays witnessed his throwing ability first-hand in April when Molina, while playing for Toronto, threw out four Tampa Bay runners attempting to steal in the first four innings.

Molina has played in parts of 12 seasons for the Cubs, Angels, Yankees and Blue Jays with a .241 career batting average.

The native of Puerto Rico comes from a family of big league catchers. Older brother Bengie played 13 seasons before retiring after 2010, while younger brother Yadier has spent his eight-year career with the St. Louis Cardinals and won his second World Series ring with them last month.

(Reporting by Larry Fine in New York; Editing by Frank Pingue)

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer

In Print: Sunday, November 20, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG — The Rays appear to have crossed one thing off their offseason checklist, as they’re reportedly close to a deal with free agent C Jose Molina.

If and when the deal becomes official, possibly this week, it’s a move that would make sense for Tampa Bay.

Molina, 36, has been a backup primarily during his 12-year career, but he fits well with the kind of catching platoon the Rays desire. He’s very strong defensively, ranking fourth among active catchers by throwing out 40 percent of attempted basestealers. He handles pitching staffs well, which is important with the Rays’ prized rotation. Molina has a wealth of experience in the American League East, having played for the Yankees and Blue Jays the past five years, and could be a valuable mentor for rookies Jose Lobaton and Robinson Chirinos. He has won two World Series, one with Anaheim in 2002 along with Rays manager Joe Maddon, who is a big fan.

And considering that Molina made just $1.2 million last year in Toronto, he falls in Tampa Bay’s price range. Foxsports.com reported the discussed Molina deal would be for one year plus an option for 2013. The Rays declined C Kelly Shoppach‘s $3.2 million option for next season, and though both sides were open for a reunion, a signing of the right-handed hitting Molina would end that.

Like Shoppach, Molina isn’t a big offensive threat (his career high is six homers), but he’s coming off a strong season in which he hit .281 for Toronto in 55 games; Shoppach hit .176 last year. The most games Molina has started in a season is 81 (in 2008 with the Yankees), but executive VP Andrew Friedman said early last week it was more likely the Rays would go with a platoon situation anyway.

“It’s just a demanding position,” Friedman said. “Basically a 100-60/62 (split). Who knows? We might get into a situation 80-80. It depends on the players involved.”

The Rays’ other options are Lobaton, whom they like but who was hampered by a knee sprain and hit .118 in 15 games last season; Chirinos, who showed flashes but likely needs more minor-league time; and John Jaso, who took a step back last year.

The signing of Molina wouldn’t be splashy, but it could be a solid one. Recent history has shown it doesn’t hurt to have a Molina brother on your roster, as they’ve played for the past three World Series champions (Jose with the Yankees in 2009, Bengie with the Giants and Rangers in 2010 and Yadier with the Cardinals last season).

PITCHING IN: It was a big week for the Rays rotation, with RHP Jeremy Hellickson winning American League rookie of the year Monday and RHP James Shields finishing third in the AL Cy Young voting Tuesday. And though there will be speculation all offseason that the Rays will trade from their surplus of starting pitching, Friedman maintained that’s not a foregone conclusion.

“It’s something that I expect that we’ll get a lot of inquiries,” Friedman said. “It’s not something that we’re flippant about. We’re not sitting in our internal meetings and talking about how we have too much starting pitching. Obviously if someone puts something forward that’s compelling, we owe it to everyone to talk through it. But I wouldn’t necessarily count on it.”

RAYS RUMBLINGS: The Rays are still looking at options at first base and DH as well as finding a couple of relievers. … The Rays remain interested in talking with DH Johnny Damon and 1B Casey Kotchman, and potentially bringing them back: “They are very prominent in our discussions right now as we’re going through things,” Friedman said. “I expect that will continue.” … According to Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes, ex-Rays LHP Scott Kazmir will pitch in the Dominican Winter League with the Escogido Lions.

Joe Smith can be reached at joesmith@tampabay.com.

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By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer

In Print: Friday, November 18, 2011

Two more wild-card teams will be added to the major-league playoffs, and the Rays could be one of the biggest benefactors.

