X-Rays Spex

A Below Average Rays Fan Blog

Trouble obtaining land in downtown Tampa for a Rays stadium

By Leave a Comment

It’s looking more than ever that neither Ybor City, nor downtown Tampa, will be the forever home of the Tampa Bay Rays.

News broke late last week that acquiring the land needed for a Tampa Bay Rays stadium near downtown Tampa is proving harder than expected. According to an article writing by Steve Contorno (Tampa Bay Times) local officials in Tampa are now exploring another option in the West Shore area.

Be not deceived, Tampa never had the funding, nor the “pitch perfect site” (but mainly the funding) for a new stadium, regardless how hard the Tampa Bay Times or 620 WDAE tried to convince you otherwise — something Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan acknowledged in the article.

Even if the pitch perfect site on the other side near downtown Tampa became apparent, Hagan is reportedly less confident than ever that the county and Rays ownership can come to an agreement on how to pay for a ballpark that would lure the team from Pinellas County.

There’s no question this has been an extremely challenging and frustrating process that in my opinion shouldn’t be this difficult of a task, Hagan said.

Some landowners in the Channel District/Ybor City region are, as of now, unimpressed by Hillsborough County’s offers to procure their property, putting into peril two sought after locations in the area. Hagan — who has a penchant for backroom deals when it comes to publicly funded stadiums — wouldn’t identify the exact location of those sites.

One of the abovementioned landowners is Darryl Shaw, chief executive officer of BluePearl Veterinary Services. He, along with other area investors, has spent millions of dollars in recent years buying property throughout Ybor City.

Shaw coincidentally (or not) has contributed an unspecified sum to Hagan for his pending reelection bid in 2018. It should be noted, Hagan once advocated “no public dollars” be spent on a Rays stadium, although his tune has changed of late.

Because the difficulty with trying to secure downtown land, the search for a new site has expanded to another undisclosed location in Tampa’s West Shore area, which does have some advantages over the Channel District/Ybor City. Pinellas County fans wouldn’t have as tedious of a drive, and it is closer to the type of corporate clients and support the Rays are seeking.

Yet while the West Shore area has some positives, broadening the hunt at this point — 22 months after St. Petersburg allowed the Rays to search for a new home away from Tropicana Field — can only be seen as a step backward for an effort many hoped would have been wrapped up by now, Contorto writes.

The window for the Rays search closes in January 2019. The Baseball Forever campaign, which is helmed by St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman, made its pitch on a redeveloped Tropicana Field to the Rays in April. You can read the proposal below.

Other Pinellas County locations are thought to be in play as well.

Noteworthiness

— Deep thoughts… In the ongoing discussion of “where” a new stadium should be located, I’d argue the topic of developing land in flood prone regions should be on the docket.

All of the potential stadium sites in Hillsborough County are in the lowest laying areas on the map (those in red)

Dare I say a waterfront stadium, on what amounts to be a flood plane, probably isn’t the greatest idea?

Sea level rise — and the imminent threat of sunny day flooding because of it — should be of concern to any of the parties involved. For example, two potential sites — the Channel District in Tampa and Snug Harbor in St. Pete —  were/are deemed as potentially viable locations, yet both are in flood prone and/or environmentally sensitive areas. In the case of Snug Harbor, five of its 30 acres are under water.

FEMA disaster studies, as well as environmental impact studies, may spell doom for any proponents of a waterfront facility.

As desirable as a waterfront stadium might be, in this day and age of heightened awareness of climate change and sea-level rise, the views related to something like McCovey Cove are tantamount to poor city planning.

A quick internet search would find countless examples of altered public works’ plans due to a project’s proximity to the water:

Everton new Bramley Moore stadium could be destroyed by rising Mersey warns academic.

Concerns about rising seas reshaping major SF waterfront projects.

FEMA halts work on new Kokomo ballpark.

Auckland, how about an underwater waterfront stadium?

In the end, perhaps the Orioles got it right some 25 years ago; Oriole Park at Camden Yards was built 6/10 of a mile from Inner Harbor in downtown Baltimore — an equivalent distance to that of the 85-acres associated with the Tropicana Field site and St. Petersburg’s waterfront.

A landlocked stadium in close proximity to the shoreline might not sound as sexy as one built directly on the waterfront, but it may be the best hope for a team like the Rays, who are desperately seeking new digs.

