5 Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Throughout the Devil Rays' dismal seven-year existence--their standard for success is so low that last September, after the team finished out of the American League East cellar for the first time, players celebrated with a champagne toast--the franchise has touted its young talent as a reason for optimism. This season Tampa Bay will once again be an onlooker in the division race. But the way its core of kids is coalescing, the organization that has never won more than 70 games could be competitive in the near future.
"We can turn this around sooner than people think," says leftfielder Carl Crawford, Exhibit A in the Devil Rays' case for success through drafting and development. "Scott Kazmir and Dewon Brazelton are going to be great pitchers, and [former Rice righthander] Jeff Niemann is going to be up here from the minors. [Shortstop prospect] B.J. Upton's bat is ready, and Delmon Young [the No. 1 overall pick in 2003], what can you say about him? He showed everything in camp. We've got guys who are anxious to show what they can do, and this thing's ready to jump."
Crawford, 23, comes by his rose-colored lenses honestly: He has already made his great leap forward, becoming an electric and effective player as well as the face of the franchise. A second-round draftee in 1999 (outfielder Josh Hamilton, the No. 1 pick that year, is evidence of the downside to Tampa Bay's preference for drafting high-ceiling high schoolers), Crawford has always set mouths agape with his innate athleticism; he declined a football scholarship to Nebraska and a basketball scholarship to UCLA. He's among the league's most aggressive swingers and naturally quickest base runners, and batting leadoff last season he hit .296, led the AL in steals for the second straight year with 59, led the majors in triples with 19 and was selected to the All-Star team for the first time.
Crawford continues to ignore the statheads who preach plate discipline and on-base percentage. In 1,515 major league at bats he has 70 walks and an on-base percentage of .315; the 3.49 pitches he saw per plate appearance last season ranked near the bottom of the league. "I've never been a person who takes pitches," he says, taking practice cuts with a bat as he speaks. "I've never seen myself passive at the plate. I can't go up there thinking, I'm going to get a walk today so I can hit my on-base percentage. I'll see more pitches, but if I'm seeing the pitch I want, why wait?"
After centerfielder Rocco Baldelli tore his left ACL while playing ball in his backyard in November, the Devil Rays had planned to relocate Crawford to center; though the club acknowledged that he had inferior arm strength to Baldelli's and needed to improve his ability to track balls and make quicker releases, Tampa Bay felt that Crawford's raw ability would compensate. But spring signee Alex Sanchez proved himself in center, returning Crawford--who had accepted the position switch willingly, but not without trepidation--to his comfort zone in left. "I thought Crawford was the best leftfielder in baseball," says manager Lou Piniella. "The only reason we contemplated moving him was because of the injury to Baldelli. Now we have a centerfielder to fill that spot in Sanchez."
The Devil Rays' pitching success will depend heavily on Brazelton, 24, a righthander who will be the Opening Day starter, and Kazmir, 21, a lefty for whom the Mets were pilloried all winter for trading. Brazelton possesses a mid-90s fastball and a hard changeup that mimics a splitter, but he has a lifetime 5.34 ERA, has yet to learn a major league quality third pitch and has never won outside Tropicana Field. Kazmir, who rocketed from Class A to the majors last year, is a raw, two-pitch pitcher like Brazelton, and workload is an issue--he has not exceeded 135 innings in a professional season. "Overall I think we're a better team," says general manager Chuck LaMar. "How much better depends greatly on the development of our young starting pitching."
Tampa Bay still has a long way to go, but its strategy of loading up on high school draftees is starting to pay dividends. There's reason for hope, which is a feeling the franchise has seldom experienced. --D.G.H.
In Fact
The Devil Rays finished out of last place for the first time in team history in 2004, but still lost 91 games--the seventh straight year the team topped 90 losses.
Enemy Lines
an opposing team's scout sizes up the Devil Rays
"THIS IS as good a lineup as they've had. Carl Crawford is a heck of a player. He will hit .300 and steal 40 to 50 bases.... Jorge Cantu is a potential sleeper. He's got an explosive bat and can play second, short or third.... Julio Lugo has been playing very well at short. He has real good range, and he's not rushing plays. He's also become a solid offensive player.... Aubrey Huff can beat you with the long ball or a base hit. And he can hit lefties too. He really doesn't have a pronounced weakness.... Mark Hendrickson doesn't throw that hard, but he has a decent breaking ball. If he locates his pitches, he's going to be all right. He's not a Number 1 guy, but he could be a Number 1 on this club.... Young lefty Scott Kazmir has good stuff, but he hasn't pitched enough to have command of his pitches.... Dewon Brazelton's throwing a lot harder, and his control has improved. I think he's going to have a productive year.... The bullpen will be a strength. Closer Danys Baez has a good slider and curveball, and his fastball can get up to 95.... Though this club is better, it's still destined for the bottom of the division."
The Lineup
projected roster with 2004 statistics
2004 RECORD 70-91 4th in AL East
Batting Order
LF Crawford
CF Sanchez
RF Huff
1B Lee
DH Phelps
SS Lugo
2B Cantu
C Hall
3B Gonzalez
ALEX SANCHEZ [New acquisition]
B-T L
PVR 242
BA .322
HR 2
RBI 26
SB 19
CARL CRAWFORD
B-T L
PVR 13
BA .296
HR 11
RBI 55
SB 59
JULIO LUGO
B-T R
PVR 137
BA .275
HR 7
RBI 75
SB 21
ALEX GONZALEZ [New acquisition]
B-T R
PVR 244
BA .225
HR 7
RBI 27
SB 2
TOBY HALL
B-T R
PVR 248
BA .255
HR 8
RBI 60
SB 0
TRAVIS LEE [New acquisition]
B-T L
PVR 205
BA .105
HR 0
RBI 2
SB 0
JORGE CANTU
B-T R
PVR 116
BA .301
HR 2
RBI 17
SB 0
AUBREY HUFF
B-T L-R
PVR 46
BA .297
HR 29
RBI 104
SB 5
MANAGER Lou Piniella
third season with Tampa Bay
DESIGNATED HITTER
JOSH PHELPS [New acquisition]
B-T R
PVR 216
BA .251
HR 17
RBI 61
SB 0
BENCH
EDUARDO PEREZ
B-T R
PVR 325
BA .211
HR 1
RBI 7
SB 0
ROCCO BALDELLI
B-T R
PVR 256
BA .280
HR 16
RBI 74
SB 17
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303
6
15
0
1.65
6.65
New acquisition
(R) Rookie
B-T: Bats-throws
IPS: Innings pitched per start
WHIP: Walks plus hits per inning pitched
PVR: Player Value Ranking (explanation on page 69)
COLOR PHOTO
DAMIAN STROHMEYER
POINTING THE WAY
Led by the fleet and free-swinging Crawford, the long-woeful Devil Rays are headed in the right direction.
COLOR PHOTO
STEVE NESIUS/AP
Brazelton
COLOR PHOTO
COLOR ILLUSTRATION