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MLB Crystal Ball: Burrell Keeps Rays in Contention in East

By Jaymes Langrehr | January 7, 2009 | MVN Outsider

Pat Burrell will provide a big bat in the middle of Tampa's order -- Scott Ableman/flickr

With the Yankees doing their best to ensure they'll never miss the playoffs again and the Red Sox looking as strong as ever, you couldn't help but feel that the Rays may be left behind, unable to keep up with the spending of their bigger AL East brothers. After all, at most only two teams from the division can make the playoffs.That's not to say the Rays were a fluke -- you certainly don't win the AL East by a decent margin by mistake. They found ways to win close games, were nearly unbeatable at home, and had good pitching throughout the year. Unfortunately for Tampa Bay, they play in the only division in baseball where every other rival doesn't have a problem spending money. In order to keep their spot atop the division, eventually they had to start (smartly) spending money.That's exactly what they did when they signed Pat...

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Initial Thoughts of MLB Network

By Alan Smodic | January 6, 2009 | MVN Outsider

Much like DirecTV's MLB Extra Innings package, the MLB Network is more baseball than one can handle. -- programwitch/Flickr.com

On January 1, Major League Baseball followed in the footsteps of the NFL and NHL by unveiling its own channel -- the MLB Network.If you don't already know what this exactly is, MLBNetwork.com's about page helps:MLB Network stands for Major League Baseball Network, which means access to more baseball than America's ever seen! This new 24-hour network delves into the world of baseball, going far beyond the field. Fans can tune in at any time for fresh perspectives, current news, the latest trade rumors, pre and post-game banter, highlights and more.Again, if you've seen the NFL or NHL networks, just picture those and think baseball. I wasn't sure if I'd receive the channel (I get the NFL network, but not the NHL), so I was surprised to see it coming in through my satellite. Obviously, I checked it out.I was impressed with my first viewing. The first show I saw...

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Fantasy Baseball 2009: Rays Sign OF Pat Burrell

By Brad Berreman | January 5, 2009 | MVN Outsider

phillymads63/Flickr.com

On Monday, the defending American League champion Tampa Bay Rays signed former Philadelphia Phillies OF Pat Burrell to a two-year, $16 million deal. Burrell should serve as the Rays' primary DH and provide a powerful right-handed bat in the middle of their lineup. Last year for the Phillies, he had 33 HR and 86 RBI along with a .507 slugging percentage. 2008 was the fourth straight season Burrell had slugging percentage over .500. Burrell joins a potentially very good Tampa Bay lineup that includes 1B Carlos Pena, LF Carl Crawford, CF B.J. Upton and 2008 AL Rookie of the Year 3B Evan Longoria. He looks likely to bat fifth in the order, behind Crawford, Upton, Longoria and Pena. 2B Akinori Iwamura is in the mix as well to possibly bat first or second, which would change things slightly above Burrell. But no matter what, Burrell should be in a position to be...

Read more | 1 Comment | Tags: Fantasy, MLB, Pat Burrell, Philadelphia Phillies, Tampa Bay Rays

Rays nab Pat Burrell

By Tim Daloisio | January 5, 2009 | Fire Brand of the American League

Now on deck for the Rays: Pat Burrell - flickr (Scott Ableman)

*hat tip MLB Trade Rumors, from Ken Rosenthal*

"According to Ken Rosenthal, the Rays are close to signing Pat Burrell to a two-year, $16MM deal. It'd be a solid move, as the Rays can increase his value by not using him in the field. The '08 Rays struggled against lefties (.726 OPS) and Burrell crushes them (.952 OPS in '08)."

This is a strong move for the Rays for whom Burrell and his 2.8 win value in 2008 will replace the sub 1.0 Cliff Floyd as the Rays primary DH. As MLB Trade Rumors notes, Burrell's fielding woes will be mitigated and he'll help the Rays woeful performance against left handed pitching. Very underrated, but very strong move by the Rays.

The A.L. East keeps getting tougher.