Arizona Fall League starts Tuesday; Rays arbitration eligibles

By Leave a Comment

Surprise Stadium, home of the Surprise Saguaros (Photo Credit: Tejas de Miguel)

The Arizona Fall League season began on Tuesday, with seven players representing the Tampa Bay Rays in Surprise, Arizona. The league is designed for some of baseball’s top Minor League prospects to refine their skills, and perform in game settings in front of major and minor league baseball scouts and team executives, who will be in attendance at almost every game.

Four pitchers and three position players will spend the next six weeks challenging themselves in Arizona. Neil Solondz (Rays Radio) gave a brief primer of the seven players representing the Rays, which you can read below:

Spencer Jones — a 10th round 2016 selection out of the University of Washington, Jones just completed his first full year in the Rays system. The 6–5 righty split time between two A-ball levels. Between Bowling Green and Charlotte, Jones was 2–4 with a 2.25 ERA over 36 outings while saving five games. In 68 innings, Jones allowed 57 hits and 21 walks while striking out 74.

Benton Moss — After missing the first half of the season due to a back injury, Moss will be picking up additional innings in the AFL. Moss, a sixth round pick in 2015 out of UNC, was 5–6 with a 3.21 ERA in 15 appearances, 14 as a starter with Charlotte and Montgomery. Moss worked 81.1 innings, after throwing 138 last year. We featured Moss in 2016 in a Prospect Spotlight profile.

Roel Ramirez — the righty was a late replacement for lefty Dalton Moats, who was to go to the AFL but was unable to because of a hand injury. Ramirez split time between Bowling Green and Charlotte. Ramirez made two appearances for the Hot Rods, going 1–0 with a 3.00 ERA. He pitched the rest of the year with the Stone Crabs, and was 2–3 with a 5.52 ERA, making 26 appearances, six as a starter. The 22-year-old Ramirez was an eight round pick in 2013 out of high school in Laredo, TX.

Burch Smith —Smith, like Moss, also is making up for lost time. After missing all of 2015 and 2016 recovering from Tommy John surgery, Smith returned to the mound this year, and finished in Triple-A Durham. Smith, who pitched in the GCL, Charlotte and Durham, was 5–3 with a 2.40 ERA over 56.1 innings and 13 appearances (12 as a starter). That doesn’t include innings Smith threw in extended spring training or the Triple-A playoffs for Durham. The Rays will decide whether to protect Smith in the Rule 5 draft (a future topic on this blog), as Tampa Bay has one more year where it controls Smith.

Brandon Lowe — the MVP of the Florida State League, Lowe was as accomplished as any hitter in the Rays system. A third round pick in 2015 from Maryland, Lowe blossomed this year, hitting .311 with 46 extra-base hits in 90 games for Charlotte. Lowe played 24 games for the Montgomery Biscuits in Double-A, and hit .253 with two homers and 12 more RBI. An area of focus for Lowe will be defense, as he had 18 errors at second base between Charlotte and Montgomery.

Kevin Padlo — the 21-year-old corner infielder missed much of the year because of a broken hamate bone, suffered while playing for the Charlotte Stone Crabs. Playing in the AFL will challenge Padlo and give him additional reps he missed during the year. In 64 games, Paldo hit .223 (.715 OPS) with 6 HR and 34 RBI for the Stone Crabs. Known for his power, Padlo was acquired in the same deal as Corey Dickerson from the Colorado Rockies.

Brett Sullivan — a conversion player who started catching in 2016, will work on getting more reps to continue to improving on his defense. A 2015 draft pick out of the University of Pacific, Sullivan has done nothing but hit since being selected by the Rays. This season, Sullivan was an All-Star in the Florida State League, hitting .301 with eight homers and 67 RBI in 83 games. Sullivan also stole 14 bases, and struck out just 29 times in 345 plate appearances, tops in the organization. Sullivan spent the last month in Montgomery, where he hit .272 with seven RBI in 24 games.

All eyes will be on Burch Smith, who seems to be the most likely of the seven to make the jump to the big leagues next season.

MLB Trade Rumors projected arbitration salaries

On Monday, Matt Swartz and MLB Trade Rumors released their annual projected arbitration salaries for the upcoming season. Of interest, the Rays have 13 arbitration eligible players on the roster: Shawn Tolleson, Adeiny Hechavarria, Dan Jennings, Brad Boxberger, Corey Dickerson, Brad Miller, Xavier Cedeno, Jake Odorizzi, Jesus Sucre, Chase Whitley, Alex Colome,  Steven Souza Jr., and Matt Duffy.

