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Heightened expectations don’t scare the Tampa Bay Rays.Winnin - panxing18 - 04-14-2019
ST. PETERSBURG Dallas Keuchel Jersey , Fla. (AP) —g 90 games a year ago not only established them as a team on the rise, but one that’s undaunted by the challenge of closing the gap between themselves and the big-spending Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees.The Rays won more games any team that didn’t make playoffs in 2018 and are confident they have what it takes to end a five-year postseason hiatus.The quest begins March 28 at home against the Houston Astros, and manager Kevin Cash understandably is optimistic.The Rays bolstered a pitching rotation led by Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell by signing right-harder Charlie Morton this winter and feel good about adding catcher Mike Zunino, infielder Yandy Diaz and outfielders Avisail Garcia and Guillermo Heredia to the roster, too.“This is a new group. It’s a little bit more established group. We’ve brought in some new additions, and we kind of want to create something even more special going forward,” Cash said.“When you have a young club that just won 90 games it’s easy to have a lot of optimism about what’s ahead. But it’s also hard to win 90 games. A lot of things went our way to help us get there,,” general manager Erik Neander said. “I think this group will stay humble and will be motivated to come out and prove last year, and certainly the last couple months of the season, weren’t a fluke,”Tampa Bay overcame a slow start by going 41-25 after the All-Star break, including 19-9 in September, to finish third in the tough AL East — 18 games behind the world champion Red Sox and 10 in back of the Yankees, who won 108 and 100 games http://www.astrosfanproshop.com/authentic-justin-verlander-jersey , respectively.Not bad at all for a team that overhauled the roster with a series of salary-lashing moves both before and during the season to launch a youth movement that spawned for a brighter future.Cash is confident increased expectations would faze the Rays.“I don’t look at it as pressure,” the manager said. “I think our guys should feel good about what they accomplished, but also we all recognize we came up short, so we have to improve. Knowing the way these guys carried themselves in the last couple of months of the season, they are going to embrace whatever pressure there is.”Some other things to know about the 2019 Rays:NEW FACESMorton was an All-Star for the first time last season, when he went 15-3 with a 3.13 ERA for the Astros. The Rays gave him a two-year, $30 million contract and is plugging him into a three-man rotation with Snell and Tyler Glasnow.Zunino helps defensively and hit 20 homers in 113 games with the Mariners last year. An All-Star two years ago with the White Sox, looks to rebound after injuries contributed to a .236 batting average with 19 homers and 49 RBIs in 93 games in 2018.OPENERSCash plans to continue use of “openers” — relievers who start games and generally get three to six outs — to fill the fourth and fifth turns through the rotation. The Rays used traditional starters 84 times last season, and the team went 32-23 in 55 games started by openers. The remaining 23 starts were filled with “bullpen days” started by a relievers who usually worked deeper into games than openersENCOREThe success of Tampa Bay’s openers grabbed the attention of several teams that have tried a variation of the creative strategy that was a big part of Tampa Bay’s success a year ago. The Rays’ 3.50 ERA after May 19, when Cash used an opener for the first time, was third-best in the majors. The strategy has drawn criticism, too, with some pitchers from other other teams suggesting it devalues traditional starting pitching.“It’s different. It’s unique,” Cash said. “There’s no doubt baseball has done one thing for many consecutive years kind of one way, and it changed a lot of thoughts Lance McCullers Jersey , perceptions and a lot of debate.”ROOKIES TO WATCHRight-handler Brent Honeywell missed all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. The top prospect is back and, barring a setback, could be ready to make his major league debut as early June. Catcher Michael Perez, infielder/outfielder Brandon Lowe, reliever Ian Gabault and first baseman Nate Lowe could help at some point.RARE COMPANYThe Rays have won 90 or more games six times since 2008, tied with the Yankees. Only the Red Sox and Dodgers, with seven each, have more over that span. CLEVELAND — Josh Donaldson is the newest member of the Cleveland Indians and has joined his team but it does not mean the third baseman is ready to play.Donaldson is not expected to play Sunday afternoon as Cleveland hosts the Tampa Bay Rays in the final contest of a three-game series.Donaldson, who was acquired Friday night in a trade with Toronto, is in uniform, but is not expected to play immediately. Donaldson hasn’t played in a major league game since May 28 because of a strained calf.Article continues below ...Once Donaldson is ready to play, manager Terry Francona said Donaldson will be the Indians new third baseman. Jose Ramirez will move from third base to second base, and second baseman Jason Kipnis will move to center field, where he will compete for playing time with Greg Allen.For now, Ramirez remains at third and Kipnis at second. Ramirez has emerged as a strong candidate in the MVP race. Only one player in American League history Mike Scott Jersey , Ty Cobb in 1909, has led the league in home runs and stolen bases in the same year, and Ramirez has a chance to do it in 2018.Ramirez is second in the league in stolen bases with 29, one behind Seattle’s Dee Gordon, and is third in the AL in home runs with 37, two behind co-leaders Boston’s J.D. Martinez and Oakland’s Khris Davis.“He’s grown into his power without sacrificing speed. You don’t see that very often,” Francona said of Ramirez. “All the big things he does, he does the little things, too.”The Indians’ starter Sunday will be right-hander Carlos Carrasco (16-7, 3.38), who ranks in the top 10 in the American League in ERA, fewest walks per nine innings (1.8), strikeouts and strikeouts per nine innings (10.4).In his last start, Carrasco was the winning pitcher in an 8-1 Cleveland victory over Minnesota. In that game Carrasco pitched 7 2/3 scoreless innings on four hits, with 11 strikeouts and two walks. In his last 11 starts Carrasco is 8-2 with a 2.13 ERA.Sunday will be Carrasco’s first start against Tampa Bay since Aug. 11 Alex Bregman Jersey , 2017, when he was the winning pitcher in a 5-0 victory. Carrasco pitched eight scoreless innings in that game, allowing two hits, with 10 strikeouts and two walks. In nine career appearances against the Rays Carrasco is 4-3 with a 2.77 ERA.With the expanded September rosters, the Indians Saturday activated outfielder Rajai Davis from the 10-day disabled list. Cleveland also recalled catcher Eric Haase from Triple-A Columbus and selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Jon Edwards from Columbus. On Sunday, the Indians are expected to activate reliever Neil Ramirez off the disabled list.Tampa Bay has activated left-hander Vidal Nuno from the disabled list and recalled right-hander Jaime Schultz from Triple-A Durham.Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier was removed from Saturday’s game in the seventh inning because of back spasms, but is expected to play Sunday.Tampa Bay’s Sunday starter will be reliever Diego Castillo (3-2, 3.73). Castillo has appeared in 33 games this year, 30 in relief and three as a starter.As a reliever he is 3-2 with a 3.53 ERA. In his three starts he has a 5.06 ERA and no decisions. In those starts he has pitched a total of 5 1/3 innings, allowing three runs and six hits, with six strikeouts and no walks.Castillo’s last start came Aug. 29, an 8-5 Rays win over Atlanta in which he pitched two innings, giving up three runs and three hits, with two strikeouts and no walks.Sunday will be Castillo’s first appearance against Cleveland.