Rays Roster Moves: Neither Rene Rivera nor James Loney will make the Rays 25-man roster

Front office executives and Kevin Cash made waves by releasing three players, optioning a pair, and telling another that he will not be on the 2016 squad.

The Case For James Loney Hitting Fifth

Desmond Jennings entered the 2015 season with high expectations placed upon his shoulders; a sizzling .435 BA/1.036 OPS spring upped the ante for the 28 year-old outfielder. No longer at the top of the order, now hitting fifth, Jennings now himself tasked with another challenge: offering protection for the cleanup hitter, Evan Longoria. Yet Jennings started the season tepidly, slashing .212 BA/.311 OBP/.212 SLG/.523 OPS leading many to wonder if the five hole is the best place for him. With the imminent return of James Loney in the near future, my premise is simple — Loney is better suited than Desmond to hit fifth.

The New What Next: A Rays and Rangers Series Preview of Sorts

Despite falling to the Cubs in extra innings Sunday afternoon, the Tampa Bay Rays will head to Arlington for a four game set against the Rangers with a series win under their belts. The Rangers, like the Cubs, are a team the Rays can — and should — beat. Suffice it to say, though still …

Hot-Stove: Let the Winter Meetings Commence (Updated)

Let the madness begin! For the better part of the next week, representatives from all 30 Major League Baseball organizations, and more than 160 minor league baseball teams, have descended upon Lake Buena Vista, Florida to make moves in what has been called the culmination of the Hot-Stove period of the off-season. As one writer put it, “A lot of things are going to be talked about this week—some of them will bear fruit and change the landscape of MLB in 2014, others will be a lot of hot air from agents trying to drive up prices or teams trying to pressure a player into taking their deal.”