The number in parentheses is a player’s estimated Major League service time (Years.Days) through 2017 (172 days constitutes a full year of Major League service, per the collective bargaining agreement).

The Rays do not have any Super Two players this season.

Shawn Tolleson (5.109) – $1.0MM
Adeiny Hechavarria (5.060) – $5.0MM
Dan Jennings (4.171) – $2.5MM
Brad Boxberger (4.109) – $1.9MM
Corey Dickerson (4.101) – $6.4MM
Brad Miller (4.094) – $4.4MM
Xavier Cedeno (4.060) – $1.4MM
Jake Odorizzi (4.042) – $6.5MM
Jesus Sucre (3.137) – $1.3MM
Chase Whitley (3.123) – $1.0MM
Alex Colome (3.118) – $5.5MM
Steven Souza (3.072) – $3.6MM
Matt Duffy (3.059) – $900K

The 13 players below are projected to make up half of the Rays current $80MM payroll (roughly $41.4MM). Stu Sternberg is expected to cut the payroll in 2018, although it is not certain is how.

Getting to know the Rays new pitching coach, Kyle Snyder

By Leave a Comment

Kyle Snyder earned a World Series ring with “that team” in 2007. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Times)

Last week the Tampa Bay Rays announced that they would be parting ways with longtime pitching coach Jim Hickey, in what was called a mutual decision. His replacement, Kyle Snyder, has spent the last four seasons as a Minor League pitching coach (or coordinator) within the Rays farm system.

“It was just time” for the Rays to shake up their coaching staff, Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) wrote on Friday. Hickey seemed likely to leave when his contract was up after the 2018 season, said he had a “difference of opinion” about the team’s plan to utilize relievers earlier games. The pitching coach has to sell those strategies to the staff, and with the young talent they have coming down the pike — be them sooner or later — Snyder is better positioned to do that, opined Topkin.

The changes to the coaching staff have resulted in just one coach (bullpen coach Stan Boroski) remaining from the Joe Maddon/Matt Friedman era, so current skipper Kevin Cash now has more of his own people in place.

He connects with pitchers in whatever way is necessary to help them get better, Cash told the Tampa Bay Times on Wednesday. And that has been glaring throughout the last three years of his work.

You may be asking, “who is Kyle Snyder?” Per the Rays press release, under Snyder’s watchful eye, the Triple-A Durham Bulls set a single-season Minor League record with 1,421 strikeouts this season.

Snyder, 40, becomes the eighth pitching coach in franchise history, following Rick Williams (1998-2000), Bill Fischer (2000-01), Jackie Brown (2002), Chris Bosio (2003), Chuck Hernandez (2004-05), Mike Butcher (2006) and Hickey (2007-17). He began his coaching career in 2012 and has spent all six of those seasons in the Rays organization, the last three as the pitching coach for Durham. In 2017, the Bulls pitching staff set a minor league single-season record with 1,421 strikeouts. In three seasons under Snyder, Bulls pitchers combined for a 3.61 ERA. Prior to that, he served as minor league pitching coordinator in 2014, pitching coach for the Class-A Bowling Green Hot Rods in 2013 and pitching coach for Short-A Hudson Valley Renegades in 2012.

Snyder pitched parts of five seasons in the major leagues with the Kansas City Royals (2003, 2005-06) and Boston Red Sox (2006-08), appearing in 93 games with 29 starts. In 2007, his only full major league season, he compiled a 3.81 ERA over 46 relief appearances and was named to Boston’s World Series roster. He was originally drafted by the Rays in the 27th round of the 1996 June Draft out of Riverview High School in Sarasota, but did not sign. After pitching three seasons for the University of North Carolina, he was selected by Kansas City in the first round (seventh overall) in the 1999 June Draft.

For Snyder, the ups and downs of his short lived playing career have proved beneficial in his post-playing career.

I would say to some degree I think it has helped me become the pitching coach that I am, Snyder said. The experiences that I’ve gone through, the frustrations that I’ve dealt with.

It is those experiences that taught Snyder to relate to each pitcher in his charge on a personal basis, “being able to speak their language,” which helps him identify how they need to be handled.

