The 2007 Devil Ray team picture will have a much different look than the 2006 image. Young center fielder Rocco Baldelli missed most of the year with knee and elbow injuries, Cantu regressed from a solid 2005 campaign, and Huff, Lugo and Gathright were dealt halfway through the season. Four of the daily starters hit well below .250, and the remaining unit couldn't get on base if their proverbial lives depended on it.

The D-Rays pitching staff was uninspiring, even with the emergence of ex-Met Scott Kazmir (K/9 (10.3) and BB/9 (3.3)) who showed signs that he can be the dominating left-arm many prognosticated out of high school. Kazmir's production in 2007 will depend on his teammates keeping him interested by offering him run support in his starts. Kazmir was having a stellar second half in '06 before several physical ailments (38/8 K/BB ratio with just 32 base runners allowed in 29 IP) forced him to injured reserve.

There were far too many disappointments on the '06 Rays to cover them all, but in a nutshell, the team simply couldn't hit their way out of a wet paper bag.

What's the current MLB market for a shortstop? Julio Lugo, a journeyman who was kicked out of Texas in the spring of 2003, has struck out twice as much as he's walked in his career, and was thought to be so dispensable by Sweet Lou and the Tampa front office, he was dealt to the Dodgers at the trade deadline last summer. Lugo landed a four-year – 36 million dollar deal -- with the Red Sox this offseason.

Tampa Bay has once again completely restructured their roster. Doug Waechter, Damon Hollins, Aubrey Huff, Toby Hall, Joey Gathright and Lugo are gone while Japanese import Akinori Iwamura and the well traveled Hee Seop Choi have been added to the new look 'Rays. The real help will come from the teams' minor leagues system. Tampa is loaded with potential Hall of Fame talent, don't believe us -- then just ask their front office. The Mets would give their left you-know-what to have Kazmir's left arm in their rotation, Delmon Young was considered major league baseball's top prospect by most scouts last spring, and Elijah Dukes and BJ Upton will be expected to contribute immediately this year. Throw in Double-A starting pitcher Andrew Sonnanstine, who posted a 153/36 K/BB ratio in 2006 and you have a young team that is once again in rebuilding mode.