The Rays continued to mold the team for the 2010 PTFBL season by completing two trades. The Rays acquired slugging outfielder Nelson Cruz but he didn't come without a cost. The price for Cruz was Gold Glove Center fielder Franklin Gutierrez, young pitching prospect Daniel Schlereth plus a first and third round draft pick. Nelson Cruz has appeared in 1 All-Star game but staying healthy for a full season is his biggest challenge. To date the 128 games Cruz appeared in for the 2009 season is his career high. He's productive when healthy and he enjoyed his first post season last year for the Texas Rangers. Cruz helped lead Texas past the Rays and Yankees but the San Francisco pitching staff finally found a way to slow him down in the World Series. Cruz possesses some great tools: powerful bat, speed, good glove and a strong arm in the outfield. A bit of a late bloomer, the PTFBL Rays are betting (or at least hoping) that Nelson has a great season ahead.
Tampa Bay added another outfielder to the roster with the addition of veteran J.D. Drew. Since he left Florida State in 1998 J.D. has had a solid career although maybe not the spectacular one that had been predicted for him. Drew still remains productive as he enters the elder stages of his baseball life. J.D. should still be counted on to produce 20 homers, show a good eye at the plate and continue to provide a good OB%. In the field Drew is sure handed with an accurate throwing arm and is still a very serviceable outfielder. The acquisition of Drew makes sense for a Rays team that continues to pursue their first pennant.
The Rays made one final move before the draft and it was a big one. In a large three team trade involving Adam Dunn, Desmond Jennings and Joel Pineiro the Rays brought young outfielder Colby Rasmus to Tampa Bay. Rasmus has totaled 39 home runs in his first two years in the majors. While that number is an average season for Dunn, Colby brings additional things to the table. Yes he's similar to Adam Dunn in reaching triple digits in strikeouts but there is no denying that Rasmus is a young and talented outfielder with the potential for big things. Coming off a 2010 campaign that saw him smack 23 home runs and steal 12 bases, Colby looks to continue building on an already strong foundation. Rasmus is solid defensively and he will be tested in 2011 having to patrol between Matt Holiday and Lance Berkman in the St. Louis Cardinals outfield. Colby is not an elite player at this point in his young career but with continued improvement an All-Star birth could await him in his future.
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