I really try to prioritize the human being, Snyder said. The building of a relationship, understanding that establishing trust takes time. There is an element of trial and error to a lot of what we do as coaches, and without that trust it’s going to be difficult to connect and reach guys and/or influence their careers, which is the common goal.

Players like Brent Honeywell, Jacob Faria, and Ryne Stanek raved about the job he’s done.

It’s simple: look at the numbers, said tHoneywell. Look what he produces. Look at his minor-league career. He knows what he’s doing.

Faria piggybacked on Honeywell.

Everything is individualized for each pitcher he works with. There is nothing cookie-cutter about him.

Stanek also added:

He’s very good at relaying information, and knowing when somebody needs to be left alone. He has a very good feel how to help.

Cash made clear that his comfort factor with Snyder goes back to playing in Boston.

There’s a history there, and fortunately for me coming into the organization (in 2015) I felt like we kind of picked up right where we left off, Cash said. Throughout the last three years Kyle and I have had countless conversations talking about young pitchers coming up,” many of whom will be part of the staff in 2018.

The changes made for a special episode of This Week in Rays Baseball. Neil Solondz talked to GM Erik Neander, Snyder and Topkin, and you can stream that episode below.

Rays and Jim Hickey mutually part ways; team announces coaching staff moves

By Leave a Comment

New broke Tuesday afternoon that the Rays have parted ways with longtime pitching coach Jim Hickey in a move that has been called mutual. (Photo Credit: Gary Shelton Sports)

The Tampa Bay Rays announced several changes to Manager Kevin Cash’s coaching staff Tuesday afternoon. Former third base coach — and former manager of the Triple-A Durham Bulls — Charlie Montoyo will take over the role of bench coach, replacing Tom Foley, who will transition to a new, unspecified position with the club. Assistant hitting coach Jamie Nelson will not return to his role as a Major League coach, and a new role for him within the organization is being explored. Finally, the biggest news of the day, the Rays and pitching coach Jim Hickey have decided to part ways after 11 seasons. Former Durham Bulls pitching coach Kyle Snyder has been promoted to Major League pitching coach in Hickey’s wake.

I am so grateful to Fo, Hick and Nelly for all of their contributions to our major league club. They are tremendous coaches and even better people, and they’ve had such positive impact throughout the Rays organization, said Cash. I’m glad that Fo and Nelly will have new opportunities to help the Rays, and I will always appreciate my time with Hick and wish him the best. At the same time, I’m excited for what Kyle will contribute to our staff, and for the wealth of experience that Charlie will bring to his new role.

This decision came as a shock to many fans, who believed that — in spite of the Rays third consecutive losing season under the tutelage of Cash — much of the coaching staff would remain unchanged going into the upcoming season.

With a year remaining on Hickey’s contract, it felt like foregone conclusion that he would return next season. Not only is he considered to be one of the best pitching coaches in baseball, but Hickey also has been with the team for over a decade. The decision was said to be mutual, and as Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) — who broke the story this afternoon — put it, the likely spin will be that both sides felt it was time for a change.

The team and Hickey had a difference of opinion on the direction the team was going, one that could not be resolved.

Going forward we probably had a little bit of a difference of opinion on the strategies employed to get the most out of our pitchers, Hickey told Topkin on Tuesday. I only had one year left on my contract and I wasn’t 100 percent on board with the direction, so we simply agreed to mutually part ways one year prior than we probably would have anyway.

If body language in the dugout speaks to anything, Cash and Hickey’s relationship appeared to be tense at best, and acrimonious at worst … although that is an matter of opinion, based on the few mid-game broadcast shots of the two of them together.

Hickey, 56, joined the organization in 2007, and led the Rays pitching staff to the playoffs four times in six years. He is known for his ability to resuscitate the career of veteran relievers — such as Fernando Rodney (who performed to a 0.60 ERA in 2012 under Hick’s watchful eye), Joaquin Benoit, Rafael Soriano, and most recently Sergio Romo to name a few — as well as his impressive work to help acclimate young pitchers to the big leagues.

Many of the Rays starters had nothing but complimentary words for Hickey:

Hickey is one of the most intellectual people I know. He’s also one of the best people persons I know. The combination of his ability to analyze and apply information, as well as communicate to his players is what causes him to enhance pitchers careers, young and old, said Chris Archer.

From him helping me prepare prior to every major-league start I’ve made to our wide ranging chats after practice, on the plane, over a meal, I’m going to miss many many things about Hickey and his influence on our organization.