The Rays have always found themselves in the difficult position of trying to make the postseason while competing in the American League East against the Yankees and Red Sox — and their mammoth payrolls. It took a September comeback and a historic Boston collapse for the Rays to clinch a wild-card berth on the final day of this past season

But commissioner Bud Selig announced Thursday at the meetings in Milwaukee that owners approved adding a second wild-card team to each league, with hopes that a new playoff format can begin next season. It’s possible the expanded field might not start until 2013, when the Astros are scheduled to move from the NL Central to the AL West, a realignment that will form two 15-team leagues and lead to interleague play throughout the season. The Astros’ move was approved by owners along with the $615 million purchase of the franchise by Jim Crane.

“We believe after a lot of study and a lot of thought that the addition of two wild cards will really help us in the long run,” Selig said.

The altered playoff structure is subject to an agreement on a new labor contract with the players’ association, which is expected before the current deal expires Dec. 11.

The idea of adding another playoff team to each league had been discussed the past two years. Selig said details and scheduling haven’t been sorted out for the new format, but it’s likely that the two wild-card teams in each league would play each other in a one-game playoff, with the winner moving on to the division series.

That means the Yankees, Red Sox and Rays could all make the playoffs in the same season.

“With the fact of how competitive our division is, I like the fact that we add another element to it,” Rays hitting coach Derek Shelton said. “It should make October even more interesting.”

The Rays have made the playoffs three of the past four seasons, including winning two AL East titles. But with their payroll at least one-quarter the size of Boston and New York, whom the Rays play 18 times each per season, it continues to be a challenging task.

“We are in favor of any change that might help improve competitive balance,” Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman said. “And this at least does something to further that.”

In other Rays news, the team appears close to signing veteran free agent catcher Jose Molina. FoxSports.com reported that the sides are nearing a one-year deal with an option for 2013. The Rays declined comment. Molina, 36, has been primarily a backup during his 12-year big-league career, but he would provide strong defense and experience. He hit .281 in only 55 games for the Blue Jays last season and has thrown out 40 percent of attempted base-stealers in his career.

Astros sale spurs league realignment

HOUSTON — Owners unanimously approved the long-delayed sale of the Astros from Drayton McLane to Crane, a transaction that requires the team to move from the NL Central to the AL West in 2013.

As part of the Astros’ agreement to switch leagues, the sale price was cut from $680 million to $615 million, the Associated Press reported. The deal is expected to be completed Tuesday.

“We’re focused on bringing a winner back to Houston,” said Crane, who added that staff changes will be made after Thanksgiving.

It’s baseball’s first realignment since the Milwaukee Brewers went to the NL after the 1997 season.

With an odd number of teams in each league, there will be interleague play from April through September. Since interleague games began in 1997, they had been concentrated around May and late June.

Sveum to pilot Cubs

The Cubs hired Dale Sveum as their new manager, hoping the Brewers hitting coach can help turn around the long-suffering franchise.

Sveum will be introduced at a news conference today at Wrigley Field, the team announced.

Sveum replaces Mike Quade, who was fired by Theo Epstein, the new president of baseball operations. The Cubs finished 71-91 after a disappointing season that extended their title drought to 103 seasons.

Sveum, who turns 48 Wednesday, has little experience as a manager, other than an interim stint with the Brewers late in 2008 after Ned Yost was fired. Sveum was chosen for the job over Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux, Phillies bench coach Pete Mackanin, Indians bench coach Sandy Alomar Jr. and Red Sox bench coach DeMarlo Hale. Former Red Sox manager Terry Francona pulled himself out of contention.

Phillies: Catcher Brian Schneider, the 34-year-old backup to Carlos Ruiz, re-signed with the club, getting a one-year, $800,000 deal in which he can earn an additional $200,000 in performance bonuses.

Joe Smith can be reached at joesmith@sptimes.com. Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

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MILWAUKEE

Free-agent catcher Jose Molina is close to signing a one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Rays that includes an option for the 2013 season, major-league sources told FOXSports.com.

A deal could be completed within the next several days.

Molina, 36, is known for his expert handling of pitchers and has an intimate knowledge of the Rays’ opponents in the American League East after spending the last four and a half seasons with the Yankees and Blue Jays. He’s coming off one of the best offensive years of his career, posting a .281/.342/.415 line in 55 games with Toronto.

