OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post - Expansion Revision: 1998 Devil Rays and beyond

Moriarty9 · 05-03-2009, 11:09 PM

Rolen, Anderson join club
Quantrill, Mondesi to don new uniforms
March 30, 2002

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays will land at Logan International Airport in Boston this afternoon to get ready for Opening Day on Monday afternoon at Fenway Park.

Manager Christian O'Neal told members of the press before boarding the plane which 25 men would be making the trip north to start the season.

Unsurprisingly, Pedro Martinez will take the mound for Tampa Bay in the season opener. Martinez went 21-8 with a 3.16 ERA in 34 starts last season, winning his third straight American League Cy Young Award.

Roy Halladay, 18-1 with a 3.09 ERA in 32 games, will assume the role of the club's second starter, followed by left-hander Mark Mulder (10-8, 5.20 ERA, 22 games). Workhorse right-hander Kevin Millwood (10-14, 4.26 ERA, 31 games) will be the fourth man in the Tampa Bay rotation while left-hander Barry Zito (13-13 with a 4.42 ERA in 36 starts with the San Francisco Giants) opens the year as the fifth starter.

Matt Anderson, acquired in the Raul Mondesi trade with the Baltimore Orioles, will begin the year as Tampa Bay's closer. Veteran right-hander Paul Quantrill left the club as a free agent, leaving the door open for Byung-Hyun Kim. Kim suffered a season-ending injury shortly being named the closer for the 2002 Devil Rays. In the aftermath, the Mondesi trade was made. Anderson, 25, saved 32 games and posted a 2.08 ERA in 56 relief appearances with Baltimore last year.

"We have high hopes for Matt," said O'Neal. "If he can do what he did as a first-year closer with the Orioles last year, then we're going to be all set at the backend of the bullpen."

Bridging the gap between the starters and Anderson will be left-handers Randy Wolf, Benj Sampson and Gabe White, and right-handers Joe Fontenot and Livan Hernandez.

Wolf will open the year as the club's long-reliever and situational starter. Wolf went 2-5 with two saves and a 3.94 ERA in 33 games, 11 starts, with Tampa Bay last year. Hernandez will also work as a long-reliever who will make starts at various points throughout the season. The Cuban-born hurler went 14-10 with a 3.47 ERA in 30 games, including 22 starts.

There will be a number of familiar faces in the batting order this year, with one big new addition.

Charles Johnson, a five-time Gold Glove winner and winner of the last three awards in the American League, will return as the club's starting catcher. He hit .247 with 15 home runs and 54 RBI in 133 games last year. Carlos Hernandez will open the year as Tampa Bay's backup catcher. Hernandez, 34, hit .315 with two homers and 17 RBI in 162 at bats over 86 games with the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Diego Padres last year.

Erubiel Durazo and Aubrey Huff will split time between first base and the designated hitter's roles. Durazo, winner of the 1999 Rookie of the Year award, hit .287 with 31 homers and 97 RBI in 151 games last year. Huff, the reigining Rookie of the Year winner, hit .325 with 25 home runs and 93 RBI in 157 games last season.

The year will begin with a platoon-of-sorts at second base. Adam Kennedy will be the starting secondbaseman after hitting .273 with five home runs and 55 RBI in 131 games. Cora will get the nod against left-handed pitching.

Scott Rolen is the big addition to the lineup. The 26-year-old thirdbaseman, and two-time Gold Glove winner, hit .251 with 28 home runs and 107 RBI in 159 games with the Philadelphia Phillies last year.

After an up-and-down rookie season, the Devil Rays hope shortstop Jimmy Rollins is a more productive member of the lineup. Rollins, a 23-year-old switch-hitter, hit .236 with eight home runs, 56 RBI, 60 runs scored, and 37 stolen bases in 140 games with Tampa Bay in 2001.

The starting outfield to open the season will feature Garret Anderson in left, Carlos Beltran in center, and Wilton Guerrero in right. Anderson hit just .243 with 12 home runs and 53 RBI in 89 games with Tampa Bay last year after hitting .330 with 13 homers and 40 RBI in 59 games with the Cleveland Indians to start the 2001 season. Beltran hit .288 with 27 homers, 94 RBI, 115 runs scored, and 40 stolen bases in 153 games. Guerrero played in just 16 games with Tampa Bay last season, hitting .389 in 18 at bats. He is a career .311 hitter with 11 homers, 110 RBI, and 143 runs in 321 big league games.

Rookie outfielder Milton Bradley will open the year as a back-up outfielder. Outfielder Jay Payton, who spent last season in Tampa Bay's farm system, will also work as a reserve outfielder. Payton is a .317 hitter with five home runs and 20 RBI in 104 big league games with the Cincinnati Reds in 1999 and 2000.

"We think we have a pretty good club, and we're going to make some noise," said O'Neal. "I'm optimistic."

