The Rays might have kind of a weird platoon set up in RF with Matt Joyce starting against righties and Ben Zobrist against lefties with Sean Rodriguez starting at 2B when Zobrist is in RF. That would mean that 25-year old lefty swinging Matt Joyce would get the most playing time in RF for the Rays in 2010. Joyce played in 11 games for the Rays last season in which he was 6 of 32 (.188 avg, .770 OPS) with 3 runs scored, 3 homers, 7 RBIs and 1 stolen base. Joyce also played in 111 games in AAA-ball last season in which he was 114 of 417 (.273 avg, .855 OPS) with 73 runs scored, 16 homers, 66 RBIs and 14 stolen bases. Joyce didn’t make any errors in 5 games in RF last season but he didn’t show much range. He will need to improve his defense a bit if the Rays are going to trust him in 2010.

28-year old switch hitting Ben Zobrist played in 59 error-free games in RF for the Rays last season while showing outstanding range. If Sean Rodriguez wins the starting 2B job outright this spring then Zobrist will be the full-time RF in 2010.

34-year old righty swinging Gabe Kapler could also get some starts in RF against lefty starting pitching. Kapler played in 99 games for the Rays last season in which he was 49 of 205 (.239 avg, .768 OPS) with 26 runs scored, 8 homers, 32 RBIs and 5 stolen bases. Kapler made 2 errors in 66 games in RF last season while showing outstanding range. He also had 4 assists while in RF as he has a strong arm and likes to show it off.

26-year old switch hitting speedster Fernando Perez could also get some P.T. in 2010 in RF for the Rays. Perez didn’t make any errors in 1 game in RF for the Rays last season. He has outstanding range.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE RF IN 2010: B

The Rays really need 25-year old righty swinging B.J. Upton to step up in 2010. He played in 144 games for the Rays last season in which he was 135 of 560 (.241 avg, .686 OPS) with 79 runs scored, 11 homers, 55 RBIs and 42 stolen bases. Upton is a career .266 hitter with a .762 OPS in 513 major league games so he definitely has the potential to rebound in 2010. Upton made 4 errors in 144 games in CF for the Rays last season while showing above average range. He also had 6 assists while in CF last season as he has a strong throwing arm which he isn’t shy about showing off. Upton is one of the most gifted players on the Rays and they need him to play like one. If he starts getting bench for being lazy like he did a couple of times last season Joe Maddon will not be too happy with him.

34-year old righty swinging Gabe Kapler can give B.J. Upton a day off here and there. He played in 12 error-free games in CF last season while showing out of this world range. He also had 1 assist while in CF as like Upton, he has a very strong throwing arm.

28-year old switch hitting Ben Zobrist could also play a couple of games in CF this season. He played in 7 error-free games in CF for the Rays last season while showing good range.

26-year old switch hitting Fernando Perez could also have a good shot of getting some P.T. in CF this season. Most of last season was a washout for Perez after he broke one of his wrists that spring. Perez played in 18 games for the Rays last season in which he was 7 of 34 (.206 avg, .412 OPS) with 4 runs scored and 2 RBIs. He also played in 17 games in Rookie+A+AAA-ball last season in which he was 12 of 49 (.245 avg, .657 OPS) with 11 runs scored, 2 RBIs and 10 stolen bases. Perez played in 8 error-free games in CF for the Rays last season while showing out of this world range.

23-year old righty swinging Desmond Jennings is the Rays’ top prospect heading into this season according to Baseball America. Jennings played in 132 games in AA+AAA ball last season in which he was 158 of 497 (.318 avg, .888 OPS) with 92 runs scored, 11 homers, 62 RBIs and 52 stolen bases. If any of the Rays’ outfielders get hurt or traded Jennings will be called up to start.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE CF IN 2010: B

28-year old lefty swinging Carl Crawford is going to have a monster year in 2010 if he stays healthy as this is his free agent walk year. Crawford played in 156 games for the Rays last season and he was 185 of 606 (.305 avg, .816 OPS) with 96 runs scored, 15 homers, 68 RBIs and 60 stolen bases. Look for Crawford to running more than ever before this season as he see the gold pot at the end of the rainbow. Crawford made 4 errors in 154 games in LF for the Rays last season while showing outstanding range. He also had 6 assists showing an above average throwing arm from LF. Look for Crawford to get a lot of MVP votes due to the year he’s going to put up as long as he stays healthy.

34-year old righty swinging Gabe Kapler will get most of his P.T. in RF in 2010 but he can also fill in at LF if needed. Kapler didn’t make any errors in 14 games in LF but he showed poor range. Despite not having any assists while in LF last season, Kapler has a very strong throwing arm.

In an emergency 33-year old righty swinging Pat Burrell could play in LF which is his natural position. But, he will likely get almost all of his playing time at DH in 2010.

23-year old righty swinging Desmond Jennings would likely get a quick call to the majors if Crawford were to get injured or traded. He is the Rays’ top prospect according to the Baseball America Prospect Handbook and his time in Tampa is coming soon.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE LF IN 2010: A+

33-year old righty swinging DH Pat Burrell had the worst year of his career in 2009 for the Rays. He played in 122 games for the Rays last season and he was 91 for 412 (.221 avg, .682 OPS) with 45 runs scored, 14 homers and 64 RBIs. The Rays hope that Burrell is not one of those players who needs to be in the field to hit the ball because it won’t happen with them in 2010. The Rays would take a average season from Burrell which would make him a .254 hitter (.838 OPS) with 70 runs scored, 26.5 homers and 89.1 RBIs in 2010. He didn’t hit a homer against a lefty pitcher last season so he is not really a platoon candidate either.

26-year old switch hitting Willy Aybar is the biggest threat to Pat Burrell’s P.T. in 2010. Aybar played in 105 games for the Rays last season and he was 75 of 296 (.253 avg, .747 OPS) with 38 runs scored, 12 homers and 41 RBIs.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE DH IN 2010: C-

24-year old righty swinging Evan Longoria is one of the best all around 3B in all of baseball right now and he is only getting better. Longoria played in 157 games for the Rays last season and he was 164 for 584 (.281 avg, .890 OPS) with 100 runs scored, 33 homers, 113 RBIs and 9 stolen bases. The sky is the limit for Longoria as a hitter. Longoria played in 151 games at 3B for the Rays last season and he made 13 errors while showing great range. Longoria is quite simply one of the best players in all of baseball and the Rays are going to just sit back and watch him dominate.

26-year old switch hitting Willy Aybar will back up Longoria at 3B again in 2010. He played in 18 games for the Rays at 3B last season and he made 2 errors there while showing above average range. Aybar would do a good job at 3B if Longoria got injured.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE 3B IN 2010: A