Let's Catch Some Rays!- Rays Dynasty (MLB10)

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Game: MLB 10 The Show
System: PS3
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Re: Let's Catch Some Rays!- Rays Dynasty (MLB10)

SAINT PETERSBURG, FLORIDA- The 2009 season was a disappointing drop-off from a pennant winning '08 for the Tampa Bay Rays. The club finished in third place behind New York and Boston, and failed to make the playoffs. However, the Rays have made several small moves to shore up an already steady team, and hope to move back to the top of the division this year.

Manager Joe Maddon has improved on his club's weakest point from last season by adding Rafael Soriano for the Atlanta Braves. This adds to an already solid bullpen, which features the up and coming talent of JP Howell and the solid veteran arms of Dan Wheeler, Grant Balfour, and Randy Choate. Andy Sonnanstine, who spent last season in the Rays rotation and at Triple-A Durham, also will be throwing out of the bullpen. "We feel like we have an improved bullpen from last year. They were solid last year but lacked a true closer to shut down games, and we lost a few games to the Sox and Yankees because of that. JP, Wheeler, and Balfour all have all-star caliber arms. We feel that Soriano's presence will help out their mental status during the seventh and eighth innings, because they know they don't have to worry about what's going to go down in the ninth," said Maddon.

The rotation and lineup for the Rays remain relatively unchanged from last season. Rookie righthander Wade Davis won the fifth spot in the rotation over Sonnanstine, and will get every chance to prove himself. James Shields will make another opening day start for the Rays, and is no doubt the leader of the pitching staff. "Shields is the guy we can depend on to go out there every fifth day and give us six or seven quality innings. He's a clubhouse leader, and he could realistically be our opening day starter for the next ten years," said Maddon.

The lineup will be led by the third year man at the hot corner in Evan Longoria. "Longo is the premiere third baseman in the league, and every manager wishes he had a young talent like that," said general manager Nick Hanson. Carl Crawford is in his free agent year in left field, and could be moved at the All-Star Break if things don't go well for Tampa Bay. Jason Bartlett, Carlos Pena, and the rest of the Rays lineup hope to lead the Rays back to their identity as an offensive dominator.

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Re: Let's Catch Some Rays!- Rays Dynasty (MLB10)

Tampa Bay Rays Opening Day Roster
vs. Baltimore Orioles

Bullpen-
50- Grant Balfour
36- Randy Choate
31- Lance Cormier
54- Mike Ekstrom
39- JP Howell (DL)
21- Andy Sonnanstine
29- Rafael Soriano (CL)
35- Dan Wheeler

Rotation-
40- Wade Davis
22- Matt Garza
34-Jeff Niemann
14- David Price
33- James Shields (Opening Day Starter)

Bench-
16- Willy Aybar IF
15- Reid Brignac IF
20- Matt Joyce (DL)
19- Gabe Kapler OF
30- Dioner Navarro C

Starting Lineup-
1. Jason Bartlett SS
2. Carl Crawford LF
3. Ben Zobrist RF
4. Evan Longoria 3B
5. Carlos Pena 1B
6. BJ Upton CF
7. Kelly Shoppach C
8. Pat Burrell DH
9. Sean Rodriguez 2B

Coaching Staff
70- Joe Maddon (Manager)
6- Tom Foley (Third Base)
25- George Hendrick (First Base)
48- Jim Hickey (Pitching Coach)
4- Dave Martinez (Bench Coach)
17- Derek Shelton (Hitting Coach)
General Manager- Nick Hanson