Tampa Bay Devil Rays Information
Despite lackluster pitching, the Devil Rays own the second-highest run total in the AL through April, and the second-most home runs. They also have the youngest starting line up since the 1983 Minnesota Twins. At the start of '07, the Devil Rays signed on Japanese infielder Akinori Iwamura to the tune of a cool US$7.7 million dollar contract. They have also taken advantage of their Florida location, playing at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex,. Their pitching might still need work, but they still cleaned up with the Texas Rangers towards the end of the series. The Devil Rays have a team rep in Orlando, but contract agreements keep the Devil Rays playing in St. Petersburg’s Tropicana stadium till 2027.
The Tampa Bay Devil Rays have always been looked at as the AL East doormat, but they’re optimistic that 2004 will be different. “Sweet” Lou Piniella goes into his second season as the manager of the Devil Rays and his 18th overall, and he expects nothing but the best from his players on and off the field. The honeymoon experienced by both the organization and Piniella is surely over by now, after Piniella left perennial world series contender Seattle in an attempt to turn his hometown Devil Rays into a true contender.
The Devil Rays are led at the plate by their leadoff
man Carl Crawford, known for his amazing speed on
the bases. Aubrey Huff and Rocco Baldelli will carry
most of the responsibility of getting the runners
in. The biggest off-season acquisition was the signing
of Danys Baez from the Cleveland Indians. Baez will
close games for the Devil Rays, forcing all-star
closer Lance Carter into a set-up role. The Devil
Rays could have two potential all-star starting pitchers
in Victor Zambrano and Jeremi Gonzalez, and their
farm system is rated one of the best in all of the
majors. John Halama and Jorge Sosa will be asked
to move from starting pitching to middle relief in
hopes that they will recapture the ability and talent
they displayed in the past.
The Devil rays actually play their home games in Tropicana Field, located in
nearby St. Petersburg, Florida. It was also named the Florida Suncoast Dome
and the Thunderdome at other times. The name is in accordance with an agreement
between the organization and the popular beverage drink of North America. It
can hold almost 44,000 people and features an orange tinted roof after a win
by the home team.
As noted before, the Devil Rays have a loaded farm system, and many experts believe that in the coming years, they will be able to compete with the likes of the Yankees and the Red Sox, both teams that also reside in the AL East. The Devil Rays have a 2004 payroll of just under 29 million, which places them 29th in payroll in the major leagues, only spending more than the Milwaukee Brewers. With a booming minor league system, and a lower than average payroll, it’s not difficult to think that Tampa could soon be putting themselves on the proverbial map. The only thing they seem to be missing is the big name superstar, but it isn’t out of the question to think that Piniella might go in another direction when it comes to spending the megabucks. Both in Cincinnati and in Seattle, Piniella was all for developing the talent he had before him as opposed to going all out for the big name free agent that winter. With a slight lack of revenues, and a city that hasn’t quite yet adapted to “the baseball way of life,” Piniella is likely to be out of the market for the superstar most other teams will be coveting.