Read more | 33 Comments | Tags: Boston Red Sox, MLB, Pat Burrell, Tampa Bay Rays

Five things necessary for a successful 2009

By Tim Daloisio | January 2, 2009 | Fire Brand of the American League

Happy 2009? Will need the return of "Big Papi" - flickr (BostonWolverine)

Now that we've officially put 2008 to rest, I thought it might be fun to roll the calendar forward 365 days to January 1st, 2010 and take a "look back" at 2009 and specifically five things that would need to have happened for the Red Sox to achieve it's goals of another championship.

It's important to note that these aren't the only five things, nor are they necessarily the most important. But it is fair to say that if these things don't happen, 2009 won't meet the organization's lofty goals.

Read more | 10 Comments | Tags: Boston Red Sox, David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, Jason Bay, Josh Beckett, Kevin Youkilis, Manny Ramirez, MLB, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays

MLB Top 10: Baseball's Best Stories in 2008

By Jaymes Langrehr | December 29, 2008 | MVN Outsider

Evan Longoria - Keith Allison/Flickr.com

We're just a few days away from ringing in 2009, so it's time to look back on the year that was 2008. Major League Baseball provides us with tons of memories every season, but only so many can make it into a Top 10 list -- here are the Top 10 moments from this past year in Major League Baseball. Feel free to share your own in the comments section.10. This is the game that never ends...The final All-Star Game played at Yankee Stadium lasted nearly 5 hours (4 hours, 50 minutes), and would have lasted longer if Justin Morneau wasn't able to beat Corey Hart's throw home on a sac fly by Michael Young. The game tied the record for innings played in the Midsummer Classic, matching the 15 innings played in the 1967 affair. With so many innings being played, a number of records fell -- the 2008...

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The Season of Hope

By The Southpaw | December 25, 2008 | The Southpaw

That phrase is used often to refer to Christmas, but among baseball fans it's probably just as often a reference to Spring. Yes I know that Winter is not even a week old, so the meteorologist tells us. But for a baseball fan, Winter is deep into the second month and Spring only some seven weeks away.For Jays fans, and those who comment on the team professionally, hope seems to be in short supply. Buster Olney and Kieth Law at ESPN have already offered up the predictable refrain (already familiar in the Toronto media) that the Jays face a virtually unclimbable mountain and might as well rebuild. Law doesn't disrespect the team which exists, but nevertheless finds the competition too intimidating. Once you get outside the professional writers and read blog comments and BBS posts, it seems like 98% of Jays fans with internet access are out on the ledge...

Read more | 5 Comments | Tags: Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays

Joe Maddon on Teixeira

By Gerry | December 24, 2008 | Fire Brand of the American League

Joe Maddon said today he is not worried about the Yankees signing Teix because, he says, pitching wins games and he's got great pitching. Listen to him Theo!!! Our battered 2008 lineup hit better than our equally battered rotation and Pen managed to pitch. Listen to him Theo? Act soon before the window is closed. Sign the best available ACE-caliber starting pitcher. That would be Ben Sheets. Sign the best available relief pitcher. That would be Brian Fuentes. The Sox used 23 pitchers in 2008: Keep Buchholz and Bowden in AAA until they are fully ready. And Keep Masterson in the Pen, with Fuentes, RRammo and the old crew, to make it lights out. And while you are at it, to make up for losing Teix's output, might as well rebuild the Bench for power, and get catchers with Big Bats, like Shoppach and Kottaras....

Read more | 7 Comments | Tags: Fuentes, Rays, Red Sox, Salty, Sheets, Shoppach, Teixeira, Yankees

MLB Crystal Ball: Burrell Keeps Rays in Contention in East

By Jaymes Langrehr | January 7, 2009 | MVN Outsider

Pat Burrell will provide a big bat in the middle of Tampa's order -- Scott Ableman/flickr

Read more | Discuss | Tags: MLB, MLB Crystal Ball, Tampa Bay Rays

Initial Thoughts of MLB Network

By Alan Smodic | January 6, 2009 | MVN Outsider

Much like DirecTV's MLB Extra Innings package, the MLB Network is more baseball than one can handle. -- programwitch/Flickr.com

