Tampa Bay Rays hoping to be competitive in 2012 season – MLB News
Tampa Bay Rays are looking much focused ahead of 2012 Spring Training session. The Rays made the most of available opportunities in 2011 to make it to the playoffs for the second straight season. Although the team was unable to deliver the goods in the playoffs,
the quality of their game play during regular season had been excellent.
Rays’ owner Stuart Sternberg has made some great moves this offseason in an effort to build a stronger team. Having boosted Rays’ payroll by almost 50 per cent, Sternberg has shown the baseball world that he is eager to win the World Series title in 2012.
With the likes of free agents Luke Scott and Carlos Pena, the Rays’ has one of the strongest offences in American League. The pitching and defensive units have also been strengthened significantly to let Sternberg achieve his desired goals..
Rays’ General Manager Andrew Friedman and Manager Joe Maddon have been working extremely hard with the players to form best possible hitting and pitching combinations. However, it will not be wrong to say that the Rays will have to play out of their skins
to reach World Series. It will not be easy for their pitchers to contain the likes of Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder and Alex Rodriguez.
“You can never assume you’re going—or even think you’re going—to make it into the postseason given the heft and the abilities of the teams we’re competing with,” Sternberg said.
“If I was spending three-X what we are now, I would tell you I have an expectation to make the playoffs,” he added. “But to be in the American League East and spend 60 some odd million, which is still a 50 percent bump from last year, I have no right … to
expect we’ll make the playoffs. I do expect we’re going to win a lot of baseball games.”
Rays’ budget was increased from $42 million to $65 million at the end of last season. Carlos Pena’s deal with the Rays accounts for $13 million of that increase and his presence will certainly let the Rays compete with strong teams as New York Yankees and
Boston Red Sox.
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