Tampa Bay already has four catchers on its 40-man roster: John Jaso, Jose Lobaton, Robinson Chirinos, and Nevin Ashley. But Molina will give the Rays the veteran, right-handed-hitting presence they are losing with the expected departure of Kelly Shoppach.

Catchers have been signing at a higher rate this off-season than players at all other positions: Free agents Rod Barajas (Pirates), Henry Blanco (Diamondbacks), Matt Treanor (Dodgers), Brian Schneider (Phillies), and Gerald Laird (Tigers) have already agreed to contracts for next year.

On Aug. 31, the Red Sox were 83-52 and held a 9 game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays. During the month of September the Red Sox stumbled to a 7-20 record and ended up finishing the season 90-72, one game behind the Rays in the AL wild card race.

In many ways John Lackey(notes) became the poster boy for the Boston Red Sox historic September collapse. Lackey was never very good during the 2011 season, but he pitched his worst when the Sox needed him the most. In five September starts he posted a 0-2 record with a 9.13 ERA. He average less than five innings per start. This was not the type of production Boston hoped for when the signed Lackey to a five-year, $82.5 million dollar contract before the 2010 season.

On the surface, it appeared the 33 year-old right hander was struggling with a major deterioration of skill. The 2011 season was Lackey’s tenth season in the majors and its not uncommon for a pitcher of his age to see his skills diminish as he enters the final years of his career. Lackey’s ERA had been steadily increasing since he posted a career best 3.01 ERA in 2007 with the LA Angeles.

New Red Sox GM Ben Cherington announced on Oct. 25 that Lackey will require Tommy John surgery to repair his right elbow. The need for surgery may explain why Lackey pitched so poorly in 2011. When John Lackey returns to the field in 2013, will Tommy John surgery allow him to once again become the dominant starter that he was when he pitched for the Angeles? That’s the question many in Boston are asking today.

Before that question can be answered we need to understand what Tommy John surgery is and what type of injury requires a pitcher to undergo this procedure.

Throwing a baseball is a repetitive motion that places stress on the elbow. Over time this repetitious motion will lead to strain and tissue damage to the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL). Eventually the strain and trauma inflicted on the UCL can lead to the ligament tearing and thus Tommy John surgery is required to repair the elbow.

The procedure is named after Tommy John, a pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1970′s, who was the first person to undergo this procedure in 1974.

This procedure requires doctors to take a tendon from the patients forearm or hamstring and use that tendon to repair the damaged UCL. The surgeon must first drill a series of holes in the ulna and humerus bones of the arm. Then they graft the patients forearm or hamstring tendon into their elbow by weaving it through the drilled holes in a figure eight pattern.

In this day and age the procedure boasts a high success rate. About 83% of Tommy John surgeries go as planned. However, the road to recovery is a long and arduous one. Most patients require at least 12 months of strenuous rehab before they can return to the field.

Boston will have to wait until 2013 to find out if this procedure will allow Lackey to regain the form he showed with the LA Angeles.

There are several pitchers in the majors today who have had Tommy John surgery and were able to return to form after the procedure. Tim Hudson(notes) of the Atlanta Braves had the procedure in 2008 and has gone 35-20 since his successful surgery. Chris Carpenter of the St. Louis Cardinals had the surgery in 2007 and has posted a 44-22 record since his recovery. Stephen Strasburg(notes), the Washington Nationals young phenom, had the surgery in 2010 and was able to return by the end of 2011. In five starts he posted a 1-1 record with a 1.50 ERA and 24 strike outs in just 24 innings.

Red Sox fans will get a preview of how a pitcher can recover from Tommy John surgery when Daisuke Matsuzaka(notes) returns to the mound for the Sox, some time during the 2012 season. He had successful Tommy John surgery earlier this year.

If history is any indication then there is reason for Red Sox nation to be hopeful that Tommy John surgery will allow Lackey to reclaim some of the dominance he showed when he pitched for the LA Angeles.

Sean McDonnell lives in the Tampa Bay, FL area and is an avid baseball, football, golf, basketball and NASCAR fan.

