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Seven players in the lineup played in at least half of 2000's games. The team hopes for more from them now.
By JOHN ROMANO
© St. Petersburg Times, published April 2, 2001
ST. PETERSBURG -- The Hit Show ad campaign is long gone, banished to the land of annoying jingles. But, in some respects, the song remains the same for the Devil Rays in 2001.
Now that the roster is set, the strength of the lineup, once again, appears to be the potential for power. Buoyed by the addition of Ben Grieve and hopeful that Vinny Castilla will rebound from an injury-filled 2000, the Rays envision a quartet of 30-homer hitters in the middle of the lineup.
Grieve, Castilla, Greg Vaughn and Fred McGriff averaged 35 home runs among them in 1999. They averaged a far less-formidable 22 last season.
"Even though our stats would not indicate it, because of injuries and in some cases just bad years, this has the potential to be a much better offensive club than what we showed last year," general manager Chuck LaMar said. "The pieces are there to be better and we need to be better. We need to score more runs, stay in more games and be able to come from behind in games when we fall behind."
The Hit Show fizzled in 2000 when Castilla began the year on the disabled list and went on to have a career-worst season. Jose Canseco was also in and out of the lineup and added little production. Castilla is healthy again, and Grieve offers more consistency, if less presence, than Canseco.
"I will be disappointed if we don't increase runs scored and most of our power numbers," LaMar said. "Vinny and Jose were almost non-factors last season. I think Castilla will be a bigger factor, I think Greg Vaughn will be a bigger one and the addition of Grieve makes us that much better."
The Rays had better show more power because it is the one potential strength in their lineup. In many ways, the 2001 roster has much in common with its predecessor. And that's not exactly encouraging.
Tampa Bay finished last in the American League in runs scored, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The Rays also finished in the bottom half of the league in stolen bases and strikeouts.
And, considering seven of the nine players in the current starting lineup played in at least half of Tampa Bay's games last season, there is some justification to expect more of the same.
The Rays are not particularly fleet on the bases and not terribly patient at the plate.
Manager Larry Rothschild, however, points out that the 2000 lineup often was in a state of flux because of injuries. With a set lineup, devoid of platoons, he said he expects more consistency from the offense.
"This is a different lineup than we started out with last year. You had (Kevin) Stocker, (Miguel) Cairo, Canseco in the lineup and Quinton (McCracken) was in the background there," Rothschild said. "Adding Ben Grieve is a big addition and having Steve Cox be a more consistent part of the lineup. Those are two good, left-handed hitters, so that's a change."
Overall, the 2001 roster is dramatically different from last opening day but very similar to the roster at the end of 2000.
Though 16 current Rays were not around for opening day last season, Grieve, Ken Hill, Ariel Prieto and Mike Judd are the only players on the 25-man roster who did not play in Tampa Bay in 2000. Travis Harper and Damian Rolls, who appeared in games in September, are the only rookies.
The current rotation is similar to what the Rays used after June 1 last season when they had the third-best ERA (4.43) in the American League. Albie Lopez, Paul Wilson, Bryan Rekar, Ryan Rupe and Harper were in the rotation at various points in the second half.
For the second year in a row, the Rays begin the season without a left-hander in the starting rotation. Tampa Bay went the entire 2000 season without using a left-handed starter.
"Hopefully, by the time May rolls around, we're looking at having Wilson (Alvarez) back in the rotation. If we do, then we have a good left-handed pitcher in the rotation," Rothschild said. "I don't think you're going to have a year like last year where we didn't start a left-handed pitcher all season. I don't bet, but I guess I'd bet the house that doesn't happen."
The bullpen is where the Rays have had the greatest turnover, and it is the greatest area of concern. The six relievers have a combined two major-league saves. Two pitchers -- Hill and Prieto -- are moving to the bullpen after long careers as starters. And Doug Creek is the only left-hander.
Esteban Yan will begin in the closer's role, although Tanyon Sturtze and Hill also could be used to finish games.
LaMar and Rothschild have suggested the composition of the bullpen can be evolving.
"The key for us is twofold: How the bullpen shapes up and performs the first month of the year and, No. 2, making sure we execute the fundamentals and little things," LaMar said. "For us to get off to a good start, our bullpen must solidify quickly. I think our starting pitching will keep us in games, and I think our offense will be improved. We need the bullpen to come together quickly and we think it has that potential."
The Rays open with a payroll of $56.38-million, which should rank about 18th among the 30 teams. Of that, the Rays will pay about $43-million this year, with about $13.25-million deferred. Last year, the Rays had an opening payroll of about $63.4-million, with about $13-million deferred. Here are the individual salaries for the 25 active players and two on the disabled list:
(Player, Salary)
x-Wilson Alvarez $9,000,000-d
Greg Vaughn 8,250,000-d
Vinny Castilla 7,000,000
Fred McGriff 6,500,000-d
x-Juan Guzman 6,000,000-d
John Flaherty 3,000,000-d
Gerald Williams 3,000,000-d
Albie Lopez 2,975,000
Ben Grieve 2,750,000
Bryan Rekar 1,400,000
Jose Guillen 975,000
Mike DiFelice 835,000
Ken Hill 750,000
Esteban Yan 650,000
Paul Wilson 350,000
Ariel Prieto 300,000
Russ Johnson 270,000
Doug Creek 260,000
Randy Winn 260,000
Steve Cox 255,000
Felix Martinez 255,000
Bobby Smith 255,000
Ryan Rupe 242,500
Tanyon Sturtze 237,500
Mike Judd 208,000
Travis Harper 202,000
Damian Rolls 200,000
Total $56,380,000
x-on disabled list
d-deferred portion of their salary
-- Compiled from staff, wire reports.