Odorizzi made note of his appreciation for Hickey:

Hick was the best pitching coach I have ever been around. He helped me grow a lot as a pitcher over the time I was fortunate to work with him. So a lot of the pitcher I am today is because of him and the work he put in with me. … I know wherever he goes next that team will be getting a great leader to their pitching staff.

Free-agent Alex Cobb was effusive in his praise for the mutually ousted coach:

I’m not going to try to explain how great Jim Hickey is. There’s really nothing I can say that would speak louder than his track record. All I can say is how fortunate I was to have him when I got to the big leagues. No one could have prepared me better.

In a late afternoon conference call, Kevin Cash lauded Hickey, but also acknowledged that with the influx of young pitchers in the Rays system, he felt Snyder “could make a huge impact” on them.

Topkin reached out to the new pitching coach, Kyle Snyder, who said it’s been a whirlwind day but he’s extremely grateful and excited by the challenge. Snyder also called it “a daunting task” to replace Hickey, and he hopes to build on his success and philosophies.

As for the other moves, Cash said that Foley was “invaluable to the organization and instrumental to me as a manager,” however, he felt that Montoyo will be an asset with in-game decision-making as the bench coach .

The Rays PR Department wrote about all the moving pieces in a press release, which you can read below:

Foley will step into a new role in 2018-his 23rd season in the organization-and remain heavily engaged with the major league team. In doing so he concludes a 16-year tenure on the Rays major league coaching staff, the longest in franchise history. Foley served as bench coach for the last three seasons (2015-17) following 13 seasons (2002-14) as the third base coach. Only three other coaches in the majors have a longer tenure with their current team than Foley did: San Francisco’s Ron Wotus (since 1998) and Dave Righetti (since 2000), and Alfredo Griffin (since 2000) of the Los Angeles Angels.

Hickey served as the Rays pitching coach for 11 seasons (2007-17), more than half of the franchise’s existence. Only one American League pitching coach had been at his post as long: Chicago’s Don Cooper (since 2002). During Hickey’s tenure, the Rays led the AL with 127 shutouts (tied with the Angels), .247 opponents’ batting average and 1.28 WHIP, and ranked second with a 3.95 ERA and 13,988 strikeouts. Meanwhile, 96 percent of those games (1,709 of 1,783) were started by pitchers under the age of 30. The Rays have had at least one pitcher make the All-Star Team in each of the past eight seasons, and none of those eight pitchers had ever been an All-Star prior to working with Hickey.

Nelson spent the last five seasons (2013-17) as a major league coach. He began his professional coaching career in the Rays organization in 2000, and that time includes five seasons (2003-07) managing Rookie-level Princeton.

Montoyo, who turns 52 later this month, enters his 22nd season in the Rays organization. He becomes the ninth bench coach in club history, following Frank Howard (1998-99), Bill Russell (2000), Hal McRae (2001), Billy Hatcher (2001-02), John McLaren (2003-05), Bill Evers (2006-07), Dave Martinez (2008-14) and Foley (2015-17). He served the last three seasons as the Rays third base coach after 18 seasons managing Rays affiliates at every level in the minor league system. He compiled a 1,266-1,142 (.526) record as a minor league manager, including a 633-515 (.551) mark at Durham. In eight years (2007-14) as the manager at Durham, he guided the Bulls to seven International League South Division titles, a league-record six trips to the International League finals and two Governors’ Cup championships (2009 and 2013).

Montoyo played 10 seasons (1987-96) professionally as an infielder in the Milwaukee Brewers, Montreal Expos and Philadelphia Phillies organizations, and spent 27 days in the majors with Montreal in 1993.

Snyder, 40, becomes the eighth pitching coach in franchise history, following Rick Williams (1998-2000), Bill Fischer (2000-01), Jackie Brown (2002), Chris Bosio (2003), Chuck Hernandez (2004-05), Mike Butcher (2006) and Hickey (2007-17). He began his coaching career in 2012 and has spent all six of those seasons in the Rays organization, the last three as the pitching coach for Durham. In 2017, the Bulls pitching staff set a minor league single-season record with 1,421 strikeouts. In three seasons under Snyder, Bulls pitchers combined for a 3.61 ERA. Prior to that, he served as minor league pitching coordinator in 2014, pitching coach for the Class-A Bowling Green Hot Rods in 2013 and pitching coach for Short-A Hudson Valley Renegades in 2012.