05-03-2009, 11:09 PM	#266 (permalink)
Moriarty9 All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,858 Thanks: 10 Thanked 3x in 3 posts	Rolen, Anderson join club Quantrill, Mondesi to don new uniforms March 30, 2002 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays will land at Logan International Airport in Boston this afternoon to get ready for Opening Day on Monday afternoon at Fenway Park. Manager Christian O'Neal told members of the press before boarding the plane which 25 men would be making the trip north to start the season. Unsurprisingly, Pedro Martinez will take the mound for Tampa Bay in the season opener. Martinez went 21-8 with a 3.16 ERA in 34 starts last season, winning his third straight American League Cy Young Award. Roy Halladay, 18-1 with a 3.09 ERA in 32 games, will assume the role of the club's second starter, followed by left-hander Mark Mulder (10-8, 5.20 ERA, 22 games). Workhorse right-hander Kevin Millwood (10-14, 4.26 ERA, 31 games) will be the fourth man in the Tampa Bay rotation while left-hander Barry Zito (13-13 with a 4.42 ERA in 36 starts with the San Francisco Giants) opens the year as the fifth starter. Matt Anderson, acquired in the Raul Mondesi trade with the Baltimore Orioles, will begin the year as Tampa Bay's closer. Veteran right-hander Paul Quantrill left the club as a free agent, leaving the door open for Byung-Hyun Kim. Kim suffered a season-ending injury shortly being named the closer for the 2002 Devil Rays. In the aftermath, the Mondesi trade was made. Anderson, 25, saved 32 games and posted a 2.08 ERA in 56 relief appearances with Baltimore last year. "We have high hopes for Matt," said O'Neal. "If he can do what he did as a first-year closer with the Orioles last year, then we're going to be all set at the backend of the bullpen." Bridging the gap between the starters and Anderson will be left-handers Randy Wolf, Benj Sampson and Gabe White, and right-handers Joe Fontenot and Livan Hernandez. Wolf will open the year as the club's long-reliever and situational starter. Wolf went 2-5 with two saves and a 3.94 ERA in 33 games, 11 starts, with Tampa Bay last year. Hernandez will also work as a long-reliever who will make starts at various points throughout the season. The Cuban-born hurler went 14-10 with a 3.47 ERA in 30 games, including 22 starts. There will be a number of familiar faces in the batting order this year, with one big new addition. Charles Johnson, a five-time Gold Glove winner and winner of the last three awards in the American League, will return as the club's starting catcher. He hit .247 with 15 home runs and 54 RBI in 133 games last year. Carlos Hernandez will open the year as Tampa Bay's backup catcher. Hernandez, 34, hit .315 with two homers and 17 RBI in 162 at bats over 86 games with the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Diego Padres last year. Erubiel Durazo and Aubrey Huff will split time between first base and the designated hitter's roles. Durazo, winner of the 1999 Rookie of the Year award, hit .287 with 31 homers and 97 RBI in 151 games last year. Huff, the reigining Rookie of the Year winner, hit .325 with 25 home runs and 93 RBI in 157 games last season. The year will begin with a platoon-of-sorts at second base. Adam Kennedy will be the starting secondbaseman after hitting .273 with five home runs and 55 RBI in 131 games. Cora will get the nod against left-handed pitching. Scott Rolen is the big addition to the lineup. The 26-year-old thirdbaseman, and two-time Gold Glove winner, hit .251 with 28 home runs and 107 RBI in 159 games with the Philadelphia Phillies last year. After an up-and-down rookie season, the Devil Rays hope shortstop Jimmy Rollins is a more productive member of the lineup. Rollins, a 23-year-old switch-hitter, hit .236 with eight home runs, 56 RBI, 60 runs scored, and 37 stolen bases in 140 games with Tampa Bay in 2001. The starting outfield to open the season will feature Garret Anderson in left, Carlos Beltran in center, and Wilton Guerrero in right. Anderson hit just .243 with 12 home runs and 53 RBI in 89 games with Tampa Bay last year after hitting .330 with 13 homers and 40 RBI in 59 games with the Cleveland Indians to start the 2001 season. Beltran hit .288 with 27 homers, 94 RBI, 115 runs scored, and 40 stolen bases in 153 games. Guerrero played in just 16 games with Tampa Bay last season, hitting .389 in 18 at bats. He is a career .311 hitter with 11 homers, 110 RBI, and 143 runs in 321 big league games. Rookie outfielder Milton Bradley will open the year as a back-up outfielder. Outfielder Jay Payton, who spent last season in Tampa Bay's farm system, will also work as a reserve outfielder. Payton is a .317 hitter with five home runs and 20 RBI in 104 big league games with the Cincinnati Reds in 1999 and 2000. "We think we have a pretty good club, and we're going to make some noise," said O'Neal. "I'm optimistic."