Sources:

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=ApwwCLXtxN.DOk37h.u06BI5nYcB?slug=ap-redsox-lackeysurgery

http://aol.sportingnews.com/mlb/feed/2010-08/strasburg-injured/story/pitchers-who-have-had-tommy-john-surgery

http://health.howstuffworks.com/medicine/surgeries-procedures/surgery-change-baseball1.htm

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1840568,00.html

Additional articles from this author:

Is Theo Epstein the Best GM in Baseball; A Fan’s Opinion

B.J. Upton igniting the Rays’ offense: A fan’s take

Despite different expectations, Rays and Red Sox battle down to wire for wild card: A fan’s take

Tampa Bay Rays hope Red Sox peaked too soon: A fan’s take

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ST. PETERSBURG — Like the rest of us, the Tampa Bay Rays have been accidental tourists witnessing one of the greatest implosions in baseball history.

The Boston Red Sox meltdown is truly epic. They’ve lost 17 of 23 games, despite beating the Baltimore Orioles, 8-7, in the next-to-the-last game of the regular season Tuesday evening.

But the flip side of this tale of two cities is the Rays.

As the Red Sox collapse, the Rays chase at a frantic pace, with poise and purpose.

They beat the New York Yankees for the second time in as many nights here Tuesday. The dazzling snapshots of a 5-3 victory included the third triple play in team history, a three-run homer by Matt Joyce in the seventh inning, and a second inning single by Orlando’s Johnny Damon that moved him past Lou Gehrig into sole possession of 57th place on the career hits list with 2,722.

You want drama. We got drama.

The Red Sox are 90-71. The Rays are 90-71.

They will begin the final night of the regular-season in a tie for a wild-card spot in the American League East. If the teams remain tied after Wednesday night, the Rays will play host to a one-game playoff Thursday afternoon.

“We still have a chance to control our own destiny,” said Damon, a graduate of Dr. Phillips High School. “…This game is amazing. You never know what to expect coming to the ball park every single day. We did some pretty good stuff.”

Here’s the ‘stuff’ the Rays are made of: They have a shot at becoming the first team in baseball history to advance to the postseason after trailing by nine games in September .

The flesh wounds grow deeper for Boston, since the arch-enemy Yankees are in town here to face the Rays. Having clinched the division title, the Yankees can send most of their regulars to Bern’s Steak House for a fine Châteaubriand, or if the mood, strikes, meet up at one of the area’s fine adult establishments tonight. Doesn’t matter.

The Red Sox have no one to blame but themselves for this mess. So anybody feel sorry for these guys?

“I don’t feel sorry for them I can’t tell you that frankly because we’re trying to win too,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said Tuesday when I posed the pre-game question .” It’s a competitive situation. I can feel for them. I get what they are going through because I’ve lived it. But it’s up to us to benefit from it.”

Beneficiaries indeed. The Rays have been solid of late, winning 15 of their last 23. But it’s not as if it’s a Boys Gone Wild scenario.

The tale of two cities is much more about one of the biggest meltdowns in baseball history. Give the Rays credit for their scrappiness and hanging tough, but you’d be reading something else in this space at the moment if the Red Sox hadn’t left their backbone in their duffel bags.

The painful twists and turns abound for the Red Sox as pennant fever reaches a lukewarm pitch in the Tampa Bay area. Only 18,772 fans showed up on Monday for the first game of the Yankees series, a painful indictment of the apathetic woes of the city toward its baseball team. That number “grew” to 22,820 fans on Tuesday.

Ridiculous comes to mind, and that’s one of the milder adjectives.

The Rays made the playoffs last season. And then it gutted the payroll this year — losing stars like Carl Crawford . And with its payroll down to $41.9 million, Tampa Bay is still in the chase for the playoffs.

The Red Sox — with a $160 million payroll that includes Crawford — are set to go down as one of the most infamous embarrassments in sports history.

“We just to worry about ourselves,” Maddon said after the victory on Tuesday. “We have to try to win our game that night and not worry about the other side of it. That will take care of itself.”

Which story are pulling for?

The comeback or the collapse?

I’m pulling for the greatest collapse ever.

May as well shoot for the stars, boys.