Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Excerpt: "David Price Stays"

"The Rays still lack the one additional big hairy bat who would push the offense over the top. They prefer to use the DH slot to allow their veterans a day off, and because of that, they tend to not get much production from it. Coupled with their commitment to defense -- manifested most clearly in a three-year deal for James Loney -- it leaves them perhaps one bat short. They're again hoping Matt Joyce can recover his 2010-11 form, again hoping Desmond Jennings (who should be batting seventh against righties) stops getting beaten by good fastballs, again relying more on run prevention than run creation. It's a formula that has worked, but the presence of just one .360/.480 guy in the lineup, batting second or fifth, would change the team's projection considerably."