Call me crazy, but....

[Tobywan]

...I am having visions of a decent season after all....I'd like this to be the line-up...against righties at least..

C JJ
LF Johnny
3B Longo
DH Manny ..if he's Manny
2B Zoby
RF Matty
CF BJ
1B Dan the Man
SS Reid ('em and weep) Brignac

though when dealing with Joe Mad (about changing the line-up every other day) don not sure what we might see.

[HollywoodLeo]

you're crazy

[love_that_reefer]

I don't agree with your lineup but definitely see the Rays competing in the East yet again. That starting pitching is too good not to.

[Tobywan]

So.......nobody is going to tell me which part is crazy or disagreeable??? What good are you people?!?!?

[love_that_reefer]

The more I look at it, the more I like it so nevermind. Didn't realize just how lefty heavy the lineup was.

[Trendy Bastard]

The pitching is there, and the lineup should be pretty productive.

Makes for a good three team race to October.

[love_that_reefer]

The Rays just signed Casey Kotchman to a minor league deal, another lefty. They need a righty somewhere. I know Jennings is and so is Shoppach. Troy Glaus would have been a good fit.

[Tobywan]

The more I look at it, the more I like it so nevermind. Didn't realize just how lefty heavy the lineup was.

Exactly and if memory serves I don't believe this team has ever been so stacked with lefties.

As for righties we have the two you mentioned, Longo, SRod, Upton, Ruggiano as well as Elliot Johnson and Zobrist who are switch. Now adding Manny's right and Johnny's left and taking into Maddon's usual style of mixing the lineup with both as well as some of the positions he had throughout last season and made a guess.

[Tobywan]

Manny Ramirez, who this week will sign his contract with the Rays, arrives at Tampa International Airport. The designated hitter says he has lost 12 pounds during the offseason. And as for joining the Rays? “It feels great.”


New Tampa Bay Rays DH Manny Ramirez arrives
By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
In Print: Monday, January 31, 2011


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



TAMPA — A fit-looking Manny Ramirez hit town Sunday night saying he is excited to be joining the Rays.

"Why not?" Ramirez said at Tampa International Airport. "It feels great."

The entertaining and enigmatic slugger arrived to finalize his contract with an official announcement expected in the next few days.

Ramirez, 38, has been working out in Arizona and looked to be in tremendous shape.

"I am. I am," he said. "Last year, I weighed like 237. This offseason, I'm down to 225, and I feel good."

The Rays are hoping so, planning for Ramirez to take over as the primary designated hitter and to add power to the middle of their lineup, motivated, in theory, by playing for just a reported $2 million after completing a two-year, $45 million deal.

Ramirez has hit well at Tropicana Field — .299 average, .623 slugging percentage and 1.003 OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) with 21 doubles, 25 homers and 72 RBIs in 77 games. So the potential is there for more big numbers.

"We'll see," Ramirez said. "I've done all right (there)."

Ramirez hit .293 with 28 homers and 105 RBIs in 196 games over the past two seasons with the Dodgers and White Sox, missing time due to a suspension for using a steroids-related banned drug and injuries. The season before that, he hit .332 with 37 homers and 121 RBIs with the Red Sox and Dodgers.

Johnny Damon, the Rays' other primary free agent addition, is expected to arrive this week as the players have to take physical exams and complete paperwork.


Wow, he looks like he's in great shape.

[realmofotalk]

Ramirez, 38, has been working out in Arizona and looked to be in tremendous shape.

"I am. I am," he said. "Last year, I weighed like 237. This offseason, I'm down to 225, and I feel good."

[Tobywan]

Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez will play on the same team for the first time since the 2005 season with the Boston Red Sox.




Rays ink Johnny Damon, Manny Ramirez



ST PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez are officially back in the AL East and ready to help the Tampa Bay Rays beat their former teams.

"We're baaack," Ramirez said as he took the stage for Tuesday's news conference to introduce the veteran outfielders who signed one-year deals with the Rays.

Damon agreed to a one-year deal worth $5.25 million plus incentives and Ramirez signed for one year at $2 million.

Ramirez and Damon played together for four years in Boston and in 2004, Damon dubbed the Red Sox "idiots" on the way to the franchise's first World Series title in 86 years.

Damon said he and Ramirez have been hoping to play together ever since their time in Boston ended when Damon signed with the Yankees as a free agent after the 2005 season.

"We wanted this to happen ever since my departure from Boston years ago, we always felt great about each other, the kind of teammates we were," Damon told reporters. "And we know we can bring a lot of experience and playoff experience to these guys. I think that's why this move is very intriguing and Manny is ready to go and so am I."

Ramirez, when asked why he signed for just $2 million, said he's not playing for the money.

"I already made my money," Ramirez told reporters. "I'm here because I love the game, I love to compete. It doesn't matter how much you make. All you want is a chance to prove to people that you still could do it."

Damon, who played with the Detroit Tigers last season after spending four seasons with the New York Yankees, said the Rays have what it takes to repeat as AL East champions.

“ We wanted this to happen ever since my departure from Boston years ago, we always felt great about each other, the kind of teammates we were ”
-- Johnny Damon

"Absolutely, this team can win the American League East," Damon said. The outfielder said he was excited to join a franchise that boasts young stars such as ace David Price and third baseman Evan Longoria.

Manager Joe Maddon said he was excited to add the veteran presence of Damon and Ramirez to what will be a young team in 2011.

It's nice to have not only veterans, but veterans who have been to the World Series several times and won," he told reporters.

Ramirez, 38, began last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, then was claimed on waivers late in the summer by the Chicago White Sox. He hit a combined .298 with nine homers and 42 RBIs.

The 37-year-old Damon batted .271 with eight homers and 51 RBIs last season for Detroit, mostly as a DH.

The moves mark the first major additions for the AL East champions after a devastating offseason in which one prominent player after another left cost-conscious Tampa Bay.

Carl Crawford signed with division rival Boston, Rafael Soriano signed with the division-rival Yankees and slugger Carlos Pena signed with the Cubs. Matt Garza (Cubs) and Jason Bartlett (Padres) were traded. A strong bullpen was depleted by the losses of Soriano, Joaquin Benoit, Dan Wheeler and Chad Qualls.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.



Probably just me, but I think they look great, just hope it doesn't blow up in our face like the "S"Hit Show and Pat the Ratbastard Burrell.

[love_that_reefer]

You can definitely tell Manny is slimmer in the face. He seems motivated and I think Damon and Manny will be welcomed in the clubhouse. I saw on First Take Skip and Rob Parker talking about the Rays saying these moves were "desperate" and that the Rays window for winning has already closed. Oh how naive! They should never let Skip talk baseball.

[Tobywan]

Well, for the most part the view around town is positive. I figure that unless by some act of the baseball Gods something happens and one or both get hurt in ST and never even play this season they both can't be worse than Burrell was for us and we still manged to eke out a Division title. The only area I am still worried about is the relief and closing situations, hopefully we can score lots of runs and there won't be as much need to hold or save games.

[Tobywan]

Well, I wasn't too far off, looks like for now Joe will go with Zoby at lead off, with JJ being either 8th or even 9th with Brignac 8th. Me likes!

[love_that_reefer]

I like Brignac batting 9th more. More speed in front of Zobrist.