2013 Tampa Bay Rays Betting Preview:
The 2013 MLB season is around the corner and the Tampa Bay Rays find themselves in a very familiar spot – with an average payroll but brimming with young talent. Every year we wait for a drop-off from this team but a combination of a terrific front office, stellar managing and a good young nucleus has the Rays on the radar once again.
Odds to Win AL East from Bovada: +350
Odds to Win World Series: 22/1
This year seems a little different however – the rest of the AL East appears poised to take a step back while the Rays look like a lock for their fourth straight 90 win season. James Shields and BJ Upton are gone but if any franchise can find adequate replacements it is the Rays.
Probable lineup
1. Desmond Jennings, CF
2. Yunel Escobar, SS
3. Ben Zobrist, RF
4. Evan Longoria, 3B
5. Matt Joyce, LF
6. Luke Scott, DH
7. Kelly Johnson, 2B
8. James Loney, 1B
9. Jose Molina, C
The offense has never been a strength of this team and 2013 is shaping up to be no different. The offense’s success seems to depend on the health of Evan Longoria – he has averaged 127 games the last five seasons but seems to go down with an ailment at the wrong time every year. Still just 27 years old he is the unquestioned anchor and leader in the batting order. It is hard to replace an All-Star and potential MVP candidate night in and night out.
That said Desmond Jennings will provide a decent On Base %age and of course speed, Yunel Escobar brings a good bat and experience out of the two-hole to town and Be Zobrist has proven to be a catalyst in the past. The rest of the lineup seems underwhelming – Kelly Johnson and Jose Molina are strike out machines.
Tampa Bay will have to do a lot of damage from the top of the order which they are certainly capable of doing. The team will have to heavily rely on the …
Probable rotation
1. David Price
2. Jeremy Hellickson
3. Matt Moore
4. Alex Cobb
5. Jeff Niemann
The Rays lost dependable starter James Shields this year – hopes are that the young and uber-talented Matt Moore can take the next step and become a reliable starter. Moore is a Stud – the Rays just need him to produce like one. We know what we are going to get from the top of the rotation – two All-Star caliber pitcher that will eat innings and help this team win a share of their games. [dfads params=’groups=10&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]
The Rays were best in MLB last year in run prevention – just 3.56 per game. And they play in one of the most pitcher-friendly parks in the Bigs so it is safe to say that Starting Pitching should continue to be the strength of the Rays this year. The rotation is young, it is talented and it is deep!
Bullpen
Closer: Fernando Rodney
Setup: Joel Peralta, Jake McGee
Somehow the Rays have a way of getting the most of a bullpen that on paper looks pretty thin. I don’t know if it is something in the water or simply great coaching but we will all go into the season looking at the bullpen as a weakness and we will look back and realize that they were a pretty good unit.
Off the Bench
1B/OF Shelley Duncan, IF Ryan Roberts, IF Sean Rodriguez, C Jose Lobaton
Tampa Bay has never had a terrific bench – the offense is definitely not the focus of this team. The same rings true this year – Tampa won’t be too deep and they won’t wow you with the hitters they bring off the bench!
Betting Prediction:
As per usual, the Tampa Bay Rays should be competitive. As mentioned the offense looks average at best but the pitching should once again be top tier. Add in the Rays penchant for tremendous fundamental fielding and superior managing and we can expect much of the same this year in Tampa. The pitchers play defense, Jose Molina is one of the best catchers in the game and Yunel Escobar could be one of the best defensive shortstops in the game. And we can’t forget about the defensive prowess of David Loney!
With David Price as your staff ace and Joe Maddon managing the team, Tampa Bay is certainly in the right hands! But there are a few question marks on this team – the health of Evan Longoria and the effectiveness of Matt Moore and Jeff Neimann.
Bottom Line: The Tampa Bay Rays always find a way to make things tough on the AL East and this year should be no different. The Division is poised to take a step back with the exception of the Blue Jays. Expect the Rays to challenge Toronto for first in the AL East this year and for Tampa to fight it out for one of the two Wild Card berths.
On paper this team isn’t that sexy but they always find a way to get it done!