Read more | Discuss | Tags: MLB

Fantasy Baseball 2009: Rays Sign OF Pat Burrell

By Brad Berreman | January 5, 2009 | MVN Outsider

phillymads63/Flickr.com

Read more | 1 Comment | Tags: Fantasy, MLB, Pat Burrell, Philadelphia Phillies, Tampa Bay Rays

MLB Top 10: Baseball's Best Stories in 2008

By Jaymes Langrehr | December 29, 2008 | MVN Outsider

Evan Longoria - Keith Allison/Flickr.com

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, MLB, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers

Being the GM: 2009 Tampa Bay Rays

By Evan | November 13, 2008 | MVN Outsider

Andre Ethier - Malingering's mother

The Tampa Bay Rays are coming off their most successful season in their short history of the game. They won the American League East and the American League, period. They've got a young, vibrant team ready to do some serious damage over the next five-plus years. What do they have in store for us this off-season?Read more

Read more | 24 Comments | Tags: MLB, Tampa Bay Rays

Friday's Hot Stove Dishes - November 7, 2008

By Brian Joseph | November 7, 2008 | MVN Outsider

Check MVN Outsider ever Friday for the ten hottest rumors during the Hot Stove League and a recap of all of the latest moves in Major League Baseball: Peavy's days numbered in San Diego. Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves highlight possible destinations. As San Diego Padres GM has stated, the Jake Peavy "train has kind of left the station." Since the Peavy rumors started, he has informed the Padres that he will lift his no-trade clause for seven teams -- the Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees. Of that group, the Braves and Cubs have emerged as the front-runners. The Braves seem to be dangling Yunel Escobar and young pitching but not prospect Tommy Hanson who the Padres have been rumored to be interested in. Also, the talk of Escobar being part of the deal has Peavy concerned about Atlanta's...Read more

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Andy Sonnanstine, Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Coco Crisp, Colorado Rockies, Edwin Jackson, Hot Stove, Jake Peavy, Jason Varitek, Junichi Tazawa, Matt Holliday, MLB, New York Mets, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers

MVN Awards: Best Relievers - Joey Devine, Carlos Marmol

By Ryan Armbrust | November 7, 2008 | MVN Outsider

Outside the handful of high-profile closers in the league, being a reliever is often a less-than-glamorous job. Set-up men rank somewhere near the bottom of the league on pay scale -- and name recognition. When was the last time you saw a fan wearing the jersey of a middle reliever? All too often, non-closing relievers are only remembered for making a single key mistake.It's time to change that, and recognize the most outstanding relievers in the game who weren't restricted to the ninth inning.- -- --- -- ---In the National League, the Cubs were all over the newspapers, magazines, TV... basically any and all media was fixated on the North Side crew and their 100-year championship drought.A key member of that club was a wild-armed Dominican who nearly pitched himself out of a job in his rookie season of 2006, only to have a breakout year in 2007. This season,...Read more

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Carlos Marmol, Chicago Cubs, Grant Balfour, Joey Devine, MLB, Oakland Athletics, Tampa Bay Rays

MVN Awards: AL Manager of the Year - Joe Maddon

By Brian Joseph | November 4, 2008 | MVN Outsider

var iamInit = function() {try{initIamServingHandler(320,469,239216,"http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/Resources/Css/css2.css")}catch(ex){}}() Before he landed in Tampa Bay in 2006, Joe Maddon tried in vain to become a manager of a Major League team. He was passed over by the Angels in 1996 and 1999. The Red Sox nearly hired Maddon in 2003 but went with Terry Francona instead. The Diamondbacks and Mariners decided against hiring him in 2004 after he interviewed with them. Heck, even the Rays almost passed on the man behind one of the best worst-to-first stories in baseball history. Tampa Bay interviewed nine other candidates before settling on Maddon. Just think, if the Angels were knocked out a round earlier, the Rays may have went with Joe Girardi. Girardi impressed in his interview with Tampa Bay but joined the Florida Marlins while the Rays waited for the Angels to be eliminated so they could interview Maddon for their open managerial spot. It took...Read more

Read more | 2 Comments | Tags: Joe Maddon, Manager, MLB, Tampa Bay Rays

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