Snyder pitched parts of five seasons in the major leagues with the Kansas City Royals (2003, 2005-06) and Boston Red Sox (2006-08), appearing in 93 games with 29 starts. In 2007, his only full major league season, he compiled a 3.81 ERA over 46 relief appearances and was named to Boston’s World Series roster. He was originally drafted by the Rays in the 27th round of the 1996 June Draft out of Riverview High School in Sarasota, but did not sign. After pitching three seasons for the University of North Carolina, he was selected by Kansas City in the first round (seventh overall) in the 1999 June Draft.

LBWMF: Snell, Rays end 2017 campaign on a high note, blanking the O’s 6-0

By Leave a Comment

The Rays picked up a new ballboy on Sunday. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

The Tampa Bay Rays ended the 2017 season on a hight note, handily defeating the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday, 6-0. They collected just their second series sweep of the 2017 campaign, while finishing the year in the midst of a four-game win streak. Blake Snell set a single-game career high in strikeouts at 13, and Tampa Bay’s hurlers fanned a combined 18 batters.

Prior to his start on Sunday, Snell hadn’t struck out more than nine batters in a Major League game. However, that all changed during his matinee masterpiece, as the southpaw fanned at least two batters in every inning but the sixth. Snell didn’t allow a single free pass and struck out 13 — the most by a Rays pitcher this year.

Snell put down the first 12 batters before Trey Mancini led off the fifth inning with a single to right-center. After wild pitching Mancini into scoring position, Snell struck out Mark Trumbo and Chris Davis before he got J.J. Hardy to pop out to left, ending that threat.

Mancini was the only base runner until the seventh inning, when he reached on a strikeout wild pitch. Trumbo moved him up to second on an infield hit before Davis grounded out to second, ending the frame and the day for Snell at 100 pitches.

This outing could be seen as his arrival. It clearly was the best start of Snell’s young career, and it’s exciting to think what he can do moving forward, especially without the services of Alex Cobb and potentially Jake Odorizzi. The southpaw’s talent is there in spades, and contrary to his early season numbers, he has shown how well his stuff plays at the big league level, especially of late.

Curt Casali put Snell on the winning of the ledger with a solo homer to left in the fifth off Orioles’ starter Kevin Gausman.

It was the catcher’s first homer of the season, and — as Neil Solondz (Rays Radio) noted — came in just his eighth at-bat with the Rays.

Tampa Bay extended the lead with a five-run eighth after Brad Boxberger collected a perfect top of the inning, including a pair of strikeouts. Corey Dickerson got the rally started with a one-out single to left off Brad Brach. Lucas Duda followed with a base hit to right-center, putting runners at the corners. Evan Longoria joined in on the fun with a double to right, before Logan Morrison pushed the lead to three runs with a single to center. Brach allowed a pair of free passes to Steven Souza Jr. and Trevor Plouffe, which forced home a run to the Rays up by four, spelling the end of his night.

Mike Wright entered the ball game and promptly walked Casali for another run, then Mallex Smith hit a sacrifice-fly to center, pushing the lead to 6-0.

Finally, Chaz Roe worked around a two-out single to complete the team’s second shutout in the final three games of the season, and the ninth overall.

All in all it was bittersweet ending to a season overflowing with promise, because the Rays fell shy of a postseason berth by just four games. Sadly we also must to say our goodbyes to one of the best pitchers in franchise history, Alex Cobb … although we saw that coming months ago. That doesn’t make it any easier, as he undoubtedly would be the one starting Tuesday night against the Yankees in the AL Wildcard game. Sour grapes.

Then again, the Rays outscored the Orioles 17-3 over the span of the weekend. And if you believe in moral victories of any sort — and if BaseRuns was a determining factor in the postseason — the Rays should have ended the year with an 86-76 record, while the Twins should be sitting at 82-80.

As it was written elsewhere, here’s to hoping for an offseason of progress in player development and personnel.

Noteworthiness

— We’ll be rooting on the Minnesota Twins in the Wildcard game on Tuesday (preview to come), as well as moving forward throughout the postseason. From there, we’ve got Cleveland, assuming the Twins fade away. Expect coverage of either team (or both) after a quick breather on Monday.

— Aside from the fact that Sergio Romo had a dominant second half, performing to a 1.47 ERA/2.96 FIP over 30-2/3 innings of work, the Rays should re-sign him for another reason: He’s a damn good ballboy.